Content warning: this story should be considered 18+. Sexual content is present, but never described, and I don't shy away from foul language (though it seems to be censored). There is also darker content further in regarding sexual assault.
Prologue
It could be said that Skyrim was a cold, harsh land, unforgiving to outsiders and barely tolerant of anyone but a true Nord. Fortunately, those times have passed, and the sun shines brightly upon a healing landscape. The scars of civil war and dragon crises fading to memory as a new High King and his court sought to pull the land up from the depths of a crumbling Empire. An Empire in name only, its once powerful alliance spanning the entirety of Tamriel, now relegated to Cyrodiil (or the Heartland, as the Nibenese and Colovian nobles preferred to call it), High Rock, and, of course, Skyrim.
But now Skyrim stood to rise above the rest, and usher in a new era for a floundering society that still scurried from the inevitable boot of the Aldmeri Dominion. Hope began to inflame the hearts of men, for the Dragonborn King was rumored to be setting his sights upon the Ruby Throne, and the weak Mede Dynasty that occupied it. From his palace in Solitude, forces were directed and diplomats dispatched as the pawns of war moved slowly but surely. The Dominion was forced out of Skyrim with an ultimatum, and the land was finally back under the full rule of the Nords, as it ought to be.
The year is Two Hundred Twenty-nine of the Fourth Era, and the gears of war have started to turn, as the land braces itself for the Second Great War that was always to come. It was also the year that a mid-level member of the Anvil chapter of the Fighter’s Guild was loaned to the storied Companions of Jorrvaskr, in the city of Whiterun. This talented young warrior of Redguard descent suddenly found himself sailing to a strange land and leaving behind the only home he ever knew. Little remained for him in Anvil after the passing of his mother, so he looked forward to a new chapter of his life, far from the painful memories of home.
The first mate, a stout Imperial named Janius, approached the young Redguard with a roll of parchment and a quill. “Name?”
“Cain. No surname.”
“No surname?” inquired the First Mate. “How can that be, young man? I have it here that you were born and raised in Anvil, and joined the Fighter’s Guild when you came of age. Your mother is listed as Ariessa Janeel, also of Anvil. Do you not share her name?”
“In the absence of my father, she did not bestow it upon me.”
“Bastard then, eh? Unfortunate, but I see it all the time. What is your business in Skyrim?”
“On loan to The Companions. For what reason I do not yet know, but I will follow my orders from the guild and my future employers.”
“An honorable attitude for a young warrior, mister Cain. It’s a long voyage to the port of Solitude, so all we ask is that you remain civil and pitch in a helping hand when required.”
Cain nodded and the first mate moved on to speak with a different passenger. It was indeed a long voyage, filled with many sleepless nights while the ship bobbed and rocked on the choppy waters of the sea. The occasional storm would blow in and everyone from the captain to the lowest deckhands were grim-faced and determined as they struggled to keep the passengers safe from the onslaught of high waves and powerful winds. Nearly a full month passed before they sailed beneath the great arch of Solitude and nestled the ship into the port. All hands helped to moor the ship before the passengers eagerly disembarked in a new land.
A tall Dunmer man of middle years stood in wait on the pier, clad in worn hide armors with a longsword slung across his back. Years of experience lined his weathered face, eyes deep set and wary as he scanned the faces off all those who set foot off of the ship. When Cain approached the man, he flagged the Redguard down and directed him off to the side.
“You must be Cain,” he said. “Fresh from Anvil, yes? My name is Athis and I’ve been sent by our Harbinger to retrieve you. The Companions welcome your aid, but we have a long journey to Whiterun yet. Ordinarily I would accompany you south on foot, but we are already short-handed and will be taking a carriage.”
“Nice to meet you, Athis. Lead the way �" this is a strange land for me and I defer to your judgement.”
They shook hands and departed the port at a quick trot. A carriage sat in wait along the road to the capital city, and soon after Athis handed the driver a bag of Septims, the were trundling along the road to Dragon Bridge, headed for the southern road to Whiterun Hold and Jorrvaskr �" the legendary mead hall of The Companions. Despite being in an unfamiliar land, Cain found himself excited at the prospect of these new horizons and the change of pace from the last few months of misery that followed the death of his mother. He bowed his in prayer for her before striking up a conversation with Athis.
“So, what’s it like being in The Companions?” he asked. “Are things much different from the Fighter’s Guild?”
“Oh yes, quite different. Every man or woman in The Companions is their own. We have no leaders, just a Harbinger who is wise in counsel and offers a guiding hand. There are no ranks to elevate to and no coveted positions to fight for. We take the jobs we must and your shield-siblings will be ready to stand with you. Honor is valued above all else.”
“Interesting. I must admit, the lack of politics seems hard to believe. Everything is so much about rank and station in the guild that often times our true purpose is forgotten when the infighting picks up. Jobs go unanswered in the chaos and brawls turn deadly over simple differences of opinion. I might end up staying here for a long time if life is to be more peaceful in that regard.”
Athis chuckled. “While we do strive to rise above such petty squabbles, you’ll soon find that Jorrvaskr is anything but peaceful. However, our brawls usually end with hearty pats on the back and consuming copious amounts of mead, rather than misery and death!”
“Sounds like a dream come true, Athis.”
“That’s a very Nordic attitude, young one. Are you sure you’re a Redguard?”
“The color of my skin betrays that,” laughed Cain. “But who knows, maybe my father was a Nord, whoever he may be.”
The Dunmer smiled and their conversation moved onto other topics. Athis went over the finer points of The Companions with him and eventually moved onto the current political climate and powers that be in Skyrim. Cain listened with rapt attention, absorbing all the he could to avoid any run-ins with local laws and to avoid misunderstandings, no matter how small they could be. Just as the sun began to set, the carriage pulled into a small village and ground to a halt. Orthar, the driver, dismounted and told them they would continue on in the morning. Cain and Athis hopped down from the wagon and followed him into the local tavern, the Frostfruit Inn.
“This is the village of Rorikstead,” said Athis. “A fine place to spend the night. Grab us some mead and I’ll see about getting a meal. No sense in sleeping on an empty stomach.”
He left the inn as Cain was ordering a few pints of mead and a loaf of bread to munch on. Experience had taught the young man never to consume spirits on an empty stomach, and so he found a table off to the side and chewed on the crusty loaf while he awaited Athis’ return. Ten minutes later, his fellow Companion reentered the tavern with a basket of fruit in one hand and a bundle of skewered meats in the other. They ate and drank their fill while continuing to discuss the ins and outs of Jorrvaskr well into the night.
Dawn brought forth cloudy skies and the smell of rain upon the air as the carriage rumbled off onto the road, resuming their journey to Whiterun. By late afternoon, the two men were approaching the gates of the tundra city, and making their way through the bustling marketplace. They passed the local tavern and ascended a flight of stairs whereupon Cain was greeted with a breathtaking sight �" the Gildegreen was in full bloom before his eyes and the immense beauty of the towering tree froze him in his tracks as the wind gently whistled through its branches.
“Aye, a sight to see, eh?” remarked Athis. “Little matches the serene beauty of our mighty tree, blessed by the Goddess Kyne herself. That’s her temple there and the priestess' maintain the tree and those who seek her guidance within.”
“It’s amazing,” sighed Cain. “There is nothing quite as lovely in all of Cyrodiil.”
“Yeah, well, the Imperials already think too highly of themselves. Divines know they don’t deserve such a wonderful symbol as our Gildegreen. Let’s move on now �" Jorrvaskr is just over there.”
Continuing on, Cain and Athis soon stepped through the solid wood doors of the legendary mead hall and were met with the raucous din of the main dining area where shield siblings dined heartily and drank merrily, roaring with laughter and swapping exaggerated stories of their noble deeds. Athis steered him through the hall and down a small flight of stairs to a much quieter living area, with bedrooms lining the underground corridor. The walls were adorned with centuries of decorations ranging from trophy kills to impressive weapons to woven tapestries and ancient, tattered flags. At the far end of the hall two men sat around a small table and were deep in conversation, only noticing their approach at the last minute.
The smaller of the two large men rose to greet them. “Athis, I see you’ve returned with our new shield-brother!” He turned to the Redguard and offered a hand for Cain to shake. “Cain, yes? Welcome to Jorrvaskr! I’m Vilkas, Harbinger of The Companions, and the silent one here is my brother Farkas. He may look intimidating but I promise he is more bark than bite!” Vilkas roared with laughter and sat back down as Farkas greeted Cain.
“Pleasure to meet you, brother,” rumbled the towering Nord. He sat back down and resumed his stony silence while Vilkas spoke again.
“No trouble, then, Athis?”
“None at all. The land seems quiet for a change.”
“Good, I’m glad to hear that. But it’s getting late now �" you two head upstairs and eat. We have a long day ahead of us tomorrow!”
Athis and Cain took their leave of the Harbinger, and his silent brother, and headed back to the dining hall for a good meal and plenty of mead. All in all, Cain was looking forward to being counted among the ranks of such proud, jovial warriors. Jorrvaskr was everything the Fighters Guild was not, and his mind was made up in short order �" tomorrow he would pen a letter to his chapter leader and tender his resignation. But the night was still relatively young, and after stowing what little gear he had under a vacant bed, Cain met Athis upstairs in the great hall.
They ate, drank, and sang well into the night as Cain made the rounds and was introduced to his shield-siblings. More than a few were young like him, and he could not help but eye up some of the female warriors among the ranks, especially Thea, a tall blonde Nord that shared the same birthyear as Cain. He lingered next to her the longest and was in awe at how much mead she could knock back with the rest of the burly men seated around Jorrvaskr. By midnight the two of them had slid out the back door and were getting to know each other better in the moonlit gardens.
The next day came earlier than Cain, still sleeping off the merriment and escapades from the night before, had expected it to. Farkas strode into his room just after sunrise and threw a dossier at him before barking out the Redguard’s first orders.
“Read that and then come find me in the mead hall. You’re heading to Falkreath today and we need to find you a shield-sibling to watch your back, and see what you can do. Don’t tarry, it’s a long walk to Falkreath and the sun is already up.”
Cain sat up and rubbed the sleep from his eyes before leaving his warm bed and heading for the bathroom. He checked himself in the mirror before leaving and sighed at the long scratches Thea had left on the side of his face. Farkas had likely noticed them, too, but it was probably nothing new to the seasoned Companion. He splashed some water on his faced, headed back to general quarters, got dressed, and went upstairs for his first assignment.
Full Version: Season Unending
Chapter I - New Beginnings
Morning at Jorrvaskr appeared to be a much more subdued atmosphere. Cain entered the hall to find those that had already risen to be eating in relative silence while they opened any letters or correspondences the couriers delivered in the early hours. The food, however, seemed to be just as hearty as a supper meal, and there was no shortage of meat to be plucked from the cooking spit set between the long wooden tables. His eyes scanned the room for Farkas and saw the towering Nord seated at a table with an older woman Cain had not met the night before.
Grabbing a leg of lamb on his way past the warm fire, Cain soon joined Farkas and the woman at their table. He ate silently and waited with patience beyond his years for the shield-siblings to finish their conversation. Once Cain had eaten his fill and poured himself a large mug of coffee, Farkas addressed him and made introductions.
“Cain, this is Ria �" she will be your shield-sister for your first job. Ria, Cain: our newest whelp.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Cain,” said Ria, with a slight bow. “Farkas, I thought we weren’t supposed to call them that anymore. Your brother doesn’t like the memories it invokes.”
“Old habits die hard. You two should go get ready. I need to head out myself.”
Farkas drained the rest of his early morning mead and headed for the door. Ria watched him go, shaking her head, a light smile dancing on her lips. “I swear that man will never change. So,” she began. “Did he tell you what we will be doing?”
“Not at all,” replied Cain. “He handed me this dossier, but I didn’t have time to read it yet. Still a little out of it from last night…it was the most fun I’ve had in some time.”
“I’d say so,” smirked Ria. “Looks like you and Thea had a bang-up time out in the gardens.” Cain blushed and murmured something under his breath, but Ria laughed and waved him off. “Ah, don’t worry about it �" you surely weren’t the only ones out there getting familiar with each other last night. Rarely does a day go by in this place without a hedonistic event. The other folks in the city would be lined up at the door, begging for admission into the Companions if they knew half of what we got up to in here.”
Cain took a pull of his coffee and cleared his throat. “Doesn’t surprise me at all, based on my first night here. Er, should we get ready to leave then?”
“I travel light, so meet me out front when you are ready. Falkreath is about two days march south if we don’t take a carriage, which we won’t. I prefer to walk and take in the sights.”
“Give me ten minutes and then we can head out.”
He set his mug down and went back to the living quarters, gathered up his gear, slung his trusty sword over his back, and climbed back upstairs. The Harbinger stood near the front door and handed him a small bag for the journey, which Cain accepted graciously.
“Just some rations in case game is hard to come across. Don’t eat it all at once! Now, get out there and make a name for us and yourself!”
Outside the air was warm under the rising sun of Rain’s Hand. A rainstorm had blown through in the early morning hours, leaving a layer of damp across the city of Whiterun that was now burning off in a cool morning mist. Ria checked the straps of her scabbard and then together they departed, bound for the gates that Cain had first walked through only just last night. He was slightly disappointed to not be spending more time in the city, but duty called and he would not ignore it.
When they reached the outskirts of the city, Cain pulled the dossier from his pocket and glanced through it while they walked, barely registering his surroundings. “Animal extermination? Really? Is this a common thing for us to handle? Surely there are guards or hunters in Falkreath that can handle such a thing, no?”
“Hah. You remind me of an old friend, may Talos guard her. Njada hated these kinds of jobs �" referred to them as “police work”. She turned them down whenever she could, always in search of something to truly test her mettle.”
“Smart woman,” said Cain. He paused a moment while trying to remember some of the details about Nord rites and their afterlife beliefs. Then it came to him when his thoughts landed on Shor. “I take it she was called to Sovngarde?”
“Impressive,” acknowledged Ria. “Not many outsiders are familiar with our customs. But yes, she ought to be there, drinking proudly with the heroes of legend in Shor’s fabled hall. She gave her life in defense of our city, when that scumbag Ulfric Stormcloak tried to invade it. The Companions normally don’t take sides in such affairs, but he was an affront to what a true Nord stands for. Honor and loyalty meant nothing to his rebellion �" it was all about power and control.”
“I was glad to see him put down,” said Cain. “Everyone outside of his army knew that him winning would be a death blow for the Empire. We need to stick together if we hope to have any chance against the Dominion.”
“Quite so. Anyway, Njada rarely took these jobs. Hunters or guards could certainly handle such a thing, but sometimes the regular folk get a tickle out of seeing the mighty Companions stroll into town and put down a beast. And so, they send us a letter and ignore the matter until we can arrive to help. What is it this time? Bear again?”
“Aye, black bear den to the west of Falkreath City. That’s odd enough on its own, isn’t it? Black bears are relatively tame and tend to fear men and mer alike. Could there be something more at play?”
“Hm, maybe. Aggravated bears could point to Spriggans, in which case they would be justified in calling on us to deal with it.”
“Oh, you have Spriggans here, too? That shouldn’t be too hard to deal with.”
“Depends on how many there are,” said Ria. Stopping quickly, she raised a finger to her lips before whispering: “I saw a doe in the trees over there…ah, damn it, something spooked it. Well, let’s get a move on.”
They continued along the western road that Cain and Athis had rode in on just the day before, past an empty home and a half-ruined watchtower. Towards the evening, they came to a junction and stepped off of the road to camp out for the night. Ria rolled out sleeping bags while Cain scrounged up what few branches and bits of wood he could find on the tundra and built a small campfire. The moons rose slowly overhead as they roasted a hunk of venison and spoke amicably, getting to know each other better, and getting Cain familiar with the land.
“So, the watchtower was destroyed during the dragon crisis? But that was almost thirty years ago �" could the Jarl not have it rebuilt in all that time? It’s looks to be an important part of the city’s outer defenses…”
“Balgruuf does what he can, but he is an old man now and will likely step down soon. Keep in mind, too, that when the Stormcloaks attacked Whiterun, they didn’t do so gently. Most of the time and money went into rebuilding the town and it’s walls, rather than the outlying areas.”
“What about that house we passed? It looked pristine, but completely devoid of life?”
“The manor? No one has lived there for a while. Dunno what the story is with that place.”
The fire began to burn down low. Cain added the remaining branches to fuel it as Ria slipped into her sleeping bag and said good night. His back resting on unfamiliar earth, he was left alone to stare up at familiar stars, and wonder what life had in store for him next. Ariessa, his mother, had always been a sort of guiding hand in his life. She had had a surprisingly deep sense of wisdom and her counsel was always meaningful. Life had been uncertain since her passing, leaving the young man partly adrift as Cain struggled with what to do next.
Sleep came eventually, but it was filled with strange dreams unlike anything he had seen before. Hulking shadowy beasts of legend flitted through his resting mind; dark figures conspired in large groups around him; and piercing golden eyes stared unblinkingly, burning into his soul while his subconscious sought to awaken and free him from the realm of nightmares.
It was with a deep sigh of relief that Cain awoke the next morning, the first rays of sun peeking over the Velothi mountains and shining right into his eyes. He rolled out of his bag, and got up to stretch his legs, walking a short way from camp to empty his teeming bladder behind a rock. Shaking his head at the memories of the odd dreams, he tried to parse out the images but gave it up as a lost cause. And then Ria’s voice rang out in the morning air, focusing his attention elsewhere.
“Oi, where’d you go?”
“Be back in a minute,” Cain yelled back. “Just had to take a piss, standard morning stuff ya know!”
“Take your time, I gotta do the same.”
Soon after, they were underway again, continuing their journey west. A few hours later, they reached a set of markers lining a small dirt path that left the road and headed due south, winding up towards the mountain range. Just when the rocky outcrop turned into a sheer cliff face, a cave entrance stood before them.
“Through the mountain?” asked Cain.
“Aye, Brittleshin Pass. Used to be overrun with animals or the undead, but the king has increased guard presence throughout the land, and stationed a few here. Now, it serves as an artery to Falkreath hold, complete with a ferry on the other side. We’ll need to fork over some gold, but it significantly shortens the trip to Falkreath City.”
Ria stepped up to the guard post and stated their business while she fished out some gold from her traveling bag. By midday Cain and Ria stood on the shores of Lake Illinalta, the calm waves of the inland water lapping at their feet while they waited for the ferryman to return from the southern shores. The small rowboat docked near evening time, but they elected to proceed anyway, figuring they could rent a room in the small hamlet of Oakwood. They stumbled through the door inn late into the night and were fortunate enough to get the last room, even though it only had one bed.
Cain insisted Ria take it, and after a heated argument she acquiesced and laid down for the night while the young Redguard dozed off in a chair with one of the innkeeper’s books across his lap.
Breakfast the next morning was a quick affair before Cain and Ria sped out of the inn, bound west once again until they hit the southern fork. It was an uneventful day, and by sundown they could hear the low growling of the aggravated black bears they sought, rumbling from within the dense trees of the pine forest. They were still a good march off from the city, but Cain and Ria were both certain that they were right where they needed to be. Peering through the branches of a low thicket, they spied a crumbling ruin emanating an odd greenish-yellow light, and several bears laying around it.
“Hm. That’s a lot of bears,” noted Ria. “We have our work cut out for us. See the glow? Definitely spriggans inside the dome.”
“Is that an old barrow or something?” asked Cain.
“Yeah, probably a collapsed one or it would be more accessible for worship. These things are dotted all over Skyrim, can’t walk more than a day or two without spotting one.”
“Do the ridges on the side of it lead to an opening up top or is the roof sealed? If it’s open, we can creep up there and get a jump on the spriggans. I know a few restoration spells that could probably calm the beasts after we take care of the source.”
“Magic? Really?”
“Don’t look at me like that, it’s not my fault you Nords are terrified of the arcane,” said Cain. “You do realize that some of the most storied mages were Nords, right? Anyway, you need some familiarity with it in Cyrodiil, even if it is just basic restoration spells. In our line of work, you’ll inevitably be sent to an Ayleid ruin that’s absolutely swarming with the undead. Turn spells are immensely useful in that regard.”
“Well, this is supposed to be your show anyway, and it can be your chance to change my mind. You lead, I’ll follow.”
Cain nodded and began to creep around the perimeter, with Ria by his side, until the ruins were in between them and the bears. Darting silently forward, they scaled the old burial mound and peered down through the opening at the top. Two spriggans milled about in the center of the barrow, their long hands running through the overgrown flowers and shrubs around them.
“You didn’t bring a bow by chance, did you?” whispered Cain.
“Never was much good with one,” answered Ria.
“In that case, I’ll get the one on the left. Jump down and plunge your sword right through the beast, and then I’ll move towards the front and start peppering calm spells at the bears. Once they cool off and the spriggan connection is gone, they should disperse.”
They dropped silently, blades at the ready and quickly hewed down the forest spirits. Cain ducked out of the center ring and after a few flashes of yellow light, he sheathed his blade and strolled back inside to find Ria.
“Worked perfectly, bears all ambled off on their own.”
“Not bad, shield-brother,” acknowledged Ria. “We may yet make a Companion out of you! C’mon let’s get out of here. I don’t want to set up camp with those beasts about, so we’ll double-time it to Falkreath and grab a mead or two from Dead Man’s Drink.”
Morning at Jorrvaskr appeared to be a much more subdued atmosphere. Cain entered the hall to find those that had already risen to be eating in relative silence while they opened any letters or correspondences the couriers delivered in the early hours. The food, however, seemed to be just as hearty as a supper meal, and there was no shortage of meat to be plucked from the cooking spit set between the long wooden tables. His eyes scanned the room for Farkas and saw the towering Nord seated at a table with an older woman Cain had not met the night before.
Grabbing a leg of lamb on his way past the warm fire, Cain soon joined Farkas and the woman at their table. He ate silently and waited with patience beyond his years for the shield-siblings to finish their conversation. Once Cain had eaten his fill and poured himself a large mug of coffee, Farkas addressed him and made introductions.
“Cain, this is Ria �" she will be your shield-sister for your first job. Ria, Cain: our newest whelp.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Cain,” said Ria, with a slight bow. “Farkas, I thought we weren’t supposed to call them that anymore. Your brother doesn’t like the memories it invokes.”
“Old habits die hard. You two should go get ready. I need to head out myself.”
Farkas drained the rest of his early morning mead and headed for the door. Ria watched him go, shaking her head, a light smile dancing on her lips. “I swear that man will never change. So,” she began. “Did he tell you what we will be doing?”
“Not at all,” replied Cain. “He handed me this dossier, but I didn’t have time to read it yet. Still a little out of it from last night…it was the most fun I’ve had in some time.”
“I’d say so,” smirked Ria. “Looks like you and Thea had a bang-up time out in the gardens.” Cain blushed and murmured something under his breath, but Ria laughed and waved him off. “Ah, don’t worry about it �" you surely weren’t the only ones out there getting familiar with each other last night. Rarely does a day go by in this place without a hedonistic event. The other folks in the city would be lined up at the door, begging for admission into the Companions if they knew half of what we got up to in here.”
Cain took a pull of his coffee and cleared his throat. “Doesn’t surprise me at all, based on my first night here. Er, should we get ready to leave then?”
“I travel light, so meet me out front when you are ready. Falkreath is about two days march south if we don’t take a carriage, which we won’t. I prefer to walk and take in the sights.”
“Give me ten minutes and then we can head out.”
He set his mug down and went back to the living quarters, gathered up his gear, slung his trusty sword over his back, and climbed back upstairs. The Harbinger stood near the front door and handed him a small bag for the journey, which Cain accepted graciously.
“Just some rations in case game is hard to come across. Don’t eat it all at once! Now, get out there and make a name for us and yourself!”
Outside the air was warm under the rising sun of Rain’s Hand. A rainstorm had blown through in the early morning hours, leaving a layer of damp across the city of Whiterun that was now burning off in a cool morning mist. Ria checked the straps of her scabbard and then together they departed, bound for the gates that Cain had first walked through only just last night. He was slightly disappointed to not be spending more time in the city, but duty called and he would not ignore it.
When they reached the outskirts of the city, Cain pulled the dossier from his pocket and glanced through it while they walked, barely registering his surroundings. “Animal extermination? Really? Is this a common thing for us to handle? Surely there are guards or hunters in Falkreath that can handle such a thing, no?”
“Hah. You remind me of an old friend, may Talos guard her. Njada hated these kinds of jobs �" referred to them as “police work”. She turned them down whenever she could, always in search of something to truly test her mettle.”
“Smart woman,” said Cain. He paused a moment while trying to remember some of the details about Nord rites and their afterlife beliefs. Then it came to him when his thoughts landed on Shor. “I take it she was called to Sovngarde?”
“Impressive,” acknowledged Ria. “Not many outsiders are familiar with our customs. But yes, she ought to be there, drinking proudly with the heroes of legend in Shor’s fabled hall. She gave her life in defense of our city, when that scumbag Ulfric Stormcloak tried to invade it. The Companions normally don’t take sides in such affairs, but he was an affront to what a true Nord stands for. Honor and loyalty meant nothing to his rebellion �" it was all about power and control.”
“I was glad to see him put down,” said Cain. “Everyone outside of his army knew that him winning would be a death blow for the Empire. We need to stick together if we hope to have any chance against the Dominion.”
“Quite so. Anyway, Njada rarely took these jobs. Hunters or guards could certainly handle such a thing, but sometimes the regular folk get a tickle out of seeing the mighty Companions stroll into town and put down a beast. And so, they send us a letter and ignore the matter until we can arrive to help. What is it this time? Bear again?”
“Aye, black bear den to the west of Falkreath City. That’s odd enough on its own, isn’t it? Black bears are relatively tame and tend to fear men and mer alike. Could there be something more at play?”
“Hm, maybe. Aggravated bears could point to Spriggans, in which case they would be justified in calling on us to deal with it.”
“Oh, you have Spriggans here, too? That shouldn’t be too hard to deal with.”
“Depends on how many there are,” said Ria. Stopping quickly, she raised a finger to her lips before whispering: “I saw a doe in the trees over there…ah, damn it, something spooked it. Well, let’s get a move on.”
They continued along the western road that Cain and Athis had rode in on just the day before, past an empty home and a half-ruined watchtower. Towards the evening, they came to a junction and stepped off of the road to camp out for the night. Ria rolled out sleeping bags while Cain scrounged up what few branches and bits of wood he could find on the tundra and built a small campfire. The moons rose slowly overhead as they roasted a hunk of venison and spoke amicably, getting to know each other better, and getting Cain familiar with the land.
“So, the watchtower was destroyed during the dragon crisis? But that was almost thirty years ago �" could the Jarl not have it rebuilt in all that time? It’s looks to be an important part of the city’s outer defenses…”
“Balgruuf does what he can, but he is an old man now and will likely step down soon. Keep in mind, too, that when the Stormcloaks attacked Whiterun, they didn’t do so gently. Most of the time and money went into rebuilding the town and it’s walls, rather than the outlying areas.”
“What about that house we passed? It looked pristine, but completely devoid of life?”
“The manor? No one has lived there for a while. Dunno what the story is with that place.”
The fire began to burn down low. Cain added the remaining branches to fuel it as Ria slipped into her sleeping bag and said good night. His back resting on unfamiliar earth, he was left alone to stare up at familiar stars, and wonder what life had in store for him next. Ariessa, his mother, had always been a sort of guiding hand in his life. She had had a surprisingly deep sense of wisdom and her counsel was always meaningful. Life had been uncertain since her passing, leaving the young man partly adrift as Cain struggled with what to do next.
Sleep came eventually, but it was filled with strange dreams unlike anything he had seen before. Hulking shadowy beasts of legend flitted through his resting mind; dark figures conspired in large groups around him; and piercing golden eyes stared unblinkingly, burning into his soul while his subconscious sought to awaken and free him from the realm of nightmares.
It was with a deep sigh of relief that Cain awoke the next morning, the first rays of sun peeking over the Velothi mountains and shining right into his eyes. He rolled out of his bag, and got up to stretch his legs, walking a short way from camp to empty his teeming bladder behind a rock. Shaking his head at the memories of the odd dreams, he tried to parse out the images but gave it up as a lost cause. And then Ria’s voice rang out in the morning air, focusing his attention elsewhere.
“Oi, where’d you go?”
“Be back in a minute,” Cain yelled back. “Just had to take a piss, standard morning stuff ya know!”
“Take your time, I gotta do the same.”
Soon after, they were underway again, continuing their journey west. A few hours later, they reached a set of markers lining a small dirt path that left the road and headed due south, winding up towards the mountain range. Just when the rocky outcrop turned into a sheer cliff face, a cave entrance stood before them.
“Through the mountain?” asked Cain.
“Aye, Brittleshin Pass. Used to be overrun with animals or the undead, but the king has increased guard presence throughout the land, and stationed a few here. Now, it serves as an artery to Falkreath hold, complete with a ferry on the other side. We’ll need to fork over some gold, but it significantly shortens the trip to Falkreath City.”
Ria stepped up to the guard post and stated their business while she fished out some gold from her traveling bag. By midday Cain and Ria stood on the shores of Lake Illinalta, the calm waves of the inland water lapping at their feet while they waited for the ferryman to return from the southern shores. The small rowboat docked near evening time, but they elected to proceed anyway, figuring they could rent a room in the small hamlet of Oakwood. They stumbled through the door inn late into the night and were fortunate enough to get the last room, even though it only had one bed.
Cain insisted Ria take it, and after a heated argument she acquiesced and laid down for the night while the young Redguard dozed off in a chair with one of the innkeeper’s books across his lap.
Breakfast the next morning was a quick affair before Cain and Ria sped out of the inn, bound west once again until they hit the southern fork. It was an uneventful day, and by sundown they could hear the low growling of the aggravated black bears they sought, rumbling from within the dense trees of the pine forest. They were still a good march off from the city, but Cain and Ria were both certain that they were right where they needed to be. Peering through the branches of a low thicket, they spied a crumbling ruin emanating an odd greenish-yellow light, and several bears laying around it.
“Hm. That’s a lot of bears,” noted Ria. “We have our work cut out for us. See the glow? Definitely spriggans inside the dome.”
“Is that an old barrow or something?” asked Cain.
“Yeah, probably a collapsed one or it would be more accessible for worship. These things are dotted all over Skyrim, can’t walk more than a day or two without spotting one.”
“Do the ridges on the side of it lead to an opening up top or is the roof sealed? If it’s open, we can creep up there and get a jump on the spriggans. I know a few restoration spells that could probably calm the beasts after we take care of the source.”
“Magic? Really?”
“Don’t look at me like that, it’s not my fault you Nords are terrified of the arcane,” said Cain. “You do realize that some of the most storied mages were Nords, right? Anyway, you need some familiarity with it in Cyrodiil, even if it is just basic restoration spells. In our line of work, you’ll inevitably be sent to an Ayleid ruin that’s absolutely swarming with the undead. Turn spells are immensely useful in that regard.”
“Well, this is supposed to be your show anyway, and it can be your chance to change my mind. You lead, I’ll follow.”
Cain nodded and began to creep around the perimeter, with Ria by his side, until the ruins were in between them and the bears. Darting silently forward, they scaled the old burial mound and peered down through the opening at the top. Two spriggans milled about in the center of the barrow, their long hands running through the overgrown flowers and shrubs around them.
“You didn’t bring a bow by chance, did you?” whispered Cain.
“Never was much good with one,” answered Ria.
“In that case, I’ll get the one on the left. Jump down and plunge your sword right through the beast, and then I’ll move towards the front and start peppering calm spells at the bears. Once they cool off and the spriggan connection is gone, they should disperse.”
They dropped silently, blades at the ready and quickly hewed down the forest spirits. Cain ducked out of the center ring and after a few flashes of yellow light, he sheathed his blade and strolled back inside to find Ria.
“Worked perfectly, bears all ambled off on their own.”
“Not bad, shield-brother,” acknowledged Ria. “We may yet make a Companion out of you! C’mon let’s get out of here. I don’t want to set up camp with those beasts about, so we’ll double-time it to Falkreath and grab a mead or two from Dead Man’s Drink.”
Chapter II - Politics and Intrigue
The heavy door to the council chambers closed with a dull thud as the final member of House Redoran’s internal court joined his cohorts at the conference table. It had been a long journey to Blacklight, but recent events had spurned a quick meeting that required all hands to be on deck in the face of a new uncertainty. The members waited quietly, looking to their Archmaster to kick things off with an opening statement.
“Welcome back, esteemed colleagues. We are pressed for time so I will make this short: the rumor circulating is true. An assassination attempt was made on Divayth Fyr of House Telvanni.” A low murmur rippled through the conference room as the council members whispered among themselves at the revelation. “Thankfully,” the Archmaster continued, “it was thwarted before any action could be carried out. But this does not bode well for the reliability of our intelligence network. If such an act could come near to fruition, Morrowind may be in more danger than we previously thought.”
“Forgive me, Archmaster,” an older councilwoman piped up. “But who cares if a hit is carried out on another House? It only serves to weaken them and strengthen us!”
“Attitudes like that are why Morrowind does not have any allies, Sedura. We stand here now, on the precipice of another great war, and you would have us continue the infighting and bad blood that has plagued our land in the past? No, we must be united against the Dominion, for they surely will set their sights upon us, if the Mede Empire falls. And the death of Fyr would be a disaster for Morrowind, even if he is a member of House Telvanni.”
A heavy silence filled the room while the council members dwelled on his. The Archmaster took his seat at the head of the table and looked through his own notes while the council members conversed around him in hushed tones, wondering where this was leading to. He let them squirm for a while, giving time for the unease to set in before he delivered the news that he had actually summoned them for. After a few tense minutes, he got back to his feet and cleared his throat.
“Ahem. We can circle back to this event later, but we have other items on the docket. Chiefly, a communique that we just received from the High King of Skyrim.”
“Skyrim?” asked another councilman. “What do those barbarians want?”
“Those ’barbarians’ are the ones who tipped us off about the assassination,” said the Archmaster. “This is a new regime in Skyrim, and the king is calculating and shrewd. Already, it would seem they know more about the enemy’s movements than we do, despite being hundreds of miles from here.” He paused to let the shame sink in. Some of these council members were too proud to realize how much has changed in Tamriel. Now was the time to bring them into the future. “The High King also requests that the Great Houses convene here in preparation for a diplomatic envoy.”
“What sort of envoy?” a voice rang out among the clamor of others.
“The only sort that would require all of the Houses to be present. An alliance against the Dominion.”
------------------------------
Sybille Stentor was a Breton of uncertain age but impressive magickal ability. None but her closest advisors know how long ago she was born in High Rock, but in more recent times, she has served as a loyal Court Mage to three separate regimes in the Blue Palace. Despite the questions surrounding her unnaturally long life, Sybille was well regarded and her counsel was often sought by the High King himself. And that was enough to let the questions subside. Loyalty meant everything in the Blue Palace and those like Sybille, who held the court’s deepest secrets, were bound by divine magick to never betray the High King.
Yet her scrying began to trouble Sybille as new signs emerged that had not been there before. Something was happening in Skyrim while their eyes were set abroad, the court’s attention spread over Hammerfell, High Rock, and now Morrowind. They didn’t illuminate certain danger, but neither were they clear on what was to unfold. Deciding it best to stay silent on the matter for a while, she continued to scry in private, when it did not interfere with her normal duties. It was during one of these times that a letter arrived for her that only served to muddy the waters even further.
Sybille,
A curious thing happened in the port today: a Redguard arrived from Anvil, supposedly to aide the Companions in some way. While not all that interesting on the surface, I overheard a snippet of his conversation with a member of said group who had been sent to meet him there. Apparently, he was loaned to them by the Fighter’s Guild. A curious thing, no? Why should the Guild be loaning members to the Companions? Have you ever heard of any such thing happening before?
They left shortly after for Whiterun, so I was unable to glean any further information from them, but it may be worth a follow-up, if you have the men to spare. The Redguard didn’t look suspicious in any way, but there was something about him that I couldn’t quantify. My gut tells me we should be watching him, even if it’s not with our own eyes.
-Orleth
Her brow furrowed more and more as the details from the note unfolded. She read the letter two more times to memorize the pertinent bits before discarding it in the flames dancing merrily in her fireplace. Unsure of what this new revelation would mean, she poured a glass of Alto Wine, headed back to her scrying table, and performed the ritual again �" this time with the new information in mind. The signs were still mysterious, but one blazed brighter than it had before, centered directly on the Solitude port.
------------------------------
“Are you sure about this, Anilay?”
“Not, not really. His court is surprisingly tight-lipped on internal matters as deep as this would be. It’s only carried by the faintest whispers from the darkest recesses, spoken by no one of import. But it’s not the sort of thing we can ignore, sire.
“Indeed not,” sighed the old man.
The Emperor of Cyrodiil, Titus Mede the II set down his quill and leaned back in his study chair while he digested the rumor that his chancellor had just brought before him. Could the High King of Skyrim really be so ambitious as to seize the Ruby Throne for himself? Though he may be Dragonborn, that did not (in the Emperor’s mind) give him any legal or divine authority over it, despite what the king may think otherwise. And Skyrim was still their fast ally, working hand-in-hand against the Dominion. It made sense…but it put the Emperor in an impossible position: he could not act without further information, yet inaction could spell certain doom for the Mede Dynasty.
“Do we have anyone we can reliably trust in the Blue Palace?” he asked the chancellor. “We need more information. There is a ring of truth to the intention, but if I make a move in error, it will be my head that rolls.”
“I wish we did, my lord. But all of our attempts at infiltrating the king’s inner circle have failed �" it’s uncanny how they are able to weed out anyone with ill intent. We have men in the legion garrison, of course, but that is a very bloody option, and it will certainly fail. This is not a normal man we are dealing with; the new king is something straight out of Nordic legend, a master of the Thu’um. He could annihilate the garrison himself.”
“Then we must wait, and hope an opportunity presents itself.”
“I agree, my lord. We’ve been patient thus far, and I feel we should continue to be. I will most certainly bring any new information to your attention.”
“Very good, Anilay,” said the Emperor. “Now, please take your leave. I have a litany of memos to parse through this evening.”
The chancellor bowed and left the study. Titus Mede leaned even further back in his chair and felt his eyes drift towards the windows while lost in thought. Far below lay the Imperial City, the ultimate prize of his dynasty, and the seat of power in Tamriel. Could there be such a heavy change in the winds already? Would this relatively new king from Skyrim really sweep down from the north and force him to abdicate? The people would no doubt support the return of a Dragonborn Emperor, and mark his return as a new era for the Cyrodiilic Empire, and a return to the mighty days of yore, when Tiber Septim himself ruled the land.
“Perhaps, I ought to step down before it’s too late,” he said aloud.
Sighing deeply, he lowered his gaze back to his overcrowded desk and picked up the next urgent missive that needed dealt with. As his tired eyes scanned the document sent by a high-ranking diplomat, his face became more and more grave, and he wished Anilay had come in after he had read it.
For this Majesty, Titus Mede II eye’s only,
Sire, it is with great urgency and trepidation that I relay this information to you. If it is true, it must be acted upon before it is too late. There are rumors swirling about the various kingdoms of High Rock and Hammerfell that an alliance treaty has been signed in secret with Skyrim. And now there are reports of similar envoys being sent to Morrowind in an effort to rebuild friendship between the Nords and the Dunmer.
We cannot allow a northern alliance of that magnitude to take hold. The Dominion will surely act on this, too, and attempt to sow discord. We must be ready.
-Sarunius Mantol
The faintest zephyr danced in the air within his study as the Emperor’s world crashed down around him. There could be no doubt that his days in power were numbered, and he could not hope to stand against it. If those four realms marched upon Cyrodiil together, then surely the Mede Dynasty would come to an abrupt end. Rising from his seat, Titus Mede II quickly left his study in search of Anilay to discuss what must come next, before taking it to the Elder Council.
The heavy door to the council chambers closed with a dull thud as the final member of House Redoran’s internal court joined his cohorts at the conference table. It had been a long journey to Blacklight, but recent events had spurned a quick meeting that required all hands to be on deck in the face of a new uncertainty. The members waited quietly, looking to their Archmaster to kick things off with an opening statement.
“Welcome back, esteemed colleagues. We are pressed for time so I will make this short: the rumor circulating is true. An assassination attempt was made on Divayth Fyr of House Telvanni.” A low murmur rippled through the conference room as the council members whispered among themselves at the revelation. “Thankfully,” the Archmaster continued, “it was thwarted before any action could be carried out. But this does not bode well for the reliability of our intelligence network. If such an act could come near to fruition, Morrowind may be in more danger than we previously thought.”
“Forgive me, Archmaster,” an older councilwoman piped up. “But who cares if a hit is carried out on another House? It only serves to weaken them and strengthen us!”
“Attitudes like that are why Morrowind does not have any allies, Sedura. We stand here now, on the precipice of another great war, and you would have us continue the infighting and bad blood that has plagued our land in the past? No, we must be united against the Dominion, for they surely will set their sights upon us, if the Mede Empire falls. And the death of Fyr would be a disaster for Morrowind, even if he is a member of House Telvanni.”
A heavy silence filled the room while the council members dwelled on his. The Archmaster took his seat at the head of the table and looked through his own notes while the council members conversed around him in hushed tones, wondering where this was leading to. He let them squirm for a while, giving time for the unease to set in before he delivered the news that he had actually summoned them for. After a few tense minutes, he got back to his feet and cleared his throat.
“Ahem. We can circle back to this event later, but we have other items on the docket. Chiefly, a communique that we just received from the High King of Skyrim.”
“Skyrim?” asked another councilman. “What do those barbarians want?”
“Those ’barbarians’ are the ones who tipped us off about the assassination,” said the Archmaster. “This is a new regime in Skyrim, and the king is calculating and shrewd. Already, it would seem they know more about the enemy’s movements than we do, despite being hundreds of miles from here.” He paused to let the shame sink in. Some of these council members were too proud to realize how much has changed in Tamriel. Now was the time to bring them into the future. “The High King also requests that the Great Houses convene here in preparation for a diplomatic envoy.”
“What sort of envoy?” a voice rang out among the clamor of others.
“The only sort that would require all of the Houses to be present. An alliance against the Dominion.”
------------------------------
Sybille Stentor was a Breton of uncertain age but impressive magickal ability. None but her closest advisors know how long ago she was born in High Rock, but in more recent times, she has served as a loyal Court Mage to three separate regimes in the Blue Palace. Despite the questions surrounding her unnaturally long life, Sybille was well regarded and her counsel was often sought by the High King himself. And that was enough to let the questions subside. Loyalty meant everything in the Blue Palace and those like Sybille, who held the court’s deepest secrets, were bound by divine magick to never betray the High King.
Yet her scrying began to trouble Sybille as new signs emerged that had not been there before. Something was happening in Skyrim while their eyes were set abroad, the court’s attention spread over Hammerfell, High Rock, and now Morrowind. They didn’t illuminate certain danger, but neither were they clear on what was to unfold. Deciding it best to stay silent on the matter for a while, she continued to scry in private, when it did not interfere with her normal duties. It was during one of these times that a letter arrived for her that only served to muddy the waters even further.
Sybille,
A curious thing happened in the port today: a Redguard arrived from Anvil, supposedly to aide the Companions in some way. While not all that interesting on the surface, I overheard a snippet of his conversation with a member of said group who had been sent to meet him there. Apparently, he was loaned to them by the Fighter’s Guild. A curious thing, no? Why should the Guild be loaning members to the Companions? Have you ever heard of any such thing happening before?
They left shortly after for Whiterun, so I was unable to glean any further information from them, but it may be worth a follow-up, if you have the men to spare. The Redguard didn’t look suspicious in any way, but there was something about him that I couldn’t quantify. My gut tells me we should be watching him, even if it’s not with our own eyes.
-Orleth
Her brow furrowed more and more as the details from the note unfolded. She read the letter two more times to memorize the pertinent bits before discarding it in the flames dancing merrily in her fireplace. Unsure of what this new revelation would mean, she poured a glass of Alto Wine, headed back to her scrying table, and performed the ritual again �" this time with the new information in mind. The signs were still mysterious, but one blazed brighter than it had before, centered directly on the Solitude port.
------------------------------
“Are you sure about this, Anilay?”
“Not, not really. His court is surprisingly tight-lipped on internal matters as deep as this would be. It’s only carried by the faintest whispers from the darkest recesses, spoken by no one of import. But it’s not the sort of thing we can ignore, sire.
“Indeed not,” sighed the old man.
The Emperor of Cyrodiil, Titus Mede the II set down his quill and leaned back in his study chair while he digested the rumor that his chancellor had just brought before him. Could the High King of Skyrim really be so ambitious as to seize the Ruby Throne for himself? Though he may be Dragonborn, that did not (in the Emperor’s mind) give him any legal or divine authority over it, despite what the king may think otherwise. And Skyrim was still their fast ally, working hand-in-hand against the Dominion. It made sense…but it put the Emperor in an impossible position: he could not act without further information, yet inaction could spell certain doom for the Mede Dynasty.
“Do we have anyone we can reliably trust in the Blue Palace?” he asked the chancellor. “We need more information. There is a ring of truth to the intention, but if I make a move in error, it will be my head that rolls.”
“I wish we did, my lord. But all of our attempts at infiltrating the king’s inner circle have failed �" it’s uncanny how they are able to weed out anyone with ill intent. We have men in the legion garrison, of course, but that is a very bloody option, and it will certainly fail. This is not a normal man we are dealing with; the new king is something straight out of Nordic legend, a master of the Thu’um. He could annihilate the garrison himself.”
“Then we must wait, and hope an opportunity presents itself.”
“I agree, my lord. We’ve been patient thus far, and I feel we should continue to be. I will most certainly bring any new information to your attention.”
“Very good, Anilay,” said the Emperor. “Now, please take your leave. I have a litany of memos to parse through this evening.”
The chancellor bowed and left the study. Titus Mede leaned even further back in his chair and felt his eyes drift towards the windows while lost in thought. Far below lay the Imperial City, the ultimate prize of his dynasty, and the seat of power in Tamriel. Could there be such a heavy change in the winds already? Would this relatively new king from Skyrim really sweep down from the north and force him to abdicate? The people would no doubt support the return of a Dragonborn Emperor, and mark his return as a new era for the Cyrodiilic Empire, and a return to the mighty days of yore, when Tiber Septim himself ruled the land.
“Perhaps, I ought to step down before it’s too late,” he said aloud.
Sighing deeply, he lowered his gaze back to his overcrowded desk and picked up the next urgent missive that needed dealt with. As his tired eyes scanned the document sent by a high-ranking diplomat, his face became more and more grave, and he wished Anilay had come in after he had read it.
For this Majesty, Titus Mede II eye’s only,
Sire, it is with great urgency and trepidation that I relay this information to you. If it is true, it must be acted upon before it is too late. There are rumors swirling about the various kingdoms of High Rock and Hammerfell that an alliance treaty has been signed in secret with Skyrim. And now there are reports of similar envoys being sent to Morrowind in an effort to rebuild friendship between the Nords and the Dunmer.
We cannot allow a northern alliance of that magnitude to take hold. The Dominion will surely act on this, too, and attempt to sow discord. We must be ready.
-Sarunius Mantol
The faintest zephyr danced in the air within his study as the Emperor’s world crashed down around him. There could be no doubt that his days in power were numbered, and he could not hope to stand against it. If those four realms marched upon Cyrodiil together, then surely the Mede Dynasty would come to an abrupt end. Rising from his seat, Titus Mede II quickly left his study in search of Anilay to discuss what must come next, before taking it to the Elder Council.
Chapter III - A Brief Respite
A few days later, Cain and Ria swaggered back into Jorrvaskr just before dinner and helped themselves to a hefty pint of mead while they relayed the success of their mission to the other shield-siblings gathered around them. Some were doubtful about Cain’s reliance on magick, but most were curious and eager to learn more about its benefits. For her part, Ria had become a steady proponent of its application after she watched the bears simply trundle off, back to their homes as if nothing had happened.
“Do you folks really not know even the basics of simple restoration magicks?” asked Cain, curiously. “Even a healing spell ought to be required learning, and maybe even healing hands to aid others.”
“Ya gotta understand, friend,” said Kyr, one of the veterans. “That most of us never had a lick of schoolin’ before our parents had us out in the field workin’ the land. Some of us can barely read at all, let alone have time to play with fire! If we need somethin’ like that, we go to the temple and let the priestess’ attend to it.”
“Well, I would recommend some of the more interested take it up, just to be helpful in battle,” said Cain. “A few healers in the ranks would be a wonderful boon for the work we do.”
Not long afterwards, the small crown began to disperse while the dinner hour set it. Plate piled with food after a fun adventure, Cain was working his way through a stack of bacon when the Harbinger came up from the basement quarters and joined Cain and Ria at their table. He piled up a plate of his own, poured a large tankard of mead and went at it with a gusto. Once their plates had been emptied a by a good measure, Vilkas began to debrief them.
“So, all in all, a successful first job, eh? That’s great news, young mister Cain. And what about you, Ria? Was our newest member honorable and competent?”
“Very much so, Vilkas. We should be honored to have him in our ranks �" Cain is a capable warrior, cunning and intelligent. His magickal talent only adds to that.”
“Excellent! Then you better get a good night’s sleep, Cain. Tomorrow we will get you more familiarized with the city, and the do’s and don’ts of Whiterun, maybe even introduce you to the Jarl. Once you are acclimated, see me again. A unique job has just come in, and your talents might be the best suited for it!”
They all continued to eat as the mead began to flow more profusely, and it was late into the night when Cain stumbled back downstairs and threw himself into an empty bed, poised to sleep off the effects of celebration. Morning came later than it did on his first night in the hall, thanks to his schedule being relatively light for the day. It was approaching midday when he left Jorrvaskr for a stroll around the city, and small tour from Thea, who had volunteered to go with him.
She introduced him to most of the shopkeepers and merchants, before leading him back towards the Temple of Kynareth, where they sat for a couple minutes while waiting for the head priestess, Danica Pure-Spring, to finish tending to an elderly man.
Cain was curious about the temple name, and asked Thea for clarification. “I thought you Nords referred to Kynareth as Kyne �" why the Imperial name for the temple? It doesn’t make any sense to me.”
Thea rolled her eyes. “You can thank the fops that have ruled from the Blue Palace over the last couple hundred years for that. Most of them were too [censored] worried about being in the empire’s good graces to care about what the locals like us thought about it. I’ve heard that the new king wants to revert back to our own traditions, but I think it’s a low priority with everything else going on.”
“Surely the Jarl could make a decision for this temple?”
“He could, but Balgruuf is too damn old for the job these days. Not sure if he plans on stepping down anytime soon, but he ought to. Plenty of younger men in his court that should be running the hold.”
The temple doors opened and Danica came out to introduce herself to Cain. Her eyes lingered on him for a second too long, the barest hint of a knowing smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. She gave him a brief tour of the temple and recounted history of the Gildegreen, and then excused herself to resume her duties. Thea led Cain up to Dragonsreach afterwards, but they were unable to speak to the Jarl directly, and resigned to set up a later meeting via his steward, Adrienne Avenicci.
“Do any of the other Companions ever drink at the Bannered Mare, instead of Jorrvask?” asked Cain as they left the keep. “Sometimes I like to enjoy a drink somewhere less rowdy, maybe with a good book.”
“Rarely,” answered Thea. “Most of us like the noise and comradery, myself included. And you won’t find many of us buried in a book when there is mead to be drunk, fights to be fought, and pleasures to enjoy.” Her eyes flashed mischievously at him. “You had a taste of that last part when you arrived �" was it not better than being alone with a dusty old book?”
“Okay, you got me there,” blushed Cain. “That was indeed a fun night.”
“Good, I’m glad to hear it. Come see me again if you’d like another round.”
“Just go easy on me next time, yeah? Some of the scratches still haven’t healed completely from last time.”
“You enjoyed it and you know it. Now, let’s get back to the hall and see what Vilkas has in store for you �" I’m curious about the job he mentioned.”
After another rowdy evening in the mead hall, Cain awoke early the next morning, pulled on some light clothes in lieu of his armor and went to see if Vilkas had woken up yet. Surprisingly, the Harbinger was indeed awake, sitting at the small table outside of his room with a mug of coffee that he sipped slowly from while going through a stack of parchment. The old man saw Cain approaching and invited him to grab his own drink and sit down.
“Sleep okay last night, young mister Cain? Or did you and the lovely young Thea go for another round in the bushes?”
“A gentleman doesn’t kiss and tell, boss,” grinned Cain. “Let’s just say I slept well enough for whatever you have in store for me and leave it at that, eh? You mentioned a different kind of job this time? I’m interested, especially if it’s not more animal control.”
“You sound just like Njada Stone-Arm…but I gather Ria probably told you all about her? Poor lass had a bright future ahead of her in our ranks, but surely she is in Sovngarde now.” Vilkas trailed off for a few seconds before raising his mug to silently toast an old comrade. “Now then,” he continued, “I hope you don’t mind the cold, because you are headed for the northern coastline! Dress warmly and head for the village of Stonehills �" there is a woman there who needs help exploring an old barrow on the Sea of Ghosts.”
“Alone this time or with another shield-sibling? Also, I could use a map of the land if I’m going to be traveling all around it.”
“Take whoever you want with you this time, and I’ll make sure Farkas gets you a map before you leave. When you get to Stonehills, find the local inn and look for Anska: she is your contact and the one who needs help. I assume she’ll have the rest of the details for you.”
Cain took his leave and went upstairs into the mead hall for a spot of breakfast. He surveyed the room while he ate, unsure of who he would ask to go with him for what sounded like a much longer journey than the last one he found himself on. Part way through a large plate of eggs, the issue resolved itself when Athis joined him at his table and asked to go along with Cain.
“I take it you want to get out and stretch your legs?” asked Cain in surprise.
“Something like that,” said Athis. “Most of the jobs I get these days are boring, sort of like your first one with Ria. It’s been a long time since I was sent far away on a dangerous quest full of unknowns, and this feels like exactly that! I’d be honored to accompany you, if you’ll have me.”
“Then it’s you and me, Athis,” said Cain. He gave the dark elf a hearty pat on the back and offered him a fresh cup of coffee. “Need a heater before we hit the road? I’m still mostly packed from last time, so we can go whenever you are ready.”
------------------------------
The Blue Palace was bathed in moonlight during the early nighttime hours on that very same day, and in a small wing off to the side of the main hall sat Sybille Stentor, staring at her scrying table once again. Still confused by some of the signs, she downed another glass of wine while looking absentmindedly at the glowing orange symbol that had been moving about the province over the last week or two. She was certain that it marked the Redguard who had arrived, but she did not know to what end.
And now a new sign had begun to glow, this time resting on High Gate Ruins �" and old barrow to the east of Solitude that overlooked the snowy shores across from the port inlet. I need a fresh set of eyes on this, thought Sybille. I wonder if Mirabelle is awake at this hour…
Resigned to visiting her old friend, Sybille blew out the candles on her table and got up to find her cloak. Once it was clasped firmly around her, she pulled the hood over her head, and closed here eyes to concentrate on the destination. With a small wave of her hand, the court mage vanished from the Blue Palace and reappeared miles and miles away, in the Arch Mage of Winterhold’s personal study. Mirabelle Ervine nearly had a heart attack at the arrival of the unexpected guest, but quickly regained her composure.
“Damn it, Sybille, don’t just pop in like that next time! I’m getting too old for it!” The Arch Mage’s breathing settled and she offered her friend a seat. “What brings you here at this hour anyway?”
“Have you been scrying lately, Mira? I’ve seen some odd signs appearing across the land and I can’t make head nor tails of what they mean. I’m certain it has to do with the arrival of a young Redguard from Anvil, but I can’t discern why.”
“I’ve seen them, too,” Mirabelle nodded. “The man in question is called ‘Cain’ and he seems to be in the employ of the Companions now. I have a contact there keeping an eye on him, but so far there is nothing concerning about the young man. He seems to be a loyal and talented warrior that’s trying to make a name for himself.”
“But what brought him here? And how does it tie into the new signs pointing to High Gate?”
“I’m unsure about that last part. However, it would seem that his mother recently passed away back in Anvil, and that he was disillusioned with the politics of the Fighter’s Guild. All signs point to this Cain simply needing a fresh start. My contact even said he mailed a formal resignation to his guild chapter, stating his intent to remain in Skyrim.”
“Hm, I wonder if �"“ Sybille suddenly grew quiet as her eyes caught the scrying table behind Mirabelle. “Mira, look! The Redguard’s mark has moved north, almost into Labyrinthian! Could he be headed for the barrow?”
Mirabelle studied the table with her in silence for a minute or two, noting the direction he had moved in. “It’s certainly plausible. I still don’t see how this all ties together though…”
Seconds later there was a loud rap on the window of Mirabelle’s study. She went over to it, flung open the glass pane and let a dark raven fly into the room and land on a perch above her desk. The bird had a small vial tied to its leg which the Arch Mage began to earnestly untie. The vial free from its leg, she uncorked it and out slid a small scroll from within.
“Carrier birds?” asked Sybille. “I thought that was a lost art!”
“So was teleportation, but some things are worth the effort to rediscover.” Mirabelle unfurled the small slip of parchment and read it quickly. “Well, this confirms it �" Cain is on a job bound for the barrow. He’s to meet a woman in Stonehills and assist her with exploring the ruin. But there are no more details as of this time.”
Sybille sighed and sat down in a plush chair next to Mirabelle’s desk. “Well, at least it’s something. But I can’t go to the king with this yet…we don’t know enough and the man seems harmless. I’d better get back to the palace, Mira. Thank you for the counsel �" and for keeping your fingers on the pulse.”
“I’ll send you a note if anything more comes to light,” said Mirabelle. “Good night, Sybille. And good luck.”
A few days later, Cain and Ria swaggered back into Jorrvaskr just before dinner and helped themselves to a hefty pint of mead while they relayed the success of their mission to the other shield-siblings gathered around them. Some were doubtful about Cain’s reliance on magick, but most were curious and eager to learn more about its benefits. For her part, Ria had become a steady proponent of its application after she watched the bears simply trundle off, back to their homes as if nothing had happened.
“Do you folks really not know even the basics of simple restoration magicks?” asked Cain, curiously. “Even a healing spell ought to be required learning, and maybe even healing hands to aid others.”
“Ya gotta understand, friend,” said Kyr, one of the veterans. “That most of us never had a lick of schoolin’ before our parents had us out in the field workin’ the land. Some of us can barely read at all, let alone have time to play with fire! If we need somethin’ like that, we go to the temple and let the priestess’ attend to it.”
“Well, I would recommend some of the more interested take it up, just to be helpful in battle,” said Cain. “A few healers in the ranks would be a wonderful boon for the work we do.”
Not long afterwards, the small crown began to disperse while the dinner hour set it. Plate piled with food after a fun adventure, Cain was working his way through a stack of bacon when the Harbinger came up from the basement quarters and joined Cain and Ria at their table. He piled up a plate of his own, poured a large tankard of mead and went at it with a gusto. Once their plates had been emptied a by a good measure, Vilkas began to debrief them.
“So, all in all, a successful first job, eh? That’s great news, young mister Cain. And what about you, Ria? Was our newest member honorable and competent?”
“Very much so, Vilkas. We should be honored to have him in our ranks �" Cain is a capable warrior, cunning and intelligent. His magickal talent only adds to that.”
“Excellent! Then you better get a good night’s sleep, Cain. Tomorrow we will get you more familiarized with the city, and the do’s and don’ts of Whiterun, maybe even introduce you to the Jarl. Once you are acclimated, see me again. A unique job has just come in, and your talents might be the best suited for it!”
They all continued to eat as the mead began to flow more profusely, and it was late into the night when Cain stumbled back downstairs and threw himself into an empty bed, poised to sleep off the effects of celebration. Morning came later than it did on his first night in the hall, thanks to his schedule being relatively light for the day. It was approaching midday when he left Jorrvaskr for a stroll around the city, and small tour from Thea, who had volunteered to go with him.
She introduced him to most of the shopkeepers and merchants, before leading him back towards the Temple of Kynareth, where they sat for a couple minutes while waiting for the head priestess, Danica Pure-Spring, to finish tending to an elderly man.
Cain was curious about the temple name, and asked Thea for clarification. “I thought you Nords referred to Kynareth as Kyne �" why the Imperial name for the temple? It doesn’t make any sense to me.”
Thea rolled her eyes. “You can thank the fops that have ruled from the Blue Palace over the last couple hundred years for that. Most of them were too [censored] worried about being in the empire’s good graces to care about what the locals like us thought about it. I’ve heard that the new king wants to revert back to our own traditions, but I think it’s a low priority with everything else going on.”
“Surely the Jarl could make a decision for this temple?”
“He could, but Balgruuf is too damn old for the job these days. Not sure if he plans on stepping down anytime soon, but he ought to. Plenty of younger men in his court that should be running the hold.”
The temple doors opened and Danica came out to introduce herself to Cain. Her eyes lingered on him for a second too long, the barest hint of a knowing smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. She gave him a brief tour of the temple and recounted history of the Gildegreen, and then excused herself to resume her duties. Thea led Cain up to Dragonsreach afterwards, but they were unable to speak to the Jarl directly, and resigned to set up a later meeting via his steward, Adrienne Avenicci.
“Do any of the other Companions ever drink at the Bannered Mare, instead of Jorrvask?” asked Cain as they left the keep. “Sometimes I like to enjoy a drink somewhere less rowdy, maybe with a good book.”
“Rarely,” answered Thea. “Most of us like the noise and comradery, myself included. And you won’t find many of us buried in a book when there is mead to be drunk, fights to be fought, and pleasures to enjoy.” Her eyes flashed mischievously at him. “You had a taste of that last part when you arrived �" was it not better than being alone with a dusty old book?”
“Okay, you got me there,” blushed Cain. “That was indeed a fun night.”
“Good, I’m glad to hear it. Come see me again if you’d like another round.”
“Just go easy on me next time, yeah? Some of the scratches still haven’t healed completely from last time.”
“You enjoyed it and you know it. Now, let’s get back to the hall and see what Vilkas has in store for you �" I’m curious about the job he mentioned.”
After another rowdy evening in the mead hall, Cain awoke early the next morning, pulled on some light clothes in lieu of his armor and went to see if Vilkas had woken up yet. Surprisingly, the Harbinger was indeed awake, sitting at the small table outside of his room with a mug of coffee that he sipped slowly from while going through a stack of parchment. The old man saw Cain approaching and invited him to grab his own drink and sit down.
“Sleep okay last night, young mister Cain? Or did you and the lovely young Thea go for another round in the bushes?”
“A gentleman doesn’t kiss and tell, boss,” grinned Cain. “Let’s just say I slept well enough for whatever you have in store for me and leave it at that, eh? You mentioned a different kind of job this time? I’m interested, especially if it’s not more animal control.”
“You sound just like Njada Stone-Arm…but I gather Ria probably told you all about her? Poor lass had a bright future ahead of her in our ranks, but surely she is in Sovngarde now.” Vilkas trailed off for a few seconds before raising his mug to silently toast an old comrade. “Now then,” he continued, “I hope you don’t mind the cold, because you are headed for the northern coastline! Dress warmly and head for the village of Stonehills �" there is a woman there who needs help exploring an old barrow on the Sea of Ghosts.”
“Alone this time or with another shield-sibling? Also, I could use a map of the land if I’m going to be traveling all around it.”
“Take whoever you want with you this time, and I’ll make sure Farkas gets you a map before you leave. When you get to Stonehills, find the local inn and look for Anska: she is your contact and the one who needs help. I assume she’ll have the rest of the details for you.”
Cain took his leave and went upstairs into the mead hall for a spot of breakfast. He surveyed the room while he ate, unsure of who he would ask to go with him for what sounded like a much longer journey than the last one he found himself on. Part way through a large plate of eggs, the issue resolved itself when Athis joined him at his table and asked to go along with Cain.
“I take it you want to get out and stretch your legs?” asked Cain in surprise.
“Something like that,” said Athis. “Most of the jobs I get these days are boring, sort of like your first one with Ria. It’s been a long time since I was sent far away on a dangerous quest full of unknowns, and this feels like exactly that! I’d be honored to accompany you, if you’ll have me.”
“Then it’s you and me, Athis,” said Cain. He gave the dark elf a hearty pat on the back and offered him a fresh cup of coffee. “Need a heater before we hit the road? I’m still mostly packed from last time, so we can go whenever you are ready.”
------------------------------
The Blue Palace was bathed in moonlight during the early nighttime hours on that very same day, and in a small wing off to the side of the main hall sat Sybille Stentor, staring at her scrying table once again. Still confused by some of the signs, she downed another glass of wine while looking absentmindedly at the glowing orange symbol that had been moving about the province over the last week or two. She was certain that it marked the Redguard who had arrived, but she did not know to what end.
And now a new sign had begun to glow, this time resting on High Gate Ruins �" and old barrow to the east of Solitude that overlooked the snowy shores across from the port inlet. I need a fresh set of eyes on this, thought Sybille. I wonder if Mirabelle is awake at this hour…
Resigned to visiting her old friend, Sybille blew out the candles on her table and got up to find her cloak. Once it was clasped firmly around her, she pulled the hood over her head, and closed here eyes to concentrate on the destination. With a small wave of her hand, the court mage vanished from the Blue Palace and reappeared miles and miles away, in the Arch Mage of Winterhold’s personal study. Mirabelle Ervine nearly had a heart attack at the arrival of the unexpected guest, but quickly regained her composure.
“Damn it, Sybille, don’t just pop in like that next time! I’m getting too old for it!” The Arch Mage’s breathing settled and she offered her friend a seat. “What brings you here at this hour anyway?”
“Have you been scrying lately, Mira? I’ve seen some odd signs appearing across the land and I can’t make head nor tails of what they mean. I’m certain it has to do with the arrival of a young Redguard from Anvil, but I can’t discern why.”
“I’ve seen them, too,” Mirabelle nodded. “The man in question is called ‘Cain’ and he seems to be in the employ of the Companions now. I have a contact there keeping an eye on him, but so far there is nothing concerning about the young man. He seems to be a loyal and talented warrior that’s trying to make a name for himself.”
“But what brought him here? And how does it tie into the new signs pointing to High Gate?”
“I’m unsure about that last part. However, it would seem that his mother recently passed away back in Anvil, and that he was disillusioned with the politics of the Fighter’s Guild. All signs point to this Cain simply needing a fresh start. My contact even said he mailed a formal resignation to his guild chapter, stating his intent to remain in Skyrim.”
“Hm, I wonder if �"“ Sybille suddenly grew quiet as her eyes caught the scrying table behind Mirabelle. “Mira, look! The Redguard’s mark has moved north, almost into Labyrinthian! Could he be headed for the barrow?”
Mirabelle studied the table with her in silence for a minute or two, noting the direction he had moved in. “It’s certainly plausible. I still don’t see how this all ties together though…”
Seconds later there was a loud rap on the window of Mirabelle’s study. She went over to it, flung open the glass pane and let a dark raven fly into the room and land on a perch above her desk. The bird had a small vial tied to its leg which the Arch Mage began to earnestly untie. The vial free from its leg, she uncorked it and out slid a small scroll from within.
“Carrier birds?” asked Sybille. “I thought that was a lost art!”
“So was teleportation, but some things are worth the effort to rediscover.” Mirabelle unfurled the small slip of parchment and read it quickly. “Well, this confirms it �" Cain is on a job bound for the barrow. He’s to meet a woman in Stonehills and assist her with exploring the ruin. But there are no more details as of this time.”
Sybille sighed and sat down in a plush chair next to Mirabelle’s desk. “Well, at least it’s something. But I can’t go to the king with this yet…we don’t know enough and the man seems harmless. I’d better get back to the palace, Mira. Thank you for the counsel �" and for keeping your fingers on the pulse.”
“I’ll send you a note if anything more comes to light,” said Mirabelle. “Good night, Sybille. And good luck.”
Chapter IV - Stonehills
A small mining village tucked away on the snowy fringes of Hjaalmarch Hold and The Pale, Stonehills had very little to offer a weary traveler. Two or three houses and a small inn were set just off of the road, nestled against the mountains that bordered Whiterun Hold to the south, and the mine itself burrowing deep within the stone. Cain and Athis sat inside the inn, waiting at a small table in hopes that the owner of their contract, Anska, would return from the wilderness outside. The barman, a wizened old man who went by the name Ikor, told them she had gone hunting to help replenish his larders.
So, they waited patiently for her, the map given to Cain spread out between them. Athis was going over notable locations that were marked on it, and giving the newly arrived Redguard a small history lesson on the holds and their capital cities. They passed the time like this for a few hours, until evening set in and the mine workers all bustled into the tavern after a long day underground. It soon grew too rowdy to continue, so the shield-brothers ordered their own drinks and joined in on a few card games, their eyes occasionally straying to the inn door.
Around eight o’clock, the door opened wide and a flurry of snow blew in around a hooded figure that pushed their way inside where it was warm, and threw a deer carcass on the floor. Pulling off layers of thick clothing, a pretty young Nord woman of about thirty years old started warming her hands over the large fire pit, and yelling back to the old barkeeper.
“Ikor! Come drag this beast downstairs and get some of these louts to dress it, yeah? We can square up later �" I need a hot drink right about now. Any of that spiced wine left?”
“That must be her,” Cain said to his friend.
The Redguard looked back in Anska’s direction, feeling a little warmer than he did before. She was tall for a girl �" nearly six feet he figured, and slender, with blonde hair that had been braided into one long length that fell down her back, stopping just shy of her hips. Unlike most of the Nords he had seen, Anska had deep brown eyes instead of the blue shades that were so common in the northern lands. But that suited her very well and were far more appealing to the young man, who was suddenly shaken from his daze when he received a punch on the shoulder.
“Quit staring, damn it,” laughed Athis. “She’s a beautiful girl but your starting to border on leering �" don’t wanna make the lass uncomfortable!”
Cain shook his head and rubbed a hand over the tender spot where Athis had hit him. “You’re right, we shouldn’t scare her off. [censored], if she isn’t one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever laid eyes on though, mate. Should we go introduce ourselves?”
“I’ll handle that part, said Athis. “You look too nervous. Go to the bar and order us some more mead, and the spiced wine for the lady. I’ll meet you back here and we’ll go over the details with her.”
It was all Cain could to go keep his cool and order their drinks from Ikor without constantly glancing back over this shoulder at Anska. And Athis, too, but his friend’s history lessons were far less appealing at the moment. The barman handed him their drinks and a pot of boiling water to float the spiced wine in so that it would warm up quickly for the lady. Balancing it all on a wooden tray, Cain gingerly walked back to their table and set it down with shaky hands, trying his best not to spill it all over the place.
Drinks ready to go, he sat back down next to Athis and tried his best to keep cool while introducing himself to the young maiden. “You’re Anska, I take it? My name is Cain, pleased to meet you.”
“Redguard huh?” she asked, smiling jestfully at him. “Don’t see to many of you in the colder regions like this. How do you like our snow? Even in a summer month like this, it never fully melts.”
“It’s a nice change from the humid months on the Gold Coast,” said Cain. “To be perfectly honest, I’m surprised that radiant smile of yours doesn’t melt off all the snow around here.”
Athis snorted into his mead and tried to cover up the sound with poor results.
“[censored], that was so dumb,” sighed Cain. “Ignore me, I never was good at this sort of thing.”
Anska laughed and it was a delightful sound that Cain couldn’t help but smile at, and would likely never forget. “Better than what most of these morons around here try,” she said. “Usually one of the miners will just saunter up to me and ask for a quick [censored] behind the smelter, like I’m supposed to be in awe of their blunt ‘manliness’. Not that I don’t appreciate the interest, Cain, but we have a job to get to.”
The dunmer cleared his throat. “Quite right, miss. However, our contract details were lacking just that �" detail. What are we going to be doing exactly? And where are we going? Our Harbinger only mentioned that it was a barrow somewhere up north.”
“I need your help in High Gate Ruins, up on the shoreline. There supposedly is a scroll buried within the tomb that I’ve been after for some time now. But I don’t think it will be easy to find, which is why I called on the Companions for help.”
“Any idea what we’re dealing with in there?” Cain jumped in.
“Dragur, for the most part,” said Anska. “There could also be a Dragon Priest, too, if the old historical records line up. Vokun, was his name, I think.”
“Now I see why Vilkas wanted you to tackle this job, Cain,” said Athis. “Our newest member here is adept at restoration magic, from his time dealing with Ayleid ruins in Cyrodiil. Looks like you’ll be getting your first taste of Skyrim’s undead!” Athis paused for a moment. “I don’t like the sound of that last bit, though. Dragon Priests are no joke, and even the most season warriors would do well to be cautious.”
“Exactly,” said Anska. “We have our work cut out for us tomorrow. Get some sleep and we’ll head north at dawn. If we march quickly we should reach the coast by sundown, and be able to make camp for the night. Hope you dressed warmly, Redguard!”
The young Nord took her leave of them for the evening and headed back out into the cold, bound for her own home on the outskirts of the village. Cain longingly watched her leave and his eyes lingered on the door for a few minutes after she had left. He looked forward to the next day, and even the cold weather and strange lands didn’t seem daunting any longer.
Athis gave him another tap on the shoulder to break the sway over him. “Boy, she really did a number on you, huh? Just keep your head clear when we’re back at it, okay? Last thing I need is to return to Jorrvaskr alone because you couldn’t keep your eyes off her ass while a dragur swung its axe at your head.”
“No promises,” laughed Cain. “S’pose we should get some shut eye, though. I’m turning in for the night �" see you bright and early.”
------------------------------
A loud knock on Ulvon’s chamber door startled him. The Arch-Master had been engrossed in more reports that were shared with him by the High King of Skyrim’s agents, and he was not expecting any visitors at such a late hour. Fuming silently at the disturbance, he briefly thought about staying quiet in hopes that whomever it was would simply give up and leave. However, a second knock dispelled that notion and his response was rather terse.
“Oh, just come in already, you dirty fetcher.”
The door creaked open and one of the new young aides poked his head in. “Sorry, sir, I know you didn’t want to be disturbed, but I felt it was urgent enough to warrant the interruption.”
“Get in here and sit down,” he ordered. The Arch-Master wracked his overworked mind for a few seconds while he tried to recall the aide’s name. “Salis, right? What could be so urgent that you thought to defy my standing orders for the evening?”
“Um. The delegation from Skyrim is going to arrive ahead of schedule. Runners spotted the caravan approaching Blacklight before the sun went down �" they should be here by midday tomorrow.”
Ulvon threw down the document he had been reading in frustration. “Tomorrow? We weren’t expecting them for three more days at the earliest! Have the representatives from our other Houses arrived yet? We cannot even consider to begin the talks without all parties present.”
“House Telvani will, understandably, be the last to arrive, but it won’t be until Fredas,” said Salis.
“I guess we’ll have to entertain the Nords for a few days, then,” sighed the Arch-Master. “Do we know who they are sending? If it’s just diplomats I will pull out what remains of my hair by week’s end.”
“Some diplomats, yes. I believe there will also be some of the king’s own family members �" it’s said he likes to have a personal touch in these matters, even if he can’t be present himself.”
The Arch-Master dwelled on that for a second. He hadn’t heard much about the High King’s family, but if he was willing to send them across the land for matters like this, then he must have a lot of confidence in their abilities as statesmen. Or that they could handle themselves as well as the king himself could. Ulvon couldn’t help but admire the boldness of such action �" in his own long life, the Arch-Master kept his family firmly out of the political machinations he nearly always found himself in.
“I think I should like to meet these family members, Salis. It’s a curious thing to see royalty on long journeys like this, no? Tamriel is a dangerous place, not to be traveled lightly �" even if it is just across the border your neighbors. I can’t help but wonder if they have also been to High Rock or Hammerfell, too. Hm, I guess we shall find out. Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Salis. Please notify the other Houses of the Nords’ imminent arrival.”
“At once, sir,” replied Salis. The eager young aide left in a hurry, bound for the communications office.
Picking up another document to read, Ulvon found he could no longer focus on his paperwork. Instead he began to devise a way to use the current situation to his advantage �" maybe he could host a couple of informal gatherings to let everyone mingle and talk without the onus of diplomacy breathing down their necks. And whether or not the other Great Houses would admit it…Morrowind needed this alliance in the face of an uncertain future.
A small mining village tucked away on the snowy fringes of Hjaalmarch Hold and The Pale, Stonehills had very little to offer a weary traveler. Two or three houses and a small inn were set just off of the road, nestled against the mountains that bordered Whiterun Hold to the south, and the mine itself burrowing deep within the stone. Cain and Athis sat inside the inn, waiting at a small table in hopes that the owner of their contract, Anska, would return from the wilderness outside. The barman, a wizened old man who went by the name Ikor, told them she had gone hunting to help replenish his larders.
So, they waited patiently for her, the map given to Cain spread out between them. Athis was going over notable locations that were marked on it, and giving the newly arrived Redguard a small history lesson on the holds and their capital cities. They passed the time like this for a few hours, until evening set in and the mine workers all bustled into the tavern after a long day underground. It soon grew too rowdy to continue, so the shield-brothers ordered their own drinks and joined in on a few card games, their eyes occasionally straying to the inn door.
Around eight o’clock, the door opened wide and a flurry of snow blew in around a hooded figure that pushed their way inside where it was warm, and threw a deer carcass on the floor. Pulling off layers of thick clothing, a pretty young Nord woman of about thirty years old started warming her hands over the large fire pit, and yelling back to the old barkeeper.
“Ikor! Come drag this beast downstairs and get some of these louts to dress it, yeah? We can square up later �" I need a hot drink right about now. Any of that spiced wine left?”
“That must be her,” Cain said to his friend.
The Redguard looked back in Anska’s direction, feeling a little warmer than he did before. She was tall for a girl �" nearly six feet he figured, and slender, with blonde hair that had been braided into one long length that fell down her back, stopping just shy of her hips. Unlike most of the Nords he had seen, Anska had deep brown eyes instead of the blue shades that were so common in the northern lands. But that suited her very well and were far more appealing to the young man, who was suddenly shaken from his daze when he received a punch on the shoulder.
“Quit staring, damn it,” laughed Athis. “She’s a beautiful girl but your starting to border on leering �" don’t wanna make the lass uncomfortable!”
Cain shook his head and rubbed a hand over the tender spot where Athis had hit him. “You’re right, we shouldn’t scare her off. [censored], if she isn’t one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever laid eyes on though, mate. Should we go introduce ourselves?”
“I’ll handle that part, said Athis. “You look too nervous. Go to the bar and order us some more mead, and the spiced wine for the lady. I’ll meet you back here and we’ll go over the details with her.”
It was all Cain could to go keep his cool and order their drinks from Ikor without constantly glancing back over this shoulder at Anska. And Athis, too, but his friend’s history lessons were far less appealing at the moment. The barman handed him their drinks and a pot of boiling water to float the spiced wine in so that it would warm up quickly for the lady. Balancing it all on a wooden tray, Cain gingerly walked back to their table and set it down with shaky hands, trying his best not to spill it all over the place.
Drinks ready to go, he sat back down next to Athis and tried his best to keep cool while introducing himself to the young maiden. “You’re Anska, I take it? My name is Cain, pleased to meet you.”
“Redguard huh?” she asked, smiling jestfully at him. “Don’t see to many of you in the colder regions like this. How do you like our snow? Even in a summer month like this, it never fully melts.”
“It’s a nice change from the humid months on the Gold Coast,” said Cain. “To be perfectly honest, I’m surprised that radiant smile of yours doesn’t melt off all the snow around here.”
Athis snorted into his mead and tried to cover up the sound with poor results.
“[censored], that was so dumb,” sighed Cain. “Ignore me, I never was good at this sort of thing.”
Anska laughed and it was a delightful sound that Cain couldn’t help but smile at, and would likely never forget. “Better than what most of these morons around here try,” she said. “Usually one of the miners will just saunter up to me and ask for a quick [censored] behind the smelter, like I’m supposed to be in awe of their blunt ‘manliness’. Not that I don’t appreciate the interest, Cain, but we have a job to get to.”
The dunmer cleared his throat. “Quite right, miss. However, our contract details were lacking just that �" detail. What are we going to be doing exactly? And where are we going? Our Harbinger only mentioned that it was a barrow somewhere up north.”
“I need your help in High Gate Ruins, up on the shoreline. There supposedly is a scroll buried within the tomb that I’ve been after for some time now. But I don’t think it will be easy to find, which is why I called on the Companions for help.”
“Any idea what we’re dealing with in there?” Cain jumped in.
“Dragur, for the most part,” said Anska. “There could also be a Dragon Priest, too, if the old historical records line up. Vokun, was his name, I think.”
“Now I see why Vilkas wanted you to tackle this job, Cain,” said Athis. “Our newest member here is adept at restoration magic, from his time dealing with Ayleid ruins in Cyrodiil. Looks like you’ll be getting your first taste of Skyrim’s undead!” Athis paused for a moment. “I don’t like the sound of that last bit, though. Dragon Priests are no joke, and even the most season warriors would do well to be cautious.”
“Exactly,” said Anska. “We have our work cut out for us tomorrow. Get some sleep and we’ll head north at dawn. If we march quickly we should reach the coast by sundown, and be able to make camp for the night. Hope you dressed warmly, Redguard!”
The young Nord took her leave of them for the evening and headed back out into the cold, bound for her own home on the outskirts of the village. Cain longingly watched her leave and his eyes lingered on the door for a few minutes after she had left. He looked forward to the next day, and even the cold weather and strange lands didn’t seem daunting any longer.
Athis gave him another tap on the shoulder to break the sway over him. “Boy, she really did a number on you, huh? Just keep your head clear when we’re back at it, okay? Last thing I need is to return to Jorrvaskr alone because you couldn’t keep your eyes off her ass while a dragur swung its axe at your head.”
“No promises,” laughed Cain. “S’pose we should get some shut eye, though. I’m turning in for the night �" see you bright and early.”
------------------------------
A loud knock on Ulvon’s chamber door startled him. The Arch-Master had been engrossed in more reports that were shared with him by the High King of Skyrim’s agents, and he was not expecting any visitors at such a late hour. Fuming silently at the disturbance, he briefly thought about staying quiet in hopes that whomever it was would simply give up and leave. However, a second knock dispelled that notion and his response was rather terse.
“Oh, just come in already, you dirty fetcher.”
The door creaked open and one of the new young aides poked his head in. “Sorry, sir, I know you didn’t want to be disturbed, but I felt it was urgent enough to warrant the interruption.”
“Get in here and sit down,” he ordered. The Arch-Master wracked his overworked mind for a few seconds while he tried to recall the aide’s name. “Salis, right? What could be so urgent that you thought to defy my standing orders for the evening?”
“Um. The delegation from Skyrim is going to arrive ahead of schedule. Runners spotted the caravan approaching Blacklight before the sun went down �" they should be here by midday tomorrow.”
Ulvon threw down the document he had been reading in frustration. “Tomorrow? We weren’t expecting them for three more days at the earliest! Have the representatives from our other Houses arrived yet? We cannot even consider to begin the talks without all parties present.”
“House Telvani will, understandably, be the last to arrive, but it won’t be until Fredas,” said Salis.
“I guess we’ll have to entertain the Nords for a few days, then,” sighed the Arch-Master. “Do we know who they are sending? If it’s just diplomats I will pull out what remains of my hair by week’s end.”
“Some diplomats, yes. I believe there will also be some of the king’s own family members �" it’s said he likes to have a personal touch in these matters, even if he can’t be present himself.”
The Arch-Master dwelled on that for a second. He hadn’t heard much about the High King’s family, but if he was willing to send them across the land for matters like this, then he must have a lot of confidence in their abilities as statesmen. Or that they could handle themselves as well as the king himself could. Ulvon couldn’t help but admire the boldness of such action �" in his own long life, the Arch-Master kept his family firmly out of the political machinations he nearly always found himself in.
“I think I should like to meet these family members, Salis. It’s a curious thing to see royalty on long journeys like this, no? Tamriel is a dangerous place, not to be traveled lightly �" even if it is just across the border your neighbors. I can’t help but wonder if they have also been to High Rock or Hammerfell, too. Hm, I guess we shall find out. Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Salis. Please notify the other Houses of the Nords’ imminent arrival.”
“At once, sir,” replied Salis. The eager young aide left in a hurry, bound for the communications office.
Picking up another document to read, Ulvon found he could no longer focus on his paperwork. Instead he began to devise a way to use the current situation to his advantage �" maybe he could host a couple of informal gatherings to let everyone mingle and talk without the onus of diplomacy breathing down their necks. And whether or not the other Great Houses would admit it…Morrowind needed this alliance in the face of an uncertain future.
Chapter V - Journey North
The brackish marshlands of Hjaalmarch stretched out before the trio as far as the eye could see, the stench of muck and stale mire wrinkling their noses. Stunted trees and fallen logs were strewn about the dry patches and hindered their progress while Cain, Anska, and Athis slowly picked their way across the treacherous terrain. Sea birds circled overhead in greater numbers as the broad shores of the Sea of Ghosts grew nearer by the hour, and the occasional fearsome charus would emerge from the dimly lit swamp, spitting poison at them and gnashing murderous pincers.
When they finally stood on the rocky beaches, all three sat down and sighed in relief, ready to make a camp for the night and get some long overdue rest. Anska started erecting the tents while Cain and Athis gathered up driftwood and fallen branches to light and feed a roaring campfire. The cold did not bother Anska at all, her Nord blood acting as a natural barrier against the winds blowing in from the northern sea. She found it amusing to see her fellow adventurers seated as close to the flames as possible without being in them.
“I told you two to dress warmly! Even in the summer, the northern shores are cold and blustery �" there’s just less snow then the deep winters.”
“Well, I don’t know what excuses Athis has,” said Cain. “But it’s very warm in Anvil most of the year, with the city being so close to Hammerfell. I’m not that cold right now, just more so than I’m used to. Besides, I’ve been in Skyrim for less than two weeks �" I’m still acclimating.”
“Lack of warm clothing for me,” said Athis. “I should have heeded your warning and wore something more than this hide armor. Didn’t expect the winds to be so cool up here.”
“At this rate, we’ll need a bit more firewood for you to sleep comfortably tonight, boys. I think you picked the area clean, though. Cain, would you mind ranging out further with me to look for some more? Maybe we’ll get lucky and spot a horker to feast on.”
“Sure, beats catching myself on fire here. Athis, you good?”
The dunmer nodded and Cain joined Anska for a walk towards the east, keeping their eyes peeled for more driftwood, or the lumbering beasts that dotted the coastlines. For the first five to ten minutes, they walked in relative silence, making idle chitchat while trying not to let the other catch them staring. This went on for several minutes before Cain had had enough, and steeled himself to make the leap.
“Look, can we stop making this awkward and just admit to each other that there is something here? I’ve caught your eyes resting on me, and vice versa �" let’s not dance around it anymore. Would you like to grab a drink with me after we deal with High Gate?”
Anska blushed, the ruddy hue plainly visible on her pale features. “I don’t know, Cain...” The Redguard’s heart started to sink, but he did not interrupt her. “You’re very handsome and kind�"the latter of which is hard to find these days�"but we live so far apart, and you’re busy with the Companions. It’s not like you can walk up to Stonehills anytime you fancy a visit, and I’m rarely as far south as Whiterun. My home is here, in the northern reaches of Skyrim. I can’t just leave it all behind on a whim, for someone I just met. Neither would it be possible for me to live with you in Jorrvaskr. Or do you have a home I don’t know about?”
“No, I don’t have a home anymore,” sighed Cain, who was more than a little put out. “Nearly everything I own is in the pack sitting in my tent. I sold my mother’s house in Anvil before I came here, so I’ve got a fair bit of gold to my name, but that’s the extent of it.”
“Your mother...did she pass on?”
“Aye. Some sailors brought a strange disease from the southern oceans into the port about six months ago. A lot of people in town got very sick, but it affected Ma more than most. Every potion or spell we tried could not break its hold on her, and I had to endure six weeks of watching her waste away to nothing.”
The helpless feelings of that time returned to him while he spoke, the frustration flaring up inside one again. Eager for any kind of emotional release, he kicked out at a small hunk of wood and sent it soaring away. However, the pain in his foot made him regret it instantly, his toes throbbing from the force of the blow.
“Damn it, we could have used that bit of wood,” said Cain. “Sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it, I understand more than you realize,” said Anska, softly. “Both my parents died in a house fire when I was only fifteen years old. We used to have a beautiful cottage in the foothills north of Stonehills, but a stray barrage of fire arrows during a civil war skirmish struck the straw roof and set it ablaze. I was out hunting at the time and saw the smoke from afar.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” said Cain. “I’m sure they would have been proud of who you’ve become.”
“That’s kind of you to say,” replied Anska. She dabbed at the corners of her eyes with a kerchief and then offered it to Cain.
“No, I’m okay, thank you though. I wept enough after she passed. These days, I just try to honor her memory through actions, rather than words or feelings.”
“What about your father? Was he around for you?”
“I don’t know who he is. If Ma knew who it was, she never told me. Or she ran out of time to do so.”
“I’m sure she would have liked to tell you eventually,” said Anska. “If you don’t mind me asking...what was her name?”
“Ariessa Janeel. She didn’t give me the surname, though. I think she hoped that one day I would find my father and be able to choose his name if I so desired. Would have been nice to have any kind of lead on him, but life ain’t always fair, ya know?”
“It’s certainly not. Ariessa is a beautiful name for who I’m sure was a strong woman. I’ll be sure to pray for her later.”
“I’ll do the same for your folks, Anska. Now, shall we get back to it? I haven’t grabbed a single piece of wood yet, and we’ve walked nearly a mile by now.”
“Yeah, let’s turn back and keep a better eye out. Don’t want Athis to freeze solid tonight!”
They wandered back into the campsite a short while later, both laden down with bundles of driftwood and the odd loose branch. After dumping some on the fire and setting the rest aside, Cain decided to fashion a makeshift fishing rod from one of the longer pieces and cast a line into the salty waters. He sat on a rock by himself for a while, thoughts dwelling on his mother and Anska’s family, the line bobbing up and down among the coastal waves. It was only when he didn’t even notice a fish had been hooked and struggled on the end of his line that Anska joined him, sitting down on the rock with Cain.
“Septim for your thoughts? You’ve been staring out at the horizon so intently that you didn’t even notice the fish you just lost...”
Cain jumped in surprise when she spoke. “Damn, you startled me! Did I really have a fish on? Could have used that for dinner.”
Anska laughed and it made him weak in the knees again. “Yep, now we’re stuck with Athis’ salted beef. What had you so entranced? Was it our conversations from earlier?”
“Mostly,” admitted Cain. “S’pose I was just feeling sorry for the both of us...and a little wistful on what could have been. We can go back to the campfire if you’d like �" if I stay on this rock here alone, I’ll probably lose myself in the past again.”
“I can stay with you, if you’d like. What was the old adage? ‘Misery loves company’, I think?”
He longed to sit on the shoreline with her all night, staring out at the endless blue waters and talking for hour after hour. But she’d made enough good points earlier about the difficulties involved with having a relationship beyond their current contract, and it would certainly be hard to overcome them. Instead, Cain sighed and cut the line on his makeshift pole, setting it down in the rocky sand.
“Nah, we shouldn’t leave Athis alone back there. Not fair to him that we keep wandering off together.”
The young maiden glanced back at the small campsite and smiled a little bit at the sight of their dunmer companion. “Well, it looks like he nodded off from the warmth of that blazing fire. Sure I can’t change your mind?”
“I don’t know...” mumbled Cain uncertainly.
‘”Is this about me turning you down earlier?” she asked. “Look, Cain, I’m sorry that it has to be that way...but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun while we are together, does it?”
Cain turned his head sharply to face her, noting the coy smile, and the twinkle in her lovely brown eyes. Something began to stir within him, and before he knew what was happening, Anska grabbed his hand and dragged him away from the waters to one of the few trees still standing in the area. Birds scattered from the lower branches of the towering pine, startled by the cacophony of sounds coming from below them. Yet Athis slept on, blissfully unaware of the noises echoing about the coast.
The brackish marshlands of Hjaalmarch stretched out before the trio as far as the eye could see, the stench of muck and stale mire wrinkling their noses. Stunted trees and fallen logs were strewn about the dry patches and hindered their progress while Cain, Anska, and Athis slowly picked their way across the treacherous terrain. Sea birds circled overhead in greater numbers as the broad shores of the Sea of Ghosts grew nearer by the hour, and the occasional fearsome charus would emerge from the dimly lit swamp, spitting poison at them and gnashing murderous pincers.
When they finally stood on the rocky beaches, all three sat down and sighed in relief, ready to make a camp for the night and get some long overdue rest. Anska started erecting the tents while Cain and Athis gathered up driftwood and fallen branches to light and feed a roaring campfire. The cold did not bother Anska at all, her Nord blood acting as a natural barrier against the winds blowing in from the northern sea. She found it amusing to see her fellow adventurers seated as close to the flames as possible without being in them.
“I told you two to dress warmly! Even in the summer, the northern shores are cold and blustery �" there’s just less snow then the deep winters.”
“Well, I don’t know what excuses Athis has,” said Cain. “But it’s very warm in Anvil most of the year, with the city being so close to Hammerfell. I’m not that cold right now, just more so than I’m used to. Besides, I’ve been in Skyrim for less than two weeks �" I’m still acclimating.”
“Lack of warm clothing for me,” said Athis. “I should have heeded your warning and wore something more than this hide armor. Didn’t expect the winds to be so cool up here.”
“At this rate, we’ll need a bit more firewood for you to sleep comfortably tonight, boys. I think you picked the area clean, though. Cain, would you mind ranging out further with me to look for some more? Maybe we’ll get lucky and spot a horker to feast on.”
“Sure, beats catching myself on fire here. Athis, you good?”
The dunmer nodded and Cain joined Anska for a walk towards the east, keeping their eyes peeled for more driftwood, or the lumbering beasts that dotted the coastlines. For the first five to ten minutes, they walked in relative silence, making idle chitchat while trying not to let the other catch them staring. This went on for several minutes before Cain had had enough, and steeled himself to make the leap.
“Look, can we stop making this awkward and just admit to each other that there is something here? I’ve caught your eyes resting on me, and vice versa �" let’s not dance around it anymore. Would you like to grab a drink with me after we deal with High Gate?”
Anska blushed, the ruddy hue plainly visible on her pale features. “I don’t know, Cain...” The Redguard’s heart started to sink, but he did not interrupt her. “You’re very handsome and kind�"the latter of which is hard to find these days�"but we live so far apart, and you’re busy with the Companions. It’s not like you can walk up to Stonehills anytime you fancy a visit, and I’m rarely as far south as Whiterun. My home is here, in the northern reaches of Skyrim. I can’t just leave it all behind on a whim, for someone I just met. Neither would it be possible for me to live with you in Jorrvaskr. Or do you have a home I don’t know about?”
“No, I don’t have a home anymore,” sighed Cain, who was more than a little put out. “Nearly everything I own is in the pack sitting in my tent. I sold my mother’s house in Anvil before I came here, so I’ve got a fair bit of gold to my name, but that’s the extent of it.”
“Your mother...did she pass on?”
“Aye. Some sailors brought a strange disease from the southern oceans into the port about six months ago. A lot of people in town got very sick, but it affected Ma more than most. Every potion or spell we tried could not break its hold on her, and I had to endure six weeks of watching her waste away to nothing.”
The helpless feelings of that time returned to him while he spoke, the frustration flaring up inside one again. Eager for any kind of emotional release, he kicked out at a small hunk of wood and sent it soaring away. However, the pain in his foot made him regret it instantly, his toes throbbing from the force of the blow.
“Damn it, we could have used that bit of wood,” said Cain. “Sorry.”
“Don’t worry about it, I understand more than you realize,” said Anska, softly. “Both my parents died in a house fire when I was only fifteen years old. We used to have a beautiful cottage in the foothills north of Stonehills, but a stray barrage of fire arrows during a civil war skirmish struck the straw roof and set it ablaze. I was out hunting at the time and saw the smoke from afar.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” said Cain. “I’m sure they would have been proud of who you’ve become.”
“That’s kind of you to say,” replied Anska. She dabbed at the corners of her eyes with a kerchief and then offered it to Cain.
“No, I’m okay, thank you though. I wept enough after she passed. These days, I just try to honor her memory through actions, rather than words or feelings.”
“What about your father? Was he around for you?”
“I don’t know who he is. If Ma knew who it was, she never told me. Or she ran out of time to do so.”
“I’m sure she would have liked to tell you eventually,” said Anska. “If you don’t mind me asking...what was her name?”
“Ariessa Janeel. She didn’t give me the surname, though. I think she hoped that one day I would find my father and be able to choose his name if I so desired. Would have been nice to have any kind of lead on him, but life ain’t always fair, ya know?”
“It’s certainly not. Ariessa is a beautiful name for who I’m sure was a strong woman. I’ll be sure to pray for her later.”
“I’ll do the same for your folks, Anska. Now, shall we get back to it? I haven’t grabbed a single piece of wood yet, and we’ve walked nearly a mile by now.”
“Yeah, let’s turn back and keep a better eye out. Don’t want Athis to freeze solid tonight!”
They wandered back into the campsite a short while later, both laden down with bundles of driftwood and the odd loose branch. After dumping some on the fire and setting the rest aside, Cain decided to fashion a makeshift fishing rod from one of the longer pieces and cast a line into the salty waters. He sat on a rock by himself for a while, thoughts dwelling on his mother and Anska’s family, the line bobbing up and down among the coastal waves. It was only when he didn’t even notice a fish had been hooked and struggled on the end of his line that Anska joined him, sitting down on the rock with Cain.
“Septim for your thoughts? You’ve been staring out at the horizon so intently that you didn’t even notice the fish you just lost...”
Cain jumped in surprise when she spoke. “Damn, you startled me! Did I really have a fish on? Could have used that for dinner.”
Anska laughed and it made him weak in the knees again. “Yep, now we’re stuck with Athis’ salted beef. What had you so entranced? Was it our conversations from earlier?”
“Mostly,” admitted Cain. “S’pose I was just feeling sorry for the both of us...and a little wistful on what could have been. We can go back to the campfire if you’d like �" if I stay on this rock here alone, I’ll probably lose myself in the past again.”
