Season Unending, The Children of Kyne, Vol. III Options

[Kane]

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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.

This post has been edited by Kane: May 6 2025, 01:14 PM

[Kane]

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!”

This post has been edited by Kane: Jan 8 2025, 06:12 PM