Of Eagles and Dragons, The Children of Kyne, Vol. IV Options

[Kane]

Prologue (4E 230)

Emperor Titus Mede II is dead. Convicted of Treasonous Sedition against the Empire and a Vassal State, the Elder Council cast his Writ of Execution with a unanimous vote on Loredas, the 1st of Last Seed, in the Two-hundred thirtieth year of the Fourth Era. The High Chancellor Anilay Cato was chosen to oversee the day-to-day administration of the crumbling Mede Dynasty, and the former head of state himself was hung from the gallows on Green Empire Way in the Imperial City for all to see.

It was a time of uncertainty in Cyrodiil, for there was yet to be a clear successor to the Ruby Throne, and rumors of Colovian and Nibenese warlords arming up to seize power for themselves were beginning to circulate among the populace. Many citizens of the Heartland secretly wished the Dragonborn king of Skyrim would lay claim by birthright, but so far there had been little news from the northern kingdom.

And with a patience born of long life, the Thalmor diplomats were content to watch quietly from their Embassy while their handlers ruled the Third Aldmeri Dominion with an iron fist. Altmer agents moved about in the shadows to sow discord and discontent wherever possible and worked tirelessly to keep the Empire from once again rising to prominence.

-----

Queen Penolore of the Summerset Isles strolled through the botanical gardens of Alinor with her royal retainer in tow. The ultimate ruler of the Aldmeri Dominion, Penolore reigns supreme over the Altmer of her homeland, the Bosmer of Valenwood, and the Khajiiti of Elswyr with an unrelenting grip. The Thalmor operate solely under her command, bringing order to her subjects and extending her reach over the rest of Tamriel. But on this day, she felt only contempt for the ineptness of the organization’s recent failures in combating the rise of a new alliance of power to the north.

The shrill fops in her retainer had followed her from the palace, prattling on endlessly about matters far beneath her station in a constant bid to curry favor with the monarch. Seeking a measure of peace and quiet, she finally had enough of the bickering for one day. Penolore came to a halt and raised a hand in warning.

“Shut up. All of you will shut up now or I shall have you thrown from the highest tower of my palace. Begone from here if you value your meaningless existences.�

They fell silent in deference to their queen and filed out of the gardens as quickly as possible. Not a single one of them were keen to be present for her wrath should it need to be unleashed upon whichever poor soul tarried. Only a single Altmer remained, clad in the traditional dark robes of the Thalmor.

“Have you more to say, Lisotel? I would have thought your inability to carry out even a single assassination of those miserable whelps to the north would have stayed your sharp tongue. Tell me what value you could possibly still offer your queen when others have been flayed alive for failures of a far less magnitude than your own.�

“I only offer news that our agents deemed relevant, milady.�

“Very well. Spit it out and remove yourself from my sight.�

Magistrate Lisotel hesitated for the briefest of seconds. It would have to be today of all days that he was assigned to her retinue, and a message from Solitude should arrive to their headquarters by carrier eagle. Penolore was already in a foul temper after his Thalmor compatriots failed to squash another uprising in Anequina, and now he was poised to deliver more unwelcome news to the surly queen.

“It is with great regret that our field agents in Skyrim report the return of the High King’s son to the Blue Palace. He apparently was spotted in the city yesterday morning in the company of an unknown Breton woman. Where he had gone or what he was up to over the last thirteen months is still a mystery, but we fear his arrival and reintegration with the royal family will push the king to finally issue a claim to the Ruby Throne.�

The queen had stooped down to examine a budding rose stem while Lisotel spoke and she snipped it free cleanly from the stalk with her pruning shears as the words tumbled from the Magistrate’s overworked mouth. It slipped free of her grasp, fell to the floor, and Penolore ground it to a pulp with the heel of her boot.