“I can stay with you, if you’d like. What was the old adage? ‘Misery loves company’, I think?”
He longed to sit on the shoreline with her all night, staring out at the endless blue waters and talking for hour after hour. But she’d made enough good points earlier about the difficulties involved with having a relationship beyond their current contract, and it would certainly be hard to overcome them. Instead, Cain sighed and cut the line on his makeshift pole, setting it down in the rocky sand.
“Nah, we shouldn’t leave Athis alone back there. Not fair to him that we keep wandering off together.”
The young maiden glanced back at the small campsite and smiled a little bit at the sight of their dunmer companion. “Well, it looks like he nodded off from the warmth of that blazing fire. Sure I can’t change your mind?”
“I don’t know...” mumbled Cain uncertainly.
‘”Is this about me turning you down earlier?” she asked. “Look, Cain, I’m sorry that it has to be that way...but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a little fun while we are together, does it?”
Cain turned his head sharply to face her, noting the coy smile, and the twinkle in her lovely brown eyes. Something began to stir within him, and before he knew what was happening, Anska grabbed his hand and dragged him away from the waters to one of the few trees still standing in the area. Birds scattered from the lower branches of the towering pine, startled by the cacophony of sounds coming from below them. Yet Athis slept on, blissfully unaware of the noises echoing about the coast.
Chapter VI - Awakening
The sun was set and darkness reigned over the land when Cain and Anska bashfully walked back into their campsite and took a seat around the fire. They kept catching each other’s eyes and looking away with quick smiles while they set about roasting the few fish they had caught after their brief respite. Athis began to stir when the smell of seasoned arctic char wafted through the air around them, and he awoke with a start to see his fellow adventurers making small talk.
“Is that fish ready? Smells wonderful.” He plucked a piece off of the one nearest to him on the spit and chewed thoughtfully on it. “Mmm, who brought the herbs and spices? Did you, Anska? Cause I certainly didn’t and I don’t think Cain did either.”
“Yeah, that was me,” said Anska. “I keep a small container of spice in my bag for when I’m out hunting. Sometimes I’ll spend a couple days in the wilds, and you can only eat bland meat so many times before it gets old.”
Athis gave her a short bow without getting up. “Compliments to the chef, miss. This is much tastier than the venison jerky and dried fruits we had earlier. How many of these little beauties are there?”
“Just the three,” said Cain. “Fish weren’t biting well tonight.”
The Redguard plucked his own fish off of the cooking spit and dined on it while Anska did the same. All was quiet in the camp for a bit, but Athis’ keen eyes did not miss the frequent glances passing between his younger companions and tried unsuccessfully to hide the recognition as it dawned on him. Try as he might, the knowing smile would not leave his features, and it wasn’t long before Cain noticed and asked him what was so amusing.
“Nothing at all,” said Athis, unconvincingly. “Just reminiscing about the old days �" you know how it is. Been on a lot of adventures like this, and sometimes the memories filter back through.”
“Athis…”
“Oh, alright, then,” Athis sighed. “I know the look you two keep sharing with each other, seen it plenty of times in my life. You two got, um, familiar with each other while I napped, didn’t you?”
Cain and Anska blushed and tried their best to not look at each other, both of them suddenly interested in the fish they were eating or the fire blazing in front of them. Then the maiden giggled and it brought a broad smile to Cain’s face, who simply nodded towards Athis in agreement.
“Well, good,” said the Dunmer. “It was obviously going to happen sooner or later, so I’m glad you two got it out of your systems before we went into High Gate. Just keep your heads on straight in there tomorrow, yeah? My gut tells me we’ll have our work cut out for us.”
“You got it, boss,” said Cain. Then he yawned and stretched his arms over his head. “I think I’ll turn in for the night. Wake me if anything bad happens.”
Anska and Athis bade him goodnight as Cain crawled into his tent and sealed the flaps from the brisk coastal winds and nestled down into his sleeping bag. Sleep did not come right away, but the dull murmur of conversation outside of his tent, and the gentle lapping noise of the tide setting in worked wonderfully as encouragement. Within fifteen minutes, he had fully passed out and was snoring loudly �" much to the amusement of his friends sitting around the campfire.
Morning came in hurry and brought an icy sleet along with it, much to the chagrin of the questors who had hoped for another warm meal and an easy load out before heading to the barrow. Instead, the trio left their campsite set up and got underway, hoping that the rain would clear out and that the sun would dry everything off by the time they got back. High Gate Ruins wasn’t very far away, and by ten o’clock they were standing inside the antechamber of the barrow, removing wet cloaks and tossing them aside.
Cain look around the dusty room, noting the handful of dead draugr laying on the floor. “That’s odd, I wonder who killed these ones? They don’t seem to be decaying very much, so it must have been recently...”
“About a week ago, actually,” said Anska. “I tried coming here by myself before asking the Companions for assistance. But there are far too many draugr further in for me to handle alone, and when I saw the bas reliefs depicting a dragon priest, I decided to abandon it until help came.”
“Good thinking, miss,” said Athis.
“Definitely,” agreed Cain. “However, I think we should iron out our roles here before we delve further in. Athis, you’re lightly armored and don’t have a shield, so I think you should lag behind me. My armor is not very heavy, but it’s more robust than your hide and furs. Anska, you mentioned a proficiency with your war axe last night?”
“Yeah, it’s all I carry for things like this. My bow won’t be much use in these narrow halls.”
“Okay, then I’d like you to take the rear. My longsword has a greater reach and I can use restoration magick to draw out the targets, then you and Athis can lock them up once they’re in close. If either of you get hurt, fall back to safety and I’ll tend to your wounds once the danger has passed.”
Athis and Anska both agreed. Cain lit a torch from one of the nearby braziers and drew his trusty sword Ariessa, before kicking open the first door ahead of them. There were no undead in sight, so he led them ever deeper into High Gate Ruins, ever mindful for hidden traps and the draugr that silently waited to fend off trespassers that dared to enter the barrow. On and on they crept, clearing room after room and chamber after chamber of the Nordic undead that teemed within the ancient corridors of the ruins until they finally stood before an iron door with an old inscription carved into the center of it.
“I think this is it, friends,” said Cain. “Vokun’s throne room lies just beyond this door. Do you want to rest here for a while, or shall we get this over with?”
“Let’s kick ass,” answered Anska. “I’ve been waiting a long time to get the scroll and the end is so close! Er, that is, if you two are ready to go on.”
“I’m ready, said Athis.
“Okay, same plan that worked for us with the other draugr,” said Cain. “Athis, you mentioned a familiarity with these priests, yeah? How difficult will this be?
“Very. Dragon Priests were the de facto leaders of the Dragon Cult, back in the Merethic Era. They were the highest ranking �" and most powerful �" men in the cult, and they took their orders directly from the dragons themselves. Expect powerful magicka to be thrown at us, and possibly even the Thu’um. Many priests were said to have achieved lichdom status, so tread carefully.”
“Athis speaks the truth, Cain. Do not take this foe lightly.”
“Understood,” replied Cain. “Let’s get to it.” He pushed open the door and stole quietly forward with Athis at his back and Anska circling wide to the outskirts of the throne room. The air was still and silent, but without warning the sarcophagus at the center of the room burst open, the heavy lid sliding to the ground with a loud bang, and Vokun floated up from his resting place with an unholy roar of anger.
The priest floated about a foot off of the ground, a shimmering aura of magicka crackling around him, and a powerful staff clutched in right hand. Cain and Athis rushed into engage him, dodging powerful fireballs from Vokun’s free hand and the bolts of lightning issuing from the staff. Anska had found an ancient nordic bow and was peppering the monster with arrows from afar. Finally in close enough, Cain expertly swung and stabbed at the priest with his silver imbued sword, guided by an experience far beyond his age. Athis dove in at Vokun whenever he saw and opening, but it took all of his focus to not become mesmerized by the gleaming blur that was his Shield-Brother’s longsword.
After several long minutes of furious battle with the dragon priest a final arrow from Anska’s new bow staggered the creature enough for Cain to end it, driving his sword up through its chin and out of the top of its head. Vokun issued one last guttural groan as the blue light faded from his eyes, and the strange mask he donned slipped to the floor while the remains of his lich form disintegrated into ash.
Winded from the exertion of the harrowing encounter, Athis took a seat at the foot of the now empty sarcophagus to catch his breath while Anska joined them from her ranged position. Meanwhile, Cain sheathed his sword on his back and reached down to pick up Vokun’s mask, curious about its properties.
“Strange,” he said. “What and oddly carved mask to wear, yet I can feel the magick imbued within. But it feels evil, somehow… I think we should hide it away somewhere in Jorrvaskr. Keep it from prying eyes and power-hungry ne’er-do-wells.”
“Won’t get any arguments from me,“ panted Athis. The experienced Dumner looked up at the Redguard curiously. “Cain, how in the hell are you not utterly spent from fighting that monster? I get that your young, but you look as if that was just another walk around the gardens, and not a fight for our lives. And where did you learn to swing a sword like that? It looked more like an extension of your arm, rather than a blade to be wielded.”
“I’ve always had a knack for swordplay,” shrugged Cain. “But a properly balanced blade should be an extension of one’s self. I forged my sword years ago, and have practiced and fought with nothing else since.”
“Well, it sure amazing to watch, Cain,” said Anska, her eyes twinkling again. “And dead sexy, too, if I’m being honest.”
“Stop right there, miss,” Athis interjected. “We don’t have time for you two lovebirds to go at it again. Let’s get the scroll your after and then get the hell out of here.” He staggered to his feet and took a drink of water from the canteen on his belt. “It looks like there is another room beyond those stairs up there. C’mon.”
Cain and Anska both laughed, and bowed dramatically in agreement. Athis shook his head and muttered something about young people as he climbed the old wooden steps to the balcony above, and strode into the final chamber of High Gate Ruins. They descended another flight of stairs to a large stone table in the middle, its surface laden with parchment and various old books and wrapped scrolls. There seemed to be an altar of some sort just past the table, but an immense pile of rubble had fallen over it from a cave-in high above them. Cain wasn’t sure at first what about it caught his attention, but then a low sound floated into his ears and he turned back towards Athis and Anska, pointing at the fallen stones.
“Do you two hear that?”
Athis looked up at him. “Hear what? I don’t hear anything.”
“Neither do I,” said Anska. “What does it sound like?”
“Almost like a low chanting sound �" it reminds me of a choir, like you would hear during a temple service, but much lower, and I can’t make out the words.”
“Hmm, are you sure you’re feeling okay after that fight?” said Athis. “Didn’t get hit over the head, did you? Cause all I see is a pile of rubble and all I hear is us.”
“Aha!” shouted Anska, holding an ancient scroll in her hand. “Here it is, still sealed and everything! Ugh, it feels like it’s magickally sealed, though. I’ll might to take it to the college and see if they can get it open somehow.” Pocketing the scroll, Anska walked over to Cain’s side. “I still don’t hear anything. Should we get going? Sooner we get out of here the better.”
“Yeah, okay,” muttered Cain. He had been straining his ears as much as he could, but still did not understand what he was hearing. Then he shook his head to clear it and looked around for the way out. “Let’s check up there, maybe there will be an easier way out.”
Ten minutes later they stepped out of the barrow onto the northern coastline, just as the sun began to sink behind the Druadach Mountains to the west. Breathing deep sighs of relief, Cain, Athis, and Anska headed towards their campsite a short distance away, eager to rest for a while by the warm flames. They had only walked a short way when a deafening roar filled the air around them, and the sound of heavy wings flapped over their heads.
Athis groaned in disbelief at their misfortune as the huge dragon glided past them before circling around and flying directly at the unlucky trio. “Ancestors preserve us! Fan out you two!” he shouted. “There’s no running from this fight, weapons at the ready!”
Helpless to fight the beast without a bow and arrow, Cain resorted to flinging what few destruction spells he did know at the dragon, hoping that he and Anska could keep it distracted from Athis. The Dunmer had only his sword to fight with, and was resigned to nimbly move about in the hopes that eventually it would be grounded and open to onslaught. The minutes ticked by uncounted as darkness set in before the beast was finally grounded, and the two Companions were able to rush in with their longswords to hack away at the scaly hide.
Cain attacked the dragon desperately, calling on every ounce of his innate Redguard adrenaline to whittle away at the monstrous demigod while also keeping it away from Athis and Anska. At long last, he sensed the beasts’ energy waning, and with a final plumb to the depths of his own strength, Cain seized his opportunity to end the fight. He dove forward and grabbed one of the dragon’s massive horned spikes and used it to swing himself up on its great scaly back.
Athis and Anska jumped back away from the dragon and shouted in worried fear at the sight of their reckless friend mounting the massive beast, their apprehension slowly turning to awe as Cain leapt onto the dragon’s head and plunged his blade straight down through its skull with a defiant yell. He leapt off and landed on the rocky shore with a slight stagger, backing off slowly with the point of his sword still in the air while the dragon thrashed about in the final throes of death. And then it collapsed with a final, meek roar, and lay still before them.
Looking at him in amazement, Anska started to speak, her voice low. “Cain, that was �"“ but she was cut off when the dead beast before them started to glow, its scaly hide disintegrating in front of their eyes, and a mystical surge of orange and white light poured forth from it, flowing straight into the young Redguard.
Unsure what was happening to him, Cain dropped his sword with a clatter and knelt down as the overwhelming life force from the slain dragon imbued itself with his own soul, pushing him to the brink of unconsciousness. Finally, the flow of energy ceased and Cain was able to stagger back to his feet and look around, still slightly dazed.
Athis and Anska both stared at him in wonder. And then a strange rumble of thunder echoed throughout clear skies, followed by incomprehensibly loud voices speaking in an ancient tongue.
DO-VAH-KIIN
The sun was set and darkness reigned over the land when Cain and Anska bashfully walked back into their campsite and took a seat around the fire. They kept catching each other’s eyes and looking away with quick smiles while they set about roasting the few fish they had caught after their brief respite. Athis began to stir when the smell of seasoned arctic char wafted through the air around them, and he awoke with a start to see his fellow adventurers making small talk.
“Is that fish ready? Smells wonderful.” He plucked a piece off of the one nearest to him on the spit and chewed thoughtfully on it. “Mmm, who brought the herbs and spices? Did you, Anska? Cause I certainly didn’t and I don’t think Cain did either.”
“Yeah, that was me,” said Anska. “I keep a small container of spice in my bag for when I’m out hunting. Sometimes I’ll spend a couple days in the wilds, and you can only eat bland meat so many times before it gets old.”
Athis gave her a short bow without getting up. “Compliments to the chef, miss. This is much tastier than the venison jerky and dried fruits we had earlier. How many of these little beauties are there?”
“Just the three,” said Cain. “Fish weren’t biting well tonight.”
The Redguard plucked his own fish off of the cooking spit and dined on it while Anska did the same. All was quiet in the camp for a bit, but Athis’ keen eyes did not miss the frequent glances passing between his younger companions and tried unsuccessfully to hide the recognition as it dawned on him. Try as he might, the knowing smile would not leave his features, and it wasn’t long before Cain noticed and asked him what was so amusing.
“Nothing at all,” said Athis, unconvincingly. “Just reminiscing about the old days �" you know how it is. Been on a lot of adventures like this, and sometimes the memories filter back through.”
“Athis…”
“Oh, alright, then,” Athis sighed. “I know the look you two keep sharing with each other, seen it plenty of times in my life. You two got, um, familiar with each other while I napped, didn’t you?”
Cain and Anska blushed and tried their best to not look at each other, both of them suddenly interested in the fish they were eating or the fire blazing in front of them. Then the maiden giggled and it brought a broad smile to Cain’s face, who simply nodded towards Athis in agreement.
“Well, good,” said the Dunmer. “It was obviously going to happen sooner or later, so I’m glad you two got it out of your systems before we went into High Gate. Just keep your heads on straight in there tomorrow, yeah? My gut tells me we’ll have our work cut out for us.”
“You got it, boss,” said Cain. Then he yawned and stretched his arms over his head. “I think I’ll turn in for the night. Wake me if anything bad happens.”
Anska and Athis bade him goodnight as Cain crawled into his tent and sealed the flaps from the brisk coastal winds and nestled down into his sleeping bag. Sleep did not come right away, but the dull murmur of conversation outside of his tent, and the gentle lapping noise of the tide setting in worked wonderfully as encouragement. Within fifteen minutes, he had fully passed out and was snoring loudly �" much to the amusement of his friends sitting around the campfire.
-----
Morning came in hurry and brought an icy sleet along with it, much to the chagrin of the questors who had hoped for another warm meal and an easy load out before heading to the barrow. Instead, the trio left their campsite set up and got underway, hoping that the rain would clear out and that the sun would dry everything off by the time they got back. High Gate Ruins wasn’t very far away, and by ten o’clock they were standing inside the antechamber of the barrow, removing wet cloaks and tossing them aside.
Cain look around the dusty room, noting the handful of dead draugr laying on the floor. “That’s odd, I wonder who killed these ones? They don’t seem to be decaying very much, so it must have been recently...”
“About a week ago, actually,” said Anska. “I tried coming here by myself before asking the Companions for assistance. But there are far too many draugr further in for me to handle alone, and when I saw the bas reliefs depicting a dragon priest, I decided to abandon it until help came.”
“Good thinking, miss,” said Athis.
“Definitely,” agreed Cain. “However, I think we should iron out our roles here before we delve further in. Athis, you’re lightly armored and don’t have a shield, so I think you should lag behind me. My armor is not very heavy, but it’s more robust than your hide and furs. Anska, you mentioned a proficiency with your war axe last night?”
“Yeah, it’s all I carry for things like this. My bow won’t be much use in these narrow halls.”
“Okay, then I’d like you to take the rear. My longsword has a greater reach and I can use restoration magick to draw out the targets, then you and Athis can lock them up once they’re in close. If either of you get hurt, fall back to safety and I’ll tend to your wounds once the danger has passed.”
Athis and Anska both agreed. Cain lit a torch from one of the nearby braziers and drew his trusty sword Ariessa, before kicking open the first door ahead of them. There were no undead in sight, so he led them ever deeper into High Gate Ruins, ever mindful for hidden traps and the draugr that silently waited to fend off trespassers that dared to enter the barrow. On and on they crept, clearing room after room and chamber after chamber of the Nordic undead that teemed within the ancient corridors of the ruins until they finally stood before an iron door with an old inscription carved into the center of it.
“I think this is it, friends,” said Cain. “Vokun’s throne room lies just beyond this door. Do you want to rest here for a while, or shall we get this over with?”
“Let’s kick ass,” answered Anska. “I’ve been waiting a long time to get the scroll and the end is so close! Er, that is, if you two are ready to go on.”
“I’m ready, said Athis.
“Okay, same plan that worked for us with the other draugr,” said Cain. “Athis, you mentioned a familiarity with these priests, yeah? How difficult will this be?
“Very. Dragon Priests were the de facto leaders of the Dragon Cult, back in the Merethic Era. They were the highest ranking �" and most powerful �" men in the cult, and they took their orders directly from the dragons themselves. Expect powerful magicka to be thrown at us, and possibly even the Thu’um. Many priests were said to have achieved lichdom status, so tread carefully.”
“Athis speaks the truth, Cain. Do not take this foe lightly.”
“Understood,” replied Cain. “Let’s get to it.” He pushed open the door and stole quietly forward with Athis at his back and Anska circling wide to the outskirts of the throne room. The air was still and silent, but without warning the sarcophagus at the center of the room burst open, the heavy lid sliding to the ground with a loud bang, and Vokun floated up from his resting place with an unholy roar of anger.
The priest floated about a foot off of the ground, a shimmering aura of magicka crackling around him, and a powerful staff clutched in right hand. Cain and Athis rushed into engage him, dodging powerful fireballs from Vokun’s free hand and the bolts of lightning issuing from the staff. Anska had found an ancient nordic bow and was peppering the monster with arrows from afar. Finally in close enough, Cain expertly swung and stabbed at the priest with his silver imbued sword, guided by an experience far beyond his age. Athis dove in at Vokun whenever he saw and opening, but it took all of his focus to not become mesmerized by the gleaming blur that was his Shield-Brother’s longsword.
After several long minutes of furious battle with the dragon priest a final arrow from Anska’s new bow staggered the creature enough for Cain to end it, driving his sword up through its chin and out of the top of its head. Vokun issued one last guttural groan as the blue light faded from his eyes, and the strange mask he donned slipped to the floor while the remains of his lich form disintegrated into ash.
Winded from the exertion of the harrowing encounter, Athis took a seat at the foot of the now empty sarcophagus to catch his breath while Anska joined them from her ranged position. Meanwhile, Cain sheathed his sword on his back and reached down to pick up Vokun’s mask, curious about its properties.
“Strange,” he said. “What and oddly carved mask to wear, yet I can feel the magick imbued within. But it feels evil, somehow… I think we should hide it away somewhere in Jorrvaskr. Keep it from prying eyes and power-hungry ne’er-do-wells.”
“Won’t get any arguments from me,“ panted Athis. The experienced Dumner looked up at the Redguard curiously. “Cain, how in the hell are you not utterly spent from fighting that monster? I get that your young, but you look as if that was just another walk around the gardens, and not a fight for our lives. And where did you learn to swing a sword like that? It looked more like an extension of your arm, rather than a blade to be wielded.”
“I’ve always had a knack for swordplay,” shrugged Cain. “But a properly balanced blade should be an extension of one’s self. I forged my sword years ago, and have practiced and fought with nothing else since.”
“Well, it sure amazing to watch, Cain,” said Anska, her eyes twinkling again. “And dead sexy, too, if I’m being honest.”
“Stop right there, miss,” Athis interjected. “We don’t have time for you two lovebirds to go at it again. Let’s get the scroll your after and then get the hell out of here.” He staggered to his feet and took a drink of water from the canteen on his belt. “It looks like there is another room beyond those stairs up there. C’mon.”
Cain and Anska both laughed, and bowed dramatically in agreement. Athis shook his head and muttered something about young people as he climbed the old wooden steps to the balcony above, and strode into the final chamber of High Gate Ruins. They descended another flight of stairs to a large stone table in the middle, its surface laden with parchment and various old books and wrapped scrolls. There seemed to be an altar of some sort just past the table, but an immense pile of rubble had fallen over it from a cave-in high above them. Cain wasn’t sure at first what about it caught his attention, but then a low sound floated into his ears and he turned back towards Athis and Anska, pointing at the fallen stones.
“Do you two hear that?”
Athis looked up at him. “Hear what? I don’t hear anything.”
“Neither do I,” said Anska. “What does it sound like?”
“Almost like a low chanting sound �" it reminds me of a choir, like you would hear during a temple service, but much lower, and I can’t make out the words.”
“Hmm, are you sure you’re feeling okay after that fight?” said Athis. “Didn’t get hit over the head, did you? Cause all I see is a pile of rubble and all I hear is us.”
“Aha!” shouted Anska, holding an ancient scroll in her hand. “Here it is, still sealed and everything! Ugh, it feels like it’s magickally sealed, though. I’ll might to take it to the college and see if they can get it open somehow.” Pocketing the scroll, Anska walked over to Cain’s side. “I still don’t hear anything. Should we get going? Sooner we get out of here the better.”
“Yeah, okay,” muttered Cain. He had been straining his ears as much as he could, but still did not understand what he was hearing. Then he shook his head to clear it and looked around for the way out. “Let’s check up there, maybe there will be an easier way out.”
Ten minutes later they stepped out of the barrow onto the northern coastline, just as the sun began to sink behind the Druadach Mountains to the west. Breathing deep sighs of relief, Cain, Athis, and Anska headed towards their campsite a short distance away, eager to rest for a while by the warm flames. They had only walked a short way when a deafening roar filled the air around them, and the sound of heavy wings flapped over their heads.
Athis groaned in disbelief at their misfortune as the huge dragon glided past them before circling around and flying directly at the unlucky trio. “Ancestors preserve us! Fan out you two!” he shouted. “There’s no running from this fight, weapons at the ready!”
Helpless to fight the beast without a bow and arrow, Cain resorted to flinging what few destruction spells he did know at the dragon, hoping that he and Anska could keep it distracted from Athis. The Dunmer had only his sword to fight with, and was resigned to nimbly move about in the hopes that eventually it would be grounded and open to onslaught. The minutes ticked by uncounted as darkness set in before the beast was finally grounded, and the two Companions were able to rush in with their longswords to hack away at the scaly hide.
Cain attacked the dragon desperately, calling on every ounce of his innate Redguard adrenaline to whittle away at the monstrous demigod while also keeping it away from Athis and Anska. At long last, he sensed the beasts’ energy waning, and with a final plumb to the depths of his own strength, Cain seized his opportunity to end the fight. He dove forward and grabbed one of the dragon’s massive horned spikes and used it to swing himself up on its great scaly back.
Athis and Anska jumped back away from the dragon and shouted in worried fear at the sight of their reckless friend mounting the massive beast, their apprehension slowly turning to awe as Cain leapt onto the dragon’s head and plunged his blade straight down through its skull with a defiant yell. He leapt off and landed on the rocky shore with a slight stagger, backing off slowly with the point of his sword still in the air while the dragon thrashed about in the final throes of death. And then it collapsed with a final, meek roar, and lay still before them.
Looking at him in amazement, Anska started to speak, her voice low. “Cain, that was �"“ but she was cut off when the dead beast before them started to glow, its scaly hide disintegrating in front of their eyes, and a mystical surge of orange and white light poured forth from it, flowing straight into the young Redguard.
Unsure what was happening to him, Cain dropped his sword with a clatter and knelt down as the overwhelming life force from the slain dragon imbued itself with his own soul, pushing him to the brink of unconsciousness. Finally, the flow of energy ceased and Cain was able to stagger back to his feet and look around, still slightly dazed.
Athis and Anska both stared at him in wonder. And then a strange rumble of thunder echoed throughout clear skies, followed by incomprehensibly loud voices speaking in an ancient tongue.
DO-VAH-KIIN
Chapter VII - Unforeseen Events
The esteemed members of the Elder Council were all circled around a massive conference table deep within the White-Gold Tower, grim faced but listening with rapt attention while the chancellor, Anilay, briefed them on the latest intelligence from operatives in Skyrim. Titus Mede II would be arriving shortly, but he had instructed his right hand to get things moving during his brief absence from the chamber.
“So, it is true, then,” asked one of the fat Imperials. “The rumbling echo we heard over the Jeralls came from the Greybeards again? For the second time in thirty years? I find that hard to believe, Anilay.”
“It’s already confirmed, Sentius,” said the chancellor. “There is no mistaking it �" another of the dragon blood has been revealed. Whether or not it’s in relation to the high king is not known at this time. Furthermore, we have no idea who this newcomer is, or where in Skyrim they might be.”
A loud bang marked the entrance of the Emperor, who flung the doors open wide and startled the councilors huddled around the expansive table. He walked purposefully towards the head of the table and took a seat in his small throne, gesturing the others to be seated as well.
“Ahem. I take it Anilay has begun the briefing? Very good. Now, I know we did not anticipate this happening again, but I’m pleased to report that an operative in Winterhold has learned the identity of this latest threat: a Redguard named Cain. I don’t know what machinations led him north to Skyrim, but he just slipped through our fingers. Apparently, he used to be a member of the Fighter’s Guild in Anvil, and only left the Heartland a few weeks ago.”
“What prompted his departure, my lord?” asked another councilman.
“That is unclear, but we are looking into it. He is now currently in the employ of the Companions in Whiterun, and we have men getting into position both there, and in Solitude. If all goes well, we will seize him before the high king’s people can do so, and persuade him to work with the Imperial Legion.”
“But will he be loyal to us, sire? It’s an awful risk to bring him here �" what if he feels a strong allegiance to the dragon blood? There is much about the pure-blooded Dragonborns we do not yet know…”
“In light of the circumstances, it’s a risk we must take to ensure the longevity of the Empire,” said Titus Mede II. “Skyrim cannot be allowed to amass so much power on their own. A single Dragonborn king is bad enough �" two would be unfathomable. That is all I have to say on the matter for now. Please return to your duties and we shall convene again when more is known.”
The various lords and ladies of the Elder Council filed out of the room while the Emperor remained seated, waiting to converse quietly with Anilay, his right hand in all matters. Once the room had otherwise emptied, they began to pore over classified documents and iron out just how they were going to secret the Redguard away, all the way back down to the Imperial City.
-------------------------------
Ulvon looked around the packed dining hall at the gathered council members and diplomats, hardly daring to believe that relations with Skyrim had progressed so quickly in the last five years. However, the absence of certain delegation members did not go unnoticed to the Arch-Master’s keen eyes, and he subtly flagged down his young aide. The young elf bobbed up to his side with an inquiring look.
“Tell me, Salis…were there not supposed to be two members of the king’s family in this delegation? I had looked forward to meeting such people, and hoped to catch a glimpse into his inner circle through such prominent figures.”
“Ah, yes,” answered Salis. “I asked about that when they arrived, while we recorded their information for our records. Apparently, recent events in Skyrim have forced the two missing members of the delegation to hasten back home.”
“Recent events? What could be so urgent?”
“Well, there are rumors that another Dragonborn has emerged. And we’ve also received reports of a dragon attack that resulted in another village being burned to the ground.”
“Hmm,” sighed Ulvon. “Those are both troubling events indeed. It’s been some years since the last dragon attack, hasn’t it?”
“Yes, sir. At least twenty years, I should think.”
“And another Dragonborn emerges from the shadows. Curious. The Elder Council must be feeling very squeamish right about now, with another legendary figure in the picture. Every day, the walls close further in upon their worthless hides.”
“Should we still start the conference without the missing delegates, sir?”
“We’ll leave that up to our guests, Salis. For now, grab a drink and mingle. After all, we are here tonight to forge new connections, not to worry ourselves with matters abroad.”
The young aide bowed his head and departed in search of the wait staff, and a stiff bulb of Sujamma.
-------------------------------
Anska and Athis stood motionless, mouth agape at the sight before their eyes. Cain rose from the ground, sword in hand, and sheathed it in the scabbard slung across his back. He stared at the skeletal remains of the dragon they had just slain, his thoughts in turmoil about what it all meant. Turning to his friends, they noted the faraway look in his eyes and rushed forward to see how he was doing.
“Are you alright, lad?” asked Athis. “That was one hell of a feat, but you don’t look very happy about what’s just happened to you…”
“Dragonborn,” Anska whispered. “I can’t believe it. And here I thought you couldn’t get any sexier after that battle with Vokun,” she laughed. “Never thought I’d see you climb atop a dragon and slay it so easily �" it’s like you were born for it! Oh, I guess you were, eh?”
Despite everything that happened, Cain felt himself smiling at Anska’s ability to inject some levity and disarm the situation. “Bet you wish you hadn’t turned down that date, huh? Anyway, I feel a little shaky, but fine otherwise. Apart from there being the life experiences of a dead dragon bouncing around my psyche, that is. Can we go back to camp now? I’m exhausted.”
“I bet you are,” said Athis. “I’ll lead this time, you two follow me.”
They walked in silence for a few minutes, until Cain couldn’t help but seek answers from Anska, hoping that his Nord friend would be able to share some insight. “This is a big deal, right? Isn’t the king a Dragonborn, too?”
“’Big deal’ is an understatement, Cain. He was supposed to be the last Dragonborn, according to the ancient prophecy. I’m afraid you’re in uncharted waters, and there is little I can offer you in the way of aid. My only advice would be to visit the Blue Palace or High Hrothgar, but I suspect you will be sought after before long no matter what. The entire land knows you are out here somewhere.”
“Keep it secret, Anska, I beg of you,” said Cain. “I feel like a fish out of water right now, and the fewer people that know, the better off I’ll be.”
“I won’t tell a soul,” she replied. “Hey, look at that…” She pointed a finger at a dark shape flying past in a hurry. “Am I crazy, or did that look like a raven? What would such a bird be doing up here on its own? The gulls normally drive off such beasts, and hoard the shorelines to themselves.”
“I think that was indeed a raven. Odd, but maybe it has something to do with the dragon? I swear I saw a hawk earlier, too, and wondered why it was so far from the inland forests.”
“Strange signs indeed, Cain. I’ll ask the wise woman when I get home. She may know something of what those signs could mean. I’ll write to you if she has any insight.”
Back at the campsite, Athis decided the feats they just pulled of were worthy of a hearyt dip into their supplies, and with Anska’s help he soon had a seasoned leg of goat cooking over a roaring campfire while they drank mead and celebrated their companion. Cain was unaccustomed to being lauded so highly, and spent the evening blushing and waving them off. But Athis and Anska were having none of it, and despite being tired, the trio drank and sang long into the night, their odes and toasts filling the coastline with an unnatural din.
But when dawn broke over them the next morning, the joyous feelings of the previous night were subdued. They packed their tents up in silence, regretful that the job was completed and that soon they would be going their separate ways: Anska returning to Stonehills, and the Companions would be crossing the inlet to Solitude where they hoped to grab a carriage ride home.
Cain in particular was feeling down as he hugged Anska goodbye, and watched her disappear into the mist. “I feel like a part of me went with her, Athis, and that I shall never get it back.”
Athis clapped him on the shoulder. “Aye, I think we all go through that at least once in our lives, mate. But the lass is right; you two live very far apart and will likely never see each other again. Now, come on �" she said there was a ferry near here. We might be able to hit the port by sundown, if we are lucky.” The dunmer’s prediction rang true, and the sun had just begun to set when the ferryman nudged the boat into the harbor and let them disembark.
“Did we go back in time, Athis?” asked Cain with a laugh. “Were we not here just a few weeks ago, eager to grab a carriage to Whiterun?”
“Makes the head spin, eh?” said Athis. “Let’s mix things up this time just for the hell of it. Wanna head into town for a drink? The Winking Skeever has a fine selection and we can grab some rooms for the night, too.”
“Works for me, Athis. My ass hurts from sitting in that boat all day anyway.”
And so, they left the port and marched right past the Solitude Stables, heading up the long hill into the city proper. Solitude was a huge city that far outpaced the small town of Whiterun, perched on its hill in the tundra. The capital of Skyrim expanded out over the inlet, towering far above the cold waters below, and it offered every service known to man, mer, or beast. But the streets were quieting down for the evening, vendor stalls closing, and shopkeepers locking up until the morning, when everything would start all over again. Cain and Athis followed a rowdy group of citizens to the tavern, and grabbed a table near the back.
“What do you think of all this, mate?” asked Cain. “You haven’t said much about what happened yesterday…”
“Well, truth be told, I don’t know what to think. I’m sure the Companions will be honored to have you among our ranks, but my gut tells me that everything will be different now, and that you will be destined for much larger things. But my opinion doesn’t matter all that much, friend. How are you holding up?”
Cain shrugged. “I don’t think it’s set in for me yet. There’s so much I don’t know about what’s happened to me, and yet all my thoughts dwell on…something else.”
“Anska?” inquired Athis.
“Mhm,” said Cain. “I just can’t get her out of my mind, and I wish things could have been different. I’ve met a lot of women in my time, Athis, but never anyone quite like her.”
“You’ll come around in time. Eventually, she’ll be naught but a distant memory of the long past. I won’t deny that she was a remarkable woman, and I can see why she has such a hold on you.” He paused to sip his from a tankard of flin before continuing on. “This next bit of advice may seem harsh, Cain, but you would do well to forget about her sooner, rather than later. You’ll need a clear mind and razor-sharp focus for the path that lies ahead.”
“There’s truth in your words, even if I don’t like it,” acknowledged Cain. “Look, I think I’m going turn in for the night. See you in the morning, yeah?”
Athis raised his tankard in agreement and downed the remainder of its contents. “Me, too. We’ll head for the stables at dawn.”
Cain tossed and turned for a long while after he extinguished the candles in his room and crawled into the plush bed and soft linens. The young man’s thoughts were filled with images of dragons, blazing fires, and missed opportunities. When he finally did fall asleep, it was a fitful slumber that was no better than the half-awake state he had been in before, but it did leave him with a sense of alertness that roused him the moment his door slipped open. He reached for the dagger on his bedside table, and slipped it under his pillow in case the intruder meant to do him harm.
He was relieved when the husky voice of Athis whisper from nearby. “Cain, are you awake?”
“I am,” came the quiet reply. “What’s the matter?”
“There are strange men filing into the tavern, and more of them out in the streets. I’m not sure what their purpose is, but I saw them accosting the barkeep. They held up a piece of paper to Corpulus - I couldn’t make out what was on it and something feels wrong about it all...”
“Well, if there are that many then we can’t hope to fight our way out of here. Too many innocent bystanders downstairs that could get hurt or killed. I think we’re going to have along with them, Athis… Stash a dagger wherever you can and don’t resist them.”
They stowed their bags away and each picked out a slim dagger that could easily be hidden, and slid them into their boots. Moments later, the door to Cain’s room burst open and five burly men with kerchiefs obscuring their faces rushed into the room, ropes and blindfolds at the ready. Cain and Athis did as instructed and were soon being led downstairs to the inn’s cellar and storage larders. A loud creaking noise echoed around them as a gate clattered open and the men pushed them onwards.
Wondering where they could possible going, Cain risked a whisper to his friend. “Is it just me or the air getting stale? Are there passages beneath the city?”'
“Maybe,” Athis whispered back. “Sewers and catacombs are more likely �" they may know a way out beyond the walls if that’s the case.”
“Be quiet back there!” shouted one of the men. “No talking unless I say so!”
On and on they went, further and further through damp tunnels and iron gates, never speaking, and wholly unable to reach the short knives stashed away in their boots. After what felt like an hour of walking silently down winding corridors, they came to the foot of a staircase, and haphazardly began to climb it single file, tying not to trip over their own feet.
A final iron gate clanked open, and the men ushered Cain and Athis into a much warmer room, filled with a fragrance that Cain couldn’t quite place. Then he felt the bindings on his hands loosen and the blindfold was suddenly being removed from their faces, the bright lights of numerous torches and braziers blinding their eyes after the long march in the dark.
He gasped at the scene before him, as Athis muttered something indiscernible under his breath.
The esteemed members of the Elder Council were all circled around a massive conference table deep within the White-Gold Tower, grim faced but listening with rapt attention while the chancellor, Anilay, briefed them on the latest intelligence from operatives in Skyrim. Titus Mede II would be arriving shortly, but he had instructed his right hand to get things moving during his brief absence from the chamber.
“So, it is true, then,” asked one of the fat Imperials. “The rumbling echo we heard over the Jeralls came from the Greybeards again? For the second time in thirty years? I find that hard to believe, Anilay.”
“It’s already confirmed, Sentius,” said the chancellor. “There is no mistaking it �" another of the dragon blood has been revealed. Whether or not it’s in relation to the high king is not known at this time. Furthermore, we have no idea who this newcomer is, or where in Skyrim they might be.”
A loud bang marked the entrance of the Emperor, who flung the doors open wide and startled the councilors huddled around the expansive table. He walked purposefully towards the head of the table and took a seat in his small throne, gesturing the others to be seated as well.
“Ahem. I take it Anilay has begun the briefing? Very good. Now, I know we did not anticipate this happening again, but I’m pleased to report that an operative in Winterhold has learned the identity of this latest threat: a Redguard named Cain. I don’t know what machinations led him north to Skyrim, but he just slipped through our fingers. Apparently, he used to be a member of the Fighter’s Guild in Anvil, and only left the Heartland a few weeks ago.”
“What prompted his departure, my lord?” asked another councilman.
“That is unclear, but we are looking into it. He is now currently in the employ of the Companions in Whiterun, and we have men getting into position both there, and in Solitude. If all goes well, we will seize him before the high king’s people can do so, and persuade him to work with the Imperial Legion.”
“But will he be loyal to us, sire? It’s an awful risk to bring him here �" what if he feels a strong allegiance to the dragon blood? There is much about the pure-blooded Dragonborns we do not yet know…”
“In light of the circumstances, it’s a risk we must take to ensure the longevity of the Empire,” said Titus Mede II. “Skyrim cannot be allowed to amass so much power on their own. A single Dragonborn king is bad enough �" two would be unfathomable. That is all I have to say on the matter for now. Please return to your duties and we shall convene again when more is known.”
The various lords and ladies of the Elder Council filed out of the room while the Emperor remained seated, waiting to converse quietly with Anilay, his right hand in all matters. Once the room had otherwise emptied, they began to pore over classified documents and iron out just how they were going to secret the Redguard away, all the way back down to the Imperial City.
-------------------------------
Ulvon looked around the packed dining hall at the gathered council members and diplomats, hardly daring to believe that relations with Skyrim had progressed so quickly in the last five years. However, the absence of certain delegation members did not go unnoticed to the Arch-Master’s keen eyes, and he subtly flagged down his young aide. The young elf bobbed up to his side with an inquiring look.
“Tell me, Salis…were there not supposed to be two members of the king’s family in this delegation? I had looked forward to meeting such people, and hoped to catch a glimpse into his inner circle through such prominent figures.”
“Ah, yes,” answered Salis. “I asked about that when they arrived, while we recorded their information for our records. Apparently, recent events in Skyrim have forced the two missing members of the delegation to hasten back home.”
“Recent events? What could be so urgent?”
“Well, there are rumors that another Dragonborn has emerged. And we’ve also received reports of a dragon attack that resulted in another village being burned to the ground.”
“Hmm,” sighed Ulvon. “Those are both troubling events indeed. It’s been some years since the last dragon attack, hasn’t it?”
“Yes, sir. At least twenty years, I should think.”
“And another Dragonborn emerges from the shadows. Curious. The Elder Council must be feeling very squeamish right about now, with another legendary figure in the picture. Every day, the walls close further in upon their worthless hides.”
“Should we still start the conference without the missing delegates, sir?”
“We’ll leave that up to our guests, Salis. For now, grab a drink and mingle. After all, we are here tonight to forge new connections, not to worry ourselves with matters abroad.”
The young aide bowed his head and departed in search of the wait staff, and a stiff bulb of Sujamma.
-------------------------------
Anska and Athis stood motionless, mouth agape at the sight before their eyes. Cain rose from the ground, sword in hand, and sheathed it in the scabbard slung across his back. He stared at the skeletal remains of the dragon they had just slain, his thoughts in turmoil about what it all meant. Turning to his friends, they noted the faraway look in his eyes and rushed forward to see how he was doing.
“Are you alright, lad?” asked Athis. “That was one hell of a feat, but you don’t look very happy about what’s just happened to you…”
“Dragonborn,” Anska whispered. “I can’t believe it. And here I thought you couldn’t get any sexier after that battle with Vokun,” she laughed. “Never thought I’d see you climb atop a dragon and slay it so easily �" it’s like you were born for it! Oh, I guess you were, eh?”
Despite everything that happened, Cain felt himself smiling at Anska’s ability to inject some levity and disarm the situation. “Bet you wish you hadn’t turned down that date, huh? Anyway, I feel a little shaky, but fine otherwise. Apart from there being the life experiences of a dead dragon bouncing around my psyche, that is. Can we go back to camp now? I’m exhausted.”
“I bet you are,” said Athis. “I’ll lead this time, you two follow me.”
They walked in silence for a few minutes, until Cain couldn’t help but seek answers from Anska, hoping that his Nord friend would be able to share some insight. “This is a big deal, right? Isn’t the king a Dragonborn, too?”
“’Big deal’ is an understatement, Cain. He was supposed to be the last Dragonborn, according to the ancient prophecy. I’m afraid you’re in uncharted waters, and there is little I can offer you in the way of aid. My only advice would be to visit the Blue Palace or High Hrothgar, but I suspect you will be sought after before long no matter what. The entire land knows you are out here somewhere.”
“Keep it secret, Anska, I beg of you,” said Cain. “I feel like a fish out of water right now, and the fewer people that know, the better off I’ll be.”
“I won’t tell a soul,” she replied. “Hey, look at that…” She pointed a finger at a dark shape flying past in a hurry. “Am I crazy, or did that look like a raven? What would such a bird be doing up here on its own? The gulls normally drive off such beasts, and hoard the shorelines to themselves.”
“I think that was indeed a raven. Odd, but maybe it has something to do with the dragon? I swear I saw a hawk earlier, too, and wondered why it was so far from the inland forests.”
“Strange signs indeed, Cain. I’ll ask the wise woman when I get home. She may know something of what those signs could mean. I’ll write to you if she has any insight.”
Back at the campsite, Athis decided the feats they just pulled of were worthy of a hearyt dip into their supplies, and with Anska’s help he soon had a seasoned leg of goat cooking over a roaring campfire while they drank mead and celebrated their companion. Cain was unaccustomed to being lauded so highly, and spent the evening blushing and waving them off. But Athis and Anska were having none of it, and despite being tired, the trio drank and sang long into the night, their odes and toasts filling the coastline with an unnatural din.
But when dawn broke over them the next morning, the joyous feelings of the previous night were subdued. They packed their tents up in silence, regretful that the job was completed and that soon they would be going their separate ways: Anska returning to Stonehills, and the Companions would be crossing the inlet to Solitude where they hoped to grab a carriage ride home.
Cain in particular was feeling down as he hugged Anska goodbye, and watched her disappear into the mist. “I feel like a part of me went with her, Athis, and that I shall never get it back.”
Athis clapped him on the shoulder. “Aye, I think we all go through that at least once in our lives, mate. But the lass is right; you two live very far apart and will likely never see each other again. Now, come on �" she said there was a ferry near here. We might be able to hit the port by sundown, if we are lucky.” The dunmer’s prediction rang true, and the sun had just begun to set when the ferryman nudged the boat into the harbor and let them disembark.
“Did we go back in time, Athis?” asked Cain with a laugh. “Were we not here just a few weeks ago, eager to grab a carriage to Whiterun?”
“Makes the head spin, eh?” said Athis. “Let’s mix things up this time just for the hell of it. Wanna head into town for a drink? The Winking Skeever has a fine selection and we can grab some rooms for the night, too.”
“Works for me, Athis. My ass hurts from sitting in that boat all day anyway.”
And so, they left the port and marched right past the Solitude Stables, heading up the long hill into the city proper. Solitude was a huge city that far outpaced the small town of Whiterun, perched on its hill in the tundra. The capital of Skyrim expanded out over the inlet, towering far above the cold waters below, and it offered every service known to man, mer, or beast. But the streets were quieting down for the evening, vendor stalls closing, and shopkeepers locking up until the morning, when everything would start all over again. Cain and Athis followed a rowdy group of citizens to the tavern, and grabbed a table near the back.
“What do you think of all this, mate?” asked Cain. “You haven’t said much about what happened yesterday…”
“Well, truth be told, I don’t know what to think. I’m sure the Companions will be honored to have you among our ranks, but my gut tells me that everything will be different now, and that you will be destined for much larger things. But my opinion doesn’t matter all that much, friend. How are you holding up?”
Cain shrugged. “I don’t think it’s set in for me yet. There’s so much I don’t know about what’s happened to me, and yet all my thoughts dwell on…something else.”
“Anska?” inquired Athis.
“Mhm,” said Cain. “I just can’t get her out of my mind, and I wish things could have been different. I’ve met a lot of women in my time, Athis, but never anyone quite like her.”
“You’ll come around in time. Eventually, she’ll be naught but a distant memory of the long past. I won’t deny that she was a remarkable woman, and I can see why she has such a hold on you.” He paused to sip his from a tankard of flin before continuing on. “This next bit of advice may seem harsh, Cain, but you would do well to forget about her sooner, rather than later. You’ll need a clear mind and razor-sharp focus for the path that lies ahead.”
“There’s truth in your words, even if I don’t like it,” acknowledged Cain. “Look, I think I’m going turn in for the night. See you in the morning, yeah?”
Athis raised his tankard in agreement and downed the remainder of its contents. “Me, too. We’ll head for the stables at dawn.”
Cain tossed and turned for a long while after he extinguished the candles in his room and crawled into the plush bed and soft linens. The young man’s thoughts were filled with images of dragons, blazing fires, and missed opportunities. When he finally did fall asleep, it was a fitful slumber that was no better than the half-awake state he had been in before, but it did leave him with a sense of alertness that roused him the moment his door slipped open. He reached for the dagger on his bedside table, and slipped it under his pillow in case the intruder meant to do him harm.
He was relieved when the husky voice of Athis whisper from nearby. “Cain, are you awake?”
“I am,” came the quiet reply. “What’s the matter?”
“There are strange men filing into the tavern, and more of them out in the streets. I’m not sure what their purpose is, but I saw them accosting the barkeep. They held up a piece of paper to Corpulus - I couldn’t make out what was on it and something feels wrong about it all...”
“Well, if there are that many then we can’t hope to fight our way out of here. Too many innocent bystanders downstairs that could get hurt or killed. I think we’re going to have along with them, Athis… Stash a dagger wherever you can and don’t resist them.”
They stowed their bags away and each picked out a slim dagger that could easily be hidden, and slid them into their boots. Moments later, the door to Cain’s room burst open and five burly men with kerchiefs obscuring their faces rushed into the room, ropes and blindfolds at the ready. Cain and Athis did as instructed and were soon being led downstairs to the inn’s cellar and storage larders. A loud creaking noise echoed around them as a gate clattered open and the men pushed them onwards.
Wondering where they could possible going, Cain risked a whisper to his friend. “Is it just me or the air getting stale? Are there passages beneath the city?”'
“Maybe,” Athis whispered back. “Sewers and catacombs are more likely �" they may know a way out beyond the walls if that’s the case.”
“Be quiet back there!” shouted one of the men. “No talking unless I say so!”
On and on they went, further and further through damp tunnels and iron gates, never speaking, and wholly unable to reach the short knives stashed away in their boots. After what felt like an hour of walking silently down winding corridors, they came to the foot of a staircase, and haphazardly began to climb it single file, tying not to trip over their own feet.
A final iron gate clanked open, and the men ushered Cain and Athis into a much warmer room, filled with a fragrance that Cain couldn’t quite place. Then he felt the bindings on his hands loosen and the blindfold was suddenly being removed from their faces, the bright lights of numerous torches and braziers blinding their eyes after the long march in the dark.
He gasped at the scene before him, as Athis muttered something indiscernible under his breath.
Chapter VIII - Bloodlines and Reunions
Cain had expected to be standing in the middle of a dungeon, rather than the lavish room that he and Athis now found themselves in so late at night. Two guards were posted near the large gate they had entered through, and by another stout wooden door at the opposite end of the room. Wondering what would happen next, Cain got his answer when the locked clicked, the other door swung open, and the robed figure of a shorter woman entered, a hood drawn over her head.
“Names?” she asked. “And don’t bother trying to lie, we have ways of finding out the truth.”
“Athis, of the Companions.”
“Cain, also of the Companions.”
“Very good, thank you for the display of honesty.” The woman lowered her hood and gazed intently at them. “I am Sybille Stentor, court wizard to the High King of Skyrim. I know that it is a very late hour, but you have been brought here for a reason. Please freshen up in the basin over there, and knock on the door when you are finished. The king has requested an audience with you, mister Cain, but you and I have a few things to go over first.”
“The king?” asked Cain in disbelief. “Are you [censored] serious?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Then what was with all the cloak and dagger? Couldn’t you have just asked nicely? We’re in your own damn city, for Leki’s sake!”
“All will be explained in good time,” said Sybille. “Now, please clean yourself up.” The wizard walked over to his companion. “Sorry for the scare, Athis, but we had to move quickly. Mirabelle and I both thank you for the timely message you sent to us �" without it, we would surely have missed our opportunity. Please clean yourself up and then head back to the Skeever to await further orders.”
The tall dunmer bowed his head. “Of course, ma’am. I’ll be waiting in my room.” Athis turned to Cain and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Good luck, friend. I think you have a long day ahead of you…”
“Are you some sort of spy?” asked Cain. “Is that why you volunteered to go with me on that job? So that you could keep tabs on me?”
“I was asked to accompany you, yes. But not for any nefarious reasons, Cain. I’m still a member of the Companions, I just choose to work for the king as well. We’ll all need to work together in the coming days, and I’m sure you’ll find others like me around Skyrim. Take care of yourself, and trust that our king knows what he is doing. You’re in good hands.”
Cain frowned, but then he nodded, smiling slightly. “Next time I’m in Whiterun, we are going to have a conversation about honesty, mate. Be safe.”
Athis followed Sybille out of the room, leaving Cain to tidy himself up for the long hours ahead of him. The basin she had indicated was filled with warm water, and a bar of lavender soap rested on the edge of it, giving off the light fragrance he had smelled when first entering the room. He rolled up his sleeves and dipped his dirty hands in the water before grabbing the soap and scrubbing down whatever he could without removing all of his clothes and giving the guards a show. Once he finished cleaning up and drying off, Cain moved towards the wooden door and gave it a hard rap.
It opened right away and Sybille Stentor pulled him into the next room. This chamber was a little bigger than the last one, and it had a broad table resting in the center with several ornate chairs around it, and a chandelier sconce illuminating the surface. Cain noticed a curiously long roll parchment laying on the table and he moved in closer to examine it.
“As I said before,” began Sybille. “We have a few things to go over �" the first of which, is this incredible scroll you see unfurled on the table here. Do you realize what it is?”
“It seems to be a rather elaborate family tree,” noted Cain. “Very expansive, but hard to make out the names without a magnifying glass.” The Redguard’s flame of curiosity had been stoked, and he posed a question of his own to the wizard. “Where did you get it from?”
“She didn’t tell you what she was after? Curious.” Sybille beckoned him to step away from the table, then she grabbed the scroll and rolled it back up, then handed it to him. “Recognize it now?”
Cain studied it for a moment, his brow furrowing. “Oh, [censored]. This is the scroll we helped Anska find! How did you get this!”
“We can discuss that later. For now, I would like you to roll it back out and read the name at the head of the tree. Here, you can use my looking glass.” She handed him a small focusing lens, and waited patiently while he smoothed the scroll back out and place weights on the corners, to keep it in place.
Stooping over the table to get a good angle on it, Cain peered through the lens at the name scrawled on the very top of the immense, flowing tree of names. “By the Nine �" Ysgramor! Isn’t he pretty much the most fabled of all legendary Nords?”
“Indeed, he is, and that’s why the girl wanted the scroll, though she didn’t realize how special it truly was.” Sybille gestured to a point near the bottom, far off to the side. “Look here and you’ll see that her theories were correct.”
He moved the lens down to where her finger had indicated, and gasped at the name written there: Anska, daughter of Freca and Astra. “Amazing!” exclaimed Cain. “So, she was trying to prove her lineage! Wait, you have this scroll now, though �" does she know?”
“She does, yes,” said Sybille. “However, I think the gravity of this document hasn’t become apparent to you yet, mister Cain. Think about it �" this scroll has been buried deep in High Gate Ruins for thousands of years �"“
“And her name is on it somehow,” he finished. “Fascinating. Is it some sort of living document?”
“Essentially, yes. A powerful magickal artifact enchanted by means that have long been forgotten. I suspect some sort of charm involved with Ysgramor’s blood was a part of the process, so that it would continue to grow over time.” She paused for a moment before taking the lens from Cain and moved it further down the center, to the very bottom of the ever-long family tree. “But this is why you are truly here, Cain. Take a look, and tell me what you see…”
Cain lowered his head again and peered through the focus, at the short name that Sybille had indicated. “This can’t be right. There is no way �"“
He was interrupted by a sudden clamor outside of the room they were in. Raised voices could be heard growing nearer, shouting about something he couldn’t quite make out. Cain looked over at Sybille to gauge if ought to be concerned, but she merely shook her head.
“Oh, dear,” said the wizard. “I had hoped we had more time. Brace yourself, mister Cain. A lot of things are about to change for you.”
The din outside grew to new heights as it drew closer, and then, quite suddenly, the door swung open very forcefully and thudded heavily off the stone wall it rested in. Two young women stood in the doorway, gazing intently into the chamber. The closer of the two was about the same height as Cain, maybe a touch shorter, with long black hair, hazel eyes, and a long scar down her left cheek. Behind her, the second woman was shorter, but with equally dark hair that fell to her shoulders while a small braid wrapped around her head like a natural crown. Her eyes were a deep blue that Cain found entrancing, and she had a look of worry etched into her features.
The closer of the two glanced Cain up and down, then looked over his shoulder at Sybille Stentor. “Is it him, then?” she asked the wizard.
“Yes, this is Cain of Anvil, now with the Companions,” Sybille stated.
Cain took a step forward just as the tall woman entered the room and walked up to him. She stared into his eyes for a few seconds, and then her mouth formed into a broad smile that nearly stretched from ear to ear. Before he knew what happened, she had grabbed him in a bone-crushing hug that lifted him from his feet with a strength that her size betrayed, all while she squealed with delight.
“Linneá, you put him down this instant!” shouted the other woman. “You’re squeezing the breath right out of his lungs!”
“Oops, sorry,” said Linneá, setting him back down and stepping back a pace. “I got a little too excited �" but can you blame me?! I have a brother now!” She squealed happily again and then led him back towards the door. “Cain, this is Serana, my wife and better half. Oh, and I’m Linneá, if you didn’t already pick up on that.”
They were interrupted by a small cough from Sybille Stentor. “Linneá. Would you please give the young man a few minutes to digest all of this? I had only just shown Cain his place in all of this before you burst into here and accosted him.”
“[censored], I’m sorry, I couldn’t help myself. How are you holding up, brother?”
“I, uh…I,” began Cain. “I need some air. This is too much �" can I go somewhere alone. To think?”
Sybille nodded understandingly, while Linneá looked slightly put out. “Yes, of course. Serana, could you please escort him to the balcony gardens? It’s very peaceful up there.”
“Absolutely. Come with me, Cain,” said Serana. “It’s not far.”
He followed her from the room and up a flight of steps that led further into the Blue Palace, lost in thought and the overwhelming emotions that flooded his mind and soul. Cain walked mechanically, barely noticing his surroundings while he followed his newfound sister-in-law down a long corridor towards a small door set into an exterior wall.
Serana stopped before pulling it open and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Hey, I’m sorry about Elle �" she’s a very strong-willed woman, and can get ahead of herself sometimes. Take all the time you need out there. The gardens are a serene, peaceful place that are perfect for unwinding one’s self. Or for meditating, if that is something you practice. I’ll wait out here, please rejoin me when you are ready.”
Cain nodded and stepped out into the gardens. They were teeming with plants of various types, flowers blossomed by the swarm summer air, and towering trees rising from massive planter boxes. But it was still the early hours of the morning, and he found himself bathed in the white light of Secunda as he walked towards the edge and looked over the wall at the city below. How long he stood there in turmoil he did not know, but eventually his reprieve was broken by a small sound coming from a pathway behind him.
Curious, Cain stepped away from the balcony’s edge and moved down the path towards the source of the noise, and was surprised to see another person out here with him, seated on a bench beneath a juniper tree. Recognition slammed into him like a bag of stones as he approached and took a seat next to the moonlit figure.
“Anska! What are you doing here! I �"“ Cain stopped short when she looked at him, her eyes puffy and swollen while tears streaked down her face, a small kerchief clutched tightly in her hand. “What’s happened?”
She leaned her head against his shoulder and continued sobbing for a moment before catching her breath. “Stonehills is destroyed, burned to the ground. That [censored] dragon must have done it before it stumbled onto us outside of High Gate. Everything I have, everyone I knew �" gone. Dead. Destroyed. I have nothing left.”
Cain exhaled softly, suddenly unbothered by everything that he’d been through this night. Somehow, it all seemed small in comparison to what Anska must be going through, and he found himself wanting nothing else but to offer some comfort to the grieving woman. He gently ran his fingers through her hair, understanding all too what it was like to lose nearly everything. They sat there for a while, neither speaking a word, just grateful to have some amount of company during uncertain times.
Eventually, Anska dabbed at her eyes with the kerchief and sat up straight, looking pointedly at Cain. “Did Sybille show you the scroll?”
“Aye, that she did,” said Cain, heavily. “But how did you get here with it so quickly?”
“She showed up at Stonehills just after I got back. Found me laying in the snow, completely out of sorts at what I had returned to find. I’m not sure how Sybille knew to find me, but the court mages have practices that we know little about. I think she was only there for the scroll, but recognized that she couldn’t leave me to die there.” Anska sniffled loudly, and then continued on. “Did she show you how you’re tied into all of this?”
“Yeah, she did,” nodded Cain. “And then my half-sister showed up and nearly hugged me to death. I didn’t even have time to process anything �" it all happened so quickly. That’s why I came out here for some air. Didn’t even know you were here…”
“Well, at least you have a home now,” Anska sighed. “I suppose I can settle for bragging that I slept with a prince the next time I hit the bar.”
“Anska, I don’t even know if I want all of this,” he gestured at the palace around them. “Three weeks ago, I was just another recruit in the Companions, and now I’m Dragonborn and heir to the throne of Skyrim. Part of me wants to just run away from it all, and to go live in the mountains somewhere. But I don’t think I’ll ever be able to escape it.”
“You’re also too honorable for such an act, Cain. Like it or not, this may just be the life you were born for.”
“Maybe so. I don’t want to do it alone, though. Would you stay by my side through this �" as a friend? I don’t have any others right now.”
“What about Athis?”
“He’s headed back to Whiterun soon. That’s a whole other story we can get into later.”
Anska got up off the bench and pulled Cain to his feet. She wrapped her arms around him and spoke softly. “Then I will stay by your side for now.”
Cain returned the embrace firmly, and then steered her back towards the door. “We should get back at it then,” he said. “My sister-in-law is waiting for me, and I’m supposed to have an audience with the king himself.”
“Do you really?” asked Anska, her eyes wide. “Tonight?”
“Probably as soon as we get back. And yes �" I want you there with me.”
She nodded and together they stepped back into the corridor where Serana had been patiently waiting. “Ah, I see you found a friend, brother!” her eyes twinkled knowingly, but then she caught herself. “Er, sorry, I can call you by your name if you’d prefer. We did only just meet.”
“’Brother’ is fine, if you’re okay with that. I’m looking forward to meeting everyone.”
“Rest assured, they are excited, too. All of this has caused quite the stir and the air hasn’t been this palpable since Elle and I got married! Speaking of which…” Serana stopped talking and frowned in concentration. “Yes, they are ready for you.”
“Um. How do you �"“
“All in good time, brother. Now, let’s be off! We are headed for Dad’s private study!”
Cain had expected to be standing in the middle of a dungeon, rather than the lavish room that he and Athis now found themselves in so late at night. Two guards were posted near the large gate they had entered through, and by another stout wooden door at the opposite end of the room. Wondering what would happen next, Cain got his answer when the locked clicked, the other door swung open, and the robed figure of a shorter woman entered, a hood drawn over her head.
“Names?” she asked. “And don’t bother trying to lie, we have ways of finding out the truth.”
“Athis, of the Companions.”
“Cain, also of the Companions.”
“Very good, thank you for the display of honesty.” The woman lowered her hood and gazed intently at them. “I am Sybille Stentor, court wizard to the High King of Skyrim. I know that it is a very late hour, but you have been brought here for a reason. Please freshen up in the basin over there, and knock on the door when you are finished. The king has requested an audience with you, mister Cain, but you and I have a few things to go over first.”
“The king?” asked Cain in disbelief. “Are you [censored] serious?”
“Yes, I am.”
“Then what was with all the cloak and dagger? Couldn’t you have just asked nicely? We’re in your own damn city, for Leki’s sake!”
“All will be explained in good time,” said Sybille. “Now, please clean yourself up.” The wizard walked over to his companion. “Sorry for the scare, Athis, but we had to move quickly. Mirabelle and I both thank you for the timely message you sent to us �" without it, we would surely have missed our opportunity. Please clean yourself up and then head back to the Skeever to await further orders.”
The tall dunmer bowed his head. “Of course, ma’am. I’ll be waiting in my room.” Athis turned to Cain and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Good luck, friend. I think you have a long day ahead of you…”
“Are you some sort of spy?” asked Cain. “Is that why you volunteered to go with me on that job? So that you could keep tabs on me?”
“I was asked to accompany you, yes. But not for any nefarious reasons, Cain. I’m still a member of the Companions, I just choose to work for the king as well. We’ll all need to work together in the coming days, and I’m sure you’ll find others like me around Skyrim. Take care of yourself, and trust that our king knows what he is doing. You’re in good hands.”
Cain frowned, but then he nodded, smiling slightly. “Next time I’m in Whiterun, we are going to have a conversation about honesty, mate. Be safe.”
Athis followed Sybille out of the room, leaving Cain to tidy himself up for the long hours ahead of him. The basin she had indicated was filled with warm water, and a bar of lavender soap rested on the edge of it, giving off the light fragrance he had smelled when first entering the room. He rolled up his sleeves and dipped his dirty hands in the water before grabbing the soap and scrubbing down whatever he could without removing all of his clothes and giving the guards a show. Once he finished cleaning up and drying off, Cain moved towards the wooden door and gave it a hard rap.
It opened right away and Sybille Stentor pulled him into the next room. This chamber was a little bigger than the last one, and it had a broad table resting in the center with several ornate chairs around it, and a chandelier sconce illuminating the surface. Cain noticed a curiously long roll parchment laying on the table and he moved in closer to examine it.
“As I said before,” began Sybille. “We have a few things to go over �" the first of which, is this incredible scroll you see unfurled on the table here. Do you realize what it is?”
“It seems to be a rather elaborate family tree,” noted Cain. “Very expansive, but hard to make out the names without a magnifying glass.” The Redguard’s flame of curiosity had been stoked, and he posed a question of his own to the wizard. “Where did you get it from?”
“She didn’t tell you what she was after? Curious.” Sybille beckoned him to step away from the table, then she grabbed the scroll and rolled it back up, then handed it to him. “Recognize it now?”
Cain studied it for a moment, his brow furrowing. “Oh, [censored]. This is the scroll we helped Anska find! How did you get this!”
“We can discuss that later. For now, I would like you to roll it back out and read the name at the head of the tree. Here, you can use my looking glass.” She handed him a small focusing lens, and waited patiently while he smoothed the scroll back out and place weights on the corners, to keep it in place.
Stooping over the table to get a good angle on it, Cain peered through the lens at the name scrawled on the very top of the immense, flowing tree of names. “By the Nine �" Ysgramor! Isn’t he pretty much the most fabled of all legendary Nords?”
“Indeed, he is, and that’s why the girl wanted the scroll, though she didn’t realize how special it truly was.” Sybille gestured to a point near the bottom, far off to the side. “Look here and you’ll see that her theories were correct.”
He moved the lens down to where her finger had indicated, and gasped at the name written there: Anska, daughter of Freca and Astra. “Amazing!” exclaimed Cain. “So, she was trying to prove her lineage! Wait, you have this scroll now, though �" does she know?”
“She does, yes,” said Sybille. “However, I think the gravity of this document hasn’t become apparent to you yet, mister Cain. Think about it �" this scroll has been buried deep in High Gate Ruins for thousands of years �"“
“And her name is on it somehow,” he finished. “Fascinating. Is it some sort of living document?”
“Essentially, yes. A powerful magickal artifact enchanted by means that have long been forgotten. I suspect some sort of charm involved with Ysgramor’s blood was a part of the process, so that it would continue to grow over time.” She paused for a moment before taking the lens from Cain and moved it further down the center, to the very bottom of the ever-long family tree. “But this is why you are truly here, Cain. Take a look, and tell me what you see…”
Cain lowered his head again and peered through the focus, at the short name that Sybille had indicated. “This can’t be right. There is no way �"“
He was interrupted by a sudden clamor outside of the room they were in. Raised voices could be heard growing nearer, shouting about something he couldn’t quite make out. Cain looked over at Sybille to gauge if ought to be concerned, but she merely shook her head.
“Oh, dear,” said the wizard. “I had hoped we had more time. Brace yourself, mister Cain. A lot of things are about to change for you.”
The din outside grew to new heights as it drew closer, and then, quite suddenly, the door swung open very forcefully and thudded heavily off the stone wall it rested in. Two young women stood in the doorway, gazing intently into the chamber. The closer of the two was about the same height as Cain, maybe a touch shorter, with long black hair, hazel eyes, and a long scar down her left cheek. Behind her, the second woman was shorter, but with equally dark hair that fell to her shoulders while a small braid wrapped around her head like a natural crown. Her eyes were a deep blue that Cain found entrancing, and she had a look of worry etched into her features.
The closer of the two glanced Cain up and down, then looked over his shoulder at Sybille Stentor. “Is it him, then?” she asked the wizard.
“Yes, this is Cain of Anvil, now with the Companions,” Sybille stated.
Cain took a step forward just as the tall woman entered the room and walked up to him. She stared into his eyes for a few seconds, and then her mouth formed into a broad smile that nearly stretched from ear to ear. Before he knew what happened, she had grabbed him in a bone-crushing hug that lifted him from his feet with a strength that her size betrayed, all while she squealed with delight.
“Linneá, you put him down this instant!” shouted the other woman. “You’re squeezing the breath right out of his lungs!”
“Oops, sorry,” said Linneá, setting him back down and stepping back a pace. “I got a little too excited �" but can you blame me?! I have a brother now!” She squealed happily again and then led him back towards the door. “Cain, this is Serana, my wife and better half. Oh, and I’m Linneá, if you didn’t already pick up on that.”
They were interrupted by a small cough from Sybille Stentor. “Linneá. Would you please give the young man a few minutes to digest all of this? I had only just shown Cain his place in all of this before you burst into here and accosted him.”
“[censored], I’m sorry, I couldn’t help myself. How are you holding up, brother?”
“I, uh…I,” began Cain. “I need some air. This is too much �" can I go somewhere alone. To think?”
Sybille nodded understandingly, while Linneá looked slightly put out. “Yes, of course. Serana, could you please escort him to the balcony gardens? It’s very peaceful up there.”
“Absolutely. Come with me, Cain,” said Serana. “It’s not far.”
He followed her from the room and up a flight of steps that led further into the Blue Palace, lost in thought and the overwhelming emotions that flooded his mind and soul. Cain walked mechanically, barely noticing his surroundings while he followed his newfound sister-in-law down a long corridor towards a small door set into an exterior wall.
Serana stopped before pulling it open and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Hey, I’m sorry about Elle �" she’s a very strong-willed woman, and can get ahead of herself sometimes. Take all the time you need out there. The gardens are a serene, peaceful place that are perfect for unwinding one’s self. Or for meditating, if that is something you practice. I’ll wait out here, please rejoin me when you are ready.”
Cain nodded and stepped out into the gardens. They were teeming with plants of various types, flowers blossomed by the swarm summer air, and towering trees rising from massive planter boxes. But it was still the early hours of the morning, and he found himself bathed in the white light of Secunda as he walked towards the edge and looked over the wall at the city below. How long he stood there in turmoil he did not know, but eventually his reprieve was broken by a small sound coming from a pathway behind him.
Curious, Cain stepped away from the balcony’s edge and moved down the path towards the source of the noise, and was surprised to see another person out here with him, seated on a bench beneath a juniper tree. Recognition slammed into him like a bag of stones as he approached and took a seat next to the moonlit figure.
“Anska! What are you doing here! I �"“ Cain stopped short when she looked at him, her eyes puffy and swollen while tears streaked down her face, a small kerchief clutched tightly in her hand. “What’s happened?”
She leaned her head against his shoulder and continued sobbing for a moment before catching her breath. “Stonehills is destroyed, burned to the ground. That [censored] dragon must have done it before it stumbled onto us outside of High Gate. Everything I have, everyone I knew �" gone. Dead. Destroyed. I have nothing left.”
Cain exhaled softly, suddenly unbothered by everything that he’d been through this night. Somehow, it all seemed small in comparison to what Anska must be going through, and he found himself wanting nothing else but to offer some comfort to the grieving woman. He gently ran his fingers through her hair, understanding all too what it was like to lose nearly everything. They sat there for a while, neither speaking a word, just grateful to have some amount of company during uncertain times.
Eventually, Anska dabbed at her eyes with the kerchief and sat up straight, looking pointedly at Cain. “Did Sybille show you the scroll?”
“Aye, that she did,” said Cain, heavily. “But how did you get here with it so quickly?”
“She showed up at Stonehills just after I got back. Found me laying in the snow, completely out of sorts at what I had returned to find. I’m not sure how Sybille knew to find me, but the court mages have practices that we know little about. I think she was only there for the scroll, but recognized that she couldn’t leave me to die there.” Anska sniffled loudly, and then continued on. “Did she show you how you’re tied into all of this?”
“Yeah, she did,” nodded Cain. “And then my half-sister showed up and nearly hugged me to death. I didn’t even have time to process anything �" it all happened so quickly. That’s why I came out here for some air. Didn’t even know you were here…”
“Well, at least you have a home now,” Anska sighed. “I suppose I can settle for bragging that I slept with a prince the next time I hit the bar.”
“Anska, I don’t even know if I want all of this,” he gestured at the palace around them. “Three weeks ago, I was just another recruit in the Companions, and now I’m Dragonborn and heir to the throne of Skyrim. Part of me wants to just run away from it all, and to go live in the mountains somewhere. But I don’t think I’ll ever be able to escape it.”
“You’re also too honorable for such an act, Cain. Like it or not, this may just be the life you were born for.”
“Maybe so. I don’t want to do it alone, though. Would you stay by my side through this �" as a friend? I don’t have any others right now.”
“What about Athis?”
“He’s headed back to Whiterun soon. That’s a whole other story we can get into later.”
Anska got up off the bench and pulled Cain to his feet. She wrapped her arms around him and spoke softly. “Then I will stay by your side for now.”
Cain returned the embrace firmly, and then steered her back towards the door. “We should get back at it then,” he said. “My sister-in-law is waiting for me, and I’m supposed to have an audience with the king himself.”
“Do you really?” asked Anska, her eyes wide. “Tonight?”
“Probably as soon as we get back. And yes �" I want you there with me.”
She nodded and together they stepped back into the corridor where Serana had been patiently waiting. “Ah, I see you found a friend, brother!” her eyes twinkled knowingly, but then she caught herself. “Er, sorry, I can call you by your name if you’d prefer. We did only just meet.”
“’Brother’ is fine, if you’re okay with that. I’m looking forward to meeting everyone.”
“Rest assured, they are excited, too. All of this has caused quite the stir and the air hasn’t been this palpable since Elle and I got married! Speaking of which…” Serana stopped talking and frowned in concentration. “Yes, they are ready for you.”
“Um. How do you �"“
“All in good time, brother. Now, let’s be off! We are headed for Dad’s private study!”
Chapter IX - Family
Kirin Windborne, the High King of Skyrim, paced back and forth across the stone floor of his study tucked deep within the Blue Palace, his mind racing at everything that had come to light within the last day. He had awoken that morning with only one thing on his mind �" the delegation arriving in Morrowind and the possibility of allying with a powerful neighbor as a means to safeguard themselves against the Aldmeri Dominion. In hindsight, he found that he cared very little about it now that his family was growing again. I have a son, he thought. A son! I bet Linneá is beside herself…
“You will wear a path in the stone if you don’t stop that frantic pacing, husband,” came a voice from behind him.
Lydia, the High Queen lounged on her favorite ornate chaise and watched the king anxiously tread the same path over and over. Not one for the extravagance that came with their status, Lydia wore a simple white robe and a small tiara woven from vines she herself had pruned from the private gardens behind their residence. Pink blossoms from the Gildegreen had been preserved by her daughter and set into the tiara as gift on her fiftieth birthday, elevating the simple crown to a beauty that was hard to match.
“You’ll have to forgive me, dear,” said Kirin. “This is not something I anticipated �" not in my wildest dreams!” Realizing he hadn’t addressed something important, he stopped pacing and joined his wife on the chaise. “How are you dealing with all of this? I know it’s unexpected for everyone, but it also doesn’t exactly reflect kindly on my, uh, past behaviors…”
“Well, it wouldn’t be fair for me to angry with you about it, so I’m reserving judgement until I meet him. How old did you say he is?”
“Twenty-nine, according to the census records we’ve been able to find.”
“So, then you would have met his mother before you left Cyrodiil? Like I said, I can hardly be angry with you over that, but you’ll have to be patient with me if I show a touch of jealousy. That also would make him about two years older than Linn, and first in line as your successor.”
“Succession is the furthest thing from my mind right now,” said Kirin. “This needs to be about us, first and foremost. All of us.”
“What about Kyne? Does she know yet?”
“Linneá reached out earlier, but I don’t know if she will be visiting tonight. We are throwing a lot on Cain all at once, and introducing our own personal Divine might be too much for him to handle. I’m told he already needed some space after our daughter arrived.”
Lydia rolled her eyes. “Hard to imagine why,” she giggled. “It’s not hard to imagine how that would have gone. Hopefully Serana was there to keep her reined in!”
Footsteps began to echo up the long corridor outside of the study, announcing the arrival of those who would be attending the ad hoc get-together so early in the morning. Kirin gave his wife a quick peck on the cheek and winked at her while getting to his feet and moving to stand impassively behind his desk.
“Er, how do I look, Lyds?”
“Like a king,” she laughed. “And like the patriarch our family needs right now.”
The footsteps grew closer until they ceased, and then came a small knock at the door, followed by the exasperated sigh of an impatient young woman. “Oh, for [censored]’s sake, just open the door Sybille.”
Shaking his head as the door opened, Kirin took a deep breath to steady himself. The door swung open and in marched a small group with two unfamiliar faces in the midst of it. Sybille Stentor stepped forward and started to address the king and queen.
“My lord and my lady, may I present to you �"“
“Hush, Sybille, don’t be so formal all the time,” said Linneá.
“Elle, the occasional bit of decorum won’t kill you, ya know,” said Serana. “Some things should be a little more formal than you make them.”
“Ahem.” Kirin cleared his throat looked sternly at his daughters, indicating them to get on with it.
“Oops, sorry dad,” said Linneá. She grabbed Cain (who had been silent up to this point) by the arm and yanked him forward. “Without further ado, I present this very handsome - and tall - hunk of Redguard meat. Cain, this is Kirin and Lydia: High King and Queen of Skyrim, and our parents. Well, sort of. Ugh.”
“Charming, Linn,” said Lydia, shaking her head. ”Next time, just let Sybille do her job, will you? Please come in and be seated. Sybille, we’ll call for you if needed.”
The court wizard bowed her head and left, leaving the remainder of the group to take a seat among the many chairs and lounges in the cozy study. Linneá and Serana didn’t hesitate to rest on another chaise, snuggled up against each other while they watched with anticipation. But Cain did not sit down yet, and Anska stayed firmly by his side.
“I, um…,” began Cain. “I’m not sure how this works. Should I be kneeling right now, sir?”
Linneá giggled, and Lydia shot her a look of daggers. Rising from her seat, she took the young man by the hand and shook it warmly. “You don’t have to be so nervous, dear. We know this is a lot to take in, and that we probably feel like complete strangers to you. But you’re among family, if you choose to have us.”
“My wife is right,” said Kirin. He stepped forward to join Cain and Lydia, offering his own hand. “Forget about titles and customs right now, they are unimportant. It’s been a whirlwind of a day, but I’m glad you are here. And before you ask…no, I was not aware you were out there somewhere. Sybille mentioned your mother’s name: Ariessa, yes?”
Cain nodded. “Ariessa Janeel of Anvil.” He shook the offered hand and then introduced his friend. “This is Anska, by the way. I’m sure you were only expecting me, but the circumstances surrounding all of this brought us back together. She was the one who hired the Companions, and, as luck would have it, me, to search for that scroll in High Gate.”
Lydia and Kirin both greeted her warmly and offered her to sit down and get comfortable. Anska took them up on it and sat down in a chair next to Cain’s newfound sisters, nervously watching things unfold.
“Sorry about this next part, I know it might be a sore subject,” said Cain. “But for my own sake, I need to know…do you remember her?”
“Your mother?” asked Kirin. “Aye, that I do. I was only in Anvil for a few weeks at that time, and I’m foggy on what job brought me there in the first place. Hunting a vampire, I think? Doesn’t matter. I met Ariessa at the inn �" Fo'c's'le was the name, if I remember correctly. She had just sailed into port from Hammerfell, and was looking to retire from the shipping merchant life.” He paused for a second to reminisce about a much younger time in his life. But he continued soon enough: “Ariessa was…a very beautiful woman with captivating eyes. Strong, too, and fearless - much like my Lydia here. When I walked into the bar, she had just knocked some sod out cold for trying to cop a feel.”
Smiling in spite of everything that was going on, Cain couldn’t help but be glad that she wasn’t forgotten. “That certainly sounds like her. She didn’t take [censored] from anyone and made sure to raise me just the same. Mother was the reason I ended up joining the Fighter’s Guild �" said it would help me learn to fend for myself in a harsh world.”
“We needn’t into any more, ah, detail, but rest assured that Ariessa is not forgotten, nor will she ever be,” Kirin stated firmly. “And should you ever like to return to Anvil and pay respects, I would gladly join you, my son.”
A brief silence lingered in the air when Kirin finished speaking, and it rested solely on those final two words. Linneá and Serana watched with rapt attention while Anska bit her lip nervously. Lydia, had remained steadfast in support of her beloved, despite having to hear him reminisce about past indiscretions. Now, they all waited with baited breath for what would come next.
“I’m glad to hear you say such kind words about her…father.”
Kirin beamed at the young man and immediately drew him into a tight hug.
“Oof, go easy on me. I can see where your daughter gets her strength from - pretty sure she bruised a few ribs earlier!”
Kirin released him and the rest of his new family began to greet him in turn. Lydia stepped out to have a word with Sybille and within ten minutes the palace staff started rolling in trays of food and drink for them to dine on as they conversed and got to know each other. Even though it was nearing dawn, spirits soared and excitement kept them all well awake, the raucous din of a family gathering echoing down the empty halls.
Lydia and Linneá stood off to one side, talking quietly to each other just as the sun began to peek in the study window. “Do my eyes deceive me, or is there something going on between Cain and Anska? Lydia asked her daughter. “He introduced her as a friend, but they can hardly keep their eyes off of each other…”
“Noticed that too, did you? I’ll make you a bet: ten Septims says they already boned.”
Serana walked up just as she finished speaking and playfully slapped her on the arm. “Don’t be so crass, Elle!” She turned to Lydia and expanded on Linneá’s statement in low tones. “But I wouldn’t take that bet if I were you, mum. I spoke to Anska for a little while when Sybille brought her in �" poor girl was in a right state, had just been plucked away from Stonehills and dropped here in the palace with no one to talk to. I did my best to comfort her, and offer some amount of solace.”
“You did?” replied Lydia. “That was kind of you to do so, dear. Could you imagine losing everything like that?”
“Yeah, she’s got a long way to go after returning home to find her village like that,” said Serana. “However, as terrible of a tragedy as that was, the stars may have aligned for those two. Our brother was smitten with her from the get-go, and even asked her out on a date. But Anska recognized the difficulty a relationship between them would entail, what with Cain being so new to the land and living all the way down in Whiterun. She had to reject him, even if she didn’t want to.”
“That doesn’t explain why mum shouldn’t take the bet though, Ana,” said Linneá. “Did they get a little extra familiar with each other or not?”
“Well, Anska didn’t outright say anything, but there was enough to read between the lines…”
“Hah! I knew it!”
“Do me a favor, Linn,” said Lydia. “Please don’t go parading around as a matchmaker. Their entire lives have just been upended for very different reasons. Let them be, and if it happens it happens.”
“Boo, you’re no fun, mum. Hey, speaking of which…does he know about our, ah, other mum? And vice-versa?”
“No, your father and I didn’t want to dump that on him right away. And you two better not either! Kyne is aware, but we’ll leave the rest up to her for now.” Lydia took a minute to glance over at her newfound son. “He looks so tired now…I think the night has caught up to him. You two should head off to bed as well, I think it’s time to end our little soiree.”
“Good, I feel like I could sleep for a week,” muttered Serana.”
“Don’t count on it, love,” winked Linneá. “At least not right away.”
Lydia left their side to go pull Cain away from a conversation with her husband. “It’s time for bed �" that includes you, Kir. I’ll walk Cain to his quarters and show him where he necessities are. Can you do the same for Anska?”
“Will do, my queen!” said Kirin. “Now, where did the lass get to…ah, there she is.”
He went off to wrangle the young woman while Lydia led Cain out of the study and down the hall towards the living areas. The Redguard was silent while they walked, but it seemed to stem from something more than just fatigue from the long day and night he had. Lydia sensed something deeper eating at him, and couldn’t help but give in to her motherly instincts.
“Would you tell me what’s eating at you, dear? Did we come on too strongly?”
Cain shook his head. “No, nothing like that. Everyone was really nice to me, and my father was not at all what I expected. I was glad he set aside the royalty business to just speak as family.”
“But…?”
He didn’t say anything for a minute, despite the one thing that had been racing through his head for the last several hours. Cain was certain it would have come up organically, but everyone had been more interested about his experiences before arriving in Skyrim, and not about all the recent events he had found himself in.
“I didn’t get a chance to talk to him about what it means to be Dragonborn.”
“Hmm, I thought for sure it would have come up, or I’d have forced his hand a little. Tell you what �" after you get some sleep, seek out your sister before she heads back to Morrowind. She can help you if Kirin can’t pull away from his duties to talk to you.”
“Linneá? She’s Dragonborn too? That explains why she’s so strong.”
“Yes and no. She does have the same gift, but there is more to her than meets the eye. And her experience with embracing the dragon blood is much more recent than my husband’s. Linn did not want it and she actively suppressed it until about five years ago.”
“My sister suppressed a gift from the Divines? On purpose?! How is that even possible?!”
“She is uncommonly gifted in more ways than one, as you’ll soon find out. Intelligent, headstrong, precocious �" you name it. Her skill in the Voice possibly outrivals her father’s, she’s an accomplished mage, a practiced thief (don’t ask), and is extremely proficient with a blade.”
There was a lot to unpack there, but what caught Cain’s attention the most was the part about swordplay. “Adept with a sword? I’ll have to test that out with her �" I’m no slouch myself.”
“Just be ready for when she knocks you on your ass,” grinned Lydia. “Ah, here we go…you can have this room. I think Kirin is putting Anska on the floor below, but you don’t have anyone on either side, so it should be quiet for a few hours.”
Cain stepped into the room and nodded appreciatively. It was clean, spacious, and the bed looked wonderfully soft. There was even a tall bookshelf lined with numerous volumes, and a few bottles of mead on a table near the window. He stepped in and kicked off his boots, ready to crash into the plush array of blankets and pillows.
“One last thing before you go to sleep, Cain…”
He turned to face Lydia, the woman who had been kind and gracious to him even though he was a bastard son of her husband’s, dredged up from the past nearly thirty years later. “Yes?”
“I’d like to take a walk with you later today, if you have the time. Just the two of us, on a little stroll through town. And I want you to tell me all about your mother, Ariessa. I know that I will never be able to fill her shoes, but it won’t be for lack of trying on my part. Should you decide to stay here with us, and embrace this crazy family as your own, please understand that you will always be loved.”
Kirin Windborne, the High King of Skyrim, paced back and forth across the stone floor of his study tucked deep within the Blue Palace, his mind racing at everything that had come to light within the last day. He had awoken that morning with only one thing on his mind �" the delegation arriving in Morrowind and the possibility of allying with a powerful neighbor as a means to safeguard themselves against the Aldmeri Dominion. In hindsight, he found that he cared very little about it now that his family was growing again. I have a son, he thought. A son! I bet Linneá is beside herself…
“You will wear a path in the stone if you don’t stop that frantic pacing, husband,” came a voice from behind him.
Lydia, the High Queen lounged on her favorite ornate chaise and watched the king anxiously tread the same path over and over. Not one for the extravagance that came with their status, Lydia wore a simple white robe and a small tiara woven from vines she herself had pruned from the private gardens behind their residence. Pink blossoms from the Gildegreen had been preserved by her daughter and set into the tiara as gift on her fiftieth birthday, elevating the simple crown to a beauty that was hard to match.
“You’ll have to forgive me, dear,” said Kirin. “This is not something I anticipated �" not in my wildest dreams!” Realizing he hadn’t addressed something important, he stopped pacing and joined his wife on the chaise. “How are you dealing with all of this? I know it’s unexpected for everyone, but it also doesn’t exactly reflect kindly on my, uh, past behaviors…”
“Well, it wouldn’t be fair for me to angry with you about it, so I’m reserving judgement until I meet him. How old did you say he is?”
“Twenty-nine, according to the census records we’ve been able to find.”
“So, then you would have met his mother before you left Cyrodiil? Like I said, I can hardly be angry with you over that, but you’ll have to be patient with me if I show a touch of jealousy. That also would make him about two years older than Linn, and first in line as your successor.”
“Succession is the furthest thing from my mind right now,” said Kirin. “This needs to be about us, first and foremost. All of us.”
“What about Kyne? Does she know yet?”
“Linneá reached out earlier, but I don’t know if she will be visiting tonight. We are throwing a lot on Cain all at once, and introducing our own personal Divine might be too much for him to handle. I’m told he already needed some space after our daughter arrived.”
Lydia rolled her eyes. “Hard to imagine why,” she giggled. “It’s not hard to imagine how that would have gone. Hopefully Serana was there to keep her reined in!”
Footsteps began to echo up the long corridor outside of the study, announcing the arrival of those who would be attending the ad hoc get-together so early in the morning. Kirin gave his wife a quick peck on the cheek and winked at her while getting to his feet and moving to stand impassively behind his desk.
“Er, how do I look, Lyds?”
“Like a king,” she laughed. “And like the patriarch our family needs right now.”
The footsteps grew closer until they ceased, and then came a small knock at the door, followed by the exasperated sigh of an impatient young woman. “Oh, for [censored]’s sake, just open the door Sybille.”
Shaking his head as the door opened, Kirin took a deep breath to steady himself. The door swung open and in marched a small group with two unfamiliar faces in the midst of it. Sybille Stentor stepped forward and started to address the king and queen.
“My lord and my lady, may I present to you �"“
“Hush, Sybille, don’t be so formal all the time,” said Linneá.
“Elle, the occasional bit of decorum won’t kill you, ya know,” said Serana. “Some things should be a little more formal than you make them.”
“Ahem.” Kirin cleared his throat looked sternly at his daughters, indicating them to get on with it.
“Oops, sorry dad,” said Linneá. She grabbed Cain (who had been silent up to this point) by the arm and yanked him forward. “Without further ado, I present this very handsome - and tall - hunk of Redguard meat. Cain, this is Kirin and Lydia: High King and Queen of Skyrim, and our parents. Well, sort of. Ugh.”
“Charming, Linn,” said Lydia, shaking her head. ”Next time, just let Sybille do her job, will you? Please come in and be seated. Sybille, we’ll call for you if needed.”
The court wizard bowed her head and left, leaving the remainder of the group to take a seat among the many chairs and lounges in the cozy study. Linneá and Serana didn’t hesitate to rest on another chaise, snuggled up against each other while they watched with anticipation. But Cain did not sit down yet, and Anska stayed firmly by his side.
“I, um…,” began Cain. “I’m not sure how this works. Should I be kneeling right now, sir?”
Linneá giggled, and Lydia shot her a look of daggers. Rising from her seat, she took the young man by the hand and shook it warmly. “You don’t have to be so nervous, dear. We know this is a lot to take in, and that we probably feel like complete strangers to you. But you’re among family, if you choose to have us.”
“My wife is right,” said Kirin. He stepped forward to join Cain and Lydia, offering his own hand. “Forget about titles and customs right now, they are unimportant. It’s been a whirlwind of a day, but I’m glad you are here. And before you ask…no, I was not aware you were out there somewhere. Sybille mentioned your mother’s name: Ariessa, yes?”
Cain nodded. “Ariessa Janeel of Anvil.” He shook the offered hand and then introduced his friend. “This is Anska, by the way. I’m sure you were only expecting me, but the circumstances surrounding all of this brought us back together. She was the one who hired the Companions, and, as luck would have it, me, to search for that scroll in High Gate.”
Lydia and Kirin both greeted her warmly and offered her to sit down and get comfortable. Anska took them up on it and sat down in a chair next to Cain’s newfound sisters, nervously watching things unfold.
“Sorry about this next part, I know it might be a sore subject,” said Cain. “But for my own sake, I need to know…do you remember her?”
“Your mother?” asked Kirin. “Aye, that I do. I was only in Anvil for a few weeks at that time, and I’m foggy on what job brought me there in the first place. Hunting a vampire, I think? Doesn’t matter. I met Ariessa at the inn �" Fo'c's'le was the name, if I remember correctly. She had just sailed into port from Hammerfell, and was looking to retire from the shipping merchant life.” He paused for a second to reminisce about a much younger time in his life. But he continued soon enough: “Ariessa was…a very beautiful woman with captivating eyes. Strong, too, and fearless - much like my Lydia here. When I walked into the bar, she had just knocked some sod out cold for trying to cop a feel.”
Smiling in spite of everything that was going on, Cain couldn’t help but be glad that she wasn’t forgotten. “That certainly sounds like her. She didn’t take [censored] from anyone and made sure to raise me just the same. Mother was the reason I ended up joining the Fighter’s Guild �" said it would help me learn to fend for myself in a harsh world.”
“We needn’t into any more, ah, detail, but rest assured that Ariessa is not forgotten, nor will she ever be,” Kirin stated firmly. “And should you ever like to return to Anvil and pay respects, I would gladly join you, my son.”
A brief silence lingered in the air when Kirin finished speaking, and it rested solely on those final two words. Linneá and Serana watched with rapt attention while Anska bit her lip nervously. Lydia, had remained steadfast in support of her beloved, despite having to hear him reminisce about past indiscretions. Now, they all waited with baited breath for what would come next.
“I’m glad to hear you say such kind words about her…father.”
Kirin beamed at the young man and immediately drew him into a tight hug.
“Oof, go easy on me. I can see where your daughter gets her strength from - pretty sure she bruised a few ribs earlier!”
Kirin released him and the rest of his new family began to greet him in turn. Lydia stepped out to have a word with Sybille and within ten minutes the palace staff started rolling in trays of food and drink for them to dine on as they conversed and got to know each other. Even though it was nearing dawn, spirits soared and excitement kept them all well awake, the raucous din of a family gathering echoing down the empty halls.
Lydia and Linneá stood off to one side, talking quietly to each other just as the sun began to peek in the study window. “Do my eyes deceive me, or is there something going on between Cain and Anska? Lydia asked her daughter. “He introduced her as a friend, but they can hardly keep their eyes off of each other…”
“Noticed that too, did you? I’ll make you a bet: ten Septims says they already boned.”
Serana walked up just as she finished speaking and playfully slapped her on the arm. “Don’t be so crass, Elle!” She turned to Lydia and expanded on Linneá’s statement in low tones. “But I wouldn’t take that bet if I were you, mum. I spoke to Anska for a little while when Sybille brought her in �" poor girl was in a right state, had just been plucked away from Stonehills and dropped here in the palace with no one to talk to. I did my best to comfort her, and offer some amount of solace.”
“You did?” replied Lydia. “That was kind of you to do so, dear. Could you imagine losing everything like that?”
“Yeah, she’s got a long way to go after returning home to find her village like that,” said Serana. “However, as terrible of a tragedy as that was, the stars may have aligned for those two. Our brother was smitten with her from the get-go, and even asked her out on a date. But Anska recognized the difficulty a relationship between them would entail, what with Cain being so new to the land and living all the way down in Whiterun. She had to reject him, even if she didn’t want to.”
“That doesn’t explain why mum shouldn’t take the bet though, Ana,” said Linneá. “Did they get a little extra familiar with each other or not?”
“Well, Anska didn’t outright say anything, but there was enough to read between the lines…”
“Hah! I knew it!”
“Do me a favor, Linn,” said Lydia. “Please don’t go parading around as a matchmaker. Their entire lives have just been upended for very different reasons. Let them be, and if it happens it happens.”
“Boo, you’re no fun, mum. Hey, speaking of which…does he know about our, ah, other mum? And vice-versa?”
“No, your father and I didn’t want to dump that on him right away. And you two better not either! Kyne is aware, but we’ll leave the rest up to her for now.” Lydia took a minute to glance over at her newfound son. “He looks so tired now…I think the night has caught up to him. You two should head off to bed as well, I think it’s time to end our little soiree.”
“Good, I feel like I could sleep for a week,” muttered Serana.”
“Don’t count on it, love,” winked Linneá. “At least not right away.”
Lydia left their side to go pull Cain away from a conversation with her husband. “It’s time for bed �" that includes you, Kir. I’ll walk Cain to his quarters and show him where he necessities are. Can you do the same for Anska?”
“Will do, my queen!” said Kirin. “Now, where did the lass get to…ah, there she is.”
He went off to wrangle the young woman while Lydia led Cain out of the study and down the hall towards the living areas. The Redguard was silent while they walked, but it seemed to stem from something more than just fatigue from the long day and night he had. Lydia sensed something deeper eating at him, and couldn’t help but give in to her motherly instincts.
“Would you tell me what’s eating at you, dear? Did we come on too strongly?”
Cain shook his head. “No, nothing like that. Everyone was really nice to me, and my father was not at all what I expected. I was glad he set aside the royalty business to just speak as family.”
“But…?”
He didn’t say anything for a minute, despite the one thing that had been racing through his head for the last several hours. Cain was certain it would have come up organically, but everyone had been more interested about his experiences before arriving in Skyrim, and not about all the recent events he had found himself in.
“I didn’t get a chance to talk to him about what it means to be Dragonborn.”
“Hmm, I thought for sure it would have come up, or I’d have forced his hand a little. Tell you what �" after you get some sleep, seek out your sister before she heads back to Morrowind. She can help you if Kirin can’t pull away from his duties to talk to you.”
“Linneá? She’s Dragonborn too? That explains why she’s so strong.”
“Yes and no. She does have the same gift, but there is more to her than meets the eye. And her experience with embracing the dragon blood is much more recent than my husband’s. Linn did not want it and she actively suppressed it until about five years ago.”
“My sister suppressed a gift from the Divines? On purpose?! How is that even possible?!”
“She is uncommonly gifted in more ways than one, as you’ll soon find out. Intelligent, headstrong, precocious �" you name it. Her skill in the Voice possibly outrivals her father’s, she’s an accomplished mage, a practiced thief (don’t ask), and is extremely proficient with a blade.”
There was a lot to unpack there, but what caught Cain’s attention the most was the part about swordplay. “Adept with a sword? I’ll have to test that out with her �" I’m no slouch myself.”
