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.

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“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 IV – The Ice Begins to Thaw

The windows of Elysium Estate were flung open to let in the cool autumn breeze blowing off the tundra of Whiterun Hold. Candle sconces, chandeliers, and candelabras lining the open rooms, hallway, bathing areas, and alchemy and enchanting labs were all lit and burning cheerfully for the awaited guests. Outside in the gardens the shrubs were trimmed, flowers bloomed, and a campfire crackled merrily in a small sitting area just outside the back door.

Delectable aromas of roasted meats, fresh baked breads, steamed harvest vegetables, and freshly sugared fruits wafted about the kitchen and dining rooms of the vacant home for Kyne’s champions. New barrels of mead and wine sat tapped and ready on the counter with freshly cleaned tankards, goblets, and glasses waiting to be filled. And several bottles of Colovian Brandy were decanted for a post-lunch sipping.

The Goddess of the Storm and matron Divine of her beloved Windborne family placed the final touches on her dining room spread. Curly auburn hair fell beyond bare shoulders that seemed impossibly perfect. A shimmering linen robe of purest white draped over her human form, and glittering green eyes carefully surveyed the dining room table. Kyne reached down and tweaked a napkin ever so slightly, so that it was perfectly parallel with the ornate silverware resting upon it. She gazed around the empty home, remembering days past when her children lived and thrived under its roof and her eternal guidance. She was proud beyond words of all they had accomplished, but Kyne knew she’d always miss the simpler times in this house.
And then a flash of light accompanied by a cadre of voices outside by her shrine announced the arrival of the guests. Seconds later, the Windborne family pushed through the front door one by one and stared in amazement at the spread Kyne had prepared for their last-minute lunch decision.

Cain entered last but was singled out first by the goddess. Her beaming smile seemed to wash away all the cares of the world and her warm embrace smelled of freshly picked primrose. “There you are, my child! I’m so glad to see you’ve finally returned home.� Her eyes darted around the newly arrived guests and noted the lone missing Breton, who’s eclectic hair and revealing wardrobe normally stood out, despite her being dwarfed by Cain and his tall family. “But where is Gwyndala? I thought she had returned with you?�

“Give her time, mum,� said Cain. “She’s not good at this sort of thing and is feeling like a fish out of water. I taught her Mark and Recall and she will join us if she wishes to.�

“Aw, okay,� sighed Kyne. “I rather hoped to take a walk with her this afternoon, but I guess it can wait.�

“A walk?�

“Yes, dear. I still know so little about her… and, yet, Linneá has shared a very interesting turn of events with me! That can wait until later, though,� she winked. “For now, let’s eat!�

Kyne greeted the rest of the family and then invited them to sit down and dig in to the sumptuous fest she’d prepared before their arrival. Silverware clinked off of porcelain plates, conversation sparkled, and laughter echoed around the dining room while the Windborne clan enjoyed themselves and brought Kyne up to speed on everything happening at the Blue Palace. She was especially curious about the nature of Cain’s evolving relationship with Gwyn, but her questions on the matter derailed after a commotion began in the kitchen.

“Ouch!� exclaimed Linneá. “What’d you smack my hand away for?! I was going to fix a glass of this for you!�

“The brandy is off limits until Gwyn gets here, Elle. She enjoys it as much as I do.�

“I thought you said she wasn’t coming?�

“I did,� affirmed Serana. “But I still have my suspicions. Drink the wine for now, and pour a double for me.�

“If you say so.� Linneá poured two large glasses of Arenthia red for the two of them and gave Serana a kiss on the cheek before rejoining the rest at the table.

Kyne shook her head and smiled at Kirin and Lydia. “Those two will never change, will they?�

“Doubtful,� laughed Lydia. “In fact, I fully expect them to sneak off to the master bedroom for old time’s sake. Ten Septims say Linn will have her down there within the hour.�

The sound of silver on glass suddenly tinkered across the table, and once she had their attention Linneá picked up her wine-filled goblet for a toast. “It occurred to me just now that the last time most of were here at Elysium, it was with Anska. There probably isn’t a day that goes by where one of us doesn’t think about her and how special she was to all of us.� She paused to dry her eyes along with everyone else. “[censored], sorry, told myself I could get through this without tearing up. Guess not. Anyway – “ She raised her glass with the others. “To absent friends.�

“To absent friends,� they chorused.

