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 XXXVI – Parting of the Ways


Cain collapsed against Anska’s prone form. The world was spinning around him and he was numb to it all while he grieved for his fiance and unborn child. The arrival of frantic footsteps and the subsequent gasps of horror barely registered to his senses. People around him were also weeping, and when he felt a gentle set of hands guide him to his feet and lead him away, Cain found that he had no strength left to protest against it. Against anything.

His feet carried him unconsciously away from the gruesome pantry. A voice he recognized as Serana’s was talking softly next to him but it might as well have been shouting across an endless meadow for all he knew. Nothing made sense. And nothing would ever be the same.

What felt like both moments and hours later, he found himself sitting at a table somewhere else in the palace with a glass of water placed in front of him. He drank it, if only because it was something else to do. Something else to think of, if only for a few seconds. His heartbeat pounded in his ears and he still heard nothing of what was being said around him. Then a pale hand he recognized as Linneá’s placed a ring on the table in front of him. Their engagement ring.

“No,” he heard himself say. “It’s Anska’s and it stays with her.”

“Cain - “

“I said it stays with her.”

She picked the ring back up and her footsteps faded away. Cain wasn’t sure how long he sat there, but eventually he was joined by Kirin and Lydia. They sat down opposite from him, eyes red and swollen from the aftermath.

“Son, I...” began Kirin. “I know nothing I can say will make any of this easier. But we’re all here for you. Your mum and I will help you get through this, as will the girls. You aren’t alone, even if it may feel like you are. Anska was a wonderful woman who deserved better. You both deserved better. I think we should - ”

“You don’t understand,” said Cain, shaking his head. “Anska and I… we… we were going to share more news with you earlier. Before everything… happened.” He didn’t have any tears left to shed, but Cain rubbed at his eyes anyway. They felt raw and painful but at least it was something he felt - though it wouldn’t make the next part any easier. “Anska was pregnant.”

Lydia gasped. “No! No no no no, godsdammit! Cain, I’m so sorry. I… if I’d known I wouldn’t have let her -”

“There’s nothing you could have done, mum. Don’t blame yourself. I sent her to help you and Salihn. I sent her away from my side even after Mara warned us to stick together.”

“Mara?” asked Kirin, eyes widened with surprise. “You’ve met Mara?”

“Not now, dad. I can’t get into that.” Cain stood up and looked towards the door. “I need to go. I want to be alone for a while.” He started to move off but Linneá grabbed him and held him close. He let her hug him for a moment but he didn’t have the strength to grieve with her. She let go and he headed upstairs to the bedroom he used to share with Anska.

It was still in disarray from their late night arrival and hurried morning. Locking the door behind him, he took a look around the room and saw that one of her few remaining clean blouses had fallen to the floor near the foot of the bed. Cain sat down and picked it up, pressing it to his face. Anska’s floral scent clung to the fabric and the tears began to flow again while he sobbed into it. He laid down on the ground with it for what felt like eternity.

The sun had started to set when he heard a timid knock on the door. He ignored it and soon heard footsteps slowly fading away.

-----

After a sleepless night Cain was wrangled from his self-imposed prison by his family. Linneá and Serana nearly pounded the door to pieces before he opened it and they dragged him downstairs to eat breakfast in a room far from the larder where he’d found Anska. He ate mechanically, nodding at the polite conversations between his sisters, Kirin, and Lydia. They danced around the subject but Cain knew it was coming.

“Look, we need to plan the funeral, my son,” said Kirin, finally. Cain blanched. He set his fork down and tried his best to meet his father’s eyes. “None of us knew Anska like you did. What would she have wanted?”

“I don’t know,” muttered Cain. “It’s not like we ever thought that prudent to discuss.”

“Husband, can’t this wait?” asked Lydia. “Give him time to breathe! Hell, we all need time to breathe!”

“It’s fine,” said Cain. Everything still felt numb. Despite the grief he’d already been through, he felt like the reality of it all was yet to set in for him.“Let’s have her cremated. Then I’ll decide what to do with her ashes some other time.” And then I can move on to… somewhere else. Anywhere else.

The silence in his head was overwhelming and caused more pain than anything else. He’d never hear Anska whispering into his thoughts again and the realization of that took him right back to how he felt kneeling over her lifeless body. Cain broke down again and had to excuse himself from the table. Lydia took his arm and guided him back to the bedroom, but didn’t say anything along the way. She seemed to understand how he felt more than the others did.

