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

[Kane]

EPUB Version: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1cJB9nlIIVM...iew?usp=sharing

MOBI Version: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kX1VB1-iud...?usp=drive_link

PDF Version: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1PHHvETcUim...?usp=drive_link


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]

Epilogue


(Three months later…)

Lightning bloomed across the cloudy night sky and a fierce eastbound wind rushed across the grasslands, carrying the smell of rain and driving the approaching summer storm ever closer. The light pitter patter of raindrops on the roof of Gwyndala Louvain’s meager cabin indicated it was finally time for her to leave. She slung a small backpack over her shoulder and took one last look around what had been her home for fifteen years. The bookshelves were empty, and most of her clothing and all alchemical ingredients were stowed away in her magickal chest. Only ashes remained on the fireplace hearth, and all of her furniture was stripped bare. Little of her life remained there and that’s how Gwyn preferred it.

Dry-eyed and filled with a steely resolve, she joined Cain outside in the rain.

“Are you sure about this, Gwyn?” the Redguard asked her for what felt like the thousandth time.

“If you ask me that again, I’ll lock you inside there while it happens. Just burn the [censored] thing down so we can get out of here before I’m soaked through.”

“Okay, okay, sheesh. Stand back and cover your ears, alright?”

Gwyn did as he advised and stepped back a few paces with her hands pressed firmly over her ears. Apart from the day he had rescued her from those brigands, Gwyn never actually witnessed Cain use the Thu’um in their time together, and she was dreadfully curious to see what would happen.

YOL-TOOR-SHUL!

The thundering eruption of fire from deep within Cain’s dragon spirit mingled with the sonorous lightning that cascaded across the stormy skies as it swept forth and engulfed the cabin in roiling flames. Had they not cleared the tall grasses from around the home earlier that day, a prairie fire would have spread in every direction.

“Holy [censored], Cain! Do me a favor and don’t ever point those lungs at me like that!”

Cain laughed and then prayed to Kyne, asking the goddess to keep the blazing inferno from spreading. And his Divine matron answered by ushering in a torrential downpour to thoroughly soak the earth.

“Godsdammit!” yelled Gwyn. “So much for not getting sopping wet! Get us the [censored] out of here already!”

The telltale flash of purple and white light briefly illuminated the darkness at the edge of the still burning homestead and the two of them vanished from sight. The fact that it was nearly one o’clock in the morning meant that that same small room deep within the Blue Palace where he had first met his family was silent and still when they reappeared in it, dripping rainwater all over the flagged stone floor.

It was a sparsely furnished chamber with a single table at the center and a few chairs spread out against the walls. Tapestries and flags featuring the Windborne family crest adorned the walls, and the oil lamps had all been set so low that they could barely see anything.

“I somehow expected more pomp and flair,” admitted Gwyn, her eyes scanning about the room.

“Skyrim isn’t as lavish as High Rock. Neither is my family, for that matter.” Cain walked cautiously over to the nearest lamp and turned up the flame so that they could at least find the door. “There we go, that’s much better. Fancy a drink or a bite to eat before we turn in? There’s usually plenty of leftovers from the day in the larders.”

“Nah, I’m tired,” yawned Gwyn. “Show me to my bedroom, Mr. Prince.”

“Ugh, don’t start calling me that. You should know by now that I don’t like the pomp and flair either.”

“Hey, I’m just trying to be respectful of your title!” Gwyn widened her eyes in a mocking manner and stared innocently at him. “Does my liege require an apology?”

“Oh, gods. That’s so much worse. Why did I think this would be a good idea...”

“Because you’re stuck with me and you damn well know it. Now, take me to my room before I pass out and you have to carry me.”

Cain shook his head ruefully and led her upstairs to the living quarters. He paused for a split-second outside of what had once been the room he shared with Anska, but didn’t linger. A tide of memories washed over him and Cain smiled inwardly at them while leading Gwyn up another floor to where his new room was located. He pushed open the door of the adjacent room and was pleased to find it was also empty.

“Here you go, madam Louvain. Make yourself at home!”

Gwyn strutted into the medium sized room and nodded appreciatively at the vanity against the far wall, and the adjoining private bathroom. She threw her bag on the floor, sat on the bed, kicked her sodden boots off, and flung them out into the hallway.

“Bad idea,” warned Cain. “If Linn sees those out there in the morning she will not hesitate to barge in here and wake you up.”

“Chuck ‘em back in here and then shut the door. I’m going to bed.”

Cain did as he was asked (told, really) and headed into his own bedroom. Settling in could wait until the morning, so he changed into some dry clothes from his bag and opted to set his own boots out in the hallway with a grin. The bed looked much more inviting than Gwyn’s rough cot he’d been kipping on for the last year and it did not take him long to drift off after snuggling down under the blankets.