“Just be ready for when she knocks you on your ass,” grinned Lydia. “Ah, here we go…you can have this room. I think Kirin is putting Anska on the floor below, but you don’t have anyone on either side, so it should be quiet for a few hours.”
Cain stepped into the room and nodded appreciatively. It was clean, spacious, and the bed looked wonderfully soft. There was even a tall bookshelf lined with numerous volumes, and a few bottles of mead on a table near the window. He stepped in and kicked off his boots, ready to crash into the plush array of blankets and pillows.
“One last thing before you go to sleep, Cain…”
He turned to face Lydia, the woman who had been kind and gracious to him even though he was a bastard son of her husband’s, dredged up from the past nearly thirty years later. “Yes?”
“I’d like to take a walk with you later today, if you have the time. Just the two of us, on a little stroll through town. And I want you to tell me all about your mother, Ariessa. I know that I will never be able to fill her shoes, but it won’t be for lack of trying on my part. Should you decide to stay here with us, and embrace this crazy family as your own, please understand that you will always be loved.”
Chapter X - Moving Forward
For the first time in many months, Cain slept peacefully. He wasn’t sure if being tucked deep within what was likely the safest place in Skyrim (or all of Tamriel for that matter) had something to do with it, but the moment his head hit the pillow, he fell into a deep, dreamless slumber. It was almost midday when he finally woke up, and even that was only due to a small knock at the door to his quarters. Sitting up in bed, he rubbed his eyes, got up and went to see who it was. The door creaked slightly while opening, and Cain found himself looking into the warm brown eyes of Anska.
“Hey,” she began, blushing at the shirtless Redguard, “I-I, uh, wanted to see if you’d join me for lunch? I didn’t sleep very well last night, but I still managed to miss breakfast somehow, and now I’m starving. Join me in finding a bite to eat?”
“Love to,” Cain smiled. “Let me grab a shirt and see if there is something other than my boots in one of these wardrobes. Come on in, should only take a minute.” He began to rummage through the furniture in the room while Anska entered and took a seat on the edge of his bed. Digging through a small chest of drawers, he finally happened upon a pair of soft loafers that were about the right size. He turned to sit down in a chair and caught Anska staring at him. “Everything alright, miss?”
“Oh, yeah, of course,” she said. “Sorry. It’s just that you never did put on a shirt and it was... very distracting.”
“Gimme a sec and I’ll throw my tunic on.” Grabbing the crumpled shirt from the floor, Cain pulled it over his head and then sat down next to her on the bed. “How are you holding up, Anska? I overheard Serana last night and she was talking about you being found in the snow outside of Stonehills...”
Anska looked away for few seconds. Cain could tell she was unwilling to speak any more about it, but he also knew from his own experiences that it couldn’t be kept bottled up. With a heavy sigh, she dried her eyes and turned to look at him again, this time with a different look on her face. He recognized the smallest glimmer of hope that rested there, amid the anguish over her lost home.
“I wanted to die,” said Anska, bluntly. “Everything I knew was gone. I had no one left, and before even that I had turned down the only person I’d met in many years who was kind to me, all because I was too scared to leave my home. I laid down in front of the smoldering remains of the tavern and wept until the tears froze to my face. If I wasn’t a Nord, I probably wouldn’t be sitting here right now. And then the wizard showed up. I didn’t even see her coming �" it was as if she simply appeared out of thin air and then she started looking around. Nearly tripped over me, half buried in the cold snow.”
Neither of them said anything for a few minutes. Cain could tell last night that Anska had been hurting, but he didn’t realize how badly it truly was for her. She was lucky Sybille had found her out there, and Cain was immensely grateful she hadn’t perished, and that they were together again; even if the circumstances were terrible. And overwhelming.
“I’m glad she found you, Anska, and I’m glad you’re here with us. At least we got our revenge on that dragon, even if we didn’t know it at the time...”
“It’s a small consolation,” nodded Anska. “But, I’ll take it.” Taking a moment to wipe her eyes again, she stopped speaking and took several deep breaths to collect herself. “Look, there was something else I wanted to talk to you about...”
“Us?” asked Cain. Anska nodded and opened her mouth to continue, but he soldiered on, not ignorant to how somethings just weren’t that important after recent events. “Anska, don’t worry about rejecting me. I was disappointed, but your reasoning was sound, and with all that’s happened to the both of us, it’s understandable if you want to just be friends. I think we’ll both need someone to lean on in the coming days.”
Anska looked at him with a curious smile, and her brown eyes rolled so far back that he couldn’t help but laugh himself. “Cain...just shut up and kiss me.”
He didn’t hesitate to do so, his mind racing at how much his fortunes had turned. And how glad he was to have misread where Anska was going with all of that. They kissed for several seconds, lost in each other’s comfort, and for that little bit of time, the cares of the world seemed small and unimportant. When their lips parted, Anska leaned back and smiled at him again.
“I appreciate that you were trying to be the good person I know you are, but don’t be so thick next time,” grinned Anska. “Something tells me you didn’t realize how hard it was to turn you down before.”
“Well, no, but -”
“The circumstances that brought me here are terrible, I agree. But I’m not going to ignore the opportunity. And I’m going to need your comfort to get through this �" my home was just destroyed and I have no family left in this world.” Anska paused to dab at her eyes again. “Just ask yourself something first...are you sure you want me right now? I have nothing left, besides your unexpected presence, and it will take me a long time to get over all of this. I’ve never felt as low as I do right now...”
“Of course I do, Anska,” said Cain immediately. “We’ll get through it together and I will help you any way that I can. Even if you do feel that low, you will never be that to me.”
She put a hand on his face and smiled gratefully before kissing him again. This time their lips remained locked together for much longer and they were just about to lean back onto the bed when a small, polite cough came from the door that Anska had left open. They separated and looked towards the doorway, each of them blushing.
“When you lovebirds are ready,” said Linneá, a sly smile on her lips. “Lunch is about to be served upstairs. Unless, you’d rather snack on each other first, that is.”
Cain sighed. “Never thought I’d get walked in on by my sister so soon.”
“Serana says I have a knack for being exactly where I’m not supposed to be at any given time. She may be right, but it certainly does liven things up. Now, come on you two �" My wife and I are departing for Morrowind soon, and mum said you’d be talking to me about something, Cain? Let’s get a move on it.”
A few minutes later they were heading down the hall outside of Cain’s room, Linneá leading them upstairs to a private dining room near the study they had all been in the night before. They stepped into the room and sat down at a large wooden table where everyone save for the High King was already seated and helping themselves to the bountiful food and drink. Cain found himself seated between Anska and Lydia, speaking politely to the latter about his accommodations.
“The room was excellent, ma’am,” said Cain. “Much more posh than I am used to and I slept like a baby. I’d probably still be sleeping if Anska here hadn’t come to find me.” He paused to take a drink, and was about to ask Lydia about the walk she had mentioned when his new sister addressed him instead.
“What did you want to ask me today, brother? We really do have to leave soon, so I want to make sure I can help you if you need it. I know I come off as a goof sometimes, but you have no idea how excited I am about all of this �" just ask Serana. She’s been complaining about me bouncing off of the walls since yesterday!”
“That’s an understatement, Elle,” replied Serana. “I haven’t seen you this wound up since that time we visited Roscrea for what was certainly not a relaxing honeymoon.”
“Can you blame me?! Now, spit it out, Cain!”
“Um. We can wait if you’re too busy �" it’s not exactly a small matter...”
Lydia placed a calming hand on his shoulder and answered for him. “He wants to speak about what it means to be Dragonborn, Linn. It didn’t come up last night during our little get-together. As you can imagine, it’s probably a little overwhelming for Cain right now.”
“Oh,” said Linneá in surprise. “Yeah, I can see why you said it’s not a small matter.” She bit her lip thoughtfully, unsure of when or how they could unpack that particularly large bag. She was supposed to be part of the treaty delegation in Morrowind, but it was also unfair to make him wait for such a large facet of what he’d become. “Tell you what...meet me at Elysium tomorrow night. I’ll make some time to get away, and we can talk privately there, in the peace and quiet.”
“Elysium?” asked Cain. “Where the hell is that?”
“Our ancestral estate outside of Whiterun,” said Lydia. “It’s been empty for a few years, but your sister is right. You’ll be uninterrupted there, which is much less likely to be the case here in the palace.”
“I think I saw that house on my second day in Skyrim,” said Cain. “Anska and I will head there at dawn tomorrow.”
An odd silence fell between them after he spoke, and Cain was unsure why. Even Linneá seemed to have frozen up, which was a strange departure from her normally outgoing demeanor. Anska noticed it, too, and was just about to interject when Lydia cleared her throat.
“It may be best if you go alone, Cain. Elysium is a very...special place. You’ll be safe there but I can’t guarantee that you’ll be...alone.”
“Anska goes where I go,” he said, firmly.
Serana chuckled, drawing the attention to her instead. “You’re more like your sister than you realize, Cain. Stubborn to a fault and fiercely loyal to those you care about. I rather think it’s a familial trait, and one that binds us all more closely together than most outsiders realize.” She set down her glass and peered over the table at Lydia. “It’ll be better to get it over with quickly, mum �" I know that, er, she can be a lot to take in all at once, but it has to happen eventually.”
“I’m confused,” said Anska. “What �" or who �" are you all talking about?”
“Serana is right,” said Linneá. “I regretted not telling her sooner when it came to us. Oh, and I’m sorry, Anska, I didn’t mean to ignore you there. You will just have to wait and see.”
“Well...alright then,” replied Lydia. “I guess you two have a point.”
With the matter settled for the moment, everyone returned to their plates of food. Cain and Anska, starving from not having eaten for many hours, dug in eagerly and filled their plates three times before kicking back in their chairs and sighing wistfully. Linneá and Serana bade them goodbye and headed for their room to freshen up, leaving just Lydia in the company of the new arrivals. Something was nagging at Cain, and when he thought about meeting his sister outside of Whiterun tomorrow, it occurred to him what that something was.
“Can I ask you something, Lydia?”
“Certainly. What’s on your mind?”
“So, earlier today Anska and I were talking about Stonehills, and she mentioned your court wizard showing up there mysteriously...and just before, Linneá agreed to leave Morrowind tomorrow night and meet us at Elysium? How can you all possibly move around so quickly? I gather her and Serana are going to Blacklight? I get that that’s right over the border, but that would still take days or even weeks by carriage, right?”
“Ah,” she said. “That. It’s something we try to keep under wraps, so please don’t share it with anyone else, okay?” Lydia waited for both of them to agree, and continued on after they nodded in assent. “Linneá �" with some help �" mastered a lost magical art back when she was on her own. Mark and Recall.”
“Mark and Recall?” asked Cain. “Some kind of alteration spell?”
“I think it actually falls under mysticism. You’d have to ask her, I’m not at all magically inclined. Anyway, the gist of it is that you imbue an object to ‘mark’ it and with the recall aspect, you can teleport back from anywhere.”
Both Cain and Anska’s mouth dropped open in surprise. “And it’s instantaneous?”
“Mhmm,” said Lydia. “Very handy, as you can imagine. It’s how my daughters were able to be here at all last night. Their delegation was nearly to Blacklight already when everything happened yesterday.”
“Wow,” said Anska, a look of wonder on her face. “I never imagined magic could so such a thing. I wish now that I had looked into it more in my childhood.” She looked sideways at Cain. “You have some skill with restoration �" are you curious about learning the spell?”
“You do?” asked Lydia. “I didn’t know that about you, Cain. Linneá is very gifted and I can’t help but wonder if you could be, too. It must run on Kirin’s side...”
“Turn spells and healing are useful tools with all of the Ayleid ruins in Cyrodiil,” shrugged Cain. “However, I never had much interest beyond that. I have a natural talent with blades that outshines everything else.”
“Don’t be so modest,” Anska said. “I watched him slay a dragon priest, and then an actual dragon in short order, miss. Athis and I helped, but the way Cain’s sword moved through the air like a silver blur was...mesmerizing.”
“Interesting,” pondered Lydia. “I’d love to see you and Linn spar sometime. She’s no slouch with a sword herself.” She trailed off in thought for a moment before shaking her head and summoning the staff to clear the lunch table. “Now then, have you thought about what I said last night, Cain? Fancy a walk?” He nodded in agreement and she continued with a pleased smile. “I was hoping you’d say that. But I must insist it just be the two of us this time. Anska, please make yourself at home �" we will be back in a little while.”
For the first time in many months, Cain slept peacefully. He wasn’t sure if being tucked deep within what was likely the safest place in Skyrim (or all of Tamriel for that matter) had something to do with it, but the moment his head hit the pillow, he fell into a deep, dreamless slumber. It was almost midday when he finally woke up, and even that was only due to a small knock at the door to his quarters. Sitting up in bed, he rubbed his eyes, got up and went to see who it was. The door creaked slightly while opening, and Cain found himself looking into the warm brown eyes of Anska.
“Hey,” she began, blushing at the shirtless Redguard, “I-I, uh, wanted to see if you’d join me for lunch? I didn’t sleep very well last night, but I still managed to miss breakfast somehow, and now I’m starving. Join me in finding a bite to eat?”
“Love to,” Cain smiled. “Let me grab a shirt and see if there is something other than my boots in one of these wardrobes. Come on in, should only take a minute.” He began to rummage through the furniture in the room while Anska entered and took a seat on the edge of his bed. Digging through a small chest of drawers, he finally happened upon a pair of soft loafers that were about the right size. He turned to sit down in a chair and caught Anska staring at him. “Everything alright, miss?”
“Oh, yeah, of course,” she said. “Sorry. It’s just that you never did put on a shirt and it was... very distracting.”
“Gimme a sec and I’ll throw my tunic on.” Grabbing the crumpled shirt from the floor, Cain pulled it over his head and then sat down next to her on the bed. “How are you holding up, Anska? I overheard Serana last night and she was talking about you being found in the snow outside of Stonehills...”
Anska looked away for few seconds. Cain could tell she was unwilling to speak any more about it, but he also knew from his own experiences that it couldn’t be kept bottled up. With a heavy sigh, she dried her eyes and turned to look at him again, this time with a different look on her face. He recognized the smallest glimmer of hope that rested there, amid the anguish over her lost home.
“I wanted to die,” said Anska, bluntly. “Everything I knew was gone. I had no one left, and before even that I had turned down the only person I’d met in many years who was kind to me, all because I was too scared to leave my home. I laid down in front of the smoldering remains of the tavern and wept until the tears froze to my face. If I wasn’t a Nord, I probably wouldn’t be sitting here right now. And then the wizard showed up. I didn’t even see her coming �" it was as if she simply appeared out of thin air and then she started looking around. Nearly tripped over me, half buried in the cold snow.”
Neither of them said anything for a few minutes. Cain could tell last night that Anska had been hurting, but he didn’t realize how badly it truly was for her. She was lucky Sybille had found her out there, and Cain was immensely grateful she hadn’t perished, and that they were together again; even if the circumstances were terrible. And overwhelming.
“I’m glad she found you, Anska, and I’m glad you’re here with us. At least we got our revenge on that dragon, even if we didn’t know it at the time...”
“It’s a small consolation,” nodded Anska. “But, I’ll take it.” Taking a moment to wipe her eyes again, she stopped speaking and took several deep breaths to collect herself. “Look, there was something else I wanted to talk to you about...”
“Us?” asked Cain. Anska nodded and opened her mouth to continue, but he soldiered on, not ignorant to how somethings just weren’t that important after recent events. “Anska, don’t worry about rejecting me. I was disappointed, but your reasoning was sound, and with all that’s happened to the both of us, it’s understandable if you want to just be friends. I think we’ll both need someone to lean on in the coming days.”
Anska looked at him with a curious smile, and her brown eyes rolled so far back that he couldn’t help but laugh himself. “Cain...just shut up and kiss me.”
He didn’t hesitate to do so, his mind racing at how much his fortunes had turned. And how glad he was to have misread where Anska was going with all of that. They kissed for several seconds, lost in each other’s comfort, and for that little bit of time, the cares of the world seemed small and unimportant. When their lips parted, Anska leaned back and smiled at him again.
“I appreciate that you were trying to be the good person I know you are, but don’t be so thick next time,” grinned Anska. “Something tells me you didn’t realize how hard it was to turn you down before.”
“Well, no, but -”
“The circumstances that brought me here are terrible, I agree. But I’m not going to ignore the opportunity. And I’m going to need your comfort to get through this �" my home was just destroyed and I have no family left in this world.” Anska paused to dab at her eyes again. “Just ask yourself something first...are you sure you want me right now? I have nothing left, besides your unexpected presence, and it will take me a long time to get over all of this. I’ve never felt as low as I do right now...”
“Of course I do, Anska,” said Cain immediately. “We’ll get through it together and I will help you any way that I can. Even if you do feel that low, you will never be that to me.”
She put a hand on his face and smiled gratefully before kissing him again. This time their lips remained locked together for much longer and they were just about to lean back onto the bed when a small, polite cough came from the door that Anska had left open. They separated and looked towards the doorway, each of them blushing.
“When you lovebirds are ready,” said Linneá, a sly smile on her lips. “Lunch is about to be served upstairs. Unless, you’d rather snack on each other first, that is.”
Cain sighed. “Never thought I’d get walked in on by my sister so soon.”
“Serana says I have a knack for being exactly where I’m not supposed to be at any given time. She may be right, but it certainly does liven things up. Now, come on you two �" My wife and I are departing for Morrowind soon, and mum said you’d be talking to me about something, Cain? Let’s get a move on it.”
A few minutes later they were heading down the hall outside of Cain’s room, Linneá leading them upstairs to a private dining room near the study they had all been in the night before. They stepped into the room and sat down at a large wooden table where everyone save for the High King was already seated and helping themselves to the bountiful food and drink. Cain found himself seated between Anska and Lydia, speaking politely to the latter about his accommodations.
“The room was excellent, ma’am,” said Cain. “Much more posh than I am used to and I slept like a baby. I’d probably still be sleeping if Anska here hadn’t come to find me.” He paused to take a drink, and was about to ask Lydia about the walk she had mentioned when his new sister addressed him instead.
“What did you want to ask me today, brother? We really do have to leave soon, so I want to make sure I can help you if you need it. I know I come off as a goof sometimes, but you have no idea how excited I am about all of this �" just ask Serana. She’s been complaining about me bouncing off of the walls since yesterday!”
“That’s an understatement, Elle,” replied Serana. “I haven’t seen you this wound up since that time we visited Roscrea for what was certainly not a relaxing honeymoon.”
“Can you blame me?! Now, spit it out, Cain!”
“Um. We can wait if you’re too busy �" it’s not exactly a small matter...”
Lydia placed a calming hand on his shoulder and answered for him. “He wants to speak about what it means to be Dragonborn, Linn. It didn’t come up last night during our little get-together. As you can imagine, it’s probably a little overwhelming for Cain right now.”
“Oh,” said Linneá in surprise. “Yeah, I can see why you said it’s not a small matter.” She bit her lip thoughtfully, unsure of when or how they could unpack that particularly large bag. She was supposed to be part of the treaty delegation in Morrowind, but it was also unfair to make him wait for such a large facet of what he’d become. “Tell you what...meet me at Elysium tomorrow night. I’ll make some time to get away, and we can talk privately there, in the peace and quiet.”
“Elysium?” asked Cain. “Where the hell is that?”
“Our ancestral estate outside of Whiterun,” said Lydia. “It’s been empty for a few years, but your sister is right. You’ll be uninterrupted there, which is much less likely to be the case here in the palace.”
“I think I saw that house on my second day in Skyrim,” said Cain. “Anska and I will head there at dawn tomorrow.”
An odd silence fell between them after he spoke, and Cain was unsure why. Even Linneá seemed to have frozen up, which was a strange departure from her normally outgoing demeanor. Anska noticed it, too, and was just about to interject when Lydia cleared her throat.
“It may be best if you go alone, Cain. Elysium is a very...special place. You’ll be safe there but I can’t guarantee that you’ll be...alone.”
“Anska goes where I go,” he said, firmly.
Serana chuckled, drawing the attention to her instead. “You’re more like your sister than you realize, Cain. Stubborn to a fault and fiercely loyal to those you care about. I rather think it’s a familial trait, and one that binds us all more closely together than most outsiders realize.” She set down her glass and peered over the table at Lydia. “It’ll be better to get it over with quickly, mum �" I know that, er, she can be a lot to take in all at once, but it has to happen eventually.”
“I’m confused,” said Anska. “What �" or who �" are you all talking about?”
“Serana is right,” said Linneá. “I regretted not telling her sooner when it came to us. Oh, and I’m sorry, Anska, I didn’t mean to ignore you there. You will just have to wait and see.”
“Well...alright then,” replied Lydia. “I guess you two have a point.”
With the matter settled for the moment, everyone returned to their plates of food. Cain and Anska, starving from not having eaten for many hours, dug in eagerly and filled their plates three times before kicking back in their chairs and sighing wistfully. Linneá and Serana bade them goodbye and headed for their room to freshen up, leaving just Lydia in the company of the new arrivals. Something was nagging at Cain, and when he thought about meeting his sister outside of Whiterun tomorrow, it occurred to him what that something was.
“Can I ask you something, Lydia?”
“Certainly. What’s on your mind?”
“So, earlier today Anska and I were talking about Stonehills, and she mentioned your court wizard showing up there mysteriously...and just before, Linneá agreed to leave Morrowind tomorrow night and meet us at Elysium? How can you all possibly move around so quickly? I gather her and Serana are going to Blacklight? I get that that’s right over the border, but that would still take days or even weeks by carriage, right?”
“Ah,” she said. “That. It’s something we try to keep under wraps, so please don’t share it with anyone else, okay?” Lydia waited for both of them to agree, and continued on after they nodded in assent. “Linneá �" with some help �" mastered a lost magical art back when she was on her own. Mark and Recall.”
“Mark and Recall?” asked Cain. “Some kind of alteration spell?”
“I think it actually falls under mysticism. You’d have to ask her, I’m not at all magically inclined. Anyway, the gist of it is that you imbue an object to ‘mark’ it and with the recall aspect, you can teleport back from anywhere.”
Both Cain and Anska’s mouth dropped open in surprise. “And it’s instantaneous?”
“Mhmm,” said Lydia. “Very handy, as you can imagine. It’s how my daughters were able to be here at all last night. Their delegation was nearly to Blacklight already when everything happened yesterday.”
“Wow,” said Anska, a look of wonder on her face. “I never imagined magic could so such a thing. I wish now that I had looked into it more in my childhood.” She looked sideways at Cain. “You have some skill with restoration �" are you curious about learning the spell?”
“You do?” asked Lydia. “I didn’t know that about you, Cain. Linneá is very gifted and I can’t help but wonder if you could be, too. It must run on Kirin’s side...”
“Turn spells and healing are useful tools with all of the Ayleid ruins in Cyrodiil,” shrugged Cain. “However, I never had much interest beyond that. I have a natural talent with blades that outshines everything else.”
“Don’t be so modest,” Anska said. “I watched him slay a dragon priest, and then an actual dragon in short order, miss. Athis and I helped, but the way Cain’s sword moved through the air like a silver blur was...mesmerizing.”
“Interesting,” pondered Lydia. “I’d love to see you and Linn spar sometime. She’s no slouch with a sword herself.” She trailed off in thought for a moment before shaking her head and summoning the staff to clear the lunch table. “Now then, have you thought about what I said last night, Cain? Fancy a walk?” He nodded in agreement and she continued with a pleased smile. “I was hoping you’d say that. But I must insist it just be the two of us this time. Anska, please make yourself at home �" we will be back in a little while.”
Chapter XI - The Hawk and the Dove
It was a lively affair in the Arch-Master’s private dining room. The full delegation from Skyrim had finally arrived, leaving just the House Telvanni representatives pending attendance before they could formally kick off the treaty debates. Ulvon sat in an armchair near the roaring fireplace, and he was pressing a councilor from House Hlaalu on what he thought of the newly arrived daughters of the High King.
“They’re a curious pair, are they not?” he asked. “Were there any specifics in the biographical data we have on them? I had assumed they were sisters, but I see now that it goes much further than that. My gut tells me the two of them are spouses. If so, I’m surprised they found a minister in Skyrim that would wed them.”
“Oh, they are definitely married,” said Councilor Llaro. “I saw them share a kiss when they last stepped out for some air. According to the dossier we received; the taller of the two �" Linneá �" is the king’s daughter. There are also rumors of her too possessing the dragon blood, but it’s never been verified.”
“A second Dragonborn? That certainly would have the Emperor feeling a bit uneasy. Thalmor too, I should think.”
“Indeed. And now that another one has been revealed, there could potentially be three...”
“Has that been confirmed?” asked Ulvon. “Last I heard, the empire was attempting to move in on the newly revealed Dragonborn, but, to my knowledge, nothing has come of it since. I was hoping more information would have come to light by now, especially if Mede was trying to get his grubby hands on them.”
“I would wager that something important indeed has happened in Skyrim, Ulvon. Just look at the body language of those two woman. They are happily mingling and enjoying themselves far beyond the mood and atmosphere provided by this little soiree and its reason for happening. My guess is that -”
The tinkling of silverware on a crystal flute brought the noise level in the room down to dull murmur as heads turned to see who was striving for attention. The High King of Skyrim’s daughter, Linneá Windborne, stood confidently in the center of the room with Serana at her side. Smiling around the room at the assembled dignitaries, she cleared her throat and addressed both delegations.
“Ahem. I’m not one for dignified speeches, nor am I an accomplished statesmen, so please bear with me on this.” Linneá took a deep breath, and continued on. “Serana and I are honored to be here with our fellow diplomats, and are eager to formally sit down and begin discussing what we’ve traveled so far to iron out. Our reception in Morrowind, much to my wife’s delight, has been nothing short of pleasant, and we look forward to seeing more of your storied land in the future.” She paused and waited patiently for a smattering of polite applause to die down. “Now, I gather we are just waiting for the House Telvanni delegation? With that being the case, please do not hesitate to seek any of us out if you have any questions for us. Our delegation, Serana and I included, would be honored to converse with all parties on any topic you’d like. And one final thing: some of you may find me to be a bit...blunt, so please, try not to take offense. Among many things, I believe in being completely honest at all times, even if that candor can come off as rude. I also believe that if we can all be that honest with each other over the next few days or weeks, then we will have no trouble coming to an amicable agreement.”
More applause filled the room, causing her to blush while Serana gave her a pat on the ass. “You did just fine, Elle, don’t look so nervous.”
“I’m sweating so much right now. Hopefully no one wants a hug,” she whispered, before turning back to the crowd. “Thank you all very much,” Linneá went on. “I’d especially like to thank Arch-Master Ulvon for hosting this lovely get together tonight.” She raised her flute in his direction while the dunmer bowed gracefully. “Now, then �" this is supposed to be a laid back affair, so let’s crack open more sujamma and have a good time!”
She turned back to converse with Serana while the rest of the party-goers resumed mingling among themselves. Ulvon couldn’t help but appreciate her sentiment on honesty and looked forward to sitting across the negotiating table from the amicable young woman. It had been along time since he dealt with anyone who claimed to be so forthcoming, and her earnestness led him to believe she spoke the truth. Rising from his comfortable seat, he sought out the young princess.
“Excuse me, Mrs. Linneá, might I have a word?” he asked.
“You can have as many as you’d like, provided you don’t call me “missus” again, Arch-Master,” laughed Linneá. Serana rolled her eyes and tapped her playfully on the arm. “Er, sorry. Linneá or Linn is fine, Ulvon.”
“Very well, Linneá” he replied. “I couldn’t help but notice that you seemed quite jovial for an affair such as this… Tell me �" did something happen during your brief return to Skyrim?”
“Heard about that, did you?” asked Linneá. “I thought we kept that under wraps. No matter, it was nothing dire. Just an unforeseen event of which, I gather, my father has issued a formal statement on to the people of Skyrim, meaning I can share it publicly, too. A son he did not know about has been revealed to us! I have a brother!” she finished, excitedly.
“Ah, I suppose that would cause quite a stir! Might I ask: older or younger?”
“Older, thankfully,” answered Linneá. He looked curiously at her, and Linneá expounded on her statement. “I have no desire to rule, Ulvon. My wife and I had only been married for a few hours before we learned of the Moot, and with it, my dad’s ascension to the throne. We were hoping to travel and just be ourselves for a few years.”
“How interesting,” said the Arch-Master. “You know, you and the lovely Serana are not at all what I expected when we learned that you would be among the delegation from Skyrim. However, I think I see why the King sent you, which I’m assuming was more of an order?”
“Um. You could say that,” sighed Linneá. “It was definitely a lively debate in the palace, I can tell you that.”
“I see,” said Ulvon. He caught a quick motion from the corner of his eyes, and turned to see Serana waving for her wife. “It looks like duty calls for you, Linneá. Might I add one more thing before you depart from my company?”
“Certainly, Arch-Master.”
“There’s an old adage I’m reminded of from my days in Vivec City, before it fell to ruin. ‘An excellent leader is not born, but they are often wrought’. You may not aspire to the throne, miss, but my instincts tell me you would lead your people well.”
Ulvon bowed his head and moved off to a group of nearby councilors, leaving Linneá slightly struck, wondering if he knew something that she didn’t. She moved quickly to Serana’s side but the off-kilter look on her face was plain to her wife, who steered her back outside in a hurry.
“Elle, what is it? Did Ulvon offend you in some way?”
“I...uh...no, nothing like that,” said Linneá. “Just got caught off guard by his parting remarks.” She shook her head to clear it, and smiled at Serana. “I-I...[censored]. I can’t move past this. Serana, do you think I’d have been a good queen?”
Serana didn’t expect that, but answered truthfully and without hesitation. “Linneá, you’d have been an excellent queen, and Skyrim would have been lucky to have you. But I thought you didn’t want that? We argued it about it all the time with ma and da...”
“I didn’t, and I still don’t. And I never once thought of myself that way, either,” she paused for a few seconds and took a drink from her crystal flute. “Bleh, I miss your brandy vintages. Anyway, Ulvon seems to think the same way you do. I always know you’ll support me no matter what, but I don’t think I ever asked you that question directly before tonight. I guess a part of me can’t help but wonder ‘what if?’, now that Cain is with us.”
“That makes sense,” said Serana. “Look, why don’t we talk more about it later? We shouldn’t be away from the party for too long.”
“You’re right, it can wait.” Linneá pulled her in close and kissed Serana passionately for a moment before steering them back towards the door.
“Goodness, tone it down a bit, Elle! You’ve got me all flustered now!”
“We’ll sort that out later,” winked Linneá.
-------------------------------
The clamor of furniture being upended, and the endless stream of profanity echoing out of the Emperor’s private study had the guards stationed outside sweating profusely. Hoping he would not turn his wrath on them, they stood erect and motionless, trying desperately to stay completely silent. The noise caused quite a stir, and everyone in the tower within earshot of the study deftly avoided the corridor the two men guarded. Eventually, the noise subsided, and the tired old man inside the room sat down heavily in his ornate chair.
After a few deep breaths, he spoke to the one person unfortunate enough to be stuck in that room with him. “How could this have happened, Anilay? We had everything and everyone in place!”
“Ill preparation of the detachment in Solitude, sire. The men in Whiterun were ready to seize the Redguard, but the others in the capital deemed it highly unlikely he would enter their city, and so they rested on their fat asses while the king’s men secreted him away from the tavern.”
“Have they been punished?” demanded Titus Mede II.
“With extreme prejudice, my lord.”
“Excellent. And, I take it the Redguard’s lineage has been fully identified?”
“Yes. He is without a doubt the eldest of the king’s two children, and heir to the throne of Skyrim. The other unexpected bit of news to come from all of this is that they are direct descendants of Ysgramor himself, which only fuels the legacy of their family, and it’s rightful position of power they seek.”
“My throne?”
“That is the theory, sire,” said Anilay. “I think that if Kirin Windborne were to make a claim for the Ruby Throne, not even the Elder Council would deny him at this point. They hunger for the authority the empire had when a Dragonborn sat upon the throne.”
“Then, you think I ought to capitulate, Anilay? Is that it? That I should just roll over and let those barbarians waltz down here from their damned mountains and take away everything my family built for the people of Cyrodiil? Have you all forgotten that it was my leadership under which the Dominion was pushed back?”
“I would never say that, my lord. But if the rumors out of Morrowind are to be believed, then we won’t have any other course of action. If the dunmer sign a treaty with Skyrim, then we cannot hope to stand against a unified coalition of Skyrim, Hammerfell, Orsinium, High Rock, and Morrowind.”
Titus Mede II rested his head in his hands and sighed wearily, wondering how everything had gone so wrong so quickly. Five years ago, Skyrim was just another vassal state, still thankful that the empire dealt with their Stormcloak problem. The fabled Last Dragonborn had not been seen in nearly two decades, and the High Queen was a willing pawn in his machinations. Now, it all looked to be unraveling just as things were once again beginning to stir in Valinor.
“Fetch me the official parchment, Anilay,” said the emperor. “I must write a formal speech for the Council.”
-------------------------------
Elysium Estate sat on the outskirts of Whiterun City, still and quiet in the warm summer air at sundown. No lights were illuminated, no animals were nested in the stables, and the outdoor forge had long since been snuffed out. Inside the house, a lone figure sat in silence at the dining table longing for the past days when she shared meals here with her children, and laughed with them well into the night. Tears fell gently down her serene, otherworldly face, and dripped onto the empty wooden table. Hearing a small knock at the door, she dried her eyes and formally invited her sister in.
“Come, dear sister,” she called out. “I welcome you in the estate of my champions.”
Mara, the Goddess of Love, entered quietly and joined Kyne at the table, raising a perfect eyebrow questioningly at her sister. “Is everything alright?”
“Yes, quite so,” said Kyne. “I just miss the days when the rest of them were here with me. I’m immensely proud of what they’ve accomplished, but with them living in the Blue Palace, we can’t be as close as we once were. So many nights were spent around this table, but in the end it was not nearly enough. Everything happened so quickly after Linn rescued Kirin and Lydia. We barely had time to breathe.”
“I understand, Kyne,” said Mara, placing a hand on her sister’s shoulder. “Your love for each other is boundless �" it would be hard for anyone, and trust me when I say it’s just as hard for them.”
Kyne nodded and waved her hand absentmindedly. At her command, several windows blew open to let the warm breeze blow through the house, and the lanterns around the dining area sprung to life, flames dancing merrily within the glass enclosures. Everything inside had looked just the way it did when Kirin, Lydia, Linneá, and Serana had departed for their new lives in Solitude. Part of her always hoped they would return some day, but Kyne didn’t see how that would be possible.
“You never know,” said Mara sagely. She had picked up on Kyne’s train of thought, and felt compelled to offer a glimmer of hope. “Linneá seems like one who would just as soon turn away from being royalty if it meant she and Serana could be happy.”
“She certainly would,” laughed Kyne. “And now, it may even be possible...”
“Because of Cain? How did you learn of him anyway?”
“Yes, with him being first in line to succeed Kirin, I could definitely see Linn stepping out of the spotlight,” answered Kyne. “As for how I learned of him… Well… Akatosh owed me big time after what he pulled with Linneá’s dragon blood. Oh! How I yelled at him when he told me Cain had been out there all along, living an unassuming life in Anvil, away from all the hardships Kirin and Lydia went through. I tell you, Mara, I could have throttled him right then and there if I didn’t love him so.”
“I can only imagine!” giggled Mara. “But hey �" at least you got another child out of it. Have you met him yet?”
“No, but Linn reached out earlier and said they would be coming here tomorrow night. I think it’s only fair that I tell him myself. However, he will be bringing a guest, which I had not anticipated...”
A silence fell between them while Kyne wondered what she would do about the presence of Anska tomorrow night, and whether or not it was too soon for the maiden to be brought that far into the fold. I’ll have to ask Linn how she feels about their relationship, thought Kyne. She always did have an eye for that sort of thing.
Mara had also been lost in thought, but for a very different reason. With her divinity governing the broader aspects of love and compassion, the Goddess had a very deft finger on the pulse of such matters. And she did not like the outcome she was foreseeing, nor did she look forward to telling her sister, even if she must know.
“Kyne, you must be careful with this,” she warned.
“Careful?” asked Kyne. “How do you mean?”
“The threads of their love rests on a blade’s edge. Should the wrong steps be taken, or the right path be ignored, I fear that tragedy will strike, and that Cain’s spirit will be crushed under the immense weight of grief. I feel that Anska must be included tomorrow, but that their future is uncertain. They will need guidance, and you must readily give it to them.”
It was a lively affair in the Arch-Master’s private dining room. The full delegation from Skyrim had finally arrived, leaving just the House Telvanni representatives pending attendance before they could formally kick off the treaty debates. Ulvon sat in an armchair near the roaring fireplace, and he was pressing a councilor from House Hlaalu on what he thought of the newly arrived daughters of the High King.
“They’re a curious pair, are they not?” he asked. “Were there any specifics in the biographical data we have on them? I had assumed they were sisters, but I see now that it goes much further than that. My gut tells me the two of them are spouses. If so, I’m surprised they found a minister in Skyrim that would wed them.”
“Oh, they are definitely married,” said Councilor Llaro. “I saw them share a kiss when they last stepped out for some air. According to the dossier we received; the taller of the two �" Linneá �" is the king’s daughter. There are also rumors of her too possessing the dragon blood, but it’s never been verified.”
“A second Dragonborn? That certainly would have the Emperor feeling a bit uneasy. Thalmor too, I should think.”
“Indeed. And now that another one has been revealed, there could potentially be three...”
“Has that been confirmed?” asked Ulvon. “Last I heard, the empire was attempting to move in on the newly revealed Dragonborn, but, to my knowledge, nothing has come of it since. I was hoping more information would have come to light by now, especially if Mede was trying to get his grubby hands on them.”
“I would wager that something important indeed has happened in Skyrim, Ulvon. Just look at the body language of those two woman. They are happily mingling and enjoying themselves far beyond the mood and atmosphere provided by this little soiree and its reason for happening. My guess is that -”
The tinkling of silverware on a crystal flute brought the noise level in the room down to dull murmur as heads turned to see who was striving for attention. The High King of Skyrim’s daughter, Linneá Windborne, stood confidently in the center of the room with Serana at her side. Smiling around the room at the assembled dignitaries, she cleared her throat and addressed both delegations.
“Ahem. I’m not one for dignified speeches, nor am I an accomplished statesmen, so please bear with me on this.” Linneá took a deep breath, and continued on. “Serana and I are honored to be here with our fellow diplomats, and are eager to formally sit down and begin discussing what we’ve traveled so far to iron out. Our reception in Morrowind, much to my wife’s delight, has been nothing short of pleasant, and we look forward to seeing more of your storied land in the future.” She paused and waited patiently for a smattering of polite applause to die down. “Now, I gather we are just waiting for the House Telvanni delegation? With that being the case, please do not hesitate to seek any of us out if you have any questions for us. Our delegation, Serana and I included, would be honored to converse with all parties on any topic you’d like. And one final thing: some of you may find me to be a bit...blunt, so please, try not to take offense. Among many things, I believe in being completely honest at all times, even if that candor can come off as rude. I also believe that if we can all be that honest with each other over the next few days or weeks, then we will have no trouble coming to an amicable agreement.”
More applause filled the room, causing her to blush while Serana gave her a pat on the ass. “You did just fine, Elle, don’t look so nervous.”
“I’m sweating so much right now. Hopefully no one wants a hug,” she whispered, before turning back to the crowd. “Thank you all very much,” Linneá went on. “I’d especially like to thank Arch-Master Ulvon for hosting this lovely get together tonight.” She raised her flute in his direction while the dunmer bowed gracefully. “Now, then �" this is supposed to be a laid back affair, so let’s crack open more sujamma and have a good time!”
She turned back to converse with Serana while the rest of the party-goers resumed mingling among themselves. Ulvon couldn’t help but appreciate her sentiment on honesty and looked forward to sitting across the negotiating table from the amicable young woman. It had been along time since he dealt with anyone who claimed to be so forthcoming, and her earnestness led him to believe she spoke the truth. Rising from his comfortable seat, he sought out the young princess.
“Excuse me, Mrs. Linneá, might I have a word?” he asked.
“You can have as many as you’d like, provided you don’t call me “missus” again, Arch-Master,” laughed Linneá. Serana rolled her eyes and tapped her playfully on the arm. “Er, sorry. Linneá or Linn is fine, Ulvon.”
“Very well, Linneá” he replied. “I couldn’t help but notice that you seemed quite jovial for an affair such as this… Tell me �" did something happen during your brief return to Skyrim?”
“Heard about that, did you?” asked Linneá. “I thought we kept that under wraps. No matter, it was nothing dire. Just an unforeseen event of which, I gather, my father has issued a formal statement on to the people of Skyrim, meaning I can share it publicly, too. A son he did not know about has been revealed to us! I have a brother!” she finished, excitedly.
“Ah, I suppose that would cause quite a stir! Might I ask: older or younger?”
“Older, thankfully,” answered Linneá. He looked curiously at her, and Linneá expounded on her statement. “I have no desire to rule, Ulvon. My wife and I had only been married for a few hours before we learned of the Moot, and with it, my dad’s ascension to the throne. We were hoping to travel and just be ourselves for a few years.”
“How interesting,” said the Arch-Master. “You know, you and the lovely Serana are not at all what I expected when we learned that you would be among the delegation from Skyrim. However, I think I see why the King sent you, which I’m assuming was more of an order?”
“Um. You could say that,” sighed Linneá. “It was definitely a lively debate in the palace, I can tell you that.”
“I see,” said Ulvon. He caught a quick motion from the corner of his eyes, and turned to see Serana waving for her wife. “It looks like duty calls for you, Linneá. Might I add one more thing before you depart from my company?”
“Certainly, Arch-Master.”
“There’s an old adage I’m reminded of from my days in Vivec City, before it fell to ruin. ‘An excellent leader is not born, but they are often wrought’. You may not aspire to the throne, miss, but my instincts tell me you would lead your people well.”
Ulvon bowed his head and moved off to a group of nearby councilors, leaving Linneá slightly struck, wondering if he knew something that she didn’t. She moved quickly to Serana’s side but the off-kilter look on her face was plain to her wife, who steered her back outside in a hurry.
“Elle, what is it? Did Ulvon offend you in some way?”
“I...uh...no, nothing like that,” said Linneá. “Just got caught off guard by his parting remarks.” She shook her head to clear it, and smiled at Serana. “I-I...[censored]. I can’t move past this. Serana, do you think I’d have been a good queen?”
Serana didn’t expect that, but answered truthfully and without hesitation. “Linneá, you’d have been an excellent queen, and Skyrim would have been lucky to have you. But I thought you didn’t want that? We argued it about it all the time with ma and da...”
“I didn’t, and I still don’t. And I never once thought of myself that way, either,” she paused for a few seconds and took a drink from her crystal flute. “Bleh, I miss your brandy vintages. Anyway, Ulvon seems to think the same way you do. I always know you’ll support me no matter what, but I don’t think I ever asked you that question directly before tonight. I guess a part of me can’t help but wonder ‘what if?’, now that Cain is with us.”
“That makes sense,” said Serana. “Look, why don’t we talk more about it later? We shouldn’t be away from the party for too long.”
“You’re right, it can wait.” Linneá pulled her in close and kissed Serana passionately for a moment before steering them back towards the door.
“Goodness, tone it down a bit, Elle! You’ve got me all flustered now!”
“We’ll sort that out later,” winked Linneá.
-------------------------------
The clamor of furniture being upended, and the endless stream of profanity echoing out of the Emperor’s private study had the guards stationed outside sweating profusely. Hoping he would not turn his wrath on them, they stood erect and motionless, trying desperately to stay completely silent. The noise caused quite a stir, and everyone in the tower within earshot of the study deftly avoided the corridor the two men guarded. Eventually, the noise subsided, and the tired old man inside the room sat down heavily in his ornate chair.
After a few deep breaths, he spoke to the one person unfortunate enough to be stuck in that room with him. “How could this have happened, Anilay? We had everything and everyone in place!”
“Ill preparation of the detachment in Solitude, sire. The men in Whiterun were ready to seize the Redguard, but the others in the capital deemed it highly unlikely he would enter their city, and so they rested on their fat asses while the king’s men secreted him away from the tavern.”
“Have they been punished?” demanded Titus Mede II.
“With extreme prejudice, my lord.”
“Excellent. And, I take it the Redguard’s lineage has been fully identified?”
“Yes. He is without a doubt the eldest of the king’s two children, and heir to the throne of Skyrim. The other unexpected bit of news to come from all of this is that they are direct descendants of Ysgramor himself, which only fuels the legacy of their family, and it’s rightful position of power they seek.”
“My throne?”
“That is the theory, sire,” said Anilay. “I think that if Kirin Windborne were to make a claim for the Ruby Throne, not even the Elder Council would deny him at this point. They hunger for the authority the empire had when a Dragonborn sat upon the throne.”
“Then, you think I ought to capitulate, Anilay? Is that it? That I should just roll over and let those barbarians waltz down here from their damned mountains and take away everything my family built for the people of Cyrodiil? Have you all forgotten that it was my leadership under which the Dominion was pushed back?”
“I would never say that, my lord. But if the rumors out of Morrowind are to be believed, then we won’t have any other course of action. If the dunmer sign a treaty with Skyrim, then we cannot hope to stand against a unified coalition of Skyrim, Hammerfell, Orsinium, High Rock, and Morrowind.”
Titus Mede II rested his head in his hands and sighed wearily, wondering how everything had gone so wrong so quickly. Five years ago, Skyrim was just another vassal state, still thankful that the empire dealt with their Stormcloak problem. The fabled Last Dragonborn had not been seen in nearly two decades, and the High Queen was a willing pawn in his machinations. Now, it all looked to be unraveling just as things were once again beginning to stir in Valinor.
“Fetch me the official parchment, Anilay,” said the emperor. “I must write a formal speech for the Council.”
-------------------------------
Elysium Estate sat on the outskirts of Whiterun City, still and quiet in the warm summer air at sundown. No lights were illuminated, no animals were nested in the stables, and the outdoor forge had long since been snuffed out. Inside the house, a lone figure sat in silence at the dining table longing for the past days when she shared meals here with her children, and laughed with them well into the night. Tears fell gently down her serene, otherworldly face, and dripped onto the empty wooden table. Hearing a small knock at the door, she dried her eyes and formally invited her sister in.
“Come, dear sister,” she called out. “I welcome you in the estate of my champions.”
Mara, the Goddess of Love, entered quietly and joined Kyne at the table, raising a perfect eyebrow questioningly at her sister. “Is everything alright?”
“Yes, quite so,” said Kyne. “I just miss the days when the rest of them were here with me. I’m immensely proud of what they’ve accomplished, but with them living in the Blue Palace, we can’t be as close as we once were. So many nights were spent around this table, but in the end it was not nearly enough. Everything happened so quickly after Linn rescued Kirin and Lydia. We barely had time to breathe.”
“I understand, Kyne,” said Mara, placing a hand on her sister’s shoulder. “Your love for each other is boundless �" it would be hard for anyone, and trust me when I say it’s just as hard for them.”
Kyne nodded and waved her hand absentmindedly. At her command, several windows blew open to let the warm breeze blow through the house, and the lanterns around the dining area sprung to life, flames dancing merrily within the glass enclosures. Everything inside had looked just the way it did when Kirin, Lydia, Linneá, and Serana had departed for their new lives in Solitude. Part of her always hoped they would return some day, but Kyne didn’t see how that would be possible.
“You never know,” said Mara sagely. She had picked up on Kyne’s train of thought, and felt compelled to offer a glimmer of hope. “Linneá seems like one who would just as soon turn away from being royalty if it meant she and Serana could be happy.”
“She certainly would,” laughed Kyne. “And now, it may even be possible...”
“Because of Cain? How did you learn of him anyway?”
“Yes, with him being first in line to succeed Kirin, I could definitely see Linn stepping out of the spotlight,” answered Kyne. “As for how I learned of him… Well… Akatosh owed me big time after what he pulled with Linneá’s dragon blood. Oh! How I yelled at him when he told me Cain had been out there all along, living an unassuming life in Anvil, away from all the hardships Kirin and Lydia went through. I tell you, Mara, I could have throttled him right then and there if I didn’t love him so.”
“I can only imagine!” giggled Mara. “But hey �" at least you got another child out of it. Have you met him yet?”
“No, but Linn reached out earlier and said they would be coming here tomorrow night. I think it’s only fair that I tell him myself. However, he will be bringing a guest, which I had not anticipated...”
A silence fell between them while Kyne wondered what she would do about the presence of Anska tomorrow night, and whether or not it was too soon for the maiden to be brought that far into the fold. I’ll have to ask Linn how she feels about their relationship, thought Kyne. She always did have an eye for that sort of thing.
Mara had also been lost in thought, but for a very different reason. With her divinity governing the broader aspects of love and compassion, the Goddess had a very deft finger on the pulse of such matters. And she did not like the outcome she was foreseeing, nor did she look forward to telling her sister, even if she must know.
“Kyne, you must be careful with this,” she warned.
“Careful?” asked Kyne. “How do you mean?”
“The threads of their love rests on a blade’s edge. Should the wrong steps be taken, or the right path be ignored, I fear that tragedy will strike, and that Cain’s spirit will be crushed under the immense weight of grief. I feel that Anska must be included tomorrow, but that their future is uncertain. They will need guidance, and you must readily give it to them.”
Chapter XII - A Walk and a Whirlwind
Tucked away behind the Bards College was a small flower garden nestled against the outermost wall of the city, and nearly teetering over the edge of Solitude’s natural arch. Butterflies floated about lazily while innumerable bees flitted from blossom to blossom, drinking deeply from their nectar. A slight upwelling from the briny waters far below carried a faint smell of salt, reminding Cain of his formative years in the city of Anvil, right on the shores of the Gold Coast.
Lost in the memories of home, he zoned out for a minute or two and failed to hear what Lydia had just said to him. “Er, sorry �" what were you saying? I drifted away for a little bit there...”
“It’s okay,” said Lydia. “I could tell your mind was elsewhere; your sister gets the same dreamy look on her face when something has her preoccupied. It’s endearing, which is why I usually won’t scold her for ignoring me.”
“Usually?”
Lydia chuckled. “Sometimes a mother has to remind her children who’s in charge. Even if said child has seen more danger in her short life than most will in several lifetimes.”
That wasn’t the first time Cain had heard someone speak of Linneá’s past deeds, but in the brief time they had together thus far, his sister didn’t seem to be very boastful. He could sense her strength and he noticed how others respected her...but part of him wondered if she played on her outgoing nature to keep others from looking to closely.
“What sort of danger?” asked Cain.
“How much time do you have?” sighed Lydia. “I’m sure she’d love to talk to you about it on her own some day, but let’s just say she’s been to some...exotic places. Not many people get to traverse a single Plane of Oblivion and live to tell about it, let alone two.”
“I’m sorry, what?” said Cain. The look of incredulity on his face brought a knowing smile to the queen’s soft features.
“Aye, two. Her and Serana had the misfortune of visiting the Soul Cairn twice, and Linneá entered Apocrypha on her own to rescue me.”
...”You can’t be serious.”
“It’s true,” nodded Lydia. “But, like I said, you can ask her about it yourself. Knowing my daughter and her lovely wife, they would both enjoy sitting around a table late into the night with you while the brandy flowed. Talk to her about it tomorrow night, if they have the time to spare.”
“But she seems so, I don’t know, humble? I mean, she’s definitely very outgoing and confident but I’m used to most people being boastful about any feats that would even begin to approach something of that scale!”
“Linn doesn’t like the spotlight, dear,” said Lydia. “Oh, is it okay if I call you that?” Cain smiled and nodded before she went on. “Okay, good. Like I said, she isn’t one for fame. It’s been hard for her since your father became High King. She, and Serana, went through a lot in the year leading up to our return, and then the Moot. If they had the choice, I think they’d have sailed off for distant lands after getting married, instead of moving into the Blue Palace. But enough about Linn �" we’re here for you, Cain. Would you like to start that walk now?”
Cain agreed and rose to his feet, offering a hand to the regal yet approachable queen, and they set off into town under the bright afternoon sun. The city streets were packed with residents of the capital city going about their daily business, from shopping to working to simply enjoying the beautiful weather. Lydia led the way while they spoke at length about Cain’s time in Anvil and his mother. Most people seemed unbothered by the High Queen’s presence among them, usually offering only a smile or gracious nod in her direction. Before long, she led him up the stairs of a tower that overlooked the main gate. The view looking out over the city and port was astonishing and they gazed out in silence for a few minutes.
“I come up here sometimes to think,” said Lydia. “The guards know to leave me be and you’ll notice the din of the city fades to a dull murmur. It’s much quieter than the palace. Despite my best efforts, there always seems to be a servant lurking nearby when I’m trying to relax within its walls.” She paused to study the young man staring out into the spanning northern lands. He looked more like his father than she first realized �" the same intensity that had captivated her nearly thirty years ago came naturally to the both of them. "May I ask what are you are thinking about?”
“Just imagining how much mother would have liked to see this place,” he replied, sadly. “I know she wanted to leave Cyrodiil someday and see more of the world. Had she not gotten sick, we likely would have left Anvil behind anyway and traveled to Hammerfell or maybe even High Rock.”
Lydia placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry your time together was so short, Cain. It’s hard for both child and parent to be apart for any length of time, willingly or not. I know it’s not the same, but Linneá and I were estranged for several years and it was hard on the both of us. Have you thought anymore about what I said last night?”
“About staying?”
“Yes. Kirin and I would never force you to,” she said. The she added with a laugh: “Although, your sister might! It’s been a long time since she was so excited about anything. Completely ignored us when we asked her not to interrupt you and Sybille.”
“I could tell,” laughed Cain. “Some of my ribs are still sore from when she lifted me bodily in that fierce hug of hers. And to answer your question; yes, I am staying. Without a doubt. “
Lydia’s smile stretched from ear to ear and could have illuminated the darkest corners of the world. She immediately wrapped her arms around him and sighed with relief. “I’m happy to hear that. Kirin will be too, even though he wasn’t able to join us. He’ll be there for dinner tonight though, unless he wants and earful from me.”
The sun began to sink towards the horizon as they descended from the tower and made their way back through the city streets towards the palace. Dinnertime was a lively affair, even without Linneá and Serana. Cain and Anska sat across from Kirin and Lydia while they dined, and they all chatted amicably for nearly an hour before his father had to return to his duties. Insisting they get some time alone, Lydia dismissed the young couple soon after, and refused to let them help clean up the mess.
And so, Cain once again found himself alone in the palace gardens with Anska, still amazed at how fortunate he was to have her around again, even with everything else going on around him. They sat beneath the moonlight for long time, conversing at length in a way that had not yet been able to.
“Do you find it odd that some of your family members keep referencing another woman?” asked Anska. “They are being really cagey about that one thing, while be completely open about everything else. But it also seems like they are...reverent, in a way.”
“I know what you mean,” said Cain. “My gut tells me there is definitely something more at play here, though I’m not sure what that is. Still, I don’t think they are necessary misleading us in anyway.”
“Oh, no, I don’t either. It’s just odd is all.”
“Agreed,” said Cain. Then he yawned loudly and stretched his arms before nodding his head back towards the palace. “I don’t know about you, but I’m still pretty tired from all that’s happened. Should we head back to the quarters? Long day again tomorrow...”
“I suppose so,” said Anska. She interlocked her arm with Cain’s and together they walked back inside, towards the bedrooms they’d been assigned earlier that day. They had just reached Anska’s room when Cain came to a stop. Anska looked at him, her eyebrow raised impatiently. “You’re quarters, Cain. I’m not finished with you yet.”
Catching the hint this time, Cain hastily led them upstairs to his own room. Once inside he shut the door and made it sure it was locked before joining a disrobed Anska in bed.
The next morning brought a quick breakfast before Cain bade his new parents goodbye. Together, he and Anska made their way through town, out of the main gate, and down the sloping road to the stables whereupon Cain booked another passage to Whiterun from a familiar carriage driver. The man did a double-take much the same way Cain had felt a touch of deja vu two nights ago, but he accepted the gold nonetheless and soon they were headed south once again.
It was an earlier start this time though, and thankfully the carriage was trundling to a stop outside of Elysium Estate just as the sun began to set. Heading up towards the door of his family’s ancestral home, he found it to be locked.
“We must have made it here before the others,” said Cain. “Guess we’ll have to grab a seat and wait for them to teleport back to us.”
“Maybe we should just knock?” asked Anska. “I feel something different about this place...almost like I can hear a gentle song on the wind.” Raising a hand to the door, she rapped on it once. Nothing happened for a moment, and then, without warning, the lock clicked and the heavy door swung open. “Um. Didn’t expect that to happen. After you?”
Cain placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and confidently stepped over the threshold. A gentle breeze blew through the opened windows of the house, and flames sprung to life in the fireplaces, candelabras, sconces, and lanterns throughout. Once inside, the door shut behind them with a snap, and they found themselves staring at a woman who had most certainly not been there before. A woman of near indescribable ethereal beauty, seated a the dining table just inside the entrance. Long dark hair flowed gently passed her shoulders, spilling over an azure robe that seemed to shimmer when she moved. Piercing emerald eyes that seemed to stare right through them regarded Cain and Anska with something approaching amusement, and Cain suddenly felt the need to kneel before this unknown being.
“Welcome to Elysium Estate, children. You needn’t bother kneeling, Cain,” she added. “I’m much more relaxed about that sort of things these days. Once upon a time your father couldn’t help but act with pure reverence towards me, but even he has relaxed considerably over the years. And don’t get me started on your sister.”
“...What the hell have I gotten into?” sighed Cain.
He pulled out a chair for a completely stunned Anska and then took a seat next to her at the table and across from the strange woman. Glancing around the dining area, he noticed the symbolism carved into the woodwork, and the small shrine on a nearby shelf. Feeling his mouth drop open in shock as comprehension dawned on him, he swallowed nervously and turned back towards the woman.
“[censored] me,” he muttered. “Oops, sorry. Probably shouldn’t be so rude in the presence of a divine. You’re Kynareth, aren’t you? Or Kyne, I suppose, since we are in Skyrim.”
Anska inhaled a surprised breath and looked at the goddess in wonder. “Are...are you really?”
Kyne nodded. “I am. I’ve been guiding this family for nearly thirty years now. Kirin was my champion in the beginning, but Linneá took over that mantle about five years ago, when he took the throne and left Elysium to her. And I’ve been looking forward to meet you, Cain. Even I only learned of you recently �" it was difficult to not tell the others, but certain events had to play out before they became aware of you.”
“Wait wait wait,” said Cain. “You’ve known about me longer than they have? For how long exactly?”
“Hm. Time flows differently for me, but I think it’s been about a month,” she paused thoughtfully. “Yes, a month feels about right.”
“A month?! Why not come find me if I’m so important to everyone! Why let me stew in Anvil, all alone, when I had an entire family I knew nothing of!”
“I wanted to, Cain,” said Kyne. “You have no idea how much I wanted to after I learned of your existence. But events were already in motion and could not be interrupted. Still, I did speed things along a little bit.”
“You did? How so?”
“Let’s just say I encouraged the Fighter’s Guild to loan you out the way they did. Had I not done so, it may have been nearly a year before you found your way north naturally. And by waiting that long you’d have missed out on knowing the lovely miss Anska here.”
“You know my name?” gasped Anska.
“Of course I do, dear. Linneá let me know yesterday that you would both be meeting her and Serana here. I’d have introduced myself sooner if the Blue Palace wasn’t teeming with curious eyes. My presence on Nirn is known only to your family and a few other Divines. I prefer to keep it that way.”
Despite her reassuring tones, Cain still found himself frustrated about everything he had just learned from her. But that last part about meeting Anska quelled his temper enough to not lash out in anger at Kyne. Instead, he got to his feet and paced back and forth while digesting the fact that a Divine sat before them, something he had long thought an impossibility. Then a new thought popped into his head unbidden.
“Wait, does this mean I should start praying to you instead?” he asked. “Because I’ve always prayed to Leki before a fight, and my mother raised me to worship Tava.”
“Ariessa had good instincts, even if she didn’t realize it,” said Kyne with a coy smile on her lips. In a flash of white light, her form shifted into a face he found much more familiar. Her hair was still dark, but it was now braided intricately with countless gold plaits and woven filigree that fell to bare shoulders that had a similar skin tone to Cain’s own. “Does this suit your image of me more appropriately? You’ve already been worshiping the Reduard aspect of me for years and it’s been lovely.”
Cain stared at her in surprise again. “Wait, years? I thought you only just learned of me?”
“Devotion does not adhere to the flow of time, my child. I’m aware of all those who have ever worshiped me and once I was able to single you out, it all fell into place.” Tava shifted back into her usual form of Kyne and rose from the table. Taking Cain’s hands in her own, she smiled warmly at him. “I know this is a lot to take in - especially after everything else that’s happened. But you are a part of this family now, and you’ll find that I will always love you, much as your siblings and parents will. Speaking of which...were you able to get to know Lydia? I know she was worried about what you would think of her, and she set far too large a burden on herself.”
“She’s kinder than I expected,” said Cain. “I wouldn’t have faulted her at all if she had looked on me in disdain for having a different mother, but I believed her when she told me that she would love me as one of her own.”
“That’s good enough for now, Cain. No one expects you to start calling Lydia ‘mum’, but I’m sure it warms her heart to have you around. She’s a good person and we are all lucky to have her.” Kyne paused for a second to concentrate just the way Serana had shortly after they first met. “And speaking of ‘all’ of us, it appears Linneá and Serana will be here any second.”
“How… There’s something you still aren’t telling us, isn’t there?” asked Cain.
A purple light flashed outside of the nearby window and excited voices could be heard coming around the outside of the house, towards the front door. It opened with a thud as the door bounced off the wall, and Linneá dashed inside to join them while throwing her arms around the goddess and greeting her excitedly.
Tucked away behind the Bards College was a small flower garden nestled against the outermost wall of the city, and nearly teetering over the edge of Solitude’s natural arch. Butterflies floated about lazily while innumerable bees flitted from blossom to blossom, drinking deeply from their nectar. A slight upwelling from the briny waters far below carried a faint smell of salt, reminding Cain of his formative years in the city of Anvil, right on the shores of the Gold Coast.
Lost in the memories of home, he zoned out for a minute or two and failed to hear what Lydia had just said to him. “Er, sorry �" what were you saying? I drifted away for a little bit there...”
“It’s okay,” said Lydia. “I could tell your mind was elsewhere; your sister gets the same dreamy look on her face when something has her preoccupied. It’s endearing, which is why I usually won’t scold her for ignoring me.”
“Usually?”
Lydia chuckled. “Sometimes a mother has to remind her children who’s in charge. Even if said child has seen more danger in her short life than most will in several lifetimes.”
That wasn’t the first time Cain had heard someone speak of Linneá’s past deeds, but in the brief time they had together thus far, his sister didn’t seem to be very boastful. He could sense her strength and he noticed how others respected her...but part of him wondered if she played on her outgoing nature to keep others from looking to closely.
“What sort of danger?” asked Cain.
“How much time do you have?” sighed Lydia. “I’m sure she’d love to talk to you about it on her own some day, but let’s just say she’s been to some...exotic places. Not many people get to traverse a single Plane of Oblivion and live to tell about it, let alone two.”
“I’m sorry, what?” said Cain. The look of incredulity on his face brought a knowing smile to the queen’s soft features.
“Aye, two. Her and Serana had the misfortune of visiting the Soul Cairn twice, and Linneá entered Apocrypha on her own to rescue me.”
...”You can’t be serious.”
“It’s true,” nodded Lydia. “But, like I said, you can ask her about it yourself. Knowing my daughter and her lovely wife, they would both enjoy sitting around a table late into the night with you while the brandy flowed. Talk to her about it tomorrow night, if they have the time to spare.”
“But she seems so, I don’t know, humble? I mean, she’s definitely very outgoing and confident but I’m used to most people being boastful about any feats that would even begin to approach something of that scale!”
“Linn doesn’t like the spotlight, dear,” said Lydia. “Oh, is it okay if I call you that?” Cain smiled and nodded before she went on. “Okay, good. Like I said, she isn’t one for fame. It’s been hard for her since your father became High King. She, and Serana, went through a lot in the year leading up to our return, and then the Moot. If they had the choice, I think they’d have sailed off for distant lands after getting married, instead of moving into the Blue Palace. But enough about Linn �" we’re here for you, Cain. Would you like to start that walk now?”
Cain agreed and rose to his feet, offering a hand to the regal yet approachable queen, and they set off into town under the bright afternoon sun. The city streets were packed with residents of the capital city going about their daily business, from shopping to working to simply enjoying the beautiful weather. Lydia led the way while they spoke at length about Cain’s time in Anvil and his mother. Most people seemed unbothered by the High Queen’s presence among them, usually offering only a smile or gracious nod in her direction. Before long, she led him up the stairs of a tower that overlooked the main gate. The view looking out over the city and port was astonishing and they gazed out in silence for a few minutes.
“I come up here sometimes to think,” said Lydia. “The guards know to leave me be and you’ll notice the din of the city fades to a dull murmur. It’s much quieter than the palace. Despite my best efforts, there always seems to be a servant lurking nearby when I’m trying to relax within its walls.” She paused to study the young man staring out into the spanning northern lands. He looked more like his father than she first realized �" the same intensity that had captivated her nearly thirty years ago came naturally to the both of them. "May I ask what are you are thinking about?”
“Just imagining how much mother would have liked to see this place,” he replied, sadly. “I know she wanted to leave Cyrodiil someday and see more of the world. Had she not gotten sick, we likely would have left Anvil behind anyway and traveled to Hammerfell or maybe even High Rock.”
Lydia placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “I’m sorry your time together was so short, Cain. It’s hard for both child and parent to be apart for any length of time, willingly or not. I know it’s not the same, but Linneá and I were estranged for several years and it was hard on the both of us. Have you thought anymore about what I said last night?”
“About staying?”
“Yes. Kirin and I would never force you to,” she said. The she added with a laugh: “Although, your sister might! It’s been a long time since she was so excited about anything. Completely ignored us when we asked her not to interrupt you and Sybille.”
“I could tell,” laughed Cain. “Some of my ribs are still sore from when she lifted me bodily in that fierce hug of hers. And to answer your question; yes, I am staying. Without a doubt. “
Lydia’s smile stretched from ear to ear and could have illuminated the darkest corners of the world. She immediately wrapped her arms around him and sighed with relief. “I’m happy to hear that. Kirin will be too, even though he wasn’t able to join us. He’ll be there for dinner tonight though, unless he wants and earful from me.”
The sun began to sink towards the horizon as they descended from the tower and made their way back through the city streets towards the palace. Dinnertime was a lively affair, even without Linneá and Serana. Cain and Anska sat across from Kirin and Lydia while they dined, and they all chatted amicably for nearly an hour before his father had to return to his duties. Insisting they get some time alone, Lydia dismissed the young couple soon after, and refused to let them help clean up the mess.
And so, Cain once again found himself alone in the palace gardens with Anska, still amazed at how fortunate he was to have her around again, even with everything else going on around him. They sat beneath the moonlight for long time, conversing at length in a way that had not yet been able to.
“Do you find it odd that some of your family members keep referencing another woman?” asked Anska. “They are being really cagey about that one thing, while be completely open about everything else. But it also seems like they are...reverent, in a way.”
“I know what you mean,” said Cain. “My gut tells me there is definitely something more at play here, though I’m not sure what that is. Still, I don’t think they are necessary misleading us in anyway.”
“Oh, no, I don’t either. It’s just odd is all.”
“Agreed,” said Cain. Then he yawned loudly and stretched his arms before nodding his head back towards the palace. “I don’t know about you, but I’m still pretty tired from all that’s happened. Should we head back to the quarters? Long day again tomorrow...”
“I suppose so,” said Anska. She interlocked her arm with Cain’s and together they walked back inside, towards the bedrooms they’d been assigned earlier that day. They had just reached Anska’s room when Cain came to a stop. Anska looked at him, her eyebrow raised impatiently. “You’re quarters, Cain. I’m not finished with you yet.”
Catching the hint this time, Cain hastily led them upstairs to his own room. Once inside he shut the door and made it sure it was locked before joining a disrobed Anska in bed.
The next morning brought a quick breakfast before Cain bade his new parents goodbye. Together, he and Anska made their way through town, out of the main gate, and down the sloping road to the stables whereupon Cain booked another passage to Whiterun from a familiar carriage driver. The man did a double-take much the same way Cain had felt a touch of deja vu two nights ago, but he accepted the gold nonetheless and soon they were headed south once again.
It was an earlier start this time though, and thankfully the carriage was trundling to a stop outside of Elysium Estate just as the sun began to set. Heading up towards the door of his family’s ancestral home, he found it to be locked.
“We must have made it here before the others,” said Cain. “Guess we’ll have to grab a seat and wait for them to teleport back to us.”
“Maybe we should just knock?” asked Anska. “I feel something different about this place...almost like I can hear a gentle song on the wind.” Raising a hand to the door, she rapped on it once. Nothing happened for a moment, and then, without warning, the lock clicked and the heavy door swung open. “Um. Didn’t expect that to happen. After you?”
Cain placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and confidently stepped over the threshold. A gentle breeze blew through the opened windows of the house, and flames sprung to life in the fireplaces, candelabras, sconces, and lanterns throughout. Once inside, the door shut behind them with a snap, and they found themselves staring at a woman who had most certainly not been there before. A woman of near indescribable ethereal beauty, seated a the dining table just inside the entrance. Long dark hair flowed gently passed her shoulders, spilling over an azure robe that seemed to shimmer when she moved. Piercing emerald eyes that seemed to stare right through them regarded Cain and Anska with something approaching amusement, and Cain suddenly felt the need to kneel before this unknown being.
“Welcome to Elysium Estate, children. You needn’t bother kneeling, Cain,” she added. “I’m much more relaxed about that sort of things these days. Once upon a time your father couldn’t help but act with pure reverence towards me, but even he has relaxed considerably over the years. And don’t get me started on your sister.”
“...What the hell have I gotten into?” sighed Cain.
He pulled out a chair for a completely stunned Anska and then took a seat next to her at the table and across from the strange woman. Glancing around the dining area, he noticed the symbolism carved into the woodwork, and the small shrine on a nearby shelf. Feeling his mouth drop open in shock as comprehension dawned on him, he swallowed nervously and turned back towards the woman.
“[censored] me,” he muttered. “Oops, sorry. Probably shouldn’t be so rude in the presence of a divine. You’re Kynareth, aren’t you? Or Kyne, I suppose, since we are in Skyrim.”
Anska inhaled a surprised breath and looked at the goddess in wonder. “Are...are you really?”
Kyne nodded. “I am. I’ve been guiding this family for nearly thirty years now. Kirin was my champion in the beginning, but Linneá took over that mantle about five years ago, when he took the throne and left Elysium to her. And I’ve been looking forward to meet you, Cain. Even I only learned of you recently �" it was difficult to not tell the others, but certain events had to play out before they became aware of you.”
“Wait wait wait,” said Cain. “You’ve known about me longer than they have? For how long exactly?”
“Hm. Time flows differently for me, but I think it’s been about a month,” she paused thoughtfully. “Yes, a month feels about right.”
“A month?! Why not come find me if I’m so important to everyone! Why let me stew in Anvil, all alone, when I had an entire family I knew nothing of!”
“I wanted to, Cain,” said Kyne. “You have no idea how much I wanted to after I learned of your existence. But events were already in motion and could not be interrupted. Still, I did speed things along a little bit.”
“You did? How so?”
“Let’s just say I encouraged the Fighter’s Guild to loan you out the way they did. Had I not done so, it may have been nearly a year before you found your way north naturally. And by waiting that long you’d have missed out on knowing the lovely miss Anska here.”
“You know my name?” gasped Anska.
“Of course I do, dear. Linneá let me know yesterday that you would both be meeting her and Serana here. I’d have introduced myself sooner if the Blue Palace wasn’t teeming with curious eyes. My presence on Nirn is known only to your family and a few other Divines. I prefer to keep it that way.”
Despite her reassuring tones, Cain still found himself frustrated about everything he had just learned from her. But that last part about meeting Anska quelled his temper enough to not lash out in anger at Kyne. Instead, he got to his feet and paced back and forth while digesting the fact that a Divine sat before them, something he had long thought an impossibility. Then a new thought popped into his head unbidden.
“Wait, does this mean I should start praying to you instead?” he asked. “Because I’ve always prayed to Leki before a fight, and my mother raised me to worship Tava.”
“Ariessa had good instincts, even if she didn’t realize it,” said Kyne with a coy smile on her lips. In a flash of white light, her form shifted into a face he found much more familiar. Her hair was still dark, but it was now braided intricately with countless gold plaits and woven filigree that fell to bare shoulders that had a similar skin tone to Cain’s own. “Does this suit your image of me more appropriately? You’ve already been worshiping the Reduard aspect of me for years and it’s been lovely.”
Cain stared at her in surprise again. “Wait, years? I thought you only just learned of me?”
“Devotion does not adhere to the flow of time, my child. I’m aware of all those who have ever worshiped me and once I was able to single you out, it all fell into place.” Tava shifted back into her usual form of Kyne and rose from the table. Taking Cain’s hands in her own, she smiled warmly at him. “I know this is a lot to take in - especially after everything else that’s happened. But you are a part of this family now, and you’ll find that I will always love you, much as your siblings and parents will. Speaking of which...were you able to get to know Lydia? I know she was worried about what you would think of her, and she set far too large a burden on herself.”
“She’s kinder than I expected,” said Cain. “I wouldn’t have faulted her at all if she had looked on me in disdain for having a different mother, but I believed her when she told me that she would love me as one of her own.”
“That’s good enough for now, Cain. No one expects you to start calling Lydia ‘mum’, but I’m sure it warms her heart to have you around. She’s a good person and we are all lucky to have her.” Kyne paused for a second to concentrate just the way Serana had shortly after they first met. “And speaking of ‘all’ of us, it appears Linneá and Serana will be here any second.”
“How… There’s something you still aren’t telling us, isn’t there?” asked Cain.
A purple light flashed outside of the nearby window and excited voices could be heard coming around the outside of the house, towards the front door. It opened with a thud as the door bounced off the wall, and Linneá dashed inside to join them while throwing her arms around the goddess and greeting her excitedly.
The fluid aspect of a Divine is on full display leaving Cain momentarily confused. I like how well you did that.
Linnea’s entrance, I’m sure, left Cain speechless.
Linnea’s entrance, I’m sure, left Cain speechless.
It still hasn't really hit him yet and the hug definitely threw him off.
Chapter XIII – Gentle Winds and Powerful Knowledge
The noise level inside Elysium Estate grew considerably when the new arrivals dashed in and hugged Kyne in turn. They spoke eagerly for a minute or two before Linneá joined a dumbfounded Cain and Anska at the dining table while Serana walked over to the empty kitchen. She rummaged around for another minute and then headed back to the dining area with five glasses and a bottle of her favorite Colovian Brandy, poured five very healthy measures, and sat down next to her wife.
“How are things going in Blacklight, Linn?” asked Kyne. “Still too early to tell?”
“Much too early. The Telvanni won’t arrive until tomorrow, so we’ve just been getting to know the other councilors while we wait. Ulvon of House Redoran is the most important of the lot and he seems more willing than I expected, so that’s good.”
“Yeah, he is much more pragma – “ began Serana, but was unexpectedly cut off by her brother-in-law.
“Hold on a damn minute!” he half yelled. “What the hell family did I walk into where my siblings are just casually hugging and talking to a literal DIVINE like they are friends from childhood?! None of you could have given me a heads-up in Solitude? I’m supposed to just think this is completely normal?” Cain began to hyperventilate at the enormity of everything that was just revealed and found himself standing up quickly and heading outside. “I need a minute.”
The front door closed with a snap leaving a suddenly quiet atmosphere around the dining table. Kyne glanced sternly at Linneá and Serana with an eyebrow raised questioningly. “Is that true? Not a single one of you gave him any indication that I may be here? Or that I was around at all?”
“Um. Well, it’s kind of a big deal and neither mum nor dad said anything, so we didn’t think that…”
“Linneá, I would have thought you’d know better, especially after you kept it from Serana at first,” said Kyne. “And you Serana – you didn’t think it fair to give them a warning? I know how upset you were when Kirin let it slip before Linn told you. I’m surprised you didn’t take the initiative!”
“I…no, you’re right, mum,” Serana exhaled. “Just got caught up in the excitement with the rest of them. I should have said something to him. I’ll go and check on him.”
“No, let me do that,” said Anska, who had been quiet up until now. “My brain is about to explode too, so I think it’ll be good for the both of us.”
“Are you sure, dear?” asked Kyne. “I know this has been a lot and I can sense you’re not exactly calm, despite outward appearances. Maybe Linn should –“
Anska shook her head. “I’ll go. Just give us a few minutes, yeah?” She stood up and headed outside to find Cain, leaving a much more somber trio seated at the table. Linneá and Serana both looked bashful while Kyne sighed and stared accusingly at them.
Outside the house Cain stood under a tree, barely discernable from the nighttime darkness that filled the land around them. Only a sliver of his armor gleamed in the soft glow of Secunda’s light, indicating that he as was there at all. Anska walked over to him and took his hand, motioning to a bench against the outer wall of the estate boundary. They sat down together but did so in silence for a few minutes, until Cain spoke softly to her.
“I’m sorry I’ve gotten you involved in all of this…insanity. Dragons, kings, queens, and now goddesses. Life was much simpler a few days ago, eh? One minute we’re both on a simple job and the next we’re wrapped up within the stuff of legends.”
Anska was unsurprised to hear him say that, for it had been a long time since she’d met someone like Cain. Someone who often cared about others more than they cared about themselves. It was a quality of his that she found endearing after being on her own in Stonehills for so long, and it’s what drew Anska to the stoic Redguard in the first place. And somehow, it helped to calm her mind down after everything they just walked into.
“Life may have been simpler but it wasn’t nearly as exciting, Cain. Don’t get me wrong – I was freaking the [censored] out in there and I’m pretty sure Kyne saw me quavering a few times. Then she would smile so gracefully at me that I couldn’t help but be enamored with her all over again.” She placed a hand on his leg and smiled at him. “You’ve found something special here, even if it is overwhelming. How many people in all of history can say they met a Divine in person? Let alone be treated as part of their family? I know it’s a lot to take in, but I also know how capable you are. And look how happy your sister was to see her again – they seem like best friends or something even closer, rather than goddess and champion.”
Cain didn’t say anything for a moment. A lot of what she’d said to him was true and had been racing through his head since he had stepped outside, but it was good to know he wasn’t alone in how overwhelming it all was. He returned her smile, lost in her enchantingly deep brown eyes, and then he kissed Anska deeply, running his fingers through her long blonde hair.
Pulling away after a few seconds, she playfully smacked him on the shoulder. “Don’t get me all worked up before we go back in there!” Anska got up from the bench and offered Cain a hand. “Ready?”
“No. But it’s not like we have a choice.”
They stepped back inside the house a few seconds later, sat back down around the table, and downed their glasses of brandy in unison. Cain wiped the corners of his mouth with a linen napkin and then addressed them. “Sorry about that,” he said, sheepishly. “That was a lot to take in though.”
“Think nothing of it, my child,” said Kyne. “I took the opportunity to scold these two for not warning you ahead of time that I would most likely be here. Please don’t be nervous or scared in my presence. I only ask for one thing from those that are a part of my family – love. If you love me, I will love you, and it will bring us all together. There is nothing more important in this world and it will let us persevere against anything it throws our way.”
“Don’t be so sappy, mum,” said Linneá. “They wouldn’t have come back in if they couldn’t handle us. Right, brother?”
“Hush, Elle,” scolded Serana. “Kyne knows what she is doing and she was right about us not telling them sooner. I was very cross when dad spilled the beans and it was only your immediate honesty and the fact that I could feel how upset you were about it filtering through our connection that kept me from being extremely angry with you about it.”
“I… Were you really that angry?” asked Linneá. “I mean, I could tell you were mad but I didn’t think it went quite that far…”
“If I hadn’t already fallen for you, or been able to sense your distress over it, I don’t know what would have happened between us. It also helped your case that you did summon her not long after.”
Linneá dabbed at the corner of her eyes with a napkin before taking Serana’s hands and leading her away from the table. Anska and Cain had been sitting awkwardly across from them, feeling like they should have been elsewhere during this conversation, but he couldn’t stop himself from asking Kyne about something that had been bugging him for a couple of days now. Something that seemed unlikely, yet could not be called impossible in light of recent events.
The goddess spoke first though, offering some reassurance to them. “Don’t worry, they’ll be back soon. I’ve never met two people that love each other as much as they do – Linn just wants to apologize in a more intimate setting. That room they disappeared into used to be their bedroom.”
“Er, I don’t mean to pry but can I ask you something?”
“Of course you can, dear,” answered Kyne.
“Can you read each other’s minds? There’s been a couple times now where it seemed like you were, and then Serana just mentioned some kind of connection between her and Linneá… What aren’t you three telling me?”
“It goes a bit beyond that,” said Kyne. “We are connected mentally and can speak with each other over vast distances, but the connection they share goes deeper even than that. Not even I can peer that deeply inside their minds.”
“Wait, really?” inquired Anska. “Is that even possible?”
“The ability is innate for my kind. However, in Linneá’s case she is truly gifted in her magickal acumen. When Linn was younger she began to explore the depths of her dragon blood, and devised a way to draw power from it, despite keeping it sequestered. I still don’t think she realizes how incredible of a feat that truly is, even though I told her it shouldn’t be possible.”
“It sounds like she stole a little bit of divine power,” said Cain, awestruck at the thought of his sister doing something that bold.
“A novel way of looking at it that suits her well,” acknowledged Kyne. “She always was a good thief, and why let a pesky thing like normality stop here from pushing magickal depths? I’m glad she didn’t go any further though – some of the other divines wouldn’t take kindly to a mortal tapping into that sort of power.”
Cain shook his head in disbelief and reached for the brandy bottle, topping off his glass and offering more to Anska. She declined and headed for the kitchen instead, looking for mead and a stout tankard to pour it in. The cabinet Serana had looked through before offered a few bottles of aged Honningbrew that Anska gleefully grabbed and returned to the table with, while Cain chuckled quietly at her.
“What?” she asked him. “Did you forget that I’m a Nord from one of the snowiest areas in Skyrim? Mead is in my blood!” She banged the tankard off the table and downed it in one go before uncorking another bottle. “That’s much better than the ritzy stuff you’re drinking. Now then, I have some questions of my own, Kyne. If you don’t mind that is…”
The goddess smiled at her. “Not all, my child. Ask away.”
“You said this all goes back to the king becoming your champion? How did that all come about?”
“I supposed we can get into a little ancient history,” said Kyne. “Give me one moment to see if the others will be rejoining us soon.” She paused and a look of concentration appeared on her delicate features, followed quickly by a deep blush. “Good heavens, those two are incorrigible. At least they are being quiet about it. We’ll continue without them!”
The three of them spoke at length for nearly an hour as Kyne recounted the last thirty years to Cain and Anska, and all the events that his family had been through in that time. He had heard bits and pieces from Linneá and Lydia over the last few days, but he hadn’t imagined just how harrowing it had truly been for the four of them. By the end, he found himself feeling grateful his sister and Serana had managed to rescue the king and queen at all. As short a time as they had been together, Cain couldn’t bear the thought of his father and step-mother succumbing to the fates they had nearly been consigned to. They had showed him nothing but love and compassion and it wasn’t until now that he’d realized just how much of an affect it had had on him so quickly.
“Are you alright, Cain?” asked Anska. She had placed a hand on his shoulder after Kyne finished the tale and was looking concernedly at him. “You’ve been oddly quiet for a few minutes now.”
“Yeah, sorry, I just got…lost in my thoughts.” He smiled at her before turning to Kyne. “I didn’t know what to expect when you started that saga, but it surely wasn’t all of that. Lydia hinted a little at some of the things Linneá and Serana had done, but I never imagined how perilous it was. For all of them. To go through such things and come out so strongly on the other side…”
“You can’t help but feel proud for them,” finished Kyne. “They are a very special family, Cain, and they are completely genuine in their love for you. The excitement radiating from Linn alone right now is so palpable it’s hard not to smile endlessly whenever she is around. And I can sense how much it means to you already. Don’t hold yourself back from them. That goes for you too, Anska.”
“Me?” said Anska. “What do you mean?”
“They can tell how much you two like each other. I know your relationship is young, but their loyalty is fierce and I have no doubts that Linneá and Serana would love to have another sister in their lives. Ah, speak of the devils…”
A door opened from somewhere down the hall leading away from the dining area and they emerged from the dimly lit corridor to rejoin them. Serana was panting slightly when she took a seat at the table and smiled wanly. Linneá didn’t get a chance to sit down. Cain had gotten up from his seat while they approached and he hugged his sister tightly, heeding the advice from the goddess that watched over all of them. Surprised but delighted, she returned the hug warmly as tears of joy flowed freely down her face.
There wasn’t a dry eye in the room when they parted. Linneá held Cain at arm’s length and beamed at him before bringing up the reason they were all there.
“Thank you for that, brother. It means more than you could know,” she cleared her throat and then continued, “Now then, you came here to learn what it means to be Dragonborn, yes? Well, there are a few ways we can go about that but I have a much simpler solution in mind.”
“Wait, Linn!” shouted Kyne. “Don’t do it that way, it’s too much at once!”
But it was too late. Linneá had already let go of Cain’s arms and stepped back as the swirling orange and blue energies of her dragon essence and knowledge poured forth from her being and flowed unbidden into her brother. Unsure of what was happening, Anska had rushed towards them from the table just in time to catch an unconscious Cain and keep him from falling to the floor.
The noise level inside Elysium Estate grew considerably when the new arrivals dashed in and hugged Kyne in turn. They spoke eagerly for a minute or two before Linneá joined a dumbfounded Cain and Anska at the dining table while Serana walked over to the empty kitchen. She rummaged around for another minute and then headed back to the dining area with five glasses and a bottle of her favorite Colovian Brandy, poured five very healthy measures, and sat down next to her wife.
“How are things going in Blacklight, Linn?” asked Kyne. “Still too early to tell?”
“Much too early. The Telvanni won’t arrive until tomorrow, so we’ve just been getting to know the other councilors while we wait. Ulvon of House Redoran is the most important of the lot and he seems more willing than I expected, so that’s good.”
“Yeah, he is much more pragma – “ began Serana, but was unexpectedly cut off by her brother-in-law.
“Hold on a damn minute!” he half yelled. “What the hell family did I walk into where my siblings are just casually hugging and talking to a literal DIVINE like they are friends from childhood?! None of you could have given me a heads-up in Solitude? I’m supposed to just think this is completely normal?” Cain began to hyperventilate at the enormity of everything that was just revealed and found himself standing up quickly and heading outside. “I need a minute.”
The front door closed with a snap leaving a suddenly quiet atmosphere around the dining table. Kyne glanced sternly at Linneá and Serana with an eyebrow raised questioningly. “Is that true? Not a single one of you gave him any indication that I may be here? Or that I was around at all?”
“Um. Well, it’s kind of a big deal and neither mum nor dad said anything, so we didn’t think that…”
“Linneá, I would have thought you’d know better, especially after you kept it from Serana at first,” said Kyne. “And you Serana – you didn’t think it fair to give them a warning? I know how upset you were when Kirin let it slip before Linn told you. I’m surprised you didn’t take the initiative!”
“I…no, you’re right, mum,” Serana exhaled. “Just got caught up in the excitement with the rest of them. I should have said something to him. I’ll go and check on him.”
“No, let me do that,” said Anska, who had been quiet up until now. “My brain is about to explode too, so I think it’ll be good for the both of us.”
“Are you sure, dear?” asked Kyne. “I know this has been a lot and I can sense you’re not exactly calm, despite outward appearances. Maybe Linn should –“
Anska shook her head. “I’ll go. Just give us a few minutes, yeah?” She stood up and headed outside to find Cain, leaving a much more somber trio seated at the table. Linneá and Serana both looked bashful while Kyne sighed and stared accusingly at them.
Outside the house Cain stood under a tree, barely discernable from the nighttime darkness that filled the land around them. Only a sliver of his armor gleamed in the soft glow of Secunda’s light, indicating that he as was there at all. Anska walked over to him and took his hand, motioning to a bench against the outer wall of the estate boundary. They sat down together but did so in silence for a few minutes, until Cain spoke softly to her.
“I’m sorry I’ve gotten you involved in all of this…insanity. Dragons, kings, queens, and now goddesses. Life was much simpler a few days ago, eh? One minute we’re both on a simple job and the next we’re wrapped up within the stuff of legends.”
Anska was unsurprised to hear him say that, for it had been a long time since she’d met someone like Cain. Someone who often cared about others more than they cared about themselves. It was a quality of his that she found endearing after being on her own in Stonehills for so long, and it’s what drew Anska to the stoic Redguard in the first place. And somehow, it helped to calm her mind down after everything they just walked into.
“Life may have been simpler but it wasn’t nearly as exciting, Cain. Don’t get me wrong – I was freaking the [censored] out in there and I’m pretty sure Kyne saw me quavering a few times. Then she would smile so gracefully at me that I couldn’t help but be enamored with her all over again.” She placed a hand on his leg and smiled at him. “You’ve found something special here, even if it is overwhelming. How many people in all of history can say they met a Divine in person? Let alone be treated as part of their family? I know it’s a lot to take in, but I also know how capable you are. And look how happy your sister was to see her again – they seem like best friends or something even closer, rather than goddess and champion.”
Cain didn’t say anything for a moment. A lot of what she’d said to him was true and had been racing through his head since he had stepped outside, but it was good to know he wasn’t alone in how overwhelming it all was. He returned her smile, lost in her enchantingly deep brown eyes, and then he kissed Anska deeply, running his fingers through her long blonde hair.
Pulling away after a few seconds, she playfully smacked him on the shoulder. “Don’t get me all worked up before we go back in there!” Anska got up from the bench and offered Cain a hand. “Ready?”
“No. But it’s not like we have a choice.”
They stepped back inside the house a few seconds later, sat back down around the table, and downed their glasses of brandy in unison. Cain wiped the corners of his mouth with a linen napkin and then addressed them. “Sorry about that,” he said, sheepishly. “That was a lot to take in though.”
“Think nothing of it, my child,” said Kyne. “I took the opportunity to scold these two for not warning you ahead of time that I would most likely be here. Please don’t be nervous or scared in my presence. I only ask for one thing from those that are a part of my family – love. If you love me, I will love you, and it will bring us all together. There is nothing more important in this world and it will let us persevere against anything it throws our way.”
“Don’t be so sappy, mum,” said Linneá. “They wouldn’t have come back in if they couldn’t handle us. Right, brother?”
“Hush, Elle,” scolded Serana. “Kyne knows what she is doing and she was right about us not telling them sooner. I was very cross when dad spilled the beans and it was only your immediate honesty and the fact that I could feel how upset you were about it filtering through our connection that kept me from being extremely angry with you about it.”
“I… Were you really that angry?” asked Linneá. “I mean, I could tell you were mad but I didn’t think it went quite that far…”
“If I hadn’t already fallen for you, or been able to sense your distress over it, I don’t know what would have happened between us. It also helped your case that you did summon her not long after.”
Linneá dabbed at the corner of her eyes with a napkin before taking Serana’s hands and leading her away from the table. Anska and Cain had been sitting awkwardly across from them, feeling like they should have been elsewhere during this conversation, but he couldn’t stop himself from asking Kyne about something that had been bugging him for a couple of days now. Something that seemed unlikely, yet could not be called impossible in light of recent events.
The goddess spoke first though, offering some reassurance to them. “Don’t worry, they’ll be back soon. I’ve never met two people that love each other as much as they do – Linn just wants to apologize in a more intimate setting. That room they disappeared into used to be their bedroom.”
“Er, I don’t mean to pry but can I ask you something?”
“Of course you can, dear,” answered Kyne.
“Can you read each other’s minds? There’s been a couple times now where it seemed like you were, and then Serana just mentioned some kind of connection between her and Linneá… What aren’t you three telling me?”
“It goes a bit beyond that,” said Kyne. “We are connected mentally and can speak with each other over vast distances, but the connection they share goes deeper even than that. Not even I can peer that deeply inside their minds.”
“Wait, really?” inquired Anska. “Is that even possible?”
“The ability is innate for my kind. However, in Linneá’s case she is truly gifted in her magickal acumen. When Linn was younger she began to explore the depths of her dragon blood, and devised a way to draw power from it, despite keeping it sequestered. I still don’t think she realizes how incredible of a feat that truly is, even though I told her it shouldn’t be possible.”
“It sounds like she stole a little bit of divine power,” said Cain, awestruck at the thought of his sister doing something that bold.
“A novel way of looking at it that suits her well,” acknowledged Kyne. “She always was a good thief, and why let a pesky thing like normality stop here from pushing magickal depths? I’m glad she didn’t go any further though – some of the other divines wouldn’t take kindly to a mortal tapping into that sort of power.”
Cain shook his head in disbelief and reached for the brandy bottle, topping off his glass and offering more to Anska. She declined and headed for the kitchen instead, looking for mead and a stout tankard to pour it in. The cabinet Serana had looked through before offered a few bottles of aged Honningbrew that Anska gleefully grabbed and returned to the table with, while Cain chuckled quietly at her.
“What?” she asked him. “Did you forget that I’m a Nord from one of the snowiest areas in Skyrim? Mead is in my blood!” She banged the tankard off the table and downed it in one go before uncorking another bottle. “That’s much better than the ritzy stuff you’re drinking. Now then, I have some questions of my own, Kyne. If you don’t mind that is…”
The goddess smiled at her. “Not all, my child. Ask away.”
“You said this all goes back to the king becoming your champion? How did that all come about?”
“I supposed we can get into a little ancient history,” said Kyne. “Give me one moment to see if the others will be rejoining us soon.” She paused and a look of concentration appeared on her delicate features, followed quickly by a deep blush. “Good heavens, those two are incorrigible. At least they are being quiet about it. We’ll continue without them!”
The three of them spoke at length for nearly an hour as Kyne recounted the last thirty years to Cain and Anska, and all the events that his family had been through in that time. He had heard bits and pieces from Linneá and Lydia over the last few days, but he hadn’t imagined just how harrowing it had truly been for the four of them. By the end, he found himself feeling grateful his sister and Serana had managed to rescue the king and queen at all. As short a time as they had been together, Cain couldn’t bear the thought of his father and step-mother succumbing to the fates they had nearly been consigned to. They had showed him nothing but love and compassion and it wasn’t until now that he’d realized just how much of an affect it had had on him so quickly.
“Are you alright, Cain?” asked Anska. She had placed a hand on his shoulder after Kyne finished the tale and was looking concernedly at him. “You’ve been oddly quiet for a few minutes now.”
“Yeah, sorry, I just got…lost in my thoughts.” He smiled at her before turning to Kyne. “I didn’t know what to expect when you started that saga, but it surely wasn’t all of that. Lydia hinted a little at some of the things Linneá and Serana had done, but I never imagined how perilous it was. For all of them. To go through such things and come out so strongly on the other side…”
“You can’t help but feel proud for them,” finished Kyne. “They are a very special family, Cain, and they are completely genuine in their love for you. The excitement radiating from Linn alone right now is so palpable it’s hard not to smile endlessly whenever she is around. And I can sense how much it means to you already. Don’t hold yourself back from them. That goes for you too, Anska.”
“Me?” said Anska. “What do you mean?”
“They can tell how much you two like each other. I know your relationship is young, but their loyalty is fierce and I have no doubts that Linneá and Serana would love to have another sister in their lives. Ah, speak of the devils…”
A door opened from somewhere down the hall leading away from the dining area and they emerged from the dimly lit corridor to rejoin them. Serana was panting slightly when she took a seat at the table and smiled wanly. Linneá didn’t get a chance to sit down. Cain had gotten up from his seat while they approached and he hugged his sister tightly, heeding the advice from the goddess that watched over all of them. Surprised but delighted, she returned the hug warmly as tears of joy flowed freely down her face.
There wasn’t a dry eye in the room when they parted. Linneá held Cain at arm’s length and beamed at him before bringing up the reason they were all there.
“Thank you for that, brother. It means more than you could know,” she cleared her throat and then continued, “Now then, you came here to learn what it means to be Dragonborn, yes? Well, there are a few ways we can go about that but I have a much simpler solution in mind.”
“Wait, Linn!” shouted Kyne. “Don’t do it that way, it’s too much at once!”
But it was too late. Linneá had already let go of Cain’s arms and stepped back as the swirling orange and blue energies of her dragon essence and knowledge poured forth from her being and flowed unbidden into her brother. Unsure of what was happening, Anska had rushed towards them from the table just in time to catch an unconscious Cain and keep him from falling to the floor.
Chapter XIV - Acceptance
Cain woke up the next morning with a splitting headache. He laid in a strange bed for a few moments and stared up at the rafters while trying to remember exactly what the hell had happened last night that led him to his current situation. He didn’t drink all that much, and the last thing he recalled was standing in front of Linneá as she bowed her head and spread her arms wide, with Kyne in the background yelling something that he could not decipher.
And then it hit him like the strong winds of a storm blowing in from the Abecean Sea. The power, the knowledge, and the roar of a dragon had risen within him and rested calmly beneath the waves of his spirit. Still staring at the ceiling, Cain reveled in the newfound abilities his sister had granted him so effortlessly, and he dared to whisper a single syllable into the calm air above him.
“Fus.”
A small but still powerful buffet of air erupted forth from him and shook the rafters above, dislodging a layer of dust that poured down onto the bed.
“No shouting in my house, please,” came a soft voice from the nearby doorway. Cain turned his head to see Kyne silhouetted in the frame, smiling gently at him. “Feeling alright this morning I take it?”
“I’ve got the worst headache, but I feel fine otherwise,” said Cain.
“Good. I was worried she may have overdone it last night. Go take a bath, and then come join Anska and I for some tea and that headache will clear right up.”
“A bath? Whatever for?”
“I prefer my guests to be clean and unsullied. Bath. Now. There is a warm pool out back that is fed by the forge.”
“Yes, mother,” grumbled Cain, rolling his eyes dramatically.
