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 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.

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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.”