“Tell me, Lisotel, have we not discussed the merits of tending to one’s garden on many previous occasions? See how easily that is done? Pruning an errant growth is a simple task that is abundantly important in maintaining a healthy growth; one of which I know your Order is easily capable of facilitating. I am granting you a second chance to do as I have ordered. Should you fail once again, the citizens of Alinor shall bear witness to your entrails displayed upon the ruins of Crystal-Like-Law. Return to me when the task is completed, and not one second sooner.�

Bowing his head graciously, Magistrate Lisotel took leave of the queen. Penolore continued to care for the overgrown rose shrub, snipping off stray stems with malicious intent.

-----

“What news from Chorrol, Brother Cassian?�

“High Chancellor,� greeted the courier. “Brother Indus’ scouts report little movement from the camps deep in the Great Forest. If they have anything planned, it will likely not be for some time. Indus suspects they are having trouble recruiting loyal men for the cause. Of course, this would all be a lot easier to verify if we are given leeway to operate more independently.�

Anilay Cato set down his quill and pushed aside the letter he’d been penning. This wasn’t the first time Cassian had made a similar remark, and the chancellor was beginning to grow weary of reminding the man just how delicate the situation in Cyrodiil really was. A stronger hand may be required soon.

“This again? We’ve been over it many times already, Brother Cassian. I’m giving you the most resources I can without drawing scrutiny from the elves. If they discover the Blades have secretly been reformed, the Dominion will bring war to our doorstep immediately. Do what you can with what I have given you and let’s not speak of this again. There are plenty of other men who would love to be in your position.�

Brother Cassian recognized his dismissal and saluted smartly as he turned to leave. Anilay continued to stare absentmindedly at the door long after it had closed behind his captain. He again found himself wondering if reforming the Blades had been a wise move on the council’s part. The endgame of the it made sense to all involved, but Anilay felt the interim risk was too high, and he’d unsuccessfully pushed to have the vote temporarily stayed.

“Too late now,� he said to no one in particular. And with a heavy sigh, he returned to his unfinished letter.

There was another knock on the door and it took all of his restraint to not fling the quill at it and berate whomever deigned to bother him again. “Come in!�

An elderly Breton woman with long gray hair tied back in a ponytail, poked her through the partially opened door and saluted. “Is this a bad time, sir?�
“No, no, come on in, Delphine,� said Anilay. “Forgive my exasperated tone, I just got done reminding Cassian of our straits and I fear that I shall never finish this correspondence.� He rolled up the parchment and set it aside until the next day. “What can I do for you?�

“I’d like to request something of you.� Delphine entered the study and took the recently vacated seat across from the High Chancellor. After she settled in, Anilay gestured for her to continue. “Might I be sent back north to Skyrim? I know the High King from our time together during the Dragon Crisis, and I may be able to get a better read on his intentions than some of our other agents have.�

“Oh, really? But as I understand it, your time working together did not end well, no? As I recall, he asserted his authority as Dragonborn over you and walked away from your efforts to rebuild the order. What makes you think he’ll let you into his court after all these years?�

Delphine frowned. She hadn’t expected Anilay to be so well versed on her prior dealings as a rogue Blade in Skyrim. Truth be told, her efforts to kickstart the Blades, along with Esbern, in Sky Haven Temple had crumbled to dust after Kirin Windborne had walked away from them. Further recruiting efforts failed, and the wizened lore-keeper succumbed to illness not five years later. For her part, Delphine had faded into obscurity as a farmhand in the western Reach.

“Heard about that, did you? Well, you’re right in that there’s no guarantee, but I don’t know what else I can offer the Blades, sir. I’m old and my days of fighting are long since passed. This at least feels like something meaningful I can contribute.�

“I see,� replied Anilay. “And would you be up for such a journey, Delphine? Autumn is settling in over Skyrim and our men at Cloud Ruler have reported the Pale Pass is already under several feet of snow. It will not be easy going.�

“I’ll manage.�

The High Chancellor studied her for a moment and then he grabbed a new roll of parchment and dipped his quill in fresh ink. He scribbled away while Delphine waited patiently for his decision, wondering where fate would take her next. She had been so hesitant when the rumors of former Blades officers being brought back into the fold were swirling, and it wasn’t until Brother Cassian himself had tracked her down to a small plantation near Karthwasten that she allowed herself to believe they were true. The reality didn’t truly set in for her until she was assigned a room at Weynon Priory, on the outskirts of Chorrol, and asked to advise the younger Captains leading this new iteration of the fabled organization.