“You jest, but you’ll end up calling me that in end, just like all the others have. Hurry up and go, if you please. Breakfast will be served when you join us, and Anska is getting very hungry.”
She left the doorway as Cain swung his legs over the edge of the bed and slipped on a pair of loafers that had been left on the floor next to his feet. He left the guest room and ducked out the back door in search of the warm bath Kyne had mentioned and stopped short when he saw the elaborate smithing area tucked away behind the house. The fires of a burning forge rested beneath a massive stone statue of a hawk, and under a decent size patio roof sat a tanning rack, workbench, grindstone, several shelves and chests, and even a smelter.
But the goddess’ words bounced around his head while his stomach grumbled, so Cain decided to come back out and rummage through the supplies after they had all eaten breakfast. The bath turned out to be much more enticing that Cain had anticipated, and it took more willpower than he expected to pull himself from the steaming waters, get dressed, and head back inside. All told, he joined Kyne and Anska at the familiar dining table about fifteen minutes later and started sipping from a steaming mug of freshly brewed tea.
“How was the bath?” asked Anska. “It was a little too warm for my taste, but I know you’re more used to that sort of thing.”
“Delightful,” said Cain. “Although now I’m sad that we weren’t able to enjoy it together. Sorta wish you had woken me up earlier!”
“Uh uh,” tutted Kyne. “I get enough of that from your sisters �" let’s just enjoy a nice morning meal and leave the bedroom talk be, please.” Cain and Anska both nodded while trying not to grin, and Kyne continued on: “Now, then… how are you two doing this morning? I’m sure that meeting someone like myself out of the blue was a bit of a shock. Can I do anything to help ease your minds?”
“Honestly, ma’am, I think I’m okay,” said Anska. “I can’t speak for Cain, but after Linneá and Serana showed up the initial shock wore off a bit. It was endearing to see how close you three are and it helped drive home the feeling that I shouldn’t be so nervous. I never thought I’d live to see a Divine in such a… normal capacity.”
Cain had already helped himself to a plate of fruit and took a second to swallow a mouthful before agreeing with Anska. “Same. It was all too much at first, but after Anska came out to see how I was doing, I was able to cool off and sit back down with a more open mind. And then after we spoke for a while things did indeed feel more normal. You really drove home the family aspect of all this in a way that hadn’t reached me yet. I’m very thankful for that.”
Kyne beamed brightly at both of them. “Good, I’m glad. You really did a number on Linn with that hug too, Cain. I don’t think she expected such a heartfelt reciprocation of love like that from you soon, even if she forced you into unconsciousness shortly after it.”
“I took your advice about not holding back and put a lot of unspoken feelings into that embrace,” said Cain. “Until we got here last night and all of that unfolded, there was a part of me deep down that thought everything happening was good to be true. In the span of several hours, I went from having no one to having an entire family that was overjoyed for me to be there. And finding Anska again was the cherry on top, even if the circumstances that brought her to Solitude were terrible.”
The maiden blushed at his words in spite of the sadness still resonating within her over the loss of her home. Kyne sensed the torrent of emotions and moved around the table to comfort Anska while they ate the remainder of their meal in silence. Once they finished, Cain and Anska hurried off with the dishes and cleaned everything up before sitting back down with the goddess for a final goodbye.
“We’ll see each other again, don’t fret,” she assured them. “As long as you aren’t around prying eyes, you’ll find I can’t help but stop by from time to time, no matter where you may find yourselves. However, I do have one more thing for you Cain, before you head back to Solitude. Linneá left her old book on Mark and Recall atop the table near the fireplace down the hall. I can tell you have a touch for restoration spells, so don’t be intimidated by teleportation. It’s an immensely useful skill to have, unless you feel like walking all the way back up to the Blue Palace. Study the theory and practice with short jumps around the estate. Don’t take too long though �" I gather that your father wants to sit down with you tonight.”
Cain and Anska stood up with Kyne and she hugged them in turn. In a flash, the goddess resumed her hawk form and soared out an open window, leaving the two of them behind with a task that Cain found daunting.
“Don’t look so anxious about it, it’s just another spell, right?”
“I guess,” said Cain. “Still pretty advanced though if you ask me. Guess I better go flip through that book before the day drags on. If you get bored, there is a wonderful smithing area out back of the house. I wouldn’t mind it if you touched up the fittings on my armor.”
“Hm, that does sound better than sitting around in here watching you read a book. I might head into town later for a bit, too �" I’ve never been to any city other than Morthal. Well, Solitude too, I guess.”
“If you do, stop by Jorrvaskr and give Athis a bad time for me. Make sure to remind him who the boss is now,” laughed Cain. Anska smiled and gave him a quick kiss before heading outside and leaving him to the hefty book laying on the end table. He picked it up with a sigh and started leafing through the introductory pages until he found the first chapter on magickal theory. It started off about as dry as Cain expected it would, but a few pages in he saw a scrawled notation at the bottom that was written in a very pretty, flowing cursive.
Skip ahead to chapter three unless you want to be so bored that you’ll consider sticking your head in the smelter.
The short message bore all the earmarks of being written by Linneá and he laughed aloud before jumping ahead in the book. It was nearly three o’clock in the afternoon when Anska returned to find him steeling himself for a first practical attempt at using the spell. Cain had marked a small piece of cloth and laid it on the floor near the front of the house, and was pacing back and forth in the the back, reciting the important parts in his head.
“How’s it going so far?” she asked him.
“Um. It’s time to test it out, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t apprehensive about it. If all goes well, I should warp up to the front door.”
“Sounds like you need a little incentive.” Anska slipped off her traveling cloak and started to untie the laces of her blouse. “How about this: I’ll wait up there for you, and if it works you can help me finish taking this off.”
“Well, when you put it that way…” He stopped pacing and closed his eyes in concentration. Anska’s footsteps faded away while she walked up towards the marker lying on the floor. Imagining the promised reward vividly, he visualized the destination and in a flash of magickal light, Cain vanished on the spot and reappeared directly in front of Anska. She didn’t expect him to try it that quickly and yelped in surprise at his sudden emergence from a swirling purple vortex.
“Holy [censored]! You could have warned me first! I didn’t think you would try it that fast!”
“And miss out on my prize?” grinned Cain. “Not likely.” He finished pulling her top off and then picked her up and set her on the kitchen counter.
They were kissing passionately for a couple of minutes until things started getting a little too heated for Anska and she pulled away before Cain’s hand wandered further south. “Uh uh, that’s enough for now,” she panted. “We don’t have that kind of time. Keep practicing, I want to get back to the Palace for dinner and we shouldn’t be late if your father is expecting us. The larders are a little barren here.”
Cain made a big show of being disappointed until she gave him another lingering kiss. Then he spent the next hour practicing the spell by moving further and further away from the house until he felt comfortable enough in his ability to return them to Solitude.
“How are you going to get us there?” said Anska. “You didn’t even know how to use the spell until today, so there is no way you could have marked anything that we can recall to. And how does it work for me? Do I just hold on for dear life and hope I don’t vanish forever?”
“You’ll be safe with me,” promised Cain. “As for marking… Linn had some notes in the back of the book about that. She found that things could be marked subconsciously if a meaningful event happened on or with them. I was going to focus on the scroll we discovered. That should drop us right into the depths of the palace.”
Anska bit her lip and frowned in worry. The way her nose crinkled when she did that made Cain a little weak in the knees, but brave as she was, he could tell she needed some reassurance. He took her hands and looked directly into her eyes. “It’ll work. I promise.”
“… Okay. I trust you. When do you want to �" “
Her sentence remained unfinished and hung on the air as they disappeared from the estate in a flash of light. Before she realized what had happened, they found themselves standing in the same room Cain had been brought to a few nights ago, the scroll still lying unfurled on the table next to them.
Looking around wildly, Anska saw where they were and proceeded to slap Cain across his face.
“Asshole! Why did you do it like that? I wasn’t anywhere close to being ready! You might be used to magick and spells but I’m not!”
“Sorry,” said Cain with an abashed look. “I just thought it might be easier to get it over with. Didn’t want you to get overly nervous about it.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” she grumbled. “You’re lucky you’re so damn handsome, Mr. Prince of Skyrim. Otherwise I’d have done a lot more than slap you for that stunt.” Anska opened her mouth to say something else, and then quickly shut it again when she noticed they weren’t actually alone. Kirin and Sybille were sitting a table in the corner and they were watching the scene unfold with amused looks on their faces. “Oh, dammit,” blushed Anska. “This is embarrassing. See what you did, Cain?”
The high king waved her off. “Don’t worry about it, lass,” he said. “I’m glad you two are back, but can you excuse yourselves until supper time? Sybille and I still have some things to discuss.”
“Y-yes, of course,” said Anska. “C’mon, let’s get out of here.” She grabbed Cain by the arm and pulled him into the hallway, shut the door behind them with a snap, and rounded on the Redguard. “Nice job, lunkhead. Imagine thinking that was a good idea when we had no idea who would be around. You’re lucky your father is such a kind person!” Then she turned on her heels and marched off for the living quarters, leaving a regretful Cain behind.
“Hey, where are you going?” he called after her.
“To my room for a while. Alone. I’ll see you at dinner.”
Cain watched her leave with a shameful feeling lying in the pit of his stomach. He figured they still had a couple of hours until that dinner, so he wandered alone off in a different direction to explore the Palace while he waited. The corridors and rooms that stretched out around him seemed to be endless: larders, latrines, storerooms, living quarters, and studies were littered throughout, and he eventually stumbled into a vast library teeming with towering shelves upon shelves filled with books and tomes. Smiling at the sight of it, Cain retreated to one of the pantries he had just passed, grabbed a couple bottles of mead, and returned to the stacks intent on getting lost in a book until dinner hour.
Several chapters into a good old-fashioned adventure tale, the sound of the door opening caught his attention and he looked up just in time to see Lydia enter the library and walk towards him. “I see you found your sister’s private collection. Her and Serana spent the better part of the last five years putting this together and they spend most of their time down here.”
“It’s amazing!” said Cain, shutting the book he was reading. “There are more books here than in all of Anvil.”
“She’ll be happy to hear you’re enjoying it. How did everything go at Elysium? Was she able to help you?”
“You could say that,” replied Cain. “First things first, though… You have some explaining to do. About a certain goddess who was waiting for us there.”
Lydia cast her eyes downward, blushing ever so slightly. “Yes, well, about that...” She looked back up and found him smiling gently at her. “Wait, you’re teasing me, aren’t you? Great, another prankster, as if Linn isn’t bad enough! So, you’re not put off by Kyne’s presence in our lives?”
“Not at all. It was unexpected, but everything worked out in the end. The arrival of my sisters definitely helped to calm things down after the initial shock. And Kyne was able to give me a thorough recounting of what the four of you have been through in the last thirty years.”
“It hasn’t been easy,” sighed Lydia. “But things are much better now. And happier.” She studied Cain for a moment, trying to pin down what seemed different about him since his return. He seemed less tense. More open. “Did something else happen when you were there? It feels like you are more relaxed then you were before.”
“Let’s just say Kyne has a way with words. She encouraged me to accept how much I mean to you all and I decided to take her up on it. Caught Linneá off guard, but I meant everything I impressed upon her.”
Lydia seemed delightfully surprised and she regarded her step-son with a praising sort of look before demanding that she give him a hug. Once they separated, she took his hand and led him out of the library. “It’s almost dinner time, we don’t want to be late. Kirin cleared his schedule for the rest of the night, despite Sybille’s protests. He wants to spend more time with us. You, in particular.”
“Good, I’m starving,” said Cain. “Lead on, mum!”
The high queen stopped short and stared intently up into his eyes. “Cain, I… You don’t need to call me that. I never expected you to and I would never demand it of you.”
“Is it alright if I want to? Ariessa will always be in my heart, but I’m not going to pretend that you aren’t just as kind. You’ve been so great to me since I arrived… it shouldn’t go unappreciated.”
She pulled him into her arms again and squeezed him tightly while tears of joy and relief dampened his tunic.
Cain woke up the next morning with a splitting headache. He laid in a strange bed for a few moments and stared up at the rafters while trying to remember exactly what the hell had happened last night that led him to his current situation. He didn’t drink all that much, and the last thing he recalled was standing in front of Linneá as she bowed her head and spread her arms wide, with Kyne in the background yelling something that he could not decipher.
And then it hit him like the strong winds of a storm blowing in from the Abecean Sea. The power, the knowledge, and the roar of a dragon had risen within him and rested calmly beneath the waves of his spirit. Still staring at the ceiling, Cain reveled in the newfound abilities his sister had granted him so effortlessly, and he dared to whisper a single syllable into the calm air above him.
“Fus.”
A small but still powerful buffet of air erupted forth from him and shook the rafters above, dislodging a layer of dust that poured down onto the bed.
“No shouting in my house, please,” came a soft voice from the nearby doorway. Cain turned his head to see Kyne silhouetted in the frame, smiling gently at him. “Feeling alright this morning I take it?”
“I’ve got the worst headache, but I feel fine otherwise,” said Cain.
“Good. I was worried she may have overdone it last night. Go take a bath, and then come join Anska and I for some tea and that headache will clear right up.”
“A bath? Whatever for?”
“I prefer my guests to be clean and unsullied. Bath. Now. There is a warm pool out back that is fed by the forge.”
“Yes, mother,” grumbled Cain, rolling his eyes dramatically.
“You jest, but you’ll end up calling me that in end, just like all the others have. Hurry up and go, if you please. Breakfast will be served when you join us, and Anska is getting very hungry.”
She left the doorway as Cain swung his legs over the edge of the bed and slipped on a pair of loafers that had been left on the floor next to his feet. He left the guest room and ducked out the back door in search of the warm bath Kyne had mentioned and stopped short when he saw the elaborate smithing area tucked away behind the house. The fires of a burning forge rested beneath a massive stone statue of a hawk, and under a decent size patio roof sat a tanning rack, workbench, grindstone, several shelves and chests, and even a smelter.
But the goddess’ words bounced around his head while his stomach grumbled, so Cain decided to come back out and rummage through the supplies after they had all eaten breakfast. The bath turned out to be much more enticing that Cain had anticipated, and it took more willpower than he expected to pull himself from the steaming waters, get dressed, and head back inside. All told, he joined Kyne and Anska at the familiar dining table about fifteen minutes later and started sipping from a steaming mug of freshly brewed tea.
“How was the bath?” asked Anska. “It was a little too warm for my taste, but I know you’re more used to that sort of thing.”
“Delightful,” said Cain. “Although now I’m sad that we weren’t able to enjoy it together. Sorta wish you had woken me up earlier!”
“Uh uh,” tutted Kyne. “I get enough of that from your sisters �" let’s just enjoy a nice morning meal and leave the bedroom talk be, please.” Cain and Anska both nodded while trying not to grin, and Kyne continued on: “Now, then… how are you two doing this morning? I’m sure that meeting someone like myself out of the blue was a bit of a shock. Can I do anything to help ease your minds?”
“Honestly, ma’am, I think I’m okay,” said Anska. “I can’t speak for Cain, but after Linneá and Serana showed up the initial shock wore off a bit. It was endearing to see how close you three are and it helped drive home the feeling that I shouldn’t be so nervous. I never thought I’d live to see a Divine in such a… normal capacity.”
Cain had already helped himself to a plate of fruit and took a second to swallow a mouthful before agreeing with Anska. “Same. It was all too much at first, but after Anska came out to see how I was doing, I was able to cool off and sit back down with a more open mind. And then after we spoke for a while things did indeed feel more normal. You really drove home the family aspect of all this in a way that hadn’t reached me yet. I’m very thankful for that.”
Kyne beamed brightly at both of them. “Good, I’m glad. You really did a number on Linn with that hug too, Cain. I don’t think she expected such a heartfelt reciprocation of love like that from you soon, even if she forced you into unconsciousness shortly after it.”
“I took your advice about not holding back and put a lot of unspoken feelings into that embrace,” said Cain. “Until we got here last night and all of that unfolded, there was a part of me deep down that thought everything happening was good to be true. In the span of several hours, I went from having no one to having an entire family that was overjoyed for me to be there. And finding Anska again was the cherry on top, even if the circumstances that brought her to Solitude were terrible.”
The maiden blushed at his words in spite of the sadness still resonating within her over the loss of her home. Kyne sensed the torrent of emotions and moved around the table to comfort Anska while they ate the remainder of their meal in silence. Once they finished, Cain and Anska hurried off with the dishes and cleaned everything up before sitting back down with the goddess for a final goodbye.
“We’ll see each other again, don’t fret,” she assured them. “As long as you aren’t around prying eyes, you’ll find I can’t help but stop by from time to time, no matter where you may find yourselves. However, I do have one more thing for you Cain, before you head back to Solitude. Linneá left her old book on Mark and Recall atop the table near the fireplace down the hall. I can tell you have a touch for restoration spells, so don’t be intimidated by teleportation. It’s an immensely useful skill to have, unless you feel like walking all the way back up to the Blue Palace. Study the theory and practice with short jumps around the estate. Don’t take too long though �" I gather that your father wants to sit down with you tonight.”
Cain and Anska stood up with Kyne and she hugged them in turn. In a flash, the goddess resumed her hawk form and soared out an open window, leaving the two of them behind with a task that Cain found daunting.
“Don’t look so anxious about it, it’s just another spell, right?”
“I guess,” said Cain. “Still pretty advanced though if you ask me. Guess I better go flip through that book before the day drags on. If you get bored, there is a wonderful smithing area out back of the house. I wouldn’t mind it if you touched up the fittings on my armor.”
“Hm, that does sound better than sitting around in here watching you read a book. I might head into town later for a bit, too �" I’ve never been to any city other than Morthal. Well, Solitude too, I guess.”
“If you do, stop by Jorrvaskr and give Athis a bad time for me. Make sure to remind him who the boss is now,” laughed Cain. Anska smiled and gave him a quick kiss before heading outside and leaving him to the hefty book laying on the end table. He picked it up with a sigh and started leafing through the introductory pages until he found the first chapter on magickal theory. It started off about as dry as Cain expected it would, but a few pages in he saw a scrawled notation at the bottom that was written in a very pretty, flowing cursive.
Skip ahead to chapter three unless you want to be so bored that you’ll consider sticking your head in the smelter.
The short message bore all the earmarks of being written by Linneá and he laughed aloud before jumping ahead in the book. It was nearly three o’clock in the afternoon when Anska returned to find him steeling himself for a first practical attempt at using the spell. Cain had marked a small piece of cloth and laid it on the floor near the front of the house, and was pacing back and forth in the the back, reciting the important parts in his head.
“How’s it going so far?” she asked him.
“Um. It’s time to test it out, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t apprehensive about it. If all goes well, I should warp up to the front door.”
“Sounds like you need a little incentive.” Anska slipped off her traveling cloak and started to untie the laces of her blouse. “How about this: I’ll wait up there for you, and if it works you can help me finish taking this off.”
“Well, when you put it that way…” He stopped pacing and closed his eyes in concentration. Anska’s footsteps faded away while she walked up towards the marker lying on the floor. Imagining the promised reward vividly, he visualized the destination and in a flash of magickal light, Cain vanished on the spot and reappeared directly in front of Anska. She didn’t expect him to try it that quickly and yelped in surprise at his sudden emergence from a swirling purple vortex.
“Holy [censored]! You could have warned me first! I didn’t think you would try it that fast!”
“And miss out on my prize?” grinned Cain. “Not likely.” He finished pulling her top off and then picked her up and set her on the kitchen counter.
They were kissing passionately for a couple of minutes until things started getting a little too heated for Anska and she pulled away before Cain’s hand wandered further south. “Uh uh, that’s enough for now,” she panted. “We don’t have that kind of time. Keep practicing, I want to get back to the Palace for dinner and we shouldn’t be late if your father is expecting us. The larders are a little barren here.”
Cain made a big show of being disappointed until she gave him another lingering kiss. Then he spent the next hour practicing the spell by moving further and further away from the house until he felt comfortable enough in his ability to return them to Solitude.
“How are you going to get us there?” said Anska. “You didn’t even know how to use the spell until today, so there is no way you could have marked anything that we can recall to. And how does it work for me? Do I just hold on for dear life and hope I don’t vanish forever?”
“You’ll be safe with me,” promised Cain. “As for marking… Linn had some notes in the back of the book about that. She found that things could be marked subconsciously if a meaningful event happened on or with them. I was going to focus on the scroll we discovered. That should drop us right into the depths of the palace.”
Anska bit her lip and frowned in worry. The way her nose crinkled when she did that made Cain a little weak in the knees, but brave as she was, he could tell she needed some reassurance. He took her hands and looked directly into her eyes. “It’ll work. I promise.”
“… Okay. I trust you. When do you want to �" “
Her sentence remained unfinished and hung on the air as they disappeared from the estate in a flash of light. Before she realized what had happened, they found themselves standing in the same room Cain had been brought to a few nights ago, the scroll still lying unfurled on the table next to them.
Looking around wildly, Anska saw where they were and proceeded to slap Cain across his face.
“Asshole! Why did you do it like that? I wasn’t anywhere close to being ready! You might be used to magick and spells but I’m not!”
“Sorry,” said Cain with an abashed look. “I just thought it might be easier to get it over with. Didn’t want you to get overly nervous about it.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” she grumbled. “You’re lucky you’re so damn handsome, Mr. Prince of Skyrim. Otherwise I’d have done a lot more than slap you for that stunt.” Anska opened her mouth to say something else, and then quickly shut it again when she noticed they weren’t actually alone. Kirin and Sybille were sitting a table in the corner and they were watching the scene unfold with amused looks on their faces. “Oh, dammit,” blushed Anska. “This is embarrassing. See what you did, Cain?”
The high king waved her off. “Don’t worry about it, lass,” he said. “I’m glad you two are back, but can you excuse yourselves until supper time? Sybille and I still have some things to discuss.”
“Y-yes, of course,” said Anska. “C’mon, let’s get out of here.” She grabbed Cain by the arm and pulled him into the hallway, shut the door behind them with a snap, and rounded on the Redguard. “Nice job, lunkhead. Imagine thinking that was a good idea when we had no idea who would be around. You’re lucky your father is such a kind person!” Then she turned on her heels and marched off for the living quarters, leaving a regretful Cain behind.
“Hey, where are you going?” he called after her.
“To my room for a while. Alone. I’ll see you at dinner.”
Cain watched her leave with a shameful feeling lying in the pit of his stomach. He figured they still had a couple of hours until that dinner, so he wandered alone off in a different direction to explore the Palace while he waited. The corridors and rooms that stretched out around him seemed to be endless: larders, latrines, storerooms, living quarters, and studies were littered throughout, and he eventually stumbled into a vast library teeming with towering shelves upon shelves filled with books and tomes. Smiling at the sight of it, Cain retreated to one of the pantries he had just passed, grabbed a couple bottles of mead, and returned to the stacks intent on getting lost in a book until dinner hour.
Several chapters into a good old-fashioned adventure tale, the sound of the door opening caught his attention and he looked up just in time to see Lydia enter the library and walk towards him. “I see you found your sister’s private collection. Her and Serana spent the better part of the last five years putting this together and they spend most of their time down here.”
“It’s amazing!” said Cain, shutting the book he was reading. “There are more books here than in all of Anvil.”
“She’ll be happy to hear you’re enjoying it. How did everything go at Elysium? Was she able to help you?”
“You could say that,” replied Cain. “First things first, though… You have some explaining to do. About a certain goddess who was waiting for us there.”
Lydia cast her eyes downward, blushing ever so slightly. “Yes, well, about that...” She looked back up and found him smiling gently at her. “Wait, you’re teasing me, aren’t you? Great, another prankster, as if Linn isn’t bad enough! So, you’re not put off by Kyne’s presence in our lives?”
“Not at all. It was unexpected, but everything worked out in the end. The arrival of my sisters definitely helped to calm things down after the initial shock. And Kyne was able to give me a thorough recounting of what the four of you have been through in the last thirty years.”
“It hasn’t been easy,” sighed Lydia. “But things are much better now. And happier.” She studied Cain for a moment, trying to pin down what seemed different about him since his return. He seemed less tense. More open. “Did something else happen when you were there? It feels like you are more relaxed then you were before.”
“Let’s just say Kyne has a way with words. She encouraged me to accept how much I mean to you all and I decided to take her up on it. Caught Linneá off guard, but I meant everything I impressed upon her.”
Lydia seemed delightfully surprised and she regarded her step-son with a praising sort of look before demanding that she give him a hug. Once they separated, she took his hand and led him out of the library. “It’s almost dinner time, we don’t want to be late. Kirin cleared his schedule for the rest of the night, despite Sybille’s protests. He wants to spend more time with us. You, in particular.”
“Good, I’m starving,” said Cain. “Lead on, mum!”
The high queen stopped short and stared intently up into his eyes. “Cain, I… You don’t need to call me that. I never expected you to and I would never demand it of you.”
“Is it alright if I want to? Ariessa will always be in my heart, but I’m not going to pretend that you aren’t just as kind. You’ve been so great to me since I arrived… it shouldn’t go unappreciated.”
She pulled him into her arms again and squeezed him tightly while tears of joy and relief dampened his tunic.
A very interesting way to study the Mark and Recall spell. I think I went to the wrong magic school.
I'm playing fast and loose with some bits of lore. I only started referencing that kind of magic after installing the Teleport Tomes mod for Skyrim.
Chapter XV �" Unexpected Guests
A short time later, Cain was seated around a smaller, more intimate dining table with only Kirin, Lydia, and a still sulky Anska joining him. The food was simple yet delicious and hardy, with plenty to go around. Palace staff waited nearby to fill empty glasses and set out new plates of roasted meats, grilled vegetables, and fresh fruit as the platters were emptied by the small gathering. Eventually it was all cleared away, with only their glasses and a few bottles of wine remaining on the table.
Unable to withstand the dagger-like looks he was still receiving from his girlfriend, Cain poured her another glass of wine and spoke to Anska in low tones while across from them his mother and father conversed about something else.
“Look, I’m really sorry about what happened earlier,” he began. “Is there some way I can make it up to you? I don’t want to sit here in silence with you, barely acknowledging each other all evening. I like you far too much for that sort of thing and I’d also like to think the feeling is mutual.”
She glared at him for a second but her face softened at the earnest, almost pining sort of look in Cain’s eyes. “Fine then. You definitely owe me, but I’ll let it go for now. I understand what you were trying to do, even if I don’t like it.” She gave him a kiss and continued on, “And there is something you can do for me…maybe tomorrow?”
“Name it.”
“I want to go back to Stonehills to pay final respects. Your father says the town will be rebuilt, but it won’t be my home anymore. Can we make the trip down there?”
“Of course,” said Cain. “I’ll make the arrangements tonight and we can head out early tomorrow morning.”
“Thank you, babe” she said. “I know it’s a long walk, but it would mean more to me than you could know. And I’m very familiar with Hjaalmarch - I can guide us through the swamps to save time. We’ll only be gone for a couple of days at most.”
They had been talking about the trip amicably for a few minutes and did not notice that Kirin and Lydia’s own discussion had dwindled down. The king and queen had been trying there best not to listen in, but it was a small table and they couldn’t help but overhear what Cain and Anska were talking about. Kirin cleared his throat after hearing they would be leaving again.
“I don’t mean to pry,” said the king, “but can you make sure are back within a few days. I’m not saying you two can’t go… It’s just that, well, you won’t be spending your time idling around the palace. There is work to be done in Skyrim and abroad, and the two of you will be helping just as much as Linneá and Serana do. That doesn’t mean you’ll be attending diplomatic summits,” he laughed. “However, I do want to get an idea of where your talents lie, my son.”
“We’ll hasten back as soon as we can,” Anska promised.
“That’s all I ask for, lass. Now then, would you be kind enough to leave Cain and I here? I need some time alone with him and I think my wife needs your help with something else.”
Lydia and Anska excused themselves while Cain helped himself to another glass of wine. He had been surprised and delighted to see the vintage bottle of Surlie Brothers wine and was on his third measure of the dark red cabernet that had come all the way from Skingrad, in his old home province of Cyrodiil. He took a sip and set it down just as the door to the dining area closed, leaving Cain alone with his father for the first time since his arrival at the Blue Palace. Unsure of where to start, he was relieved when Kirin spoke first.
“So, how have you been settling in? Lydia tells me you’ve come around a bit and that your trip to our old home was fruitful?”
“Bit of an understatement there,” answered Cain. “Linneá knocked me out for the night when she shared her knowledge of the Thu’um with me. We were having a good time with my sisters and Kyne �" who you forgot to mention was around �" and it ended earlier than I would have liked it to.”
“I’m sure you can imagine why we left it up to her for you two to meet,” said Kirin. “It must have gone well though, if you are still relatively sane. And I’m afraid to say that your sister learned that trick with gifting dragon knowledge from me. I did the same thing to her five years ago and she still brings it up from time to time. Although, she was more unbalanced as a result, so I can see why Linneá hasn’t let me live it down!”
“Unbalanced?”
“That was when she still hid her power. And she was vampire at the time, which didn’t play nicely with a dormant Dragonborn. Messy affair all around.”
“Oh. Kyne did mention that last night. I still find it hard to believe that Serana is that old.”
“Don’t let that trip you up, son,” said Kirin. “There’s a depth of knowledge and experience there, but she’s just the same as every other twenty-seven-year-old I’ve ever met. Linnea included. Probably why they get on so well.”
Cain thought about that for a minute. Nothing about his sister-in-law really did scream ancient vampire, so he saw the wisdom in Kirin’s words. Serana had been just as kind as everyone else and had even been pressing Linnea to not be so brash with him. I should talk to her a little more later, thought Cain. Haven’t really had a chance to get to know her all that well. Realizing his glass was empty again, he poured some more wine in his glass and in his father’s.
Smiling slightly, Kirin shook his head a little while Cain took another sip of wine. “You drink almost as much as Serana does,” he mused. “She loves her brandy and never misses a chance to celebrate with it. A habit from her unenviable past I think. Poor girl had a rough time before Linnea stumbled into her life. Ah well. Let’s take a walk, yeah? My bones are getting stiff from sitting in these wooden chairs.”
The king set his drink down and stood up, beckoning Cain to follow him. For the next half hour or so they strolled through the corridors of the palace and occasionally outside to the gardens while they talked. Kirin was determined to kindle a connection with his unexpected son and had been delighted to hear that Cain had already come so far with his wife and daughter in the short time since his arrival. He also wanted to hear more about Anska �" it seemed the maiden already had a firm grip on Cain’s heart and that pleased him as well.
They were deep in conversation about their shared dragon blood when a sudden clamor reached their ears from elsewhere in the palace. Cain glanced quickly at his father who nodded grimly and they set off towards the source of the noise. Panicked shouting began to echo up and down the empty stone hallways as they drew nearer, until the noise reached a fever pitch. Recognizing the loudest voice, Cain and Kirin began to dash towards the chamber Linnea’s dulcet tones resonated from, alarmed at the fear lacing her screams.
Crashing through a door, they found themselves in Sybille’s alchemy lab. Linnea was barely being restrained by Lydia and a palace guard while the court wizard examined an unconscious form that was awkwardly splayed out on the hard floor. With a sinking feeling Cain realized it was Serana, and the look on Sybille’s face when she saw that Kirin had arrived did not bode well.
“What’s happened?!” demanded the King. “Linnea! Take a deep breath and explain!”
His daughter stopped fighting to be freed and breathed deeply to steady herself. “We were jumped by some Morag Tong thugs in Blacklight. They’re all dead, but one of them nicked her arm with a blade and it must have been poisoned. She started getting woozy almost immediately and collapsed within seconds. My healing spells did nothing to help her.”
“Sybille?” he asked his wizard. “Do you have an antidote?”
“I tried a generic mixture, sire,” she said. “It had little effect. Without knowing what kind of poison it was, I have no way of knowing what specialized potion to mix!”
“GODSAMMIT, SYBILLE!” bellowed Linnea. “YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING! I CAN’T LOSE HER!” She started to struggle against her mother and the guard again, furiously trying to break free and be with her wife. Then she went slack, heavy sobs wracking her body while she slumped forward in despair.
“[censored],” muttered Cain, who couldn’t bear to see his sister this way. Serana didn’t deserve this fate either and it strengthened his resolve to try an old battlefield tactic he had learned coming up in the Fighter’s Guild. There was nothing else to do besides place his trust in those around him. “[censored] [censored] [censored].” He stepped into the lab and caught Sybille’s attention while motioning around the room. “Is this all the alchemical stock you have on hand?”
“I �" yes,” said a surprised Sybille. “But Serana has much more in her private lab. Between the two of us, we probably have every reagent from the surrounding provinces.”
“Good, cause we’re going to need them,” said Cain. He unsheathed a small knife he kept on his hip at all times and knelt down next to Serana. Trying his best to ignore Linnea’s desperate cries, he pulled Sybille down next to him. “I need you to trust me and do exactly as I say. Do you have some parchment?”
“On the table there.”
“Grab it.”
She got up and tore off a slip from an old scroll, then she grabbed her quill before kneeling back down next to Cain. “Okay, what now?”
“I’m going to tell you what the poison is and you’re going to follow my instructions.”
“How are you go-?” began Sybille. But her question went unfinished as Cain rolled up the sleeve of Serana’s blouse and studied the healed over wound on her arm. Inky black tendrils meandered out from where the poisoned blade had struck her, and they were slowly spreading down the length of her arm.
“[censored],” muttered Cain again. Then he took a deep breath and slid his own blade across the wound.
No!” shouted Lydia and Kirin in unison. “Cain, you can’t-“
A few drops of blackened blood hung from the edge of his dagger and in one swift motion he raised it to his mouth and licked them off before they could drip to the floor. Shuddering deeply as the poison entered his own system, Cain smacked his lips and searched his field training memories, trying to remember what insidious plant elicited the foul taste in Serana’s blood.
It hit him just as the world around Cain began to get fuzzy and spin at a furious pace. “Em..Eme…” he turned his head and vomited all over the floor before he could get the words out. “Urk… Emetic Ru…russula,” he sputtered. “Emetic Russula. Make a poul… poultice for S-Serana and j-jam the rest down…our…throats.”
The poison settled into his blood and he passed out on the floor next to Serana, spasms forcing his body to flounder against the cold floor until Kirin stepped into hold him down until they passed.
“Sybille!” shouted Lydia. “Go quickly �" get what you need!”
“We should have everything we need, ma’am. Emetic Russula is fairly common. We might get lucky here…”
“Work quickly,” Kirin gently ordered. “Their lives are in your hands now.”
Just then, Linneá regained her composure and broke free from Lydia’s grasp. “I can help, Sybille. I have to help. Just tell me what you need!”
She started scribbling a few notes down on the parchment and handed it to her. “Go get these reagents from Serana’s lab. Quickly! It’s starting to spread more rapidly through both of them.” She watched Linneá dash from the room and then beckoned Lydia over to her. “I need you both to stay with them and let me know if you see any new symptoms. I have to start mixing the antidote.”
Kirin and Lydia both nodded and set about trying to make the two siblings more comfortable. There wasn’t much around the room that could be used, so Kirin unclasped his cloak and rolled it up like a pillow and placed it under Serana’s neck while Lydia did the same for Cain. With nothing left but to wait and hope, the king bowed his head and prayed silently to his goddess to protect them.
A warm breeze fluttered in the through the doorway at the same time that Linneá bolted back in and handed a small satchel to Sybille. The court wizard took it from her and dumped the ingredients out on her alchemy table and began to form the poultice while the antidote burbled away in her alembic. A few minutes later, she dumped the mixture into two vials and poured the rest over the healing poultice, handing the latter to Linneá.
“Strap that firmly over Serana’s wound and then help me get their mouths open!”
With the poultice in place, Linnea forced apart her wife’s lips and let Sybille pour the steaming tincture down her throat. They quickly repeated the process with Cain and then sat back in wait, watching closely and praying the antidote would take effect soon. It didn’t take long for a noticeable improvement to appear �" the pallor of their skin became warmer, and the spreading tendrils of poison on Serana’s arm retreated into nothingness. Even their breath settled, chests slowly rising and falling in a normal pattern.
“I think they’re through the woods,” exhaled Sybille. “We should be able to move them to the infirmary now.”
Linnea sobbed again and wrapped her arms around the Breton. “Thank you, Sybille. I know I can be a cow sometimes, but I’ll never forget what you did here. For both of them.”
“Aye,” said Kirin. “You’ve done wonderfully, Sybille. Now, let’s get these two out of here. I can manage Serana.” He stooped down and lifted his unconscious daughter up in his arms. Linnea, can you and your mother manage with Cain?”
They both said ‘yes’, and together they managed to lift the heavy young man and follow along in the king’s footsteps.
A short time later, Cain was seated around a smaller, more intimate dining table with only Kirin, Lydia, and a still sulky Anska joining him. The food was simple yet delicious and hardy, with plenty to go around. Palace staff waited nearby to fill empty glasses and set out new plates of roasted meats, grilled vegetables, and fresh fruit as the platters were emptied by the small gathering. Eventually it was all cleared away, with only their glasses and a few bottles of wine remaining on the table.
Unable to withstand the dagger-like looks he was still receiving from his girlfriend, Cain poured her another glass of wine and spoke to Anska in low tones while across from them his mother and father conversed about something else.
“Look, I’m really sorry about what happened earlier,” he began. “Is there some way I can make it up to you? I don’t want to sit here in silence with you, barely acknowledging each other all evening. I like you far too much for that sort of thing and I’d also like to think the feeling is mutual.”
She glared at him for a second but her face softened at the earnest, almost pining sort of look in Cain’s eyes. “Fine then. You definitely owe me, but I’ll let it go for now. I understand what you were trying to do, even if I don’t like it.” She gave him a kiss and continued on, “And there is something you can do for me…maybe tomorrow?”
“Name it.”
“I want to go back to Stonehills to pay final respects. Your father says the town will be rebuilt, but it won’t be my home anymore. Can we make the trip down there?”
“Of course,” said Cain. “I’ll make the arrangements tonight and we can head out early tomorrow morning.”
“Thank you, babe” she said. “I know it’s a long walk, but it would mean more to me than you could know. And I’m very familiar with Hjaalmarch - I can guide us through the swamps to save time. We’ll only be gone for a couple of days at most.”
They had been talking about the trip amicably for a few minutes and did not notice that Kirin and Lydia’s own discussion had dwindled down. The king and queen had been trying there best not to listen in, but it was a small table and they couldn’t help but overhear what Cain and Anska were talking about. Kirin cleared his throat after hearing they would be leaving again.
“I don’t mean to pry,” said the king, “but can you make sure are back within a few days. I’m not saying you two can’t go… It’s just that, well, you won’t be spending your time idling around the palace. There is work to be done in Skyrim and abroad, and the two of you will be helping just as much as Linneá and Serana do. That doesn’t mean you’ll be attending diplomatic summits,” he laughed. “However, I do want to get an idea of where your talents lie, my son.”
“We’ll hasten back as soon as we can,” Anska promised.
“That’s all I ask for, lass. Now then, would you be kind enough to leave Cain and I here? I need some time alone with him and I think my wife needs your help with something else.”
Lydia and Anska excused themselves while Cain helped himself to another glass of wine. He had been surprised and delighted to see the vintage bottle of Surlie Brothers wine and was on his third measure of the dark red cabernet that had come all the way from Skingrad, in his old home province of Cyrodiil. He took a sip and set it down just as the door to the dining area closed, leaving Cain alone with his father for the first time since his arrival at the Blue Palace. Unsure of where to start, he was relieved when Kirin spoke first.
“So, how have you been settling in? Lydia tells me you’ve come around a bit and that your trip to our old home was fruitful?”
“Bit of an understatement there,” answered Cain. “Linneá knocked me out for the night when she shared her knowledge of the Thu’um with me. We were having a good time with my sisters and Kyne �" who you forgot to mention was around �" and it ended earlier than I would have liked it to.”
“I’m sure you can imagine why we left it up to her for you two to meet,” said Kirin. “It must have gone well though, if you are still relatively sane. And I’m afraid to say that your sister learned that trick with gifting dragon knowledge from me. I did the same thing to her five years ago and she still brings it up from time to time. Although, she was more unbalanced as a result, so I can see why Linneá hasn’t let me live it down!”
“Unbalanced?”
“That was when she still hid her power. And she was vampire at the time, which didn’t play nicely with a dormant Dragonborn. Messy affair all around.”
“Oh. Kyne did mention that last night. I still find it hard to believe that Serana is that old.”
“Don’t let that trip you up, son,” said Kirin. “There’s a depth of knowledge and experience there, but she’s just the same as every other twenty-seven-year-old I’ve ever met. Linnea included. Probably why they get on so well.”
Cain thought about that for a minute. Nothing about his sister-in-law really did scream ancient vampire, so he saw the wisdom in Kirin’s words. Serana had been just as kind as everyone else and had even been pressing Linnea to not be so brash with him. I should talk to her a little more later, thought Cain. Haven’t really had a chance to get to know her all that well. Realizing his glass was empty again, he poured some more wine in his glass and in his father’s.
Smiling slightly, Kirin shook his head a little while Cain took another sip of wine. “You drink almost as much as Serana does,” he mused. “She loves her brandy and never misses a chance to celebrate with it. A habit from her unenviable past I think. Poor girl had a rough time before Linnea stumbled into her life. Ah well. Let’s take a walk, yeah? My bones are getting stiff from sitting in these wooden chairs.”
The king set his drink down and stood up, beckoning Cain to follow him. For the next half hour or so they strolled through the corridors of the palace and occasionally outside to the gardens while they talked. Kirin was determined to kindle a connection with his unexpected son and had been delighted to hear that Cain had already come so far with his wife and daughter in the short time since his arrival. He also wanted to hear more about Anska �" it seemed the maiden already had a firm grip on Cain’s heart and that pleased him as well.
They were deep in conversation about their shared dragon blood when a sudden clamor reached their ears from elsewhere in the palace. Cain glanced quickly at his father who nodded grimly and they set off towards the source of the noise. Panicked shouting began to echo up and down the empty stone hallways as they drew nearer, until the noise reached a fever pitch. Recognizing the loudest voice, Cain and Kirin began to dash towards the chamber Linnea’s dulcet tones resonated from, alarmed at the fear lacing her screams.
Crashing through a door, they found themselves in Sybille’s alchemy lab. Linnea was barely being restrained by Lydia and a palace guard while the court wizard examined an unconscious form that was awkwardly splayed out on the hard floor. With a sinking feeling Cain realized it was Serana, and the look on Sybille’s face when she saw that Kirin had arrived did not bode well.
“What’s happened?!” demanded the King. “Linnea! Take a deep breath and explain!”
His daughter stopped fighting to be freed and breathed deeply to steady herself. “We were jumped by some Morag Tong thugs in Blacklight. They’re all dead, but one of them nicked her arm with a blade and it must have been poisoned. She started getting woozy almost immediately and collapsed within seconds. My healing spells did nothing to help her.”
“Sybille?” he asked his wizard. “Do you have an antidote?”
“I tried a generic mixture, sire,” she said. “It had little effect. Without knowing what kind of poison it was, I have no way of knowing what specialized potion to mix!”
“GODSAMMIT, SYBILLE!” bellowed Linnea. “YOU HAVE TO DO SOMETHING! I CAN’T LOSE HER!” She started to struggle against her mother and the guard again, furiously trying to break free and be with her wife. Then she went slack, heavy sobs wracking her body while she slumped forward in despair.
“[censored],” muttered Cain, who couldn’t bear to see his sister this way. Serana didn’t deserve this fate either and it strengthened his resolve to try an old battlefield tactic he had learned coming up in the Fighter’s Guild. There was nothing else to do besides place his trust in those around him. “[censored] [censored] [censored].” He stepped into the lab and caught Sybille’s attention while motioning around the room. “Is this all the alchemical stock you have on hand?”
“I �" yes,” said a surprised Sybille. “But Serana has much more in her private lab. Between the two of us, we probably have every reagent from the surrounding provinces.”
“Good, cause we’re going to need them,” said Cain. He unsheathed a small knife he kept on his hip at all times and knelt down next to Serana. Trying his best to ignore Linnea’s desperate cries, he pulled Sybille down next to him. “I need you to trust me and do exactly as I say. Do you have some parchment?”
“On the table there.”
“Grab it.”
She got up and tore off a slip from an old scroll, then she grabbed her quill before kneeling back down next to Cain. “Okay, what now?”
“I’m going to tell you what the poison is and you’re going to follow my instructions.”
“How are you go-?” began Sybille. But her question went unfinished as Cain rolled up the sleeve of Serana’s blouse and studied the healed over wound on her arm. Inky black tendrils meandered out from where the poisoned blade had struck her, and they were slowly spreading down the length of her arm.
“[censored],” muttered Cain again. Then he took a deep breath and slid his own blade across the wound.
No!” shouted Lydia and Kirin in unison. “Cain, you can’t-“
A few drops of blackened blood hung from the edge of his dagger and in one swift motion he raised it to his mouth and licked them off before they could drip to the floor. Shuddering deeply as the poison entered his own system, Cain smacked his lips and searched his field training memories, trying to remember what insidious plant elicited the foul taste in Serana’s blood.
It hit him just as the world around Cain began to get fuzzy and spin at a furious pace. “Em..Eme…” he turned his head and vomited all over the floor before he could get the words out. “Urk… Emetic Ru…russula,” he sputtered. “Emetic Russula. Make a poul… poultice for S-Serana and j-jam the rest down…our…throats.”
The poison settled into his blood and he passed out on the floor next to Serana, spasms forcing his body to flounder against the cold floor until Kirin stepped into hold him down until they passed.
“Sybille!” shouted Lydia. “Go quickly �" get what you need!”
“We should have everything we need, ma’am. Emetic Russula is fairly common. We might get lucky here…”
“Work quickly,” Kirin gently ordered. “Their lives are in your hands now.”
Just then, Linneá regained her composure and broke free from Lydia’s grasp. “I can help, Sybille. I have to help. Just tell me what you need!”
She started scribbling a few notes down on the parchment and handed it to her. “Go get these reagents from Serana’s lab. Quickly! It’s starting to spread more rapidly through both of them.” She watched Linneá dash from the room and then beckoned Lydia over to her. “I need you both to stay with them and let me know if you see any new symptoms. I have to start mixing the antidote.”
Kirin and Lydia both nodded and set about trying to make the two siblings more comfortable. There wasn’t much around the room that could be used, so Kirin unclasped his cloak and rolled it up like a pillow and placed it under Serana’s neck while Lydia did the same for Cain. With nothing left but to wait and hope, the king bowed his head and prayed silently to his goddess to protect them.
A warm breeze fluttered in the through the doorway at the same time that Linneá bolted back in and handed a small satchel to Sybille. The court wizard took it from her and dumped the ingredients out on her alchemy table and began to form the poultice while the antidote burbled away in her alembic. A few minutes later, she dumped the mixture into two vials and poured the rest over the healing poultice, handing the latter to Linneá.
“Strap that firmly over Serana’s wound and then help me get their mouths open!”
With the poultice in place, Linnea forced apart her wife’s lips and let Sybille pour the steaming tincture down her throat. They quickly repeated the process with Cain and then sat back in wait, watching closely and praying the antidote would take effect soon. It didn’t take long for a noticeable improvement to appear �" the pallor of their skin became warmer, and the spreading tendrils of poison on Serana’s arm retreated into nothingness. Even their breath settled, chests slowly rising and falling in a normal pattern.
“I think they’re through the woods,” exhaled Sybille. “We should be able to move them to the infirmary now.”
Linnea sobbed again and wrapped her arms around the Breton. “Thank you, Sybille. I know I can be a cow sometimes, but I’ll never forget what you did here. For both of them.”
“Aye,” said Kirin. “You’ve done wonderfully, Sybille. Now, let’s get these two out of here. I can manage Serana.” He stooped down and lifted his unconscious daughter up in his arms. Linnea, can you and your mother manage with Cain?”
They both said ‘yes’, and together they managed to lift the heavy young man and follow along in the king’s footsteps.
Chapter XVI – What Lies Ahead
A full day came and went before there was any sign of arousal from either Cain or Serana. They both lay unconscious in the palace infirmary while figures bustled about, periodically checking on them and otherwise waiting patiently for one of them to stir. It was nearly evening-time when Cain woke up to the sound of low voices from somewhere nearby. He was still pretty groggy, but it was easy to parse out his visitors: Anska and Lydia were both recounting the event to someone else whom he hadn’t heard speak yet. Curious as to who it could be, he feigned unconsciousness until he at last recognized the voice of Kyne. Surprised that she was there at all, Cain pushed himself up to a sitting position and looked around for a glass of water that unfortunately wasn’t there.
All three women immediately rushed over to see how he was doing but he held up a hand before they could start peppering him with questions, or chastising his reckless diagnosis. “Water, please,” he begged, his voice hoarse from the damage wrought on his throat by the concentrated poison.
Lydia grabbed a tankard of water from a nearby table and handed it to Cain, who drank deeply. The water soothed the dryness, but he guessed that he might sound a little raspy for a few days.
“That’s better, thank you, mum. How’s Serana?”
“She’s fine, sweetie. Still asleep, but she’s not in any danger. How are you-“
“Cain, what the [censored] possessed you to do something so reckless!?” Anska cut in. “You could have both died for naught! Do you realize how terrified I was when Lydia came to tell me what had happened last night?”
He looked at her in surprise for the barest of a second. The worry in her eyes was plain and he knew at once that she wasn’t chastising him for saving his sister, just that she already cared deeply for him and likely worried frantically. It had been a reckless thing to do, but he couldn’t have stood idly by and watched Serana perish in that horrible of a manner.
“I couldn’t let her die, Anska. Not when there was still a slim chance on the table. I trusted Sybille and my family to save us and they did. What more needs to be said?”
“Yeah, but… No, you’re right,” she sighed. “I’m sorry, that was selfish of me. I understand why you did it and I’m glad you were able to save Serana. For all our sakes and especially Linneá’s. She’s very grateful, you know. Even if she couldn’t be here when you finally woke up.” She leaned over the bed and kissed him while a relieved Kyne and Lydia watched from behind them. After their lips parted, Anska took a step back and apologized to Lydia. “Sorry for cutting you off, ma’am. Sometimes my temper gets the best of me.”
“Don’t worry about it, dear. And please stop calling me ‘ma’am’.” Stepping forward, she approached Cain’s bedside and placed a hand on his shoulder. “How are you feeling?”
“My throat is killing me but I’m fine otherwise. I’m sure it’s scorched and it will probably heal in a couple of days. Nothing to fret over. Did Serana’s knife wound heal over cleanly?”
This time it was Kyne who spoke next: “Serana is fine, Cain, you don’t have to worry about her any longer. That was a very brave thing you did for her and the two of you can talk about it when she wakes up. I’m just glad you’re safe. And about that sore throat…”
The goddess stooped over the bed and waved her hand over his neck, barely contacting Cain’s skin. A warm feeling flooded through him and with a few seconds he felt all the dull, itching pain in his throat dissipate entirely. Smiling gratefully up at her, he couldn’t help but be in awe of having such a powerful being so close to him in life.
“Better?” she asked him.
“Much better,” said Cain. “Um, if you don’t mind me asking though… How are you here? With so many prying eyes about? I never I’d see you in the palace like this.”
“I’ll make an exception when I hear that two of my children almost died,” replied Kyne. “Your parents aren’t terribly excited about my being here, but I’ve arranged things so that we can’t be seen or heard. I’m glad you acted quickly in that situation – even if it was in a very dangerous way. Serana is very dear to me and the thought of her dying so young is too much to bear.”
Kyne backed away from the bed with a nod and allowed Anska to sit down on the edge of it instead. She kissed him again before climbing all the way in with him and laying her head on his broad chest. Cain absentmindedly ran his fingers idly through her hair while his thoughts started to dwell on the attack itself. He knew the Morag Tong wouldn’t do anything like that without being hired, which only left more unanswered questions. Then he remembered where he and Anska were supposed to be today…
“Damn it, we should be in Stonehills right now,” he said.
“Don’t worry about it, lunkhead,” giggled Anska. “You’ll be on your feet again tomorrow. It can wait another day. I’m just happy you are still here with me.”
“She’s right, Cain,” said Lydia. “You’ll have plenty of time for that later. Rest up tonight and I’ll visit you again in the morning.” She turned to the goddess: “Will you be staying much longer? Kirin and I would love to have you around a bit longer.”
“I can’t, dear. It’s too risky. I’ll head back to the Estate for now.”
They hugged each other and said goodbye to Cain and Anska, leaving them alone with a still unconscious Serana in the other bed. And then a small noise startled him, but he was pleased to realize it was just a gentle snore from his sister. Knowing she’d come around eventually, Cain was content to doze back off with Anska in his arms.
He woke up alone later in the night and figured that Anska had gone back to her room where she could sleep more comfortably knowing he was alright. A small flicker of light caught his eye and he looked over at Serana’s bed to see her sitting up and reading a book by candlelight while Linneá slept with her head in her wife’s lap. His sister-in-law smiled at him and raised a finger to her lips. Cain nodded once and then rose from his bed to go be with her, trying his best to be quiet in the still infirmary. He sat down in a chair next to Serana’s bed and spoke to her, his voice barely above a whisper.
“How are you feeling, sis?”
“I’ll be alright, Cain,” answered Serana. “Linneá told me what you did for me… I don’t even know how to begin to thank you…”
“You don’t have to. We’re family and we have to look out for each other, right? Besides, I couldn’t stand to see you or Linn that way.”
“But to ingest that poison after seeing what it was doing to me? Of all the ways to diagnose something like that-“
“Hey, it’s in the past now,” said Cain. “We’re both alive and healthy, so let’s just try to move on, yeah?” She sighed, and then smiled in agreement. “You know, it’s kind of funny,” continued Cain, “Just before it all happened, I was telling myself that I should get to know you better. We haven’t had a chance to really talk a lot with everything that’s been going on. Who knew I’d be drinking your blood only a few minutes later!”
“Gross,” laughed Serana. “And just be glad it’s not vampire blood anymore. It’s nice that you wanted to connect more though, but I doubt we’ll get the time right now. Word is, dad’s furious about the attack and that he might be sending you and Anska to Blacklight with us. My guess is he’s gonna have you two looking into it while we are negotiating the treaty.”
“Morrowind? Might be a tough sell for Anska. Solitude and Whiterun are the furthest she’s ever been from home.”
“I don’t think she’ll say no to a request from the king. And she’ll have you, brother. Just be strong for her.” Linneá wiggled a little bit in her lap before resuming her deep slumber. “We should both go back to sleep. I don’t want to wake her up either.”
Cain agreed with her, and gave Serana quick hug ahead of sneaking back over to his own bed. Once he got back under the warm blankets, sleep overtook him in moments. He slept peacefully for the remainder of the night but still awoke before dawn had truly arrived. Slipping on his shoes, he crept silently from the infirmary and made his way to the kitchens in search of an early meal for his empty stomach. Some of the palace staff were already awake, baking fresh loaves of bread, and stirring large pots of porridges and oatmeal in preparation for the new day and they were happy to set him up with a full plate of food.
He left the kitchen in search of a place to sit and eat and to his surprise the first door Cain opened led to a small study with a table and four chairs. Even more surprising was that Kirin sat there too, reading over a few scrolls of parchment while he ate.
His father glanced up when he saw the door open and smiled broadly. “Cain! I’m glad to see you are up and about already! Hungry, I take it?”
“Very,” said Cain. He took a seat next to his father and peeked at the paperwork. “Anything interesting in there?”
“Nah. Never is. Mornings are for clerical work and all the juicy stuff is brought to my private study later in the day. How’s Serana? Did she wake up yet?”
“Aye, she was up late last night. We chatted for a minute, but Linn was sleeping in her lap and she didn’t want to wake her.”
“Linneá came back again?” asked Kirin. “Guess I should have known. It took some convincing to get her back to Blacklight without Serana. But there was nothing more she could do for her. Was she still there this morning?”
“Yeah, they were both crammed into that tiny bed. Dunno how either of them could sleep like that.”
“Trust me when I say that those two will never think they are close enough,” laughed Kirin. “I think they would blend themselves into one person if they could.”
“Now, there is an odd thing to imagine,” said Cain, smiling at the thought of it. “It is endearing how much they love each other though. I’ve never seen anything quite like it.” He took a few minutes to eat some of his fruit and drink a few sips of coffee before mentioning to his dad about what Serana had said last night. “Can I ask you something, da?”
“Always.”
“Serana said you might be sending Anska and I to Blacklight. Is that true?”
Kirin set down the scroll he was reading and sighed. It never ceased to amaze him how much his daughter seemed to know so much about things that were supposed to be kept quiet. He often wondered if someone in his court was on her good side, but in reality, he chalked it up to her political acumen from several thousand years of being in a vampire court. She just always seemed to have her finger on the right pulse.
“It is true,” said Kirin. “Normally, I would write it off as an occupational hazard for someone in our positions, but I take exception to members of my family nearly being murdered. And the Morag Tong especially are known for taking contracts that target any outsiders, so I’d very much like to know who ordered the attack.” He paused to get up and shut the door. Once he sat back down, Kirin leaned in closer to his son. “Keep this quiet, but it wasn’t the only attempt we learned of. Our own agents also thwarted attacks on you and I before they could be put into action. So, yes, I would very much like you to try and get to the bottom of all this. I had intended to send you back to Cyrodiil for something a bit smaller, but that can be handled by others. This takes priority.”
That was a lot for Cain to take in. To be targeted so soon after his arrival and only within a few days of discovering his new family put him on edge. And he was certain that Anska would take some convincing, even if he wanted her to go at all. He wondered how fair it was to get her involved in something so dangerous when they had only just started courting one another. Granted, she could handle herself, but it still made him feel uneasy.
It must have been written all over his face, too, because his father noticed right away. “What is it, son?”
“I, uh… I don’t know if I can ask Anska to go with me. She’s so new to all of this and we only just started dating. I’m not sure I can bring myself to put her in such peril. It doesn’t feel fair to her.”
“Hm. Can I give you some advice?” asked Kirin. Once Cain nodded in agreement, he went on: “Let her make that decision. Don’t make it for her. I can tell that Anska is tough and I’m sure you know it, too. If you want to be fair about it, just tell her plainly what’s involved. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the answer she gives you.”
They went back to eating their breakfast and moved on to lighter topics of conversation while the sun began to rise outside. After about an hour, Cain excused himself and headed back to the infirmary to check on Serana. Lost in thought about the journey ahead of him, he didn’t hear the voices coming from the infirmary until he set foot inside the door. The next thing he saw was a dark blur throwing itself into him and squeezing him far too tightly.
“There you are brother!” Linneá half shouted, her arms wrapped firmly around his torso. “Thank you thank you thank you thank you for saving her! I don’t what I would have done if you hadn’t been there!” She started crying into his tunic, and he patted her gently on the back.
“Relax, Linn, I would have done it for any of you. I know it’s only been a few days since I got here, but… I love you all so much already. You’ve made it easy to do so.”
A full day came and went before there was any sign of arousal from either Cain or Serana. They both lay unconscious in the palace infirmary while figures bustled about, periodically checking on them and otherwise waiting patiently for one of them to stir. It was nearly evening-time when Cain woke up to the sound of low voices from somewhere nearby. He was still pretty groggy, but it was easy to parse out his visitors: Anska and Lydia were both recounting the event to someone else whom he hadn’t heard speak yet. Curious as to who it could be, he feigned unconsciousness until he at last recognized the voice of Kyne. Surprised that she was there at all, Cain pushed himself up to a sitting position and looked around for a glass of water that unfortunately wasn’t there.
All three women immediately rushed over to see how he was doing but he held up a hand before they could start peppering him with questions, or chastising his reckless diagnosis. “Water, please,” he begged, his voice hoarse from the damage wrought on his throat by the concentrated poison.
Lydia grabbed a tankard of water from a nearby table and handed it to Cain, who drank deeply. The water soothed the dryness, but he guessed that he might sound a little raspy for a few days.
“That’s better, thank you, mum. How’s Serana?”
“She’s fine, sweetie. Still asleep, but she’s not in any danger. How are you-“
“Cain, what the [censored] possessed you to do something so reckless!?” Anska cut in. “You could have both died for naught! Do you realize how terrified I was when Lydia came to tell me what had happened last night?”
He looked at her in surprise for the barest of a second. The worry in her eyes was plain and he knew at once that she wasn’t chastising him for saving his sister, just that she already cared deeply for him and likely worried frantically. It had been a reckless thing to do, but he couldn’t have stood idly by and watched Serana perish in that horrible of a manner.
“I couldn’t let her die, Anska. Not when there was still a slim chance on the table. I trusted Sybille and my family to save us and they did. What more needs to be said?”
“Yeah, but… No, you’re right,” she sighed. “I’m sorry, that was selfish of me. I understand why you did it and I’m glad you were able to save Serana. For all our sakes and especially Linneá’s. She’s very grateful, you know. Even if she couldn’t be here when you finally woke up.” She leaned over the bed and kissed him while a relieved Kyne and Lydia watched from behind them. After their lips parted, Anska took a step back and apologized to Lydia. “Sorry for cutting you off, ma’am. Sometimes my temper gets the best of me.”
“Don’t worry about it, dear. And please stop calling me ‘ma’am’.” Stepping forward, she approached Cain’s bedside and placed a hand on his shoulder. “How are you feeling?”
“My throat is killing me but I’m fine otherwise. I’m sure it’s scorched and it will probably heal in a couple of days. Nothing to fret over. Did Serana’s knife wound heal over cleanly?”
This time it was Kyne who spoke next: “Serana is fine, Cain, you don’t have to worry about her any longer. That was a very brave thing you did for her and the two of you can talk about it when she wakes up. I’m just glad you’re safe. And about that sore throat…”
The goddess stooped over the bed and waved her hand over his neck, barely contacting Cain’s skin. A warm feeling flooded through him and with a few seconds he felt all the dull, itching pain in his throat dissipate entirely. Smiling gratefully up at her, he couldn’t help but be in awe of having such a powerful being so close to him in life.
“Better?” she asked him.
“Much better,” said Cain. “Um, if you don’t mind me asking though… How are you here? With so many prying eyes about? I never I’d see you in the palace like this.”
“I’ll make an exception when I hear that two of my children almost died,” replied Kyne. “Your parents aren’t terribly excited about my being here, but I’ve arranged things so that we can’t be seen or heard. I’m glad you acted quickly in that situation – even if it was in a very dangerous way. Serana is very dear to me and the thought of her dying so young is too much to bear.”
Kyne backed away from the bed with a nod and allowed Anska to sit down on the edge of it instead. She kissed him again before climbing all the way in with him and laying her head on his broad chest. Cain absentmindedly ran his fingers idly through her hair while his thoughts started to dwell on the attack itself. He knew the Morag Tong wouldn’t do anything like that without being hired, which only left more unanswered questions. Then he remembered where he and Anska were supposed to be today…
“Damn it, we should be in Stonehills right now,” he said.
“Don’t worry about it, lunkhead,” giggled Anska. “You’ll be on your feet again tomorrow. It can wait another day. I’m just happy you are still here with me.”
“She’s right, Cain,” said Lydia. “You’ll have plenty of time for that later. Rest up tonight and I’ll visit you again in the morning.” She turned to the goddess: “Will you be staying much longer? Kirin and I would love to have you around a bit longer.”
“I can’t, dear. It’s too risky. I’ll head back to the Estate for now.”
They hugged each other and said goodbye to Cain and Anska, leaving them alone with a still unconscious Serana in the other bed. And then a small noise startled him, but he was pleased to realize it was just a gentle snore from his sister. Knowing she’d come around eventually, Cain was content to doze back off with Anska in his arms.
He woke up alone later in the night and figured that Anska had gone back to her room where she could sleep more comfortably knowing he was alright. A small flicker of light caught his eye and he looked over at Serana’s bed to see her sitting up and reading a book by candlelight while Linneá slept with her head in her wife’s lap. His sister-in-law smiled at him and raised a finger to her lips. Cain nodded once and then rose from his bed to go be with her, trying his best to be quiet in the still infirmary. He sat down in a chair next to Serana’s bed and spoke to her, his voice barely above a whisper.
“How are you feeling, sis?”
“I’ll be alright, Cain,” answered Serana. “Linneá told me what you did for me… I don’t even know how to begin to thank you…”
“You don’t have to. We’re family and we have to look out for each other, right? Besides, I couldn’t stand to see you or Linn that way.”
“But to ingest that poison after seeing what it was doing to me? Of all the ways to diagnose something like that-“
“Hey, it’s in the past now,” said Cain. “We’re both alive and healthy, so let’s just try to move on, yeah?” She sighed, and then smiled in agreement. “You know, it’s kind of funny,” continued Cain, “Just before it all happened, I was telling myself that I should get to know you better. We haven’t had a chance to really talk a lot with everything that’s been going on. Who knew I’d be drinking your blood only a few minutes later!”
“Gross,” laughed Serana. “And just be glad it’s not vampire blood anymore. It’s nice that you wanted to connect more though, but I doubt we’ll get the time right now. Word is, dad’s furious about the attack and that he might be sending you and Anska to Blacklight with us. My guess is he’s gonna have you two looking into it while we are negotiating the treaty.”
“Morrowind? Might be a tough sell for Anska. Solitude and Whiterun are the furthest she’s ever been from home.”
“I don’t think she’ll say no to a request from the king. And she’ll have you, brother. Just be strong for her.” Linneá wiggled a little bit in her lap before resuming her deep slumber. “We should both go back to sleep. I don’t want to wake her up either.”
Cain agreed with her, and gave Serana quick hug ahead of sneaking back over to his own bed. Once he got back under the warm blankets, sleep overtook him in moments. He slept peacefully for the remainder of the night but still awoke before dawn had truly arrived. Slipping on his shoes, he crept silently from the infirmary and made his way to the kitchens in search of an early meal for his empty stomach. Some of the palace staff were already awake, baking fresh loaves of bread, and stirring large pots of porridges and oatmeal in preparation for the new day and they were happy to set him up with a full plate of food.
He left the kitchen in search of a place to sit and eat and to his surprise the first door Cain opened led to a small study with a table and four chairs. Even more surprising was that Kirin sat there too, reading over a few scrolls of parchment while he ate.
His father glanced up when he saw the door open and smiled broadly. “Cain! I’m glad to see you are up and about already! Hungry, I take it?”
“Very,” said Cain. He took a seat next to his father and peeked at the paperwork. “Anything interesting in there?”
“Nah. Never is. Mornings are for clerical work and all the juicy stuff is brought to my private study later in the day. How’s Serana? Did she wake up yet?”
“Aye, she was up late last night. We chatted for a minute, but Linn was sleeping in her lap and she didn’t want to wake her.”
“Linneá came back again?” asked Kirin. “Guess I should have known. It took some convincing to get her back to Blacklight without Serana. But there was nothing more she could do for her. Was she still there this morning?”
“Yeah, they were both crammed into that tiny bed. Dunno how either of them could sleep like that.”
“Trust me when I say that those two will never think they are close enough,” laughed Kirin. “I think they would blend themselves into one person if they could.”
“Now, there is an odd thing to imagine,” said Cain, smiling at the thought of it. “It is endearing how much they love each other though. I’ve never seen anything quite like it.” He took a few minutes to eat some of his fruit and drink a few sips of coffee before mentioning to his dad about what Serana had said last night. “Can I ask you something, da?”
“Always.”
“Serana said you might be sending Anska and I to Blacklight. Is that true?”
Kirin set down the scroll he was reading and sighed. It never ceased to amaze him how much his daughter seemed to know so much about things that were supposed to be kept quiet. He often wondered if someone in his court was on her good side, but in reality, he chalked it up to her political acumen from several thousand years of being in a vampire court. She just always seemed to have her finger on the right pulse.
“It is true,” said Kirin. “Normally, I would write it off as an occupational hazard for someone in our positions, but I take exception to members of my family nearly being murdered. And the Morag Tong especially are known for taking contracts that target any outsiders, so I’d very much like to know who ordered the attack.” He paused to get up and shut the door. Once he sat back down, Kirin leaned in closer to his son. “Keep this quiet, but it wasn’t the only attempt we learned of. Our own agents also thwarted attacks on you and I before they could be put into action. So, yes, I would very much like you to try and get to the bottom of all this. I had intended to send you back to Cyrodiil for something a bit smaller, but that can be handled by others. This takes priority.”
That was a lot for Cain to take in. To be targeted so soon after his arrival and only within a few days of discovering his new family put him on edge. And he was certain that Anska would take some convincing, even if he wanted her to go at all. He wondered how fair it was to get her involved in something so dangerous when they had only just started courting one another. Granted, she could handle herself, but it still made him feel uneasy.
It must have been written all over his face, too, because his father noticed right away. “What is it, son?”
“I, uh… I don’t know if I can ask Anska to go with me. She’s so new to all of this and we only just started dating. I’m not sure I can bring myself to put her in such peril. It doesn’t feel fair to her.”
“Hm. Can I give you some advice?” asked Kirin. Once Cain nodded in agreement, he went on: “Let her make that decision. Don’t make it for her. I can tell that Anska is tough and I’m sure you know it, too. If you want to be fair about it, just tell her plainly what’s involved. I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised by the answer she gives you.”
They went back to eating their breakfast and moved on to lighter topics of conversation while the sun began to rise outside. After about an hour, Cain excused himself and headed back to the infirmary to check on Serana. Lost in thought about the journey ahead of him, he didn’t hear the voices coming from the infirmary until he set foot inside the door. The next thing he saw was a dark blur throwing itself into him and squeezing him far too tightly.
“There you are brother!” Linneá half shouted, her arms wrapped firmly around his torso. “Thank you thank you thank you thank you for saving her! I don’t what I would have done if you hadn’t been there!” She started crying into his tunic, and he patted her gently on the back.
“Relax, Linn, I would have done it for any of you. I know it’s only been a few days since I got here, but… I love you all so much already. You’ve made it easy to do so.”
Chapter XVII – A Quiet Evening
“You want me to go WHERE?!”
Cain withered under Anska’s intense glare after mentioning the pending journey to Blacklight and the investigation into the assassination attempt. Her raised voice echoed down the empty hallway outside of her bedroom, the final syllable still hanging in the air between them. He hadn’t expected this conversation to go well, even if his dad suspected otherwise.
“Morrowind. Blacklight is just over the border near Windhelm, about halfway to Vvardenfell.”
“I’m not an idiot from the sticks, Cain. Believe it or not, I have looked at a map at some point in my life.”
“I didn’t mean –“
“Yeah yeah yeah, sure. Look, just give me a minute, okay? It’s a lot to take in.”
Grabbing Anska’s hand, Cain pulled her through the door into the bedroom and sat down with her on the bed. “Anska, I… You don’t have to come with me, no matter how much I’d like you to. No one is ordering it. I just think my family recognizes us as an item and assumes you’re in for all of it, even if you have other ideas about what life should be. If you don’t want to go on such a dangerous undertaking, I wouldn’t think any less of you. Especially since we’ve only known each other for less than two weeks.”
“It’s not that,” sighed Anska. “I just… I’d be lying if I said a part of me wasn’t terrified. But at the same time, I’m nearly thirty [censored] years old! I shouldn’t be scared to travel someplace like that! It’s frustrating is all.”
“How do you think I feel? I just risked everything to save my sister, and now I have to go hunt down the maniacs responsible for it in a place I never dreamed I’d find myself. Wanna know what I really think? I think we both are going to need each other for this. More than we realize.”
She looked at him in surprise, not expecting someone with such an extraordinary gift like the dragon blood to be so…vulnerable. Yet there he sat, staring into her eyes with a worried look that she understood entirely. And she knew in an instant that something more had happened.
“What is it that you aren’t telling me, Cain? What has you so nervous about all of this?”
Unsure of how much to say, he bit his lip and remained silent for a few seconds. The hesitation nearly cost him – Anska almost stood up and left right then and there, but then he decided to throw caution to the wind. She meant too much to him already.
“[censored] it,” he said. “I don’t care if I was supposed to keep quiet about this. There were plans to attack my dad and I, too. Luckily for us, they were thwarted.”
Anska’s mind was reeling from the implication of what he just told her. It made sense that Linneá wouldn’t be the only one of his family that was targeted, but the thought of it happening to Cain frightened her. She also realized it also meant she would be targeted to. She studied him thoughtfully for a moment, her eyes lost in his, the concern flowing both ways between them. And Anska felt right then and there that she wouldn’t be safer anywhere else than in his company.
“I knew it had to be something like that,” said Anska. “You look just as scared as I feel.” She got to her feet and started pacing while Cain stayed seated on the bed. After a few laps back and forth, she stopped and stared at him. “Did you really mean what you said before? About needing each other that much?”
“Every word of it.”
Anska smiled at him. “I was hoping you’d say that.” She walked back over to the bed and climbed onto Cain’s lap. She wrapped her legs around him and leaned in close, her lips a hair’s breadth away from his. “At least we’ll have more alone time then we will here.”
-----------------------------------
Ulvon stared down at his ornately carved desk in distaste. The woodworking was second to none, but the Archmasterr often lamented the fact that it had been carved from a felled Hist Tree. His people had been cruel to the Argonians for centuries, and in the end it had nearly cost them everything. This awful desk that was hewn from the life of a sentient being served to remind those in his position that Morrowind could not continue on the way it had for countless years. It was time to embrace a new era.
The door to his office opened and he offered his newly arrived guests the two seats directly across from him. They sat down and waited for him to begin, even if it was plain to see that Linneá looked impatient.
“Thank you for coming to see me at such an early hour, ladies,” said Ulvon. “It pleases me to see you back on your feet so soon, Mrs. Serana. I take it there were no lasting effects from the ordeal?”
“I’m still a little tired, but fine otherwise. Was there something you needed from us?”
“Yes. However, I’ll skip the normal platitudes you’re probably used to hearing and jump right into it. We looked into the matter and have come up empty-handed thus far. To be honest, I was hoping you could tell us something – anything – more about the attack.”
Annoyance flashed briefly across Linneá’s features. “Nothing we haven’t already told you, Ulvon,” she said. “It was pretty cut and dry. Besides… it’s being handled from our end now.”
“Oh? And what exactly would that entail? Keep in mind, you aren’t in Skyrim anymore, and that your position won’t offer the same benefits here. We can help each other, miss. It would be a good way to illustrate our vested in interest in this alliance your father is proposing.”
“I agree completely,” said Linneá. “Once my brother gets here, he will be sure to keep us all apprised of what is discovered.”
The Archmaster looked slightly taken aback. It didn’t surprise him at all that the High King would send his own agents to investigate the matter, but he never expected that he would his own son, a Dragonborn. Of course, the woman across from him was also rumored to possess that same power, even if that was not yet verified.
“You must keep that quiet, Linneá,” said Ulvon. “Some of my colleagues in the other Houses will not take kindly to someone like him walking silently among us or digging deeply into the underbelly of Blacklight.”
“’Like him’?” asked Serana. “What exactly is that supposed to mean?”
“Simply being an outlander is enough for some of them, let alone someone of the dragon blood. There is a dark history between our cultures that I’m sure you are aware of, and the ancient Nord tongues were at the center of it.”
“He won’t be here to turn your country on its head,” said Linneá. “Though you will see that he has a fiery determination to find those responsible for the near death of my lovely wife here. It took little time for him to accept us as family, and he’s already proven to be in it for the long haul. The Morag Tong is going to be very sorry they accepted that particular job.”
Ulvon groaned audibly as he leaned back in his chair.
-----------------------------------
Kirin and Lydia sat together on their private balcony, staring out over the calm seas far below. The Blue Palace was often flush with visitors or bustling with activity that garnered all of their time throughout the day, so they always tried set aside at least an hour in the evening to relax together. This day was no different, though they had yet to hear any news from the proposition that had been given to Cain.
“Are you sure it’s a good idea to send him on such a dangerous quest, husband?”
“We need to get to the bottom of this, Lyds. And I trust him to do so.”
“Did you need to insist he take Anska along with him, though? She’s a lovely woman but both of them are still so far out of their element here. And I worry for their safety in a foreign land, even if Morrowind does become our allies.”
“I think it will be good for them,” said Kirin. “They need to get some time away from here to be themselves and come to terms what it means to be a part of all this. I’m amazed at how far they’ve come already, but I don’t think the gravity of being my heir has set in yet for Cain. Nor the fact that we have guidance from such a…unique source.”
“I bet mother will be happy to see them out in the world. It’s probably driving her mad that she can’t see her children that often.”
Lost in their conversation, Kirin and Lydia both missed the gentle fluttering of wings behind them. A large brown hawk had gently soared onto the balcony and stood perched on the rim of a flowerbox, staring impassively at the backs of their heads. It quietly squawked a single time to get their attention.
Kirin’s head turned around so fast he nearly hurt his neck. “Mum! What in blazes are you doing here?”
The hawk was gone and the goddess Kyne took a seat next to her former champion. “What do you mean?” she asked. “I was here yesterday to check on Serana and Cain. Didn’t Lydia tell you?”
“Of course she did, but that was different and I understood the risk.”
“No one will know I’m here,” said Kyne, waving off his concerns. “And you’re correct, Lydia, that I miss seeing all of you. A visit to Elysium once in a while wouldn’t be the worst thing, you know.”
The king and queen both looked away from her sheepishly. They had only been back to the estate twice since Kirin ascended to the throne and there never seemed to be time to return more often. Kirin had secretly hoped that with the sudden arrival of a son, he would be able to delegate more of his duties to his children, but now they would all be gone for an extended period, too. Unsure of how to placate Kyne, he was thankful that Lydia piped up first and took heat off of him.
“I really wish we could, mum,” she said. “But what you see right here? This small hour of alone time for the two of us? It’s all we can manage these days. Neither one of us anticipated how busy we would actually be, and it’s not exactly easy for us to try and sneak away for a few hours. Could you imagine the alarm bells going off if the palace staff suddenly couldn’t find us?”
“I know,” sighed Kyne. “I understood all of that the moment I knew you would come here. Still doesn’t mean I have to like it though. Even I’m capable of being lonely.”
Kirin took her last words to heart, and it saddened him greatly. He was sure they could have managed to visit her more if they had tried harder or simply told the staff and guard to leave them alone, even if he didn’t want to admit it to himself before.
“I’m sorry, mum, I truly am. I promise you that we will make the time to return home and see you. The guards may not like it but damn them – I’m the high king and they will listen to whatever I say. How does once a week sound? We’ll do whatever we can to swing it.”
“That sounds promising,” said Kyne. “I’ll make sure you get a better meal than anything you’ll find here at the palace, so save room for supper.” Getting up from her seat, she walked over to the balcony railing and gazed out in silence for a moment. Then she turned back towards Kirin and Lydia. “So, what’s this I hear about you sending Cain to Morrowind?”
“I take it Linneá told you?” asked Lydia.
“Yes. Linn tells me everything – you ought to know that by now. In fact, she wouldn’t have to be the relay if you two would join me in here.” She pointed a finger at the side of her head and smiled slyly. “It’s not intrusive, and it’s very useful.”
“Maybe someday, mum,” said Lydia. “For now, I like to keep my thoughts to myself.”
“Suit yourself. What about you, Kirin? It’s easy enough to make the link…”
“Er, no thanks. Some things should not be shared between a man and a woman, unless they are wedded. Now, if you could do that for just Lydia and I, I’m sure I could have a lot of fun with that notion!”
Lydia rolled her eyes and laughed. “I bet you could.”
The other two laughed along with her and continued talking well past the allotted hour Kirin and Lydia usually had. Neither the guards or the staff bothered them with anything, and so they were content to enjoy a quiet evening together on the balcony. The sun was just beginning to set when the door from Kirin’s study opened and Cain stepped out onto the now crowded balcony with Anska in-hand.
“Wow, what’s with the party?” he asked, looking surprised at Kyne’s presence in particular. Finding her out here was definitely not what he expected. “And where’s our invitation?”
“Oh hush,” answered Kyne, giving them both a hug in turn. “It was impromptu – I crashed Lydia’s and your father’s alone time.”
“Alone time, eh?” he grinned. “Guess even mum and dad could some of that from time to time.”
The goddess stared at him inquiringly, caught off guard by his casual reference to Lydia as ‘mum’, as if she had always been his mother. It didn’t go unnoticed, and Kirin chuckled lightly to himself at the sight of it.
“Goodness me, son. This is one of the rare occasions where I’ve seen Kyne rendered speechless!”
“Forgive me,” said Kyne. “Linn mentioned how far you’d come already, Cain, but she can be excitable sometimes and a little dreamy. I’m so happy to see my little family growing again – you all deserve it after everything you’ve been through.”
“We’re all very happy about it to, mum,” said Lydia. “Now then… What do you need, Cain?”
“Just wanted to tell dad that I’m ready to head for Blacklight,” he said. “We both are.”
Kirin beamed at him and patted Cain heartily on the back. “Excellent! When can you go? I’ll have Linn come fetch you so that you don’t have to go by carriage or boat.”
“Can you have her meet us in Morthal two days from now? I made a promise to Anska and I intend on keeping it.”
“Done. I’ll have the staff pack up supplies for you and tend to your gear overnight. You’ll be ready to go in the morning.”
“We appreciate that, sir,” said Anska. “Um. Do you mind if we stick around for a while? It seems much livelier out here than it does in the kitchens!”
“Absoutely! And stop calling me sir. I have a name and you are to use it, yeah?” He paused and turned to Lydia: “Could you go see about getting us some wine, dear? We might as well enjoy ourselves!”
“You want me to go WHERE?!”
Cain withered under Anska’s intense glare after mentioning the pending journey to Blacklight and the investigation into the assassination attempt. Her raised voice echoed down the empty hallway outside of her bedroom, the final syllable still hanging in the air between them. He hadn’t expected this conversation to go well, even if his dad suspected otherwise.
“Morrowind. Blacklight is just over the border near Windhelm, about halfway to Vvardenfell.”
“I’m not an idiot from the sticks, Cain. Believe it or not, I have looked at a map at some point in my life.”
“I didn’t mean –“
“Yeah yeah yeah, sure. Look, just give me a minute, okay? It’s a lot to take in.”
Grabbing Anska’s hand, Cain pulled her through the door into the bedroom and sat down with her on the bed. “Anska, I… You don’t have to come with me, no matter how much I’d like you to. No one is ordering it. I just think my family recognizes us as an item and assumes you’re in for all of it, even if you have other ideas about what life should be. If you don’t want to go on such a dangerous undertaking, I wouldn’t think any less of you. Especially since we’ve only known each other for less than two weeks.”
“It’s not that,” sighed Anska. “I just… I’d be lying if I said a part of me wasn’t terrified. But at the same time, I’m nearly thirty [censored] years old! I shouldn’t be scared to travel someplace like that! It’s frustrating is all.”
“How do you think I feel? I just risked everything to save my sister, and now I have to go hunt down the maniacs responsible for it in a place I never dreamed I’d find myself. Wanna know what I really think? I think we both are going to need each other for this. More than we realize.”
She looked at him in surprise, not expecting someone with such an extraordinary gift like the dragon blood to be so…vulnerable. Yet there he sat, staring into her eyes with a worried look that she understood entirely. And she knew in an instant that something more had happened.
“What is it that you aren’t telling me, Cain? What has you so nervous about all of this?”
Unsure of how much to say, he bit his lip and remained silent for a few seconds. The hesitation nearly cost him – Anska almost stood up and left right then and there, but then he decided to throw caution to the wind. She meant too much to him already.
“[censored] it,” he said. “I don’t care if I was supposed to keep quiet about this. There were plans to attack my dad and I, too. Luckily for us, they were thwarted.”
Anska’s mind was reeling from the implication of what he just told her. It made sense that Linneá wouldn’t be the only one of his family that was targeted, but the thought of it happening to Cain frightened her. She also realized it also meant she would be targeted to. She studied him thoughtfully for a moment, her eyes lost in his, the concern flowing both ways between them. And Anska felt right then and there that she wouldn’t be safer anywhere else than in his company.
“I knew it had to be something like that,” said Anska. “You look just as scared as I feel.” She got to her feet and started pacing while Cain stayed seated on the bed. After a few laps back and forth, she stopped and stared at him. “Did you really mean what you said before? About needing each other that much?”
“Every word of it.”
Anska smiled at him. “I was hoping you’d say that.” She walked back over to the bed and climbed onto Cain’s lap. She wrapped her legs around him and leaned in close, her lips a hair’s breadth away from his. “At least we’ll have more alone time then we will here.”
-----------------------------------
Ulvon stared down at his ornately carved desk in distaste. The woodworking was second to none, but the Archmasterr often lamented the fact that it had been carved from a felled Hist Tree. His people had been cruel to the Argonians for centuries, and in the end it had nearly cost them everything. This awful desk that was hewn from the life of a sentient being served to remind those in his position that Morrowind could not continue on the way it had for countless years. It was time to embrace a new era.
The door to his office opened and he offered his newly arrived guests the two seats directly across from him. They sat down and waited for him to begin, even if it was plain to see that Linneá looked impatient.
“Thank you for coming to see me at such an early hour, ladies,” said Ulvon. “It pleases me to see you back on your feet so soon, Mrs. Serana. I take it there were no lasting effects from the ordeal?”
“I’m still a little tired, but fine otherwise. Was there something you needed from us?”
“Yes. However, I’ll skip the normal platitudes you’re probably used to hearing and jump right into it. We looked into the matter and have come up empty-handed thus far. To be honest, I was hoping you could tell us something – anything – more about the attack.”
Annoyance flashed briefly across Linneá’s features. “Nothing we haven’t already told you, Ulvon,” she said. “It was pretty cut and dry. Besides… it’s being handled from our end now.”
“Oh? And what exactly would that entail? Keep in mind, you aren’t in Skyrim anymore, and that your position won’t offer the same benefits here. We can help each other, miss. It would be a good way to illustrate our vested in interest in this alliance your father is proposing.”
“I agree completely,” said Linneá. “Once my brother gets here, he will be sure to keep us all apprised of what is discovered.”
The Archmaster looked slightly taken aback. It didn’t surprise him at all that the High King would send his own agents to investigate the matter, but he never expected that he would his own son, a Dragonborn. Of course, the woman across from him was also rumored to possess that same power, even if that was not yet verified.
“You must keep that quiet, Linneá,” said Ulvon. “Some of my colleagues in the other Houses will not take kindly to someone like him walking silently among us or digging deeply into the underbelly of Blacklight.”
“’Like him’?” asked Serana. “What exactly is that supposed to mean?”
“Simply being an outlander is enough for some of them, let alone someone of the dragon blood. There is a dark history between our cultures that I’m sure you are aware of, and the ancient Nord tongues were at the center of it.”
“He won’t be here to turn your country on its head,” said Linneá. “Though you will see that he has a fiery determination to find those responsible for the near death of my lovely wife here. It took little time for him to accept us as family, and he’s already proven to be in it for the long haul. The Morag Tong is going to be very sorry they accepted that particular job.”
Ulvon groaned audibly as he leaned back in his chair.
-----------------------------------
Kirin and Lydia sat together on their private balcony, staring out over the calm seas far below. The Blue Palace was often flush with visitors or bustling with activity that garnered all of their time throughout the day, so they always tried set aside at least an hour in the evening to relax together. This day was no different, though they had yet to hear any news from the proposition that had been given to Cain.
“Are you sure it’s a good idea to send him on such a dangerous quest, husband?”
“We need to get to the bottom of this, Lyds. And I trust him to do so.”
“Did you need to insist he take Anska along with him, though? She’s a lovely woman but both of them are still so far out of their element here. And I worry for their safety in a foreign land, even if Morrowind does become our allies.”
“I think it will be good for them,” said Kirin. “They need to get some time away from here to be themselves and come to terms what it means to be a part of all this. I’m amazed at how far they’ve come already, but I don’t think the gravity of being my heir has set in yet for Cain. Nor the fact that we have guidance from such a…unique source.”
“I bet mother will be happy to see them out in the world. It’s probably driving her mad that she can’t see her children that often.”
Lost in their conversation, Kirin and Lydia both missed the gentle fluttering of wings behind them. A large brown hawk had gently soared onto the balcony and stood perched on the rim of a flowerbox, staring impassively at the backs of their heads. It quietly squawked a single time to get their attention.
Kirin’s head turned around so fast he nearly hurt his neck. “Mum! What in blazes are you doing here?”
The hawk was gone and the goddess Kyne took a seat next to her former champion. “What do you mean?” she asked. “I was here yesterday to check on Serana and Cain. Didn’t Lydia tell you?”
“Of course she did, but that was different and I understood the risk.”
“No one will know I’m here,” said Kyne, waving off his concerns. “And you’re correct, Lydia, that I miss seeing all of you. A visit to Elysium once in a while wouldn’t be the worst thing, you know.”
The king and queen both looked away from her sheepishly. They had only been back to the estate twice since Kirin ascended to the throne and there never seemed to be time to return more often. Kirin had secretly hoped that with the sudden arrival of a son, he would be able to delegate more of his duties to his children, but now they would all be gone for an extended period, too. Unsure of how to placate Kyne, he was thankful that Lydia piped up first and took heat off of him.
“I really wish we could, mum,” she said. “But what you see right here? This small hour of alone time for the two of us? It’s all we can manage these days. Neither one of us anticipated how busy we would actually be, and it’s not exactly easy for us to try and sneak away for a few hours. Could you imagine the alarm bells going off if the palace staff suddenly couldn’t find us?”
“I know,” sighed Kyne. “I understood all of that the moment I knew you would come here. Still doesn’t mean I have to like it though. Even I’m capable of being lonely.”
Kirin took her last words to heart, and it saddened him greatly. He was sure they could have managed to visit her more if they had tried harder or simply told the staff and guard to leave them alone, even if he didn’t want to admit it to himself before.
“I’m sorry, mum, I truly am. I promise you that we will make the time to return home and see you. The guards may not like it but damn them – I’m the high king and they will listen to whatever I say. How does once a week sound? We’ll do whatever we can to swing it.”
“That sounds promising,” said Kyne. “I’ll make sure you get a better meal than anything you’ll find here at the palace, so save room for supper.” Getting up from her seat, she walked over to the balcony railing and gazed out in silence for a moment. Then she turned back towards Kirin and Lydia. “So, what’s this I hear about you sending Cain to Morrowind?”
“I take it Linneá told you?” asked Lydia.
“Yes. Linn tells me everything – you ought to know that by now. In fact, she wouldn’t have to be the relay if you two would join me in here.” She pointed a finger at the side of her head and smiled slyly. “It’s not intrusive, and it’s very useful.”
“Maybe someday, mum,” said Lydia. “For now, I like to keep my thoughts to myself.”
“Suit yourself. What about you, Kirin? It’s easy enough to make the link…”
“Er, no thanks. Some things should not be shared between a man and a woman, unless they are wedded. Now, if you could do that for just Lydia and I, I’m sure I could have a lot of fun with that notion!”
Lydia rolled her eyes and laughed. “I bet you could.”
The other two laughed along with her and continued talking well past the allotted hour Kirin and Lydia usually had. Neither the guards or the staff bothered them with anything, and so they were content to enjoy a quiet evening together on the balcony. The sun was just beginning to set when the door from Kirin’s study opened and Cain stepped out onto the now crowded balcony with Anska in-hand.
“Wow, what’s with the party?” he asked, looking surprised at Kyne’s presence in particular. Finding her out here was definitely not what he expected. “And where’s our invitation?”
“Oh hush,” answered Kyne, giving them both a hug in turn. “It was impromptu – I crashed Lydia’s and your father’s alone time.”
“Alone time, eh?” he grinned. “Guess even mum and dad could some of that from time to time.”
The goddess stared at him inquiringly, caught off guard by his casual reference to Lydia as ‘mum’, as if she had always been his mother. It didn’t go unnoticed, and Kirin chuckled lightly to himself at the sight of it.
“Goodness me, son. This is one of the rare occasions where I’ve seen Kyne rendered speechless!”
“Forgive me,” said Kyne. “Linn mentioned how far you’d come already, Cain, but she can be excitable sometimes and a little dreamy. I’m so happy to see my little family growing again – you all deserve it after everything you’ve been through.”
“We’re all very happy about it to, mum,” said Lydia. “Now then… What do you need, Cain?”
“Just wanted to tell dad that I’m ready to head for Blacklight,” he said. “We both are.”
Kirin beamed at him and patted Cain heartily on the back. “Excellent! When can you go? I’ll have Linn come fetch you so that you don’t have to go by carriage or boat.”
“Can you have her meet us in Morthal two days from now? I made a promise to Anska and I intend on keeping it.”
“Done. I’ll have the staff pack up supplies for you and tend to your gear overnight. You’ll be ready to go in the morning.”
“We appreciate that, sir,” said Anska. “Um. Do you mind if we stick around for a while? It seems much livelier out here than it does in the kitchens!”
“Absoutely! And stop calling me sir. I have a name and you are to use it, yeah?” He paused and turned to Lydia: “Could you go see about getting us some wine, dear? We might as well enjoy ourselves!”
Chapter XVIII – Outlanders
The first hours of evening-time at Stonehills were quiet and the faint odors of ash and decay still hung in the cold summer air. What remained of the small town was slowly being buried in the snowfall of central Skyrim that never seemed to cease, no matter what season. The wooded area adjacent to the ruins of Anska’s family home had been converted into a small graveyard by her and Cain. Small headstones stood at the head of several stone mounds that covered the few bodies they could find among the rubble and burned out timbers.
Sitting before a warm campfire after a long day of labor, Anska rested her head against Cain’s shoulder while she mourned, saying prayer after prayer to Arkay. Picking through the town had been arduous and emotional, but a small part of her was relieved that they’d been able to help lay her friends to rest. Anska finally felt ready to put that chapter of her life behind her, and move on to whatever new experiences with the kindhearted and stoic man next to her lay beyond the horizon.
She wiped her eyes one last time to keep the tears from freezing on her skin, and took a sip from the tankard of hot tea Cain offered her. “Thanks, hon. You know, I never had tea until the palace staff handed a mug to me last week. It’s quite good.”
“I never had much of it either,” said Cain, “though it seems to be the popular morning drink for my family. I’d rather stick to coffee.”
“Yeah, gonna have to disagree with you on that last part. This is much more pleasant tasting than coffee, especially when it has fresh herbs or blossoms mixed in. Coffee tastes like [censored].”
Cain laughed and gave her a playful shove. “Better watch yourself, miss. I’m not above rolling up a snowball and pelting you with it!"
“Go right ahead,” she dared him, “see what happens to you.”
He laughed again and then set about erecting their tent for the night. Morthal wasn’t that far away, though it would take several hours to get there on foot and neither of them felt up to the walk. They had decided to camp out under the stars instead, nestled on the fringes of the pine forest. Cain fiddled with the old leather tent for about ten minutes before sitting back down next to Anska and pouring another mug of tea.
Anska had begun roasting some of the venison they had packed, the fragrant seasonings wafting through the air around them while Cain’s stomach began to rumble. A further few minutes passed and she pulled it from the flames before cutting off a chunk and setting it on a plate for him. They ate mostly in silence while the moons rose overhead and the sounds of nightfall’s creatures began to echo around them.
“Ready for bed soon?” asked Cain, setting his plate aside. “We should try to get underway by dawn tomorrow so that we don’t miss Linn.”
“Okay. I’m dead tired anyway. And hopefully your sister will be kinder than you were about teleporting us so far away.”
“Not going to let me live that down?”
“Nope.”
They threw a few more pieces of wood on the roaring fire and crawled inside the tent, snuggling down for a good night’s sleep. It didn’t take long for them to drift off into a deep slumber, and, much like any night, it never seemed to last long enough. Cain began to stir just ahead of sunrise the next morning and he roused Anska before leaving the tent. She joined him a few minutes later, her long blonde hair unbraided and tousled from being buried down into the bedroll.
“I hope you packed a mirror,” said Cain, “you’ll need one to fix that wild mane!”
“Piss off,” she replied. “It’s too earlier for your teasing. You could at least waited until I had something warm to drink. Besides, I’ve been braiding this for years and I can do it with my eyes closed.”
Just to prove her point Anska sat down around the diminished campfire, closed her eyes, and deftly wove her hip length hair into the single braid she usually wore. Then she opened her eyes back up and glanced sidelong at Cain.
“Satisfied?”
“I dunno, the messy look was sort of cute. That does explain why you’re so good with your hands, though,” he winked.
Annoyed at how bubbly he was in the morning, Anska stole Cain’s notion from the night before and rolled up a snowball while he was bent over the tent in an effort to start packing it up. She pelted it directly at his ass and then looked away like nothing had happened.
He stopped what he was doing to brush the snow off and then turned to look at her. Anska was shaking with silent laughter and trying not to make eye contact with him.
“Okay,” he sighed,” I guess I earned that one. It’s a good thing you’ve got that Nord blood to warm you up, ya know…”
“Oh? And why is that?”
“Because this ridiculous summer snow is very cold.” He quickly stepped away from the tent and tackled her into the fluffy white powder that blanketed the ground around them.
Anska yelped in surprise and started giggling while she softly pounded her hands on his back. “Get off me you oaf! Your desert blood certainly won’t be happy about rolling around in this [censored]!”
Cain stood up and started brushing off his bare shoulders. “Damn you’re not wrong there - I should have put my shirt on before I left the tent!”
“Just finish packing it up already. I’ll see if I can get this fire going again and make us some tea.”
Sunlight began to poke through the trees as they drained the last of their tea and kicked out the small fire Anska had rekindled. The last survivor of Stonehills said a final prayer to Arkay for those who had perished, and then they shouldered their packed bags, and set out west on the road to Morthal. It was a clear morning and they made great time, stepping into the Moorside at least an hour before midday.
Cain was not surprised at all to see Linneá already sitting at the bar waiting for them. A book was open on the counter in front of her and her eyes darted back and forth over the pages while she sipped something steaming from a pewter tankard. They walked over and took a seat on either side of her.
“Morning you two,” she said, not looking up from the book. “Let me finish this page and we’ll get underway.”
Seizing the opportunity to get another warm drink, Cain flagged down the barmaid and ordered a mug of coffee. He took a sip and leaned back in his stool, savoring the taste and hoping that the dunmer liked coffee too. He’d tasted some of their preferred drinks back in Anvil and had been found wanting.