Lydia opened the door and gave him a long hug before letting him be alone. “Come help us later if you’re feeling up to it, dear. The palace is a mess and it will take days to get everything back in order. Might help distract you for a while, too.”

“I’ll try.”

He laid back down in the bed for a few hours and tried not to dwell on the deafening silence. At some point, Cain dozed off and awoke feeling somewhat refreshed and decided he would go help out. If only for a distraction, as Lydia had suggested. Turns out he didn’t have far to go. Linneá was hauling a dead invader away just one corridor over. He offered her a fake smile and picked up the dead body’s feet to help carry it out of the palace.

The body tossed onto a pile in the courtyard, they leaned against a stone column to catch their breath.

“Cain, I” began Linneá.

“Don’t bother,” Cain interjected. “I don’t need platitudes and I don’t want everyone doting over me. It won’t help.”

“I wasn’t going to,” said Linneá. “Really. I just wanted you to know how much I miss her, too. I loved her to bits and enjoyed having another sister. Just don’t forget you still have Serana and I, yeah? You’ll always have us.”

Cain nodded. “Better get back at it. I’m sure there’s plenty more to clean up in there.”

They head back inside to rejoin the cleaning efforts but were soon tracked down by Serana. “There you are, Elle! And Cain, too? I’m glad to see you out and about!”

“What’s up, hon?” asked Linneá.

“Dad’s called us all to his study for something. Wouldn’t say what, but it sounded urgent.”

The three of them went back up through the palace to Kirin’s private study. Lydia was already there waiting and just as Cain went to sit down in a chair near the back, a familiar brown hawk soared through the window. Kyne alighted down into her mortal form, her soft face streaked with tears. She nearly tackled Cain with her embrace as she dove into him.

“I just head from Linn what happened! Are you -”

“Not here, mum,” pleaded Cain. “I can’t do this again in front of everyone.”

“Then we’ll go for a walk.” She turned to look at Kirin. “You’ll have to manage without us.”

-----

The door closed with a snap and Kirin sighed while easing himself into his chair. “I guess we will.”

“Should we wait for them?” asked Serana.

“Nah, I can sort it out with Kyne later. And I think Cain needs to take a break from politics and espionage for a while. Anything new today?”

“Aye,” said Linneá. “We found Sybille in one of the cellars... she didn’t make it.”

“Son of a bitch!” exclaimed Kirin. “Two dozen guards and now Sybille as well as Anska? By the Nine, Mede will pay for this. Are we certain he was behind this?”

“Without a doubt,” said Linneá. “Ana and I, er, convinced some of the men we captured to talk this morning. Separate men in separate rooms confirmed it and their accounts of the details matched. These were Penitus Oculatus agents attacking on his orders. We can cart them before the world for all to see.”

“Were they just after us?”

“No, they wanted the orb,” said Serana. “We sort of thought that after seeing how many rooms were ransacked, but we wormed that out of them, too.”

Kirin was pleased to know that Elysium remained off the Empire’s radar. There were far more dangerous objects hidden there than Vaermina’s Orb, and they needed to remain away from prying eyes. But the loss of his court wizard stung. Sybille was wise and powerful, and had faithfully served himself and several other Jarls and Kings. Finding a new one would be no easier matter. Unless…

“Well, the orb is safe, so I guess the next order of business will be finding a new court wizard. Um, Serana?” said Kirin, clearing his throat. “Would you -”

“Absolutely not, dad. There isn’t enough brandy in the world for me to take on that job.”

Linneá giggled and then turned him down, too. “I’m out, too. Sorry, dad, but I’d rather have a dragon bite my other arm off.”

“If I can make a suggestion, though?” offered Serana. “Garan Marethi. Yes, I know he’s another vampire, but you won’t find anyone else in Tamriel more suited for the job. Plus, I’d love to have him around here. Garan is practically my uncle.”

He leaned back for a moment to stew on the idea but decided to give it more thought later. Their home was still a wreck and with Cain’s departure he’d have to cut this meeting short anyway. He glanced over at Lydia who nodded in agreement.

“Right, then let’s get back to it,” he said. “Plenty of work left to do. Go see where the staff needs you.”

