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

[Kane]

Act I

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.


This post has been edited by Kane: Jun 26 2025, 03:16 PM

[Kane]

It's not so much leaving her with the grandparents as it is leaving her at all. Salihn coming into their lives wildly changed Linneá and Serana's prioritizes. Just a year ago they would have been champing at the bit to be out on a quest again.

I think Gwyn is going to surprise folks with her motherly instincts. Part of her yearns strongly to be what her own mother never could.

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Chapter XI – Morning Musings and Blooming Blossoms


Linneá awoke in the early hours of dawn with an itchy nose. She typically preferred to sleep until first light but at some point in the night she had curled up close to Serana and was rewarded with a lock of her wife’s hair teasing her nostrils. Deciding there were much worse things in life, Linneá settled for deeply breathing in the floral scent of the offending locks and pulling herself in even tighter against Serana’s back.

“Mm,� muttered Serana. “Not so tight.�

“Sorry. Go back to sleep, my love. I won’t be far behind.�

They drifted off to sleep for a time not long enough for either of them to be satisfied. The bright sun began to poke through the thick glass panes of their bedroom window and beamed right into their restless pale faces.

“Stupid Magnus,� grumbled Serana. “Of all the autumn days for it to be sunny.�

“Won’t kill you.� Linneá refused to open her eyes and slurred her words in a half-awake fugue state. “Not a vampire anymore, ‘member?�

“Doesn’t mean I won’t bite you.�

“Promises, promises.�

Serana fumbled for the pull cord that ought to be next to the bed. Her hand closed around it with a satisfied sigh and with a tug on it, the window curtains drew together, and darkness returned to the bedroom once more.

“My hero,� breathed Linneá.

But even with their steps to ward off the coming day, sleep eluded them for the rest of the morning. They remained glued together under the warm down blankets and spoke in low tones so as to not wake up the little one. Salihn would no doubt come bounding in brimming with excitement of visiting mama Kyne’s house for a few days. Even if the impending mini adventure her parents were about to embark on was done so with half a heart.

“Elle?�

“Yeah, sweetie?�

“… Do you ever think we’ll get away from this life? I love being here with everyone and the palace has been home for a long time now, but…�
“You’d rather we lived a quiet life on our own somewhere?�

“I do. I miss our time at Elysium. It was peaceful amid the chaos, and far too short.�

“Me too. Don’t give up hope; I think it’s more attainable than you realize.�

That made Serana’s brow furrow. She didn’t see a way things would ever change for them and while Serana had openly accepted this life when they were wed and Kirin became High King, everything changed when they adopted Salihn as their own. They were of the royal bloodline now. Heirs to the throne of Skyrim. And while no one outright used the term ‘princesses’ with regards to her and Linneá, that is what they are.

She feared that would catch up to them one day.

“What do you mean by that?�

“By what?� answered Linneá, blearily. She had nearly fallen asleep again while Serana stewed on her words.

Serana jostled her back into wakefulness. “No sleeping unless I can, too. You said it’s attainable.�

“What is?�

“Elle – “

“I’m just teasing,� smiled Linneá. “Think about it… if dad takes the Ruby Throne, which is a terrifying thought on its own, that means our brother will be the new High King. And Cain is much more understanding of our plight after everything he’s been through. He knows what we’ve already dealt with, and he understands where we are at in our lives now. Cain’s a great big brother and likes to lean on that - I think he’ll very kindly order us to go live our own lives in peace.�

The door to their bedroom flew open before Serana could answer and a very excited elfling dashed in and dove onto the bed with them. She landed right on top of Linneá and Serana with little regard for where her bony elbows and knees dug into.

“Wake up, it’s time to go see Uncle Cain and Aunt Gwyn!�

Linneá laughed aloud at her antics despite nearly having the wind knocked out of her. She cast a certain illegal spell she’d been working on at Salihn and waited until the little one floated a foot or so above the bed before tickling her daughter relentlessly.

“Elle!� yelled Serana in mock horror. “No levitation spells for this monster!� Serana sat up and tossed her pillow at Linneá’s face and her wife flopped over dramatically from the soft impact.