Anska’s voice drifted across to him from Linneá’s other side, “Ugh, it even smells like [censored]. You couldn’t have just ordered some water?”
Linneá smiled and closed her book. “Not a coffee person, An? Can I call you that or do you prefer Anska?”
“An is fine,” she shrugged. “Although I don’t see why you’d want to further shorten an already short name.”
“I like pet names,” said Linneá, “they make me feel closer to a person. Might rethink that one though, it’s a tad close to what I call Serana. And ‘Elle’ is off limits to others, so you know. Only the missus gets to call me that.”
“Fair enough,” said Anska. ”Should we get going or do we have to wait for Cain to finish his dirty water? And where is Serana anyway?”
“She’s still asleep most likely,” answered Linneá. “She puts on a good show for the diplomats, but the poison took it’s toll on her. Probably be another few days until she’s back up to snuff.”
The Redguard set a few extra pieces of gold on the counter and stood up. “I’ll take the coffee to go. My guess is we’re heading out into the marsh?”
Linneá nodded and stowed away the book in her shoulder bag. “Aye. We don’t advertise that particular brand of magic.”
The trio left Moorside and headed north out of town, directly into the expansive swamps of Hjaalmarch. After walking for about fifteen minutes, Linneá came to a stop in a clearing and checked to see if Anska was prepared for the spell.
“Okay, we shouldn’t be seen all the way out here. Ready, dear?”
Anska nervously bit her lip, but she nodded in agreement. “Yes. I’m ready.”
“I’ll make it as smooth as I can, yeah? You can either take a hand or wrap your arms around me. You’re call.”
“I’m ready, too,” said Cain, sardonically. “If anyone else cares, that is.”
“Shut up,” said Anska and Linneá in unison.
“I knew I liked you for a reason,” giggled Linneá. “Just a hand then? Okay, you can grab my other hand, Cain. And hold on tight.”
Cain grabbed the proffered hand and looked over at Anska, giving her a reassuring smile. Linneá closed her eyes, concentrated on the recall spot she had marked a few miles outside of Blacklight, and cast the spell. All three were lost to a swirling vortex of purple, white, and black magickal energy, and within seconds they reappeared hundreds of miles away, in a different province.
New smells rankled Cain’s nose before he even opened his eyes. Letting go of his sister’s hand, he put a hand on Anska’s shoulder to steady her.
“How are you doing?” he asked her.
“...Fine, I think. Um. Linneá?”
“Yes, dear?”
“This might be a weird question, but you’ve done this way more than I have...” Anska blushed slightly and started to slightly sway back and forth on her the balls of her feet. “Is it normal to have to pee after moving this far?”
Linneá laughed and reassured her. “Oh yeah, it happens sometimes. It’s safe around here, you can duck behind a tree or something.”
“Okay good. Back in a sec.”
Anska returned a few minutes later to find Cain alone in the clearing they had materialized in. He was leaning against a gnarled old tree with moss dangling from its scraggy branches, taking a drink of water from his canteen.
“What happened to Linn?”
“Zapped back to the embassy. Serana needed her for something, so we’re on our own. There’s an east-west road just through those bushes over there that will take us to Blacklight. We should make it there in under an hour. Then we can reconnect with them in the city center.”
“Alright then,” replied Anska. “Did you spot those mushroom trees over there? Weirdest damn thing I’ve ever seen.”
“Wait until you see some of the towers the Telvanni wizards grow,” said Cain. “Soaring mushrooms that are taller than the Blue Palace, and they live at the top. Linn mentioned actually being one of them with Serana when they were in Solstheim a few years ago.”
“Sounds awful. Let’s go.”
They set out on foot for the City of Blacklight, taking in the weirdly exotic landscape as they went. Gone were the cold snowy reaches of Skyrim, replaced by warm, humid air filled with the musty smell of the tall fungi scattered among the more normal hardwood trees that filled the woodlands of Morrowind. A faint smell of smoke occasionally wafted around them, usually followed by a few minutes of falling ash expelled from Vvardenfell and the continuously erupting Red Mountain.
It was just after one o’clock in the afternoon when Cain and Anska stepped through the city’s western gate. Two guards stood on duty, but they barely acknowledged them when they entered, only bowing their heads slightly. The architecture leaped out at them immediately. Blacklight was filled with small homes of carved rock that resembled some sort of huge insect, rather than the tall block-like houses in Skyrim and Cyrodiil.
“It’s all so weird!” Anska muttered to Cain. “I never imagined everything would be so different!”
“I think they set the homes deep into the earth. Probably why they are so small looking from the outside. Are you doing okay?”
“Yes, don’t worry about it. I know I was scared when you first told me, but I can’t help but find this all to be so interesting! Who knows – maybe we can travel to some other provinces in our lifetime!”
“Look at you, Ms. Adventurer!” grinned Cain. He stopped walking and pulled her in close. “I’m proud of you, Anska. I know this was a lot to ask of you and I’m so happy your here with me and enjoying yourself like this.”
Anska kissed him. “Stop that, you’re going to get me all torqued up. C’mon, I think that’s the embassy over there.” She pointed to a building just down the road that looked like a structure they would have seen in Skyrim. Outside of it were several flags set at full mast, and a contingent of guards clad in strange yellow armor.
And on a bench near the door sat Linneá and Serana, deep in conversation about something. Serana glanced up the street and saw them approaching, then said something to the guards who let Cain and Anska pass through without trouble.
“Welcome to Blacklight!” said Serana. “Any trouble getting here?”
“None at all,” answered Cain.
“Good, then let’s head inside. We can introduce you to Ulvon and then cut you loose on the city.”
The first hours of evening-time at Stonehills were quiet and the faint odors of ash and decay still hung in the cold summer air. What remained of the small town was slowly being buried in the snowfall of central Skyrim that never seemed to cease, no matter what season. The wooded area adjacent to the ruins of Anska’s family home had been converted into a small graveyard by her and Cain. Small headstones stood at the head of several stone mounds that covered the few bodies they could find among the rubble and burned out timbers.
Sitting before a warm campfire after a long day of labor, Anska rested her head against Cain’s shoulder while she mourned, saying prayer after prayer to Arkay. Picking through the town had been arduous and emotional, but a small part of her was relieved that they’d been able to help lay her friends to rest. Anska finally felt ready to put that chapter of her life behind her, and move on to whatever new experiences with the kindhearted and stoic man next to her lay beyond the horizon.
She wiped her eyes one last time to keep the tears from freezing on her skin, and took a sip from the tankard of hot tea Cain offered her. “Thanks, hon. You know, I never had tea until the palace staff handed a mug to me last week. It’s quite good.”
“I never had much of it either,” said Cain, “though it seems to be the popular morning drink for my family. I’d rather stick to coffee.”
“Yeah, gonna have to disagree with you on that last part. This is much more pleasant tasting than coffee, especially when it has fresh herbs or blossoms mixed in. Coffee tastes like [censored].”
Cain laughed and gave her a playful shove. “Better watch yourself, miss. I’m not above rolling up a snowball and pelting you with it!"
“Go right ahead,” she dared him, “see what happens to you.”
He laughed again and then set about erecting their tent for the night. Morthal wasn’t that far away, though it would take several hours to get there on foot and neither of them felt up to the walk. They had decided to camp out under the stars instead, nestled on the fringes of the pine forest. Cain fiddled with the old leather tent for about ten minutes before sitting back down next to Anska and pouring another mug of tea.
Anska had begun roasting some of the venison they had packed, the fragrant seasonings wafting through the air around them while Cain’s stomach began to rumble. A further few minutes passed and she pulled it from the flames before cutting off a chunk and setting it on a plate for him. They ate mostly in silence while the moons rose overhead and the sounds of nightfall’s creatures began to echo around them.
“Ready for bed soon?” asked Cain, setting his plate aside. “We should try to get underway by dawn tomorrow so that we don’t miss Linn.”
“Okay. I’m dead tired anyway. And hopefully your sister will be kinder than you were about teleporting us so far away.”
“Not going to let me live that down?”
“Nope.”
They threw a few more pieces of wood on the roaring fire and crawled inside the tent, snuggling down for a good night’s sleep. It didn’t take long for them to drift off into a deep slumber, and, much like any night, it never seemed to last long enough. Cain began to stir just ahead of sunrise the next morning and he roused Anska before leaving the tent. She joined him a few minutes later, her long blonde hair unbraided and tousled from being buried down into the bedroll.
“I hope you packed a mirror,” said Cain, “you’ll need one to fix that wild mane!”
“Piss off,” she replied. “It’s too earlier for your teasing. You could at least waited until I had something warm to drink. Besides, I’ve been braiding this for years and I can do it with my eyes closed.”
Just to prove her point Anska sat down around the diminished campfire, closed her eyes, and deftly wove her hip length hair into the single braid she usually wore. Then she opened her eyes back up and glanced sidelong at Cain.
“Satisfied?”
“I dunno, the messy look was sort of cute. That does explain why you’re so good with your hands, though,” he winked.
Annoyed at how bubbly he was in the morning, Anska stole Cain’s notion from the night before and rolled up a snowball while he was bent over the tent in an effort to start packing it up. She pelted it directly at his ass and then looked away like nothing had happened.
He stopped what he was doing to brush the snow off and then turned to look at her. Anska was shaking with silent laughter and trying not to make eye contact with him.
“Okay,” he sighed,” I guess I earned that one. It’s a good thing you’ve got that Nord blood to warm you up, ya know…”
“Oh? And why is that?”
“Because this ridiculous summer snow is very cold.” He quickly stepped away from the tent and tackled her into the fluffy white powder that blanketed the ground around them.
Anska yelped in surprise and started giggling while she softly pounded her hands on his back. “Get off me you oaf! Your desert blood certainly won’t be happy about rolling around in this [censored]!”
Cain stood up and started brushing off his bare shoulders. “Damn you’re not wrong there - I should have put my shirt on before I left the tent!”
“Just finish packing it up already. I’ll see if I can get this fire going again and make us some tea.”
Sunlight began to poke through the trees as they drained the last of their tea and kicked out the small fire Anska had rekindled. The last survivor of Stonehills said a final prayer to Arkay for those who had perished, and then they shouldered their packed bags, and set out west on the road to Morthal. It was a clear morning and they made great time, stepping into the Moorside at least an hour before midday.
Cain was not surprised at all to see Linneá already sitting at the bar waiting for them. A book was open on the counter in front of her and her eyes darted back and forth over the pages while she sipped something steaming from a pewter tankard. They walked over and took a seat on either side of her.
“Morning you two,” she said, not looking up from the book. “Let me finish this page and we’ll get underway.”
Seizing the opportunity to get another warm drink, Cain flagged down the barmaid and ordered a mug of coffee. He took a sip and leaned back in his stool, savoring the taste and hoping that the dunmer liked coffee too. He’d tasted some of their preferred drinks back in Anvil and had been found wanting.
Anska’s voice drifted across to him from Linneá’s other side, “Ugh, it even smells like [censored]. You couldn’t have just ordered some water?”
Linneá smiled and closed her book. “Not a coffee person, An? Can I call you that or do you prefer Anska?”
“An is fine,” she shrugged. “Although I don’t see why you’d want to further shorten an already short name.”
“I like pet names,” said Linneá, “they make me feel closer to a person. Might rethink that one though, it’s a tad close to what I call Serana. And ‘Elle’ is off limits to others, so you know. Only the missus gets to call me that.”
“Fair enough,” said Anska. ”Should we get going or do we have to wait for Cain to finish his dirty water? And where is Serana anyway?”
“She’s still asleep most likely,” answered Linneá. “She puts on a good show for the diplomats, but the poison took it’s toll on her. Probably be another few days until she’s back up to snuff.”
The Redguard set a few extra pieces of gold on the counter and stood up. “I’ll take the coffee to go. My guess is we’re heading out into the marsh?”
Linneá nodded and stowed away the book in her shoulder bag. “Aye. We don’t advertise that particular brand of magic.”
The trio left Moorside and headed north out of town, directly into the expansive swamps of Hjaalmarch. After walking for about fifteen minutes, Linneá came to a stop in a clearing and checked to see if Anska was prepared for the spell.
“Okay, we shouldn’t be seen all the way out here. Ready, dear?”
Anska nervously bit her lip, but she nodded in agreement. “Yes. I’m ready.”
“I’ll make it as smooth as I can, yeah? You can either take a hand or wrap your arms around me. You’re call.”
“I’m ready, too,” said Cain, sardonically. “If anyone else cares, that is.”
“Shut up,” said Anska and Linneá in unison.
“I knew I liked you for a reason,” giggled Linneá. “Just a hand then? Okay, you can grab my other hand, Cain. And hold on tight.”
Cain grabbed the proffered hand and looked over at Anska, giving her a reassuring smile. Linneá closed her eyes, concentrated on the recall spot she had marked a few miles outside of Blacklight, and cast the spell. All three were lost to a swirling vortex of purple, white, and black magickal energy, and within seconds they reappeared hundreds of miles away, in a different province.
New smells rankled Cain’s nose before he even opened his eyes. Letting go of his sister’s hand, he put a hand on Anska’s shoulder to steady her.
“How are you doing?” he asked her.
“...Fine, I think. Um. Linneá?”
“Yes, dear?”
“This might be a weird question, but you’ve done this way more than I have...” Anska blushed slightly and started to slightly sway back and forth on her the balls of her feet. “Is it normal to have to pee after moving this far?”
Linneá laughed and reassured her. “Oh yeah, it happens sometimes. It’s safe around here, you can duck behind a tree or something.”
“Okay good. Back in a sec.”
Anska returned a few minutes later to find Cain alone in the clearing they had materialized in. He was leaning against a gnarled old tree with moss dangling from its scraggy branches, taking a drink of water from his canteen.
“What happened to Linn?”
“Zapped back to the embassy. Serana needed her for something, so we’re on our own. There’s an east-west road just through those bushes over there that will take us to Blacklight. We should make it there in under an hour. Then we can reconnect with them in the city center.”
“Alright then,” replied Anska. “Did you spot those mushroom trees over there? Weirdest damn thing I’ve ever seen.”
“Wait until you see some of the towers the Telvanni wizards grow,” said Cain. “Soaring mushrooms that are taller than the Blue Palace, and they live at the top. Linn mentioned actually being one of them with Serana when they were in Solstheim a few years ago.”
“Sounds awful. Let’s go.”
They set out on foot for the City of Blacklight, taking in the weirdly exotic landscape as they went. Gone were the cold snowy reaches of Skyrim, replaced by warm, humid air filled with the musty smell of the tall fungi scattered among the more normal hardwood trees that filled the woodlands of Morrowind. A faint smell of smoke occasionally wafted around them, usually followed by a few minutes of falling ash expelled from Vvardenfell and the continuously erupting Red Mountain.
It was just after one o’clock in the afternoon when Cain and Anska stepped through the city’s western gate. Two guards stood on duty, but they barely acknowledged them when they entered, only bowing their heads slightly. The architecture leaped out at them immediately. Blacklight was filled with small homes of carved rock that resembled some sort of huge insect, rather than the tall block-like houses in Skyrim and Cyrodiil.
“It’s all so weird!” Anska muttered to Cain. “I never imagined everything would be so different!”
“I think they set the homes deep into the earth. Probably why they are so small looking from the outside. Are you doing okay?”
“Yes, don’t worry about it. I know I was scared when you first told me, but I can’t help but find this all to be so interesting! Who knows – maybe we can travel to some other provinces in our lifetime!”
“Look at you, Ms. Adventurer!” grinned Cain. He stopped walking and pulled her in close. “I’m proud of you, Anska. I know this was a lot to ask of you and I’m so happy your here with me and enjoying yourself like this.”
Anska kissed him. “Stop that, you’re going to get me all torqued up. C’mon, I think that’s the embassy over there.” She pointed to a building just down the road that looked like a structure they would have seen in Skyrim. Outside of it were several flags set at full mast, and a contingent of guards clad in strange yellow armor.
And on a bench near the door sat Linneá and Serana, deep in conversation about something. Serana glanced up the street and saw them approaching, then said something to the guards who let Cain and Anska pass through without trouble.
“Welcome to Blacklight!” said Serana. “Any trouble getting here?”
“None at all,” answered Cain.
“Good, then let’s head inside. We can introduce you to Ulvon and then cut you loose on the city.”
Chapter XIX – Lifting the Veil
Cain and Anska sat in two new chairs that had been placed next to the very same ones Linneá and Serana had sat in not so long ago. All four of them now faced an empty desk while they waited for Archmaster Ulvon’s assistant to return with him. The minutes ticked on until Linneá started to grow bored of the wait, and flitted a brief thought towards her wife.
Serana shook her head once and slapped her on the leg. “Inappropriate, Elle. He would definitely notice if we did that on his desk, and I doubt Cain and Anska want to watch that anyway.”
Looking at the ornate desk, Anska knew exactly what had just transpired. She couldn’t help but feel a little envious of the link Cain’s sisters had, and she sometimes found herself wondering if she would want such a thing with him. It seemed so personal and intimate. Her thoughts dwelled on her last conversation with the goddess a few nights ago on the balcony of Kirin’s study - Kyne had pulled her aside an offered that very thing, if Anska and Cain desired it.
“Kyne mentioned you two had a very…active…relationship,” said Cain, interrupting Anska’s train of thought. “Never thought I’d see a Divine blush like she did that night at Elysium.”
“I’m surprised all she did was blush,” said Linneá, grinning deviously. “She popped into my head when it was buried in – “
“That’s enough, Linneá!” Serana half shouted.
Ulvon entered the room seconds later and saved Serana from any further embarrassment at the hands of Linneá. Cain had lowered his head into his hands and groaned while the Archmaster took a seat at his desk, and Anska was trying her best to contain a fit of laughter.
“Did I interrupt something important?” Ulvon asked.
“Not at all,” said Linneá. “Just talking to the family. Speaking of which: allow me to introduce my brother and his future wife.”
Cain stood up and offered a hand to the elderly dunmer. “Please to meet you, Ulvon. This is Anska of Stonehills – she was kind enough to travel all this way with me.” He sat back down as the Archmaster bowed his head to them. Then Cain turned to look at his sister: “And, really, Linn? Future wife? We’ve been together for less than two weeks.”
“The writing is already on the wall, even if you refuse to see it,” she said, simply. “Now then, do you have anything new for us, Ulvon?”
His eyes darted back and forth between them curiously. “You know, I’ve never met people quite like you and your family, Mrs. Linneá. You preached honesty during your opening statements for these treaty talks, but you’ll forgive me if I didn’t take your regard for blunt candor seriously. And now, I see that even your brother, heir to the throne of Skyrim, isn’t afraid to speak plainly either, no matter the company.”
“Well, you do have to admit that it’s sped things along with our working relationship,” Serana smiled. “I’d like to think that we’ve already made an ally in you, Archmaster.”
“Quite so. If only the rest of us could get on so well with the other Houses, these would be short treaty talks. Uh, where were we? Oh, new information…” Ulvon started sifting through a stack of parchment on his desk, hunting down the memo that had been delivered that very morning. “Ah, here it is! I do indeed have something new for you. My contact in the local Morag Tong chapter sent this to me.” He handed it to Linneá and let her scan through it in silence for a moment.
“You have a contact with a guild of assassins?” inquired Anska.
“We all do, Ms… Anska was it? A very pretty name – does it have a significant meaning in your culture?”
“My mother claimed it was old Atmoran for ‘Angel’, but I’ve never looked into it.”
“Pleasure to meet you, nonetheless. But to your question: The Tong are a state sanctioned group and one would be foolish to not take advantage of it for their own protection.”
They all fell silent briefly while Linneá finished reading the note, and then handed it to her brother. Cain read through it himself and felt his brow furrowing. It seemed to offer more questions than answers, but it did give them a starting point. They would be meeting the contact just after dusk, in the same alleyway the attack happened in.
“I suppose it’s something,” he said.
“It’s [censored],” replied Linneá. “Nothing else could be turned up, Ulvon?”
“Afraid not, Mrs. Linneá. You were very thorough in repelling the assassins, so we had no way to identify them. Ash piles offer little clues.”
“You’ll have to forgive me. I was rather upset that someone would dare harm my wife.”
“Yes, well, remind me to stay on your good side,” Ulvon chuckled. “The Tong assassins are well trained and it would you seem you effortlessly made an example of them. And I am glad to see there was no lasting harm done to you, Mrs. Serana. I’m afraid that’s all the time we have though – would you four mind leaving me to my duties? House Telvanni is finally expected tonight and I must prepare for that…headache.”
One by one they all stood up and bade there goodbye before heading out into the empty embassy corridor. There were no staff around, so Linneá led them back to the living quarters, and they all piled into her and Serana’s assigned bedroom. A single large bed stood in the middle, the blankets in a state of disarray. The bright afternoon sunlight shone through thin white sheers that were draped over the lone window, illuminating the room without the need for candles or sconces. Cain and Anska took a seat on a wooden bench near the window while Serana bustled about the room in a bid to straighten it up.
“Sorry,” she muttered. “I overslept this morning and didn’t have time to clean up after myself.”
“Let it be, sis,” said Cain. “I never saw much point in making the bed every morning when you’re just going to muss it up again later. You’ve got some free time until tonight, no? Relax for a while - Linn mentioned you were still recovering.”
She stopped what she was doing and flopped down onto the bed. “Okay, you’ve convinced me. Feel like I could take a nap anyway.”
“Are you sure you’re alright?” Anska asked her. “You don’t really seem yourself.”
“I’m fine, I promise. I get less and less tired each day. Today just happened to be a busy one.”
“Oh? I thought you slept pretty late though?”
“I did. But Elle woke me up before dawn. I won’t tell you the reason why, but I’m sure you can figure it out.”
Cain let out a heavy sigh. “Could you two tone that down in front of me? I really do think of you as my sisters and I love you deeply. I don’t need to hear about your sex lives all the time.”
“Aw, that’s sweet of you to say, Cain,” Serana said. “You’re right though, I’ll try not to do that. And you will to, Elle, if you know what’s good for you.”
“Promises, promises,” replied Linneá. “To be honest, I could use a nap myself. Why don’t you two go out and get a feel for the city? There’s a place just down the road that offers a passable mead, if you’re feeling thirsty.”
“Maybe,” said Cain. “Wait, do we get out own room here or are we supposed to find an inn?”
“Ulvon’s working on getting a room ready. Probably by nightfall.”
“Good, I was hoping we’d be close while we’re here,” he said. Getting up from the bench, he offered Anska a hand. “Shall we get lunch?”
“It’s a date,” Anska smiled.
They waved to Linneá and Serana before leaving, and the moment the door closed, Linneá flopped down on the bed next to her wife, and rolled up tightly against her. Ten minutes later, they were both snoring away while the day ticked on.
Walking through the streets of Blacklight was an odd experience for Cain. He had never been someplace like Morrowind, where the people who called it home disliked outlanders so much. Not a single person met his or Anska’s eyes, and most pretended they didn’t exist at all. There was a smattering of beings other than the Dunmer, but they were definitely in the minority.
Those that did acknowledge them were of the practical sort. The woman with the raspy voice who served them at the café Linneá mentioned was more than happy to take their gold for something that could barely be called mead. Cain settled for a glass of water when the tankard ran dry.
“At least the food is decent,” said Anska.
“Hard to mess up a venison steak, but I agree. The spice blend is nice too, must be a local herb.” He took the last bite of his lunch and then pushed the plate aside. “We’ve got some time to kill – anything you want to check out while we’re here?”
“It’s a nice thought, Cain, but I have no idea what there even is to see in the city. Not like any of the natives will tell us if we ask. I suppose we should have asked about that before we left the consulate.”
“That’s true,” said Cain. Leaning back in his chair, he glanced up just in time to see a large brown hawk land on the roof of the café. Its amber eyes stared down impassively, and it flicked its head to the left a single time, the movement barely perceptible. He looked in that direction and saw a wooded park just down the road from them.
“New plan, hon. Let’s go take a stroll through those trees.”
Anska looked at him questioningly, her eyebrow raised. Cain pointed up towards the roof and the waiting hawk. “Oh. I guess that’s not surprising. She did say she can’t help but stay away for long. A walk sounds lovely.”
Ten minutes came and went until they found a secluded clearing deep within the park. They sat on the ground and waited patiently for Kyne to arrive, which did not take long at all. A robed figure emerged from the trees, her skin ashen, hey eyes a deep red. But the smile was the same and the goddess greeted them warmly, embracing each in turn.
“So, what brings you to Blacklight?” Cain asked her.
“I try to help whenever I can,” said Kyne. “And Linn let me read that note from Ulvon through her eyes, so I decided to start keeping tabs on his contact.”
“You’re too good to us,” said Anska. “Here we are, treating ourselves to a nice lunch and taking in the city, and you’re already investigating!”
“Think nothing of it, dear. By the way…have you considered my offer from the other night?”
Cain had been fiddling with a loose strap on his scabbard, but that last part caught his attention and his eyes moved back and forth between Anska and Kyne. Thinking back to their impromptu party on the balcony, he did remember seeing the two of them in a quiet discussion, and now he found himself wondering what it was about.
“Offer?” he asked Kyne. “What offer?”
“That’s only for Anska to know until she is ready, Cain,” she tutted.
“Nobody likes secrets, mum.”
“I’m sure you’ll get over it.”
He shook his head and went back to fixing the loose strap of leather. Whatever they spoke of didn’t really bother him all that much and he was glad to see Anska adapting so well to that side of his family. He still wouldn’t have minded knowing, but he could tell it was something that would come about in due time.
“I’ll talk to him about it over dinner, Kyne,” Anska continued. “I promise.”
“Good enough,” said Kyne. “Now, about this contact…do not trust him. In the couple of hours since I started following him, he’s met a surprising number of shady looking characters around town. Mostly other dunmer criminals from what I could tell, but there was one hooded figure he met with that I couldn’t discern. Something is afoot with him. Be wary.”
“We’ll be safe,” Cain assured her. “I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve to make sure we’re alone when we meet him later. And if he knows who we are, then he’ll think twice about attacking a Dragonborn.”
“Then I’ll leave it in your hands, children,” said Kyne. “I must go for now, but I’ll find you again tomorrow.” She hugged them both again and took flight in her usual hawk form, leaving Cain and Anska alone in the wooded area.
With nothing else to do, they decided to head back to the embassy and see what Linneá and Serana were up to. The return trip didn’t take long, so they weren’t overly disappointed to find out that Cain’s sisters were tied up with some other councilors and were unavailable. Back out on the streets, they milled about with no real idea of where to go or what to do next.
“Maybe we could just zip back to the palace for a while...” said Anska.
“Tempting, but I’d rather not unless we really needed to. How about this instead.” Cain reached into his pocket and pulled out a leaflet he’d picked up on the way out of the embassy and showed it to her. The drawing on the front of it showed a large marketplace on the west side of Blacklight, teeming with tents, yurts, the odd structures that were so prevalent around them, and wood stalls. “Fancy a bit of shopping?”
“Ooh, that could be fun! I want to see if I can find some of the vibrant wrap clothes that some of the dunmer women wear. The dyes they use are so pretty.”
“I think it’s over that way,” said Cain, pointing to the far side of town. He propped his elbow out and offered Anska to loop her arm through it. “Shall we?”
They set off arm-in-arm for the marketplace, talking all the while. And behind them, a hooded figure kept its distance, but never lost sight of the outlanders.
Cain and Anska sat in two new chairs that had been placed next to the very same ones Linneá and Serana had sat in not so long ago. All four of them now faced an empty desk while they waited for Archmaster Ulvon’s assistant to return with him. The minutes ticked on until Linneá started to grow bored of the wait, and flitted a brief thought towards her wife.
Serana shook her head once and slapped her on the leg. “Inappropriate, Elle. He would definitely notice if we did that on his desk, and I doubt Cain and Anska want to watch that anyway.”
Looking at the ornate desk, Anska knew exactly what had just transpired. She couldn’t help but feel a little envious of the link Cain’s sisters had, and she sometimes found herself wondering if she would want such a thing with him. It seemed so personal and intimate. Her thoughts dwelled on her last conversation with the goddess a few nights ago on the balcony of Kirin’s study - Kyne had pulled her aside an offered that very thing, if Anska and Cain desired it.
“Kyne mentioned you two had a very…active…relationship,” said Cain, interrupting Anska’s train of thought. “Never thought I’d see a Divine blush like she did that night at Elysium.”
“I’m surprised all she did was blush,” said Linneá, grinning deviously. “She popped into my head when it was buried in – “
“That’s enough, Linneá!” Serana half shouted.
Ulvon entered the room seconds later and saved Serana from any further embarrassment at the hands of Linneá. Cain had lowered his head into his hands and groaned while the Archmaster took a seat at his desk, and Anska was trying her best to contain a fit of laughter.
“Did I interrupt something important?” Ulvon asked.
“Not at all,” said Linneá. “Just talking to the family. Speaking of which: allow me to introduce my brother and his future wife.”
Cain stood up and offered a hand to the elderly dunmer. “Please to meet you, Ulvon. This is Anska of Stonehills – she was kind enough to travel all this way with me.” He sat back down as the Archmaster bowed his head to them. Then Cain turned to look at his sister: “And, really, Linn? Future wife? We’ve been together for less than two weeks.”
“The writing is already on the wall, even if you refuse to see it,” she said, simply. “Now then, do you have anything new for us, Ulvon?”
His eyes darted back and forth between them curiously. “You know, I’ve never met people quite like you and your family, Mrs. Linneá. You preached honesty during your opening statements for these treaty talks, but you’ll forgive me if I didn’t take your regard for blunt candor seriously. And now, I see that even your brother, heir to the throne of Skyrim, isn’t afraid to speak plainly either, no matter the company.”
“Well, you do have to admit that it’s sped things along with our working relationship,” Serana smiled. “I’d like to think that we’ve already made an ally in you, Archmaster.”
“Quite so. If only the rest of us could get on so well with the other Houses, these would be short treaty talks. Uh, where were we? Oh, new information…” Ulvon started sifting through a stack of parchment on his desk, hunting down the memo that had been delivered that very morning. “Ah, here it is! I do indeed have something new for you. My contact in the local Morag Tong chapter sent this to me.” He handed it to Linneá and let her scan through it in silence for a moment.
“You have a contact with a guild of assassins?” inquired Anska.
“We all do, Ms… Anska was it? A very pretty name – does it have a significant meaning in your culture?”
“My mother claimed it was old Atmoran for ‘Angel’, but I’ve never looked into it.”
“Pleasure to meet you, nonetheless. But to your question: The Tong are a state sanctioned group and one would be foolish to not take advantage of it for their own protection.”
They all fell silent briefly while Linneá finished reading the note, and then handed it to her brother. Cain read through it himself and felt his brow furrowing. It seemed to offer more questions than answers, but it did give them a starting point. They would be meeting the contact just after dusk, in the same alleyway the attack happened in.
“I suppose it’s something,” he said.
“It’s [censored],” replied Linneá. “Nothing else could be turned up, Ulvon?”
“Afraid not, Mrs. Linneá. You were very thorough in repelling the assassins, so we had no way to identify them. Ash piles offer little clues.”
“You’ll have to forgive me. I was rather upset that someone would dare harm my wife.”
“Yes, well, remind me to stay on your good side,” Ulvon chuckled. “The Tong assassins are well trained and it would you seem you effortlessly made an example of them. And I am glad to see there was no lasting harm done to you, Mrs. Serana. I’m afraid that’s all the time we have though – would you four mind leaving me to my duties? House Telvanni is finally expected tonight and I must prepare for that…headache.”
One by one they all stood up and bade there goodbye before heading out into the empty embassy corridor. There were no staff around, so Linneá led them back to the living quarters, and they all piled into her and Serana’s assigned bedroom. A single large bed stood in the middle, the blankets in a state of disarray. The bright afternoon sunlight shone through thin white sheers that were draped over the lone window, illuminating the room without the need for candles or sconces. Cain and Anska took a seat on a wooden bench near the window while Serana bustled about the room in a bid to straighten it up.
“Sorry,” she muttered. “I overslept this morning and didn’t have time to clean up after myself.”
“Let it be, sis,” said Cain. “I never saw much point in making the bed every morning when you’re just going to muss it up again later. You’ve got some free time until tonight, no? Relax for a while - Linn mentioned you were still recovering.”
She stopped what she was doing and flopped down onto the bed. “Okay, you’ve convinced me. Feel like I could take a nap anyway.”
“Are you sure you’re alright?” Anska asked her. “You don’t really seem yourself.”
“I’m fine, I promise. I get less and less tired each day. Today just happened to be a busy one.”
“Oh? I thought you slept pretty late though?”
“I did. But Elle woke me up before dawn. I won’t tell you the reason why, but I’m sure you can figure it out.”
Cain let out a heavy sigh. “Could you two tone that down in front of me? I really do think of you as my sisters and I love you deeply. I don’t need to hear about your sex lives all the time.”
“Aw, that’s sweet of you to say, Cain,” Serana said. “You’re right though, I’ll try not to do that. And you will to, Elle, if you know what’s good for you.”
“Promises, promises,” replied Linneá. “To be honest, I could use a nap myself. Why don’t you two go out and get a feel for the city? There’s a place just down the road that offers a passable mead, if you’re feeling thirsty.”
“Maybe,” said Cain. “Wait, do we get out own room here or are we supposed to find an inn?”
“Ulvon’s working on getting a room ready. Probably by nightfall.”
“Good, I was hoping we’d be close while we’re here,” he said. Getting up from the bench, he offered Anska a hand. “Shall we get lunch?”
“It’s a date,” Anska smiled.
They waved to Linneá and Serana before leaving, and the moment the door closed, Linneá flopped down on the bed next to her wife, and rolled up tightly against her. Ten minutes later, they were both snoring away while the day ticked on.
Walking through the streets of Blacklight was an odd experience for Cain. He had never been someplace like Morrowind, where the people who called it home disliked outlanders so much. Not a single person met his or Anska’s eyes, and most pretended they didn’t exist at all. There was a smattering of beings other than the Dunmer, but they were definitely in the minority.
Those that did acknowledge them were of the practical sort. The woman with the raspy voice who served them at the café Linneá mentioned was more than happy to take their gold for something that could barely be called mead. Cain settled for a glass of water when the tankard ran dry.
“At least the food is decent,” said Anska.
“Hard to mess up a venison steak, but I agree. The spice blend is nice too, must be a local herb.” He took the last bite of his lunch and then pushed the plate aside. “We’ve got some time to kill – anything you want to check out while we’re here?”
“It’s a nice thought, Cain, but I have no idea what there even is to see in the city. Not like any of the natives will tell us if we ask. I suppose we should have asked about that before we left the consulate.”
“That’s true,” said Cain. Leaning back in his chair, he glanced up just in time to see a large brown hawk land on the roof of the café. Its amber eyes stared down impassively, and it flicked its head to the left a single time, the movement barely perceptible. He looked in that direction and saw a wooded park just down the road from them.
“New plan, hon. Let’s go take a stroll through those trees.”
Anska looked at him questioningly, her eyebrow raised. Cain pointed up towards the roof and the waiting hawk. “Oh. I guess that’s not surprising. She did say she can’t help but stay away for long. A walk sounds lovely.”
Ten minutes came and went until they found a secluded clearing deep within the park. They sat on the ground and waited patiently for Kyne to arrive, which did not take long at all. A robed figure emerged from the trees, her skin ashen, hey eyes a deep red. But the smile was the same and the goddess greeted them warmly, embracing each in turn.
“So, what brings you to Blacklight?” Cain asked her.
“I try to help whenever I can,” said Kyne. “And Linn let me read that note from Ulvon through her eyes, so I decided to start keeping tabs on his contact.”
“You’re too good to us,” said Anska. “Here we are, treating ourselves to a nice lunch and taking in the city, and you’re already investigating!”
“Think nothing of it, dear. By the way…have you considered my offer from the other night?”
Cain had been fiddling with a loose strap on his scabbard, but that last part caught his attention and his eyes moved back and forth between Anska and Kyne. Thinking back to their impromptu party on the balcony, he did remember seeing the two of them in a quiet discussion, and now he found himself wondering what it was about.
“Offer?” he asked Kyne. “What offer?”
“That’s only for Anska to know until she is ready, Cain,” she tutted.
“Nobody likes secrets, mum.”
“I’m sure you’ll get over it.”
He shook his head and went back to fixing the loose strap of leather. Whatever they spoke of didn’t really bother him all that much and he was glad to see Anska adapting so well to that side of his family. He still wouldn’t have minded knowing, but he could tell it was something that would come about in due time.
“I’ll talk to him about it over dinner, Kyne,” Anska continued. “I promise.”
“Good enough,” said Kyne. “Now, about this contact…do not trust him. In the couple of hours since I started following him, he’s met a surprising number of shady looking characters around town. Mostly other dunmer criminals from what I could tell, but there was one hooded figure he met with that I couldn’t discern. Something is afoot with him. Be wary.”
“We’ll be safe,” Cain assured her. “I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve to make sure we’re alone when we meet him later. And if he knows who we are, then he’ll think twice about attacking a Dragonborn.”
“Then I’ll leave it in your hands, children,” said Kyne. “I must go for now, but I’ll find you again tomorrow.” She hugged them both again and took flight in her usual hawk form, leaving Cain and Anska alone in the wooded area.
With nothing else to do, they decided to head back to the embassy and see what Linneá and Serana were up to. The return trip didn’t take long, so they weren’t overly disappointed to find out that Cain’s sisters were tied up with some other councilors and were unavailable. Back out on the streets, they milled about with no real idea of where to go or what to do next.
“Maybe we could just zip back to the palace for a while...” said Anska.
“Tempting, but I’d rather not unless we really needed to. How about this instead.” Cain reached into his pocket and pulled out a leaflet he’d picked up on the way out of the embassy and showed it to her. The drawing on the front of it showed a large marketplace on the west side of Blacklight, teeming with tents, yurts, the odd structures that were so prevalent around them, and wood stalls. “Fancy a bit of shopping?”
“Ooh, that could be fun! I want to see if I can find some of the vibrant wrap clothes that some of the dunmer women wear. The dyes they use are so pretty.”
“I think it’s over that way,” said Cain, pointing to the far side of town. He propped his elbow out and offered Anska to loop her arm through it. “Shall we?”
They set off arm-in-arm for the marketplace, talking all the while. And behind them, a hooded figure kept its distance, but never lost sight of the outlanders.
Chapter XX – Faith, Treachery, and a Regard for Silence
“Are you sure we did the right thing, husband?” Lydia had set down the book she struggled to concentrate on, her eyes now resting on Kirin. “Sending them to Morrowind, I mean. I know Cain and Anska were willing to help, but to throw them straight into the fire like that?”
Kirin looked up from the scroll he’d been reading. “I don’t know who else we could have sent, Lyds. If Cain hadn’t come into our lives, we would have had to pull the girls from the treaty talks and had them look into the matter. I’m sure they would have loved that, but they still underestimate their diplomacy skills. Well, Linn does anyway.”
The sun had just begun to set outside and the dimness of light it brought forced Kirin to stop reading, too. He got up from his desk and lit a few candle sconces around the study. But instead of sitting back down at by himself, he joined Lydia on her favorite chaise.
“Our kids are capable,” he reassured her. “I know they can get to the bottom of this. We just have to have faith.”
“I do have faith in them, but something about the entire thing still makes me uneasy. And I feel like Kyne knows something we don’t, dear. I sensed a certain…worriedness from her when she was with Cain and Anska. A sadness, even.”
Lydia leaned to the side and rested her head on Kirin’s shoulder. These fleeting moments of respite with her husband were her favorite times of the day, infrequent though they were. A selfish part of her wished he’d never taken the throne and that they would all still be living a quiet life on the outskirts of Whiterun. Life in the palace was safer though, and she took solace in the fact that they were usually all together here.
“We just have to have faith in her, too,” said Kirin. “Mother has never steered us wrong, and she’s saved our skins more times than we can count.”
“I know, I know. It’s just a mom’s fitful worrying, dear.” She lifted her head and gave Kirin a kiss on the cheek. “Can we dine in the gardens tonight? And spend the evening together? You’ve been so busy lately – take a break and relax with me for a while.”
“Okay,” he said, smiling gently at her. “I’ll tell the staff to keep their distance. Maybe we can even sneak down to the harbor for a few hours, and sit on the shoreline.”
“That sounds lovely, husband.”
They left the study and headed for the kitchens, taking their plates of food to go. Lydia grabbed a few bottles of mead, too, and they disappeared together into the night.
---------------------------
The final pieces were all falling into place. Emperor Titus Mede II had been working tirelessly to protect his seat of power, all the while throwing platitudes and false promises at the Elder Council. The dithering fools bought it all, hook, line, and sinker. The only thing that remained was a confirmation letter from his agents in the field - a letter he expected Anilay to deliver this very evening.
Lost in thought, a faint knock on the door made him start. “Enter.”
His chancellor stepped into the private study and handed Mede a bound scroll before taking a seat in the chair opposite the Emperor. He studied the aged man across from him and wondered how long he could keep this up for. Titus Mede was already old nearly thirty years ago, when the dragons threatened to spill down from Skyrim. And now the stress of the new high king and his northern alliances put Mede more on edge than ever, as he desperately clung to power. Anilay privately began to doubt it was worth the effort. Might a newer and far more powerful regime stand a better chance against the Dominion?
Mede finished reading the scroll and set it down with a pleased look on his face. “Excellent. All our agents are in position and will move when the time is right.”
“Are we sure this is wise, sire? I know you’ve taken great care to cover our tracks, but should this fail and the plot be exposed… we won’t have to wait for the Dragonborn to seize your throne. The Council will execute you themselves and invite him down here with open arms.”
‘Either way, it’ll be over my dead body, Anilay. My family sacrificed far too much for the Ruby Throne. I’ll see to it that a Mede shall always sit upon it.”
“Of course, sire.” Anilay bowed his head and then excused himself from the room. Rather than head off to his own chambers, the chancellor instead sought out an old friend who ought to still be in the Council chambers. He’s become shortsighted, he thought to himself. The men of Tamriel need strength and resolve, not selfishness.
---------------------------
Cain reached for Anska’s hand and intertwined his fingers with hers. “Someone is following us,” he whispered into her ear. “The hooded figure milling about the fletcher stall at eight o’clock. I first noticed them only moments after we left the embassy.”
“I saw them, too. Should we confront whomever it is?”
“Not here. Too many innocents around and I don’t want to make a scene. Linn and Serana have enough on their plate without us causing a scandal.” His eyes searched the area for somewhere out of the way, and spotted a narrow alley that disappeared between two shops on the fringes of the marketplace. “Over there, by the apothecary.”
Anska noted the alley and steeled herself for a fight. “Okay. But let’s try to make it look natural. Follow my lead.”
Keeping her hand firmly locked with Cain’s, she led him slowly towards the shops and made a show of perusing the other stalls as they went. Once they got to the mouth of the alleyway, Anska let go of his hand and began to kiss him passionately, her arms wrapping up his back, her hand running through his long hair. He knew at once where she was going with this and eagerly kept up the pretense, slowly steering her into the dark passage.
Within seconds, the hooded figure stepped into the shadows behind them and crept noiselessly down the alley. Cain’s free hand was on the hilt of his sword but before he could raise it, the soft voice of a woman came from their mysterious stalker.
“You needn’t draw your weapon, Cain. It would not help you anyway.”
Separated and at the ready, Cain and Anska both faced her down. “Who are you and how do you know my name,” he asked her.
The woman lowered her hood and smiled radiantly at them. Shoulder length blonde hair curled about a pale face of unequal beauty, each feature defined by impossibly soft lines that resembled perfection, and warm azure eyes twinkled knowingly at Cain and Anska. He gasped in surprise at the serene being before him, recognizing her at once as another Divine.
“I know of all my children in this world, including you and the lovely Anska here,” said the woman. “I am known to you as Mara, and this is not the first time I have called upon your family.”
Cain was momentarily stunned. He had somehow gotten used to the presence of Kyne, but he never expected to meet another one of the Nine. Anska had also fallen silent, but it was she who recovered first.
“Um. Wow,” she spoke, softly. “Kyne didn’t mention you were around, too.”
“Only when I need to be,” said Mara. “I appeared one other time, about thirty years ago, to nudge Cain’s father in the right direction. Poor man was oblivious to the signals Lydia was sending him. Kyne was more understanding than I was – he did have a lot on his shoulders at that time.”
“Er, you never met my sisters then?” Cain asked.
“Didn’t need to. Their love blossomed with little effort.”
Anska regarded the goddess for a moment and started to wonder why she was standing here before them. She had only been with Cain for a short time, and while she did feel strongly for the man, Anska was certain the feelings were mutual. It didn’t seem to her that a nudge from Mara was needed.
“Your thoughts are valid, child,” Mara said to her. “You two are doing just fine without my intervention.”
“Then why - ?”
“Am I here?’ she finished. Anska nodded and Mara continued: “To give you some advice. I know of the offer my sister made you, Anska, and I strongly recommend you turn it down.”
That wasn’t at all what she had expected to hear, and it slightly irked Anska. What could be so bad about such a wonderful gift? More and more she had begun to desire that connection with Cain, and the practical benefits it offered. Even as they spotted Mara dogging their footsteps, they could have silently shared it with each other, instead of watching on their own.
“I… I’ll think about it, ma’am. Though I struggle to see a downside.”
“Yes, well, don’t forget that my responsibilities allow me to see the flow of love as it weaves throughout the fabric of time. There are any roads to be taken and many possible branches to reach the end. And not all lead to happiness and content. I cannot force you to make that decision but it’s my duty to make you aware of the risks, even if I cannot reveal them.”
“Forgive me,” Cain interjected. “But will someone please just tell me what this damn offer is? First Kyne, and now you, ma’am. I’m the only one left in the dark here and it’s maddening!”
“For that, I am sorry, Cain,” said Mara. “Anska may tell you after I take my leave. Which, I shall do now – before prying eyes spot us. It was lovely to meet you two. Please give my regards to Kyne, and to your parents, Cain.”
Mara raised her hood and disappeared further into the dark alleyway, eventually vanishing entirely from their sight. Cain and Anska stood in disbelief for a moment while the shock of having met another Divine finally set in.
“This family, I swear,” muttered Anska. “Kings, dragons, divines. What else are we going to stumble into?” Cain said nothing, but he looked at her expectantly. “Oh, right. The gift.” She took his hand and met his soft gaze equally. “Would you want our minds to be linked like Linneá’s and Serana’s? Kyne can grant us that, but only if we both agree to it and understand what it would mean for us.”
He frowned slightly, and a feeling of doubt crept up into Anska’s throat. She suddenly found herself wondering if Cain even would want that as much as she did. The prospect had excited her so much that Anska had never considered what would happen if he turned it down.
“That’s what you two have been hiding from me?”
She nodded at him. “But only if you want it, too, dear. It has to be something we both agree to - our thoughts and desires will be laid bare before one another. There will be no secrets. Only complete and utter honesty. And unity.”
Cain saw the desire for it dancing in her eyes, and he felt his own desire for such oneness begin to well up inside of him. But Mara’s words also echoed in mind and the fact that she had shown up in the flesh to warn them against it gave him pause.
Anska felt the hesitation and she stepped back from him. “You don’t want this, do you?” Tears sprang unbidden to the corners of her eyes, and that feeling of doubt burned intensely at the back of her throat. “I shouldn’t have entertained it. Not without telling you first.”
“It’s not that,” promised Cain. “I do want it – certainly as much as you do, if not more. I just… I can’t seem to shake free of Mara’s warning to you. What if it dooms us somehow? Godsdammit, Anska, we’ve only been together for a couple of weeks but I know how I feel about you. I’ve never been so certain of anything else in my life!”
“Then to hell with her warning!” exclaimed Anska. “You heard what she said: there are many possible branches! Who’s to say this isn’t exactly what we are supposed to do? And why should our lives be dictated by anyone but ourselves?! Kyne’s guiding hand is one thing, but I do not like the outright interference Mara just threw between us!”
“Can’t say that I like it either,” said Cain. “No, you’re absolutely right, Anska. Our lives are our own and we should live them as we see fit. And Kyne wouldn’t have offered such a thing if it was so dangerous - which we know it’s not! Just look at my sisters!”
The feeling of doubt evaporated from Anska in an instant and was replaced by elation. Everything Cain said after her initial worry was exactly what she needed to hear and she could not wait to find Kyne again and ask her to make the link. The excitement between them was palpable, but she still wanted to hear the words directly from his mouth.
“So, you’re okay with this?” she asked him. “You want to be linked with me that deeply?”
“Without a doubt.”
“Oh thank heavens,” she exhaled. “Sorry, I’d gotten myself all worked up over the idea of it.” Anska threw herself at Cain and furiously started kissing him again. After a few seconds, she pulled back and stared directly into his eyes. “I’m going to tell you something now, since you’re already going to find out soon if I don’t…”
Cain was panting slightly from her onslaught of passion, but he took the bait and asked the question anyway. “Just tell me so we can get back to the fun part!”
“Don’t ruin the moment, lunkhead,” breathed Anska, rolling her eyes dramatically.
“Tell me.”
She kissed him again and then pulled back once more. “I love you.”
“Are you sure we did the right thing, husband?” Lydia had set down the book she struggled to concentrate on, her eyes now resting on Kirin. “Sending them to Morrowind, I mean. I know Cain and Anska were willing to help, but to throw them straight into the fire like that?”
Kirin looked up from the scroll he’d been reading. “I don’t know who else we could have sent, Lyds. If Cain hadn’t come into our lives, we would have had to pull the girls from the treaty talks and had them look into the matter. I’m sure they would have loved that, but they still underestimate their diplomacy skills. Well, Linn does anyway.”
The sun had just begun to set outside and the dimness of light it brought forced Kirin to stop reading, too. He got up from his desk and lit a few candle sconces around the study. But instead of sitting back down at by himself, he joined Lydia on her favorite chaise.
“Our kids are capable,” he reassured her. “I know they can get to the bottom of this. We just have to have faith.”
“I do have faith in them, but something about the entire thing still makes me uneasy. And I feel like Kyne knows something we don’t, dear. I sensed a certain…worriedness from her when she was with Cain and Anska. A sadness, even.”
Lydia leaned to the side and rested her head on Kirin’s shoulder. These fleeting moments of respite with her husband were her favorite times of the day, infrequent though they were. A selfish part of her wished he’d never taken the throne and that they would all still be living a quiet life on the outskirts of Whiterun. Life in the palace was safer though, and she took solace in the fact that they were usually all together here.
“We just have to have faith in her, too,” said Kirin. “Mother has never steered us wrong, and she’s saved our skins more times than we can count.”
“I know, I know. It’s just a mom’s fitful worrying, dear.” She lifted her head and gave Kirin a kiss on the cheek. “Can we dine in the gardens tonight? And spend the evening together? You’ve been so busy lately – take a break and relax with me for a while.”
“Okay,” he said, smiling gently at her. “I’ll tell the staff to keep their distance. Maybe we can even sneak down to the harbor for a few hours, and sit on the shoreline.”
“That sounds lovely, husband.”
They left the study and headed for the kitchens, taking their plates of food to go. Lydia grabbed a few bottles of mead, too, and they disappeared together into the night.
---------------------------
The final pieces were all falling into place. Emperor Titus Mede II had been working tirelessly to protect his seat of power, all the while throwing platitudes and false promises at the Elder Council. The dithering fools bought it all, hook, line, and sinker. The only thing that remained was a confirmation letter from his agents in the field - a letter he expected Anilay to deliver this very evening.
Lost in thought, a faint knock on the door made him start. “Enter.”
His chancellor stepped into the private study and handed Mede a bound scroll before taking a seat in the chair opposite the Emperor. He studied the aged man across from him and wondered how long he could keep this up for. Titus Mede was already old nearly thirty years ago, when the dragons threatened to spill down from Skyrim. And now the stress of the new high king and his northern alliances put Mede more on edge than ever, as he desperately clung to power. Anilay privately began to doubt it was worth the effort. Might a newer and far more powerful regime stand a better chance against the Dominion?
Mede finished reading the scroll and set it down with a pleased look on his face. “Excellent. All our agents are in position and will move when the time is right.”
“Are we sure this is wise, sire? I know you’ve taken great care to cover our tracks, but should this fail and the plot be exposed… we won’t have to wait for the Dragonborn to seize your throne. The Council will execute you themselves and invite him down here with open arms.”
‘Either way, it’ll be over my dead body, Anilay. My family sacrificed far too much for the Ruby Throne. I’ll see to it that a Mede shall always sit upon it.”
“Of course, sire.” Anilay bowed his head and then excused himself from the room. Rather than head off to his own chambers, the chancellor instead sought out an old friend who ought to still be in the Council chambers. He’s become shortsighted, he thought to himself. The men of Tamriel need strength and resolve, not selfishness.
---------------------------
Cain reached for Anska’s hand and intertwined his fingers with hers. “Someone is following us,” he whispered into her ear. “The hooded figure milling about the fletcher stall at eight o’clock. I first noticed them only moments after we left the embassy.”
“I saw them, too. Should we confront whomever it is?”
“Not here. Too many innocents around and I don’t want to make a scene. Linn and Serana have enough on their plate without us causing a scandal.” His eyes searched the area for somewhere out of the way, and spotted a narrow alley that disappeared between two shops on the fringes of the marketplace. “Over there, by the apothecary.”
Anska noted the alley and steeled herself for a fight. “Okay. But let’s try to make it look natural. Follow my lead.”
Keeping her hand firmly locked with Cain’s, she led him slowly towards the shops and made a show of perusing the other stalls as they went. Once they got to the mouth of the alleyway, Anska let go of his hand and began to kiss him passionately, her arms wrapping up his back, her hand running through his long hair. He knew at once where she was going with this and eagerly kept up the pretense, slowly steering her into the dark passage.
Within seconds, the hooded figure stepped into the shadows behind them and crept noiselessly down the alley. Cain’s free hand was on the hilt of his sword but before he could raise it, the soft voice of a woman came from their mysterious stalker.
“You needn’t draw your weapon, Cain. It would not help you anyway.”
Separated and at the ready, Cain and Anska both faced her down. “Who are you and how do you know my name,” he asked her.
The woman lowered her hood and smiled radiantly at them. Shoulder length blonde hair curled about a pale face of unequal beauty, each feature defined by impossibly soft lines that resembled perfection, and warm azure eyes twinkled knowingly at Cain and Anska. He gasped in surprise at the serene being before him, recognizing her at once as another Divine.
“I know of all my children in this world, including you and the lovely Anska here,” said the woman. “I am known to you as Mara, and this is not the first time I have called upon your family.”
Cain was momentarily stunned. He had somehow gotten used to the presence of Kyne, but he never expected to meet another one of the Nine. Anska had also fallen silent, but it was she who recovered first.
“Um. Wow,” she spoke, softly. “Kyne didn’t mention you were around, too.”
“Only when I need to be,” said Mara. “I appeared one other time, about thirty years ago, to nudge Cain’s father in the right direction. Poor man was oblivious to the signals Lydia was sending him. Kyne was more understanding than I was – he did have a lot on his shoulders at that time.”
“Er, you never met my sisters then?” Cain asked.
“Didn’t need to. Their love blossomed with little effort.”
Anska regarded the goddess for a moment and started to wonder why she was standing here before them. She had only been with Cain for a short time, and while she did feel strongly for the man, Anska was certain the feelings were mutual. It didn’t seem to her that a nudge from Mara was needed.
“Your thoughts are valid, child,” Mara said to her. “You two are doing just fine without my intervention.”
“Then why - ?”
“Am I here?’ she finished. Anska nodded and Mara continued: “To give you some advice. I know of the offer my sister made you, Anska, and I strongly recommend you turn it down.”
That wasn’t at all what she had expected to hear, and it slightly irked Anska. What could be so bad about such a wonderful gift? More and more she had begun to desire that connection with Cain, and the practical benefits it offered. Even as they spotted Mara dogging their footsteps, they could have silently shared it with each other, instead of watching on their own.
“I… I’ll think about it, ma’am. Though I struggle to see a downside.”
“Yes, well, don’t forget that my responsibilities allow me to see the flow of love as it weaves throughout the fabric of time. There are any roads to be taken and many possible branches to reach the end. And not all lead to happiness and content. I cannot force you to make that decision but it’s my duty to make you aware of the risks, even if I cannot reveal them.”
“Forgive me,” Cain interjected. “But will someone please just tell me what this damn offer is? First Kyne, and now you, ma’am. I’m the only one left in the dark here and it’s maddening!”
“For that, I am sorry, Cain,” said Mara. “Anska may tell you after I take my leave. Which, I shall do now – before prying eyes spot us. It was lovely to meet you two. Please give my regards to Kyne, and to your parents, Cain.”
Mara raised her hood and disappeared further into the dark alleyway, eventually vanishing entirely from their sight. Cain and Anska stood in disbelief for a moment while the shock of having met another Divine finally set in.
“This family, I swear,” muttered Anska. “Kings, dragons, divines. What else are we going to stumble into?” Cain said nothing, but he looked at her expectantly. “Oh, right. The gift.” She took his hand and met his soft gaze equally. “Would you want our minds to be linked like Linneá’s and Serana’s? Kyne can grant us that, but only if we both agree to it and understand what it would mean for us.”
He frowned slightly, and a feeling of doubt crept up into Anska’s throat. She suddenly found herself wondering if Cain even would want that as much as she did. The prospect had excited her so much that Anska had never considered what would happen if he turned it down.
“That’s what you two have been hiding from me?”
She nodded at him. “But only if you want it, too, dear. It has to be something we both agree to - our thoughts and desires will be laid bare before one another. There will be no secrets. Only complete and utter honesty. And unity.”
Cain saw the desire for it dancing in her eyes, and he felt his own desire for such oneness begin to well up inside of him. But Mara’s words also echoed in mind and the fact that she had shown up in the flesh to warn them against it gave him pause.
Anska felt the hesitation and she stepped back from him. “You don’t want this, do you?” Tears sprang unbidden to the corners of her eyes, and that feeling of doubt burned intensely at the back of her throat. “I shouldn’t have entertained it. Not without telling you first.”
“It’s not that,” promised Cain. “I do want it – certainly as much as you do, if not more. I just… I can’t seem to shake free of Mara’s warning to you. What if it dooms us somehow? Godsdammit, Anska, we’ve only been together for a couple of weeks but I know how I feel about you. I’ve never been so certain of anything else in my life!”
“Then to hell with her warning!” exclaimed Anska. “You heard what she said: there are many possible branches! Who’s to say this isn’t exactly what we are supposed to do? And why should our lives be dictated by anyone but ourselves?! Kyne’s guiding hand is one thing, but I do not like the outright interference Mara just threw between us!”
“Can’t say that I like it either,” said Cain. “No, you’re absolutely right, Anska. Our lives are our own and we should live them as we see fit. And Kyne wouldn’t have offered such a thing if it was so dangerous - which we know it’s not! Just look at my sisters!”
The feeling of doubt evaporated from Anska in an instant and was replaced by elation. Everything Cain said after her initial worry was exactly what she needed to hear and she could not wait to find Kyne again and ask her to make the link. The excitement between them was palpable, but she still wanted to hear the words directly from his mouth.
“So, you’re okay with this?” she asked him. “You want to be linked with me that deeply?”
“Without a doubt.”
“Oh thank heavens,” she exhaled. “Sorry, I’d gotten myself all worked up over the idea of it.” Anska threw herself at Cain and furiously started kissing him again. After a few seconds, she pulled back and stared directly into his eyes. “I’m going to tell you something now, since you’re already going to find out soon if I don’t…”
Cain was panting slightly from her onslaught of passion, but he took the bait and asked the question anyway. “Just tell me so we can get back to the fun part!”
“Don’t ruin the moment, lunkhead,” breathed Anska, rolling her eyes dramatically.
“Tell me.”
She kissed him again and then pulled back once more. “I love you.”
Chapter XXI – Into the Wilds
“I love you,” said Anska, her voice barely above a whisper.
Cain stared deeply into her warm brown eyes, overjoyed at the three words she had just uttered to him, and he did not hesitate to say them right back. His mouth had just begun to open when an arrow whizzed past his head and buried itself in a piece of timber on the apothecary’s façade. They both spun around to see who had loosed it, but only an empty alleyway stared back. Footsteps echoed further and further away until nothing but silence remained, leaving little point in trying to chase down the culprit.
“Damn, that was a close one,” said Cain, turning to examine the arrow. He plucked it from the wall and gave it a once over, noting the intricate carvings along the shaft. “Ever seen markings like this, hon?”
Anska looked it over herself, but the symbols were foreign to her, too. “No, it doesn’t look familiar. Are you alright? It didn’t nick you did it?”
“No, sailed right past me. We’ll take it back to the girls, maybe they’ll have some insight on it.” Though the moment had been ruined, Cain couldn’t help but smile widely at Anska. “Hey… I love you, too.”
“I know,” she said. “It was plain to see it in the way you’d stare at me when you thought I wasn’t watching. And you also didn’t deny Linneá’s ‘future wife’ statement. I knew right then and there that we’d found something special.” Anska hugged him tightly and gave him a gentle pat on the ass. “This is nice, but it’s time to get back to it – the sun is starting to set and we need to get over to the scene of the attack. The first attack, that is.”
He nodded and they set off across the marketplace, bound for the south side of town. It grew darker and darker as they walked, until dusk firmly set it just when they turned a corner and stepped into the alley where Serana had been struck. Ash piles still lingered on the ground, partially blown away by a gentle breeze that fluttered down the narrow passage. Tall buildings rose around them, their rooftops stretching away into the dark sky. The only source of light came from a torch Anska held aloft while she peered into the shadows, searching for any clue that may have been missed.
“Any idea when this contact of Ulvon’s will show up?” she asked.
“None whatsoever. Give me a second though, I have something I want to try.”
Cain had spent countless hours ruminating on the knowledge Linneá had granted him all those nights ago at Elysium. The words felt intrinsic to his being, and while he felt comfortable in their use, some still required caution when others were around. One of them, however, would be very useful in the situation they now found themselves in.
“Laas-Yah-Nir” he whispered.
An odd feeling of heighted sense filled Cain from within as the Thu’um’s power radiated out from him, searching the area around them for signs of life. His vision changed suddenly, and Cain could perceive three hidden figures cloaked in a red mist, lurking in the shadows beyond their normal sight. And a fourth figure approached them from the alley’s entrance.
“Did you just use a dragon shout?” said Anska. “I didn’t recognize the words you spoke.”
“I did and I’m glad I thought to. Be on guard – our contact is coming, and there are three others around us lying in wait.”
A tallish being stepped out of the dark and into the light of Anska’s torch. It was clad in typical dunmeri robes with a hood pulled up to obscure their face.
“We’re here at Archmaster Ulvon’s request,” Cain said. “And you can call off the other three lurking in the shadows, or this will be a very short meeting.”
The raspy voice of a man spoke from under the hood. “How perceptive of you to notice them. However, they are here for my protection and nothing more. One must always take precautions when meeting strangers in the dark.” He lowered the hood and cast a light spell, revealing the harsh, angular features of another hardened dark elf, red eyes gleaming in the barely lit passageway. “My name is Romlyn. May I ask who I am dealing with here? Ulvon was less than forthcoming.”
“Cain Windborne and Anska of Stonehills.”
“Windborne, eh? So, you’re the High King of Skyrim’s son then? I’m surprised he keeps sending out his children after what happened to his daughter.”
“Yeah, well, that’s why we’re here, Romlyn,” said Anska. “To get answers. Got any for us?”
“Straight to the point? Good, I don’t like being out in the open like this.” The dunmer reached into a satchel hanging from the belt of his robes and fished out a small slip of paper. “All I can provide is a name. Ideally, I’d have more for you to go on, but I was lucky enough just to get this. It’s the identity of the person who hired the poor fools that attacked your sisters. I don’t know who it is or where they’re from, but I can tell you they aren’t from around here. It’s not a name I recognize. I’m not even sure what kind of name it is.”
Anska took the paper from him and stowed it away in her own bag while Cain thanked the man for his help. Romlyn’s footsteps receded into the night, leaving the two of them alone in a strange city. They suddenly felt very vulnerable.
“Let’s get out of here quickly,” said Cain. “Are you up for a Recall?”
“Um. I guess,” answered Anska. “To where?”
“I marked a spot in Linneá and Serana’s room when we were there earlier. Best I could do until we get our own room to stay in.”
“Really? Gods, I hope we don’t interrupt anything by just popping in like that.”
“I told Serana we might use it as a way to return.” Cain held out his hand. “Shall we? I’m also fine with your arms around me if that’s more comforting.”
Anska took the latter option and embraced him tightly while Cain cast the spell and they vanished from the alley. Seconds later they stood in the center of the small bedroom and opened their eyes hesitantly. Serana was asleep in bed, laying on top of the blankets and snoring away while Linneá sat at the small desk and stared expectantly at them.
“Sorry,” whispered Anska. “Didn’t want to walk all the way back here.”
Linneá pointed towards the door and ushered them out into the hallway. Once outside the room, she spoke to them in a normal register. “Don’t want to wake her up. Your room is ready and we can talk about your meeting in the morning. I’m about to turn in myself.” She led them to a door only two rooms down and unlocked it for them. “Here’s the key, make yourselves at home. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
She hugged them both and went back to her own room for the night. Happy to have a place to themselves, Cain and Anska immediately began to settle in and get comfortable in the modest space. Opening the bathroom door, Cain was excited to see a bathtub tucked against the back wall. It was filled with fresh water and he wasted no time in lighting the coals in the small stove at the foot of it. Anska came in to see what all the noise was and practically squealed with delight.
“Thank heavens we can get cleaned up!” she said. “My perfume wore off a long time ago.”
“Oh, it did? I hadn’t noticed.”
“Shut up, dear. I know what I smell like and trust me when I say you’re worse off.”
Cain laughed heartily and went back into the bedroom area to start undressing while the water warmed up. He threw his dirty tunic and trousers in a heap near the door and pulled on a thin robe from his backpack and took a seat at the foot of their bed. Anska poked her head out of the bathroom a few minutes later and beckoned him back in.
“It’s nice and warm, stinky. Come in here and have a soak with me – I found some lovely smelling soaps, too.”
After a warm bath and small snack, Cain and Anska crawled into bed after a long day and fell asleep quickly. Dawn came much sooner than either of them would have liked, and a loud rap on the door startled them both into wakefulness. Grumbling incoherently, Cain got up and threw on his robe while Anska rolled over and went back to sleep.
He pulled the door open and Linneá pushed her way into the room with Serana just behind her. They took a seat on the small bench near the bed and looked about the messy room. “Couldn’t have picked up a little before your guests came over?” Linneá grinned.
“How the hell was I supposed to know you’d be here this early, Linn? We were dead to the world until you knocked on the door.”
“Looks like Anska still is,” Serana noted. She called over to the bed: “Can you wake up sleepyhead?”
Anska didn’t roll over, but she raised a hand and made a rude gesture at them.
Linneá chuckled and turned back towards Cain. “There’s a keeper if I ever saw one, brother. I think the four of us are going to have a lot of fun together. Now then, did you get anything good last night?”
“[censored], I don’t even know where to begin,” he said. “That meeting with Ulvon’s contact was probably the least exciting thing to happen yesterday evening.”
He went on for the next ten minutes, telling them all about the impromptu meeting with Mara that was followed by another failed assassination attempt. After assuring his sisters that they were unharmed, he showed them the name Romlyn had given him last night, and also handed Linneá the arrow that nearly struck him.
“Hmm, it is an odd name,” said Linneá. “’Lisotel’. Definitely mer, but not a style I’m familiar with. I don’t recognize the carvings on this arrow either. What about you, dear?” She handed it to Serana who studied it for a moment with a queer expression on her face.
“I know these symbols,” she said, quietly. “But I never thought I’d live to see them again.”
“You’re being vague, Ana. What is it?”
Anska stirred in the bed and finally go up to join them. Wrapping the blanket around her naked body, she joined Cain at the end of the bed and yawned loudly while Serana kept looking at the mysterious arrow.
Serana handed the arrow back to Cain. “Those are Ayleid inscriptions. Maybe the name ‘Lisotel’ is Ayleid, too?”
“Come off it, love,” said a shocked Linneá. “Ayleids? Are you sure?”
“I’m sure, Elle. I can’t decipher the letters, but I’m certain of their origins. No idea what a lost race of elves has to do with all of this though.”
Cain turned the arrow over in his hand, thinking back to some of his history lessons back in Anvil. Cyrodiil had been the seat of the Ayleid empire until the Alessian slave rebellion overthrew them, scattering what remained of the elves into the wild lands. There had always been rumors that they were still out there, living in small pockets in the deepest forests of the heartland, but they were just that: rumors.
“Guess they are still around,” said Cain. Something didn’t sit right with him about the attack. He’d been a sitting duck when it sailed past him, completely lost in a conversation with Anksa. Surely any assassin that favored the bow could not miss such an easy target? “But I don’t think this was meant to kill me.”
Anska snorted. “Seriously, Cain? It only missed you by a few inches.”
“That’s just the thing – it missed. And why carve identifiable letters into the shaft? No, I think this is a message for us. We need to decipher it”
“Sorry, love, but I think you’re reaching for something that isn’t there,” said Anska.
LInneá looked back and forth between them. “Love?” she asked. “Since when do y- oh…I almost forgot about your meeting with Mara. Kinda miffed I never got to meet her, if I’m being honest.”
“She told us it wasn’t necessary with you and Serana,” shrugged Anska. “That your love blossomed wonderfully without needing the nudge that Kirin did.”
They hadn’t mentioned Mara’s warning. Cain wanted to talk to Kyne about it first and he’d asked Anska not to say anything to his sisters either. He was hoping they wouldn’t ask to many questions about Mara, and, so far, they had been lucky.
Cain instead attempted to steer the conversation back to the arrow: “Do you think Kyne could read it?”
“Hm. Maybe,” said Linneá. “Worth a shot. I’ll reach out to her and see if she can meet you two somewhere. Ana and I won’t be able to join you – the talks are fully underway now that the Telvanni are finally here.”
“How’s it going?” inquired Anska. “Any progress?”
“Some. But I’d rather be out there with you getting shot at than sitting in meeting rooms all day.”
“If it’s all the same to you, I’d prefer it if you didn’t get struck by any stray arrows, Elle,” said Serana. “You’ve got enough scars on your arm as it is.”
“Yeah, but they make for a badass story, don’t they? Who else can say the had their arm chomped on by a dragon!”
“You’re leaving out the part where you nearly died in the process.”
“I knew you wouldn’t let me,” Linneá winked. “Oh, hang on a sec…” She trailed off and closed her eyes in concentration. A few seconds later she turned to Cain and Anska: “Right then, Kyne will meet you in the same park she did yesterday. Give her a hug from us.”
Linneá and Serana took their leave to let Cain and Anska freshen up for the day. They were on their own again for breakfast, but they’d spotted plenty of places nearby to eat at during their walks around the city the day before. It was around mid-morning when they left the embassy and took a stroll down the street, excited to meet up with their goddess and to show here the arrow. But Cain had a bad feeling about the other subject they needed to bring up.
Kyne awaited them in the same clearing, disguised once again as dunmer. She hugged them both and started to ask how everything had gone when Anska jumped in headlong.
“We talked about it yesterday, ma’am, and we want you to make the link!”
An odd look stole across Kyne’s face and it quickly turned into something resembling disappointment. “I’m surprised at you two. And not in a good way, mind you. Do you really think my sister wouldn’t have spoken to me about it, too?”
“Um,” Anska began.
“No, don’t bother trying to justify it,” admonished Kyne, “she has her reasons for warning against it and I agree with them completely.”
“What reason could she possibly –“
“I wish I could tell you, dear, but I can’t. Mara has a unique way of seeing how the tides of love ebb and flow and we can’t act against it any more than we can act against the flow of time. The offer is no longer on the table and I ask that you forget I ever mentioned it.”
“That’s bullshit!” snapped Anska heatedly. “You can’t just tempt us like that and then leave us hung out to dry! Do you realize how much I longed for – “
“Drop it, Anska,” Cain warned her. “We can’t argue with her. Let’s talk about it later, okay?”
Anska was still seething, but she quit protesting and left the clearing. Her footsteps faded into the quiet woods, leaving Cain alone with the goddess. For her part, Kyne looked genuinely upset about how everything had gone so far. She brushed a few tears away from her eyes and cleared her throat.
“I’m sorry it has to be this way, Cain. I wish I could have helped you two.”
“I appreciate that, but we don’t need the help, mum. Anska and I love each other and that’s all that matters. She’ll come around.”
Kyne smiled at him. “Love, huh? I’m glad to hear you say that, and it makes me feel a little better about all of this. Now, then…show me this mysterious arrow. Linn said it has Ayleid inscriptions on it? I’m a little rusty with that language, but I’m sure I can parse it out.”
Cain pulled the arrow out of his bag and handed it to her. Kyne examined it for a few minutes, her brow furrowing as she tried to decipher the smaller carvings and make sense of which way the words were meant to be read. Some of the characters were strange to her, forcing Kyne to skip over them and hope it could be pieced together.
“Well, some of these letters are odd – I think their language may have evolved over the last few thousand years – but I can read most of it.”
“I can’t believe they’re actually still around,” said Cain. “Never thought I’d get mixed up with Ayleids.”
“Oh, they are definitely still hiding in the denser regions of the Blackwood,” said Kyne. “Locals there refer to them as the ‘Wild Elves’. She returned the arrow to him and called out to Anska, who returned in short order but refused to meet Kyne’s eyes. “You two better head back to the embassy and pack up. A tribe wants to meet you.”
“Meet us?” asked Cain. “Where?”
“In the Velothi mountains, due east of Cheydinal. You’ve got one hell of a walk ahead of you!”
“I love you,” said Anska, her voice barely above a whisper.
Cain stared deeply into her warm brown eyes, overjoyed at the three words she had just uttered to him, and he did not hesitate to say them right back. His mouth had just begun to open when an arrow whizzed past his head and buried itself in a piece of timber on the apothecary’s façade. They both spun around to see who had loosed it, but only an empty alleyway stared back. Footsteps echoed further and further away until nothing but silence remained, leaving little point in trying to chase down the culprit.
“Damn, that was a close one,” said Cain, turning to examine the arrow. He plucked it from the wall and gave it a once over, noting the intricate carvings along the shaft. “Ever seen markings like this, hon?”
Anska looked it over herself, but the symbols were foreign to her, too. “No, it doesn’t look familiar. Are you alright? It didn’t nick you did it?”
“No, sailed right past me. We’ll take it back to the girls, maybe they’ll have some insight on it.” Though the moment had been ruined, Cain couldn’t help but smile widely at Anska. “Hey… I love you, too.”
“I know,” she said. “It was plain to see it in the way you’d stare at me when you thought I wasn’t watching. And you also didn’t deny Linneá’s ‘future wife’ statement. I knew right then and there that we’d found something special.” Anska hugged him tightly and gave him a gentle pat on the ass. “This is nice, but it’s time to get back to it – the sun is starting to set and we need to get over to the scene of the attack. The first attack, that is.”
He nodded and they set off across the marketplace, bound for the south side of town. It grew darker and darker as they walked, until dusk firmly set it just when they turned a corner and stepped into the alley where Serana had been struck. Ash piles still lingered on the ground, partially blown away by a gentle breeze that fluttered down the narrow passage. Tall buildings rose around them, their rooftops stretching away into the dark sky. The only source of light came from a torch Anska held aloft while she peered into the shadows, searching for any clue that may have been missed.
“Any idea when this contact of Ulvon’s will show up?” she asked.
“None whatsoever. Give me a second though, I have something I want to try.”
Cain had spent countless hours ruminating on the knowledge Linneá had granted him all those nights ago at Elysium. The words felt intrinsic to his being, and while he felt comfortable in their use, some still required caution when others were around. One of them, however, would be very useful in the situation they now found themselves in.
“Laas-Yah-Nir” he whispered.
An odd feeling of heighted sense filled Cain from within as the Thu’um’s power radiated out from him, searching the area around them for signs of life. His vision changed suddenly, and Cain could perceive three hidden figures cloaked in a red mist, lurking in the shadows beyond their normal sight. And a fourth figure approached them from the alley’s entrance.
“Did you just use a dragon shout?” said Anska. “I didn’t recognize the words you spoke.”
“I did and I’m glad I thought to. Be on guard – our contact is coming, and there are three others around us lying in wait.”
A tallish being stepped out of the dark and into the light of Anska’s torch. It was clad in typical dunmeri robes with a hood pulled up to obscure their face.
“We’re here at Archmaster Ulvon’s request,” Cain said. “And you can call off the other three lurking in the shadows, or this will be a very short meeting.”
The raspy voice of a man spoke from under the hood. “How perceptive of you to notice them. However, they are here for my protection and nothing more. One must always take precautions when meeting strangers in the dark.” He lowered the hood and cast a light spell, revealing the harsh, angular features of another hardened dark elf, red eyes gleaming in the barely lit passageway. “My name is Romlyn. May I ask who I am dealing with here? Ulvon was less than forthcoming.”
“Cain Windborne and Anska of Stonehills.”
“Windborne, eh? So, you’re the High King of Skyrim’s son then? I’m surprised he keeps sending out his children after what happened to his daughter.”
“Yeah, well, that’s why we’re here, Romlyn,” said Anska. “To get answers. Got any for us?”
“Straight to the point? Good, I don’t like being out in the open like this.” The dunmer reached into a satchel hanging from the belt of his robes and fished out a small slip of paper. “All I can provide is a name. Ideally, I’d have more for you to go on, but I was lucky enough just to get this. It’s the identity of the person who hired the poor fools that attacked your sisters. I don’t know who it is or where they’re from, but I can tell you they aren’t from around here. It’s not a name I recognize. I’m not even sure what kind of name it is.”
Anska took the paper from him and stowed it away in her own bag while Cain thanked the man for his help. Romlyn’s footsteps receded into the night, leaving the two of them alone in a strange city. They suddenly felt very vulnerable.
“Let’s get out of here quickly,” said Cain. “Are you up for a Recall?”
“Um. I guess,” answered Anska. “To where?”
“I marked a spot in Linneá and Serana’s room when we were there earlier. Best I could do until we get our own room to stay in.”
“Really? Gods, I hope we don’t interrupt anything by just popping in like that.”
“I told Serana we might use it as a way to return.” Cain held out his hand. “Shall we? I’m also fine with your arms around me if that’s more comforting.”
Anska took the latter option and embraced him tightly while Cain cast the spell and they vanished from the alley. Seconds later they stood in the center of the small bedroom and opened their eyes hesitantly. Serana was asleep in bed, laying on top of the blankets and snoring away while Linneá sat at the small desk and stared expectantly at them.
“Sorry,” whispered Anska. “Didn’t want to walk all the way back here.”
Linneá pointed towards the door and ushered them out into the hallway. Once outside the room, she spoke to them in a normal register. “Don’t want to wake her up. Your room is ready and we can talk about your meeting in the morning. I’m about to turn in myself.” She led them to a door only two rooms down and unlocked it for them. “Here’s the key, make yourselves at home. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
She hugged them both and went back to her own room for the night. Happy to have a place to themselves, Cain and Anska immediately began to settle in and get comfortable in the modest space. Opening the bathroom door, Cain was excited to see a bathtub tucked against the back wall. It was filled with fresh water and he wasted no time in lighting the coals in the small stove at the foot of it. Anska came in to see what all the noise was and practically squealed with delight.
“Thank heavens we can get cleaned up!” she said. “My perfume wore off a long time ago.”
“Oh, it did? I hadn’t noticed.”
“Shut up, dear. I know what I smell like and trust me when I say you’re worse off.”
Cain laughed heartily and went back into the bedroom area to start undressing while the water warmed up. He threw his dirty tunic and trousers in a heap near the door and pulled on a thin robe from his backpack and took a seat at the foot of their bed. Anska poked her head out of the bathroom a few minutes later and beckoned him back in.
“It’s nice and warm, stinky. Come in here and have a soak with me – I found some lovely smelling soaps, too.”
After a warm bath and small snack, Cain and Anska crawled into bed after a long day and fell asleep quickly. Dawn came much sooner than either of them would have liked, and a loud rap on the door startled them both into wakefulness. Grumbling incoherently, Cain got up and threw on his robe while Anska rolled over and went back to sleep.
He pulled the door open and Linneá pushed her way into the room with Serana just behind her. They took a seat on the small bench near the bed and looked about the messy room. “Couldn’t have picked up a little before your guests came over?” Linneá grinned.
“How the hell was I supposed to know you’d be here this early, Linn? We were dead to the world until you knocked on the door.”
“Looks like Anska still is,” Serana noted. She called over to the bed: “Can you wake up sleepyhead?”
Anska didn’t roll over, but she raised a hand and made a rude gesture at them.
Linneá chuckled and turned back towards Cain. “There’s a keeper if I ever saw one, brother. I think the four of us are going to have a lot of fun together. Now then, did you get anything good last night?”
“[censored], I don’t even know where to begin,” he said. “That meeting with Ulvon’s contact was probably the least exciting thing to happen yesterday evening.”
He went on for the next ten minutes, telling them all about the impromptu meeting with Mara that was followed by another failed assassination attempt. After assuring his sisters that they were unharmed, he showed them the name Romlyn had given him last night, and also handed Linneá the arrow that nearly struck him.
“Hmm, it is an odd name,” said Linneá. “’Lisotel’. Definitely mer, but not a style I’m familiar with. I don’t recognize the carvings on this arrow either. What about you, dear?” She handed it to Serana who studied it for a moment with a queer expression on her face.
“I know these symbols,” she said, quietly. “But I never thought I’d live to see them again.”
“You’re being vague, Ana. What is it?”
Anska stirred in the bed and finally go up to join them. Wrapping the blanket around her naked body, she joined Cain at the end of the bed and yawned loudly while Serana kept looking at the mysterious arrow.
Serana handed the arrow back to Cain. “Those are Ayleid inscriptions. Maybe the name ‘Lisotel’ is Ayleid, too?”
“Come off it, love,” said a shocked Linneá. “Ayleids? Are you sure?”
“I’m sure, Elle. I can’t decipher the letters, but I’m certain of their origins. No idea what a lost race of elves has to do with all of this though.”
Cain turned the arrow over in his hand, thinking back to some of his history lessons back in Anvil. Cyrodiil had been the seat of the Ayleid empire until the Alessian slave rebellion overthrew them, scattering what remained of the elves into the wild lands. There had always been rumors that they were still out there, living in small pockets in the deepest forests of the heartland, but they were just that: rumors.
“Guess they are still around,” said Cain. Something didn’t sit right with him about the attack. He’d been a sitting duck when it sailed past him, completely lost in a conversation with Anksa. Surely any assassin that favored the bow could not miss such an easy target? “But I don’t think this was meant to kill me.”
Anska snorted. “Seriously, Cain? It only missed you by a few inches.”
“That’s just the thing – it missed. And why carve identifiable letters into the shaft? No, I think this is a message for us. We need to decipher it”
“Sorry, love, but I think you’re reaching for something that isn’t there,” said Anska.
LInneá looked back and forth between them. “Love?” she asked. “Since when do y- oh…I almost forgot about your meeting with Mara. Kinda miffed I never got to meet her, if I’m being honest.”
“She told us it wasn’t necessary with you and Serana,” shrugged Anska. “That your love blossomed wonderfully without needing the nudge that Kirin did.”
They hadn’t mentioned Mara’s warning. Cain wanted to talk to Kyne about it first and he’d asked Anska not to say anything to his sisters either. He was hoping they wouldn’t ask to many questions about Mara, and, so far, they had been lucky.
Cain instead attempted to steer the conversation back to the arrow: “Do you think Kyne could read it?”
“Hm. Maybe,” said Linneá. “Worth a shot. I’ll reach out to her and see if she can meet you two somewhere. Ana and I won’t be able to join you – the talks are fully underway now that the Telvanni are finally here.”
“How’s it going?” inquired Anska. “Any progress?”
“Some. But I’d rather be out there with you getting shot at than sitting in meeting rooms all day.”
“If it’s all the same to you, I’d prefer it if you didn’t get struck by any stray arrows, Elle,” said Serana. “You’ve got enough scars on your arm as it is.”
“Yeah, but they make for a badass story, don’t they? Who else can say the had their arm chomped on by a dragon!”
“You’re leaving out the part where you nearly died in the process.”
“I knew you wouldn’t let me,” Linneá winked. “Oh, hang on a sec…” She trailed off and closed her eyes in concentration. A few seconds later she turned to Cain and Anska: “Right then, Kyne will meet you in the same park she did yesterday. Give her a hug from us.”
Linneá and Serana took their leave to let Cain and Anska freshen up for the day. They were on their own again for breakfast, but they’d spotted plenty of places nearby to eat at during their walks around the city the day before. It was around mid-morning when they left the embassy and took a stroll down the street, excited to meet up with their goddess and to show here the arrow. But Cain had a bad feeling about the other subject they needed to bring up.
Kyne awaited them in the same clearing, disguised once again as dunmer. She hugged them both and started to ask how everything had gone when Anska jumped in headlong.
“We talked about it yesterday, ma’am, and we want you to make the link!”
An odd look stole across Kyne’s face and it quickly turned into something resembling disappointment. “I’m surprised at you two. And not in a good way, mind you. Do you really think my sister wouldn’t have spoken to me about it, too?”
“Um,” Anska began.
“No, don’t bother trying to justify it,” admonished Kyne, “she has her reasons for warning against it and I agree with them completely.”
“What reason could she possibly –“
“I wish I could tell you, dear, but I can’t. Mara has a unique way of seeing how the tides of love ebb and flow and we can’t act against it any more than we can act against the flow of time. The offer is no longer on the table and I ask that you forget I ever mentioned it.”
“That’s bullshit!” snapped Anska heatedly. “You can’t just tempt us like that and then leave us hung out to dry! Do you realize how much I longed for – “
“Drop it, Anska,” Cain warned her. “We can’t argue with her. Let’s talk about it later, okay?”
Anska was still seething, but she quit protesting and left the clearing. Her footsteps faded into the quiet woods, leaving Cain alone with the goddess. For her part, Kyne looked genuinely upset about how everything had gone so far. She brushed a few tears away from her eyes and cleared her throat.
“I’m sorry it has to be this way, Cain. I wish I could have helped you two.”
“I appreciate that, but we don’t need the help, mum. Anska and I love each other and that’s all that matters. She’ll come around.”
Kyne smiled at him. “Love, huh? I’m glad to hear you say that, and it makes me feel a little better about all of this. Now, then…show me this mysterious arrow. Linn said it has Ayleid inscriptions on it? I’m a little rusty with that language, but I’m sure I can parse it out.”
Cain pulled the arrow out of his bag and handed it to her. Kyne examined it for a few minutes, her brow furrowing as she tried to decipher the smaller carvings and make sense of which way the words were meant to be read. Some of the characters were strange to her, forcing Kyne to skip over them and hope it could be pieced together.
“Well, some of these letters are odd – I think their language may have evolved over the last few thousand years – but I can read most of it.”
“I can’t believe they’re actually still around,” said Cain. “Never thought I’d get mixed up with Ayleids.”
“Oh, they are definitely still hiding in the denser regions of the Blackwood,” said Kyne. “Locals there refer to them as the ‘Wild Elves’. She returned the arrow to him and called out to Anska, who returned in short order but refused to meet Kyne’s eyes. “You two better head back to the embassy and pack up. A tribe wants to meet you.”
“Meet us?” asked Cain. “Where?”
“In the Velothi mountains, due east of Cheydinal. You’ve got one hell of a walk ahead of you!”
Chapter XXII – Tethered
The noontide sun blazed high above Blacklight as it continued its daily march west across the skies of Tamriel. A hazy heat filled the air while denizens bustled about the city trying not to linger outside for long periods of time. Anska sat alone, staring at nothing in particular while she battled with the feelings of frustration and disappointment bubbling inside of her. She barely reacted at all when Cain emerged from the cool café interior with a plate of food and drink, setting it on the table and sitting down across from her.
Cain took a pull from his glass of water and regarded her for a moment, wondering best how to soften the mood. He’d also been dwelling on Kyne’s refusal to offer the same gift his sisters had, and started to ponder a different solution. Maybe I can give her hope again…it’s worth a shot.
“Look, I know you’re upset about this whole thing with Kyne,” Cain started. “What if – “
“I don’t want to hear anything you have to say. You couldn’t [censored] back me up at all with her? Nothing? ‘Drop it, Anska’ was all you could manage? [censored] off.” She took her own drink off of the platter and contemplated throwing it in his face.
“Anska, it’s not like we could have changed her mind!’”
“No, that would have required effort on your part.”
“We can’t argue with a literal divine! How do you think that would have gone?”
“[censored] if I know. Maybe next time you can grow a pair and at least try. We shouldn’t allow them to rule our lives – guidance is one thing, but active intervention Is another.” Anska looked down at the food he’d brought and realized she didn’t have the stomach for it. “I’m going back to our room. Eat if you want. I’m not interested.”
She got up and left Cain by himself at the table. Lunch suddenly seemed a lot less appetizing, so instead he drank the remainder of his water and leaned back in his chair, deep in thought. Echoes of a conversation he’d had with Kyne back at Elysium rang throughout his mind and he decided it was time to take the matter into his own hands.
Cain set a few pieces of gold on the table for their waitress and headed back to the embassy himself, hoping that Linneá would be in her room. The corridors of the building were mostly empty but he could hear a dull murmur of conversation from beyond the doors leading to various meeting rooms and offices. He walked past their own assigned bedroom and knocked loudly on the door to his sisters’ quarters instead.
“Come in!”
He stepped through the door and was pleased to see Linneá sitting on the floor with a book. She was leaning against the end of the bed while Serana laid at the foot of it, twirling her fingers through Linneá’s long dark hair.
“Hey, bro,” said Linneá. “What’s up? Where’s Anska?”
“She’s, uh, taking some time to herself. I’d rather not get into it.”
Serana raised an eyebrow. “Trouble in paradise?”
“Sort of. I could use your help, Linn. There’s something I want to ask you…”
“Would it have something to do with a certain meeting you had this morning that didn’t go the way your better half hoped it would?”
Cain stared blankly at her, already deflating. “How did – “
“Kyne likes to cover all of her bases. She’s very thorough like that. I take it you want me to teach you how to make the link yourself? How to steal a little bit of that divine power coursing through your blood?”
Serana’s fingers stopped twirling and she was watching them with rapt attention. Linneá had caught Cain off guard – it never occurred to him that Kyne would have also reach out to her, too, just to prevent him from doing exactly this: going around their patron goddess. He sighed in frustration and sat down in the desk chair.
“I take it you won’t help us then?”
“Sorry, Cain,” said Linneá. “I wish I could. Trust me when I say I understand why you two want this. And before you ask – no, she didn’t give me a reason either. But I can’t break Kyne’s trust. She means too much to me. To us.”
“[censored],” grumbled Cain. “Anska’s going to be even more disappointed now. She’s in a right state and I was really hoping to brighten her day.”
“I’ll go talk to her,” said Serana. “Is she just upset that Kyne said no?”
“She’s mad at me for not standing up to her, too. I just didn’t see the point in trying to change the mind of a divine. Not like arguing about it would have amounted to anything.”
“Maybe not, but I could see why she’d be frustrated about it. I’ll bring her around.” Serana crawled gracefully out of the bed and slipped on a pair of shoes. The door closed behind her a few seconds later, leaving Cain alone with Linneá.
Cain’s mind started to wander while Linneá began leafing through her book again. He was staring out the bedroom window, trying to imagine what could be so bad about linking their minds that Mara would actively warn against it. Then he heard the book shut gently. Looking over at his sister, he found her staring at him with an amused expression.
“Anska was right, you know. You should have stuck up for her. And it’s fun to argue with mum every once in a while. Her cheeks get these little creases in them when she’s worked up. Adorable. Besides, you don’t really need my help for this, Cain. No one helped me. It’s just a matter of willpower. The spark is already there, you just need to harness it.”
“Linn, I’m not nearly as adept with the arcane as you are. I can’t just parse out such a small sliver of magick and tell it what to do. Casting turn or healing spells is one thing, but this…this is entirely different.”
“We’re not talking about magicka. We’re talking about your inborn nature.”
The door opened before Cain could respond and Serana walked back in with Anska close behind her. She took her spot at the end of the bed again but Anska remained standing near the door with her arms crossed. Cain got up from his seat and went over to her, even though he wasn’t entirely sure about what he would say. But he did know where to start.
“Hey, so…you were right,” he began. She met his eyes, waiting for him to go on: “It wouldn’t have killed me to push back a little bit. I’m sorry.”
A smile tugged at the corner of her soft lips, and she raised a hand to his cheek.
“It’s a start,” said Anska. “But, I’ll take it. You and I are going to have a long conversation about solidarity though. And I appreciate you trying to get Linn to help us.”
“We’ll have plenty of time to talk while we head south,” promised Cain. “I love you.”
“Love you, too.”
Linneá cleared her throat and tossed a bit of scrap parchment at them. Her eyes were narrowed when Cain turned back towards her.
“South?” she asked. “Why are you two going south?”
Cain’s stomach lurched. He figured Kyne would have already told her and Serana about the arrow and how they’d been summoned by a tribe of Ayleids. Especially since the goddess had deigned to head them off with his other request. He could sense the incoming frustration that was about to bubble over from his sister.
“Er, so…the arrow… It was an invitation of sorts. To meet some of them down south, in the mountains near the border to Cyrodiil.”
“Bullshit!” exploded Linneá. “I’m so godsdamned tired of being stuck in this stupid [censored] embassy for weeks on end! And now you two get to go trudging off after mystical elves who aren’t even supposed to exist!? Ayleids! How the hell am I supposed to be okay with missing out on that! I [censored] hate being a diplomat!”
Serana slid off the bed and sat in front of Linneá, placing her hands on her shoulders. “Hey hey hey, just relax, Elle. I need you focused on our role and I need you here with me. Come on, deep breaths. In and out.”
Cain and Anska still stood awkwardly near the door, rooted in place while Serana tried to calm down her wife. Linneá closed her eyes and took several deep breaths while she tried to center herself again. It felt like the room was spinning around her at first, but Serana’s gentle touch brought her back down, and she opened her eyes sheepishly.
“Um. Sorry. That’s been building up for a while.”
“It’s okay, love,” said Serana. “I know how much you’d rather be out on an adventure. But you’re doing a great job here, even if you don’t realize it. I can’t see these debates lasting for than another five or six days.”
Anska moved over to them and sat down next to Linneá. “Maybe you two can join us when you’re done here? Just mark a talisman of some kind and recall to us when you can. We’ll still have plenty of walking ahead of us at that point. Could be fun!”
“It’s a sweet thought, sis,” said Linneá. “I doubt dad will go for it, though. I’m sure he’s already got something else lined up for us.”
“I dunno, Elle,” said Serana. “He might have a change of heart once he hears about what’s involved with this. It could be huge for us, if we can somehow have an Ayleid presence on our side. There’s no telling what kind of numbers they have, but if they’ve existed in the shadows for this long, then they must be doing something right.”
They were interrupted by a gentle knock at the door. Linneá stood up to answer it, and ducked out into the hallway while Cain went over and sat on the floor with the others. They waited mostly in silence for her to rejoin them and she did just that in short order.
“Might actually be sooner than we thought, Ana,” Linneá said as she came over and sat back down. “That was Ulvon’s assistant - the Telvanni have caved on one of their more ridiculous demands. We could have this wrapped up in two or three days instead.”
“Then we’ll stay here for at least that long,” said Cain.
“No, you two should get marching right away,” sighed Linneá. “Anska’s right, we can mark something innocuous and catch up when we can. If we can. We’ll have to leave it here for now, though. Serana and I need to find Ulvon and work out our next steps.”
Cain and Anska left them to it and went back to there own room for the afternoon. There was little to do other than wait, so Anska threw herself onto the bed and took a nap while Cain tried to read a book on dunmer culture. But he couldn’t focus on the text, his thoughts dwelling on what Linneá had said to him about willpower and just having to tap into his own innate abilities. Instead, he closed the book and set it aside before climbing onto the bed next to a snoring Anska.
Her sleeping face was serene, and completely carefree while dreams began to flit throughout her mind. Cain thought back to some of Kyne’s proclamations on love, and how much emphasis she placed on its importance. Then he realized that the willpower Linneá spoke of was the easy part – Cain knew exactly how much he loved Anska and what his intentions were. It was the tapping that still eluded him. How can I draw from something I only partially understand?
Cain closed his eyes and looked inward, trying to meditate the way he would before a battle. His mother, Ariessa, had always told him that Leki, the Saint of the Spirit Sword, would protect those who prayed to her before battle, imbuing them with a warrior’s spirit. But he’d never tried to meditate for any other reason. He cleared his mind and focused on himself, rather than a potential fight.
And he nearly jumped from the bed in shock when he felt the dragon fluttering within. Cain suddenly understood exactly what spark his sister spoke of and the possibilities it offered. It amazed him that he hadn’t felt it before, the divine power flowing through his blood coalesced into a spiritual form that shared every part of Cain’s being, soaring just beneath the surface of his conscious.
The pieces fell into place all at once. His eyes still closed, Cain reach out and gently placed a hand on Anska’s sleeping form. He focused on his love for her, and how much they both desired to be closer.
To be one.
The dragon roared in unison and Cain felt utter contentment and warmth well up inside of him. It flowed calmly from the center out to all of his extremities, and passed right into the sleeping woman at his side.
Anska gasped loudly and sat bolt upright in bed, her slumber suddenly interrupted. But the unknown feeling of warmth soothed her, and she instantly realized something wonderful had happened. Cain’s eyes were opened, and he was smiling gently at her.
And then his voice spoke in her mind: Who needs a goddess when you have a dragon?
She felt her mouth fall open in shock. I can’t believe it! How did –
Not so loud, dear. It tends to echo.
Cain Windborne, you tell me this instant! How did you manage this?!
Linneá pointed me in the right direction. I had all the tools, much as she did. I just didn’t understand how to utilize them. But I knew I had to try. I knew how much it meant to you. And to me.