Linneá and Serana left and Kirin joined Lydia on her chaise. Everyone had taken Anska’s loss hard, his wife especially. Though she wasn’t Cain’s blood mother, she had come to love him as much as she loved her own children. And Anska had been such a wonderful fit for him. But the unexpected loss of a grandchild seemed to be affecting her most of all.

“We’ll get through this, Lyds,” consoled Kirin. He brushed a new tear off of her cheek. “Together.”

-----

Cain felt as if the bright sun and clear blue skies were mocking him. There was even a hint of brine on the air, wafting high up onto the great Solitude arch and circulating through the flower gardens. He’d spent nearly an hour talking with Kyne and while she did her best to make him feel better, nothing really came of it. The only desire he had anymore was to leave. He couldn’t stay here anymore, in the place where they would have raised a family. It was too hard.

Nor did he look forward to telling his family of his intentions. Kyne had mentioned the funeral service would be tomorrow night, and that she would be by his side for all of it. After that, he was leaving. Cain looked down at his feet where another dead brigand was laying and sighed before stooping over to gather it up.

Delicate footsteps approached from behind and he dropped the body to see who it was. “Why am I not surprised?” he muttered. The otherworldly beauty and radiance of Mara smiled sadly at him, and she raised her palms in a gesture of openness. He grunted and took a seat on earthen floor.

“I won’t bother asking how you are doing, for I know all too well,” said the goddess. “I merely offer this advice: give it time. Time can heal everything, including the sundering of love. I also sense your desire to leave this place, and while I understand, I would just ask that it not be permanent. Your family loves you, Cain. They’ll need you to heal as much as you’ll need them.”

“...I don’t know when I’ll be able to return, ma’am. The thought of being here without her. Or anywhere without her.”

“I know. Just don’t forsake them.”

She rested a gentle hand on his shoulder and then vanished from sight. A guardsman rounded the nearest corner and hesitated at the sight of Cain sitting on the ground. He got to his feet and motioned to the guard. “Give me a hand with this one. I think it’s the last.”

“Aye, sir.”

They grabbed the body, carried it off to the courtyard, and chucked it onto the loaded wagon that had been summoned from the stables. The smell coming from the pile of corpses was vile but Cain was pretty sure his latest contribution to it was the last one. A final walk-through was already underway in the palace and had thus far turned up empty. He thanked the guard and headed back to his room for the night.

-----

He spent the next morning packing up his belongings. Linneá and Serana came by at lunch time to tell him the service was starting soon, and they left him a fresh set of dress attire. They were already wearing black dresses for the somber occasion, but had given up trying to apply makeup.

“There’s no point,” shrugged Linneá. “It just keeps getting smudged and ruined.”

“You’re still beautiful without it, Elle,” said Serana. “Get dressed and join us in the hall, brother. We’ll walk with you to the chapel.”

Cain pulled off his shirt and trousers and slipped on the new clothes. They weren’t really his style but did fit the dreadful occasion. He checked his hair in the mirror above the small wardrobe and stared briefly at the haggard reflection in it. He’d shaved for the first time in weeks this morning, but the bags under his eyes told the tale of how little sleep he was getting. The long nights alone with his own singular thoughts were agonizing and he was tempted to start brewing sleep aids. But he knew they could be addictive over time and was hesitant to go down that road.

A few minutes later he stepped out into the hall and followed his sisters out of the Blue Palace and up the sloping streets of Solitude. The Temple of the Nine was across town, near Castle Dour. A hush fell over the townsfolk milling about while they passed by, some nodding respectfully to them. It was until these moments that Cain often forgot he and his sisters were royalty.

Some citizens joined them as the walked and soon a small procession formed around the three of them. Cain’s already leaden heart grew heavier and heavier when they approached the chapel, and it took several minutes of consoling from Linneá and Serana before he could muster the strength to enter it. Kirin and Lydia waited just inside the doors with another woman Cain vaguely recognized as a disguised Kyne. They ushered everyone in and up to a pew at the front.

Anska’s remains had been placed into an ornate golden urn inlaid with beautifully flowing lines carrying delicate golden snowflakes. Cain felt the world crashing down around him once again and barely heard a word of what the priest of Arkay said during the service. When it came time to accept the urn, it took every ounce of willpower he had left to stand up and take it from the priest. The service ended with his family wiping their eyes and escorting him back to the palace together.