This went on for several minutes and none of them noticed Lydia standing at the door, shaking her head with silent laughter at the three children goofing off on the bed. It was only when a stray pillow landed at Lydia’s feet that Serana took a moment to breathe and wave at her.

“Hey, mum, come on in!�

“Gramma!� Salihn leapt off the bed and ran to hug her third favorite person, playtime with her moms all but forgotten. “Are you coming with us to mama Kyne’s?�

“No, I’m staying here to run some errands,� said Lydia. “But I’ll make sure to visit you later, okay?�

“Okay! I’m gonna go pack my toys!� Salihn picked up the poorly aimed pillow and tossed it back onto the bed. “Hurry up and get dressed! We don’t want to be late!�

She dashed from the room while Linneá and Serana got up to make the bed and start getting ready. They seemed content enough, but Lydia could sense the apprehension still lingering over their impending journey.

“Are you girls sure you’re okay with doing this?�

Linneá waved the question away. “We’ll be fine, mum. It’s not far and it won’t take us very long. Ana walked down to the stables yesterday and booked the carriage already. Cain said he was packing up some provisions for us and he even dusted off our old camping gear. Everything we need is ready to go.�

“Alright, then. Just be safe, you two. If you find anything strange, come back here right away and let us know.�

“Will do, mum.� Linneá hugged her and then gestured kindly at the door. “Gotta get dressed, we’ll say goodbye before we leave.�

Lydia nodded and left them to it. Linneá and Serana got out of their sleeping clothes and pulled on thin under layers before opening their spacious closet and staring at the little-used armors and robes resting or hanging within. Neither of them had the cause to wear most of it anymore and the fit of the offerings caused a little bit of worry.

In the end, they settled on the very same outfits that had served them well while tracking down Lydia over six years ago: Linnea’s custom dyed Elmlock armor, and Serana’s enchanted Confessor robes. After taking several minutes to don it all, they emerged from the bedroom to a waiting Lydia and Salihn.

“Uh, did I step back in time?� blinked Lydia. “You two look the just the same as you did when you pulled me out of Apocrypha. Must be nice to still be so young!� she added with a laugh.

“It’s a bit tight if I’m being honest,� said Linneá. “In the pants, I mean. And it looks like Ana will need a seamstress to let out the bust. Not that I’m complaining.�

“Hush, Elle. It all fits just fine. Are you ready, dear?� Serana asked Salihn.

Their daughter’s head bobbed up and down enthusiastically, an overnight bag resting on the floor by her feet.

“Your father will be along in a second,� said Lydia. She gave them each a hug and kissed the top of Salihn’s head. “He wants to tag along so that Cain doesn’t have to come here and get him.�

“Ooh, that’s right – today’s the big meeting down south, huh?� Linneá frowned. She’d nearly forgotten about that and wondered if they shouldn’t wait until Cain returned before embarking on their own quest.

Gwyn will be just fine for a few hours, soothed Serana. She loves this munchkin dearly. Besides, you just know that Kyne won’t be able to stay away.

You’re right. I need to stop worrying so much.

Just then, Kirin entered their living suite from the hallway and waved genially at them. “You three ready to go?�

“Wow, you certainly are, dad!� remarked Serana.

She couldn’t remember a time when her father-in-law looked more kingly. He wore opulent red and gold robes studded with gems around the collar. The Windborne family crest spanned his back with the soaring hawk front and center for all to see. A delicate sash tied it all together at the waist and his boots were polished to a sheen. Kirin even held the little worn Jagged Crown at his side, just in case any doubts about his intentions were raised.

“Not every day one gets to visit the High Chancellor and the White-Gold Tower,� mused Kirin. “Unless your name is Cain, of course.�

“You look very handsome, husband,� said Lydia. “And I know that you’ll do well today.� She leaned in closer so that only Kirin could hear her parting words. “The robe stays on tonight, got it?�

“Understood, my queen.� They kissed briefly and she departed with a wave.

“Ready, da?� said Linneá.