Linneá took a long drink and then gripped her brother’s shoulder tightly with her free hand. “Sorry, Cain. I felt I had to say something.�

“S’okay,� he muttered. “I know what she meant to you. Thank you for honoring her memory.�

“Hey, how about a distraction? I’ve been hearing about how great a swordsman you are ever since you turned up last year, but dad’s the only here who has seen you in action! Fancy a sparring match in the yard? Ana and I left a bunch of gear downstairs before we left. I’m sure we could both find a sword we like.�

Cain regarded her thoughtfully for a moment. He knew Linneá was worried about dredging up hard memories, but he only remembered Anska in a positive light these days. His fiancé’s brief return and parting words had impacted him greatly and finally set the path for him to move on. And he had done just that – as much as he could, anyway. Cain suspected Linneá knew that too, and began to wonder if this was an excuse to do something she’d wanted to do for a while now.

“You’re on, sis,� he replied.

“Awesome!� Linneá playfully elbowed her wife’s side, “told you he’d go for it, love.� Linneá drained the rest of her wine and then grabbed Cain’s hand to lead him down the hall. “C’mon, we stowed what we couldn’t take with us in the basement. There should still be several racks of weapons and armors.� She stopped and called back to the others, “meet us outside in ten minutes if you care to watch!�

They descended a small flight of stairs and through a double-set of doors to the cellar beyond. Linneá led him through a small reading nook before the hall opened up into large chamber lined with trophy shelves, display racks, and countless mannequins adorned in a wide array of armors, light or heavy. Mysterious artifacts rested beyond glass cases and atop gleaming pedestals.

“What is all this stuff?� asked Cain.

“Spoils of many adventures. Some from ma and da, some from Ana and I.� She pointed at a large white bow floating above a stone pedestal near the northern wall. “That’s Auriel’s Bow, there. We tracked it across the entire damn province and used it to stop Serana’s father from plunging the world into eternal darkness. You’re welcome, by the way.�

“Was that during your vampire phase?�

“Phase? Seriously?�

“Couldn’t resist,� grinned Cain. “Does Serana have any other family?�

“Yeah, her mother, Valerica, is still at Castle Volkihar. We don’t see eye to eye. Never did, really, but once it set in for her that Serana chose our love and to grow old and die with me, she became even more bitter. It’s been a few years now since we spoke to her.�

“I’m sorry to hear that, Linn,� said Cain.

“Don’t be. She made her choice and is too damn stubborn to change. There’s no reason for her to still be out on that godsforsaken island when her only family is within reach. Serana had hoped that she’d change with Harkon out of the picture, but Valerica is too set in her ways. She thinks that that stupid, petty, conniving vampire court still means something.�

Cain recognized that she didn’t have anymore to say on matter and so he busied himself with checking the heft and balance of a few longswords. There seemed to be a surplus of tantos and he was curious about that until he remembered Linneá defending the palace last year with one of the short blades in her off-hand while she unleashed powerful magick on the hapless invaders with the other. It wasn’t until he reached the end of the final weapon rack that a well-polished blade caught his eye.

He lifted the simple, yet elegant longsword free from its place on the dusty rack and admired the intricate carvings etched into the cross guard, and rubbed a hand over the expertly woven leather grip. The pommel tapered down to a blunt point, and the keen steel blade itself was impeccably imbued with a silver edge. A blood channel dipped down like a small valley at the very center of the weapon, and when Cain held it aloft, he found that the balance suited him perfectly.

“Good choice,� noted Linneá, who had just come around the corner. “That was one of my first forays into mixing metal types and I spent many a long hour perfecting it.� She raised her own chosen sword to indicate she was ready. It was slightly longer than the one Cain had chosen, with flowing lines spanning the length of the blade, and a glowing purple stone with a mysterious rune set into the pommel. “I crafted this one before we rescued mum from Apocrypha. Many a demon of old Mora’s fell to this sword in that awful realm. Afterwards, I focused more on honing my magickal prowess in favor of longswords.�

“We don’t have to do this if you’re out of practice, Linn. No shame in changing your mind about a friendly spar.�

“I never back down, brother. You should know that by know.�

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After a second stiff drink the lines on page were beginning to blur. Gwyn shook her head vigorously in a vain attempt to bring her eyes back into focus. It didn’t work and she set down the book that she’d been reading with a sigh, and chose to stare absentmindedly up at the ceiling above her instead. Bored and lonely, her hand reached for the third glass of brandy she had poured and nearly tipped it over before her fingers closed about it.

She held it to her lips and then withdrew it sharply, resisting the urge to fling it against the stone walls around her. Gwyn dabbed at her eyes with the hem of her sleeve to wipe away the unbidden dampness and groaned with frustration, her vibrant array of prismatic hair that had set in earlier that morning now reduced to the darkness of the abyss.