She was amazed at what he done for her. For each other. And at how far he was willing to go for her, and much he cared, despite not showing any kind of fight with Kyne when the goddess rescinded the offer. All of her prior frustrations and anger evaporated, and Anska leaned forward and tackled him into the blankets, kissing him furiously while she struggled with the leather belt on his trousers. Godsdamn it, do I love you! Now help me with this [censored] belt.
The noontide sun blazed high above Blacklight as it continued its daily march west across the skies of Tamriel. A hazy heat filled the air while denizens bustled about the city trying not to linger outside for long periods of time. Anska sat alone, staring at nothing in particular while she battled with the feelings of frustration and disappointment bubbling inside of her. She barely reacted at all when Cain emerged from the cool café interior with a plate of food and drink, setting it on the table and sitting down across from her.
Cain took a pull from his glass of water and regarded her for a moment, wondering best how to soften the mood. He’d also been dwelling on Kyne’s refusal to offer the same gift his sisters had, and started to ponder a different solution. Maybe I can give her hope again…it’s worth a shot.
“Look, I know you’re upset about this whole thing with Kyne,” Cain started. “What if – “
“I don’t want to hear anything you have to say. You couldn’t [censored] back me up at all with her? Nothing? ‘Drop it, Anska’ was all you could manage? [censored] off.” She took her own drink off of the platter and contemplated throwing it in his face.
“Anska, it’s not like we could have changed her mind!’”
“No, that would have required effort on your part.”
“We can’t argue with a literal divine! How do you think that would have gone?”
“[censored] if I know. Maybe next time you can grow a pair and at least try. We shouldn’t allow them to rule our lives – guidance is one thing, but active intervention Is another.” Anska looked down at the food he’d brought and realized she didn’t have the stomach for it. “I’m going back to our room. Eat if you want. I’m not interested.”
She got up and left Cain by himself at the table. Lunch suddenly seemed a lot less appetizing, so instead he drank the remainder of his water and leaned back in his chair, deep in thought. Echoes of a conversation he’d had with Kyne back at Elysium rang throughout his mind and he decided it was time to take the matter into his own hands.
Cain set a few pieces of gold on the table for their waitress and headed back to the embassy himself, hoping that Linneá would be in her room. The corridors of the building were mostly empty but he could hear a dull murmur of conversation from beyond the doors leading to various meeting rooms and offices. He walked past their own assigned bedroom and knocked loudly on the door to his sisters’ quarters instead.
“Come in!”
He stepped through the door and was pleased to see Linneá sitting on the floor with a book. She was leaning against the end of the bed while Serana laid at the foot of it, twirling her fingers through Linneá’s long dark hair.
“Hey, bro,” said Linneá. “What’s up? Where’s Anska?”
“She’s, uh, taking some time to herself. I’d rather not get into it.”
Serana raised an eyebrow. “Trouble in paradise?”
“Sort of. I could use your help, Linn. There’s something I want to ask you…”
“Would it have something to do with a certain meeting you had this morning that didn’t go the way your better half hoped it would?”
Cain stared blankly at her, already deflating. “How did – “
“Kyne likes to cover all of her bases. She’s very thorough like that. I take it you want me to teach you how to make the link yourself? How to steal a little bit of that divine power coursing through your blood?”
Serana’s fingers stopped twirling and she was watching them with rapt attention. Linneá had caught Cain off guard – it never occurred to him that Kyne would have also reach out to her, too, just to prevent him from doing exactly this: going around their patron goddess. He sighed in frustration and sat down in the desk chair.
“I take it you won’t help us then?”
“Sorry, Cain,” said Linneá. “I wish I could. Trust me when I say I understand why you two want this. And before you ask – no, she didn’t give me a reason either. But I can’t break Kyne’s trust. She means too much to me. To us.”
“[censored],” grumbled Cain. “Anska’s going to be even more disappointed now. She’s in a right state and I was really hoping to brighten her day.”
“I’ll go talk to her,” said Serana. “Is she just upset that Kyne said no?”
“She’s mad at me for not standing up to her, too. I just didn’t see the point in trying to change the mind of a divine. Not like arguing about it would have amounted to anything.”
“Maybe not, but I could see why she’d be frustrated about it. I’ll bring her around.” Serana crawled gracefully out of the bed and slipped on a pair of shoes. The door closed behind her a few seconds later, leaving Cain alone with Linneá.
Cain’s mind started to wander while Linneá began leafing through her book again. He was staring out the bedroom window, trying to imagine what could be so bad about linking their minds that Mara would actively warn against it. Then he heard the book shut gently. Looking over at his sister, he found her staring at him with an amused expression.
“Anska was right, you know. You should have stuck up for her. And it’s fun to argue with mum every once in a while. Her cheeks get these little creases in them when she’s worked up. Adorable. Besides, you don’t really need my help for this, Cain. No one helped me. It’s just a matter of willpower. The spark is already there, you just need to harness it.”
“Linn, I’m not nearly as adept with the arcane as you are. I can’t just parse out such a small sliver of magick and tell it what to do. Casting turn or healing spells is one thing, but this…this is entirely different.”
“We’re not talking about magicka. We’re talking about your inborn nature.”
The door opened before Cain could respond and Serana walked back in with Anska close behind her. She took her spot at the end of the bed again but Anska remained standing near the door with her arms crossed. Cain got up from his seat and went over to her, even though he wasn’t entirely sure about what he would say. But he did know where to start.
“Hey, so…you were right,” he began. She met his eyes, waiting for him to go on: “It wouldn’t have killed me to push back a little bit. I’m sorry.”
A smile tugged at the corner of her soft lips, and she raised a hand to his cheek.
“It’s a start,” said Anska. “But, I’ll take it. You and I are going to have a long conversation about solidarity though. And I appreciate you trying to get Linn to help us.”
“We’ll have plenty of time to talk while we head south,” promised Cain. “I love you.”
“Love you, too.”
Linneá cleared her throat and tossed a bit of scrap parchment at them. Her eyes were narrowed when Cain turned back towards her.
“South?” she asked. “Why are you two going south?”
Cain’s stomach lurched. He figured Kyne would have already told her and Serana about the arrow and how they’d been summoned by a tribe of Ayleids. Especially since the goddess had deigned to head them off with his other request. He could sense the incoming frustration that was about to bubble over from his sister.
“Er, so…the arrow… It was an invitation of sorts. To meet some of them down south, in the mountains near the border to Cyrodiil.”
“Bullshit!” exploded Linneá. “I’m so godsdamned tired of being stuck in this stupid [censored] embassy for weeks on end! And now you two get to go trudging off after mystical elves who aren’t even supposed to exist!? Ayleids! How the hell am I supposed to be okay with missing out on that! I [censored] hate being a diplomat!”
Serana slid off the bed and sat in front of Linneá, placing her hands on her shoulders. “Hey hey hey, just relax, Elle. I need you focused on our role and I need you here with me. Come on, deep breaths. In and out.”
Cain and Anska still stood awkwardly near the door, rooted in place while Serana tried to calm down her wife. Linneá closed her eyes and took several deep breaths while she tried to center herself again. It felt like the room was spinning around her at first, but Serana’s gentle touch brought her back down, and she opened her eyes sheepishly.
“Um. Sorry. That’s been building up for a while.”
“It’s okay, love,” said Serana. “I know how much you’d rather be out on an adventure. But you’re doing a great job here, even if you don’t realize it. I can’t see these debates lasting for than another five or six days.”
Anska moved over to them and sat down next to Linneá. “Maybe you two can join us when you’re done here? Just mark a talisman of some kind and recall to us when you can. We’ll still have plenty of walking ahead of us at that point. Could be fun!”
“It’s a sweet thought, sis,” said Linneá. “I doubt dad will go for it, though. I’m sure he’s already got something else lined up for us.”
“I dunno, Elle,” said Serana. “He might have a change of heart once he hears about what’s involved with this. It could be huge for us, if we can somehow have an Ayleid presence on our side. There’s no telling what kind of numbers they have, but if they’ve existed in the shadows for this long, then they must be doing something right.”
They were interrupted by a gentle knock at the door. Linneá stood up to answer it, and ducked out into the hallway while Cain went over and sat on the floor with the others. They waited mostly in silence for her to rejoin them and she did just that in short order.
“Might actually be sooner than we thought, Ana,” Linneá said as she came over and sat back down. “That was Ulvon’s assistant - the Telvanni have caved on one of their more ridiculous demands. We could have this wrapped up in two or three days instead.”
“Then we’ll stay here for at least that long,” said Cain.
“No, you two should get marching right away,” sighed Linneá. “Anska’s right, we can mark something innocuous and catch up when we can. If we can. We’ll have to leave it here for now, though. Serana and I need to find Ulvon and work out our next steps.”
Cain and Anska left them to it and went back to there own room for the afternoon. There was little to do other than wait, so Anska threw herself onto the bed and took a nap while Cain tried to read a book on dunmer culture. But he couldn’t focus on the text, his thoughts dwelling on what Linneá had said to him about willpower and just having to tap into his own innate abilities. Instead, he closed the book and set it aside before climbing onto the bed next to a snoring Anska.
Her sleeping face was serene, and completely carefree while dreams began to flit throughout her mind. Cain thought back to some of Kyne’s proclamations on love, and how much emphasis she placed on its importance. Then he realized that the willpower Linneá spoke of was the easy part – Cain knew exactly how much he loved Anska and what his intentions were. It was the tapping that still eluded him. How can I draw from something I only partially understand?
Cain closed his eyes and looked inward, trying to meditate the way he would before a battle. His mother, Ariessa, had always told him that Leki, the Saint of the Spirit Sword, would protect those who prayed to her before battle, imbuing them with a warrior’s spirit. But he’d never tried to meditate for any other reason. He cleared his mind and focused on himself, rather than a potential fight.
And he nearly jumped from the bed in shock when he felt the dragon fluttering within. Cain suddenly understood exactly what spark his sister spoke of and the possibilities it offered. It amazed him that he hadn’t felt it before, the divine power flowing through his blood coalesced into a spiritual form that shared every part of Cain’s being, soaring just beneath the surface of his conscious.
The pieces fell into place all at once. His eyes still closed, Cain reach out and gently placed a hand on Anska’s sleeping form. He focused on his love for her, and how much they both desired to be closer.
To be one.
The dragon roared in unison and Cain felt utter contentment and warmth well up inside of him. It flowed calmly from the center out to all of his extremities, and passed right into the sleeping woman at his side.
Anska gasped loudly and sat bolt upright in bed, her slumber suddenly interrupted. But the unknown feeling of warmth soothed her, and she instantly realized something wonderful had happened. Cain’s eyes were opened, and he was smiling gently at her.
And then his voice spoke in her mind: Who needs a goddess when you have a dragon?
She felt her mouth fall open in shock. I can’t believe it! How did –
Not so loud, dear. It tends to echo.
Cain Windborne, you tell me this instant! How did you manage this?!
Linneá pointed me in the right direction. I had all the tools, much as she did. I just didn’t understand how to utilize them. But I knew I had to try. I knew how much it meant to you. And to me.
She was amazed at what he done for her. For each other. And at how far he was willing to go for her, and much he cared, despite not showing any kind of fight with Kyne when the goddess rescinded the offer. All of her prior frustrations and anger evaporated, and Anska leaned forward and tackled him into the blankets, kissing him furiously while she struggled with the leather belt on his trousers. Godsdamn it, do I love you! Now help me with this [censored] belt.
Chapter XXIII – Good Intentions
It was well into the evening when there came a soft knock on the door to Cain and Anska’s room. Setting down a book he’d found on Ayleid history, Cain rolled off of their bed and went to see who it was. His hand was on the knob when heard two familiar voices coming from the hallway, so he smiled and let his sisters into the room.
Thankfully, they had come with a few plates of food and a bottle of wine.
“Evening, Cain,” said Serana. “Where’s Anska?”
“She’s soaking in the bath tub.”
“Oh, then let her be. We just wanted to hang out together for a few hours. It feels like we never get to do that without something else looming over our heads.”
She set about uncorking the wine bottle and pouring out a glass for each of them while Linneá laid out various bits of local dunmer cuisine. Cain went back to the desk and slid a bookmark into the very dry text he had been reading.
“Is that a Treatise on Ayleidic Cities?” asked Linneá. “I remember that one being a snooze fest. Shouldn’t you go tell sis we’re here? Don’t want to give her a shock when she comes out.”
“Very boring book indeed,” said Cain. “Don’t worry, I already gave her a heads-up.”
Serana stopped filling the final wine glass and looked sharply at him. “What do you mean you gave her a heads-up? I didn’t see you go in there.”
“Yeah, so, about that…” began Cain.
“Linneá, what did you do?” Serana’s eyes narrowed accusatorily at her wife. “Kyne explicitly asked you not to do it for them!”
“Hey, don’t look at me, dear heart. I told Cain and Anska that I couldn’t interfere and I didn’t. I may have suggested he had all the tools he needed, but I certainly didn’t teach him in any way. Besides, it’s not really that difficult of a thing for those like us to achieve. Our dragon blood wants to help us.”
It had certainly felt that way to Cain. Amazed at how easily he was able to take the matter into his own hands, he’d begun to wonder what else was possible, and had been waiting to ask Linneá just that. The sky was the limit, as far as he could tell; and the Thu’um might just be the beginning of what he and his family could achieve.
“That’s semantics and you know it, Elle,” said Serana.
“Is it, though?” returned Linneá. “Nothing I did, or said, offered direct advice. All I did was point out some facts about being a Dragonborn. What Cain achieved after we left is entirely his own accomplishment. And look how happy it’s made them – don’t tell me you didn’t feel the buzz in the air when entered.”
Serana’s face softened. “Well, I guess that’s true. On both points. Please just be careful, brother… I’m sure Mara had a very good reason for not wanting you two to go down this path, maddening as it is that she wouldn’t share it.”
Anska joined them a few seconds later, her damp hair tied up in a large ponytail, and smelling of fresh lavender. The four of them spent the remainder of the evening eating, drinking, and talking about everything from palatial life to swapping adventure stories. Linneá spent nearly an hour recounting the unexpected way her honeymoon with Serana on the Isle of Roscrea had gone and she had Cain in stiches by the end of it, revealing that the strange goblins on the island had made them queens of their tribe.
Serana too had countless tales from her childhood with an ancient vampire clan, both happy and sad. But her favorite story to tell was still the one about how she acquired her penchant for Colovian Brandy – and the entire keg of it she drank when she was seventeen. The other three roared with laughter when Serana told them about her waking up in a pool of the sweet liquor with her mother standing over her in a fury and yelling herself hoarse.
Midnight saw them somberly cleaning up the small mess they had made, not ready for the night to end. But the treaty talks continued tomorrow, and Cain and Anska now had to shop and pack for an extended trip into the depths of Morrowind. After a brief round of parting hugs, his sisters left for their own bedroom and a few hours of sleep.
[centre]-------
[/centre]
Dawn came in a hurry, bringing a thunderous rain storm that likely roused the entire city into wakefulness. Cain was packing up some of their belongings when he noticed a small cylinder had been rolled under their door before he’d woken up. It was about eight inches long, with a delicate Nordic inlay and a small clasp around the center. He opened it up and inside the container was a small scroll of parchment, and a polished stone bearing the mark of Kyne. Cain set the stone down and unfurled the short note.
Cain,
Keep this stone safe so that we might join you later, if father permits it. I marked it last night in case Serana and I miss you in the morning. Kyne will likely be following you south, so I will reach out through her in advance. If we are able to come, set the stone down at a distance - I’d rather not teleport on top of your head.
And tell Anska I expect her to keep you in line. (Just kidding!)
Linn
Cain shook his head in amusement and pocketed the stone. Then he tore up the note and stuffed the shreds into his tinder box. Anska began to stir and soon emerged from beneath the thin blanket. Sitting up, she yawned loudly and stared at him through sleepy eyes.
“Don’t just stand there ogling me,” she said, “go get some tea on or something.”
“By the Nine, you’re bossy in the mornings. Not my fault you look so damn cute with your hair all tousled up like that." He checked the small tin on the desk and noted how low it had gotten. "Er, we'll have to buy some more on the way through town. There’s barely enough here for a single mug.”
“Great, add it to the list. How long of a journey is this going to be anyway?”
“Long.”
“Yeah, that’s not helpful, lunkhead. How long?”
“Well, Cheydinhal is slightly east by northeast of the Imperial City, and Blacklight is almost due west of Windhelm, so… A couple hundred miles at least. Into the mountains.”
“Oh, for [censored]’s sake,” grumbled Anska. “We’re going to be walking for weeks!”
“I’d walk to the ends of Nirn and back with you by my side, love.”
Anska rolled her eyes. “Yeah yeah yeah, I’m sure you would, Mr. Romantic.” She got up from the bed and gave him a lingering kiss. “But you do know how to make a girl feel better about it. Give me the tea and keep packing. I’ll see if I can squeeze two weak mugs out of these leaves.”
Cain went back to gathering up their things and packing them away while Anska boiled a kettle of water over the stove in the bathroom. She stared wistfully at the tub while she waited, idly wondering when the next to she’d be able to take a hot bath would be. Growing up in the near wilds of Skyrim meant she wasn’t afraid to rough it out in the woods, but damn it if she hadn’t grown accustomed to living in comfort for the last few weeks.
It was mid-morning when they drained the final dregs of tea from their mugs, slung their packs over their shoulders, and closed the door to the room behind them for the last time. Cain knocked at Linneá and Serana’s door, but no answer came from within and so they moved on, heading for the way out into the city.
They’d barely made it half a block down the street when a voice rang out through rain, calling their names. Linneá dashed up to them and together they ducked under the awning of a small market. Cain stared at her in surprise - in the time he’d known her, Linneá always dressed in a very plain, relaxed manner. But now she stood before them in a sleek black dress that fell to just above her knees, and her long black hair was tied up in an elaborate bun adorned with bits of gold strand and filigree. A faint blush had been subtly applied to her pale skin, and violet eye shadowing made her hazel eyes pop.
Even Anska was caught off guard. “Sis, you look absolutely stunning right now! Serana really is a lucky woman!”
Linneá blushed under her makeup. “That’s very sweet of you, dear. My wife is excellent at dolling us up like this – she’s had a few thousand years to practice.”
“What’s the occasion?” asked Cain.
“There’s good odds that the Great Houses will sign the treaty by dinnertime, which means there will be one hell of a party afterwards. Serana wanted us to look our best.”
“She certainly excelled at that,” Anska complimented. “Do you think you’ll be able to join us tomorrow?”
“Doubtful. We’ll have to return to the palace first and give dad a rundown of everything that went on. And then we’ll have to convince him that we aren’t needed elsewhere. I’d say the odds are fifty-fifty we join you at all.”
Cain was slightly put out by that. He had grown to like the idea of being on an adventure with Anska and his family. It was such a far cry from the mostly solitary upbringing he’d had in Anvil, and he’d never made any friends in the Fighter’s Guild either. He was more than content to just be with Anska, but already it was hard to imagine being away from his family for so long, and he had found that he missed his parents dearly.
“Don’t look so sad about it, brother,” continued Linneá. “The odds might improve when I tell him Ayleids are involved. That’ll pique just about anyone’s curiosity. You’ll find out from Kyne one way or another. I need to get back in there, though – I sort of ditched a meeting with Ulvon to come and say goodbye.”
She hugged them both in turn and gave Anska a peck on the cheek. “Keep the lunkhead safe, yeah? And take care of yourself, too.”
“Always.”
Linneá jogged back to the embassy as quickly as her heels would allow her to, leaving Cain and Anska to set off on their own. They plodded south through the city, sloshing along rain filled streets, and stocking up on supplies while they went. It was just after noon when the southernmost city gate closed behind them with a thud, and a worn cobblestone road wound its way across a grassy plain and off into the distance.
They marched on for three to four miles before woodlands sprang up around them, the dense foliage of the towering trees offering a brief respite from the constant rainfall that dogged the first day of their journey. Hoping to make it another few miles before evening fell, Cain and Anska trudged on through the forest, ever alert for bandits or highwaymen that would seek to waylay them.
A low rumble caught Cain’s ear, and he peered off into the undergrowth. “Did you hear that sound just now? It sounded like growling.”
“Relax, it was just my stomach,” replied Anska. “We never stopped for lunch and now it’s protesting.”
“Come on, let’s get off the road and grab a snack,” laughed Cain. “No sense in marching on an empty stomach, and it’s not like we can build a fire for dinner. Hope this rain quits soon.”
He spotted a small clearing just off the road and steered Anska into it. Eager for a break from the constant downpour, Cain pulled out their tent and erected a haphazard lean-to for them to huddle under. There was nothing to be done about the damp earth, so they sat on a couple flat rocks and munched on some dried meat Anska had bought from a vendor.
“What did the elf say this meat was?” asked Cain.
“Nix Hound. Never seen one in my life but it’s quite tasty. I bought a fair bit of it and he threw in some ash yams for free. Said they pair well in a stew.”
“It’s not bad. Maybe if it ever stops raining we can give it a go.”
“The rain will clear out soon, child,” said a new voice. They both nearly jumped out of their skin at the sound and Cain nearly had his sword out when Kyne ducked under the lean-to and joined them. “That won’t help you, Cain.”
The Redguard sighed with relief, sheathing his sword back into its leather scabbard. Anska shook her head and went back to tearing off the stubborn strip she’d been working at while the goddess watched her with a soft expression on her face.
“Are you still disappointed with me, dear?” Kyne asked her. “I could feel you seething when you walked away from our last little rendezvous.”
“A little bit,” acknowledged Anska. “I don’t like being told what to do, ma’am, and you had my hopes all worked up. I was mad at Cain for a while too for not sticking up for us, but I got over that.”
“I am really sorry about what happened,” said Kyne. “Mara’s warning came as a surprise to me as well. Are you two –“ She broke off her question at the sight of a small glance between Cain and Anska. Something had passed right by the goddess and the coy smile tugging at the corners of Anska’s lips set off alarm bells in Kyne’s head.
Her eyes narrowed, and she focused her attention on their minds instead. “What have you done?” she gasped. “I told Linneá not to help you! How could you do this after I pleaded with you to not let it happen? Your sister and I are going to have a very long discussion about – “
“Linn didn’t do this, mum,” said Cain. “She turned me down the moment I brought it up. But I realized after the fact that I had everything I needed to do it myself, and so I did. If you’re going to be angry at anyone, let it be us. My sisters are innocent in this.”
An icy silence fell between the three of them, broken only by the pitter patter of rain on the leather roof. Kyne stared at them admonishingly, unable to believe they would have gone around her and Mara in such a way. Cain felt himself wither under her intense gaze.
“I’m disappointed in you both,” she said, finally. A profound sadness had crept into her voice and it was hard to tell if the dampness on her normally serene face came from the rain or from tears. “I thought my opinion carried weight and I’m sad to see it so casually disregarded.”
Then the spell broke and the goddess stood up and headed back out into the rain.
It was well into the evening when there came a soft knock on the door to Cain and Anska’s room. Setting down a book he’d found on Ayleid history, Cain rolled off of their bed and went to see who it was. His hand was on the knob when heard two familiar voices coming from the hallway, so he smiled and let his sisters into the room.
Thankfully, they had come with a few plates of food and a bottle of wine.
“Evening, Cain,” said Serana. “Where’s Anska?”
“She’s soaking in the bath tub.”
“Oh, then let her be. We just wanted to hang out together for a few hours. It feels like we never get to do that without something else looming over our heads.”
She set about uncorking the wine bottle and pouring out a glass for each of them while Linneá laid out various bits of local dunmer cuisine. Cain went back to the desk and slid a bookmark into the very dry text he had been reading.
“Is that a Treatise on Ayleidic Cities?” asked Linneá. “I remember that one being a snooze fest. Shouldn’t you go tell sis we’re here? Don’t want to give her a shock when she comes out.”
“Very boring book indeed,” said Cain. “Don’t worry, I already gave her a heads-up.”
Serana stopped filling the final wine glass and looked sharply at him. “What do you mean you gave her a heads-up? I didn’t see you go in there.”
“Yeah, so, about that…” began Cain.
“Linneá, what did you do?” Serana’s eyes narrowed accusatorily at her wife. “Kyne explicitly asked you not to do it for them!”
“Hey, don’t look at me, dear heart. I told Cain and Anska that I couldn’t interfere and I didn’t. I may have suggested he had all the tools he needed, but I certainly didn’t teach him in any way. Besides, it’s not really that difficult of a thing for those like us to achieve. Our dragon blood wants to help us.”
It had certainly felt that way to Cain. Amazed at how easily he was able to take the matter into his own hands, he’d begun to wonder what else was possible, and had been waiting to ask Linneá just that. The sky was the limit, as far as he could tell; and the Thu’um might just be the beginning of what he and his family could achieve.
“That’s semantics and you know it, Elle,” said Serana.
“Is it, though?” returned Linneá. “Nothing I did, or said, offered direct advice. All I did was point out some facts about being a Dragonborn. What Cain achieved after we left is entirely his own accomplishment. And look how happy it’s made them – don’t tell me you didn’t feel the buzz in the air when entered.”
Serana’s face softened. “Well, I guess that’s true. On both points. Please just be careful, brother… I’m sure Mara had a very good reason for not wanting you two to go down this path, maddening as it is that she wouldn’t share it.”
Anska joined them a few seconds later, her damp hair tied up in a large ponytail, and smelling of fresh lavender. The four of them spent the remainder of the evening eating, drinking, and talking about everything from palatial life to swapping adventure stories. Linneá spent nearly an hour recounting the unexpected way her honeymoon with Serana on the Isle of Roscrea had gone and she had Cain in stiches by the end of it, revealing that the strange goblins on the island had made them queens of their tribe.
Serana too had countless tales from her childhood with an ancient vampire clan, both happy and sad. But her favorite story to tell was still the one about how she acquired her penchant for Colovian Brandy – and the entire keg of it she drank when she was seventeen. The other three roared with laughter when Serana told them about her waking up in a pool of the sweet liquor with her mother standing over her in a fury and yelling herself hoarse.
Midnight saw them somberly cleaning up the small mess they had made, not ready for the night to end. But the treaty talks continued tomorrow, and Cain and Anska now had to shop and pack for an extended trip into the depths of Morrowind. After a brief round of parting hugs, his sisters left for their own bedroom and a few hours of sleep.
[centre]-------
[/centre]
Dawn came in a hurry, bringing a thunderous rain storm that likely roused the entire city into wakefulness. Cain was packing up some of their belongings when he noticed a small cylinder had been rolled under their door before he’d woken up. It was about eight inches long, with a delicate Nordic inlay and a small clasp around the center. He opened it up and inside the container was a small scroll of parchment, and a polished stone bearing the mark of Kyne. Cain set the stone down and unfurled the short note.
Cain,
Keep this stone safe so that we might join you later, if father permits it. I marked it last night in case Serana and I miss you in the morning. Kyne will likely be following you south, so I will reach out through her in advance. If we are able to come, set the stone down at a distance - I’d rather not teleport on top of your head.
And tell Anska I expect her to keep you in line. (Just kidding!)
Linn
Cain shook his head in amusement and pocketed the stone. Then he tore up the note and stuffed the shreds into his tinder box. Anska began to stir and soon emerged from beneath the thin blanket. Sitting up, she yawned loudly and stared at him through sleepy eyes.
“Don’t just stand there ogling me,” she said, “go get some tea on or something.”
“By the Nine, you’re bossy in the mornings. Not my fault you look so damn cute with your hair all tousled up like that." He checked the small tin on the desk and noted how low it had gotten. "Er, we'll have to buy some more on the way through town. There’s barely enough here for a single mug.”
“Great, add it to the list. How long of a journey is this going to be anyway?”
“Long.”
“Yeah, that’s not helpful, lunkhead. How long?”
“Well, Cheydinhal is slightly east by northeast of the Imperial City, and Blacklight is almost due west of Windhelm, so… A couple hundred miles at least. Into the mountains.”
“Oh, for [censored]’s sake,” grumbled Anska. “We’re going to be walking for weeks!”
“I’d walk to the ends of Nirn and back with you by my side, love.”
Anska rolled her eyes. “Yeah yeah yeah, I’m sure you would, Mr. Romantic.” She got up from the bed and gave him a lingering kiss. “But you do know how to make a girl feel better about it. Give me the tea and keep packing. I’ll see if I can squeeze two weak mugs out of these leaves.”
Cain went back to gathering up their things and packing them away while Anska boiled a kettle of water over the stove in the bathroom. She stared wistfully at the tub while she waited, idly wondering when the next to she’d be able to take a hot bath would be. Growing up in the near wilds of Skyrim meant she wasn’t afraid to rough it out in the woods, but damn it if she hadn’t grown accustomed to living in comfort for the last few weeks.
It was mid-morning when they drained the final dregs of tea from their mugs, slung their packs over their shoulders, and closed the door to the room behind them for the last time. Cain knocked at Linneá and Serana’s door, but no answer came from within and so they moved on, heading for the way out into the city.
They’d barely made it half a block down the street when a voice rang out through rain, calling their names. Linneá dashed up to them and together they ducked under the awning of a small market. Cain stared at her in surprise - in the time he’d known her, Linneá always dressed in a very plain, relaxed manner. But now she stood before them in a sleek black dress that fell to just above her knees, and her long black hair was tied up in an elaborate bun adorned with bits of gold strand and filigree. A faint blush had been subtly applied to her pale skin, and violet eye shadowing made her hazel eyes pop.
Even Anska was caught off guard. “Sis, you look absolutely stunning right now! Serana really is a lucky woman!”
Linneá blushed under her makeup. “That’s very sweet of you, dear. My wife is excellent at dolling us up like this – she’s had a few thousand years to practice.”
“What’s the occasion?” asked Cain.
“There’s good odds that the Great Houses will sign the treaty by dinnertime, which means there will be one hell of a party afterwards. Serana wanted us to look our best.”
“She certainly excelled at that,” Anska complimented. “Do you think you’ll be able to join us tomorrow?”
“Doubtful. We’ll have to return to the palace first and give dad a rundown of everything that went on. And then we’ll have to convince him that we aren’t needed elsewhere. I’d say the odds are fifty-fifty we join you at all.”
Cain was slightly put out by that. He had grown to like the idea of being on an adventure with Anska and his family. It was such a far cry from the mostly solitary upbringing he’d had in Anvil, and he’d never made any friends in the Fighter’s Guild either. He was more than content to just be with Anska, but already it was hard to imagine being away from his family for so long, and he had found that he missed his parents dearly.
“Don’t look so sad about it, brother,” continued Linneá. “The odds might improve when I tell him Ayleids are involved. That’ll pique just about anyone’s curiosity. You’ll find out from Kyne one way or another. I need to get back in there, though – I sort of ditched a meeting with Ulvon to come and say goodbye.”
She hugged them both in turn and gave Anska a peck on the cheek. “Keep the lunkhead safe, yeah? And take care of yourself, too.”
“Always.”
Linneá jogged back to the embassy as quickly as her heels would allow her to, leaving Cain and Anska to set off on their own. They plodded south through the city, sloshing along rain filled streets, and stocking up on supplies while they went. It was just after noon when the southernmost city gate closed behind them with a thud, and a worn cobblestone road wound its way across a grassy plain and off into the distance.
They marched on for three to four miles before woodlands sprang up around them, the dense foliage of the towering trees offering a brief respite from the constant rainfall that dogged the first day of their journey. Hoping to make it another few miles before evening fell, Cain and Anska trudged on through the forest, ever alert for bandits or highwaymen that would seek to waylay them.
A low rumble caught Cain’s ear, and he peered off into the undergrowth. “Did you hear that sound just now? It sounded like growling.”
“Relax, it was just my stomach,” replied Anska. “We never stopped for lunch and now it’s protesting.”
“Come on, let’s get off the road and grab a snack,” laughed Cain. “No sense in marching on an empty stomach, and it’s not like we can build a fire for dinner. Hope this rain quits soon.”
He spotted a small clearing just off the road and steered Anska into it. Eager for a break from the constant downpour, Cain pulled out their tent and erected a haphazard lean-to for them to huddle under. There was nothing to be done about the damp earth, so they sat on a couple flat rocks and munched on some dried meat Anska had bought from a vendor.
“What did the elf say this meat was?” asked Cain.
“Nix Hound. Never seen one in my life but it’s quite tasty. I bought a fair bit of it and he threw in some ash yams for free. Said they pair well in a stew.”
“It’s not bad. Maybe if it ever stops raining we can give it a go.”
“The rain will clear out soon, child,” said a new voice. They both nearly jumped out of their skin at the sound and Cain nearly had his sword out when Kyne ducked under the lean-to and joined them. “That won’t help you, Cain.”
The Redguard sighed with relief, sheathing his sword back into its leather scabbard. Anska shook her head and went back to tearing off the stubborn strip she’d been working at while the goddess watched her with a soft expression on her face.
“Are you still disappointed with me, dear?” Kyne asked her. “I could feel you seething when you walked away from our last little rendezvous.”
“A little bit,” acknowledged Anska. “I don’t like being told what to do, ma’am, and you had my hopes all worked up. I was mad at Cain for a while too for not sticking up for us, but I got over that.”
“I am really sorry about what happened,” said Kyne. “Mara’s warning came as a surprise to me as well. Are you two –“ She broke off her question at the sight of a small glance between Cain and Anska. Something had passed right by the goddess and the coy smile tugging at the corners of Anska’s lips set off alarm bells in Kyne’s head.
Her eyes narrowed, and she focused her attention on their minds instead. “What have you done?” she gasped. “I told Linneá not to help you! How could you do this after I pleaded with you to not let it happen? Your sister and I are going to have a very long discussion about – “
“Linn didn’t do this, mum,” said Cain. “She turned me down the moment I brought it up. But I realized after the fact that I had everything I needed to do it myself, and so I did. If you’re going to be angry at anyone, let it be us. My sisters are innocent in this.”
An icy silence fell between the three of them, broken only by the pitter patter of rain on the leather roof. Kyne stared at them admonishingly, unable to believe they would have gone around her and Mara in such a way. Cain felt himself wither under her intense gaze.
“I’m disappointed in you both,” she said, finally. A profound sadness had crept into her voice and it was hard to tell if the dampness on her normally serene face came from the rain or from tears. “I thought my opinion carried weight and I’m sad to see it so casually disregarded.”
Then the spell broke and the goddess stood up and headed back out into the rain.
Chapter XXIV – What Lurks in the Shadows
“I just knew it in my [censored] bones that you would say no,” sighed Linneá. “Let me guess – you need us doing more political [censored]? Where are we off to next, Black Marsh? Elsweyr? Gods forbid Serana and I have to do something fun for a change.”
She sat across from Kirin in his private study, arms crossed and wearing a defiant expression. Serana squirmed uncomfortably in the chair next to Linneá – she sometimes wished her wife wasn’t so brash with their parents, especially now that they were High King and Queen. But then, Linneá wouldn’t be Linneá if she didn’t challenge them.
“Was it not enough to pull off what we just managed to in Morrowind? Haven’t we earned a chance to do something a little different for a change? Ayleids, dad! [censored] Ayleids! Aren’t you the least bit curious?”
“Oh, I’m plenty curious, Linn,” said Kirin. “We have a more pressing matter though.” He tore off a small piece of parchment from a missive he’d been reading and scribbled a few words on it before sliding it across the desk to her.
Linneá read it with raised eyebrows, and then cast her room muffling spell around them. “Okay, I’ll bite,” she said. “What’s so important that our even our closest advisors can’t be trusted not to listen in on us.”
Kirin stood up and paced back and forth behind his desk. He’d been grappling with the matter for a few weeks now, but there was no denying it anymore, and action had to be taken. He knew Linneá and Serana could handle it, but he did feel bad about not letting them join up with Cain and Anska. Hell, I wish I could be out there with them, too, he thought. Those days are over though. This, however, would be just as dangerous a task.
“We have a traitor in our ranks.”
That caught his daughters off guard. It seemed unfathomable to Linneá that someone could have wormed their way inside without setting off alarm bells. None of the palace staff, agents, soldiers, dignitaries, or guards were aware of Kyne’s existence nor her close ties to the Windborne family. And they certainly didn’t realize she probed their minds whenever she was around.
“How?” asked Serana. “How could someone have eluded us like that?”
“It has to be someone fairly recent,” said Kirin. “Information only just stated to leak. We were lucky to notice it at all.”
“Who caught it?” said Linneá. “Someone here or abroad?”
“Our lone agent in the Summerset Isles managed to intercept a message to the Thalmor. We must be cautious in seeking out the mole, if they are able to communicate home without us knowing. I’m going to assign the both of you some clerical jobs around the palace – it will look like busy work while you gear up for your next trip.”
“I take it the trip is a ruse, too?”
“Yes. But Sentinel did request a few diplomats, so it will look convincing to anyone paying close attention. Just please be careful, girls. Whomever this traitor is… they will be dangerous.”
“Not as dangerous as we are,” smirked Linneá. “We’ll find them, dad.”
[centre]-----[/centre]
Anilay hunched over a long scroll of parchment, penning the formal request to the Elder Council. It was time they took action: The Emperor’s desperate attempts to remain in power were going to cause a rift between Cyrodiil and what remained of the Empire, but the old man was too blind to see it. If he enacted his grand scheme, the provinces of High Rock, Skyrim, and the Kingdom of Orsinium would surely withdraw any ties, leaving the Heartland a sitting duck against the Aldmeri Dominion.
The chancellor scribbled away tirelessly at his first draft, crossing out words and making the occasional note in the margins. Time was of the essence, and Mede must not get wind of his actions or Anilay would surely be strung up on the battlements.
Treason.
It was the correct move for the future of Tamriel, of that Anilay was sure. But it was still treason.
May the Nine preserve us.
[centre]-----[/centre]
They’d been walking for nearly a week and still the rain had not let up as Kyne had promised it would. Miserable, hot, soaked, and hungry; Cain and Anska continued their arduous trek south through Morrowind. The occasional small village offered some dry respite, but they’d yet to find one large enough to have an inn where they could relax at for a day or two. The rain continued to fall, trying it’s best to dampen their spirits. It somewhat exceeded in doing so, but the two of them were also enjoying each other’s company.
It was another rainy evening on the eighth day of their journey when a sudden thought struck Anska.
“Um, Cain?”
“Yes, dear?”
“This rain… do you think it’s Kyne’s doing? As a punishment? I mean, that is her domain and she has been distant since that first day…”
That hadn’t occurred to Cain until now either, but it made perfect sense. The goddess had in fact mentioned that very evening the met that the rain would be clearing up, as most summer storms usually did. For it to have rained this entire week screamed of Divine intervention.
“[censored]. You may be right. I think we’re going to have to call for her and see if we can put this matter to bed.”
“Can we do that? Just ask and hope she comes?”
“I think she’ll come if I pray,” said Cain. “At least, she told me she would come anytime I asked.”
He hadn’t even gotten down on his knees when the hawk soared down out of the gloom and landed on a fallen log laying on the side of the forest road. The amber eyes stared impassively at them, waiting for what it deemed to be the correct thing for the two of them to start with.
“Hey, mum – that was fast,” said Cain. “Were you close by?” The hawk didn’t so much as twitch, so he continued on: “Look, about last time… I’m really sorry we ignored your wishes. But you have to understand how desirable this was for us, and how frustrating it was to have the rug pulled out from under our feet. I know you had your reasons and that they couldn’t be shared, but I want you to know how close it’s made Anska and I now. We’re inseparable and I wouldn’t change that even if the world went all to smash.”
A small flash of light briefly illuminated the road and Kyne now stood before them in her usual form, the rain soaking through her light blue gown and matting down her auburn hair. She tilted her head towards another small clearing just off the road and led them into it. Then she raised her soft hands high and brought them down with a flourish, bringing an end to the rain and ushering in the warm rays of the sun.
“Thank [censored] for that,” breathed Anska. “Er, sorry, not ‘[censored]’. Divines. I mean, uh, Kyne, er, mum. [censored]… never mind.”
“Sometimes less is more, dear,” Kyne smiled at Anska. “But I knew what you meant.”
“Does this mean you’ve forgiven us?” asked Cain.
“Yes. And no,” replied Kyne. “I sympathize for what the heart wants, but it saddens me to think what the future could hold in store. No more of that though – the deed is done. We should all move on and focus on what comes next.”
“You’re scaring me, ma’am,” said Anska.
“Do not dwell on it, child. Cain has given the two of you a wonderful gift and you should enjoy what it has to offer. There are many possible futures that are defined by the roads we must walk. Stay true to yourselves and all will work out.”
There was a finality in her statement that Cain recognized as the end of the matter and despite her reassurances, he did not feel any better about it. Resigned to discuss it with Anska later, he moved onto the only other question he had for her.
“Are Linn and Serana going to join us?” he asked.
“They are not,” answered Kyne. “I know you were looking forward to it, but your father has them looking into a matter close to home.”
“Aw, it could have been a lot more fun with them along,” sighed Anska. “We had such a nice time with them in Blacklight – it was nice to have family so close in age. They feel like my own sisters already.”
“Don’t fret about it. I’m sure there will be no shortage of time in the future for the four of you. Kirin doesn’t always have his children out on assignments, or grand adventures. He prefers you all to be home with he and Lydia as much as possible.”
Cain left the two of them to talk and searched around for bits of wood or branches to make a fire with. Everything was damp, but he’d been trying his hand at basic fire spells lately, and figured it might be enough to get a hot meal cooking for a change. A few minutes later, he strolled back into the clearing and dumped the fuel on the ground.
After several unsuccessful attempts to dry out the wood, he gave up and kicked fitfully at the pile of branches while Anska giggled at him. Kyne smiled and shook her head once before waving a hand and instantly igniting a roaring campfire.
“Show off,” grumbled Cain.
Kyne conjured up three dry stone seats around the fire and took one of them for herself. “How’s that for showing off?’ she winked. “Come and sit you two while I make dinner. It’s the least I could do after causing it to rain on you for a week.”
“Was that a punishment?” said Anska, as she sat down on one of the makeshift seats. “For defying you?”
“Not exactly”, replied Kyne, her voice a bit lower than before. “Let’s talk about something else. Please.”
“It’s because you were sad, wasn’t it?” Cain asked her. “You were mourning.”
“Cain, please, I beg of you to let it go,” pleaded the goddess.
Anska got up from her seat and grabbed his arm, dragging him under a nearby tree on the outskirts of the small clearing. Kyne started digging out their cooking supplies and left the two of the alone while she started on dinner.
“Why do you keep pushing her?” demanded Anska. “Yes, it’s plain to see that something is upsetting her, but she obviously can’t or won’t share what it is. Let it go! She’s forgiven us for ignoring her and Mara’s wishes, so let’s just be happy that she is with us again! Stop trying to make her miserable!”
“I don’t like having my fate bandied about so casually,” said Cain. “If there’s something we should know then we ought to know it!”
“All you’re doing is pushing her away, Cain. Can’t you see that? Yes, it’s frustrating to feel like a plaything to the gods, but you’re forgetting how much she cares for you. For all of us. Please just [censored] drop it and let her love you!”
He felt himself wither once again, this time under the glare of Anska. He realized she was right and that he’d been acting callously towards Kyne. Shame began to gnaw at his insides for how he’d been pushing her and Cain felt the regret sinking in. He pressed his lips against Anska’s and kissed her briefly as a way of saying thanks, and then marched back into the clearing. Kyne stood over a cooking pot and he pulled her away from it and hugged her tightly.
“I’m sorry, mum. I shouldn’t have been pushing you. I won’t say another word about it.”
Kyne returned the embraced and sniffled lightly. “Don’t worry about it, dear. I’m just glad we can have some time together like this. And I’m happy for you and Anska. Truly.”
[centre]-----[/centre]
Dinner in the Blue Palace was a somber affair. A shimmering haze encircled the small dining room where Linneá and Serana had joined their parents alone for the first time in weeks. The table was teeming with plates of delicious food and full goblets, but the silverware remained untouched after Linneá had cast her muffling spell again and told Kirin and Lydia what had been plaguing her thoughts.
“No, I refuse to believe that,” said Lydia. “She’s such a lovely young woman and she seems so genuinely happy with Cain. There’s no way it could be her. Do you have any proof?”
“We don’t,” said Linneá. “But the timing lines up perfectly with when our agents noticed something was amiss. Nearly down to the same day Anska arrived here.”
Kirin’s arms were crossed and he leaned back in his chair. He didn’t like it anymore than Lydia did, but it was the only lead anyone had turned up thus far. He thought back to Anska’s time at the palace, brief as it was, and wondered if tabs had been kept on her movements.
“Did anyone other than us keep an eye on her?” he asked aloud.
“Not really,” said Serana. “I think just about everyone was tied up with Cain’s sudden arrival. Elle and I especially were splitting time between here and Blacklight. Anska was mostly left to her own devices, when she wasn’t with all of us or with Cain.”
“Damn it, I wish we could speak to him somehow,” said Linneá. “They’re linked now like Serana and I are, so he may have some insight. But if she is hiding something, then it must be buried deep enough for to hide it from his thoughts.”
“Hold on,” Lydia interjected. “If they managed that than I find it hard to believe she’s capable of hiding her true intentions. No, it must be someone else. It must be.”
No one spoke after she finished her insistence. Not a single one of them wanted to believe Anska could betray them, but it was all they had for the moment. Kirin placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and smiled at her.
“I don’t think anyone here wants to accept it, Lyds. Hell, by all accounts it sounds like these two had a wonderful time with her and Cain during their time in Blacklight. But we have nothing else to go on right now, so we need to consider the possibility.” He turned back to his daughters and nodded at them. “Keep digging and let me know what you find. And let’s eat before all this food gets cold.”
“I just knew it in my [censored] bones that you would say no,” sighed Linneá. “Let me guess – you need us doing more political [censored]? Where are we off to next, Black Marsh? Elsweyr? Gods forbid Serana and I have to do something fun for a change.”
She sat across from Kirin in his private study, arms crossed and wearing a defiant expression. Serana squirmed uncomfortably in the chair next to Linneá – she sometimes wished her wife wasn’t so brash with their parents, especially now that they were High King and Queen. But then, Linneá wouldn’t be Linneá if she didn’t challenge them.
“Was it not enough to pull off what we just managed to in Morrowind? Haven’t we earned a chance to do something a little different for a change? Ayleids, dad! [censored] Ayleids! Aren’t you the least bit curious?”
“Oh, I’m plenty curious, Linn,” said Kirin. “We have a more pressing matter though.” He tore off a small piece of parchment from a missive he’d been reading and scribbled a few words on it before sliding it across the desk to her.
Linneá read it with raised eyebrows, and then cast her room muffling spell around them. “Okay, I’ll bite,” she said. “What’s so important that our even our closest advisors can’t be trusted not to listen in on us.”
Kirin stood up and paced back and forth behind his desk. He’d been grappling with the matter for a few weeks now, but there was no denying it anymore, and action had to be taken. He knew Linneá and Serana could handle it, but he did feel bad about not letting them join up with Cain and Anska. Hell, I wish I could be out there with them, too, he thought. Those days are over though. This, however, would be just as dangerous a task.
“We have a traitor in our ranks.”
That caught his daughters off guard. It seemed unfathomable to Linneá that someone could have wormed their way inside without setting off alarm bells. None of the palace staff, agents, soldiers, dignitaries, or guards were aware of Kyne’s existence nor her close ties to the Windborne family. And they certainly didn’t realize she probed their minds whenever she was around.
“How?” asked Serana. “How could someone have eluded us like that?”
“It has to be someone fairly recent,” said Kirin. “Information only just stated to leak. We were lucky to notice it at all.”
“Who caught it?” said Linneá. “Someone here or abroad?”
“Our lone agent in the Summerset Isles managed to intercept a message to the Thalmor. We must be cautious in seeking out the mole, if they are able to communicate home without us knowing. I’m going to assign the both of you some clerical jobs around the palace – it will look like busy work while you gear up for your next trip.”
“I take it the trip is a ruse, too?”
“Yes. But Sentinel did request a few diplomats, so it will look convincing to anyone paying close attention. Just please be careful, girls. Whomever this traitor is… they will be dangerous.”
“Not as dangerous as we are,” smirked Linneá. “We’ll find them, dad.”
[centre]-----[/centre]
Anilay hunched over a long scroll of parchment, penning the formal request to the Elder Council. It was time they took action: The Emperor’s desperate attempts to remain in power were going to cause a rift between Cyrodiil and what remained of the Empire, but the old man was too blind to see it. If he enacted his grand scheme, the provinces of High Rock, Skyrim, and the Kingdom of Orsinium would surely withdraw any ties, leaving the Heartland a sitting duck against the Aldmeri Dominion.
The chancellor scribbled away tirelessly at his first draft, crossing out words and making the occasional note in the margins. Time was of the essence, and Mede must not get wind of his actions or Anilay would surely be strung up on the battlements.
Treason.
It was the correct move for the future of Tamriel, of that Anilay was sure. But it was still treason.
May the Nine preserve us.
[centre]-----[/centre]
They’d been walking for nearly a week and still the rain had not let up as Kyne had promised it would. Miserable, hot, soaked, and hungry; Cain and Anska continued their arduous trek south through Morrowind. The occasional small village offered some dry respite, but they’d yet to find one large enough to have an inn where they could relax at for a day or two. The rain continued to fall, trying it’s best to dampen their spirits. It somewhat exceeded in doing so, but the two of them were also enjoying each other’s company.
It was another rainy evening on the eighth day of their journey when a sudden thought struck Anska.
“Um, Cain?”
“Yes, dear?”
“This rain… do you think it’s Kyne’s doing? As a punishment? I mean, that is her domain and she has been distant since that first day…”
That hadn’t occurred to Cain until now either, but it made perfect sense. The goddess had in fact mentioned that very evening the met that the rain would be clearing up, as most summer storms usually did. For it to have rained this entire week screamed of Divine intervention.
“[censored]. You may be right. I think we’re going to have to call for her and see if we can put this matter to bed.”
“Can we do that? Just ask and hope she comes?”
“I think she’ll come if I pray,” said Cain. “At least, she told me she would come anytime I asked.”
He hadn’t even gotten down on his knees when the hawk soared down out of the gloom and landed on a fallen log laying on the side of the forest road. The amber eyes stared impassively at them, waiting for what it deemed to be the correct thing for the two of them to start with.
“Hey, mum – that was fast,” said Cain. “Were you close by?” The hawk didn’t so much as twitch, so he continued on: “Look, about last time… I’m really sorry we ignored your wishes. But you have to understand how desirable this was for us, and how frustrating it was to have the rug pulled out from under our feet. I know you had your reasons and that they couldn’t be shared, but I want you to know how close it’s made Anska and I now. We’re inseparable and I wouldn’t change that even if the world went all to smash.”
A small flash of light briefly illuminated the road and Kyne now stood before them in her usual form, the rain soaking through her light blue gown and matting down her auburn hair. She tilted her head towards another small clearing just off the road and led them into it. Then she raised her soft hands high and brought them down with a flourish, bringing an end to the rain and ushering in the warm rays of the sun.
“Thank [censored] for that,” breathed Anska. “Er, sorry, not ‘[censored]’. Divines. I mean, uh, Kyne, er, mum. [censored]… never mind.”
“Sometimes less is more, dear,” Kyne smiled at Anska. “But I knew what you meant.”
“Does this mean you’ve forgiven us?” asked Cain.
“Yes. And no,” replied Kyne. “I sympathize for what the heart wants, but it saddens me to think what the future could hold in store. No more of that though – the deed is done. We should all move on and focus on what comes next.”
“You’re scaring me, ma’am,” said Anska.
“Do not dwell on it, child. Cain has given the two of you a wonderful gift and you should enjoy what it has to offer. There are many possible futures that are defined by the roads we must walk. Stay true to yourselves and all will work out.”
There was a finality in her statement that Cain recognized as the end of the matter and despite her reassurances, he did not feel any better about it. Resigned to discuss it with Anska later, he moved onto the only other question he had for her.
“Are Linn and Serana going to join us?” he asked.
“They are not,” answered Kyne. “I know you were looking forward to it, but your father has them looking into a matter close to home.”
“Aw, it could have been a lot more fun with them along,” sighed Anska. “We had such a nice time with them in Blacklight – it was nice to have family so close in age. They feel like my own sisters already.”
“Don’t fret about it. I’m sure there will be no shortage of time in the future for the four of you. Kirin doesn’t always have his children out on assignments, or grand adventures. He prefers you all to be home with he and Lydia as much as possible.”
Cain left the two of them to talk and searched around for bits of wood or branches to make a fire with. Everything was damp, but he’d been trying his hand at basic fire spells lately, and figured it might be enough to get a hot meal cooking for a change. A few minutes later, he strolled back into the clearing and dumped the fuel on the ground.
After several unsuccessful attempts to dry out the wood, he gave up and kicked fitfully at the pile of branches while Anska giggled at him. Kyne smiled and shook her head once before waving a hand and instantly igniting a roaring campfire.
“Show off,” grumbled Cain.
Kyne conjured up three dry stone seats around the fire and took one of them for herself. “How’s that for showing off?’ she winked. “Come and sit you two while I make dinner. It’s the least I could do after causing it to rain on you for a week.”
“Was that a punishment?” said Anska, as she sat down on one of the makeshift seats. “For defying you?”
“Not exactly”, replied Kyne, her voice a bit lower than before. “Let’s talk about something else. Please.”
“It’s because you were sad, wasn’t it?” Cain asked her. “You were mourning.”
“Cain, please, I beg of you to let it go,” pleaded the goddess.
Anska got up from her seat and grabbed his arm, dragging him under a nearby tree on the outskirts of the small clearing. Kyne started digging out their cooking supplies and left the two of the alone while she started on dinner.
“Why do you keep pushing her?” demanded Anska. “Yes, it’s plain to see that something is upsetting her, but she obviously can’t or won’t share what it is. Let it go! She’s forgiven us for ignoring her and Mara’s wishes, so let’s just be happy that she is with us again! Stop trying to make her miserable!”
“I don’t like having my fate bandied about so casually,” said Cain. “If there’s something we should know then we ought to know it!”
“All you’re doing is pushing her away, Cain. Can’t you see that? Yes, it’s frustrating to feel like a plaything to the gods, but you’re forgetting how much she cares for you. For all of us. Please just [censored] drop it and let her love you!”
He felt himself wither once again, this time under the glare of Anska. He realized she was right and that he’d been acting callously towards Kyne. Shame began to gnaw at his insides for how he’d been pushing her and Cain felt the regret sinking in. He pressed his lips against Anska’s and kissed her briefly as a way of saying thanks, and then marched back into the clearing. Kyne stood over a cooking pot and he pulled her away from it and hugged her tightly.
“I’m sorry, mum. I shouldn’t have been pushing you. I won’t say another word about it.”
Kyne returned the embraced and sniffled lightly. “Don’t worry about it, dear. I’m just glad we can have some time together like this. And I’m happy for you and Anska. Truly.”
[centre]-----[/centre]
Dinner in the Blue Palace was a somber affair. A shimmering haze encircled the small dining room where Linneá and Serana had joined their parents alone for the first time in weeks. The table was teeming with plates of delicious food and full goblets, but the silverware remained untouched after Linneá had cast her muffling spell again and told Kirin and Lydia what had been plaguing her thoughts.
“No, I refuse to believe that,” said Lydia. “She’s such a lovely young woman and she seems so genuinely happy with Cain. There’s no way it could be her. Do you have any proof?”
“We don’t,” said Linneá. “But the timing lines up perfectly with when our agents noticed something was amiss. Nearly down to the same day Anska arrived here.”
Kirin’s arms were crossed and he leaned back in his chair. He didn’t like it anymore than Lydia did, but it was the only lead anyone had turned up thus far. He thought back to Anska’s time at the palace, brief as it was, and wondered if tabs had been kept on her movements.
“Did anyone other than us keep an eye on her?” he asked aloud.
“Not really,” said Serana. “I think just about everyone was tied up with Cain’s sudden arrival. Elle and I especially were splitting time between here and Blacklight. Anska was mostly left to her own devices, when she wasn’t with all of us or with Cain.”
“Damn it, I wish we could speak to him somehow,” said Linneá. “They’re linked now like Serana and I are, so he may have some insight. But if she is hiding something, then it must be buried deep enough for to hide it from his thoughts.”
“Hold on,” Lydia interjected. “If they managed that than I find it hard to believe she’s capable of hiding her true intentions. No, it must be someone else. It must be.”
No one spoke after she finished her insistence. Not a single one of them wanted to believe Anska could betray them, but it was all they had for the moment. Kirin placed a gentle hand on her shoulder and smiled at her.
“I don’t think anyone here wants to accept it, Lyds. Hell, by all accounts it sounds like these two had a wonderful time with her and Cain during their time in Blacklight. But we have nothing else to go on right now, so we need to consider the possibility.” He turned back to his daughters and nodded at them. “Keep digging and let me know what you find. And let’s eat before all this food gets cold.”
Chapter XXV – Sundered Ties
The days drew on while they trekked ever southwards. More small inns and villages were scattered about and Cain was delighted to find some that were more hospitable to outlanders. He noted there were more Imperials among the populace too, as the forests grew denser and the road they followed gently sloped up to the Velothi Mountains near the Cyrodiilic border.
Nearly three weeks had passed since he and Anska departed from Blacklight, and the journey was uneventful outside of the usual incidents with bandits or predatory creatures. Cliff racers in particular seem to enjoy dogging them throughout the days, but Anska was quick with her hunting bow and drove them off easily.
It was just past the dawn of another warm summer day when Cain felt it. They were cooking breakfast over a newly kindled campfire when the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He glanced around the area nonchalantly and whispered a thought at Anska.
Someone is watching us. I can feel it.
Oh, good. I thought I was just being paranoid. We must be getting close to the tribe by now – do you think they are following us?
I don’t doubt it. They haven’t survived for thousands of years by being clumsy. Let’s just keep to our normal routines… but keep an eye out. Maybe we’ll get a glimpse of who or whatever it is.
They ate and drank in a hurry, just like any other morning, and began to pack up their gear before getting underway again. The feeling of being watched did not go away, but neither could they spot the watcher. It was around noon when they made their first stop to have a brief meal under the soaring treetops.
“Cain?” said Anska, nervously. Something had been gnawing at her for a while now, and she was sure he had noticed.
He took a sip of water and then passed he canteen to her. “What’s up?”
“…Are you at all worried about what Kyne wasn’t telling us?”
“Little late for regrets, don’t you think?” asked Cain.
“I’m not saying I regret it. Not a single bit. I love the [censored] out of you and I never thought I could be so close to someone. But don’t sit there and pretend it’s not at the back of your mind.”
Cain nodded. He’d thought about it often after that rainy evening a week into their journey. Since then, Kyne had stopped in every few days to see how they were doing, but no one had brought the subject up again. The goddess seemed happy enough to be with them and always departed their company in high spirits.
Oddly enough, she never had any news from back home.
Then his train of thought was broken by a strong gust of wind blowing in from the west. It carried a smoky haze into their vicinity that reeked of burnt foliage and smoldering ruin. He stood up and peered through the trees in vain, trying to catch a glimpse of its source.
“Kick out the fire, dear. We need to move with haste.”
They were on the move in la matter of minutes, moving westward at a brisk pace while keeping an eye out for their shadowy stalker. The air grew heavier with smoke as they walked, the acrid smell forcing Cain and Anska to tie linen masks around their mouths. It also stung their eyes but there was little they could to abate the foul air around them. Just when it became nearly unbearable, they found themselves on the edge of a large clearing deep within the forest that had been reduced to ashes.
Among the charred fallen trees and branches were the remains of tents and yurts of varying sizes, all collapsed and burned out by the fierce blaze that still lingered in small clusters of dense fuel. An odor of rotting flesh nearly made Cain double over. Corpses burned beyond all recognition were scattered about the area, humanoid and beast alike.
“My gods…” muttered Anska. “Cain, I think this was the tribe we were looking for. How could this have happened?”
“I don’t know,” said Cain. “Tighten your mask and have a look around – we need to find some sort of clue as to who would so such a thing. To slaughter an entire village…”
“You don’t think it was a dragon, do you?”
“No, we would have heard it happen and I’m fairly certain I would have felt it. This is the work of something else. Or someone else.”
Anska hesitated before following him into the ruined. She knelt in the withered grass at the edge of the once proud little Ayleid village and said a prayer to Arkay. Then she followed her lover into the ash, kicking over stones and rifling through ruined homes and cinder piles, looking for any sign of the attackers.
Not a single being was intact enough to determine anything other than a relative age. Her ash covered face began to streak with fallen tears while Anska walked past the small remains of children, some clinging to the larger skeletons that would have been their parents. The grief she felt for these innocent families quickly turned to rage, and she yelled to the heavens in despair before making it more than halfway across the clearing.
Cain circled back to comfort her, trying everything her could to soothe his distraught girlfriend. She wept into his tunic while he spoke softly in her ear, encouraging the maiden to be strong and promising they would find those responsible. A slight movement caught his eye and his head snapped up just in time to see a small figure moving between the very trees they had stood under moments before.
I just saw our hidden friend, love. Wait here and don’t be alarmed.
Alarmed by what? Came her depressed thought. Cain, what are you –
She froze in shock while time slowed down around her. Anska had felt more than heard the powerful words issue forth from Cain as a blast of ancient power radiated out from their center, encompassing the area around them in a dense mire. Her mouth hung open while he darted away at normal speed, moving effortlessly through the stillness until he disappeared into the forest.
After what felt like an eternity, the slowness ended and normality caught up just in time for Cain to emerge from the trees with a small figure slumped over his shoulder.
“What in the hell did you do just now?” Anska half-shouted at him. “That was so…weird!”
“Slow Time shout,” he explained. “I quite literally hit pause so that I could chase this miscreant down before she escaped.”
Kneeling down, he gently laid the unconscious elf on the ground between them. She looked to be no more than eight or nine years old, with skin slightly darker than that of an Altmer, and long brown hair that was caked with a thick muck that also stained the once fair cotton robes adorning her small frame.
“Why is she unconscious?! Did you attack her, you lunkhead?”
“Absolutely not,” Cain retorted indignantly. “What kind of monster do you think I am? The poor girl must have stumbled when the Thu’um reached her – she was laying against a tree, sporting that nasty lump on her forehead. Keep an eye on her for a few minutes and let me know if she wakes up.”
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to summon Kyne. She needs to relay this back home.”
Anska’s eyes widened as an odd flash of multicolored light briefly illuminated the area just behind them. Cain had left his traveling pack on the ground when he chased after the girl, and now Linneá and Serana had materialized directly on top of it while Kyne soared down from the sky and morphed into her human form.
Linneá looked down at the now filthy bag they’d trod on and smiled weakly at her brother. “Er, sorry, Cain. Might need to rinse that off.” She bent over and fished the marked stone of the bag and handed it to him. “That came in handy after all!”
“How did – “, started Cain just as Serana cut him off.
“Mum told us what you found just after you got here. We needed a few minutes to dry off and get dressed or we’d have come immediately.”
It was only then that Cain noticed their damp hair, still dripping slightly on their shoulders and tied up in long ponytails. He stood up and hugged them both before turning to Kyne.
“Could have given us a heads up, mum.”
“Your father needed to know about this right away, my child,” said Kyne. “The implications are…unsettling, to say the least.”
Anska had still been tending to the unconscious Ayleid. She tucked a linen roll under the elf’s head and stood up to join the conversation. “What implications? Oh, and hey Serana. Linn.”
They paused briefly and then nodded curtly at her. “Anska”, said Linneá. She turned back to her brother: “The implication being that no one else but we five and our parents even knew about this village. And now it’s been utterly destroyed with the exception of a single child.”
Cain didn’t like the way that sentence hung on the air between them and he had not missed the way his sisters had all but dismissed Anska. Something was afoot and decided to call them out on it right away. He glanced at Kyne for guidance but even the goddess seemed nervous about something.
I don’t like this, love, Anska’s voice spoke into his head. They seem…hostile to me. I can feel it and I don’t understand why.
We’ll get to the bottom of this, promised Cain.
“Speak plainly, Linn,” he said to his sister. “Don’t think we didn’t notice how you’ve all but ignored Anska. Something is going on. Out with it.”
Linneá bit her lip and frowned. This was not the way she’d hoped it would go. She and Serana had intended on gently coaxing them back to the Blue Palace, but their emotions at the sight Anska had got the best of them, and now they stood on a precipice.
“We need you both to come back with us,” said Serana. “Some… things have come to light that need to be discussed. Between all of us.”
“You can tell us here,” stated Cain. “Your entire attitude towards her has changed and we aren’t going anywhere unless you give us a good reason as to why.”
He took a step back and stood in front of Anska defensively, his hand straying closer and closer to the clasp on his scabbard. Linneá and Serana had just started to fan out when Kyne stepped in between all four of them.
“Knock it off, all of you,” she commanded, her voice echoing about the smoldering village. “I will not have my children fighting one another, no matter what the reason is.” She glared at Linneá and Serana until they nodded in obedience. Then she turned to Cain and Anska: “As for you two… move your hand away from the hilt of your sword, Cain.”
He did as she asked but did not say a word in response. Kyne waved her hand in a flourish and a stout wooden table with five ornate chairs appeared just off to the right. She indicated for them to sit down before taking the fifth seat for herself.
But Cain was still uneasy about the situation and had begun planning their escape. Making a show of fumbling for his canteen, he discreetly dropped the mark Linneá had given him and then took a drink of water ahead of sitting down with his sisters and Anska.
Be ready to leave at a moment’s notice, he thought at her. Keep your hand on my leg in case I have to teleport us away.
I’ll be ready.
“Now then”, began Kyne. “We are family and a family does not keep secrets from one another. Cain, Anska – you must understand that you are not in danger here. Nobody wants to harm you, but answers are needed and that is why you must return home.”
“How can we provide answers if we don’t know what the questions are?” Anska spat. “You three all turned up out of the blue with a mysterious intent, and now my own friends won’t even deign to look at me! I thought we had grown close! Like sisters! Now, spit it the [censored] out or leave Cain and I alone.”
“Anska –“
“No, mum, I’ve got this,” said Linneá. “You want answers, sis? Then explain to us why information started leaking to the Thalmor the moment you turned up in our lives.”
Nothing but the sounds of nature could be heard in the air around them. The silence was heavy and the venom behind her question had caught both Cain and Anska off guard. They started at Linneá in dumbfounded shock, barely able to believe what they were hearing.
“You think… Anska is a spy?” said Cain through clenched teeth. “Based on what? Her [censored] presence in the palace? How could you possibly come to that conclusion when our home is crawling with hundreds of guests, staffers, guards, and diplomats every single day.”
“Just hold on a minute, Cain,” said Serana. “The information leaked was only known by a select few. Most of whom are here right now.”
“Then how do you know it wasn’t me?” he asked her. “Why jump straight to Anska? Because she’s not family? This is bullshit and you know it! Do you really think she’d be capable of hiding something like that from me? We share each other’s godsdamned thoughts!”
“Would you betray your family like that, brother?” said Linneá.
“No, I damn well wouldn’t, and neither would Anska! And if you can’t take our word for it then we have nothing more to discuss.”
“Please stop arguing,” pleaded Kyne. “All of you – just please stop. I know this is hard to hear, but I stand by my promise that no harm will come to either of you. Return to the palace with us and let’s put the matter to bed.”
“No,” said Cain. “I’m sorry, mum, but we can’t. I won’t allow Anska to be held captive and interrogated – even if it is under good conditions. She is innocent and you three refuse to see it. The hostility towards her is uncalled for and I’ve lost my faith in all of you to treat her fairly.”
“Serana and I are capable of bringing you back unwillingly, brother,” warned Linneá. “Please don’t make us.”
That cold statement settled the matter for Cain. He felt Anska’s hand gripping his leg tightly and he casted the recall spell before the others could react. They disappeared into a swirling purple and white magickal vortex just as Linneá’s paralysis spell flew towards them. The green magick passed through the empty space where Cain had just been sitting and flew off into the trees.
“[censored],” exhaled Linneá. “That couldn’t have gone any worse.”
Kyne lowered her head into her hands and quietly wept. Never had she imagined such strife would tear her family apart like this and the pain tore into her divine being. Serana brushed away her own tears and moved to comfort the goddess, sharing a chair with her while Linneá got up and started picking through the ruined village.
“I’m sorry it ended up like this, mum,” said Serana. “We should have been more cordial when we arrived. Elle and I let our feelings get the best of us and Cain knew something was amiss right off.”
The goddess dabbed at her eyes with the corners of her robes before standing up and doing the same for Serana. “We’ll figure it out together. But I need to be alone for a while. See what you can find here and I’ll catch up with you later. Visit me at the estate tomorrow night.” She transformed back into the hawk and soared off into the cloudy skies above.
“Ana, come over here!” shouted Linneá.
Serana walked quickly over to her wife. “What’s up? Did you find something?”
“No, but I almost forgot about the marked stone. Grab my hand – we’re going after them!”
Their fingers laced together and in the blink of an eye they had warped to the small stone that lay in the dirt some thirty feet from where they’d been standing.
“Damn it, he really did have that all planned out,” grumbled Linneá. She knelt down and grabbed a fistful of ashen earth, sifting through it to find the small mark she’d given her wayward brother.
“Elle, look!” exclaimed Serana. She was pointing at a small bit of gold sticking out of the dirt Linneá had disturbed. She scooped it up and rubbed it clean on her pant leg before closely examining it.
“Is that what I think it is?” asked Linneá, her lips forming a triumphant smile.
“I think so,” answered Serana. She poured a little water from her canteen on it and rubbed the remaining dirt off of it. “Yeah, it definitely is.” On her palm rested an ornate golden clasp adorned with a stylized eagle.
The same eagle that adorned Thalmor banners.
“We were right,” said Linneá, “and she must have tipped off her overlords about the Ayleids. Speaking of which…”
A small whimper came from the huddled figure on the ground nearby. The nearly forgotten young elf sat up and looked around before bursting into hysterical tears at the remains of her village. Serana dashed over to the poor girl and scooped her up in her arms and tried to comfort her.
“Elle, let’s take her with us and get out of here. She doesn’t need to see this anymore.”
The days drew on while they trekked ever southwards. More small inns and villages were scattered about and Cain was delighted to find some that were more hospitable to outlanders. He noted there were more Imperials among the populace too, as the forests grew denser and the road they followed gently sloped up to the Velothi Mountains near the Cyrodiilic border.
Nearly three weeks had passed since he and Anska departed from Blacklight, and the journey was uneventful outside of the usual incidents with bandits or predatory creatures. Cliff racers in particular seem to enjoy dogging them throughout the days, but Anska was quick with her hunting bow and drove them off easily.
It was just past the dawn of another warm summer day when Cain felt it. They were cooking breakfast over a newly kindled campfire when the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. He glanced around the area nonchalantly and whispered a thought at Anska.
Someone is watching us. I can feel it.
Oh, good. I thought I was just being paranoid. We must be getting close to the tribe by now – do you think they are following us?
I don’t doubt it. They haven’t survived for thousands of years by being clumsy. Let’s just keep to our normal routines… but keep an eye out. Maybe we’ll get a glimpse of who or whatever it is.
They ate and drank in a hurry, just like any other morning, and began to pack up their gear before getting underway again. The feeling of being watched did not go away, but neither could they spot the watcher. It was around noon when they made their first stop to have a brief meal under the soaring treetops.
“Cain?” said Anska, nervously. Something had been gnawing at her for a while now, and she was sure he had noticed.
He took a sip of water and then passed he canteen to her. “What’s up?”
“…Are you at all worried about what Kyne wasn’t telling us?”
“Little late for regrets, don’t you think?” asked Cain.
“I’m not saying I regret it. Not a single bit. I love the [censored] out of you and I never thought I could be so close to someone. But don’t sit there and pretend it’s not at the back of your mind.”
Cain nodded. He’d thought about it often after that rainy evening a week into their journey. Since then, Kyne had stopped in every few days to see how they were doing, but no one had brought the subject up again. The goddess seemed happy enough to be with them and always departed their company in high spirits.
Oddly enough, she never had any news from back home.
Then his train of thought was broken by a strong gust of wind blowing in from the west. It carried a smoky haze into their vicinity that reeked of burnt foliage and smoldering ruin. He stood up and peered through the trees in vain, trying to catch a glimpse of its source.
“Kick out the fire, dear. We need to move with haste.”
They were on the move in la matter of minutes, moving westward at a brisk pace while keeping an eye out for their shadowy stalker. The air grew heavier with smoke as they walked, the acrid smell forcing Cain and Anska to tie linen masks around their mouths. It also stung their eyes but there was little they could to abate the foul air around them. Just when it became nearly unbearable, they found themselves on the edge of a large clearing deep within the forest that had been reduced to ashes.
Among the charred fallen trees and branches were the remains of tents and yurts of varying sizes, all collapsed and burned out by the fierce blaze that still lingered in small clusters of dense fuel. An odor of rotting flesh nearly made Cain double over. Corpses burned beyond all recognition were scattered about the area, humanoid and beast alike.
“My gods…” muttered Anska. “Cain, I think this was the tribe we were looking for. How could this have happened?”
“I don’t know,” said Cain. “Tighten your mask and have a look around – we need to find some sort of clue as to who would so such a thing. To slaughter an entire village…”
“You don’t think it was a dragon, do you?”
“No, we would have heard it happen and I’m fairly certain I would have felt it. This is the work of something else. Or someone else.”
Anska hesitated before following him into the ruined. She knelt in the withered grass at the edge of the once proud little Ayleid village and said a prayer to Arkay. Then she followed her lover into the ash, kicking over stones and rifling through ruined homes and cinder piles, looking for any sign of the attackers.
Not a single being was intact enough to determine anything other than a relative age. Her ash covered face began to streak with fallen tears while Anska walked past the small remains of children, some clinging to the larger skeletons that would have been their parents. The grief she felt for these innocent families quickly turned to rage, and she yelled to the heavens in despair before making it more than halfway across the clearing.
Cain circled back to comfort her, trying everything her could to soothe his distraught girlfriend. She wept into his tunic while he spoke softly in her ear, encouraging the maiden to be strong and promising they would find those responsible. A slight movement caught his eye and his head snapped up just in time to see a small figure moving between the very trees they had stood under moments before.
I just saw our hidden friend, love. Wait here and don’t be alarmed.
Alarmed by what? Came her depressed thought. Cain, what are you –
She froze in shock while time slowed down around her. Anska had felt more than heard the powerful words issue forth from Cain as a blast of ancient power radiated out from their center, encompassing the area around them in a dense mire. Her mouth hung open while he darted away at normal speed, moving effortlessly through the stillness until he disappeared into the forest.
After what felt like an eternity, the slowness ended and normality caught up just in time for Cain to emerge from the trees with a small figure slumped over his shoulder.
“What in the hell did you do just now?” Anska half-shouted at him. “That was so…weird!”
“Slow Time shout,” he explained. “I quite literally hit pause so that I could chase this miscreant down before she escaped.”
Kneeling down, he gently laid the unconscious elf on the ground between them. She looked to be no more than eight or nine years old, with skin slightly darker than that of an Altmer, and long brown hair that was caked with a thick muck that also stained the once fair cotton robes adorning her small frame.
“Why is she unconscious?! Did you attack her, you lunkhead?”
“Absolutely not,” Cain retorted indignantly. “What kind of monster do you think I am? The poor girl must have stumbled when the Thu’um reached her – she was laying against a tree, sporting that nasty lump on her forehead. Keep an eye on her for a few minutes and let me know if she wakes up.”
“Where are you going?”
“I’m going to summon Kyne. She needs to relay this back home.”
Anska’s eyes widened as an odd flash of multicolored light briefly illuminated the area just behind them. Cain had left his traveling pack on the ground when he chased after the girl, and now Linneá and Serana had materialized directly on top of it while Kyne soared down from the sky and morphed into her human form.
Linneá looked down at the now filthy bag they’d trod on and smiled weakly at her brother. “Er, sorry, Cain. Might need to rinse that off.” She bent over and fished the marked stone of the bag and handed it to him. “That came in handy after all!”
“How did – “, started Cain just as Serana cut him off.
“Mum told us what you found just after you got here. We needed a few minutes to dry off and get dressed or we’d have come immediately.”
It was only then that Cain noticed their damp hair, still dripping slightly on their shoulders and tied up in long ponytails. He stood up and hugged them both before turning to Kyne.
“Could have given us a heads up, mum.”
“Your father needed to know about this right away, my child,” said Kyne. “The implications are…unsettling, to say the least.”
Anska had still been tending to the unconscious Ayleid. She tucked a linen roll under the elf’s head and stood up to join the conversation. “What implications? Oh, and hey Serana. Linn.”
They paused briefly and then nodded curtly at her. “Anska”, said Linneá. She turned back to her brother: “The implication being that no one else but we five and our parents even knew about this village. And now it’s been utterly destroyed with the exception of a single child.”
Cain didn’t like the way that sentence hung on the air between them and he had not missed the way his sisters had all but dismissed Anska. Something was afoot and decided to call them out on it right away. He glanced at Kyne for guidance but even the goddess seemed nervous about something.
I don’t like this, love, Anska’s voice spoke into his head. They seem…hostile to me. I can feel it and I don’t understand why.
We’ll get to the bottom of this, promised Cain.
“Speak plainly, Linn,” he said to his sister. “Don’t think we didn’t notice how you’ve all but ignored Anska. Something is going on. Out with it.”
Linneá bit her lip and frowned. This was not the way she’d hoped it would go. She and Serana had intended on gently coaxing them back to the Blue Palace, but their emotions at the sight Anska had got the best of them, and now they stood on a precipice.
“We need you both to come back with us,” said Serana. “Some… things have come to light that need to be discussed. Between all of us.”
“You can tell us here,” stated Cain. “Your entire attitude towards her has changed and we aren’t going anywhere unless you give us a good reason as to why.”
He took a step back and stood in front of Anska defensively, his hand straying closer and closer to the clasp on his scabbard. Linneá and Serana had just started to fan out when Kyne stepped in between all four of them.
“Knock it off, all of you,” she commanded, her voice echoing about the smoldering village. “I will not have my children fighting one another, no matter what the reason is.” She glared at Linneá and Serana until they nodded in obedience. Then she turned to Cain and Anska: “As for you two… move your hand away from the hilt of your sword, Cain.”
He did as she asked but did not say a word in response. Kyne waved her hand in a flourish and a stout wooden table with five ornate chairs appeared just off to the right. She indicated for them to sit down before taking the fifth seat for herself.
But Cain was still uneasy about the situation and had begun planning their escape. Making a show of fumbling for his canteen, he discreetly dropped the mark Linneá had given him and then took a drink of water ahead of sitting down with his sisters and Anska.
Be ready to leave at a moment’s notice, he thought at her. Keep your hand on my leg in case I have to teleport us away.
I’ll be ready.
“Now then”, began Kyne. “We are family and a family does not keep secrets from one another. Cain, Anska – you must understand that you are not in danger here. Nobody wants to harm you, but answers are needed and that is why you must return home.”
“How can we provide answers if we don’t know what the questions are?” Anska spat. “You three all turned up out of the blue with a mysterious intent, and now my own friends won’t even deign to look at me! I thought we had grown close! Like sisters! Now, spit it the [censored] out or leave Cain and I alone.”
“Anska –“
“No, mum, I’ve got this,” said Linneá. “You want answers, sis? Then explain to us why information started leaking to the Thalmor the moment you turned up in our lives.”
Nothing but the sounds of nature could be heard in the air around them. The silence was heavy and the venom behind her question had caught both Cain and Anska off guard. They started at Linneá in dumbfounded shock, barely able to believe what they were hearing.
“You think… Anska is a spy?” said Cain through clenched teeth. “Based on what? Her [censored] presence in the palace? How could you possibly come to that conclusion when our home is crawling with hundreds of guests, staffers, guards, and diplomats every single day.”
“Just hold on a minute, Cain,” said Serana. “The information leaked was only known by a select few. Most of whom are here right now.”
“Then how do you know it wasn’t me?” he asked her. “Why jump straight to Anska? Because she’s not family? This is bullshit and you know it! Do you really think she’d be capable of hiding something like that from me? We share each other’s godsdamned thoughts!”
“Would you betray your family like that, brother?” said Linneá.
“No, I damn well wouldn’t, and neither would Anska! And if you can’t take our word for it then we have nothing more to discuss.”
“Please stop arguing,” pleaded Kyne. “All of you – just please stop. I know this is hard to hear, but I stand by my promise that no harm will come to either of you. Return to the palace with us and let’s put the matter to bed.”
“No,” said Cain. “I’m sorry, mum, but we can’t. I won’t allow Anska to be held captive and interrogated – even if it is under good conditions. She is innocent and you three refuse to see it. The hostility towards her is uncalled for and I’ve lost my faith in all of you to treat her fairly.”
“Serana and I are capable of bringing you back unwillingly, brother,” warned Linneá. “Please don’t make us.”
That cold statement settled the matter for Cain. He felt Anska’s hand gripping his leg tightly and he casted the recall spell before the others could react. They disappeared into a swirling purple and white magickal vortex just as Linneá’s paralysis spell flew towards them. The green magick passed through the empty space where Cain had just been sitting and flew off into the trees.
“[censored],” exhaled Linneá. “That couldn’t have gone any worse.”
Kyne lowered her head into her hands and quietly wept. Never had she imagined such strife would tear her family apart like this and the pain tore into her divine being. Serana brushed away her own tears and moved to comfort the goddess, sharing a chair with her while Linneá got up and started picking through the ruined village.
“I’m sorry it ended up like this, mum,” said Serana. “We should have been more cordial when we arrived. Elle and I let our feelings get the best of us and Cain knew something was amiss right off.”
The goddess dabbed at her eyes with the corners of her robes before standing up and doing the same for Serana. “We’ll figure it out together. But I need to be alone for a while. See what you can find here and I’ll catch up with you later. Visit me at the estate tomorrow night.” She transformed back into the hawk and soared off into the cloudy skies above.
“Ana, come over here!” shouted Linneá.
Serana walked quickly over to her wife. “What’s up? Did you find something?”
“No, but I almost forgot about the marked stone. Grab my hand – we’re going after them!”
Their fingers laced together and in the blink of an eye they had warped to the small stone that lay in the dirt some thirty feet from where they’d been standing.
“Damn it, he really did have that all planned out,” grumbled Linneá. She knelt down and grabbed a fistful of ashen earth, sifting through it to find the small mark she’d given her wayward brother.
“Elle, look!” exclaimed Serana. She was pointing at a small bit of gold sticking out of the dirt Linneá had disturbed. She scooped it up and rubbed it clean on her pant leg before closely examining it.
“Is that what I think it is?” asked Linneá, her lips forming a triumphant smile.
“I think so,” answered Serana. She poured a little water from her canteen on it and rubbed the remaining dirt off of it. “Yeah, it definitely is.” On her palm rested an ornate golden clasp adorned with a stylized eagle.
The same eagle that adorned Thalmor banners.
“We were right,” said Linneá, “and she must have tipped off her overlords about the Ayleids. Speaking of which…”
A small whimper came from the huddled figure on the ground nearby. The nearly forgotten young elf sat up and looked around before bursting into hysterical tears at the remains of her village. Serana dashed over to the poor girl and scooped her up in her arms and tried to comfort her.
“Elle, let’s take her with us and get out of here. She doesn’t need to see this anymore.”
Chapter XXVI – The Road Less Traveled
The first thing different that Anska noticed was a faint smell of salt in the breeze that gently caressed her soot covered face. She opened her eyes and the sight took her breath away – they were sitting on a grassy clifftop, staring out over an endless expanse of calm waters. Waves lapped calmly against the rocky shore far below while blue skies and a warm sun soared over the Abecean Sea.
Cain stood up first and started taking a rough inventory of their belongings. His bag had been left behind, lying in the ashy soil, but thankfully Anska’s was still strapped to her back. They would need the supplies until the journey south to Anvil could be completed. He was busy checking the straps on his scabbard when Anska patted the ground next to her.
“Just sit with me for a while,” she implored of him. “They can’t follow us here, right? We can take ten minutes to breathe.”
She was right, and so Cain stopped his restless preparations and sat back down in the grass. Anska leaned her head against his shoulders while new tears streaked down her cheeks, but neither one of them spoke for a few moments. Finally, it was Anska who voiced what they had both been wrestling with.
“I can’t believe they think I’m a Thalmor agent. I don’t understand what I possibly could have said or done to make them think I’m anything but a true Nord, just like they are.” She sniffled a little bit and wiped her nose on the back of her hand. “We had so much fun together since I met them – your sisters felt like my own, and I had a family again for the first time in over a decade.”
“We’ll get to the bottom of this,” promised Cain. “There has to be an explanation. Or something they missed.”
“I’m grateful you stood up for me, Cain,” said Anska, “But how the [censored] are we supposed to do that? Not like we can just waltz into the Blue Palace and start rifling through people’s belongings. Where even are we anyway?”
Cain gazed out over the sea in momentary silence while he aimlessly ran his fingers through Anska’s hair. This was the only place far enough away from Skyrim that he felt a strong enough connection to. In their brief time together, Linneá had told him all about recalling to places that may have been unconsciously marked, provided the attachment was strong enough. This was certainly one of those places. He pulled out his short dagger and began to trim away the tall grasses in front of them until a small stone plaque revealed itself to them.
“We’re on the Gold Coast, about half a day’s walk north of Anvil,” he said.
Anska looked down at the plaque in surprise, wondering why it was buried in the tall golden grasses that gave the coastline its name. The stone was barely worn and it bore a small inscription:
[centre]Ariessa Janeel
4E 175 – 4E 229
“There is power untold in the simplest of all that we know. Love.”[/centre]
“Oh, Cain… I’m sorry you had to come back here.” She wrapped her arms tightly around his midsection and remained silent. Their connection allowed her to feel the turmoil of emotions in his mind, and she was satisfied to just offer her comfort until he was ready to talk about it.
Nearly eight months had came and went since Ariessa was laid to rest. Cain had found some measure of solace in his new family and come to love them all, even accepting Lydia as a mother, but he knew he’d never forget Ariessa. The pain of losing his birth mother had become just bearable enough to live with before he left for Skyrim, and then he met the others: Kirin, Lydia, Linneá, Serana, Kyne, and most importantly…. Anska. Suddenly, life had felt whole again and he was content to remember the happy times in Anvil and nothing more.
Now he just had Anska. But she was more than enough.
He touched the plaque with a gloved hand and said a prayer to Arkay before speaking again. “It was the only place safe enough that I could think of. They won’t find us here. I don’t even know if Kyne can find us here, unless we pray to her.” He got back to his feet and helped Anska do the same. “We should find somewhere to wash up and then head for the city. We can probably make it before sundown.”
“What will we do after that, love?” asked Anska. “We’re so far from home and we have so little gold left…”
“Don’t worry about that,” Cain winked. “After I sold the house and signed up for the trip to Skyrim, I withdrew the modest earnings I made during my time with the guild from the local bank and buried a nest egg on the outskirts of Anvil. Gold, weapons, armors, clothing, and travel gear; anything that I wouldn’t have been able to take with me. We’ll have to buy you a new set of armor to help blend in, but the city has a wonderful smithy.”
“Digging around in the dirt and a shopping trip?” grinned Anska. “Sounds like a date.”
[centre]-----[/centre]
Linneá and Serana sat in two comfortable chairs at Kirin’s desk, fidgeting nervously. Their father was staring out the window of his study and he hadn’t said a word in response since they explained what had happened in the ruined Ayleid village. Lydia had taken the small elf child off to get cleaned up and fed after she calmed down. The sudden arrival in the palace had proven too much for the poor girl and she’d broken down into hysterical sobs at the sight of all the strangers.
When he finally looked back at them, Kirin’s face was a mask of cold fury. “How could you two have been so careless? You knew what was at stake and now look what’s happened! We have nothing to show for this! My son is gone! Gone! And we have no way of finding him!”
“Um. At least we confirmed the Thalmor are behind all of this,” offered Linneá, timidly. “We know for certain they slaughtered that entire village.”
“Small comfort,” Kirin snorted. “But now their agent is beyond our reach, doing gods know what with your brother. All we can do now is hope they make a mistake, however unlikely that may be.” He sat back down at his desk and breathed deeply for a moment to center himself. He felt slightly ashamed by his outburst and offered them an apology. “I’m sorry, girls. This has been tough for everyone, and we all wear our hearts on our sleeves. I wouldn’t change that for the world, even if it does throw the occasional wrench into the gears.”
“We’re sorry, da,” said Linneá.
“And we will find them,” promised Serana. “Whatever it takes.”
“I know you will,” said Kirin. “You two can do anything you set your minds to. You said you’re meeting Kyne tomorrow night back home? Good, ask her to help you as much as she can. We need to find them.”
Linneá nodded and together they left the king’s private study, heading for their own bedroom and the promise of clean clothes. Their outfits were filthy with soot from the ruined village and their pale faces were darkened from the ash as well. Pulling off the garments, they washed each other down with damp cloths before donning more appropriate palatial garb and walking downstairs to their personal library.
Sitting on a plush chaise, Serana flipped through the pages of a book on modern alchemical recipes while Linneá laid with her head resting in her wife’s lap. Something was eating at her and it was only a matter of time before Serana picked up on it.
A very brief matter of time, as it turned out to be.
“I’m starting to feel those doubts, too, my love,” she reassured Linneá. Setting her book down on an end table, she focused her attention on the uneasy face looking up at her. “Cain was so certain that Anska is innocent and he had a very valid point: their minds are linked, just like ours. I doubt she has the telepathical acumen to hide something like that from him.”
“We had to have missed something,” sighed Linneá. “In hindsight, it feels too easy, ya know? Like Anska was offered up on a silver platter for us. Did you see the look on her face when I accused her? I think I broker her heart right then and there.”
A teardrop fell from Serana’s eyes and splashed softly on Linneá’s cheek. “I think we did the same to Cain, too, Elle. They loved us and they trusted us…and we let them down. We jumped right to the easiest conclusion just because it was presented with a gleaming silver bow on it.”
Linneá reached up and brushed way the other tears forming at the corners of Serana’s vibrant blue eyes. She shifted her body to a sitting position and leaned against her wife’s chest. A new resolve was building within them, bolstered by the deep connection of their inextricably connected minds. A wrong needed to be righted and they wouldn’t rest until it was.
Kyne will be able to help us, Serana thought to her. She always has.
I know, dear. But just to be safe…let’s keep this to ourselves. It’s time to play our own ruse and set a snare. Keep pretending that we’re all in on Anska as the guilty party. That’ll give us some breathing room.
[centre]-----[/centre]
“Do you really think we have to go this far?”
“We can’t take any chances,” replied Cain. “Kyne seemed like she was in agreement with my sisters and I don’t want to risk her being able to track us down and summon them again. It won’t go well and I doubt Cyrodiil is ready for a clash between two Dragonborns.”
“It won’t come to that…will it?”
“I refuse to let them take you.”
Anska relented and moved out of his way. They were standing in front of the main altar within Anvil’s Chapel to Dibella, staring nervously at the simple raised dais blanketed with splendid red linens trimmed with gold. Most of their trip southwards, had been spent arguing over whether or not this was the right thing to do and now Cain was beginning to have his own doubts.
Sensing his hesitation, Anska kissed him and rested a soft hand on his cheek. “Hey. I appreciate how devoted you are to protecting me, but if you don’t feel right about this you don’t have to go through with it.”
Cain kissed her back and gently clasped her hand in his own. “No, it needs to be done. We can’t have her looking over our shoulders.”
“It’s a little late for that,” came a soft voice from behind them.
They spun around in alarm and nearly tripped over each other in surprise. Kyne stood behind them in her usual shimmering azure robes, smiling coyly at Cain and Anska. Unwilling to be interrupted, the goddess waved her hand towards the chapel doors, sealing them tightly against any would-be worshippers. She then took a seat on one of the stone benches just off of the altar and patted the empty spaces next to her.
“Come sit,” she instructed, “we have to figure out a way to untangle this web.”
“How did you find us here?” asked Cain, standing fast with Anska.
“You’re in one of my sister’s most prominent temples, my child. Did you really think she wouldn’t tell me right away?”
Anska sighed heavily and took the spot on Kyne’s right. Seeing no alternative, Cain followed suit but took the spot opposite of his maiden.
“Now, then” began Kyne, “let’s talk about you returning to Solitude.”
“No,” said Cain, flatly. “No way in hell do we go back there right now, Kyne. I will not let anyone put their grubby hands on Anska, no matter how much [censored] proof they think they have. We’re staying far away until we can get to the bottom of this and I beg of you to leave us be. Do not bring my sisters to us again.”
Kyne stared at Cain with raised eyebrows and it seemed her green eyes were piercing right through him. So much had changed so quickly and now he spoke defiantly to the goddess he once revered and looked up to like the mothering figure she was. And she could sense the very same resolve emanating from Anska, the woman at the center of all this strife. But Kyne could not pretend his words or his intent to sever his faith to her did not wound her greatly.
“Very well,” she said. “Please do not forsake me though, Cain. Dibella is a wonderful little sister and a loving Divine, but she cannot love you as I do. Your entire family is special to me and they always will be. Remain in my service and I promise I will keep your whereabouts a secret.”
Cain was about to speak, but Anska piped up instead. “Kyne?” she asked.
“Yes?”
“Do you honestly believe I would do what I’ve been accused of? Is it not enough that Cain defends and supports me so steadfastly? I can tell by the way you’ve danced around the topic that you still doubt me.”
“Linneá and Serana made a convincing case, Anska,” said Kyne, regretfully. “I wished I could believe otherwise.”
“I thought as much,” said Anska, brushing away fresh tears. “I wish you could understand how painful this has been for me. It was nice to have a family again, if only for a short while. And I loved having sisters after growing up an only child and ultimately an orphan.”
Rising from the bench, Cain slid over to the opposite side of the goddess and wrapped his arms around Anska. He comforted her as best he could, and then glanced over at Kyne.
“I think you should go for now.”
Kyne bowed her head sadly but before she could leave, Anska extricated herself from Cain and grabbed the goddess by the hand. “No, please don’t go yet. I – I want, no, I need you to believe that I’m not that person, Kyne. I can’t bear this. Any of this. If I didn’t have Cain I probably would have thrown myself over a cliff and ended it all.”
“Anska, please just breathe,” said Kyne. “What would you have me – “
“I offer you my mind, ma’am. I know you can connect with others as Cain and I have linked ourselves. I give you permission to enter my own. You can explore my entire being down to the deepest depths. You can know everything about me, and I don’t care what you’ll find or what you’ll see. But I promise you will find nothing to do with this double-agent bullshit. Then you will know that I’m not sort of traitorous bitch.”
The first thing different that Anska noticed was a faint smell of salt in the breeze that gently caressed her soot covered face. She opened her eyes and the sight took her breath away – they were sitting on a grassy clifftop, staring out over an endless expanse of calm waters. Waves lapped calmly against the rocky shore far below while blue skies and a warm sun soared over the Abecean Sea.
Cain stood up first and started taking a rough inventory of their belongings. His bag had been left behind, lying in the ashy soil, but thankfully Anska’s was still strapped to her back. They would need the supplies until the journey south to Anvil could be completed. He was busy checking the straps on his scabbard when Anska patted the ground next to her.
“Just sit with me for a while,” she implored of him. “They can’t follow us here, right? We can take ten minutes to breathe.”
She was right, and so Cain stopped his restless preparations and sat back down in the grass. Anska leaned her head against his shoulders while new tears streaked down her cheeks, but neither one of them spoke for a few moments. Finally, it was Anska who voiced what they had both been wrestling with.
“I can’t believe they think I’m a Thalmor agent. I don’t understand what I possibly could have said or done to make them think I’m anything but a true Nord, just like they are.” She sniffled a little bit and wiped her nose on the back of her hand. “We had so much fun together since I met them – your sisters felt like my own, and I had a family again for the first time in over a decade.”
“We’ll get to the bottom of this,” promised Cain. “There has to be an explanation. Or something they missed.”
“I’m grateful you stood up for me, Cain,” said Anska, “But how the [censored] are we supposed to do that? Not like we can just waltz into the Blue Palace and start rifling through people’s belongings. Where even are we anyway?”
Cain gazed out over the sea in momentary silence while he aimlessly ran his fingers through Anska’s hair. This was the only place far enough away from Skyrim that he felt a strong enough connection to. In their brief time together, Linneá had told him all about recalling to places that may have been unconsciously marked, provided the attachment was strong enough. This was certainly one of those places. He pulled out his short dagger and began to trim away the tall grasses in front of them until a small stone plaque revealed itself to them.
“We’re on the Gold Coast, about half a day’s walk north of Anvil,” he said.
Anska looked down at the plaque in surprise, wondering why it was buried in the tall golden grasses that gave the coastline its name. The stone was barely worn and it bore a small inscription:
[centre]Ariessa Janeel
4E 175 – 4E 229
“There is power untold in the simplest of all that we know. Love.”[/centre]
“Oh, Cain… I’m sorry you had to come back here.” She wrapped her arms tightly around his midsection and remained silent. Their connection allowed her to feel the turmoil of emotions in his mind, and she was satisfied to just offer her comfort until he was ready to talk about it.
Nearly eight months had came and went since Ariessa was laid to rest. Cain had found some measure of solace in his new family and come to love them all, even accepting Lydia as a mother, but he knew he’d never forget Ariessa. The pain of losing his birth mother had become just bearable enough to live with before he left for Skyrim, and then he met the others: Kirin, Lydia, Linneá, Serana, Kyne, and most importantly…. Anska. Suddenly, life had felt whole again and he was content to remember the happy times in Anvil and nothing more.
Now he just had Anska. But she was more than enough.
He touched the plaque with a gloved hand and said a prayer to Arkay before speaking again. “It was the only place safe enough that I could think of. They won’t find us here. I don’t even know if Kyne can find us here, unless we pray to her.” He got back to his feet and helped Anska do the same. “We should find somewhere to wash up and then head for the city. We can probably make it before sundown.”
“What will we do after that, love?” asked Anska. “We’re so far from home and we have so little gold left…”
“Don’t worry about that,” Cain winked. “After I sold the house and signed up for the trip to Skyrim, I withdrew the modest earnings I made during my time with the guild from the local bank and buried a nest egg on the outskirts of Anvil. Gold, weapons, armors, clothing, and travel gear; anything that I wouldn’t have been able to take with me. We’ll have to buy you a new set of armor to help blend in, but the city has a wonderful smithy.”
