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 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!”

This post has been edited by Kane: Mar 6 2025, 11:27 PM