Coward, she thought at herself. I should have just sucked it up and gone with him. It’s not fair that he has to go it alone while I sit here in misery.

If Gwyn had been more alert, the sound of the door to Linneá and Serana's library opening and closing again with a light snap would have garnered her attention. Instead, she nearly jumped out of her skin in surprise when she rolled over on the plush chaise and found herself staring into the curious green eyes of an elven child. “Ah!� she yelped. “Who the [censored] are you?!� The little one jumped back a step and frowned unsurely at Gwyn. It only took a second for recognition to dawn on Gwyn, and then she tried her best to smile kindly at the little girl. “[censored], sorry, kid. You snuck up on me is all. Wait, are you Salihn? Cain’s niece?�

Salihn nodded. “Those were bad words you said.�

“Um. I’ll try not to say them again.� Gwyn pulled herself up to a sitting position and patted the empty space next to her. “Come sit with me, kiddo. My names Gwyn. I’m a friend of your moms, and your uncle Cain.�

“Do you know where my mommies are?� asked Salihn while she clambered up onto the chaise. “They aren’t in our rooms or the kitchens. I can’t find Nana, either.�

“Oh, yeah, they went to have lunch at their old home. Aren’t you supposed to be in school?�

“Mrs. Elisif sent us home early. How come you didn’t go with Uncle Cain?�

Gwyndala fidgeted nervously in her seat. She’d always had a soft spot for kids, but damn it if they also didn’t cut her right to the core. The alcohol and an interesting book had allowed her to tamp down the feelings of angst after having not gone to lunch with Cain and his family. Now it came roaring back to the forefront of her thoughts and she began to feel guilty again for not recalling to Elysium after she changed her mind the first time.

“I, uh… I’m not used to being around a lot of people,� said Gwyn. “I’ve been on my own for a long time and sorta got used to that. I guess… I guess I get scared around people I’m not familiar with.�

“Mum says it’s okay to be scared as long as we have someone we love to be scared with,� said Salihn. “I was a little scared when I couldn’t find them – wanna be scared with me?�

Salhin’s cheery green eyes stared hopefully at Gwyn, and the solitary Breton felt a large piece of the icy veneer she’d worked so hard to encase over a lonesome life shatter to pieces. Never more than in that moment did she appreciate the innocence of children and the mark they could make on someone, and seemingly without effort.

“I’d love that,� Gwyn smiled through new tears that welled up from somewhere other than the pity she’d felt a few minutes ago. “So, what do you do for fun around here, sweetie?�

“I have lotsa toys upstairs and sometimes we all for go walks or we play down by the water but it’s getting too cold out for that. Can we go to Mama Kyne’s house, too? It’s more fun there and she likes to play with me in the gardens!�

Gwyn bit her lip hesitantly and came within in a hairs breadth of trying to persuade Salihn otherwise until the little one grabbed Gwyn’s hand and comforted her with a reassuring smile the same way Serana had tried to on several occasions.

“We can hold hands and you can stay with me, Ms. Gwyn. Mama Kyne will take care of us both!�

Goddammit, she is just so stupid cute, thought Gwyn, melting a little more. Guess I’m going to lunch anyway. I wonder if his sisters planned this… I certainly wouldn’t put it past Linneá.

“Okay. We can do that. I was starting to miss your Uncle Cain, so it will be nice to see him again.� They got up from the chaise and Gwyn grabbed her hand. “Can we go back to my bedroom first? I want to slip on a different pair of shoes.�

“Sure! Follow me, I know the way!�

Salihn took off at nearly a run while Gwyn tried her best to not stumble out of the room after her. The brandy made her movements a little sluggish at first but the sudden burst of activity soon helped to clear her head. They arrived back at Cain’s bedroom a few moments later and a breathless Gwyn sat down on the bed to rest for a moment.

“Where’s all your stuff?� asked Salihn.

Gwyn waved her hand once and a magickal chest appeared at her feet. “I don’t have a whole lot anymore and most of it’s in here. Gimme a sec, hon.� She kicked open the chest and fished out a pair of black, strappy, open-toed stilettos with a three-inch heel. “These’ll work. I won’t feel so lost next to your freakishly tall family.� Gwyn finished putting the shoes on and then scooped up the little one. “Have your moms zipped you away like this before?�

The elf girl nodded and hugged Gwyn tightly in preparation. More and more of the cold, distant shell fell away from Gwyn as she smiled at the small arms wrapped around her. She focused on the talisman Cain had promised to leave outside of Elysium Estate should she have a change of heart, and with the destination in mind, they vanished into the tell-tale vortex of swirling purplish-white magickal energy.