Anilay finished writing his new orders, signed, and stamped the bottom with an Imperial Seal before wrapping it up and handing it to Delphine. “Deliver this to Brother Cassian and return to Cloud Ruler with him to begin your preparations.�

“Thank you, sir,� said Delphine. “I’ll keep in touch.�

“A bit of advice, if I may?�

“Sir?�

The chancellor dug around in his desk for few seconds until he found the dossier he was seeking. Flipping it open, Anilay slid out a sketching of Cain Windborne and handed it to the waiting Breton. “If the High King offers resistance, try speaking to his son. I’ve met the man personally and he’s wise, clever, and kind to a fault. Not to say that his father is an ignorant old man, but sometimes younger eyes see things differently. I’ve gathered that Cain is back home in Solitude after being abroad following the death of his fiancé.�

Delphine bowed her head slightly in acknowledgement. Everyone in Skyrim had heard about his loss, and people across the province had mourned for the young woman from Stonehills. There were even gossiping commoners in the taverns at night saying she had been pregnant at the time, but that was never officially confirmed by the High King’s court. If It were true, Delphine didn’t fault him at all for taking some time away, even if his whereabouts were a mystery.

“I’ll keep that in mind, sir.�

“Excellent. Take care on your trip, and dress warmly. I expect a letter by carrier bird as soon as you get settled in at Solitude. You’re dismissed, Delphine.�

Anilay watched her depart and then he glanced back over at his unfinished letter. Deciding it could wait until the morning, the chancellor left his office in search of a strong drink to end the day with. He wasn’t entirely convinced allowing Delphine to intrude on the High King’s court was a good idea, but he’d expected answers from Kirin Windborne for some time now, and was rewarded with nothing.

If another week passes like this I shall have to contact Cain myself. Perhaps the man would be willing to visit me in person.

The White-Gold Tower still bustled with activity in the evening hours, and so Anilay elected to don his commoner clothes and seek a drink at Luther Broad’s, instead.

[Kane]

Chapter III �" Settling In

Rain splattered against the window. Occasional footsteps passed by the locked bedroom door and continued down the hall. A dim fire crackled in the hearth. Distant lightning sundered the grey skies above and the echoes of thunder reverberated throughout the province. The city hummed with activity despite the inclement weather, and time marched on, unhindered and unimpeded by all those who are subjected to its ultimate dominion.

And, yet… it seemed to stand still. The world felt frozen in place. Cain was unsure how many seconds, moments, or even hours had passed. All he knew was that it would never be enough. How could he have missed the signs for so long? She was there all along, right in front of him, but he never knew when it began. Neither did he suspect she would ever want such a thing �" especially after what she’d been through in her teenage years.
Then his stream of thought broke quite suddenly and time seemed to speed back up when Gwyndala’s soft, curved lips separated from his own, and she stared up into his eyes with an inviting hunger.

“It’s about [censored] time,� said Gwyn. “I was beginning to think you’d never get the hint. But I need to ask… are you sure you’re ready for this, Cain? I won’t hold any doubts against you if you’re not.�

“I wouldn’t have made the first move if I wasn’t ready,� said Cain. “I promise.�

“Good enough.�

They were kissing again and Gwyn steered them back towards the empty bed. “C’mon, breakfast can wait; let’s get some more sleep. You have no idea how long I’ve waited to curl up against you.�

“Uh, I’m not exactly tired anymore,� said Cain.