-----

Dawn had not yet arrived when the same heavy rains that chased Cain and Gwyn out of High Rock earlier that morning roused him much sooner than he would have liked. He was staring up at the ceiling in anticipation of the busy day ahead when a soft noise caught his attention. Cain rolled over quietly and looked down at the floor to see Gwyn curled up on top of a few pillows against the side of his bed.

Frowning at the sight of her, he slid out of bed, carefully picked up the sleeping woman, and gently laid her onto the mattress. After she was tucked under the warm blankets, Cain took a seat in the chair near the window and pulled out a book to read. Just as expected, the door burst open a little while later and Linneá ran into the bedroom ready to make a fuss until she noticed the tiny Breton sleeping in Cain’s bed.

She backed out of the room and beckoned Cain to follow. Once they were out in the hallway, she shut the door and gave him a curiously apprising look.

“What?” asked Cain. “Oh… Gwyn. Dunno what happened there, sis. I set her up in the room next door and woke up this morning to find her sleeping on the ground next to my bed.”

“Uh huh. Sure.”

“I’m serious, Linn! Ask her yourself!”

“I’m not going to wake her �"“

She fell silent when the door opened and Gwyn looked up at them crossly. “You two make a lot of [censored] noise, did you know that about yourselves?”
“Well, good morning, Gwynnie!” bubbled Linneá. “Maybe you can clear something up for us!”

Gwyn stepped back and let them into the bedroom. She took a seat at the end of the bed while Cain pulled the chair he’d been using up next to the one Linnná had grabbed. Gwyn folded her arms across her lap and stared pointedly at Linneá.

“First things first; if you ever call me ‘Gwynnie’ again, I’ll make sure it’s the last thing you do,” she glared at her to make sure the message sunk in and was rewarded with a coy smile and a nod. “Excellent. Now that that’s cleared up… what were you two arguing about? And where’s Serana? I’m not accustomed to seeing you two apart.”

“She took Salihn downstairs for breakfast,” said Linneá. “Little tyke has school in about an hour.” Linneá shot a sidelong glance at Cain and then continued. “We weren’t arguing, by the way. I was just, um, curious about something.”

“Don’t beat around the bush. I heard most of what you were saying. Or should I say ‘implying’?”

“Can you blame me?” replied Linneá.

Cain was thoroughly confused by their exchange at this point and had just opened his mouth to chime in when Gwyn cut him off. Then he felt like just letting them go at it while he slinked off to have breakfast with Serana and his niece. But something told him that wouldn’t fly either.

“If you don’t know have all the facts, it’s better to say nothing,” said Gwyn.

“Then enlighten me, please.”

Gwyn blushed for only the second or maybe third time since Cain had known her. It highlighted the little dimples in her cheeks in a way that he found very endearing. She noticed him staring and he tore his eyes away and focused instead on the rain splattering against the window. A slight smile touched her lips and then vanished when she turned back towards Linneá.

“It’s really none of your business, but if it’ll make you drop the subject… it was too quiet in my room. Your brother snores so loudly that I wanted to strangle him the first night I let him sleep in the cabin. I guess I got used to the noise.”

“You should have woken me up,” said Cain. He maintained a calm exterior, but his mind was racing from her admission. “I’d have given you the bed and slept in one of these chairs.”

“I don’t need your charity. Though it was really [censored] cold on the floor and I wasn’t comfortable. At all. Now, Linn, if you don’t mind, I’d like you to leave so that I can go back to sleep for another hour or two.” Linneá excused her self and Cain made to follow her out until Gwyn addressed him. “Not you, idiot. Go sit back down and read some more. I’ll be up in a little while.”

Linneá chortled as quietly as she could manage and winked at her brother before departing to join her wife and daughter for breakfast. Cain shut the door and slid his chair back over near the window. The first book he’d grab had been a little dry, so he opted for the latest works of Adonato Leotelli instead. But his attention soon wavered and he found himself gazing at the woman sleeping soundly in his bed.

She didn’t feel safe without me around, even if she won’t admit it, Cain observed silently. I wonder when that started?

He noted the way Gwyn had blushed, and then remembered a few other times her toughened façade had slipped. Or the way she sometimes smiled to herself when she thought his attention was elsewhere. And the way Linneá had been subtly teasing them both for the last couple of months. Then her words from that fateful morning above the Abecean Sea echoed back to him: ‘There’s just one piece of the puzzle left. In time, you’ll find the place where it fits.'

Alarm bells rang in his head and he elected to set his book down and leave the room as quickly and quietly as possible. Cain figured that Linneá and Serana ought to still be eating breakfast, so he practically sprinted downstairs to their favorite small dining room.

Along the way he nearly ran right into his father, but Cain pushed passed him with a hasty apology. “Sorry, can’t talk right now, dad!” Moments later her crashed through the dining room door and joined his sisters at the table, huffing and wheezing from the exertion.