They made their way to Kirin’s study once again to be alone with each other for the rest of the day. Kyne had gone ahead and was waiting for them with an abundance of food and wine laid out on the desk that was normally covered with documents and missives. Kirin made a heartfelt toast in Anska’s honor and for the next hour they spoke in remembrance of her, and recounted stories from their time together. The somber affair was wrapping up for the evening when Cain decided to announce his intentions.

“I’m leaving tonight, after we’re done here.”

“Leaving?” asked a tearful Lydia. “I don’t understand, dear… where else would you go?”

“Anywhere but here. I love you all, but I can’t bear it right now. Not without her. It’s too much.”

“No, you can’t go!” pleaded Linneá. “I feel like you just got here and now you’re going to leave? I know how much you’re hurting but your place is here with us!”

“Elle, don’t do that,” warned Serana. “None of us here can pretend to know what our brother is going through. If he feels needs time alone and away from here then that’s what we should give him.” She stood up and crossed the room to give Cain a hug. “I’ll miss you dearly. Don’t stay away forever.”

Lydia wiped her eyes with a kerchief and then nodded at him. “Whatever it takes, Cain. If you feel this is something you need to do, then we won’t stop you.”

“The hell I won’t!” yelled Linneá. “If you think for five seconds that I’m going to -”

“That’s enough, Linn!” came the stern voice of Kirin. “You’re going to honor his wishes. We may not agree with them, but we have no right to keep Cain here if he wants to leave.” He joined Lydia at his son’s side and they embraced him together. “Come back when you are ready, my son. This will always be your home.”

Cain thanked them and then dried his eyes. He took a step towards Linneá to say goodbye, but she turned on her heel and stormed out of the room with an angry Serana chasing after her. Shaking his head in disbelief, he instead accepted another hug from Lydia.

“Don’t take it to heart, dear,” soothed Lydia. “She’s always had strong emotions. I’m sure Linn will come find you shortly.”

His father clapped him on the back. “Keep in touch, yeah? At least by mail if you can’t pop in. Come, we’ll walk you out – it’s the least we can do.”

“No, I’m fine, really,” said Cain. “I still need to grab my gear from the room.” He caught Kyne’s eye in the corner of the room and tried to smile at her. “You’ve been awfully quiet through all of this, mum. Don’t I get a goodbye from you too?”

“You’ll find I’m not easy to shake off, my child. We’ll see each other again.”

He shrugged and said a final goodbye to his parents before heading off for his bedroom. The halls were mostly deserted this late in the day and he didn’t run into a single person along the way. His bag waited for him at the foot of the bed, along with his sword. He stowed the urn carrying his fiance’s ashes in it and slung it over his back. Then he strapped his sword and scabbard to it and looked around the room one last time. I’ll never forget our nights here, my love.

The door closed behind him with a thud, and a few moments later he was passing by his father’s throne and descended the curved stone steps to the palace vestibule. Before he could place his hands on the door to leave, Linneá stepped out from the shadows and glared at him with her arms crossed.

“You’re seriously gonna [censored] leave? After all we’ve been through?”

“I have to, Linn,” sighed Cain. “It’s too painful.”

“Bullshit! We can help you, Cain! We can help you through this, you just have to [censored] let us! You’re not the only person whose ever lost someone, brother! Throw that damn bag down and stay! Please!”

“You don’t understand -”

“Yes, Cain, I do! We all do, that’s what I’ve been trying to te-”

“NO, YOU [censored] DON’T, LINN!” bellowed Cain. She recoiled in shock at his sudden outburst and was about to speak again when he cut her off. “Try to imagine, for just five godsdamned seconds, what it would be like, Linn, to never hear Serana’s voice in your head again. For your thoughts to be alone, echoing back at you in the void after you entwined yourself so firmly with the one you love. The one who is everything to you. The silence is unbearable, and it’s worse here, mingled with the memories.”

They stared at each other in silence for almost a full minute, until Linneá nodded and approached him again. “You’re right. It doesn’t bear to think about, Cain. I’m sorry.” She wrapped her arms around him and held him close for a while. For a moment, he felt a curious sensation settle deep within him, but he shook it off as exhaustion from a trying day. “I love you, brother. Promise me we’ll see each other again?”

“I promise, Linn.”

“I’ll hold you to it,” They separated and Linneá smiley sadly at him. “Good luck.”

Cain nodded and headed out through the main doors into the exterior courtyard. Without looking back, he raised his hand and cast the recall spell, vanishing into thin air.