“Too bad.�

She pushed him down and waited until he lay comfortably on his side, and then Gwyn climbed in the bed and tucked herself in against him. It only took a few minutes for her light snores to resume, leaving Cain to close his eyes and hope that he could fall asleep again, too. Then he realized how long it had been since he was in such an intimate position with another woman, and he gently pulled away from Gwyn a little bit so that she wouldn’t notice the sudden change that came with that thought.

-----

He awoke alone an hour later to find that Gwyn was already up and getting dressed. What remained of her modesty had apparently vanished now that they were sharing a bed. She sat fully nude in front of the unused vanity in his bedroom, brushing out her hair and getting ready to apply her makeup. Cain took the time to study a few of the subtly glowing tattoos that stretched down her back �" he’d not seen some of them in the past, despite Gwyn’s penchant for skimpy clothing. They flowed enchantingly out from the center in a beautifully intricate design that accented the delicate curves of her small, slender body.

Cain’s eyes inevitably drifted south until they froze on the space just above her backside. There were two prominent dimples exposed by the way she leaned forward to brush on her eye shadow, and in that moment, he longed for nothing else but to explore what other mysteries were normally hidden beneath her frayed and patchy robes.

Her eyes caught his reflection staring at her in the mirror and she grinned wickedly. “Maybe later, if you behave yourself. I was starving before but now I’m ravenous. We’ll get something to eat and then see where the day takes us.�

“Breakfast it is,� said Cain. “The kitchen staff should have plenty set aside. They reuse what they can for lunch sometimes. And I know of a quiet dining room away from the hustle and bustle that’s bound to kick up soon.�

“Then get dressed so that we can get the hell out of here. I’m almost ready.�

Cain slid out of the bed with a nod and pulled a nicer set of trousers out of his backpack. Most of the shirts he owned were dirty and wrinkled, so he pulled the pants on and then headed across the room to see if anything nicer awaited him in the wardrobe. A blue and grey quilted shirt and doublet hung from a wood hanger, and a pair of loafers rested at the bottom of the ornate cabinet. Cain pulled off his faded undershirt and was about to pull the new clothes over his head when he saw Gwyn admiring his shirtless torso in the mirror.

He flexed once with a wink and parroted Gwyn’s own tease back at her: “maybe later, if you behave yourself.�

“Oh, go [censored] yourself!� she laughed. “Seriously though, put that shirt on before I slide off this chair. And go fish out something for me to wear. My clothes are still in the next room.�

“Yes, ma’am.�

Cain finished getting dressed, slid the loafers on, and headed to the empty room next door that was likely to stay that way. He gathered up all her belongings, slung the small pack over his shoulder, and returned to his own room a few minutes later.

Gwyn waited for him on the bed, a blanket draped over her arms to ward off the chilly autumn weather that had already set itself in over the northern province. Her left eyebrow raised itself at the sight of Cain laden down with all her belongings. “That’s awfully bold of you to assume I’d be staying in here for good. What if I only needed your comfort because it was my first night in a strange land?�

“Because I know you, Gwyndala Louvain. I’ve had seven months to understand exactly who you are and what makes you tick. I know you already trust me to protect you, or you would not have been so reticent to be apart last night. And now that we’ve moved beyond a normal friendship? I suspect there will rarely come a time when we are apart. If I’m wrong, tell me so now and I will return all of this to the other room.�

Gwyn stood up from the bed and let the blanket fall to her feet. She bared herself entirely to Cain and slowly walked towards him, her eyes locked firmly to his. Cain’s heart beat furiously against his rib cage at her approach, and he held his breath in anticipation. “Goddamn it. You are making this really difficult right now,� she admitted. Gwyn bit her lip and took the sleek violet robes that Cain had grabbed out of her bag from his hands. “Help me slip this on so that we can go eat. And then you and I are going to have a long talk about certain needs of mine and how you’re going to fulfill them.� He exhaled and pulled her in tight for another kiss, but she raised a finger to his mouth instead. “Later.�

