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 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.”

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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.

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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!”