“Digging around in the dirt and a shopping trip?” grinned Anska. “Sounds like a date.”
[centre]-----[/centre]
Linneá and Serana sat in two comfortable chairs at Kirin’s desk, fidgeting nervously. Their father was staring out the window of his study and he hadn’t said a word in response since they explained what had happened in the ruined Ayleid village. Lydia had taken the small elf child off to get cleaned up and fed after she calmed down. The sudden arrival in the palace had proven too much for the poor girl and she’d broken down into hysterical sobs at the sight of all the strangers.
When he finally looked back at them, Kirin’s face was a mask of cold fury. “How could you two have been so careless? You knew what was at stake and now look what’s happened! We have nothing to show for this! My son is gone! Gone! And we have no way of finding him!”
“Um. At least we confirmed the Thalmor are behind all of this,” offered Linneá, timidly. “We know for certain they slaughtered that entire village.”
“Small comfort,” Kirin snorted. “But now their agent is beyond our reach, doing gods know what with your brother. All we can do now is hope they make a mistake, however unlikely that may be.” He sat back down at his desk and breathed deeply for a moment to center himself. He felt slightly ashamed by his outburst and offered them an apology. “I’m sorry, girls. This has been tough for everyone, and we all wear our hearts on our sleeves. I wouldn’t change that for the world, even if it does throw the occasional wrench into the gears.”
“We’re sorry, da,” said Linneá.
“And we will find them,” promised Serana. “Whatever it takes.”
“I know you will,” said Kirin. “You two can do anything you set your minds to. You said you’re meeting Kyne tomorrow night back home? Good, ask her to help you as much as she can. We need to find them.”
Linneá nodded and together they left the king’s private study, heading for their own bedroom and the promise of clean clothes. Their outfits were filthy with soot from the ruined village and their pale faces were darkened from the ash as well. Pulling off the garments, they washed each other down with damp cloths before donning more appropriate palatial garb and walking downstairs to their personal library.
Sitting on a plush chaise, Serana flipped through the pages of a book on modern alchemical recipes while Linneá laid with her head resting in her wife’s lap. Something was eating at her and it was only a matter of time before Serana picked up on it.
A very brief matter of time, as it turned out to be.
“I’m starting to feel those doubts, too, my love,” she reassured Linneá. Setting her book down on an end table, she focused her attention on the uneasy face looking up at her. “Cain was so certain that Anska is innocent and he had a very valid point: their minds are linked, just like ours. I doubt she has the telepathical acumen to hide something like that from him.”
“We had to have missed something,” sighed Linneá. “In hindsight, it feels too easy, ya know? Like Anska was offered up on a silver platter for us. Did you see the look on her face when I accused her? I think I broker her heart right then and there.”
A teardrop fell from Serana’s eyes and splashed softly on Linneá’s cheek. “I think we did the same to Cain, too, Elle. They loved us and they trusted us…and we let them down. We jumped right to the easiest conclusion just because it was presented with a gleaming silver bow on it.”
Linneá reached up and brushed way the other tears forming at the corners of Serana’s vibrant blue eyes. She shifted her body to a sitting position and leaned against her wife’s chest. A new resolve was building within them, bolstered by the deep connection of their inextricably connected minds. A wrong needed to be righted and they wouldn’t rest until it was.
Kyne will be able to help us, Serana thought to her. She always has.
I know, dear. But just to be safe…let’s keep this to ourselves. It’s time to play our own ruse and set a snare. Keep pretending that we’re all in on Anska as the guilty party. That’ll give us some breathing room.
[centre]-----[/centre]
“Do you really think we have to go this far?”
“We can’t take any chances,” replied Cain. “Kyne seemed like she was in agreement with my sisters and I don’t want to risk her being able to track us down and summon them again. It won’t go well and I doubt Cyrodiil is ready for a clash between two Dragonborns.”
“It won’t come to that…will it?”
“I refuse to let them take you.”
Anska relented and moved out of his way. They were standing in front of the main altar within Anvil’s Chapel to Dibella, staring nervously at the simple raised dais blanketed with splendid red linens trimmed with gold. Most of their trip southwards, had been spent arguing over whether or not this was the right thing to do and now Cain was beginning to have his own doubts.
Sensing his hesitation, Anska kissed him and rested a soft hand on his cheek. “Hey. I appreciate how devoted you are to protecting me, but if you don’t feel right about this you don’t have to go through with it.”
Cain kissed her back and gently clasped her hand in his own. “No, it needs to be done. We can’t have her looking over our shoulders.”
“It’s a little late for that,” came a soft voice from behind them.
They spun around in alarm and nearly tripped over each other in surprise. Kyne stood behind them in her usual shimmering azure robes, smiling coyly at Cain and Anska. Unwilling to be interrupted, the goddess waved her hand towards the chapel doors, sealing them tightly against any would-be worshippers. She then took a seat on one of the stone benches just off of the altar and patted the empty spaces next to her.
“Come sit,” she instructed, “we have to figure out a way to untangle this web.”
“How did you find us here?” asked Cain, standing fast with Anska.
“You’re in one of my sister’s most prominent temples, my child. Did you really think she wouldn’t tell me right away?”
Anska sighed heavily and took the spot on Kyne’s right. Seeing no alternative, Cain followed suit but took the spot opposite of his maiden.
“Now, then” began Kyne, “let’s talk about you returning to Solitude.”
“No,” said Cain, flatly. “No way in hell do we go back there right now, Kyne. I will not let anyone put their grubby hands on Anska, no matter how much [censored] proof they think they have. We’re staying far away until we can get to the bottom of this and I beg of you to leave us be. Do not bring my sisters to us again.”
Kyne stared at Cain with raised eyebrows and it seemed her green eyes were piercing right through him. So much had changed so quickly and now he spoke defiantly to the goddess he once revered and looked up to like the mothering figure she was. And she could sense the very same resolve emanating from Anska, the woman at the center of all this strife. But Kyne could not pretend his words or his intent to sever his faith to her did not wound her greatly.
“Very well,” she said. “Please do not forsake me though, Cain. Dibella is a wonderful little sister and a loving Divine, but she cannot love you as I do. Your entire family is special to me and they always will be. Remain in my service and I promise I will keep your whereabouts a secret.”
Cain was about to speak, but Anska piped up instead. “Kyne?” she asked.
“Yes?”
“Do you honestly believe I would do what I’ve been accused of? Is it not enough that Cain defends and supports me so steadfastly? I can tell by the way you’ve danced around the topic that you still doubt me.”
“Linneá and Serana made a convincing case, Anska,” said Kyne, regretfully. “I wished I could believe otherwise.”
“I thought as much,” said Anska, brushing away fresh tears. “I wish you could understand how painful this has been for me. It was nice to have a family again, if only for a short while. And I loved having sisters after growing up an only child and ultimately an orphan.”
Rising from the bench, Cain slid over to the opposite side of the goddess and wrapped his arms around Anska. He comforted her as best he could, and then glanced over at Kyne.
“I think you should go for now.”
Kyne bowed her head sadly but before she could leave, Anska extricated herself from Cain and grabbed the goddess by the hand. “No, please don’t go yet. I – I want, no, I need you to believe that I’m not that person, Kyne. I can’t bear this. Any of this. If I didn’t have Cain I probably would have thrown myself over a cliff and ended it all.”
“Anska, please just breathe,” said Kyne. “What would you have me – “
“I offer you my mind, ma’am. I know you can connect with others as Cain and I have linked ourselves. I give you permission to enter my own. You can explore my entire being down to the deepest depths. You can know everything about me, and I don’t care what you’ll find or what you’ll see. But I promise you will find nothing to do with this double-agent bullshit. Then you will know that I’m not sort of traitorous bitch.”
Just read Volume III, opting to start with it rather than beginning with Volume I. You’ve done a fabulous job of making that possible as you subtly review how we got here as you go. It is fairly evident the background shared by Kirin and the NPC-inspired Lydia. Similarly with Linnea and the NPC-inspired Serana.
I absolutely love how big a role Kyne plays in this. It seems we share the goal of portraying the Goddess of Sky and Forest as quite capable of emotions, feelings and even limitations that we normally don’t attribute to Divines.
You've really created a cast of compelling and endearing characters that I’ve quickly become fully invested in.
Quite an unexpected turn in the most recent episodes as Cain’s new family suspects Anska of being a traitor. I look forward to seeing how this resolves – fervently hoping the accusation is a misunderstanding.
Escaping to Anvil was both clever and prudent. I agree with Cain that investigating this matter should not be while ‘in custody’ at the Blue Palace. If Anska had doubts about Cain sticking up for, he has certainly put those to rest! I’m glad to see Linnea and Serana having serious doubts about their conclusion, Kirin angry about the situation, and Anska volunteer her most inner thoughts to Kyne.
I absolutely love how big a role Kyne plays in this. It seems we share the goal of portraying the Goddess of Sky and Forest as quite capable of emotions, feelings and even limitations that we normally don’t attribute to Divines.
You've really created a cast of compelling and endearing characters that I’ve quickly become fully invested in.
Quite an unexpected turn in the most recent episodes as Cain’s new family suspects Anska of being a traitor. I look forward to seeing how this resolves – fervently hoping the accusation is a misunderstanding.
Escaping to Anvil was both clever and prudent. I agree with Cain that investigating this matter should not be while ‘in custody’ at the Blue Palace. If Anska had doubts about Cain sticking up for, he has certainly put those to rest! I’m glad to see Linnea and Serana having serious doubts about their conclusion, Kirin angry about the situation, and Anska volunteer her most inner thoughts to Kyne.
Thank you for reading, Acadian. I have similar musings about Kyne in Buffy's thread - we are definitely on similar wavelengths with the goddess!
I must say, if you are enjoying this tale then I have to recommend at least reading book two. I had an immensely fun time playing and writing Linneá's and Serana's story and at times the story felt like it was writing itself!
I must say, if you are enjoying this tale then I have to recommend at least reading book two. I had an immensely fun time playing and writing Linneá's and Serana's story and at times the story felt like it was writing itself!
Chapter XXVII – Plumbing the Depths
Cain stood by the sealed doors to Dibella’s Chapel and waited apprehensively. At the foot of the altar sat Anska, her warm brown eyes staring confidently at Kyne. He felt nothing but pride and love for the way Anska was willing to expose herself entirely to the goddess just prove her innocence. The doubt needed to be erased, even if he had no plans on returning to Skyrim just yet. But it would be a necessary first step.
Kyne looked at the young woman curiously. Her volunteered willingness to undergo such a deep probe into her own psyche had caught Kyne off guard. She started to question the veracity of the girls’ investigation into the matter the moment the offer had tumbled from Anska’s mouth.
“Are you sure you want to do this, child? There is no going back from here. I will know who you are on a level more personal than even Cain could ever dream of. Every memory laid bare; every thought mixed with my own; every emotion rekindled. Your entire life will be read like the open pages of a book, right down to your most intimate and secluded moments.”
“It must be done,” spoke Anska, without a shred of hesitation.
“Then let’s begin. Please close your eyes and start by taking deep breaths. Focus on the inhale. Focus on the exhale. Empty your mind of everything else.”
Anska heeded her instructions. After nearly a minute of this, she felt Kyne’s warm hands on either side of her head.
At first, nothing seemed to happen.
Then she felt the keen light of the Divine illuminating her soul. Kyne’s presence mingled with her inner self on a level Anska didn’t think possible until, quite suddenly, the goddess spoke into her mind.
You’re doing wonderfully, dear. Keep focusing on your breathing - it may be difficult if painful memories being to surface, but it will help to keep the connection stable.
Everything shifted and suddenly Anska was four years old again, her father, Freca, chasing her in circles around their family home north of Stonehills. The little girl giggled and laughed joyfully while her dad made a show of stumbling around and bouncing into trees until finally he scooped her up and tossed her over his broad shoulders.
Day after day, month after month, and year after year filtered through Kyne and Anska both, the memories eliciting all manner of emotions.
The flow slowed down again and now a girl of nine or ten years old crashed through the thick undergrowth of a lofty pine forest. Blood stained the cold snow in small pools every few feet and soon she caught up her prey. The wounded deer had collapsed lamely in a small clearing, its breathing heavy and ragged. Her father came to a stop behind her just seconds later and laid a hand on her shoulders. “Finish the poor beast, Anska. It need not suffer for us to survive another winter.”
More time raced through their two minds, one Divine, one mortal.
It all blurred faster and faster until a new scene emerged: Anska sat at a small table with her mother, crying into a spotted kerchief. “There there, Anska,” consoled Astrid. “I know first kisses are supposed to be joyful, but there will be other boys. That fool doesn’t know you like we do. He doesn’t realize what a wonderful young girl he is missing out on. You are only thirteen years old and that is much too young to be so distraught over some lump from town. Put him from your mind and hold your head high. Then give him a swift kick in the ass for treating you so!”
Anska giggled through her tears, and everything went dark.
A choking black smoke permeated the world. An inferno raged through the night while a helpless fifteen-year-old girl could do nothing but watch; wracked with uncontrollable grief as her entire life burned to the ground before her eyes. The column of smoke eventually drew the attention of Stonehills, and it was all the men of the town could do to drag her away from the blaze, her hands grabbing anything within reach to fight against them. To do anything but leave. Her parents were in there and the only thing she wanted in that moment was to be with them.
Tears poured from the eyes of Anska and Kyne alike, streaking down their faces and pattering onto the pristine marble floor of the soaring chapel. Cain watched in dismay wishing he could do something, anything, to help them.
The fire was gone. More memories flitted passed as the young girl blossomed into adulthood. They froze again.
She kicked open the door to the small inn, a deer slung over her shoulders. Anska called for the barkeep, Ikor, and then her eyes rested on two new faces sitting at a table near the fire. An elf and a very handsome Redguard. The latter noticed her first and he could not tear his eyes away. She felt herself go weak in the knees, but played it off until they could be properly introduced.
They talked and laughed. They smiled and sang. They made love under a tall tree. And then they slew a dragon. Everything was changing.
All this, Kyne knew, and there were no surprises until they caught up to the present. Memories parsed, the goddess dove ever deeper. The soul of Anska was laid bare; her wants, her needs, her desires. All of her. Smiling to herself, Kyne found all that she had hoped for: Cain had been right to stand by Anska’s side, for there was nothing amiss. She gleaned over the entire life and spirit of a beautiful woman who loved her partner dearly, and who’s heart was stricken by the accusations from her newfound sisters and by the rift between them all.
And then she felt the glimmer of something new. Something precious. The goddess dove to untold depths that lay beyond the spiritual realm and into the physical. Down and down and down and down and down until she found it.
Life. The tiniest beat of an infinitesimal heart.
Anska gasped and her eyes flew open, the connection severed in an instant.
“Kyne! Was that –“
The goddess smiled through fresh tears that were no longer of sorrow, but of overwhelming joy. “It’s exactly what you think it is, dear.” She embraced Anska in a tight hug, her hand resting on her charge’s back. “I’m sorry I ever doubted you. And I’m so happy for you and Cain.”
Hearing his name, the Redguard left his post at the door and joined them near the altar. “It’s done, then?” he asked Kyne.
“Yes. You were right, Cain, and I will see to it at once that the error of your sisters is corrected. I must take my leave now, but Anska has something important to tell you.”
“Wait a sec, mum,” said Cain. “Do me a favor and don’t tell them.”
Confusion lined her face. “What? Why don’t you want me to end this charade? What could possibly be gained from any of this?”
“Anska and I talked about this before; we are going to the Imperial City. The Thalmor embassy there will have answers and we will find them. We’re not coming home empty-handed. I don’t care how long it takes or what dangers we will face but together we will get to the bottom of this.”
Kyne bit her lip in worry. They would be walking right into the hornet’s nest, but it made sense, as foolish an endeavor as it would be. Forces were indeed at play within Kirin’s ranks and Cain just might be able to weed them out from the source. And maybe the girls could help from the other side too, even if they were unaware.
“Okay,” she agreed. “I don’t like it, but it’s worth a shot. Now, I really do have to go before Anska here dances out of her skin in anticipation. I love you both so much.”
A flash of blinding light illuminated the chapel and Kyne was gone. Cain took the vacated seat next to Anska and grabbed her hands. He could tell the experience had taken a toll on her and part of him was sad that she had to do it alone. But the goddess’ Divine presence in her mind had blotted him out while she was connected with Anska, leaving him to watch helplessly.
He could also sense all her angst had evaporated, and been replaced with something new. “How are you holding up? What was Kyne talking about before she left?” he asked her.
“Hon, I’m fine. Listen – “
“Are you sure? I could tell it was difficult. I’ve never seen you or Kyne weep so heavily as you both did during the throes of that. Can I get you something? I think there is still some water in your canteen…”
“No, I don’t need – “
“How about some food? Maybe one of the vendor stalls – “
Anska rose to her feet and yelled down at him in frustration. “Cain Windborne, will you please SHUT UP and let me speak!” She waited impatiently for him to close his mouth and stand up with her. “Thank you.” But she suddenly found herself at a loss for words. Everything had just changed. Their lives would be irrevocably changed. She kissed him deeply, hoping it would help to unstick the words from her throat. “I… by the Nine, I – I can’t believe this is happening. Cain… I… I’m pregnant.”
Time seemed to slow to a standstill around them. Cain stared at the woman he loved in wonder, completely blindsided by the two words she had just uttered. They were the most incredible words he’d ever heard in his life. He was going to be a father. Nothing else mattered in that moment. Not the Thalmor, not his family, not the divines. He leaned in and kissed her more passionately than he ever had before.
The doors to the chapel were still sealed, so he picked Anska up and set her down on the altar itself, their lips never parting until she pulled back to collect herself. “Wait, not here. It would be disrespectful.”
“To Dibella?” he laughed. “I should think it would be the opposite!”
“She’s not just the goddess of sex, lunkhead. I love you, but we need to take a breather. A lot has happened tonight.”
“And it’s everything I could have ever wanted,” said Cain. “I can barely begin to believe it! Your name will be cleared and we are to be parents! Even with everything that’s going on right now, I couldn’t be happier. Which reminds me…” He took off the new backpack he’d purchased earlier and let it slide to the floor with a thud. Then he started undoing the top buttons of his tunic while Anska watched with a raised eyebrow.
“I said we shouldn’t do that here, Cain. Taking your shirt off won’t change my mind. Well… maybe it would change it just a little bit”
“It’s not that,” he grinned as the last button came free. Reaching down his shirt, Cain pulled up a small silver necklace that was tucked down against his chest. Hanging from the end of it was a well-polished gold ring inlaid with gleaming emeralds.
“What is – “
“I’ve been carrying this with me for a couple of weeks,” he explained. “I had it stowed away in my bag, but something told me I would need it eventually, and I didn’t want it to get lost.” He undid the clasp from the necklace and let the ring slide off onto his open palm.
Anska’s breath was caught in her chest, her heart racing at the sight of the ring resting in his hand. She couldn’t believe they were here right now. When they had gone their separate ways from High Gate Ruins all those weeks ago, Anska thought she would never lay eyes on Cain again. Yet here they stood, in a strange town within a strange land, running for their lives with their unborn child growing in her womb.
There was nowhere else she wanted to be.
Never one to not be forthcoming about what she desired, Anska picked up the ring and slid it onto her finger before Cain could even properly ask for her hand in marriage.
“You know what,” she said quietly, examining the ring in a beam of moonlight, “I have changed my mind. Finish taking off that shirt while I’ll get started on your pants.”
[centre]
-----[/centre]
It was mid-morning the very next day when Cain’s shovel broke through the buried mouth of the shallow cave. A scree of loose earth tumbled into a pile at his feet, revealing the small cache of gold and equipment he’d stowed away before his voyage to Skyrim. He passed the shovel to his fiancé, and started lugging out small chests of gold and sacks of clothing and armor.
There was nothing wrong with his sword or Anska’s war axe, so Cain ignored the weapons leaning on the back wall and focused instead on finding his spare armor. The Colovian design patterns would keep him from looking out of place and would compliment the steel plate set the Anvil smithy had set aside for Anska. Pulling free the armor from it’s wrappings, he handed it to her and set about re-burying what remained of his belongings.
While he toiled away, Anska took the gear to a nearby rivulet that ran down towards the sea and rinsed the dirt and dust from the cuirass. Cain joined her shortly after and they departed for the city once again. By noon, they were back on the road and heading due west for the Imperial City. The journey would take several days and they could not rush for fear of garnering any unwanted attention.
Night fell with the two of them siting around a campfire near the rebuilt city of Kvatch. “Are you sure you can't just, ya know, zap us away to the city?” said Anska. “It’d save us one hell of a walk. Not that the countryside here isn’t beautiful or anything.”
“Wish I could, love. But I was only ever there once before and nothing significant happened during that time. All I did was deliver a package for our chapter leader.”
“Aren’t there couriers for that sort of thing?”
“Sure,” said Cain. “I was a new recruit, though, so I guess they wanted to see if I’d survive the trip. These roads are far safer than those of Skyrim, but there are still highwaymen and goblins to be wary of. Or the occasional minotaur.”
“I see. Well, I guess we walk then. How long did you say it would take?”
“At least two to three more days. Anvil is at the westernmost edge of the Heartland.”
“Great. Well, I don’t know about you but it’s been a long day and I’m ready for bed. Join me?” Her eyes twinkled and a slight smile played at the edges of her soft lips. “Or would you rather sit out here alone, staring into the coals?”
“Hm,” said Cain, making a big show of thinking it over. “It is a pleasant evening out here under the stars. Then again, I think I’d much rather be under you.”
They disappeared into the tent while the fire burned lower and lower.
[centre]-----[/centre]
Hundreds of miles away from that very same raucous campsite sat Elysium Estate, glowing gently under Nirn’s soaring moons, Masser and Secunda. The lanterns and candle sconces throughout dining area of the manor were flickering gently, casting a dim light on the lone figure seated at the large square table just inside the front door. She waited patiently for the tell-tale signs of magickal light in the garden that would announce the arrival of Linneá and Serana. Instead, the light suddenly appeared right inside the door, startling Kyne into a standing position.
The light faded and her champion smiled at the goddess. “Hey, mum. Sorry we’re late – Serana and I got caught up in some new books that were just delivered.”
“How did you recall to that spot?” asked Kyne. “I thought you had only marked my shrine outside?”
“Elle has been peeling apart the spell theory in her spare time,” answered Serana. “She figured out a way to exert some control over where to appear within proximity of the original marked object.”
“Linn, that’s… that’s very advanced spell alteration. That kind of manipulation is usually only accomplished by the more ancient Altmer or Dunmer wizards.”
“Why, thank you, mum! I’ve been working out the kinks for a while now and that was our first test over long distances. I was off a by a few inches, but otherwise I’d call it a resounding success!”
“You never cease to amaze me, dear.”
Linneá blushed deeply and shrugged it off. She headed over to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of brandy and three glasses while Kyne and Serana chatted at the table. It had been an interesting day for all three of them, for very different reasons. Kyne battled internally over her promise to Cain and it seemed to show on her face.
“Everything alright?” Linneá asked her while she sat down next to Serana. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“I’m fine,” she said evasively. “Yesterday was just… I don’t think I’ll be over it for a while.”
“Yeah, well, about that…” began Serana.
Kyne gazed shrewdly at her. “About what, child?”
“Um. Elle and I were talking last night and… uh…”
“We made a mistake,” interjected Linneá. “After all that happened in that village… I don’t think it’s Anska.” She stopped talking and brushed away a tear from the edge of her eye. “The look on her face when I told her… it destroyed her. I hope to never see someone look at me like that again as long as I live."
Kyne’s head lowered into her hands and her shoulders began to rock up and down. Linneá and Serana were both about to slide around to her side of the table and console her until the goddess lifted her head and laughed exuberantly at what Linneá had just told her. The merry sound echoed down the halls while the girls stared at her in stunned silence. Linneá couldn’t think of a single time in her twenty-seven years of life that she had seen Kyne laugh like this.
“This is too much,” she finally said between deep breaths. “I pleaded with you all to just sit down and talk it out and none of you would listen to me. And now look where we are! You two just waltz on in here and tell me how wrong you were not even a full day after I find that out for myself. Pour me a heavy glass, Linn. I think I’ll tone down my divinity for an hour and enjoy this brandy the same way you two enjoy it.”
Linneá and Serana were flabbergasted at what just happened. “Wait, you found them already?!”
“Of course I did. They wandered into one of my sister’s temples without thinking she would tell me immediately. Not Cain’s brightest moment, I can assure you. Especially after the way he cleverly evaded you two.”
“What the [censored]!” exclaimed Linneá. “Were you just not going to tell us?”
“As a matter of fact, I wasn’t,” said Kyne. “But only because he asked me not to. And yes, Anska is innocent, by the way. She freely offered me her mind, and I delved it entirely. You two owe them a major apology; especially Anska. I’m afraid you did break her heart, Linn. The poor girl is devasted over losing her sisters.”
Linneá slumped back in her chair in miserable defeat. There were few times in life that she had felt so thoroughly depressed as she did right now, and she wanted nothing more than to find Cain and Anska and grovel at their feet. Serana’s armed wrapped around her shoulder and she kissed Linneá’s forehead.
“We’ll make it up to them somehow, Elle,” she promised. “Can we go see them, mum?”
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea, ladies. A lot has happened and some wounds are still very fresh. They also got some other important news while I was there, and they need some time to come to terms with it.”
“Please, mum,” begged Linneá. “Please. I can’t bear them not knowing how sorry we are. What if something happens and the last thing I said to them was a threat? I’d never be able to live with myself.”
“…Very well. But not until tomorrow morning, mind you. There is still some residual feedback from my link to Anska yesterday and from what I can tell they are a little… busy, right now.”
Cain stood by the sealed doors to Dibella’s Chapel and waited apprehensively. At the foot of the altar sat Anska, her warm brown eyes staring confidently at Kyne. He felt nothing but pride and love for the way Anska was willing to expose herself entirely to the goddess just prove her innocence. The doubt needed to be erased, even if he had no plans on returning to Skyrim just yet. But it would be a necessary first step.
Kyne looked at the young woman curiously. Her volunteered willingness to undergo such a deep probe into her own psyche had caught Kyne off guard. She started to question the veracity of the girls’ investigation into the matter the moment the offer had tumbled from Anska’s mouth.
“Are you sure you want to do this, child? There is no going back from here. I will know who you are on a level more personal than even Cain could ever dream of. Every memory laid bare; every thought mixed with my own; every emotion rekindled. Your entire life will be read like the open pages of a book, right down to your most intimate and secluded moments.”
“It must be done,” spoke Anska, without a shred of hesitation.
“Then let’s begin. Please close your eyes and start by taking deep breaths. Focus on the inhale. Focus on the exhale. Empty your mind of everything else.”
Anska heeded her instructions. After nearly a minute of this, she felt Kyne’s warm hands on either side of her head.
At first, nothing seemed to happen.
Then she felt the keen light of the Divine illuminating her soul. Kyne’s presence mingled with her inner self on a level Anska didn’t think possible until, quite suddenly, the goddess spoke into her mind.
You’re doing wonderfully, dear. Keep focusing on your breathing - it may be difficult if painful memories being to surface, but it will help to keep the connection stable.
Everything shifted and suddenly Anska was four years old again, her father, Freca, chasing her in circles around their family home north of Stonehills. The little girl giggled and laughed joyfully while her dad made a show of stumbling around and bouncing into trees until finally he scooped her up and tossed her over his broad shoulders.
Day after day, month after month, and year after year filtered through Kyne and Anska both, the memories eliciting all manner of emotions.
The flow slowed down again and now a girl of nine or ten years old crashed through the thick undergrowth of a lofty pine forest. Blood stained the cold snow in small pools every few feet and soon she caught up her prey. The wounded deer had collapsed lamely in a small clearing, its breathing heavy and ragged. Her father came to a stop behind her just seconds later and laid a hand on her shoulders. “Finish the poor beast, Anska. It need not suffer for us to survive another winter.”
More time raced through their two minds, one Divine, one mortal.
It all blurred faster and faster until a new scene emerged: Anska sat at a small table with her mother, crying into a spotted kerchief. “There there, Anska,” consoled Astrid. “I know first kisses are supposed to be joyful, but there will be other boys. That fool doesn’t know you like we do. He doesn’t realize what a wonderful young girl he is missing out on. You are only thirteen years old and that is much too young to be so distraught over some lump from town. Put him from your mind and hold your head high. Then give him a swift kick in the ass for treating you so!”
Anska giggled through her tears, and everything went dark.
A choking black smoke permeated the world. An inferno raged through the night while a helpless fifteen-year-old girl could do nothing but watch; wracked with uncontrollable grief as her entire life burned to the ground before her eyes. The column of smoke eventually drew the attention of Stonehills, and it was all the men of the town could do to drag her away from the blaze, her hands grabbing anything within reach to fight against them. To do anything but leave. Her parents were in there and the only thing she wanted in that moment was to be with them.
Tears poured from the eyes of Anska and Kyne alike, streaking down their faces and pattering onto the pristine marble floor of the soaring chapel. Cain watched in dismay wishing he could do something, anything, to help them.
The fire was gone. More memories flitted passed as the young girl blossomed into adulthood. They froze again.
She kicked open the door to the small inn, a deer slung over her shoulders. Anska called for the barkeep, Ikor, and then her eyes rested on two new faces sitting at a table near the fire. An elf and a very handsome Redguard. The latter noticed her first and he could not tear his eyes away. She felt herself go weak in the knees, but played it off until they could be properly introduced.
They talked and laughed. They smiled and sang. They made love under a tall tree. And then they slew a dragon. Everything was changing.
All this, Kyne knew, and there were no surprises until they caught up to the present. Memories parsed, the goddess dove ever deeper. The soul of Anska was laid bare; her wants, her needs, her desires. All of her. Smiling to herself, Kyne found all that she had hoped for: Cain had been right to stand by Anska’s side, for there was nothing amiss. She gleaned over the entire life and spirit of a beautiful woman who loved her partner dearly, and who’s heart was stricken by the accusations from her newfound sisters and by the rift between them all.
And then she felt the glimmer of something new. Something precious. The goddess dove to untold depths that lay beyond the spiritual realm and into the physical. Down and down and down and down and down until she found it.
Life. The tiniest beat of an infinitesimal heart.
Anska gasped and her eyes flew open, the connection severed in an instant.
“Kyne! Was that –“
The goddess smiled through fresh tears that were no longer of sorrow, but of overwhelming joy. “It’s exactly what you think it is, dear.” She embraced Anska in a tight hug, her hand resting on her charge’s back. “I’m sorry I ever doubted you. And I’m so happy for you and Cain.”
Hearing his name, the Redguard left his post at the door and joined them near the altar. “It’s done, then?” he asked Kyne.
“Yes. You were right, Cain, and I will see to it at once that the error of your sisters is corrected. I must take my leave now, but Anska has something important to tell you.”
“Wait a sec, mum,” said Cain. “Do me a favor and don’t tell them.”
Confusion lined her face. “What? Why don’t you want me to end this charade? What could possibly be gained from any of this?”
“Anska and I talked about this before; we are going to the Imperial City. The Thalmor embassy there will have answers and we will find them. We’re not coming home empty-handed. I don’t care how long it takes or what dangers we will face but together we will get to the bottom of this.”
Kyne bit her lip in worry. They would be walking right into the hornet’s nest, but it made sense, as foolish an endeavor as it would be. Forces were indeed at play within Kirin’s ranks and Cain just might be able to weed them out from the source. And maybe the girls could help from the other side too, even if they were unaware.
“Okay,” she agreed. “I don’t like it, but it’s worth a shot. Now, I really do have to go before Anska here dances out of her skin in anticipation. I love you both so much.”
A flash of blinding light illuminated the chapel and Kyne was gone. Cain took the vacated seat next to Anska and grabbed her hands. He could tell the experience had taken a toll on her and part of him was sad that she had to do it alone. But the goddess’ Divine presence in her mind had blotted him out while she was connected with Anska, leaving him to watch helplessly.
He could also sense all her angst had evaporated, and been replaced with something new. “How are you holding up? What was Kyne talking about before she left?” he asked her.
“Hon, I’m fine. Listen – “
“Are you sure? I could tell it was difficult. I’ve never seen you or Kyne weep so heavily as you both did during the throes of that. Can I get you something? I think there is still some water in your canteen…”
“No, I don’t need – “
“How about some food? Maybe one of the vendor stalls – “
Anska rose to her feet and yelled down at him in frustration. “Cain Windborne, will you please SHUT UP and let me speak!” She waited impatiently for him to close his mouth and stand up with her. “Thank you.” But she suddenly found herself at a loss for words. Everything had just changed. Their lives would be irrevocably changed. She kissed him deeply, hoping it would help to unstick the words from her throat. “I… by the Nine, I – I can’t believe this is happening. Cain… I… I’m pregnant.”
Time seemed to slow to a standstill around them. Cain stared at the woman he loved in wonder, completely blindsided by the two words she had just uttered. They were the most incredible words he’d ever heard in his life. He was going to be a father. Nothing else mattered in that moment. Not the Thalmor, not his family, not the divines. He leaned in and kissed her more passionately than he ever had before.
The doors to the chapel were still sealed, so he picked Anska up and set her down on the altar itself, their lips never parting until she pulled back to collect herself. “Wait, not here. It would be disrespectful.”
“To Dibella?” he laughed. “I should think it would be the opposite!”
“She’s not just the goddess of sex, lunkhead. I love you, but we need to take a breather. A lot has happened tonight.”
“And it’s everything I could have ever wanted,” said Cain. “I can barely begin to believe it! Your name will be cleared and we are to be parents! Even with everything that’s going on right now, I couldn’t be happier. Which reminds me…” He took off the new backpack he’d purchased earlier and let it slide to the floor with a thud. Then he started undoing the top buttons of his tunic while Anska watched with a raised eyebrow.
“I said we shouldn’t do that here, Cain. Taking your shirt off won’t change my mind. Well… maybe it would change it just a little bit”
“It’s not that,” he grinned as the last button came free. Reaching down his shirt, Cain pulled up a small silver necklace that was tucked down against his chest. Hanging from the end of it was a well-polished gold ring inlaid with gleaming emeralds.
“What is – “
“I’ve been carrying this with me for a couple of weeks,” he explained. “I had it stowed away in my bag, but something told me I would need it eventually, and I didn’t want it to get lost.” He undid the clasp from the necklace and let the ring slide off onto his open palm.
Anska’s breath was caught in her chest, her heart racing at the sight of the ring resting in his hand. She couldn’t believe they were here right now. When they had gone their separate ways from High Gate Ruins all those weeks ago, Anska thought she would never lay eyes on Cain again. Yet here they stood, in a strange town within a strange land, running for their lives with their unborn child growing in her womb.
There was nowhere else she wanted to be.
Never one to not be forthcoming about what she desired, Anska picked up the ring and slid it onto her finger before Cain could even properly ask for her hand in marriage.
“You know what,” she said quietly, examining the ring in a beam of moonlight, “I have changed my mind. Finish taking off that shirt while I’ll get started on your pants.”
[centre]
-----[/centre]
It was mid-morning the very next day when Cain’s shovel broke through the buried mouth of the shallow cave. A scree of loose earth tumbled into a pile at his feet, revealing the small cache of gold and equipment he’d stowed away before his voyage to Skyrim. He passed the shovel to his fiancé, and started lugging out small chests of gold and sacks of clothing and armor.
There was nothing wrong with his sword or Anska’s war axe, so Cain ignored the weapons leaning on the back wall and focused instead on finding his spare armor. The Colovian design patterns would keep him from looking out of place and would compliment the steel plate set the Anvil smithy had set aside for Anska. Pulling free the armor from it’s wrappings, he handed it to her and set about re-burying what remained of his belongings.
While he toiled away, Anska took the gear to a nearby rivulet that ran down towards the sea and rinsed the dirt and dust from the cuirass. Cain joined her shortly after and they departed for the city once again. By noon, they were back on the road and heading due west for the Imperial City. The journey would take several days and they could not rush for fear of garnering any unwanted attention.
Night fell with the two of them siting around a campfire near the rebuilt city of Kvatch. “Are you sure you can't just, ya know, zap us away to the city?” said Anska. “It’d save us one hell of a walk. Not that the countryside here isn’t beautiful or anything.”
“Wish I could, love. But I was only ever there once before and nothing significant happened during that time. All I did was deliver a package for our chapter leader.”
“Aren’t there couriers for that sort of thing?”
“Sure,” said Cain. “I was a new recruit, though, so I guess they wanted to see if I’d survive the trip. These roads are far safer than those of Skyrim, but there are still highwaymen and goblins to be wary of. Or the occasional minotaur.”
“I see. Well, I guess we walk then. How long did you say it would take?”
“At least two to three more days. Anvil is at the westernmost edge of the Heartland.”
“Great. Well, I don’t know about you but it’s been a long day and I’m ready for bed. Join me?” Her eyes twinkled and a slight smile played at the edges of her soft lips. “Or would you rather sit out here alone, staring into the coals?”
“Hm,” said Cain, making a big show of thinking it over. “It is a pleasant evening out here under the stars. Then again, I think I’d much rather be under you.”
They disappeared into the tent while the fire burned lower and lower.
[centre]-----[/centre]
Hundreds of miles away from that very same raucous campsite sat Elysium Estate, glowing gently under Nirn’s soaring moons, Masser and Secunda. The lanterns and candle sconces throughout dining area of the manor were flickering gently, casting a dim light on the lone figure seated at the large square table just inside the front door. She waited patiently for the tell-tale signs of magickal light in the garden that would announce the arrival of Linneá and Serana. Instead, the light suddenly appeared right inside the door, startling Kyne into a standing position.
The light faded and her champion smiled at the goddess. “Hey, mum. Sorry we’re late – Serana and I got caught up in some new books that were just delivered.”
“How did you recall to that spot?” asked Kyne. “I thought you had only marked my shrine outside?”
“Elle has been peeling apart the spell theory in her spare time,” answered Serana. “She figured out a way to exert some control over where to appear within proximity of the original marked object.”
“Linn, that’s… that’s very advanced spell alteration. That kind of manipulation is usually only accomplished by the more ancient Altmer or Dunmer wizards.”
“Why, thank you, mum! I’ve been working out the kinks for a while now and that was our first test over long distances. I was off a by a few inches, but otherwise I’d call it a resounding success!”
“You never cease to amaze me, dear.”
Linneá blushed deeply and shrugged it off. She headed over to the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of brandy and three glasses while Kyne and Serana chatted at the table. It had been an interesting day for all three of them, for very different reasons. Kyne battled internally over her promise to Cain and it seemed to show on her face.
“Everything alright?” Linneá asked her while she sat down next to Serana. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“I’m fine,” she said evasively. “Yesterday was just… I don’t think I’ll be over it for a while.”
“Yeah, well, about that…” began Serana.
Kyne gazed shrewdly at her. “About what, child?”
“Um. Elle and I were talking last night and… uh…”
“We made a mistake,” interjected Linneá. “After all that happened in that village… I don’t think it’s Anska.” She stopped talking and brushed away a tear from the edge of her eye. “The look on her face when I told her… it destroyed her. I hope to never see someone look at me like that again as long as I live."
Kyne’s head lowered into her hands and her shoulders began to rock up and down. Linneá and Serana were both about to slide around to her side of the table and console her until the goddess lifted her head and laughed exuberantly at what Linneá had just told her. The merry sound echoed down the halls while the girls stared at her in stunned silence. Linneá couldn’t think of a single time in her twenty-seven years of life that she had seen Kyne laugh like this.
“This is too much,” she finally said between deep breaths. “I pleaded with you all to just sit down and talk it out and none of you would listen to me. And now look where we are! You two just waltz on in here and tell me how wrong you were not even a full day after I find that out for myself. Pour me a heavy glass, Linn. I think I’ll tone down my divinity for an hour and enjoy this brandy the same way you two enjoy it.”
Linneá and Serana were flabbergasted at what just happened. “Wait, you found them already?!”
“Of course I did. They wandered into one of my sister’s temples without thinking she would tell me immediately. Not Cain’s brightest moment, I can assure you. Especially after the way he cleverly evaded you two.”
“What the [censored]!” exclaimed Linneá. “Were you just not going to tell us?”
“As a matter of fact, I wasn’t,” said Kyne. “But only because he asked me not to. And yes, Anska is innocent, by the way. She freely offered me her mind, and I delved it entirely. You two owe them a major apology; especially Anska. I’m afraid you did break her heart, Linn. The poor girl is devasted over losing her sisters.”
Linneá slumped back in her chair in miserable defeat. There were few times in life that she had felt so thoroughly depressed as she did right now, and she wanted nothing more than to find Cain and Anska and grovel at their feet. Serana’s armed wrapped around her shoulder and she kissed Linneá’s forehead.
“We’ll make it up to them somehow, Elle,” she promised. “Can we go see them, mum?”
“I don’t know if that’s a good idea, ladies. A lot has happened and some wounds are still very fresh. They also got some other important news while I was there, and they need some time to come to terms with it.”
“Please, mum,” begged Linneá. “Please. I can’t bear them not knowing how sorry we are. What if something happens and the last thing I said to them was a threat? I’d never be able to live with myself.”
“…Very well. But not until tomorrow morning, mind you. There is still some residual feedback from my link to Anska yesterday and from what I can tell they are a little… busy, right now.”
I suspected Anska was not the traitor – that would have broken Cain’s (and my) heart. Besides, you dropped no irrefutable breadcrumbs to indicate any guilt on her part.
The Divine mind meld was wonderfully done!
By Dibella’s silky breeches, Anska is pregnant! And Cain even now has a last name to give the child.
I agree with Kyne that Linnea and Serana were too hasty to conclude Anska was the traitor. But I also suspect that such major errors in judgment are rare for them. Hopefully, Kyne can relay that the ladies realized their mistake on their own, making her pledge to Cain of secrecy on the matter irrelevant. The remaining task – and Kyne is clearly in the best position to do so – is to ensure Cain and Anska know Linnea and Serana concluded Anska’s innocence on their own.
In the meantime, Cain and Anska are heading into, as you say, the hornet’s nest to hopefully help ferret out the real traitor.
The Divine mind meld was wonderfully done!
By Dibella’s silky breeches, Anska is pregnant! And Cain even now has a last name to give the child.
I agree with Kyne that Linnea and Serana were too hasty to conclude Anska was the traitor. But I also suspect that such major errors in judgment are rare for them. Hopefully, Kyne can relay that the ladies realized their mistake on their own, making her pledge to Cain of secrecy on the matter irrelevant. The remaining task – and Kyne is clearly in the best position to do so – is to ensure Cain and Anska know Linnea and Serana concluded Anska’s innocence on their own.
In the meantime, Cain and Anska are heading into, as you say, the hornet’s nest to hopefully help ferret out the real traitor.
I toyed with the idea of stringing out the spy vs spy aspect until the very end, but Anska doesn't deserve that and neither did I want to assasinate Linn and Serana's characters by having them not see the error of their ways.
The pregnancy is a fun parallel to book one that I wanted to take a stab at. Linnea was conceived towards the end of that book, smack dab in the midst of the Dragon Crisis. History doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme!
The pregnancy is a fun parallel to book one that I wanted to take a stab at. Linnea was conceived towards the end of that book, smack dab in the midst of the Dragon Crisis. History doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme!
Chapter XXVIII �" Reformed Ties
Emperor Titus Mede II gazed out at the Imperial City from his private balcony high atop the White-Gold Tower. Far below, the city expanded from the center, roads running to the very outer edges to meet a grand promenade that encircled it entirely, giving the layout it’s iconic wheel-like design. All of it was his. All of it would stay his, until the final breath escaped his tired lungs.
One threat had already been promptly eliminated: there would be no Ayleid allies to the northern alliance under his watch. It had been easy to manipulate the Thalmor into getting their hands dirty, for they feared the wild elves even more than Cyrodiilians did. The Dominion thought they controlled him and he would see to it that they saw the error in their ways.
War approached, sooner than they would expect.
The well-oiled door behind him opened and closed discreetly, and soon the High Chancellor stood at his side, admiring the view under clear blue skies.
“What news, Anilay?”
“Sire,” the man bowed. “Reports indicate the High King’s court is in disarray. His son disappeared along with the woman we framed and all of their resources are aimed at tracking them down. I’m told his own daughters are spearheading the effort and spending all of their precious time on the matter.”
“Excellent. They won’t be looking too closely at the shadows while we get the final pieces in place. You’ve done well, Anilay �" slipping the Ayleid news to those arrogant elves was a stroke of genius. We didn’t have to pull a single resource out of place and now a powerful opponent is off the board.” Still the idea of a rogue Dragonborn did not sit well with him. He’d been on the Ruby Throne for too long to not hedge against any bets. “Do we have any idea where the bastard went?”
“We do not,” said Anilay. “It would seem that no one does.”
“I see. Then, I must ask you to find him. Spare no expense, waste no time. He must be found.”
“As you wish.”
Mede dismissed him with a wave and Anilay made his way back inside through the empty study and downstairs to the council chambers. They had been receiving regular reports from the chancellor and were playing a very delicate game of cat and mouse with the Emperor himself. Little did the old man know that great efforts were already being made to track down the rogue heir and that Anilay himself had a few solid leads to track down.
This would all be so much simpler if we could communicate to the High King in secret, he privately lamented. But communications to their agent were strictly controlled and thoroughly reviewed by Mede himself, for fear of his plan going awry. I must find a way and quickly. The son is the key to all of this… we need to find him immediately.
The sun had not yet full risen when Kyne descended into the copse where Cain and Anska had set up their campsite the night before. A few coals slumbered inside a ring of stone, waiting to be reignited when the two fugitives emerged from their tent for a hearty breakfast. Low snores emanated from within the tent itself, so the goddess was perfectly resigned to sitting around the non-existent fire until they awoke from their deep slumber.
She did not have long to wait, as Cain typically rose ahead of first light. The heavy linen tent flap was thrown back and he nearly yelped in surprise at the sight of the visitor calmly waiting outside.
“By the Nine, don’t sneak up on us like that next time!” he said. “I need a minute.” Cain disappeared behind a few trees and reemerged moments later looking more relieved. He took a seat across from Kyne and started stoking the coals and piling on more timber. “What brings you back to us so soon, mum?”
“I visited your sisters last night.”
“Oh? Did you keep your promise to us?”
“Yes. And no,” admitted Kyne, blushing slightly. Cain started to frown in frustration until she raised a hand. “Let me explain myself.” She waited for his approval and was rewarded with a curt nod. “Thank you. I had no intention of telling them I found you, but, er…”
“But what?” Cain inquired.
Kyne glanced meaningfully at the tent. She wanted Anska to be present for this but the woman was still snoring away in her bedroll. Cain smiled knowingly and disappeared behind the flap to gently rouse his sleepy fiancé. They both joined Kyne shortly after, Anska still wrapped in a cozy blanket, her new ring shining in the first light of dawn.
The goddess noticed it right off and beamed at her. “When did that happen?” she exclaimed, pointing at the sign of their engagement.
“Not long after you left last night,” said Cain. “I had the ring handy and I didn’t think there would be a better time than right then and there.”
She rose from her makeshift seat and beckoned them over. “Come here and hug me this instant!” Kyne wrapped her arms around both of them and kissed them each on the cheek in turn. “I love you both so much. And I know your family will be overjoyed when you are able to return. Now then, sit back down and we’ll get to why I’m here.”
All seated again, Cain began to stir the smoldering fire into life while Anska dug through her bag for the kettle and a tin of tea leaves. Kyne waited patiently once again for both of them to properly awaken, and accepted a fresh mug of the steaming beverage.
“Okay…get to it, please,” said Cain.
“Anska, dear, as I was telling Cain when he first came out here, I spoke to the girls last night and I told them what occurred in the temple.” Anska glared at her frostily and was about to unleash her temper on Kyne when the goddess raised her hand once again. “Please let me finish. I only told them because of the circumstances.”
“They had better be damn good ‘circumstances’,” warned Anska.
“I wouldn’t have done so otherwise,” Kyne assured her. “Linneá and Serana told me the moment they arrived that they’d made a mistake. Someone laid a trap for them and they fell right in, and for that they are truly sorry, my dear. Linn knows how much she hurt you and the guilt is gnawing away at her spirit. Serana’s, too.” She paused for a moment and smiled solemnly at Anska before continuing: “If you’d allow it, they want to come and see you. To apologize. And maybe grovel a just little bit.”
There was a brief silence while Anska stared into the flames of their campfire, lost in thought. She wasn’t sure how to feel about this revelation �" the pain from it had begun changing to anger over the slight towards her and the chaos it had caused. Kyne waited respectfully for an answer but Anska knew she wouldn’t be forced to see them if she didn’t want to. Her thoughts became confused until her fiancé whispered in her mind.
I’ll understand if you don’t want them to come. But if there’s anything certain I’ve learned over the years, it’s that grudges are a poison to the soul. Don’t let the anger consume you, my love.
Anska sighed and nodded to Kyne. “Fine. They can come see us.”
“Linneá will be overjoyed,” Kyne promised her. She raised a hand and opened it, revealing the marked stone Cain had dropped in the ruined Ayleid village. Then she tossed it a few feet away from the campsite and closed her eyes. “They’ll be here soon.”
It was even sooner than Kyne expected. Barely a minute had elapsed before the recall portal appeared and Cain’s younger sisters stepped into the clearing, staring sheepishly at them. Despite everything that had happened, Anska was happy to see them again, though she did hide her smile behind an angry façade. Rising to her feet, she marched over to Linneá and Serana with a purposeful gait and stopped just in front of them.
Her right hand moved so quickly that Cain half expected to hear the three words of power of the Elemental Fury shout echo around the still morning. All that he actually heard was two sharp cracks as Anska’s hand slapped each of them in turn, leaving a faint red handprint on their cheeks. Then her arms were wrapped tightly around them both.
Linneá and Serana were momentarily stunned, but they recovered quickly and began to apologize profusely until Anska cut them off. “Just shut up, would you? We all make mistakes. What matters is that you owned up to them.” She freed them from her clutches and raised a finger in a teasing warning. “But if you pull a stunt like that again, you’ll meet my axe instead of my hand!”
Cain chuckled and rummaged through his belt satchel for some of the herbs and flower blossoms he’d picked along the road yesterday. He mashed up a few sprigs of lavender and wrapped them into aloe vera leaves and offered them to his sisters. “Here, press these against your cheeks for a few minutes and it’ll dull the pain. I’ve been on the receiving end of her hand before and it’s not fun, as I’m sure you now know.”
They graciously accepted the soothing poultices and then sat down around the fire, still remaining oddly quiet.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake, will you two liven up already?” teased Anska. “It’s time to move on.”
“Doesn’t mean I still don’t feel like an ass, sis,” admitted Linneá. “Serana and a I… this was not one of our finest moments. I can’t remember the last time I felt like such a piece of [censored]. I’m grateful you forgave us, but I think I speak for both of us when I say it will take some time to forgive ourselves.”
Serana nodded in agreement. “Indeed. You’re far to kind to let us off the hook so easily after all we put you two through.”
“Yes, well, sometimes there can be other occurrences that help put things into perspective,” she winked. Anska made a not-so-subtle show of resting her left hand on her leg, catching the morning sun so that it glinted off of the emerald inlay of her engagement ring. It had the desired effect of drawing their attention to it.
Linneá grinned slyly at Cain. “I told you she’d be your wife someday.”
Cain laughed aloud while all five of them started hugging and fawning over Anska and her new ring. They spent the next hour having a quiet celebration under the rising sun, feasting over a splendid breakfast conjured up by their ever-doting Divine matron. Towards the end, Cain pulled Linneá aside and told her of their plan to visit the Imperial City and she promised to keep up the charade of chasing them down until they rooted out the true enemy within.
They were just about to go their separate ways when it was Kyne’s turn to steer him away for a private conversation. “I noticed you didn’t tell them about the other big news,” she whispered to Cain. “Any particular reason why?”
“Anska and I talked about that last night,” he explained. “And we want to tell everyone at the same time. When we’re all safely back home.”
His daughters had only disappeared from the Blue Palace for about an hour, but it was long enough for Kirin to notice their mysterious absence. Sitting on the bench at the foot of their four-poster bed, he leafed through the morning newspaper while waiting for them to sneak back in. Or try to. But when the door finally did open, Linneá simply shrugged at the sight of him and kicked off her boots.
“Early start today, eh?” he asked them nonchalantly. “Anything I should be made aware of?”
“Nope,” answered Serana. “Just following up on a bad lead. Ended up being a complete waste of time.”
He peered over the paper at them, trying not to smile. “You do realize that you’re both terrible liars, don’t you? Dishonesty doesn’t suit either one of you.”
“If we had anything of note pertaining to the investigation we would share it with you, dad,” said Linneá. “The trail is still ice cold, so we’re pulling whatever loose threads we can find with the hopes of getting lucky.”
She shared a quick glance with Serana and they silently debated on who would be the one to tackle the next part of this conversation. He was their father and they loved him dearly, but questioning the High King as part of their detective roles still made Linneá nervous. Thankfully, they were saved the awkward attempt by his own keen intuition.
“Spit it out so that we can move on,” he stated. Kirin had been wondering when they’d get this far. He’d made it clear that no one in the palace was above suspicion, including present company. And while he knew for certain it was no one from his family, they were right to be gently interrogating him.
“We’ll keep it short, dad,” nodded Serana. “Just one question, really: is there anyone who could possibly have overhead us talking about.”
Kirin pondered on the question for few moments, racking his brain and the various conversations he’d had with the girls and Lydia over the past month. They’d mostly been in his study, which was off limits to anyone but his direct family. And Sybille, if he invited her in for a chat. Then it hit him.
“Huh,” he said, thoughtfully. With a casual look at Linneá he discreetly motioned towards his ears. She caught on right away and casted her room muffling spell. “You’ll have to teach me that one someday, Linn.”
“Do you have something for us?” she asked him.
“Maybe. There was one odd thing that happened after your mother and I were first discussing the leak, Anska’s involvement, and the Ayleid village. She went to grab us a bottle of wine and found Sybille just outside the study. Apparently, she was just about to knock on the door, and she had a bundle of scrolls for me to look over. Normal clerical stuff, so I didn’t think anything of it. Now I can’t help but wonder how long she was standing out there.”
Linneá and Serana both felt a triumphant surge of excitement, but played it off for the time being. “Doesn’t sound like anything to worry about,” said Linneá. “Sybille is always dropping stuff off for you and I never once felt anything but respect for her. Especially after she helped Cain with saving Ana’s life.”
Emperor Titus Mede II gazed out at the Imperial City from his private balcony high atop the White-Gold Tower. Far below, the city expanded from the center, roads running to the very outer edges to meet a grand promenade that encircled it entirely, giving the layout it’s iconic wheel-like design. All of it was his. All of it would stay his, until the final breath escaped his tired lungs.
One threat had already been promptly eliminated: there would be no Ayleid allies to the northern alliance under his watch. It had been easy to manipulate the Thalmor into getting their hands dirty, for they feared the wild elves even more than Cyrodiilians did. The Dominion thought they controlled him and he would see to it that they saw the error in their ways.
War approached, sooner than they would expect.
The well-oiled door behind him opened and closed discreetly, and soon the High Chancellor stood at his side, admiring the view under clear blue skies.
“What news, Anilay?”
“Sire,” the man bowed. “Reports indicate the High King’s court is in disarray. His son disappeared along with the woman we framed and all of their resources are aimed at tracking them down. I’m told his own daughters are spearheading the effort and spending all of their precious time on the matter.”
“Excellent. They won’t be looking too closely at the shadows while we get the final pieces in place. You’ve done well, Anilay �" slipping the Ayleid news to those arrogant elves was a stroke of genius. We didn’t have to pull a single resource out of place and now a powerful opponent is off the board.” Still the idea of a rogue Dragonborn did not sit well with him. He’d been on the Ruby Throne for too long to not hedge against any bets. “Do we have any idea where the bastard went?”
“We do not,” said Anilay. “It would seem that no one does.”
“I see. Then, I must ask you to find him. Spare no expense, waste no time. He must be found.”
“As you wish.”
Mede dismissed him with a wave and Anilay made his way back inside through the empty study and downstairs to the council chambers. They had been receiving regular reports from the chancellor and were playing a very delicate game of cat and mouse with the Emperor himself. Little did the old man know that great efforts were already being made to track down the rogue heir and that Anilay himself had a few solid leads to track down.
This would all be so much simpler if we could communicate to the High King in secret, he privately lamented. But communications to their agent were strictly controlled and thoroughly reviewed by Mede himself, for fear of his plan going awry. I must find a way and quickly. The son is the key to all of this… we need to find him immediately.
-----
The sun had not yet full risen when Kyne descended into the copse where Cain and Anska had set up their campsite the night before. A few coals slumbered inside a ring of stone, waiting to be reignited when the two fugitives emerged from their tent for a hearty breakfast. Low snores emanated from within the tent itself, so the goddess was perfectly resigned to sitting around the non-existent fire until they awoke from their deep slumber.
She did not have long to wait, as Cain typically rose ahead of first light. The heavy linen tent flap was thrown back and he nearly yelped in surprise at the sight of the visitor calmly waiting outside.
“By the Nine, don’t sneak up on us like that next time!” he said. “I need a minute.” Cain disappeared behind a few trees and reemerged moments later looking more relieved. He took a seat across from Kyne and started stoking the coals and piling on more timber. “What brings you back to us so soon, mum?”
“I visited your sisters last night.”
“Oh? Did you keep your promise to us?”
“Yes. And no,” admitted Kyne, blushing slightly. Cain started to frown in frustration until she raised a hand. “Let me explain myself.” She waited for his approval and was rewarded with a curt nod. “Thank you. I had no intention of telling them I found you, but, er…”
“But what?” Cain inquired.
Kyne glanced meaningfully at the tent. She wanted Anska to be present for this but the woman was still snoring away in her bedroll. Cain smiled knowingly and disappeared behind the flap to gently rouse his sleepy fiancé. They both joined Kyne shortly after, Anska still wrapped in a cozy blanket, her new ring shining in the first light of dawn.
The goddess noticed it right off and beamed at her. “When did that happen?” she exclaimed, pointing at the sign of their engagement.
“Not long after you left last night,” said Cain. “I had the ring handy and I didn’t think there would be a better time than right then and there.”
She rose from her makeshift seat and beckoned them over. “Come here and hug me this instant!” Kyne wrapped her arms around both of them and kissed them each on the cheek in turn. “I love you both so much. And I know your family will be overjoyed when you are able to return. Now then, sit back down and we’ll get to why I’m here.”
All seated again, Cain began to stir the smoldering fire into life while Anska dug through her bag for the kettle and a tin of tea leaves. Kyne waited patiently once again for both of them to properly awaken, and accepted a fresh mug of the steaming beverage.
“Okay…get to it, please,” said Cain.
“Anska, dear, as I was telling Cain when he first came out here, I spoke to the girls last night and I told them what occurred in the temple.” Anska glared at her frostily and was about to unleash her temper on Kyne when the goddess raised her hand once again. “Please let me finish. I only told them because of the circumstances.”
“They had better be damn good ‘circumstances’,” warned Anska.
“I wouldn’t have done so otherwise,” Kyne assured her. “Linneá and Serana told me the moment they arrived that they’d made a mistake. Someone laid a trap for them and they fell right in, and for that they are truly sorry, my dear. Linn knows how much she hurt you and the guilt is gnawing away at her spirit. Serana’s, too.” She paused for a moment and smiled solemnly at Anska before continuing: “If you’d allow it, they want to come and see you. To apologize. And maybe grovel a just little bit.”
There was a brief silence while Anska stared into the flames of their campfire, lost in thought. She wasn’t sure how to feel about this revelation �" the pain from it had begun changing to anger over the slight towards her and the chaos it had caused. Kyne waited respectfully for an answer but Anska knew she wouldn’t be forced to see them if she didn’t want to. Her thoughts became confused until her fiancé whispered in her mind.
I’ll understand if you don’t want them to come. But if there’s anything certain I’ve learned over the years, it’s that grudges are a poison to the soul. Don’t let the anger consume you, my love.
Anska sighed and nodded to Kyne. “Fine. They can come see us.”
“Linneá will be overjoyed,” Kyne promised her. She raised a hand and opened it, revealing the marked stone Cain had dropped in the ruined Ayleid village. Then she tossed it a few feet away from the campsite and closed her eyes. “They’ll be here soon.”
It was even sooner than Kyne expected. Barely a minute had elapsed before the recall portal appeared and Cain’s younger sisters stepped into the clearing, staring sheepishly at them. Despite everything that had happened, Anska was happy to see them again, though she did hide her smile behind an angry façade. Rising to her feet, she marched over to Linneá and Serana with a purposeful gait and stopped just in front of them.
Her right hand moved so quickly that Cain half expected to hear the three words of power of the Elemental Fury shout echo around the still morning. All that he actually heard was two sharp cracks as Anska’s hand slapped each of them in turn, leaving a faint red handprint on their cheeks. Then her arms were wrapped tightly around them both.
Linneá and Serana were momentarily stunned, but they recovered quickly and began to apologize profusely until Anska cut them off. “Just shut up, would you? We all make mistakes. What matters is that you owned up to them.” She freed them from her clutches and raised a finger in a teasing warning. “But if you pull a stunt like that again, you’ll meet my axe instead of my hand!”
Cain chuckled and rummaged through his belt satchel for some of the herbs and flower blossoms he’d picked along the road yesterday. He mashed up a few sprigs of lavender and wrapped them into aloe vera leaves and offered them to his sisters. “Here, press these against your cheeks for a few minutes and it’ll dull the pain. I’ve been on the receiving end of her hand before and it’s not fun, as I’m sure you now know.”
They graciously accepted the soothing poultices and then sat down around the fire, still remaining oddly quiet.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake, will you two liven up already?” teased Anska. “It’s time to move on.”
“Doesn’t mean I still don’t feel like an ass, sis,” admitted Linneá. “Serana and a I… this was not one of our finest moments. I can’t remember the last time I felt like such a piece of [censored]. I’m grateful you forgave us, but I think I speak for both of us when I say it will take some time to forgive ourselves.”
Serana nodded in agreement. “Indeed. You’re far to kind to let us off the hook so easily after all we put you two through.”
“Yes, well, sometimes there can be other occurrences that help put things into perspective,” she winked. Anska made a not-so-subtle show of resting her left hand on her leg, catching the morning sun so that it glinted off of the emerald inlay of her engagement ring. It had the desired effect of drawing their attention to it.
Linneá grinned slyly at Cain. “I told you she’d be your wife someday.”
Cain laughed aloud while all five of them started hugging and fawning over Anska and her new ring. They spent the next hour having a quiet celebration under the rising sun, feasting over a splendid breakfast conjured up by their ever-doting Divine matron. Towards the end, Cain pulled Linneá aside and told her of their plan to visit the Imperial City and she promised to keep up the charade of chasing them down until they rooted out the true enemy within.
They were just about to go their separate ways when it was Kyne’s turn to steer him away for a private conversation. “I noticed you didn’t tell them about the other big news,” she whispered to Cain. “Any particular reason why?”
“Anska and I talked about that last night,” he explained. “And we want to tell everyone at the same time. When we’re all safely back home.”
-----
His daughters had only disappeared from the Blue Palace for about an hour, but it was long enough for Kirin to notice their mysterious absence. Sitting on the bench at the foot of their four-poster bed, he leafed through the morning newspaper while waiting for them to sneak back in. Or try to. But when the door finally did open, Linneá simply shrugged at the sight of him and kicked off her boots.
“Early start today, eh?” he asked them nonchalantly. “Anything I should be made aware of?”
“Nope,” answered Serana. “Just following up on a bad lead. Ended up being a complete waste of time.”
He peered over the paper at them, trying not to smile. “You do realize that you’re both terrible liars, don’t you? Dishonesty doesn’t suit either one of you.”
“If we had anything of note pertaining to the investigation we would share it with you, dad,” said Linneá. “The trail is still ice cold, so we’re pulling whatever loose threads we can find with the hopes of getting lucky.”
She shared a quick glance with Serana and they silently debated on who would be the one to tackle the next part of this conversation. He was their father and they loved him dearly, but questioning the High King as part of their detective roles still made Linneá nervous. Thankfully, they were saved the awkward attempt by his own keen intuition.
“Spit it out so that we can move on,” he stated. Kirin had been wondering when they’d get this far. He’d made it clear that no one in the palace was above suspicion, including present company. And while he knew for certain it was no one from his family, they were right to be gently interrogating him.
“We’ll keep it short, dad,” nodded Serana. “Just one question, really: is there anyone who could possibly have overhead us talking about.”
Kirin pondered on the question for few moments, racking his brain and the various conversations he’d had with the girls and Lydia over the past month. They’d mostly been in his study, which was off limits to anyone but his direct family. And Sybille, if he invited her in for a chat. Then it hit him.
“Huh,” he said, thoughtfully. With a casual look at Linneá he discreetly motioned towards his ears. She caught on right away and casted her room muffling spell. “You’ll have to teach me that one someday, Linn.”
“Do you have something for us?” she asked him.
“Maybe. There was one odd thing that happened after your mother and I were first discussing the leak, Anska’s involvement, and the Ayleid village. She went to grab us a bottle of wine and found Sybille just outside the study. Apparently, she was just about to knock on the door, and she had a bundle of scrolls for me to look over. Normal clerical stuff, so I didn’t think anything of it. Now I can’t help but wonder how long she was standing out there.”
Linneá and Serana both felt a triumphant surge of excitement, but played it off for the time being. “Doesn’t sound like anything to worry about,” said Linneá. “Sybille is always dropping stuff off for you and I never once felt anything but respect for her. Especially after she helped Cain with saving Ana’s life.”
The situation in the Imperial City drips heavy with political intrigue. Mede’s objective is pretty clear but still not sure what type of vision Anilay has for the Empire when it comes to Skyrim beyond realizing that it is not the same as Mede’s.
With a bit of help from Kyne, Linneá and Serana survive the gauntlet of Anska’s anger and return to her good side. Yay for that!
That mark and recall spell seems very handy. Oh, and so does the room muffling spell. Speaking of which, we hear an interesting revelation about Sybille. She’s been in her position for generations and seems an unlikely traitor, but who knows?
With a bit of help from Kyne, Linneá and Serana survive the gauntlet of Anska’s anger and return to her good side. Yay for that!
That mark and recall spell seems very handy. Oh, and so does the room muffling spell. Speaking of which, we hear an interesting revelation about Sybille. She’s been in her position for generations and seems an unlikely traitor, but who knows?
Anilay and the Elder Council recognize the way the wind is blowing. Mede is thirty years too old to lead the troops in round two and he's fearful of losing power. Meanwhile, a Dragonborn family rules Skyrim, and in five years the king has expelled the Thalmor, solidified the Holds, and created defense pacts with Hammerfell, High Rock, Orsinium, and now Morrowind.
They see Kirin as the one to lead a new empire against the Dominion.
They see Kirin as the one to lead a new empire against the Dominion.
Chapter XXIX �" Into the Heartland
Towering stone walls loomed high above Cain and Anska as they approached the massive wooden gates of Skingrad’s western entrance. The immense breadth of the city took the Nord woman’s breath away �" nothing in her homeland resembled the size and might of this fortified city deep within Cyrodiil’s West Weald. Even the capital city of Solitude barely approached the splendor that now stood before her. But she also had never felt further from home.
Home, she thought to herself. I wonder if I’ll ever see it again.
“I promise that you will,” reassured Cain.
“Oh, sorry,” muttered Anska. “I still forget sometimes that you can hear thoughts like that now. Don’t worry about me, love. I’m a fish out of water down here, just as I’m sure you were the moment you set foot on the Solitude docks.”
“You’re not wrong about that. But this time I have you and you have me.” They had now trod through the gates and were meandering along a cobblestone road that bisected the city. Cain led them under a bridge and then up a road to the left that headed for the market district. “West Weald Inn is just ahead. We’ll get a proper meal and a good night’s sleep for a change.”
It was late evening on the eight day of their trek to the Imperial City, and the inn was bustling with activity. Merchants, traders, craftspeople, and residents of Skingrad were pouring in through the doors and saddling up to the bar for a rambunctious night of food and libations. Cain and Anska had grabbed a table near the stairs, away from the throng of people packed around the bar.
Nursing a weak mead, Anska studied a brass plaque on the wall above their table. “Any idea who that was?” she asked her fiancé.
Cain followed her gaze. “Sinderion? Famous alchemist, I think. Heard he was found dead deep under Skyrim of all places. Maybe he was from Skingrad? Serana would probably know for sure.”
Their food soon arrived and they dug into the sumptuous meal with a zeal born of lean eating on the long road east. The haughty waitress keeping tabs on their table stopped by frequently to refill their mugs and ask how they were enjoying “real food”. Anska nearly slammed her head off the table until Cain reminded her that they still looked out of place. A Nord and a Redguard passing through town in filthy armors tended to catch the eye of those who viewed themselves as nobility.
Luckily, Cain has been able to procure a room downstairs, complete with a bathing area. Nighttime was firmly entrenched outside when they’d decided to make use of said bath, but then a stranger sat down at the table with them and pulled down her hood.
The soft features of Mara were just barely recognizable from their last encounter with the goddess of Love and Compassion in Blacklight. Her blonde hair now had a slight curl, but her blue eyes still blazed brightly from a face more muted to blend in among mortals.
“Hello again, children,” she spoke softly to them. “I see you have elected to ignore my warnings, and those of Kyne’s, as well?”
“I, er, well,” began Cain. He glanced at Anska for help, but she was also caught off guard at Mara’s sudden reappearance, her mouth slightly agape while she stared in wonder.
“You needn’t try to justify your actions. I’m all too familiar with what love will drive people to do, though I had hoped you could find a measure of restraint.” She paused to smile warmly at them. “I won’t admonish you any further. And I am pleased to see how far the two of you have come �" engaged to be wedded, and a child on the way? It fills me with joy to see it.”
“That’s… thank you, ma’am,” said Anska. “Look, I’m sorry we ignored you for our own selfish desires, but it has made us closer than I ever thought possible. I love this man dearly and I wouldn’t hesitate to do it all again.”
“I appreciate your honesty, miss Anska. However, your journey is not over yet and there is still peril ahead of you both. It’s a dangerous path you walk and you must remain true to each other as you have thus far. I offer one more piece of advice: stay by each other’s side no matter what. Only together can you face what is to come, and stand tall at the end.”
Having said her piece, Mara excused herself from the table and left the inn as silently as she had entered. Cain and Anska stared after the goddess, still slightly in shock at her sudden and abbreviated appearance in Skingrad of all places.
Shaking his head, Cain downed the last of his wine and flagged down the waitress. He paid for their meal and then motioned to the basement door. “Fancy a soak? We can talk more about what just happened away from preening ears and prying eyes.” They made their way downstairs and were soon laying against one another in a steaming tub of water, enjoying the warmth as it eased their tired bodies.
Anska was feeling a measure of guilt from their impromptu meeting with Mara, and she couldn’t help but worry about the future. Her fingers swirled the soapy bubbles aimlessly while she wrestled with the implications of the goddess’ second visit.
“Cain?” she asked, softly.
“Hm?”
“Are you worried about…us? This is the third time we’ve been given some sort of cryptic warning about our fate together. We spat in the face of the Divines once already �" do you think we’ll come to regret it?”
“I’ll never regret what it’s given us,” he promised her. “From the moment I laid eyes on you in Stonehills I wanted nothing more than to be with you, Anska. I was devasted when we parted ways after High Gate, but when I found you again in the palace gardens nothing else seemed to matter. I was given another chance and I vowed to not to let you go again if I could help it. You and our unborn child are my entire world, and nothing will tear us down as long as there is breath in my body.”
She craned her neck up and kissed him. “You always know just what to say to make me feel better.” Then Anska looked down at his broad hand resting on her belly. “It’s way too early for you to be doing that,” she chuckled, laying her own hand on top of his. “I never thought I’d end up here, you know. I thought I’d be stuck hunting around home until I was old and gray, fending off the pigs that work in the iron mine. Then I kicked open Ikor’s door with a deer slung over my shoulder, and saw you sitting there with Athis, staring right at me.”
“I’d never seen anything so beautiful,” said Cain. “And when you laughed at my terrible pick-up line, I was yours forever. Your smile may not have actually melted the snow but it certainly melted my heart.”
“Oh, piss off!” laughed Anska, playfully smacking his shoulder. “You just couldn’t help yourself, could you?”
“I never can when it’s you.”
Anska relaxed even more into the blissful waters and closed her eyes. She did feel better about Mara’s visit after talking to Cain about it, but she suspected it would always be at the back of her mind. Deciding it was better to be safe than to be sorry, she resolved to offering the goddess a prayer in the mornings when she also prayed to Lady Kyne.
They were on the move again by sunrise, with a long way yet to go. A seemingly endless expanse of trees lined both sides of the well-traveled road, teeming with animals, dense undergrowth, and vibrant flowers that Anska didn’t recognize.
Cain seemed to recognize most of them, though, and he was constantly a petal here or a sprig there. His belt pouch was beginning to overflow from all the ingredients he was shoving into it.
“Do you really need all of that?’ she asked him after handful of Alkanet seeds spilled all over his boots.
“Never know when we’ll need to whip up a remedy,” said Cain. “I’m sure the girls were glad I had aloe and lavender on hand after you laid into them.”
Shaking her head, Anska continued on ahead of him, drinking in the lush, unfamiliar landscape as she rounded a bend in the road. Lost in the splendor of the Heartland, a brutish highwayman nearly caught her off guard when he leapt down from atop a small hillock, demanding she empty her pockets. Hearing the sudden clamor around the bend Cain dashed ahead only to find Anska wiping the blood from her axe on a fur armored corpse.
“Did he give you any trouble?”
“Not really,” replied Anska, examining her axe. “Looks like I nicked the blade on one of his rivets though. How long until we find a blacksmith?”
“At least another week, if we make good time. Skingrad was roughly the halfway point.”
“Suppose that’s what I get for not carrying a whetstone,” shrugged Anska. “Ah well.”
And on they went, winding eastwards towards Lake Rumare and the Imperial City.
Far to the north, in their much colder homeland of Skyrim, things were not progressing nearly as well. Despite their best efforts, Linneá and Serana had yet to turn up anything to indicate Sybille Stentor, esteemed court wizard of Solitude, was up to anything nefarious. She kept a strict routine befitting of her secret condition and fulfilled her duties in service of Kirin to the letter.
Upon day after day after day of frustration, they decided to step back from the investigation for a while with hopes that a fresh start would help to illuminate something they had missed. Sitting on the floor of the palace gardens, they were both buried in rather large and archaic tomes on Mysticism, and did not notice that Lydia has arrived with the young Ayleid elf they’d rescued.
“Ahem.”
“Oh, hey mum,” said Linneá, her eyes moving up from the book. “What’s up?”
“Salihn here would like to say something to you ladies.”
They both closed their books and set them aside, but before either one of them could get to their feet Salihn had rushed forward and dove into Serana’s arms. “Thank you for saving me from the bad people!” she cried, her accent in the common tongue impeccable. “I looked for ages after they came to our village but I didn’t find anyone but you.” Serana returned the hug, smiling uncertainly at her wife.
“Mum, when did she start talking again?” asked a flummoxed Linneá. “She hasn’t made a peep since we brought her back with us!”
“Sybille and I have been working with her and she finally came out of her shell this morning. Poor thing was traumatized we think �" her entire village and all her family gone in the blink of an eye. But the first thing she asked for was to see you two. I think you’ve made a new friend!”
Salihn finally let go of Serana and then gave Linneá the same fierce embrace. The elf eventually unwrapped her arms from her, and offered each of them a freshly cut flower blossom before heading back inside with Lydia, leaving behind two very confused rescuers.
“What the hell just happened?” said Linneá, staring blankly at her flower.
“Um. Elle? You don’t think she… you know… “
A silence fell between them as the gravity of Serana’s timid attempt at a question settled on their minds. Linneá knew exactly where her wife was going with that train of thought and it terrified her. She was still staring at the flower: a newly sprouted pink carnation from Sybille’s private greenhouse. The significance of that particular blossom was not lost on her.
“No way,” said Lineá. “No no no. Ana, we can’t. I mean… we’ve talked about it, but, I, uh. There is no way we’re ready for that.”
“We aren’t? It’s not like we’re getting any younger. Nor can we do it the old-fashioned way.”
Linneá gazed absentmindedly towards the door Lydia and Salihn had disappeared through. “Maybe we’re reading too much into this?” she offered. “Poor girl probably just wanted to see who saved her again. Yeah, that’s probably all it was. Who knows what would have happened to her if we’d just left her behind.”
Serana watched her other half curiously, a slight smile playing at the corners of her mouth. It had been a long time since she’d seen Linneá so nervous about something. Even the situation with Cain and Anska had left her more saddened than apprehensive. But she did have a point… maybe they were reading too much into it. Then again…
“For what it’s worth, Elle… I think you’d be a terrific mother.”
Towering stone walls loomed high above Cain and Anska as they approached the massive wooden gates of Skingrad’s western entrance. The immense breadth of the city took the Nord woman’s breath away �" nothing in her homeland resembled the size and might of this fortified city deep within Cyrodiil’s West Weald. Even the capital city of Solitude barely approached the splendor that now stood before her. But she also had never felt further from home.
Home, she thought to herself. I wonder if I’ll ever see it again.
“I promise that you will,” reassured Cain.
“Oh, sorry,” muttered Anska. “I still forget sometimes that you can hear thoughts like that now. Don’t worry about me, love. I’m a fish out of water down here, just as I’m sure you were the moment you set foot on the Solitude docks.”
“You’re not wrong about that. But this time I have you and you have me.” They had now trod through the gates and were meandering along a cobblestone road that bisected the city. Cain led them under a bridge and then up a road to the left that headed for the market district. “West Weald Inn is just ahead. We’ll get a proper meal and a good night’s sleep for a change.”
It was late evening on the eight day of their trek to the Imperial City, and the inn was bustling with activity. Merchants, traders, craftspeople, and residents of Skingrad were pouring in through the doors and saddling up to the bar for a rambunctious night of food and libations. Cain and Anska had grabbed a table near the stairs, away from the throng of people packed around the bar.
Nursing a weak mead, Anska studied a brass plaque on the wall above their table. “Any idea who that was?” she asked her fiancé.
Cain followed her gaze. “Sinderion? Famous alchemist, I think. Heard he was found dead deep under Skyrim of all places. Maybe he was from Skingrad? Serana would probably know for sure.”
Their food soon arrived and they dug into the sumptuous meal with a zeal born of lean eating on the long road east. The haughty waitress keeping tabs on their table stopped by frequently to refill their mugs and ask how they were enjoying “real food”. Anska nearly slammed her head off the table until Cain reminded her that they still looked out of place. A Nord and a Redguard passing through town in filthy armors tended to catch the eye of those who viewed themselves as nobility.
Luckily, Cain has been able to procure a room downstairs, complete with a bathing area. Nighttime was firmly entrenched outside when they’d decided to make use of said bath, but then a stranger sat down at the table with them and pulled down her hood.
The soft features of Mara were just barely recognizable from their last encounter with the goddess of Love and Compassion in Blacklight. Her blonde hair now had a slight curl, but her blue eyes still blazed brightly from a face more muted to blend in among mortals.
“Hello again, children,” she spoke softly to them. “I see you have elected to ignore my warnings, and those of Kyne’s, as well?”
“I, er, well,” began Cain. He glanced at Anska for help, but she was also caught off guard at Mara’s sudden reappearance, her mouth slightly agape while she stared in wonder.
“You needn’t try to justify your actions. I’m all too familiar with what love will drive people to do, though I had hoped you could find a measure of restraint.” She paused to smile warmly at them. “I won’t admonish you any further. And I am pleased to see how far the two of you have come �" engaged to be wedded, and a child on the way? It fills me with joy to see it.”
“That’s… thank you, ma’am,” said Anska. “Look, I’m sorry we ignored you for our own selfish desires, but it has made us closer than I ever thought possible. I love this man dearly and I wouldn’t hesitate to do it all again.”
“I appreciate your honesty, miss Anska. However, your journey is not over yet and there is still peril ahead of you both. It’s a dangerous path you walk and you must remain true to each other as you have thus far. I offer one more piece of advice: stay by each other’s side no matter what. Only together can you face what is to come, and stand tall at the end.”
Having said her piece, Mara excused herself from the table and left the inn as silently as she had entered. Cain and Anska stared after the goddess, still slightly in shock at her sudden and abbreviated appearance in Skingrad of all places.
Shaking his head, Cain downed the last of his wine and flagged down the waitress. He paid for their meal and then motioned to the basement door. “Fancy a soak? We can talk more about what just happened away from preening ears and prying eyes.” They made their way downstairs and were soon laying against one another in a steaming tub of water, enjoying the warmth as it eased their tired bodies.
Anska was feeling a measure of guilt from their impromptu meeting with Mara, and she couldn’t help but worry about the future. Her fingers swirled the soapy bubbles aimlessly while she wrestled with the implications of the goddess’ second visit.
“Cain?” she asked, softly.
“Hm?”
“Are you worried about…us? This is the third time we’ve been given some sort of cryptic warning about our fate together. We spat in the face of the Divines once already �" do you think we’ll come to regret it?”
“I’ll never regret what it’s given us,” he promised her. “From the moment I laid eyes on you in Stonehills I wanted nothing more than to be with you, Anska. I was devasted when we parted ways after High Gate, but when I found you again in the palace gardens nothing else seemed to matter. I was given another chance and I vowed to not to let you go again if I could help it. You and our unborn child are my entire world, and nothing will tear us down as long as there is breath in my body.”
She craned her neck up and kissed him. “You always know just what to say to make me feel better.” Then Anska looked down at his broad hand resting on her belly. “It’s way too early for you to be doing that,” she chuckled, laying her own hand on top of his. “I never thought I’d end up here, you know. I thought I’d be stuck hunting around home until I was old and gray, fending off the pigs that work in the iron mine. Then I kicked open Ikor’s door with a deer slung over my shoulder, and saw you sitting there with Athis, staring right at me.”
“I’d never seen anything so beautiful,” said Cain. “And when you laughed at my terrible pick-up line, I was yours forever. Your smile may not have actually melted the snow but it certainly melted my heart.”
“Oh, piss off!” laughed Anska, playfully smacking his shoulder. “You just couldn’t help yourself, could you?”
“I never can when it’s you.”
Anska relaxed even more into the blissful waters and closed her eyes. She did feel better about Mara’s visit after talking to Cain about it, but she suspected it would always be at the back of her mind. Deciding it was better to be safe than to be sorry, she resolved to offering the goddess a prayer in the mornings when she also prayed to Lady Kyne.
-----
They were on the move again by sunrise, with a long way yet to go. A seemingly endless expanse of trees lined both sides of the well-traveled road, teeming with animals, dense undergrowth, and vibrant flowers that Anska didn’t recognize.
Cain seemed to recognize most of them, though, and he was constantly a petal here or a sprig there. His belt pouch was beginning to overflow from all the ingredients he was shoving into it.
“Do you really need all of that?’ she asked him after handful of Alkanet seeds spilled all over his boots.
“Never know when we’ll need to whip up a remedy,” said Cain. “I’m sure the girls were glad I had aloe and lavender on hand after you laid into them.”
Shaking her head, Anska continued on ahead of him, drinking in the lush, unfamiliar landscape as she rounded a bend in the road. Lost in the splendor of the Heartland, a brutish highwayman nearly caught her off guard when he leapt down from atop a small hillock, demanding she empty her pockets. Hearing the sudden clamor around the bend Cain dashed ahead only to find Anska wiping the blood from her axe on a fur armored corpse.
“Did he give you any trouble?”
“Not really,” replied Anska, examining her axe. “Looks like I nicked the blade on one of his rivets though. How long until we find a blacksmith?”
“At least another week, if we make good time. Skingrad was roughly the halfway point.”
“Suppose that’s what I get for not carrying a whetstone,” shrugged Anska. “Ah well.”
And on they went, winding eastwards towards Lake Rumare and the Imperial City.
-----
Far to the north, in their much colder homeland of Skyrim, things were not progressing nearly as well. Despite their best efforts, Linneá and Serana had yet to turn up anything to indicate Sybille Stentor, esteemed court wizard of Solitude, was up to anything nefarious. She kept a strict routine befitting of her secret condition and fulfilled her duties in service of Kirin to the letter.
Upon day after day after day of frustration, they decided to step back from the investigation for a while with hopes that a fresh start would help to illuminate something they had missed. Sitting on the floor of the palace gardens, they were both buried in rather large and archaic tomes on Mysticism, and did not notice that Lydia has arrived with the young Ayleid elf they’d rescued.
“Ahem.”
“Oh, hey mum,” said Linneá, her eyes moving up from the book. “What’s up?”
“Salihn here would like to say something to you ladies.”
They both closed their books and set them aside, but before either one of them could get to their feet Salihn had rushed forward and dove into Serana’s arms. “Thank you for saving me from the bad people!” she cried, her accent in the common tongue impeccable. “I looked for ages after they came to our village but I didn’t find anyone but you.” Serana returned the hug, smiling uncertainly at her wife.
“Mum, when did she start talking again?” asked a flummoxed Linneá. “She hasn’t made a peep since we brought her back with us!”
“Sybille and I have been working with her and she finally came out of her shell this morning. Poor thing was traumatized we think �" her entire village and all her family gone in the blink of an eye. But the first thing she asked for was to see you two. I think you’ve made a new friend!”
Salihn finally let go of Serana and then gave Linneá the same fierce embrace. The elf eventually unwrapped her arms from her, and offered each of them a freshly cut flower blossom before heading back inside with Lydia, leaving behind two very confused rescuers.
“What the hell just happened?” said Linneá, staring blankly at her flower.
“Um. Elle? You don’t think she… you know… “
A silence fell between them as the gravity of Serana’s timid attempt at a question settled on their minds. Linneá knew exactly where her wife was going with that train of thought and it terrified her. She was still staring at the flower: a newly sprouted pink carnation from Sybille’s private greenhouse. The significance of that particular blossom was not lost on her.
“No way,” said Lineá. “No no no. Ana, we can’t. I mean… we’ve talked about it, but, I, uh. There is no way we’re ready for that.”
“We aren’t? It’s not like we’re getting any younger. Nor can we do it the old-fashioned way.”
Linneá gazed absentmindedly towards the door Lydia and Salihn had disappeared through. “Maybe we’re reading too much into this?” she offered. “Poor girl probably just wanted to see who saved her again. Yeah, that’s probably all it was. Who knows what would have happened to her if we’d just left her behind.”
Serana watched her other half curiously, a slight smile playing at the corners of her mouth. It had been a long time since she’d seen Linneá so nervous about something. Even the situation with Cain and Anska had left her more saddened than apprehensive. But she did have a point… maybe they were reading too much into it. Then again…
“For what it’s worth, Elle… I think you’d be a terrific mother.”
Both the descriptive approach to Skingrad and mention of Sindorian were nostalgic indeed.
Full bellies, a visit from Mara and clean bodies! I understand Anska’s apprehension about Mara’s cryptic warnings.
Anska dispatches a highwayman while Cain picks flowers. Go figure.
I’m imagining Anska will be more than a little impressed by her initial sighting of the Imperial City.
Meanwhile back in Solitude, the little Ayleid has a name – Salihn - and Serana thinks she may be seeking new parents. Linneá’s reaction is understandable reluctance. Perhaps the little one is better off with Lydia – for now anyway.
Full bellies, a visit from Mara and clean bodies! I understand Anska’s apprehension about Mara’s cryptic warnings.
Anska dispatches a highwayman while Cain picks flowers. Go figure.
I’m imagining Anska will be more than a little impressed by her initial sighting of the Imperial City.
Meanwhile back in Solitude, the little Ayleid has a name – Salihn - and Serana thinks she may be seeking new parents. Linneá’s reaction is understandable reluctance. Perhaps the little one is better off with Lydia – for now anyway.
She'll come around, it just never occurred to her that something like that would happen. Towards the end of Linn's playthrough, they actually adopted Lucia from the streets of Whiterun. It was unwritten, but this is a nice way to put a bow on that.
Chapter XXX �" A Chance Meeting
“Holy [censored]!” exclaimed Anska. It had been nearly a week since they’d left Skingrad and continued their journey east. The weather had been clear, and the roads were relatively empty, save for the occasional guard patrol. Now they stood in the foothills around the basin of Lake Rumare, staring out over the calm waters and drinking in the incredible breadth of the Imperial City. “I thought you were overselling it, but it’s still bigger than I could have imagined!
“Sorta makes you wonder how Skyrim gets by with its little villages and towns, eh?” said Cain. “Don’t forget, though �" the city has been a major seat of power for thousands of years.”
“And that’s the White-Gold Tower at the center?”
“Aye. Home of the Imperial Library, the Elder Council, and the Emperor himself. Hopefully, we don’t have to go there, but I’m not sure where the Thalmor headquarters are. We’ll have to discreetly ask around town.” Cain kissed Anska on the cheek to break her reverie. “C’mon, milady… if we double-time it, we can make the inn at Weye by sundown.”
Down the road they went, skirting around the ruins of an old stone fort before turning north for the tiny town nestled right by the bridge leading into the city. The roads were more open near the lake shore, and farms were littered about the gentle slopes. The occasional guard patrol or traveler would nod at them in passing, but thankfully no one seemed to be interested in stopping for a conversation.
Cain looked down at his armor cuirass and found that he didn’t blame them; he was filthy from a week of travel with no chance to bathe or even rinse the grime off. He’d forgotten how few streams and tributaries there were in the West Weald. Looking over at his fiancé, he wondered how she’d managed to remain much cleaner than he.
Trust me, I smell worse than I look, she thought at Cain. Do you think the tavern will have a bath like the one in Skingrad? If it doesn’t, I’m not above going for a swim in the lake before we go to bed.
Definitely going to be the lake. It’s been a few years since I was last in Weye, but the inn didn’t have a bath then.
Skinny dipping it is!
The small town of Weye, as Anska soon discovered, was little more than a toll stop with a shabby looking bar. Even Stonehills had been a bustling metropolis compared to the tiny scab of a town she now stood in the middle of. She gazed about at the few denizens going about their business while Cain was booking a room inside the Wawnet Inn, wondering where they all lived. There only seemed to be one house, and there were no merchant stalls or vendor shops.
“How do these people get by here?” she asked Cain. He’d just stepped out of the tavern and handed her a rusty old room key. “There’s nothing to do!”
“Beats me,” Cain shrugged. “I always thought it odd that this place never expanded. Then again, I guess they don’t have to, with the city just across the bridge.”
Together they headed back out of town and made their way down to the lake shore for a twilit swim in the cool waters of the lake. There wasn’t another soul in sight to watch them, so after helping each other remove their armors, Anska waded slowly out from the rocky shore.
“Are you coming or what?” she called back to him.
“Be there in a minute!” said Cain. Rooting through his overstuffed belt satchel, he pulled out most of the lavender he’d picked, along with a few other fragrant flowers and mashed them into a pulp on one of the broad, smooth rocks lying about the shore. Within a couple of minutes, he was able to mix in some water and fine sand to form something that passed for a soap.
“What took you so long?”
After wading out to meet her, Cain handed Anska one of the soap lumps. “Thought we could do better than just rinsing off. If it doesn’t just fall apart, that is.”
“Ooh, it smells lovely.”
They washed and bathed under the moonlight for a while before moving back closer to the beach and sitting down in the calm waters. The Imperial City dominated their vision, looking more foreboding to Anska than she expected it to. She still found it hard to believe she was here, and how much had changed in her life. Feeling her eyelids begin to droop, Anska leaned her head onto Cain’s shoulder, and quietly thanked the divines for bringing him into her life.
Cain smiled and ran his fingers through her long hair, still unbraided from their dip in the lake. Even with the uncertainty of their mission and the dangers that no doubt lay ahead, he couldn’t help but feel at peace in this moment. He’d never have guessed they would share a quiet, romantic night on the shores of Lake Rumare. Then a slight snoring sound escaped her nose, bringing an end to the peaceful reprieve.
Anska startled a bit as Cain scooped her up in his arms. “M’sorry, love,” she breathed. “Such a lovely evening and I can’t stay awake.”
“That doesn’t make it any less enjoyable,” he assured her. He carried her back to the shoreline and helped her get dressed before donning his own trousers and tunic. Together, they shambled back up to the town and headed for their room at the inn. Cain helped Anska into bed and then joined her after locking the door.
Her warm brown eyes, heavy with exhaustion from two weeks of travel on foot, stared into his own the moment he laid down next to her. “I love you so much,” she said to him, her voice barely above a whisper. “Don’t know where I’d be if we had never met. Or if I’d even still be alive.”
“I like to think I would have found you no matter what,” said Cain. “And I love you, too. Go to sleep, hon. I won’t be far behind.”
The Temple District was bustling with the kind of activity that befitted a normal midday in a prominent part of the Imperial City. At the center stood the preserved ruins of the Temple of the One, the massive stone statue of Akatosh’s dragon avatar towering above the collapsed walls of the once dominant cathedral.
Anilay paused for a moment and prayed silently to the Dragon God of Time, willing him to see the Empire through the dark times that lie ahead. Then he was on the move again, striding purposefully towards the City Isle, and its peaceful Waterfront, where he often escaped to for an hour or two of peace and quiet. A linen hood shrouded the High Chancellor’s recognizable face from the citizens of his great city, and the unassuming commoner clothes he wore allowed him to seamlessly blend into the normal crowds.
It looked just like any other summer day in the city; residents shopping for food from grocers, travelers coming and going from various inns and taverns, adventurers haggling with smithys over repair work, and young couples enjoying the safety and tranquility of the fortified capital. He walked past one such couple seated on bench, reading a small bit of parchment, when a vague feeling of recollection tugged at the fringes of his thoughts.
Shaking it off at first, he had one foot through the towering wooden doors to the Waterfront when the rest of his mind caught up. Anilay backtracked a few paces and leaned against a tall beech tree that faced the bench while he tried to place the man’s features. Where do I know this man from? he wondered. A dignitary from a party? Some mugshot on a wanted poster? Hm, no, that doesn’t feel right. Countless memories of men he’d met over the years flitted through his mind until it finally settled on a rough sketch his field agents had mailed to him not three weeks prior.
Anilay looked to heavens and prayed once again to Akatosh. And then he thanked the god for hearing his prayers at all. Keeping his hood tightened around his face, the chancellor calmly approached the bench an sat down next to the stout Redguard.
“How is that you’ve come to be here, Cain Windborne?” he asked quietly. Anilay noticed the immediate shift in the man’s posture and guessed there was a dagger within his grip. “Please, keep your weapon sheathed, lest we draw the attention of the city guard.” He felt the intense gaze of Cain and the Nord woman next to him, who must be Anska, his rumored mate.
“Who are you?” growled Cain. “And how do you know who I am?”
“My name is Anilay Cato, and it’s my job to know such things.”
A sharp intake of breath revealed that the Redguard recognized the name. “…You lie,” said Cain. “What would the High Chancellor of the Empire be doing skulking around the fringes of the city?”
“I assure you this is not a ruse. But you are not safe here and I request that you get off of the streets immediately, for your own well-being. Please make haste to Luther Broad’s Boarding House and rent the basement parlor for the night. I shall meet you there after sunset, for we have much to discuss.”
“How can you possibly think we would trust you on this?” asked the woman.
“Because you have little other recourse if you intend on exposing whatever foul plant has taken root in the Blue Palace. We are on the same side here, Miss Anska. I pray that you will at least here me out tonight.”
Anilay stood up and resumed his walk to the Waterfront while the wary travelers on the bench stared after him curiously. He now had much more to think about, and he hoped beyond hope that the City Isle would indeed be peaceful for an hour or two. The old man didn’t expect him back until dinner hour, but he might have to adjust his schedule now.
“What the [censored] just happened?” asked Anska, incredulously. “Was that seriously the High Chancellor? Isn’t he a big deal around here?”
“’Big deal’ is a bit of an understatement, love,” replied Cain. “He’s essentially second-in-command and is the direct liaison between Mede and the Elder Council itself. I can’t believe he recognized us so easily. Maybe we should get off the streets if we stick out like sore thumbs.”
“No offense, but I’m pretty sure it’s just you that sticks out,” said Anska. “If news of your position in the court has made its way south, then even the public might recognize the High King’s son. So, yes, let’s head for that place he mentioned. Any idea where it’s at?”
“Yeah, it’s over in the Elven Gardens District. I stayed there last time I was in the city.”
Anska grabbed his hand and led them back towards the promenade they’d meandered along before stopping in the Temple District. Passing through the Market District, Cain couldn’t help but stop for some food and drink, despite Anska’s impatient tutting. I’m starving, and the food at Luther’s is less than desirable. Trust me.
Whatever, just hurry it up. I feel exposed now.
An hour later they were seat around a small table in the basement parlor Anilay had instructed them to rent. Anska’s nose wrinkled at the smell coming from the soup she had ordered from Luther himself, while Cain munched on a loaf of bread and some goat cheese.
“I told you the food sucked,” he chuckled. “Do yourself a favor and don’t eat that slop. Here, spread some of the butter he gave you on the bread and make a sandwich. You’ll thank me later.”
She looked around the sparsely furnished room. “What are we supposed to do with ourselves for the next eight hours? This place is dreadfully boring.”
“I can think of one or two things I wouldn’t mind doing,” winked Cain.
Just then, the door at the top of the stairs opened and a light-footed figure descended the stairs and looked around the parlor from beneath a plain colored hood. Cain’s hand was already unsheathing his sword and he heard the button unsnap from Anska’s axe loop when a familiar voice addressed them.
“If you’re going to do that sort of thing, can you please wait until I am gone?” asked Kyne.
Anska got up in a blur and ran over to hug the goddess while Cain shook his head and kept eating his lunch. The ladies joined him back at the table a few seconds later and Kyne helped herself to a green apple while Anska made herself a sandwich. Cain took a swig of water from his mug and then wiped bits of food from around his mouth before drumming up a conversation.
“How the hell did you find us down here, mum?” asked Cain.