-----

As promised, Cain led them to the same dining room the rest of his family preferred to eat in every morning. His arms were laden down with baskets of food from a quick stop by the kitchens, and Gwyn carried a pitcher of fresh water and two plain goblets. They only managed a few mouthfuls of the delicious breakfast before Lydia joined them at the table. Cain was happy to see her again, but he did not expect to see her clash so soon with Gwyn. After a thorough chastising of the Breton’s behavior, Lydia departed, only for Linneá and Serana to stumble in on them mere moments later.
Resigned to dealing with a revolving door of visitors during their first day back at the palace, Cain focused on filling his empty stomach with much better fare than he and Gwyn had been living off of for the last several months while everyone else spoke around him. He had stopped by for dinner a few times before they finally returned, but there was something different about knowing he could enjoy this every day now.

Midway through a hunk of bread, he opened his mouth to interject in a conversation between his sisters and Gwyn when he received a painful kick in the leg for his efforts. And soon, they were gone too, finally leaving just the two of them to eat in what he hoped would be peace.

“You enjoy being around them somewhat, don’t you?� he asked Gwyn. “My sisters, I mean.�

Gwyn shrugged. “I guess so. They seem like a lot of fun, but I don’t know if I’m looking for what they want out of me.�

“What do you mean by that?�

“You really have to ask?� said Gwyn. She poured herself another measure of water, fished the grape out of it, and took a pull from her goblet. “Cain, I don’t know how to be close to anyone. You are the exception in the very lonely life I’ve led since aunt Marcie died. They can tell I’ve got a ton of baggage and I’m sure they mean well… but I can’t fathom myself sharing with anyone what I’ve already shared with you. How could they understand? Where do I even start? I’m not even sure you understand, but I’ll be damned if you didn’t earn the truth. And it wasn’t until after I shared that pain with you that I began to think of you as a friend. Before that, you were just a tool. A means to an end. Someone strong to scare off those who would try to take advantage of a small woman out on her own.� Her piece finished, Gwyn downed the rest of her water and sighed. “Should have grabbed wine instead. I knew this would be a long day.�

Cain regarded her with sadness in his eyes. The wonderful person that sat next to him didn’t deserve her lot in life and he wished he knew how to help her open up. But something told him she needed to get there on her own and that pushing her would only push Gwyn further away from his family. And from himself.

“Look, I’d never force you to do anything you don’t want to,� said Cain. “I’m grateful you did open up to me, especially since it’s led us to where we are now,� he gestured vaguely around the room, “not physically, but the fact that we’re together as more than friends. And if I might make a suggestion? Speak to Serana if you need a good jumping off point. She carries a dark history within herself too, and you might have more in common than you realize. But do it on your terms and on one else’s. I promised you that we’ll leave if this new life is too much, and I stand by that promise. Now more than ever.�

“Stop being so [censored] good to me,� she blushed. “And I’ll think about it. Serana does seem to get me more so than the rest.� Gwyn helped herself to a large bowl of fruit and spoke around a mouthful of sugared jazabay grapes. “Now… no more talking, let’s just eat for a while.�

-----

There was some sort of clamor echoing around the vestibule when Cain and Gwyn emerged from the long hallway leading into the Blue Palace depths. Raised voices echoed down the stairs and an awful smell circulated throughout the lofty entry way and grew stronger as they climbed the stairs to find what the fuss was all about. An agitated man in farm clothes was speaking at Kirin and Lydia, so Cain grabbed Gwyn by the hand and tried unsuccessfully to sidle over to a bench where his sisters sat in wait.

Kirin’s voice boomed out seconds later, welcoming them to his court, and then he wrapped up the proceedings and waved all of them over to his side. Gwyn started fidgeting nervously by Cain’s while Kirin told them it was time for a family lunch at their old estate, and that Kyne would be joining them. She’d hoped there would be more time to settle into this new life before something like this would happen, and she didn’t relish the idea of being thrust into such an important social event so quickly.