“Whoa, take it easy, Cain!” said Serana. “What’s got you so worked up?”

He took several deep breaths, poured himself a glass of water, and took a long drink from it before answering her question with an abrupt one of his own. “How long have you two known?” He paused at the sight of Salihn chowing away on some bacon and got distracted by the little one. “Goodness, you’ve grown so much this year, Salihn!”

The elfling had tacked on a few inches since he’d last seen her and Cain didn’t doubt that one day she would be taller than all of them. Salihn waved delightfully at her uncle but didn’t stop eating the salty breakfast meat and Cain didn’t blame her at all while he helped himself to a piece from Linneá’s plate.

“Anyway… where was I?”

“You were accusing us of knowing something,” Serana reminded him.

“Oh, that’s right,” said Cain. Then he shot an accusatory look at them. “Gwyn… how long have you two known that she, er, fancied me?”

“Ah, finally got there, have you?” laughed Linneá. “Ana figured it out the night you asked us for the Elder Scrolls. Poor Gwyn was already in deep by that point, I think.”

“But that was three months ago! How did I not �"“

“Notice? I think you did, Cain,” said Serana. “I just don’t think you were ready to acknowledge it. And no one blames you for that.”

He leaned forward with his elbows resting on the table and lowered his chin into his open palms. It wasn’t until now that he understood why Gwyn had stayed true to him, but he still couldn’t fathom why she’d gone along with his crazy endeavors.

“I’m such a piece of [censored],” he muttered. “You’re absolutely right about her, and my obsession made me ignorant to the signs. I put Gwyn through hell, didn’t I? The poor girl couldn’t do anything but watch me try to throw it all away and drag her down with me. She never deserved that and she should have dumped my sorry ass long ago. Why in the hell did she not run for the hills?”

Linneá patted him gently on the back. “It was a tough time for you, brother. Don’t keep beating yourself up about it. And as for Gwyn… well, the heart wants what the heart wants. There’s no telling what someone will do in the name of love.”

An uneasy feeling was settling into the pit of Cain’s stomach. He had no idea where to go from here and yet he could not stop thinking about the little dimples in Gwyn’s cheeks when she had blushed earlier. And the way her eyes had lit up after their ill-fated attempt at time travel when Cain had admitted how much he owed her. And those godsdamned dimples.

Next came the guilt, which evidently was written all over his face. The crushing guilt he felt at thinking he could betray Anska’s memory in such a way.

“Don’t do that to yourself, Cain” said Linneá, sharply. “It’s been over a year and we all know that you’re in a better place now. Anska herself told you to let go, and I’ll be damned if she didn’t pick up on how Gwyn felt about you. Did you forget the last thing she said before returning to Sovngarde? To Gwyn, of all people?”

“’Take care of him’,” finished Serana. “No one’s telling you to run off and propose to her, Cain” she continued. “But you’re allowed to be happy, and there isn’t a damn person in this palace that would judge you poorly for that. We just want to see you thriving again.”

Cain chewed absentmindedly on another piece of bacon, and then decided it was time to get back to his room. He poured himself a mug of tea from the urn on the table and excused himself. Linneá and Serana hugged him in turn before he left and said they were glad to finally have him back home. His feet carried him back to the bedroom automatically, and once he got there Cain was relieved to see Gwyn still sound asleep in the bed, snoring ever so slightly.

He sat back down by the window and tried once again to read his book. Moments later he gave it up as a lost cause and tossed it aside. Cain settled back in the chair while the debate continued to rage on inside his head. Was he even ready to move on like that? Could he be happy with someone else? Did Gwyn deserve someone who had been so selfish and nearly taken advantage of her in so terrible of a way?

The last part didn’t matter. She’d already shown her willingness to say by his side, and she harbored no ill will towards him. In fact, they’d grown even closer over the last three months. And it was Gwyn who suggested it was time for him to return home… but only if she came, too.

This went on for another hour until Cain heard a slight yawn and glanced at the bed to see Gwyn sit up and stretch her arms over her head. Her hair was tousled from being pressed against the pillow, and when she saw that Cain was still sitting in the room with her, it changed from a tealish-blue to a shimmering multicolored spectrum that best resembled a vibrant rainbow after a harsh summer storm. She smiled at him in a way that made his stomach lurch, and he knew immediately that it was hopeless.

“I’m starving,” said Gwyn. She got to her feet and grabbed a pair of flats from her bag and then slipped them on. “Do you think we missed breakfast? I swear I could eat an entire �"“

Her unfinished statement hung in the air after Cain leapt up from his chair, crossed the room, and bent down to kiss her.

Gwyn pulled away and stared up at him with a devilish grin. And then she started devouring Cain with her eyes. “It’s about [censored] time.”

This post has been edited by Kane: Apr 25 2025, 12:44 AM