“I’ve been keeping tabs on you every day, dear. Your morning prayers kept me apprised of your progress and once you made it to the city, I made sure to keep you in my sights.” She took another bite of her apple and then set it down on a small tea plate. “By the way…who were you speaking with earlier by the temple?”
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” said Cain.
“Try me.”
“Very well. It was High Chancellor Anilay Cato, whom, I might add, will be meeting us here later tonight. It was his suggestion to book this room.”
A pregnant pause filled the space between them for a few moments while Kyne’s eyes searched his features. He could tell that she would indeed have never guessed such a thing, and now Cain could practically hear the gears turning in her head. Anska continued to make her sandwich as if this was just another normal conversation in her daily life �" which it very much was these days.
“Goodness, I certainly didn’t expect you to say that name,” mused Kyne. Then she grew more serious: “I don’t like this. How did he even know you were here? What are his motivations for meeting with you?”
“He recognized my face in passing, so they must have a fairly accurate drawing or portrait of me,” said Cain. “As for his intentions… that remains to be seen. My gut tells me we need to hear him out, though. I didn’t sense anything malicious from him earlier, and he seemed genuinely concerned with getting us out of the public eye. So, here we wait.”
“I should like to be present later, if I can manage it,” said Kyne. “And I need to let the girls know of this development.”
“You’re welcome to spend the afternoon with us,” said Anska. “How are they coming along with their investigation anyway?”
“Not well. And now they’ve got another issue to deal with on their plate, albeit a less urgent one.”
At this point, Cain excused himself to go upstairs and use the bathroom while Anska and Kyne got caught up on matters at home. Luther seemed to draw quite a crowd throughout the day, for as soon as Cain stepped onto the main floor he noticed the bar had gotten much busier since they’d arrived. Shopworkers, couriers, tradesmen, and guards all shambled around with cups of wine, not caring who or what they bumped into.
The bathroom was upstairs of all places and was in a sorry enough state that Cain only lingered as long as he had to before heading back down to the basement. Kyne and Anska talking quietly when he returned, announcing himself after setting foot on the top step. He took his seat again and leaned back in the chair casually while sipping from a cup of coffee he procured from the eponymous barkeep.
“So, what’s the plan, mum?” asked Cain. “Are you sticking around?”
“Yes, I want to hear what Anilay has to say.”
“Will you be able to hide yourself? The hawk form you usually take might stick out a bit down here. S’pose you could always become a mouse instead…”
Anska started giggling madly. “I’m sorry, don’t mind me - I just had a mental image of a cat chasing you around in mouse form. Can you imagine the absurdity of that? A little stray bounding after a Divine, dodging the boxes and barrels tucked away in the corners of the room!” She put a hand over her mouth to stifle further laughter while Kyne looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “Whew! Sorry again, mum. I don’t know what that made me laugh so much.”
The goddess shook her head and took another bite of her apple. “It’s no wonder you get on so well with Linneá and Serana. Those two would have been laughing right along with you!”
“Holy [censored]!” exclaimed Anska. It had been nearly a week since they’d left Skingrad and continued their journey east. The weather had been clear, and the roads were relatively empty, save for the occasional guard patrol. Now they stood in the foothills around the basin of Lake Rumare, staring out over the calm waters and drinking in the incredible breadth of the Imperial City. “I thought you were overselling it, but it’s still bigger than I could have imagined!
“Sorta makes you wonder how Skyrim gets by with its little villages and towns, eh?” said Cain. “Don’t forget, though �" the city has been a major seat of power for thousands of years.”
“And that’s the White-Gold Tower at the center?”
“Aye. Home of the Imperial Library, the Elder Council, and the Emperor himself. Hopefully, we don’t have to go there, but I’m not sure where the Thalmor headquarters are. We’ll have to discreetly ask around town.” Cain kissed Anska on the cheek to break her reverie. “C’mon, milady… if we double-time it, we can make the inn at Weye by sundown.”
Down the road they went, skirting around the ruins of an old stone fort before turning north for the tiny town nestled right by the bridge leading into the city. The roads were more open near the lake shore, and farms were littered about the gentle slopes. The occasional guard patrol or traveler would nod at them in passing, but thankfully no one seemed to be interested in stopping for a conversation.
Cain looked down at his armor cuirass and found that he didn’t blame them; he was filthy from a week of travel with no chance to bathe or even rinse the grime off. He’d forgotten how few streams and tributaries there were in the West Weald. Looking over at his fiancé, he wondered how she’d managed to remain much cleaner than he.
Trust me, I smell worse than I look, she thought at Cain. Do you think the tavern will have a bath like the one in Skingrad? If it doesn’t, I’m not above going for a swim in the lake before we go to bed.
Definitely going to be the lake. It’s been a few years since I was last in Weye, but the inn didn’t have a bath then.
Skinny dipping it is!
The small town of Weye, as Anska soon discovered, was little more than a toll stop with a shabby looking bar. Even Stonehills had been a bustling metropolis compared to the tiny scab of a town she now stood in the middle of. She gazed about at the few denizens going about their business while Cain was booking a room inside the Wawnet Inn, wondering where they all lived. There only seemed to be one house, and there were no merchant stalls or vendor shops.
“How do these people get by here?” she asked Cain. He’d just stepped out of the tavern and handed her a rusty old room key. “There’s nothing to do!”
“Beats me,” Cain shrugged. “I always thought it odd that this place never expanded. Then again, I guess they don’t have to, with the city just across the bridge.”
Together they headed back out of town and made their way down to the lake shore for a twilit swim in the cool waters of the lake. There wasn’t another soul in sight to watch them, so after helping each other remove their armors, Anska waded slowly out from the rocky shore.
“Are you coming or what?” she called back to him.
“Be there in a minute!” said Cain. Rooting through his overstuffed belt satchel, he pulled out most of the lavender he’d picked, along with a few other fragrant flowers and mashed them into a pulp on one of the broad, smooth rocks lying about the shore. Within a couple of minutes, he was able to mix in some water and fine sand to form something that passed for a soap.
“What took you so long?”
After wading out to meet her, Cain handed Anska one of the soap lumps. “Thought we could do better than just rinsing off. If it doesn’t just fall apart, that is.”
“Ooh, it smells lovely.”
They washed and bathed under the moonlight for a while before moving back closer to the beach and sitting down in the calm waters. The Imperial City dominated their vision, looking more foreboding to Anska than she expected it to. She still found it hard to believe she was here, and how much had changed in her life. Feeling her eyelids begin to droop, Anska leaned her head onto Cain’s shoulder, and quietly thanked the divines for bringing him into her life.
Cain smiled and ran his fingers through her long hair, still unbraided from their dip in the lake. Even with the uncertainty of their mission and the dangers that no doubt lay ahead, he couldn’t help but feel at peace in this moment. He’d never have guessed they would share a quiet, romantic night on the shores of Lake Rumare. Then a slight snoring sound escaped her nose, bringing an end to the peaceful reprieve.
Anska startled a bit as Cain scooped her up in his arms. “M’sorry, love,” she breathed. “Such a lovely evening and I can’t stay awake.”
“That doesn’t make it any less enjoyable,” he assured her. He carried her back to the shoreline and helped her get dressed before donning his own trousers and tunic. Together, they shambled back up to the town and headed for their room at the inn. Cain helped Anska into bed and then joined her after locking the door.
Her warm brown eyes, heavy with exhaustion from two weeks of travel on foot, stared into his own the moment he laid down next to her. “I love you so much,” she said to him, her voice barely above a whisper. “Don’t know where I’d be if we had never met. Or if I’d even still be alive.”
“I like to think I would have found you no matter what,” said Cain. “And I love you, too. Go to sleep, hon. I won’t be far behind.”
-----
The Temple District was bustling with the kind of activity that befitted a normal midday in a prominent part of the Imperial City. At the center stood the preserved ruins of the Temple of the One, the massive stone statue of Akatosh’s dragon avatar towering above the collapsed walls of the once dominant cathedral.
Anilay paused for a moment and prayed silently to the Dragon God of Time, willing him to see the Empire through the dark times that lie ahead. Then he was on the move again, striding purposefully towards the City Isle, and its peaceful Waterfront, where he often escaped to for an hour or two of peace and quiet. A linen hood shrouded the High Chancellor’s recognizable face from the citizens of his great city, and the unassuming commoner clothes he wore allowed him to seamlessly blend into the normal crowds.
It looked just like any other summer day in the city; residents shopping for food from grocers, travelers coming and going from various inns and taverns, adventurers haggling with smithys over repair work, and young couples enjoying the safety and tranquility of the fortified capital. He walked past one such couple seated on bench, reading a small bit of parchment, when a vague feeling of recollection tugged at the fringes of his thoughts.
Shaking it off at first, he had one foot through the towering wooden doors to the Waterfront when the rest of his mind caught up. Anilay backtracked a few paces and leaned against a tall beech tree that faced the bench while he tried to place the man’s features. Where do I know this man from? he wondered. A dignitary from a party? Some mugshot on a wanted poster? Hm, no, that doesn’t feel right. Countless memories of men he’d met over the years flitted through his mind until it finally settled on a rough sketch his field agents had mailed to him not three weeks prior.
Anilay looked to heavens and prayed once again to Akatosh. And then he thanked the god for hearing his prayers at all. Keeping his hood tightened around his face, the chancellor calmly approached the bench an sat down next to the stout Redguard.
“How is that you’ve come to be here, Cain Windborne?” he asked quietly. Anilay noticed the immediate shift in the man’s posture and guessed there was a dagger within his grip. “Please, keep your weapon sheathed, lest we draw the attention of the city guard.” He felt the intense gaze of Cain and the Nord woman next to him, who must be Anska, his rumored mate.
“Who are you?” growled Cain. “And how do you know who I am?”
“My name is Anilay Cato, and it’s my job to know such things.”
A sharp intake of breath revealed that the Redguard recognized the name. “…You lie,” said Cain. “What would the High Chancellor of the Empire be doing skulking around the fringes of the city?”
“I assure you this is not a ruse. But you are not safe here and I request that you get off of the streets immediately, for your own well-being. Please make haste to Luther Broad’s Boarding House and rent the basement parlor for the night. I shall meet you there after sunset, for we have much to discuss.”
“How can you possibly think we would trust you on this?” asked the woman.
“Because you have little other recourse if you intend on exposing whatever foul plant has taken root in the Blue Palace. We are on the same side here, Miss Anska. I pray that you will at least here me out tonight.”
Anilay stood up and resumed his walk to the Waterfront while the wary travelers on the bench stared after him curiously. He now had much more to think about, and he hoped beyond hope that the City Isle would indeed be peaceful for an hour or two. The old man didn’t expect him back until dinner hour, but he might have to adjust his schedule now.
-----
“What the [censored] just happened?” asked Anska, incredulously. “Was that seriously the High Chancellor? Isn’t he a big deal around here?”
“’Big deal’ is a bit of an understatement, love,” replied Cain. “He’s essentially second-in-command and is the direct liaison between Mede and the Elder Council itself. I can’t believe he recognized us so easily. Maybe we should get off the streets if we stick out like sore thumbs.”
“No offense, but I’m pretty sure it’s just you that sticks out,” said Anska. “If news of your position in the court has made its way south, then even the public might recognize the High King’s son. So, yes, let’s head for that place he mentioned. Any idea where it’s at?”
“Yeah, it’s over in the Elven Gardens District. I stayed there last time I was in the city.”
Anska grabbed his hand and led them back towards the promenade they’d meandered along before stopping in the Temple District. Passing through the Market District, Cain couldn’t help but stop for some food and drink, despite Anska’s impatient tutting. I’m starving, and the food at Luther’s is less than desirable. Trust me.
Whatever, just hurry it up. I feel exposed now.
An hour later they were seat around a small table in the basement parlor Anilay had instructed them to rent. Anska’s nose wrinkled at the smell coming from the soup she had ordered from Luther himself, while Cain munched on a loaf of bread and some goat cheese.
“I told you the food sucked,” he chuckled. “Do yourself a favor and don’t eat that slop. Here, spread some of the butter he gave you on the bread and make a sandwich. You’ll thank me later.”
She looked around the sparsely furnished room. “What are we supposed to do with ourselves for the next eight hours? This place is dreadfully boring.”
“I can think of one or two things I wouldn’t mind doing,” winked Cain.
Just then, the door at the top of the stairs opened and a light-footed figure descended the stairs and looked around the parlor from beneath a plain colored hood. Cain’s hand was already unsheathing his sword and he heard the button unsnap from Anska’s axe loop when a familiar voice addressed them.
“If you’re going to do that sort of thing, can you please wait until I am gone?” asked Kyne.
Anska got up in a blur and ran over to hug the goddess while Cain shook his head and kept eating his lunch. The ladies joined him back at the table a few seconds later and Kyne helped herself to a green apple while Anska made herself a sandwich. Cain took a swig of water from his mug and then wiped bits of food from around his mouth before drumming up a conversation.
“How the hell did you find us down here, mum?” asked Cain.
“I’ve been keeping tabs on you every day, dear. Your morning prayers kept me apprised of your progress and once you made it to the city, I made sure to keep you in my sights.” She took another bite of her apple and then set it down on a small tea plate. “By the way…who were you speaking with earlier by the temple?”
“You wouldn’t believe me if I told you,” said Cain.
“Try me.”
“Very well. It was High Chancellor Anilay Cato, whom, I might add, will be meeting us here later tonight. It was his suggestion to book this room.”
A pregnant pause filled the space between them for a few moments while Kyne’s eyes searched his features. He could tell that she would indeed have never guessed such a thing, and now Cain could practically hear the gears turning in her head. Anska continued to make her sandwich as if this was just another normal conversation in her daily life �" which it very much was these days.
“Goodness, I certainly didn’t expect you to say that name,” mused Kyne. Then she grew more serious: “I don’t like this. How did he even know you were here? What are his motivations for meeting with you?”
“He recognized my face in passing, so they must have a fairly accurate drawing or portrait of me,” said Cain. “As for his intentions… that remains to be seen. My gut tells me we need to hear him out, though. I didn’t sense anything malicious from him earlier, and he seemed genuinely concerned with getting us out of the public eye. So, here we wait.”
“I should like to be present later, if I can manage it,” said Kyne. “And I need to let the girls know of this development.”
“You’re welcome to spend the afternoon with us,” said Anska. “How are they coming along with their investigation anyway?”
“Not well. And now they’ve got another issue to deal with on their plate, albeit a less urgent one.”
At this point, Cain excused himself to go upstairs and use the bathroom while Anska and Kyne got caught up on matters at home. Luther seemed to draw quite a crowd throughout the day, for as soon as Cain stepped onto the main floor he noticed the bar had gotten much busier since they’d arrived. Shopworkers, couriers, tradesmen, and guards all shambled around with cups of wine, not caring who or what they bumped into.
The bathroom was upstairs of all places and was in a sorry enough state that Cain only lingered as long as he had to before heading back down to the basement. Kyne and Anska talking quietly when he returned, announcing himself after setting foot on the top step. He took his seat again and leaned back in the chair casually while sipping from a cup of coffee he procured from the eponymous barkeep.
“So, what’s the plan, mum?” asked Cain. “Are you sticking around?”
“Yes, I want to hear what Anilay has to say.”
“Will you be able to hide yourself? The hawk form you usually take might stick out a bit down here. S’pose you could always become a mouse instead…”
Anska started giggling madly. “I’m sorry, don’t mind me - I just had a mental image of a cat chasing you around in mouse form. Can you imagine the absurdity of that? A little stray bounding after a Divine, dodging the boxes and barrels tucked away in the corners of the room!” She put a hand over her mouth to stifle further laughter while Kyne looked at her with a raised eyebrow. “Whew! Sorry again, mum. I don’t know what that made me laugh so much.”
The goddess shook her head and took another bite of her apple. “It’s no wonder you get on so well with Linneá and Serana. Those two would have been laughing right along with you!”
Anska’s first glimpse of the Imperial City did not disappoint. Quite a contrast to the wide spot in the road, Weye. A swim/bath in Lake Rumare with scented soap and, thankfully, no slaughterfish. The interlude was lovely but felt ominously like a calm before a storm.
By Dibella’s silky britches what’s the chance of being spotted and recognized by the High Councilor?! An unlikely alliance perhaps?
A surprising but welcoming visit from Kyne. I’m glad she’ll be sticking around for this meeting to hopefully help Cain and Anska sort out what to make of whatever Anilay has to say. Methinks she’d be wiser to be the cat than the mouse though.
By Dibella’s silky britches what’s the chance of being spotted and recognized by the High Councilor?! An unlikely alliance perhaps?
A surprising but welcoming visit from Kyne. I’m glad she’ll be sticking around for this meeting to hopefully help Cain and Anska sort out what to make of whatever Anilay has to say. Methinks she’d be wiser to be the cat than the mouse though.
Chapter XXXI – A Tense Meeting
Anilay felt more than a little apprehensive when the basement door of Luther Broad’s Boarding House opened and he began his descent down the dusty wooden steps. He was not at all sure how this encounter would unfold, or if they would even be there, especially since some of his more recent actions directly harmed Cain and his family. But he hoped the man would still be willing to listen, even if he was well within his right to end the High Chancellor’s life right then and there.
Thankfully, they were indeed sitting around a small pub table at the center of the room, with a bottle of wine and three mugs at the ready. Cain watched Anilay closely as he approached while Anska picked at her fingernails, seemingly bored of the entire matter. Glancing around to make sure no one else was present, Anilay gestured towards the empty seat and Cain nodded.
“Thank you for agreeing to meet with me,” said Anilay. “I’m sure my sudden arrival by the temple was a little disconcerting, but quite frankly I was stunned to find you there. There are a lot of men out searching for you since your disappearance and I never expected you to be so far west already. Or that you’d come to such a dangerous place at all. Er, dangerous for you, that is.”
“Why exactly are they, or rather, you, searching for me?” Cain asked. “Is it not bad enough that my own family hunts us down on false accusations? Now I have to worry about the empire gunning for us, as well?”
Frowning, Anilay leaned back in his chair a little bit to entice a more relaxed atmosphere between the three of them. He uncorked the bottle of wine and filled his cup to the brim, and then offered it to Cain and Anska. Two more cupfuls were poured in short order before he took a sip and soldiered on.
“Mede has been after you since you were revealed as Dragonborn,” said Anilay. “At first, he just coveted your power for his own inner circle. Now, he just wants your father’s heir out of the picture.”
A small clatter in the dim corner behind Anilay startled him slightly. Craning his neck around, he noticed a set of calipers had toppled over and hit the stone floor at the base of an empty barrel. Atop the barrel sat a little mouse staring curiously about the room.
“Damn vermin,” said Anilay, shaking his head. “Luther usually runs a tighter ship. I’ll make sure he takes care of that before you go to sleep tonight. Anyway… as you can imagine, the Emperor is sparing no expense to find you. Luckily, I have been working with the Elder Council to locate you first, so it was quite a nice surprise to stumble upon you this afternoon.”
“I see,” said Cain. “So then, are you two also the reason why my sisters were attacked, and why an Ayleid village was burned to the ground with no survivors?”
“The former, no. The latter... yes, unfortunately.”
There was a sudden flurry of movement and before Cain could intervene, Anska had stood up and brought her axe down on the table in a metallic blur, cleaving Anilay’s wooden cup in two and burying the axe head in the table where it stood quivering, only a hair’s breadth from his left hand. Glaring intensely at the chancellor, she plucked her axe free from the table and used it to lift his chin until his eyes met hers.
“We had to walk through that village and pray for the slaughtered and innocent men, women, and children that we found,” she whispered menacingly at him. “Think carefully about what you still have to say or the next thing my axe bisects will be your head pompous Imperial head.” She sat back down and winked at Cain, who sighed and shook his head.
“Look, I’m not proud of what I’ve been forced to do in Mede’s service,” sputtered Anilay. “But an order from the Emperor is not something one can refuse. And even if I did, he would simply have the guards kill me, and then he’d bring in someone who will carry it out. The best I can manage is to mitigate damage when possible. The Thalmor were ordered to stop you from finding the wild elves, and I didn’t think they stood a chance against a Dragonborn. When I’d heard that they instead had laid waste to the village…”
Anska made to rise again, but Cain placed a hand on her shoulder and patted it gently. Then he got up and walked to the small pantry near the stairs, grabbed a new mug, and set it down in front of Anilay. Cain poured another measure of wine for the man, smiled at the mouse in the corner, and took his seat across from Anilay again, this time regarding him more carefully. He’d given a fair answer to a hard question, and he did so without seeming like a prototypical politician.
“We can move on for now,” said Cain. “You wanted to find us? Well, here we are. I’m sure you are wondering what the hell we are doing here in the first place, but you’ll have to explain your own intentions before we go any further.”
The High Chancellor took a much deeper pull from his fresh cup of wine and savored the vintage while pondering on just how much he wanted to reveal. Deciding to start small, he offered something that, unbeknownst to him, Cain and Anska already knew: “Right then. Are you aware that your father’s inner circle has a mole?”
“Quite aware, yes,” laughed Cain. “We are unsure of who it is exactly, but they’ve made things unpleasant for Anska and I. In fact, the only reason we decided to be here for this little meeting is because I intend to root out this mysterious informant, with or without your help.”
“Interesting,” admitted Anilay. “I take it your entire reason for being in the Imperial City is to find that out? I would also assume your next move would be to press me on who it is, but I cannot help you there. Mede has his own personal contacts that even I am not privy to, and he refuses to divulge all of his secrets to anyone.”
“Oho, so it’s the old man himself who seeks to divide us!” Cain grinned, triumphantly. “And here we thought for sure that the Thalmor would have something to do with it. I’m disappointed to hear that, but it doesn’t surprise me. From what I’ve heard, the Emperor has grown very paranoid in his old age.” Cain frowned as the new excitement vanished and was replaced with an even grimmer foreboding. “That makes things all the more difficult now, though. Infiltrating the Dominion headquarters was daunting enough...”
“You’re much braver than I if you planned on strolling into their embassy and rummaging through their files,” said Anilay. “That would have been suicide.”
“Suicide would be ignoring the problem,” said Anska. “You want to help us? Get Cain and I inside your fancy tower, and we’ll put the squeeze on these special agents your boss uses.”
Her last words hung in the air for a moment while Anilay considered the ramifications of aiding them in such a way. Secreting the two most wanted people in Cyrodiil around the White-Gold Tower would be nigh impossible, and would likely cause his own ruin if they were found out. The answers they sought would no doubt be locked within the Emperor’s private study, which only increased the odds of complete failure.
Cain and Anska watched him expectantly, wondering where this meeting would go next. It had been somewhat fruitful already, but they had a feeling that the man sitting before them yearned to be more helpful than he was letting on.
Deciding to try a sweeter approach, Anska cleared her throat and interrupted his reverie. “Hate to break your train of thought, but I feel I owe you an apology for threatening you before.” She smiled brightly at him and made a show of tossing her axe across the room and out of her reach. “You’ll have to forgive me for being a little protective of those that I love.”
“It’s understandable,” he replied, one eyebrow raised slightly at her change in demeanor. “And please don’t take my callousness towards these events as uncaring. I’ve a lot of regrets in my life and that’s why I’m here with you two now.”
“Well, then let’s help each other,” said Anska. “You seem to have an interest in doing right by us, even if you are playing it close to the vest. You’ve already willingly given us some important information that you thought might help us, so why the song and dance? My gut tells me there is far more at work here than Cain and I could possibly know, so if our desires happen to align, why not strike a deal?”
Anilay chewed thoughtfully on his lip. “There is a certain wisdom in that, but I’d have to speak to some friends on the council first. I will make no promises, though.”
“Fair enough,” said Cain. “Shall we meet back here in say… two days’ time?”
“Meet back here? Do you intend on leaving?”
“Oh yes,” answered Cain. “We are not hiding in a cellar like sitting ducks.” Anilay opened his mouth to protest but Cain raised a hand and cut him off. “No one will see us leave, nor will anyone be able to find us. You have my word.”
“Your word it is, then,” nodded Anilay. “This time, two days from now, yes? Very good.”
The High Chancellor rose from his seat and bid them farewell before heading back upstairs and out into the city. Seconds later, Kyne emerged from the shadows and took the vacated seat across from her children and sighed wearily.
“I don’t like the idea of you two infiltrating the Tower,” she admitted. “It’s too dangerous.”
“We need answers, mum,” said Cain. “And this is how we can get them. The man seems genuine and he may be able to help us in more ways than one. It’s like Anska said before: there is a bigger picture we aren’t privy to, and I suspect it involves all of us. Here and back home.”
“I think you are right, dear,” said Kyne. “I touched on his mind briefly and there was no malice towards you. Maybe a touch of hope, I dare say.” She fell silent for a moment and then perked back up again. “So, where will you go, if you don’t plan on staying here? Which is a move I completely agree with, by the way – much too exposed here.”
“Back to Anvil. A campsite on the coastline sounds lovely, don’t you think, Anska?”
“It does indeed, darling.”
A light breeze fluttered through an open window of the Blue Palace, many stories above the highest rooftop in Solitude. Cloudy skies obscured the summer glow of Masser and Secunda, bathing the land in a dim summer night. It was almost midnight but a dull orange light illuminated a spacious bedroom, the flames of a large chandelier dancing in the light zephyr. Two lightly robed women were sprawled across a plush four-poster bed, snoring heavily into the nighttime air.
Linneá awoke with a start when a voice spoke directly into her mind.
Are you awake, child?
I am now, mum. Not so damn loud next time, yeah?
Sorry, but I tried whispering a few times first. That usually works well enough.
Er, Serana and I may have killed a bottle of Firebrand earlier. Keep that to yourself though – dad still won’t legalize it.
Your secrets safe with me, Linn. I just wanted to let you know that your target isn’t a Thalmor operative, but an Imperial agent instead. Their identity is known only to Mede, though. For now.
For now?
Cain and Anska are working on it. Give them time.
Okay. Thank you, mum, and send them my love.
Always.
Their silent conversation ended, Linneá rolled over and fumbled for the pitcher of water left on the nightstand and took a few deep gulps of it. Then she snuggled up to Serana and closed her eyes again, trying to regain the deep slumber the wine had imposed upon her.
“Uh uh, you don’t get to just come in all lovey dovey after you two shouted in our heads for five minutes,” grumbled Serana. “I was having a wonderful dream involving the two of us and a distinct lack of clothing before all of that started.”
“I think I was having the same dream,” sighed Linneá. “Want to recreate it?”
“Thought you’d never ask.”
Breakfast the next morning was a delicious affair, as it always was at their regal home. Linneá and Serana, despite having a late night, managed to shamble in only a few minutes later than usual. They helped themselves to over-sized mugs of coffee while the waiting staff piled up their plates with poached duck eggs, crispy bacon, and freshly baked bread still warm from the ovens. Linneá was slathering honeyed butter over a slice when Lydia cleared her throat meaningfully.
“Morning ladies. Did you remember your promise to me for today?”
Linneá nodded and swallowed a bite of egg. “No, we didn’t forget, mum. We’ll spend some time with Salihn this afternoon – Ana and I are thinking about taking her down to the shoreline to let her splash around in the sea for an hour or two. I think she’ll love that.”
“Good. I take it that was your idea, Serana?”
“Not at all, mum. Elle, was bouncing ideas off of me for a few hours last night before she settled on that one in particular. She’s really come around on this unique situation we’ve ended up in. It’s quite endearing, if I’m being honest.
“I’m right here ya know,” said Linneá. “It’s rude to speak about me as if I’m not.”
“Sorry, sweetie,” said Serana apologetically. “It has been nice to see though, especially since you spiraled a little bit after the little one came to thank us.”
“Can’t be helped,” grinned Linneá. “She is just so damn cute.”
Kirin hadn’t said anything thus far, though he couldn’t help but agree with his daughter’s assessment of the Ayleid girl. “Aye, that she is. You two did a wonderful thing in bringing her back here. I still can’t believe my own son left her there unconscious like that. I expected better of him.”
“We all did, dad,” said Serana. “But I choose to believe that he knew we’d take care of her. Besides, love has a way of blinding us to the obvious sometimes. We’ll find him and Anska, we promise.”
The matter settled, they resumed eating amid a much lighter atmosphere while catching each other up on how life was unfolding in the palace walls. Lydia sat back and couldn’t help but smile gently, her eyes lingering on Linneá. Deep down, she’d always known there was a good mother in there, buried beneath years of staunch independence. She’d just needed a little push in the right direction.
Anilay felt more than a little apprehensive when the basement door of Luther Broad’s Boarding House opened and he began his descent down the dusty wooden steps. He was not at all sure how this encounter would unfold, or if they would even be there, especially since some of his more recent actions directly harmed Cain and his family. But he hoped the man would still be willing to listen, even if he was well within his right to end the High Chancellor’s life right then and there.
Thankfully, they were indeed sitting around a small pub table at the center of the room, with a bottle of wine and three mugs at the ready. Cain watched Anilay closely as he approached while Anska picked at her fingernails, seemingly bored of the entire matter. Glancing around to make sure no one else was present, Anilay gestured towards the empty seat and Cain nodded.
“Thank you for agreeing to meet with me,” said Anilay. “I’m sure my sudden arrival by the temple was a little disconcerting, but quite frankly I was stunned to find you there. There are a lot of men out searching for you since your disappearance and I never expected you to be so far west already. Or that you’d come to such a dangerous place at all. Er, dangerous for you, that is.”
“Why exactly are they, or rather, you, searching for me?” Cain asked. “Is it not bad enough that my own family hunts us down on false accusations? Now I have to worry about the empire gunning for us, as well?”
Frowning, Anilay leaned back in his chair a little bit to entice a more relaxed atmosphere between the three of them. He uncorked the bottle of wine and filled his cup to the brim, and then offered it to Cain and Anska. Two more cupfuls were poured in short order before he took a sip and soldiered on.
“Mede has been after you since you were revealed as Dragonborn,” said Anilay. “At first, he just coveted your power for his own inner circle. Now, he just wants your father’s heir out of the picture.”
A small clatter in the dim corner behind Anilay startled him slightly. Craning his neck around, he noticed a set of calipers had toppled over and hit the stone floor at the base of an empty barrel. Atop the barrel sat a little mouse staring curiously about the room.
“Damn vermin,” said Anilay, shaking his head. “Luther usually runs a tighter ship. I’ll make sure he takes care of that before you go to sleep tonight. Anyway… as you can imagine, the Emperor is sparing no expense to find you. Luckily, I have been working with the Elder Council to locate you first, so it was quite a nice surprise to stumble upon you this afternoon.”
“I see,” said Cain. “So then, are you two also the reason why my sisters were attacked, and why an Ayleid village was burned to the ground with no survivors?”
“The former, no. The latter... yes, unfortunately.”
There was a sudden flurry of movement and before Cain could intervene, Anska had stood up and brought her axe down on the table in a metallic blur, cleaving Anilay’s wooden cup in two and burying the axe head in the table where it stood quivering, only a hair’s breadth from his left hand. Glaring intensely at the chancellor, she plucked her axe free from the table and used it to lift his chin until his eyes met hers.
“We had to walk through that village and pray for the slaughtered and innocent men, women, and children that we found,” she whispered menacingly at him. “Think carefully about what you still have to say or the next thing my axe bisects will be your head pompous Imperial head.” She sat back down and winked at Cain, who sighed and shook his head.
“Look, I’m not proud of what I’ve been forced to do in Mede’s service,” sputtered Anilay. “But an order from the Emperor is not something one can refuse. And even if I did, he would simply have the guards kill me, and then he’d bring in someone who will carry it out. The best I can manage is to mitigate damage when possible. The Thalmor were ordered to stop you from finding the wild elves, and I didn’t think they stood a chance against a Dragonborn. When I’d heard that they instead had laid waste to the village…”
Anska made to rise again, but Cain placed a hand on her shoulder and patted it gently. Then he got up and walked to the small pantry near the stairs, grabbed a new mug, and set it down in front of Anilay. Cain poured another measure of wine for the man, smiled at the mouse in the corner, and took his seat across from Anilay again, this time regarding him more carefully. He’d given a fair answer to a hard question, and he did so without seeming like a prototypical politician.
“We can move on for now,” said Cain. “You wanted to find us? Well, here we are. I’m sure you are wondering what the hell we are doing here in the first place, but you’ll have to explain your own intentions before we go any further.”
The High Chancellor took a much deeper pull from his fresh cup of wine and savored the vintage while pondering on just how much he wanted to reveal. Deciding to start small, he offered something that, unbeknownst to him, Cain and Anska already knew: “Right then. Are you aware that your father’s inner circle has a mole?”
“Quite aware, yes,” laughed Cain. “We are unsure of who it is exactly, but they’ve made things unpleasant for Anska and I. In fact, the only reason we decided to be here for this little meeting is because I intend to root out this mysterious informant, with or without your help.”
“Interesting,” admitted Anilay. “I take it your entire reason for being in the Imperial City is to find that out? I would also assume your next move would be to press me on who it is, but I cannot help you there. Mede has his own personal contacts that even I am not privy to, and he refuses to divulge all of his secrets to anyone.”
“Oho, so it’s the old man himself who seeks to divide us!” Cain grinned, triumphantly. “And here we thought for sure that the Thalmor would have something to do with it. I’m disappointed to hear that, but it doesn’t surprise me. From what I’ve heard, the Emperor has grown very paranoid in his old age.” Cain frowned as the new excitement vanished and was replaced with an even grimmer foreboding. “That makes things all the more difficult now, though. Infiltrating the Dominion headquarters was daunting enough...”
“You’re much braver than I if you planned on strolling into their embassy and rummaging through their files,” said Anilay. “That would have been suicide.”
“Suicide would be ignoring the problem,” said Anska. “You want to help us? Get Cain and I inside your fancy tower, and we’ll put the squeeze on these special agents your boss uses.”
Her last words hung in the air for a moment while Anilay considered the ramifications of aiding them in such a way. Secreting the two most wanted people in Cyrodiil around the White-Gold Tower would be nigh impossible, and would likely cause his own ruin if they were found out. The answers they sought would no doubt be locked within the Emperor’s private study, which only increased the odds of complete failure.
Cain and Anska watched him expectantly, wondering where this meeting would go next. It had been somewhat fruitful already, but they had a feeling that the man sitting before them yearned to be more helpful than he was letting on.
Deciding to try a sweeter approach, Anska cleared her throat and interrupted his reverie. “Hate to break your train of thought, but I feel I owe you an apology for threatening you before.” She smiled brightly at him and made a show of tossing her axe across the room and out of her reach. “You’ll have to forgive me for being a little protective of those that I love.”
“It’s understandable,” he replied, one eyebrow raised slightly at her change in demeanor. “And please don’t take my callousness towards these events as uncaring. I’ve a lot of regrets in my life and that’s why I’m here with you two now.”
“Well, then let’s help each other,” said Anska. “You seem to have an interest in doing right by us, even if you are playing it close to the vest. You’ve already willingly given us some important information that you thought might help us, so why the song and dance? My gut tells me there is far more at work here than Cain and I could possibly know, so if our desires happen to align, why not strike a deal?”
Anilay chewed thoughtfully on his lip. “There is a certain wisdom in that, but I’d have to speak to some friends on the council first. I will make no promises, though.”
“Fair enough,” said Cain. “Shall we meet back here in say… two days’ time?”
“Meet back here? Do you intend on leaving?”
“Oh yes,” answered Cain. “We are not hiding in a cellar like sitting ducks.” Anilay opened his mouth to protest but Cain raised a hand and cut him off. “No one will see us leave, nor will anyone be able to find us. You have my word.”
“Your word it is, then,” nodded Anilay. “This time, two days from now, yes? Very good.”
The High Chancellor rose from his seat and bid them farewell before heading back upstairs and out into the city. Seconds later, Kyne emerged from the shadows and took the vacated seat across from her children and sighed wearily.
“I don’t like the idea of you two infiltrating the Tower,” she admitted. “It’s too dangerous.”
“We need answers, mum,” said Cain. “And this is how we can get them. The man seems genuine and he may be able to help us in more ways than one. It’s like Anska said before: there is a bigger picture we aren’t privy to, and I suspect it involves all of us. Here and back home.”
“I think you are right, dear,” said Kyne. “I touched on his mind briefly and there was no malice towards you. Maybe a touch of hope, I dare say.” She fell silent for a moment and then perked back up again. “So, where will you go, if you don’t plan on staying here? Which is a move I completely agree with, by the way – much too exposed here.”
“Back to Anvil. A campsite on the coastline sounds lovely, don’t you think, Anska?”
“It does indeed, darling.”
-----
A light breeze fluttered through an open window of the Blue Palace, many stories above the highest rooftop in Solitude. Cloudy skies obscured the summer glow of Masser and Secunda, bathing the land in a dim summer night. It was almost midnight but a dull orange light illuminated a spacious bedroom, the flames of a large chandelier dancing in the light zephyr. Two lightly robed women were sprawled across a plush four-poster bed, snoring heavily into the nighttime air.
Linneá awoke with a start when a voice spoke directly into her mind.
Are you awake, child?
I am now, mum. Not so damn loud next time, yeah?
Sorry, but I tried whispering a few times first. That usually works well enough.
Er, Serana and I may have killed a bottle of Firebrand earlier. Keep that to yourself though – dad still won’t legalize it.
Your secrets safe with me, Linn. I just wanted to let you know that your target isn’t a Thalmor operative, but an Imperial agent instead. Their identity is known only to Mede, though. For now.
For now?
Cain and Anska are working on it. Give them time.
Okay. Thank you, mum, and send them my love.
Always.
Their silent conversation ended, Linneá rolled over and fumbled for the pitcher of water left on the nightstand and took a few deep gulps of it. Then she snuggled up to Serana and closed her eyes again, trying to regain the deep slumber the wine had imposed upon her.
“Uh uh, you don’t get to just come in all lovey dovey after you two shouted in our heads for five minutes,” grumbled Serana. “I was having a wonderful dream involving the two of us and a distinct lack of clothing before all of that started.”
“I think I was having the same dream,” sighed Linneá. “Want to recreate it?”
“Thought you’d never ask.”
-----
Breakfast the next morning was a delicious affair, as it always was at their regal home. Linneá and Serana, despite having a late night, managed to shamble in only a few minutes later than usual. They helped themselves to over-sized mugs of coffee while the waiting staff piled up their plates with poached duck eggs, crispy bacon, and freshly baked bread still warm from the ovens. Linneá was slathering honeyed butter over a slice when Lydia cleared her throat meaningfully.
“Morning ladies. Did you remember your promise to me for today?”
Linneá nodded and swallowed a bite of egg. “No, we didn’t forget, mum. We’ll spend some time with Salihn this afternoon – Ana and I are thinking about taking her down to the shoreline to let her splash around in the sea for an hour or two. I think she’ll love that.”
“Good. I take it that was your idea, Serana?”
“Not at all, mum. Elle, was bouncing ideas off of me for a few hours last night before she settled on that one in particular. She’s really come around on this unique situation we’ve ended up in. It’s quite endearing, if I’m being honest.
“I’m right here ya know,” said Linneá. “It’s rude to speak about me as if I’m not.”
“Sorry, sweetie,” said Serana apologetically. “It has been nice to see though, especially since you spiraled a little bit after the little one came to thank us.”
“Can’t be helped,” grinned Linneá. “She is just so damn cute.”
Kirin hadn’t said anything thus far, though he couldn’t help but agree with his daughter’s assessment of the Ayleid girl. “Aye, that she is. You two did a wonderful thing in bringing her back here. I still can’t believe my own son left her there unconscious like that. I expected better of him.”
“We all did, dad,” said Serana. “But I choose to believe that he knew we’d take care of her. Besides, love has a way of blinding us to the obvious sometimes. We’ll find him and Anska, we promise.”
The matter settled, they resumed eating amid a much lighter atmosphere while catching each other up on how life was unfolding in the palace walls. Lydia sat back and couldn’t help but smile gently, her eyes lingering on Linneá. Deep down, she’d always known there was a good mother in there, buried beneath years of staunch independence. She’d just needed a little push in the right direction.
Cain and Anska (and KyneMouse) learn much from the High Chancellor. Most importantly is that not all the Emperor’s minions are loyal to Mede. And the High Chancellor even has some potential to be an ally if they read him right. Happily, Kyne is able to confirm it seems they do indeed read him right.
Ferreting out the mole in the Blue Palace is another story though and one rife with danger. Longer term, there is always the shadow of the Thalmor to muck up any alliance between Skyrim and the Empire.
Cain and Anska will spend the two days before the next meeting in Anvil it sounds. I should think mark and recall magic could prove most helpful for this.
Meanwhile, back on the Blue Palace front, there is another conspiracy – Lydia, Kirin and Serana all doing their best to introduce Linneá to motherhood. ‘I found a baby wild elf – she’s so cute! Can we keep her?’
Ferreting out the mole in the Blue Palace is another story though and one rife with danger. Longer term, there is always the shadow of the Thalmor to muck up any alliance between Skyrim and the Empire.
Cain and Anska will spend the two days before the next meeting in Anvil it sounds. I should think mark and recall magic could prove most helpful for this.
Meanwhile, back on the Blue Palace front, there is another conspiracy – Lydia, Kirin and Serana all doing their best to introduce Linneá to motherhood. ‘I found a baby wild elf – she’s so cute! Can we keep her?’
Chapter XXXII �" Revelations
Rain blattered against their tent as a blistering thunderstorm roiled in off of the Abecean Sea, soaking the sandy shore beneath them. Cain and Anska sat cross-legged in the middle while they chatted the dreary afternoon away, secretly wishing Kyne would blow the storm past them in a hurry. After two peaceful and quiet days alone on the beach north of Anvil, they were due back in the Imperial City at nightfall to meet with the High Chancellor once again. Anilay had hinted at a possible alliance, but did so with some trepidation �" especially since he would be aiding two fugitives.
Despite that, Cain couldn’t help but feel the answers they sought were tantalizingly close. And yet he felt uneasy about all of it. Anska had noticed his withdrawal during those moments since they had arrived back here, and finally decided to ask him about it.
“What is it, darling? Something has been eating at you since we left the city…”
“Hm?” Cain murmured, shaking from his reverie. “Oh, just this business with Anilay and how it will shake out. Kyne was right to feel uneasy about how dangerous of an undertaking this might be. Could you imagine if we were caught sneaking around the White-Gold Tower? My presence alone would cause a scandal, let alone the fact that Mede pursues us.”
“I know, but at least we might have help with the matter,” said Anska. “I’m sure he has secret ways in, and to move about the tower. It’ll work out, you’ll see. There is nothing we can’t do together, my love.”
Cain swallowed hard. There was something else he’d been considering, and his fiancé was not going to like it. At all. “Er, about that…”
“About what?” asked Anska, eyes narrowed.
“If Anilay is able to help us, I think I need to go with him by myself. I �" “
“Like hell you will!” shouted Anska, cutting him off. “You are not going in one of the most dangerous places in Tamriel without me you damned lunkhead! Where is this coming from? Some kind of sudden gallantry or worry for my well-being? I can take care of myself, as you damn well know!”
Cain shrunk back a little under the torrent of words that seemed no less intense than the storm engulfing their meager campsite. That had gone about as well as he had expected it to, and he knew from intimate experience that it was best to just wait Anska out. After a few more choice words, she became less verbose and settled for staring daggers at him.
His admonishment now complete, Cain deigned to respond as placatingly as he could. “Hon, I agree with all of that and I always want you by my side. But this time will be different: stealth is the order of the day, and alone I can move faster and more quietly if Anilay is to lead me through tower. And if I somehow do get captured or cornered, I can easily vanish in a flash without worrying about becoming separated from you!”
“Don’t care. I will not leave your side until this is all over. Period.” Then she got up and left the tent, taking a seat outside in the wet sand and bowing her head against the elements. Anska saw the logic in Cain’s reasoning, but Mara’s warning to them in Skingrad echoed over and over again in her mind until it reached a fever pitch.
Annoyed at how poorly that had gone and sensing her distress, Cain soon followed her outside and decided that he’d had enough godsdamned rain for a while. The wind howled around them and the rain poured down in buckets on the Gold Coast until he stared up into the swirling grey clouds and Shouted three ancient Words of Power into the heavens.
“LOK VAH KOOR!”
Startled by the unexpected eruption of noise from behind her, Anska swiftly rose to her feet and spun around to face Cain just as the rain ceased and the massive storm clouds overhead evaporated under the mighty command of a Dragonborn. The sun now blazed down on them as if the rain had never happened, causing steam to rise from their drenched clothing while Anska stared him down.
“You couldn’t have [censored] done that earlier?”
Despite the circumstances, Cain smiled broadly at the woman he loved beyond reason. “I’m not one for showing off. Besides, a good rain is healthy for nature. Can’t just go around turning off the weather all the time.”
“Whatever,” grumbled Anska. She sat down in the sand again and stared out over the now calm sea. Cain joined her on the ground and followed her gaze out over the glistening blue waters and sighed heavily. After a moment of silence, Anska leaned her head onto his shoulder and closed her eyes. “I’m sorry I went off on you. But you are not getting rid of me that easily, Cain Windborne. No matter how strong your reasoning is. Not after what Mara told us.”
“Anska, I will never want to be rid of you. I know you can handle yourself better than most, but that won’t ever stop me from wanting to keep you safe, especially with that little one growing in your belly. And I can feel how heavily her warning is weighing on you and I’m sorry for not considering that. All I ask is that if we do end up sneaking into the Tower, then you must remain as close to me as possible. I won’t hesitate to pull us out at the first sign of trouble.”
“Deal,” said Anska. They laid back in the damp sand and stared up at blue skies now mingled with lofty white clouds soaring high above Nirn. Closing her eyes against the bright sun, Anska breathed in deeply and exhaled slowly. “I long for the day when this is all over, dear. All I want is to spend our days safely within the palace walls, enjoying a quiet life, and raising our child.”
“That sounds idyllic,” agreed Cain. “We’ll get there soon, Anska. I promise.”
“I’m holding you to that.”
Several hours later they were seated once again around the small pub table in the basement room of Luther Broad’s, waiting anxiously for the High Chancellor to return. This time, however, they had eaten beforehand instead of ordering another questionable meal from the barman upstairs. Three more mugs and a bottle of wine rested on the table between them but it had yet to be opened. There was no telling how this second meeting with Anilay would go, and so they waited in relative silence, only thinking the occasional question at each other.
Right on cue, the door at the top of the basement stairs opened and footsteps descended the rickety wooden steps. Cain and Anska watched intently until they recognized the Imperial man’s face illuminated by the torches and candles spread about the room. He strode purposefully towards them and sat in the empty chair, a faint smile touching his lips.
“So, what’s it to be?” asked Cain. “Will you help us? Or turn us in?”
“The Elder Council has agreed to cooperate fully,” he nodded.
Cain breathed a sigh of relief. Getting in to the White-Gold Tower will be much easier with help from the inside, especially if Anilay could help to keep guards occupied with trivial tasks. Still ever cautious, he glanced over at the mouse perched atop a barrel in the corner, and was relieved to see it nod ever so slightly.
“Excellent!” said Cain. “What sort of conditions do you have? And I have to ask… why is the council interested in helping us, and by extension, the High King?”
“I’m curious about that myself,” said Anska. “The Empire has only ever cared about itself since the Septim line ended. The Legion barely helped put down the Stormcloaks.”
“Those are valid concerns, but you already touched on the heart of the matter in our last meeting, Cain. Mede has indeed grown paranoid and fearful �" his old age worries him and he refuses to let go of what his family has achieved. He clings to power and refuses to see the new dawn that approaches.”
A new dawn? What does he mean by that? thought Anska.
I dunno, but it implies that the Emperor’s days may be numbered. Gods, I hope we don’t end up in the midst of a power struggle.
Anilay stared curiously at Cain and Anska. They’d fallen silent when he finished speaking, yet they appeared to be concentrating on something else. Noticing his gaze, Cain played it off by uncorking the wine and pouring glasses for all three of them.
“Well now,” said Cain. “That certainly is some food for thought.”
“Indeed. And there is something else you should know, in the spirit of cooperation. I’m not ignorant to the fact that you and the lovely Ms. Anska here will be the ones undertaking this dangerous task, so I think it’s only fair that I slip a little insider information to you.”
“You have my attention,” said Cain, his left eyebrow raised.
“Mede has been planning an attack on the Blue Palace for some time now. I’m not privy to all the details, but I can tell you that Penitus Oculatus agents have been slowly getting into position over the last few months. I don’t know when the order will be given, but given it will be, and they will swarm the palace in the hopes of overwhelming your exceptionally powerful family and thus eliminating Mede’s largest threat to power. You must find a way to warn them.”
For several long moments, nothing but the rowdy rabble from the bar upstairs could be heard. A pin could have fallen in the basement of Luther Broad’s and the resulting echo would have reverberated throughout the entire building while Cain and Anska sat in stunned silence. Staring open-mouthed at the High Chancellor, they hadn’t even noticed the small mouse jump down from its perch and scurry off into the darkness.
“You… you can’t be serious!” exclaimed Cain. “Can he really be that [censored] stupid? An entire legion couldn’t hope to stand before my father and sisters, yet he thinks his secret police can pull that off? It’s madness! And he’d better hope Anska and I aren’t home by then or he will really regret trying a stunt like that!”
“Cain, we need to go home,” pleaded Anska. “Now. [censored] this quest for information �" there are more important things in life than finding some turncoat.”
“I told you he was fearful,” tutted Anilay. “The council and I both recognize it as folly, but at the end of the day, he is the Emperor and it’s his will to carry it out. But I implore you not to abandon your mission. We can do this as soon as tomorrow night, if you are ready, and we can put an end to his secretive methods. We want the same information �" who are these special contacts and where are they implanted? Let’s find it out and then you can be on your way.”
Cain lowered his head into his hands and glanced sideways through the gap in his fingers. Kyne was gone, which meant she likely already relayed this new development to Linneá. His family would know, and they would be able to shore things up back home. Anialy was right �" there was no reason to leave just yet.
We’re going through with this, he thought at Anska. Kyne’s gone and Linn probably knows what’s happening. One more day won’t make a difference.
Fine. But the moment we find what we are after, you WILL recall us home, Cain. That’s an order.
Yes, boss.
“Tomorrow night it is, Anilay,” agreed Cain, raising his head to meet the Imperial’s eyes. “Tell us where to be and we will see you there.”
It was midnight and yet the dull murmur of voices could be heard from within Kirin’s private study. Had Linneá not casted her room muffling spell, the murmur would sound much more akin to shouting. But the entire palace staff did not need to be aware of what was transpiring in the dead of night, and so they slept soundly while the King and his family talked and argued rather heatedly.
Kirin had resumed his usual pacing behind his ornate desk while he digested the information his daughter had woken him up with. Linneá and Serana occupied their usual seats opposite the desk, while Lydia lounged on her favorite chaise, still trying to shake the grogginess from her tired mind.
“There’s no way he can be that stupid,” said Kirin. “It will be political suicide when he fails. The Elder Council will oust him without a second thought and he’ll be executed for treason against one of the Empire’s own allies. You must have heard wrongly, Linn.”
A fluttering of wings announced the arrival of Kyne herself as she soared through the window and took her human form amid her favorite family. Raising a hand to keep the silence, she addressed Kirin directly and firmly. “The information is valid, my child. I heard it with my own ears.”
Kirin’s eyes narrowed. “Where did you hear it, mum? What is it that you and my daughters aren’t telling me?”
Linneá fidgeted nervously and opened her mouth to speak, but Kyne smiled and shook her head. “It’s okay, dear. It’s time a for a few secrets to be told.” She patted her shoulder reassuringly and then turned back to face Kirin. “The High Chancellor himself, Anilay Cato, gave this warning to Cain and Anska not two hours ago, in the Imperial City.”
Lydia gasped and rose from her seat, the latent sleepiness immediately forgotten. She stepped behind the desk with her husband and glared at the three of them. “How long have you known they were there?” she demanded. “And why did you not bring them home?!”
This time, Linneá would not be silenced. “Because they’re innocent, godsdamnit! We put them through hell, and they’ve done nothing wrong!”
“Elle speaks the truth, mum,” said Serana. “We’ve known since barely a day after they escaped. Kyne has been checking in on them, and we even apologized in person after we learned the truth. They’ve been in Cyrodiil since that ugly day in the Ayleid village.”
Kirin sat down in his chair and stared benignly at the top of his desk. These last few minutes had been overwhelming and he need a few minutes to sort out his emotions. A pending attack on their home and the land he was sworn to protect. The innocence of his son and the woman he loved. The secrets his own daughters had kept from them. And direct communication to the High Chancellor himself.
He looked up at Linneá and asked a single, pointed question. The one he cared about the most: “Why did you not tell me about Cain and Anska?”
“It was his idea, and it was a good one, da,” replied Linneá. “We kept up the pretense here at the palace to distract everyone from our search for the real leak. All the while he and Anska traveled to the Imperial City with the intention of finding out the same thing from that end. How they ended up meeting Anilay Cato, I don’t know. That’s a revelation to Serana and I, too.”
Still standing tensely behind him, Lydia began to relax while the tale unfolded. Then she sat on Kirin’s lap and nodded sagely at her daughters. “This has been weighing on you for some time, hasn’t it?”
“It’s been awful,” said Serana. “And I’m glad the ruse is over �" among us at least. Cain and Anska don’t deserve what’s happened to them, but it’s also made them stronger.”
“They’re even engaged to be married,” winked Kyne.
“WHAT?!” shouted Kirin and Lydia in unison. “I can’t believe we’ve missed that,” added Lydia, looking crestfallen.
“We will make it up to them,” promised Linneá. “Big time. For now, we have a city to defend. And they have a mole to find. Speak no more of this, unless we are all here together as we are now, yeah? There are dark days ahead, but hopefully they can return to us soon.”
“Dare I say we can have a little celebration?” asked Serana. “We can drink to our wayward brother and son, and his future wife. I think we still have a bottle of Firebrand tucked away downstairs…”
“Serana!” exclaimed Kirin. “I ordered you and Linn to dispose of that when it was confiscated!”
“Come on, dad, you didn’t really think we’d do that, did you?” grinned Linneá. “Lighten up and enjoy a drink with us. I think you’ll come to like that stuff!”
Laughter filled the small study as Kirin groaned and buried his face in his hands.
Rain blattered against their tent as a blistering thunderstorm roiled in off of the Abecean Sea, soaking the sandy shore beneath them. Cain and Anska sat cross-legged in the middle while they chatted the dreary afternoon away, secretly wishing Kyne would blow the storm past them in a hurry. After two peaceful and quiet days alone on the beach north of Anvil, they were due back in the Imperial City at nightfall to meet with the High Chancellor once again. Anilay had hinted at a possible alliance, but did so with some trepidation �" especially since he would be aiding two fugitives.
Despite that, Cain couldn’t help but feel the answers they sought were tantalizingly close. And yet he felt uneasy about all of it. Anska had noticed his withdrawal during those moments since they had arrived back here, and finally decided to ask him about it.
“What is it, darling? Something has been eating at you since we left the city…”
“Hm?” Cain murmured, shaking from his reverie. “Oh, just this business with Anilay and how it will shake out. Kyne was right to feel uneasy about how dangerous of an undertaking this might be. Could you imagine if we were caught sneaking around the White-Gold Tower? My presence alone would cause a scandal, let alone the fact that Mede pursues us.”
“I know, but at least we might have help with the matter,” said Anska. “I’m sure he has secret ways in, and to move about the tower. It’ll work out, you’ll see. There is nothing we can’t do together, my love.”
Cain swallowed hard. There was something else he’d been considering, and his fiancé was not going to like it. At all. “Er, about that…”
“About what?” asked Anska, eyes narrowed.
“If Anilay is able to help us, I think I need to go with him by myself. I �" “
“Like hell you will!” shouted Anska, cutting him off. “You are not going in one of the most dangerous places in Tamriel without me you damned lunkhead! Where is this coming from? Some kind of sudden gallantry or worry for my well-being? I can take care of myself, as you damn well know!”
Cain shrunk back a little under the torrent of words that seemed no less intense than the storm engulfing their meager campsite. That had gone about as well as he had expected it to, and he knew from intimate experience that it was best to just wait Anska out. After a few more choice words, she became less verbose and settled for staring daggers at him.
His admonishment now complete, Cain deigned to respond as placatingly as he could. “Hon, I agree with all of that and I always want you by my side. But this time will be different: stealth is the order of the day, and alone I can move faster and more quietly if Anilay is to lead me through tower. And if I somehow do get captured or cornered, I can easily vanish in a flash without worrying about becoming separated from you!”
“Don’t care. I will not leave your side until this is all over. Period.” Then she got up and left the tent, taking a seat outside in the wet sand and bowing her head against the elements. Anska saw the logic in Cain’s reasoning, but Mara’s warning to them in Skingrad echoed over and over again in her mind until it reached a fever pitch.
Annoyed at how poorly that had gone and sensing her distress, Cain soon followed her outside and decided that he’d had enough godsdamned rain for a while. The wind howled around them and the rain poured down in buckets on the Gold Coast until he stared up into the swirling grey clouds and Shouted three ancient Words of Power into the heavens.
“LOK VAH KOOR!”
Startled by the unexpected eruption of noise from behind her, Anska swiftly rose to her feet and spun around to face Cain just as the rain ceased and the massive storm clouds overhead evaporated under the mighty command of a Dragonborn. The sun now blazed down on them as if the rain had never happened, causing steam to rise from their drenched clothing while Anska stared him down.
“You couldn’t have [censored] done that earlier?”
Despite the circumstances, Cain smiled broadly at the woman he loved beyond reason. “I’m not one for showing off. Besides, a good rain is healthy for nature. Can’t just go around turning off the weather all the time.”
“Whatever,” grumbled Anska. She sat down in the sand again and stared out over the now calm sea. Cain joined her on the ground and followed her gaze out over the glistening blue waters and sighed heavily. After a moment of silence, Anska leaned her head onto his shoulder and closed her eyes. “I’m sorry I went off on you. But you are not getting rid of me that easily, Cain Windborne. No matter how strong your reasoning is. Not after what Mara told us.”
“Anska, I will never want to be rid of you. I know you can handle yourself better than most, but that won’t ever stop me from wanting to keep you safe, especially with that little one growing in your belly. And I can feel how heavily her warning is weighing on you and I’m sorry for not considering that. All I ask is that if we do end up sneaking into the Tower, then you must remain as close to me as possible. I won’t hesitate to pull us out at the first sign of trouble.”
“Deal,” said Anska. They laid back in the damp sand and stared up at blue skies now mingled with lofty white clouds soaring high above Nirn. Closing her eyes against the bright sun, Anska breathed in deeply and exhaled slowly. “I long for the day when this is all over, dear. All I want is to spend our days safely within the palace walls, enjoying a quiet life, and raising our child.”
“That sounds idyllic,” agreed Cain. “We’ll get there soon, Anska. I promise.”
“I’m holding you to that.”
-----
Several hours later they were seated once again around the small pub table in the basement room of Luther Broad’s, waiting anxiously for the High Chancellor to return. This time, however, they had eaten beforehand instead of ordering another questionable meal from the barman upstairs. Three more mugs and a bottle of wine rested on the table between them but it had yet to be opened. There was no telling how this second meeting with Anilay would go, and so they waited in relative silence, only thinking the occasional question at each other.
Right on cue, the door at the top of the basement stairs opened and footsteps descended the rickety wooden steps. Cain and Anska watched intently until they recognized the Imperial man’s face illuminated by the torches and candles spread about the room. He strode purposefully towards them and sat in the empty chair, a faint smile touching his lips.
“So, what’s it to be?” asked Cain. “Will you help us? Or turn us in?”
“The Elder Council has agreed to cooperate fully,” he nodded.
Cain breathed a sigh of relief. Getting in to the White-Gold Tower will be much easier with help from the inside, especially if Anilay could help to keep guards occupied with trivial tasks. Still ever cautious, he glanced over at the mouse perched atop a barrel in the corner, and was relieved to see it nod ever so slightly.
“Excellent!” said Cain. “What sort of conditions do you have? And I have to ask… why is the council interested in helping us, and by extension, the High King?”
“I’m curious about that myself,” said Anska. “The Empire has only ever cared about itself since the Septim line ended. The Legion barely helped put down the Stormcloaks.”
“Those are valid concerns, but you already touched on the heart of the matter in our last meeting, Cain. Mede has indeed grown paranoid and fearful �" his old age worries him and he refuses to let go of what his family has achieved. He clings to power and refuses to see the new dawn that approaches.”
A new dawn? What does he mean by that? thought Anska.
I dunno, but it implies that the Emperor’s days may be numbered. Gods, I hope we don’t end up in the midst of a power struggle.
Anilay stared curiously at Cain and Anska. They’d fallen silent when he finished speaking, yet they appeared to be concentrating on something else. Noticing his gaze, Cain played it off by uncorking the wine and pouring glasses for all three of them.
“Well now,” said Cain. “That certainly is some food for thought.”
“Indeed. And there is something else you should know, in the spirit of cooperation. I’m not ignorant to the fact that you and the lovely Ms. Anska here will be the ones undertaking this dangerous task, so I think it’s only fair that I slip a little insider information to you.”
“You have my attention,” said Cain, his left eyebrow raised.
“Mede has been planning an attack on the Blue Palace for some time now. I’m not privy to all the details, but I can tell you that Penitus Oculatus agents have been slowly getting into position over the last few months. I don’t know when the order will be given, but given it will be, and they will swarm the palace in the hopes of overwhelming your exceptionally powerful family and thus eliminating Mede’s largest threat to power. You must find a way to warn them.”
For several long moments, nothing but the rowdy rabble from the bar upstairs could be heard. A pin could have fallen in the basement of Luther Broad’s and the resulting echo would have reverberated throughout the entire building while Cain and Anska sat in stunned silence. Staring open-mouthed at the High Chancellor, they hadn’t even noticed the small mouse jump down from its perch and scurry off into the darkness.
“You… you can’t be serious!” exclaimed Cain. “Can he really be that [censored] stupid? An entire legion couldn’t hope to stand before my father and sisters, yet he thinks his secret police can pull that off? It’s madness! And he’d better hope Anska and I aren’t home by then or he will really regret trying a stunt like that!”
“Cain, we need to go home,” pleaded Anska. “Now. [censored] this quest for information �" there are more important things in life than finding some turncoat.”
“I told you he was fearful,” tutted Anilay. “The council and I both recognize it as folly, but at the end of the day, he is the Emperor and it’s his will to carry it out. But I implore you not to abandon your mission. We can do this as soon as tomorrow night, if you are ready, and we can put an end to his secretive methods. We want the same information �" who are these special contacts and where are they implanted? Let’s find it out and then you can be on your way.”
Cain lowered his head into his hands and glanced sideways through the gap in his fingers. Kyne was gone, which meant she likely already relayed this new development to Linneá. His family would know, and they would be able to shore things up back home. Anialy was right �" there was no reason to leave just yet.
We’re going through with this, he thought at Anska. Kyne’s gone and Linn probably knows what’s happening. One more day won’t make a difference.
Fine. But the moment we find what we are after, you WILL recall us home, Cain. That’s an order.
Yes, boss.
“Tomorrow night it is, Anilay,” agreed Cain, raising his head to meet the Imperial’s eyes. “Tell us where to be and we will see you there.”
-----
It was midnight and yet the dull murmur of voices could be heard from within Kirin’s private study. Had Linneá not casted her room muffling spell, the murmur would sound much more akin to shouting. But the entire palace staff did not need to be aware of what was transpiring in the dead of night, and so they slept soundly while the King and his family talked and argued rather heatedly.
Kirin had resumed his usual pacing behind his ornate desk while he digested the information his daughter had woken him up with. Linneá and Serana occupied their usual seats opposite the desk, while Lydia lounged on her favorite chaise, still trying to shake the grogginess from her tired mind.
“There’s no way he can be that stupid,” said Kirin. “It will be political suicide when he fails. The Elder Council will oust him without a second thought and he’ll be executed for treason against one of the Empire’s own allies. You must have heard wrongly, Linn.”
A fluttering of wings announced the arrival of Kyne herself as she soared through the window and took her human form amid her favorite family. Raising a hand to keep the silence, she addressed Kirin directly and firmly. “The information is valid, my child. I heard it with my own ears.”
Kirin’s eyes narrowed. “Where did you hear it, mum? What is it that you and my daughters aren’t telling me?”
Linneá fidgeted nervously and opened her mouth to speak, but Kyne smiled and shook her head. “It’s okay, dear. It’s time a for a few secrets to be told.” She patted her shoulder reassuringly and then turned back to face Kirin. “The High Chancellor himself, Anilay Cato, gave this warning to Cain and Anska not two hours ago, in the Imperial City.”
Lydia gasped and rose from her seat, the latent sleepiness immediately forgotten. She stepped behind the desk with her husband and glared at the three of them. “How long have you known they were there?” she demanded. “And why did you not bring them home?!”
This time, Linneá would not be silenced. “Because they’re innocent, godsdamnit! We put them through hell, and they’ve done nothing wrong!”
“Elle speaks the truth, mum,” said Serana. “We’ve known since barely a day after they escaped. Kyne has been checking in on them, and we even apologized in person after we learned the truth. They’ve been in Cyrodiil since that ugly day in the Ayleid village.”
Kirin sat down in his chair and stared benignly at the top of his desk. These last few minutes had been overwhelming and he need a few minutes to sort out his emotions. A pending attack on their home and the land he was sworn to protect. The innocence of his son and the woman he loved. The secrets his own daughters had kept from them. And direct communication to the High Chancellor himself.
He looked up at Linneá and asked a single, pointed question. The one he cared about the most: “Why did you not tell me about Cain and Anska?”
“It was his idea, and it was a good one, da,” replied Linneá. “We kept up the pretense here at the palace to distract everyone from our search for the real leak. All the while he and Anska traveled to the Imperial City with the intention of finding out the same thing from that end. How they ended up meeting Anilay Cato, I don’t know. That’s a revelation to Serana and I, too.”
Still standing tensely behind him, Lydia began to relax while the tale unfolded. Then she sat on Kirin’s lap and nodded sagely at her daughters. “This has been weighing on you for some time, hasn’t it?”
“It’s been awful,” said Serana. “And I’m glad the ruse is over �" among us at least. Cain and Anska don’t deserve what’s happened to them, but it’s also made them stronger.”
“They’re even engaged to be married,” winked Kyne.
“WHAT?!” shouted Kirin and Lydia in unison. “I can’t believe we’ve missed that,” added Lydia, looking crestfallen.
“We will make it up to them,” promised Linneá. “Big time. For now, we have a city to defend. And they have a mole to find. Speak no more of this, unless we are all here together as we are now, yeah? There are dark days ahead, but hopefully they can return to us soon.”
“Dare I say we can have a little celebration?” asked Serana. “We can drink to our wayward brother and son, and his future wife. I think we still have a bottle of Firebrand tucked away downstairs…”
“Serana!” exclaimed Kirin. “I ordered you and Linn to dispose of that when it was confiscated!”
“Come on, dad, you didn’t really think we’d do that, did you?” grinned Linneá. “Lighten up and enjoy a drink with us. I think you’ll come to like that stuff!”
Laughter filled the small study as Kirin groaned and buried his face in his hands.
Well, Cain’s idea to infiltrate the White Gold Tower without Anska went predictably south. No surprise at all that she’s not letting him out of her sight!
Hmm, Mede planning a surprise attack on the Blue Palace? Sounds like it would fail, and almost certain to fail now that the plan is known. As Kirin points out, the failure could give the Elder Council a perfect excuse to oust Mede. The plot quite thickens.
I expect Kirin will be taking defensive countermeasures, even as Cain and Anska snoop around in the White Gold Tower.
Hmm, Mede planning a surprise attack on the Blue Palace? Sounds like it would fail, and almost certain to fail now that the plan is known. As Kirin points out, the failure could give the Elder Council a perfect excuse to oust Mede. The plot quite thickens.
I expect Kirin will be taking defensive countermeasures, even as Cain and Anska snoop around in the White Gold Tower.
Chapter XXXIII – Infiltration
Vilverin is a decrepit Ayleid ruin lying on the outskirts of the Imperial City. Overrun with bandits, most travelers tended to sneak past it under the cover of night, rather than be extorted by the miscreants for exorbitant sums of gold. Unfortunately for said miscreants and highwaymen, it also happened to be located directly across from a nearly forgotten entrance to the Imperial Prison Sewer system. And so, the last of those very same bandits fell to Cain’s sword beneath the ruddy evening skies of another spent summer day.
“Why don’t the guards do something about these scumbags?” asked Anska. “I expected the roads to be safer in Cyrodiil, but at this point I’d rather take my chances on Skyrim’s roads!”
“Most likely because Mede no longer cares,” said Cain. “It takes resources and dedication to improve the lives of his citizens, and that is something he seems to lack. The roads back home are only safer because my father saw firsthand how dangerous the lands were and he actively chose to make things better when he became High King. From what Linn said, riffraff like this was only too happy to sign up for guard duty or enlist in Skyrim’s defense forces. They just needed the opportunity presented.”
“I remember those recruiters traveling around,” replied Anska. “I was tempted to join myself, but life in the village sounded much more peaceful.”
“Well, I’m glad you weren’t tempted. Or we may have never met.”
Anska blushed and gave him a quick kiss before gesturing to the small dock at the edge of Lake Rumare. “Shall we?”
Cain agreed, and together they clambered into the ramshackle rowboat tethered to the pier and shoved off, paddling hurriedly towards the sister dock just across the narrow lake rim. The sun had fully set when they docked near the sewer entrance, and headed back onto dry land. Checking their gear one last time, Anska tightened the strap of her waraxe belt loop, and then they yanked open the rusty grate and climbed inside the foul-smelling tunnel.
Pulling out the map Anilay had given him last night, Cain briefly scanned it under the light of Anska’s torch. “It looks like we have a small cave system to navigate. The actual sewer system ends further in.”
“Where is Anilay meeting us?”
“There’s a secret door in one of the prison cells,” said Cain, pointing at an area circled on the map. “He’ll be waiting on the other side.”
“Alright, then. I’ve got the torch, so you follow me this time. And try to keep up.”
“Oh? This is a new one,” winked Cain. “Do me a favor and hitch up that tasset, yeah? If I’m going to follow you, then I plan on admiring that ass.”
“[censored]’s sake,” sighed Anska, rolling her eyes. “Get us through this alive and you can do more than admire it, you perv.”
She set off confidently into the dark cave tunnel with Cain at her heels. They wound their way through the twisting labyrinth for nearly an hour until they heard odd chattering and guttural noises from a room just ahead. Cain pressed an ear to a poorly constructed wooden door that barred their path and listened to the noises coming from the other side.
“Goblins,” he whispered to Anska. “They aren’t a threat to us, but neither will we be able to reason with them. When you’re ready, kick the door down and charge in with your axe at the ready.”
Anska was raring to go and after a swift kick the door stood forcefully ajar and they rushed into the room beyond. About half a dozen goblins shrieked in alarm and started lobbing roughly hewn spears and wildly swinging their short swords at the two Nords, but they were all cut down in a few moments. Wiping the blood from their weapons, Cain and Anska moved on, rifling through the odd cache of goblin loot illuminated by her torch. The caves were mostly empty after that initial scrap and all that could be heard was their echoing footsteps, and the gentle pitter patter of water seeping down from the earth above.
The caves eventually ended and gave way to a rundown sewer system full of dark corridors and dank cisterns. Only the occasional rusty grate hindered their progress, but they were easily forced open with another kick, or a gently spoken word of Unrelenting Force. Around midnight, Cain and Anska came to a dead-end. A solid block wall stood before them, with no discernible signs of entry stamped into it.
“This must be the place,” said Cain. He withdrew the silver sword from its sheath on his back and rapped on the stonework with the pommel, causing a dull thud to echo around them.
Seconds later, another thudding sound answered in kind, and just after that came the clanking of heavy chains, and the rhythmic grinding of old iron gears. The wall in front of them rumbled once in protest against years of disuse, and then it slowly sunk into an aperture on their left, revealing a narrow passage that led into an empty prison cell. They hurried through it and were greeted by Anilay himself, who waited patiently by the cell door.
“Right on time,” said the High Chancellor. “Let’s move – Mede’s private chambers are near the top of the tower.”
“Won’t the prisoners see us?” asked Cain.
“Not to worry. They’ve all been… persuaded to sleep for a few hours. I’ve also arranged for most of the guards to engage in a friendly sparring competition in the barracks. Only a skeleton crew remains on patrol and they can easily be avoided.”
“What of Mede?” said Anska. “Should we be watchful for him?”
“He’s in Bravil on business for the next three days,” said Anilay. “If all goes well, he’ll never know you were here.”
“Anilay, you still haven’t explained why you need us for this job,” noted Cain. “If the Emperor is absent, why can you not simply sneak in to his study and rummage through his private documents? Are you afraid of being caught in the act?”
“Not at all. Er, one moment please.” Anialy stepped out into the hallway and peered through a few cell doors to make sure the sleeping effect was still in place. Then he returned to Cain and Anska who waited impatiently for him to continue. “I need you because his chambers are magickally sealed against all others. Only the Imperial signet stamped into his ring allows passage through the protective barrier. Or so he believes.”
“I think I see where you’re going with this,” said Cain. “My birthright as Dragonborn will let me pass through, won’t it?”
“That is my theory, yes,” nodded Anilay. “The signet he carries is a relatively new measure to access the chambers. By all accounts, the old magick is still in place, so you simply ought to be able to walk in unimpeded.”
“How convenient,” said Anska. “It’s no wonder you were trying to find us.”
“Indeed. Now, we really must get a move on. Keep a few paces back and watch for my signals.”
They followed Anilay into the dark corridor and made their way out of the prison and outside into the White-Gold Tower grounds. Clouds had moved in during their time underground, blanketing the land in a murky darkness. A ball of magickal energy burst into prominence above the chancellor as he strode purposefully towards the nearest tower door. Cain noted the lack of guards on patrol and prayed silently to Kyne that it would stay that way.
And for the most part, it did. There were only two or three instances where Anilay raised a hand for them to halt while a guard marched down an empty hall and out of sight. The tower was otherwise devoid of activity at such a late hour, and they soon reached the central staircase that led up to the lofty apex that could be espied from just about anywhere in the Heartland. They came to a halt at the foot of that grand staircase and Cain let out a low whistle.
“Um. That’s a lot of stairs,” mused Anska, agreeing with her fiancé’s summation. “Is there not an easier way up?”
“There is, but the magickal lift dissipates at a certain hour to discourage ne’er-do-wells like us from attempting what we are attempting. During the busy times of a normal day, one can step into that sigil on the floor and be born aloft to whichever floor they desire. But tonight, we climb.”
“Are you sure you can’t sprout some dragon wings and fly us up there, love?” Anska asked Cain jokingly.
“Hah. I wish,” he said. “If there is a Shout for that sort of thing, Linn didn’t teach it to me. I’d settle for an actual dragon to ride though. I’ll forever be jealous that she got to experience that twice.”
“As much as I’d enjoy hearing those stories, we really must continue on,” said Anilay. And without waiting, he extinguished his magelight spell and started the ascent with one hand on the ornately carved wooden railing that spun upwards from the center.
Falling in line behind him, Cain and Anska plodded up the seemingly endless stairs to the highest reaches of White-Gold. It took nearly thirty minutes of non-stop climbing up the carpeted stairs to reach the highest floor, and Anilay paused at the top and took a seat on a small bench to catch his breath. Cain glanced down the short hallway at a set of looming doors inlaid with the Imperial Dragon crest. It seemed to him that a shimmering haze awaited their approach.
“That’s our destination,” confirmed Anilay. “But I need a few moments. It has been many long years since I made that climb.”
Anska fished a spare canteen out of her bag and handed it to the winded Imperial. “Here, take a few swigs of this and rest. We’ll go when you are ready.”
A few steps away, Cain continued to stare down the hall at the imposing set of doors. He somehow felt drawn to the energies emanating from the barrier that stood between the three of them and their long sought-after answers. Closing his eyes, he tried to clear his mind the same way he had weeks and weeks ago in Blacklight, when he first connected with his dragon spirit. And then he felt it – a subtle, near undetectable whisper of warning from a force far beyond the mortal realms.
Danger lay ahead, but it was too late to turn back. Of that, he was now certain.
“Listen to me,” he said, glancing at the others. “All is not what it seems. We must go on, but everything will be different afterwards. Anilay, once we enter Mede’s chambers you must stick close to Anska and I at all times. We need to be ready to leave at a moment’s notice if we are all to survive this.”
“Leave?” asked Anilay. “How exactly do you propose we do that?”
“Hon, what’s wrong?” said Anska. She rose to her feet and took his hand in her own. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost. What’s happened?”
“I can’t explain it,” said Cain. “I felt a whisper of sorts, playing at the edges of my awareness. It was a warning… and yet also a reassurance? It started when I was staring at those doors, and the energy around them. This may sound crazy, but I think it was a message from Akatosh himself. There was a certain feeling of kinship within it.”
“Wait, you can actually see the barrier?” Anilay inquired. “If so, you will definitely be able to pass through. It’s invisible to all others.”
“Then it’s time we go,” said Cain. Anska was still gazing worriedly at him, so he leaned in and gave her a reassuring kiss. “We’ll be fine. Just stick to the plan. Anilay, stay as close to us as you can manage once we get inside there. You asked before how we can leave? Well, it’s time we let you in on a little secret: I’ve mastered a Mark and Recall spell that can teleport us away at the first sign of danger. Stay within our reach and we’ll all vanish from here without a trace at the proper time.”
The Imperial nodded, not bothering to hide the impressed look on his face, and followed behind Cain and Anska. The Dragonborn led them purposefully down the hallway to the impressive chamber doors and swung them open easily, as if he was always meant to be there. The empty quarters of Emperor Titus Mede II were sparsely lit in his absence, and linen sheets were draped over the furniture to ward off any accumulating dust.
There were several doors leading off in different directions, so Cain deferred to the High Chancellor on which one to enter. “The one on the left leads to his study,” said Anilay. “We’ll start there.” He led them to the indicated door and pulled it open, ushering them inside.
Mede’s private study was far vaster than Kirin’s humble office in the Blue Palace. A large desk stood at the center, and each wall was lined with towering bookshelves, and beautifully carved wooden cabinets. Another door led out onto a balcony high above the city below, and several windows allowed in what little moonlight penetrated the dark clouds in the sky above. For the next ten minutes, the three of them sifted through the overstuffed cabinets and bookshelves, along with the desk drawers, and a large iron safe clad with a golden alloy.
“There’s nothing here,” said an exasperated Cain. “Nothing but mindless operational and political documents, missives, letters, and notes. I don’t think any of it is even very secretive! Did either of you find anything worthwhile?”
Anska and Anilay both shrugged and said they hadn’t. Feeling even more frustrated, Cain took a break from searching and leaned against Mede’s desk, his eyes scanning around the room for anything they could have missed. He was about to tear through the desk one more time when he noticed something odd about one of the bookcases. It stood slightly apart from the others, and the books and objects lining the shelves seemed more decorative than functional.
Cain was just about to search it again when Anska called over to him. “Don’t bother, I already looked through the few notes laying on those shelves.”
“It’s not the notes I’m interested in,” said Cain. Instead he focused on the wall behind it, and felt a satisfied smile forming on his lips when he noticed the scuff marks on the paint. “Come here you two and help me - I think this bookcase is a false wall.” He started grabbing at random books and decorations while the others joined him and did just the same. A few minutes later, they’d turned up nothing once again. “Damn, I’d have bet a fat sack of gold that we’d find a switch of some kind.”
“Wait one moment, please,” said Anilay. Hurrying over to the desk, the chancellor crawled underneath and examined the area just beneath the writing top. “Aha! There it is!” A small Imperial Signet was etched into the woodwork. He brushed a couple fingers across it and was rewarded by a sharp cracking sound and a whoop of delight from Cain.
“That did it! How’d you know to look there?”
“I noticed the mark earlier,” answered Anilay. “But I didn’t think anything of it at the time.”
He ushered back over to the bookcase and helped Cain and Anska swing it out of the way. It glided effortlessly on well-oiled hinges and came to a noiseless stop, revealing a small antechamber just off of the office. They stepped through and found themselves in a nearly empty room, save for a small table adorned with a mysterious cask inlaid with strange inscriptions that seemed to glow a deep crimson in the dark air around it.
“What is it?” asked Anska.
“I don’t know,” said Cain. “Any ideas, Anilay?”
The Imperial was staring open-mouthed at the object. He had indeed seen this object before, and had even attended several briefings on its origin and how it came to be in the Empire’s possession. But how it got here was a different matter entirely.
“By the Eight!” he exclaimed. “This shouldn’t be here! It was supposed to have been destroyed at the end of the Great War! This explains much about how Mede has managed to operate independently from the Elder Council for so many years…”
Reaching down, Anilay unlatched the heavy clasp holding the box shut and gently lifted it open. Inside rested a shimmering glass orb resting upon a simple wooden cradle. The orb swirled with a mystical energy that seemed to fluctuate between a bright blueish green and the purest white. Nodding a silent confirmation to himself, he closed the lid and secured the latch.
“Our search is over, my friends. There are no missives to be found nor any mysterious agents to root out.” He picked up the cask containing the object and handed it to Cain. “This is the Orb of Vaermina – a powerful scrying tool unlike any others known to Man or Mer. Think of it as a window to view whatever your heart desires to see. With it, Mede can spy on anyone from anywhere with none the wiser. You must take it away from this place at once, for he cannot be allowed to possess it any longer. Do with it what you will, but I implore you to destroy it as soon as humanly possible.”
Cain worryingly looked over the cask, wondering how such a small thing could have caused he and Anska so many problems. He was also beyond pleased that Anilay had simply handed it to him when it could be a very powerful tool for the council. He resolved to never forget this act of trust, and extended a hand to Anilay. “Thank you for all you’ve done to help us,” he said. “This will certainly turn some heads back home. We couldn’t have done this without you, and I hope we can keep in touch.”
The High Chancellor was about to respond in kind when a rustling sound caught their attention. Three men now stood in the small doorway leading to the antechamber: two heavily armored Penitus Oculatus agents and a shorter, much older man dressed in beautifully woven robes bearing the Imperial Seal. Anilay’s shoulders slumped in defeat and Cain exhaled slowly, tensing up for a quick escape. Even Anska recognized him from the countless portraits and newspapers she’d seen or read over the years.
Emperor Titus Mede II surveyed all three of them with utter contempt.
Vilverin is a decrepit Ayleid ruin lying on the outskirts of the Imperial City. Overrun with bandits, most travelers tended to sneak past it under the cover of night, rather than be extorted by the miscreants for exorbitant sums of gold. Unfortunately for said miscreants and highwaymen, it also happened to be located directly across from a nearly forgotten entrance to the Imperial Prison Sewer system. And so, the last of those very same bandits fell to Cain’s sword beneath the ruddy evening skies of another spent summer day.
“Why don’t the guards do something about these scumbags?” asked Anska. “I expected the roads to be safer in Cyrodiil, but at this point I’d rather take my chances on Skyrim’s roads!”
“Most likely because Mede no longer cares,” said Cain. “It takes resources and dedication to improve the lives of his citizens, and that is something he seems to lack. The roads back home are only safer because my father saw firsthand how dangerous the lands were and he actively chose to make things better when he became High King. From what Linn said, riffraff like this was only too happy to sign up for guard duty or enlist in Skyrim’s defense forces. They just needed the opportunity presented.”
“I remember those recruiters traveling around,” replied Anska. “I was tempted to join myself, but life in the village sounded much more peaceful.”
“Well, I’m glad you weren’t tempted. Or we may have never met.”
Anska blushed and gave him a quick kiss before gesturing to the small dock at the edge of Lake Rumare. “Shall we?”
Cain agreed, and together they clambered into the ramshackle rowboat tethered to the pier and shoved off, paddling hurriedly towards the sister dock just across the narrow lake rim. The sun had fully set when they docked near the sewer entrance, and headed back onto dry land. Checking their gear one last time, Anska tightened the strap of her waraxe belt loop, and then they yanked open the rusty grate and climbed inside the foul-smelling tunnel.
Pulling out the map Anilay had given him last night, Cain briefly scanned it under the light of Anska’s torch. “It looks like we have a small cave system to navigate. The actual sewer system ends further in.”
“Where is Anilay meeting us?”
“There’s a secret door in one of the prison cells,” said Cain, pointing at an area circled on the map. “He’ll be waiting on the other side.”
“Alright, then. I’ve got the torch, so you follow me this time. And try to keep up.”
“Oh? This is a new one,” winked Cain. “Do me a favor and hitch up that tasset, yeah? If I’m going to follow you, then I plan on admiring that ass.”
“[censored]’s sake,” sighed Anska, rolling her eyes. “Get us through this alive and you can do more than admire it, you perv.”
She set off confidently into the dark cave tunnel with Cain at her heels. They wound their way through the twisting labyrinth for nearly an hour until they heard odd chattering and guttural noises from a room just ahead. Cain pressed an ear to a poorly constructed wooden door that barred their path and listened to the noises coming from the other side.
“Goblins,” he whispered to Anska. “They aren’t a threat to us, but neither will we be able to reason with them. When you’re ready, kick the door down and charge in with your axe at the ready.”
Anska was raring to go and after a swift kick the door stood forcefully ajar and they rushed into the room beyond. About half a dozen goblins shrieked in alarm and started lobbing roughly hewn spears and wildly swinging their short swords at the two Nords, but they were all cut down in a few moments. Wiping the blood from their weapons, Cain and Anska moved on, rifling through the odd cache of goblin loot illuminated by her torch. The caves were mostly empty after that initial scrap and all that could be heard was their echoing footsteps, and the gentle pitter patter of water seeping down from the earth above.
The caves eventually ended and gave way to a rundown sewer system full of dark corridors and dank cisterns. Only the occasional rusty grate hindered their progress, but they were easily forced open with another kick, or a gently spoken word of Unrelenting Force. Around midnight, Cain and Anska came to a dead-end. A solid block wall stood before them, with no discernible signs of entry stamped into it.
“This must be the place,” said Cain. He withdrew the silver sword from its sheath on his back and rapped on the stonework with the pommel, causing a dull thud to echo around them.
Seconds later, another thudding sound answered in kind, and just after that came the clanking of heavy chains, and the rhythmic grinding of old iron gears. The wall in front of them rumbled once in protest against years of disuse, and then it slowly sunk into an aperture on their left, revealing a narrow passage that led into an empty prison cell. They hurried through it and were greeted by Anilay himself, who waited patiently by the cell door.
“Right on time,” said the High Chancellor. “Let’s move – Mede’s private chambers are near the top of the tower.”
“Won’t the prisoners see us?” asked Cain.
“Not to worry. They’ve all been… persuaded to sleep for a few hours. I’ve also arranged for most of the guards to engage in a friendly sparring competition in the barracks. Only a skeleton crew remains on patrol and they can easily be avoided.”
“What of Mede?” said Anska. “Should we be watchful for him?”
“He’s in Bravil on business for the next three days,” said Anilay. “If all goes well, he’ll never know you were here.”
“Anilay, you still haven’t explained why you need us for this job,” noted Cain. “If the Emperor is absent, why can you not simply sneak in to his study and rummage through his private documents? Are you afraid of being caught in the act?”
“Not at all. Er, one moment please.” Anialy stepped out into the hallway and peered through a few cell doors to make sure the sleeping effect was still in place. Then he returned to Cain and Anska who waited impatiently for him to continue. “I need you because his chambers are magickally sealed against all others. Only the Imperial signet stamped into his ring allows passage through the protective barrier. Or so he believes.”
“I think I see where you’re going with this,” said Cain. “My birthright as Dragonborn will let me pass through, won’t it?”
“That is my theory, yes,” nodded Anilay. “The signet he carries is a relatively new measure to access the chambers. By all accounts, the old magick is still in place, so you simply ought to be able to walk in unimpeded.”
“How convenient,” said Anska. “It’s no wonder you were trying to find us.”
“Indeed. Now, we really must get a move on. Keep a few paces back and watch for my signals.”
They followed Anilay into the dark corridor and made their way out of the prison and outside into the White-Gold Tower grounds. Clouds had moved in during their time underground, blanketing the land in a murky darkness. A ball of magickal energy burst into prominence above the chancellor as he strode purposefully towards the nearest tower door. Cain noted the lack of guards on patrol and prayed silently to Kyne that it would stay that way.
And for the most part, it did. There were only two or three instances where Anilay raised a hand for them to halt while a guard marched down an empty hall and out of sight. The tower was otherwise devoid of activity at such a late hour, and they soon reached the central staircase that led up to the lofty apex that could be espied from just about anywhere in the Heartland. They came to a halt at the foot of that grand staircase and Cain let out a low whistle.
“Um. That’s a lot of stairs,” mused Anska, agreeing with her fiancé’s summation. “Is there not an easier way up?”
“There is, but the magickal lift dissipates at a certain hour to discourage ne’er-do-wells like us from attempting what we are attempting. During the busy times of a normal day, one can step into that sigil on the floor and be born aloft to whichever floor they desire. But tonight, we climb.”
“Are you sure you can’t sprout some dragon wings and fly us up there, love?” Anska asked Cain jokingly.
“Hah. I wish,” he said. “If there is a Shout for that sort of thing, Linn didn’t teach it to me. I’d settle for an actual dragon to ride though. I’ll forever be jealous that she got to experience that twice.”
“As much as I’d enjoy hearing those stories, we really must continue on,” said Anilay. And without waiting, he extinguished his magelight spell and started the ascent with one hand on the ornately carved wooden railing that spun upwards from the center.
Falling in line behind him, Cain and Anska plodded up the seemingly endless stairs to the highest reaches of White-Gold. It took nearly thirty minutes of non-stop climbing up the carpeted stairs to reach the highest floor, and Anilay paused at the top and took a seat on a small bench to catch his breath. Cain glanced down the short hallway at a set of looming doors inlaid with the Imperial Dragon crest. It seemed to him that a shimmering haze awaited their approach.
“That’s our destination,” confirmed Anilay. “But I need a few moments. It has been many long years since I made that climb.”
Anska fished a spare canteen out of her bag and handed it to the winded Imperial. “Here, take a few swigs of this and rest. We’ll go when you are ready.”
A few steps away, Cain continued to stare down the hall at the imposing set of doors. He somehow felt drawn to the energies emanating from the barrier that stood between the three of them and their long sought-after answers. Closing his eyes, he tried to clear his mind the same way he had weeks and weeks ago in Blacklight, when he first connected with his dragon spirit. And then he felt it – a subtle, near undetectable whisper of warning from a force far beyond the mortal realms.
Danger lay ahead, but it was too late to turn back. Of that, he was now certain.
“Listen to me,” he said, glancing at the others. “All is not what it seems. We must go on, but everything will be different afterwards. Anilay, once we enter Mede’s chambers you must stick close to Anska and I at all times. We need to be ready to leave at a moment’s notice if we are all to survive this.”
“Leave?” asked Anilay. “How exactly do you propose we do that?”
“Hon, what’s wrong?” said Anska. She rose to her feet and took his hand in her own. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost. What’s happened?”
“I can’t explain it,” said Cain. “I felt a whisper of sorts, playing at the edges of my awareness. It was a warning… and yet also a reassurance? It started when I was staring at those doors, and the energy around them. This may sound crazy, but I think it was a message from Akatosh himself. There was a certain feeling of kinship within it.”
“Wait, you can actually see the barrier?” Anilay inquired. “If so, you will definitely be able to pass through. It’s invisible to all others.”
“Then it’s time we go,” said Cain. Anska was still gazing worriedly at him, so he leaned in and gave her a reassuring kiss. “We’ll be fine. Just stick to the plan. Anilay, stay as close to us as you can manage once we get inside there. You asked before how we can leave? Well, it’s time we let you in on a little secret: I’ve mastered a Mark and Recall spell that can teleport us away at the first sign of danger. Stay within our reach and we’ll all vanish from here without a trace at the proper time.”
The Imperial nodded, not bothering to hide the impressed look on his face, and followed behind Cain and Anska. The Dragonborn led them purposefully down the hallway to the impressive chamber doors and swung them open easily, as if he was always meant to be there. The empty quarters of Emperor Titus Mede II were sparsely lit in his absence, and linen sheets were draped over the furniture to ward off any accumulating dust.
There were several doors leading off in different directions, so Cain deferred to the High Chancellor on which one to enter. “The one on the left leads to his study,” said Anilay. “We’ll start there.” He led them to the indicated door and pulled it open, ushering them inside.
Mede’s private study was far vaster than Kirin’s humble office in the Blue Palace. A large desk stood at the center, and each wall was lined with towering bookshelves, and beautifully carved wooden cabinets. Another door led out onto a balcony high above the city below, and several windows allowed in what little moonlight penetrated the dark clouds in the sky above. For the next ten minutes, the three of them sifted through the overstuffed cabinets and bookshelves, along with the desk drawers, and a large iron safe clad with a golden alloy.
“There’s nothing here,” said an exasperated Cain. “Nothing but mindless operational and political documents, missives, letters, and notes. I don’t think any of it is even very secretive! Did either of you find anything worthwhile?”
Anska and Anilay both shrugged and said they hadn’t. Feeling even more frustrated, Cain took a break from searching and leaned against Mede’s desk, his eyes scanning around the room for anything they could have missed. He was about to tear through the desk one more time when he noticed something odd about one of the bookcases. It stood slightly apart from the others, and the books and objects lining the shelves seemed more decorative than functional.
Cain was just about to search it again when Anska called over to him. “Don’t bother, I already looked through the few notes laying on those shelves.”
“It’s not the notes I’m interested in,” said Cain. Instead he focused on the wall behind it, and felt a satisfied smile forming on his lips when he noticed the scuff marks on the paint. “Come here you two and help me - I think this bookcase is a false wall.” He started grabbing at random books and decorations while the others joined him and did just the same. A few minutes later, they’d turned up nothing once again. “Damn, I’d have bet a fat sack of gold that we’d find a switch of some kind.”
“Wait one moment, please,” said Anilay. Hurrying over to the desk, the chancellor crawled underneath and examined the area just beneath the writing top. “Aha! There it is!” A small Imperial Signet was etched into the woodwork. He brushed a couple fingers across it and was rewarded by a sharp cracking sound and a whoop of delight from Cain.
“That did it! How’d you know to look there?”
“I noticed the mark earlier,” answered Anilay. “But I didn’t think anything of it at the time.”
He ushered back over to the bookcase and helped Cain and Anska swing it out of the way. It glided effortlessly on well-oiled hinges and came to a noiseless stop, revealing a small antechamber just off of the office. They stepped through and found themselves in a nearly empty room, save for a small table adorned with a mysterious cask inlaid with strange inscriptions that seemed to glow a deep crimson in the dark air around it.
“What is it?” asked Anska.
“I don’t know,” said Cain. “Any ideas, Anilay?”
The Imperial was staring open-mouthed at the object. He had indeed seen this object before, and had even attended several briefings on its origin and how it came to be in the Empire’s possession. But how it got here was a different matter entirely.
“By the Eight!” he exclaimed. “This shouldn’t be here! It was supposed to have been destroyed at the end of the Great War! This explains much about how Mede has managed to operate independently from the Elder Council for so many years…”
Reaching down, Anilay unlatched the heavy clasp holding the box shut and gently lifted it open. Inside rested a shimmering glass orb resting upon a simple wooden cradle. The orb swirled with a mystical energy that seemed to fluctuate between a bright blueish green and the purest white. Nodding a silent confirmation to himself, he closed the lid and secured the latch.
“Our search is over, my friends. There are no missives to be found nor any mysterious agents to root out.” He picked up the cask containing the object and handed it to Cain. “This is the Orb of Vaermina – a powerful scrying tool unlike any others known to Man or Mer. Think of it as a window to view whatever your heart desires to see. With it, Mede can spy on anyone from anywhere with none the wiser. You must take it away from this place at once, for he cannot be allowed to possess it any longer. Do with it what you will, but I implore you to destroy it as soon as humanly possible.”
Cain worryingly looked over the cask, wondering how such a small thing could have caused he and Anska so many problems. He was also beyond pleased that Anilay had simply handed it to him when it could be a very powerful tool for the council. He resolved to never forget this act of trust, and extended a hand to Anilay. “Thank you for all you’ve done to help us,” he said. “This will certainly turn some heads back home. We couldn’t have done this without you, and I hope we can keep in touch.”
The High Chancellor was about to respond in kind when a rustling sound caught their attention. Three men now stood in the small doorway leading to the antechamber: two heavily armored Penitus Oculatus agents and a shorter, much older man dressed in beautifully woven robes bearing the Imperial Seal. Anilay’s shoulders slumped in defeat and Cain exhaled slowly, tensing up for a quick escape. Even Anska recognized him from the countless portraits and newspapers she’d seen or read over the years.
Emperor Titus Mede II surveyed all three of them with utter contempt.
What fun doing the Oblivion introductory sewer crawl in reverse!
Nice accounting for how to (normally) ascend the great height of the White Gold Tower and avoid the half hour of stair climbing.
We find out why Anilay needs Cain for this mission. It seems Dragonborn is pretty powerful stuff. Speaking of warded doors, a very propitious warning about what is ahead, allowing Cain to include Anilay into his escape plan if needed.
And the mysterious ‘mole’ in the Blue Palace appears to be none other than Mede himself via Vaermina’s Orb.
When Mede and his pair of guards showed up, my first thought was ‘time for a recall’, but after thinking about it, I find myself wondering if Cain and Anska will, instead, match steel with Mede’s guards. Could very well be successful – kill Mede, then port out with that pesky Orb of Vaermina. We shall see.
Nice accounting for how to (normally) ascend the great height of the White Gold Tower and avoid the half hour of stair climbing.
We find out why Anilay needs Cain for this mission. It seems Dragonborn is pretty powerful stuff. Speaking of warded doors, a very propitious warning about what is ahead, allowing Cain to include Anilay into his escape plan if needed.
And the mysterious ‘mole’ in the Blue Palace appears to be none other than Mede himself via Vaermina’s Orb.
When Mede and his pair of guards showed up, my first thought was ‘time for a recall’, but after thinking about it, I find myself wondering if Cain and Anska will, instead, match steel with Mede’s guards. Could very well be successful – kill Mede, then port out with that pesky Orb of Vaermina. We shall see.
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