The others started walking away while Gwyn whispered urgently to Cain. “I don’t know if I can do this, it’s so soon. And I didn’t get off to a good start with Lydia earlier �" what if I say something stupid again? I’m [censored] terrible at this [censored] and I’m starting to freak out! Can we just stay here by ourselves? Please? Will they even miss us? I �" “ Her sentence hung unfinished in the air when Serana joined them.

“Everything okay?� she asked. “You look upset, Gwyn �" what’s going on?�

“It’s a little overwhelming,� answered Cain for her. “Getting together with all us right off the bat, I mean.� He wrapped his arms around Gwyn and gave her a quick hug. “You don’t have to join us, but there’s no way I can get out of this, Gwyn. It’s my first day back and Kyne will be there to boot.�

“I can stay here if it’ll make you feel better, Gwyn,� offered Serana.

“That’s nice of you, but no, you should go be with your wife. Can you give Cain and I a minute? He’ll catch up.�

Serana turned to leave and Gwyn sat back down on the bench with Cain. “I don’t like it, but I understand your obligation. I think I will stay here this time, though… if that’s okay with you.�

“You do whatever makes you comfortable,� smiled Cain. “If you want to settle in undisturbed for a while, head down to the lowest level of the palace and look for a wooden door with a nightshade bloom painted on the wall above it. That’s Linn and Serana’s private library and you’ll feel right at home there.� He paused to unclasp a chain around his neck and then he handed it to her. “Take this and keep it with you while I’m gone. When it’s time to return, I’ll recall to it. Do you have the talisman you were practicing with?�

“Oh, yeah, here.� Gwyn pulled a studded earring out of her earlobe and handed it to Cain.

“Thanks. I’ll leave this outside the estate. If you change your mind and decide to join us, you’ll appear on the front walk.� He bent down to kiss her and then lifted her chin with his hand so that they were looking eye to eye. “That is by no means a request or an attempt to make you feel obligated. You come only if you want to. They’ll get the [censored] over it if you don’t.�

Gwyn laughed and kissed him back. “You’re starting to sound like me. Go be with your family. I’ll be here when you get back.�

-----

Cain stepped into his father’s study a few minutes later and shut the door behind him with a click. His family had settled in to wait for him and Gwyn and were chatting among themselves while Kirin moved out from behind his desk and greeted his son warmly.

“There you are!� He pulled Cain in for a hearty hug and then clapped him on the back. “You didn’t stop for so much as a ‘hello’ earlier this morning but at least I know why now! Lydia tells me you and Gwyn kicked things up a notch, eh? Well, I guess that means I’ll just have to get to know her better! Where is the lass anyway?�

“That can wait, husband,� said Lydia. She got up from her chaise and gave Cain a kiss on the cheek. “It’s lovely to have you back, dear. I take it Gwyn will be staying behind?�

“Yeah,� nodded Cain. “She’s not a social person and she isn’t used to any of this yet. And, no offense, our family isn’t exactly a quiet one. The thought of a boisterous lunch with all of us is a bit overwhelming for her."

“It’s okay,� said Lydia. “The girls warned us not to pressure her and we’ll make sure Gwyn gets the space she needs. And about earlier… she’s not upset with me, is she?�

“No, not at all,� laughed Cain. “She knew it was deserved and she appreciated that you didn’t pull your punches.�
“Good. Should we be off then?�

“Sounds great,� said Cain. “I’ll need to ride along though �" I don’t think I ever marked anything permanent at Elysium. Anska and I were only there for the one day.�

“You can hold my other hand, Cain,� offered Serana.

The Windbornes gathered in a circle at the center of the room and vanished in a flash of purplish-white energy. And not ten minutes after they were gone, the door to the locked study swung open under the influence of Gwyn’s alteration spell. Crestfallen, she looked around the empty room and cursed her indecision.

[censored]. I should have just stuck with him from the get-go, she thought. Guess I’ll wait downstairs.

This post has been edited by Kane: May 17 2025, 02:25 PM