“Aye, let’s go before I change my mind.�

-----

Around the same time of early morning that sleep eluded his younger sisters, Cain also laid awake, staring at the canopy of the four-poster bed in Elysium Estate’s master bedroom. Gwyn’s head rested on his shoulder with a slender arm spanning his bare torso. Her light snores offered a contentedness he had not felt for some time, and he wished they could stay there like that forever. Happy, safe, and secure. Cain found it hard to believe that just one month ago, they had been sleeping in separate beds while he was completely still unaware of how Gwyn had felt about him.

He wasn’t sure if recognizing the signs sooner would have led to where they were now, but Cain suspected little would’ve changed. Especially if it meant he could offer the comfort at night that he now did. Gwyn still struggled with nightmares, but his intimate presence was usually enough that he could hold her tight and break the hold over her.

Lost in those thoughts, Cain subconsciously started running his fingers through her blue hair. He didn’t notice the sudden absence of snoring until Gwyn jabbed a finger into his belly.

“Ow, hey!�

“Don’t ‘hey’ me, you’re the one who woke me up,� grumbled Gwyn. “I was having such a pleasant dream for a change. What the hell time even is it?�

“No sun yet, so I’d guess around 4am.�

“[censored]’s sake, Cain. Why the hell are you awake already?�

“I dunno. Just thinking about things, I guess.�

“Well, think more quietly. I’m not done sleeping.� She closed her eyes again and tried drifting back off. Cain began to squirm away, and she strengthened her grip on his torso. “You’re staying,� she warned. “Go back to sleep.�

He smiled to himself in the darkness and rested a hand on Gwyn’s back. They both eventually fell asleep again, but they ended up sleeping well past the eventual sunrise and were roused with a start when voices called to them from the hallway.

Linneá and Serana had arrived with Salihn and Kirin to a quiet house with no signs of movement.

“[censored]!� said Cain. “[censored] [censored] [censored]! C’mon, Gwyn we overslept. Breakfast needs put on and I need to get ready for the Imperial City.�

Gwyn emerged from the bedroom first only a few minutes later. She still wasn’t quite awake, but she tried her best to be polite. After fussing about the kitchen for a few minutes, she felt less groggy and joined Cain’s family at the table with an urn of tea and some porcelain mugs.

“Sorry, the morning got away from us. I can’t fix anything elaborate in time for breakfast. There’s plenty of bread in the pantry and sweetened butter somewhere, though. Can I get some for you?� She paused and glanced around the room. “Where’s Salihn?�

“I’ll grab it, Gwynnie,� said Linneá. “And the kiddo is playing in the den. Relax and let the tea kick in. We’ll be fine.�

Serana poured herself a mug of piping hot tea and took a sip while looking curiously at Gwyn. That was the first time the Breton didn’t protest or threaten Linneá for calling her that. Was she that settled into her new life already? They’d grown to be close friends since the heartfelt chat in the basement and Gwyn had really come out of her shell around the rest of them, but this felt like something else. Serana was wondering how to address it delicately when Kirin decided to just go for it. She sometimes envied his lack of tact.

“Are you, uh, feeling alright, Gwyn?� he asked. “Normally you get a bit cross when Linn calls you that.�

“It’s not a big deal,� shrugged Gwyn. “I know she teases from a good place and that’s fine with me.�

Linneá returned just then with a teeming platter of freshly sliced bread and a crock of warm butter whipped with honey and cinnamon. She patted Gwyn on top of her head and grinned. “Knew you’d come around eventually.�

“Don’t push it, Linn. Your [censored] brother was up in far too early this morning and managed to wake me up, too.�

“That’s funny… Ana and I were awake like that, too.�

“In that case, you’re all goddamn nuts.�

“Love you, too, sis,� winked Linneá.

Having finished getting ready, Cain froze in place on his way up the hall when he heard Linneá say that. He was completely unsure how Gwyn would react to such a powerful word. They hadn’t even said that to each other yet, although Cain had almost let it slip a few times already. And based on her troubled past, Cain was fairly certain that no one had ever told Gwyn that.

Kirn and Serana seemed to have similar apprehension. A hush fell over the dining room that dragged on until what felt like eternity. Then, to Cain’s immense relief, Gwyn stood up and hugged Linneá tightly while she cried into his sister’s arms.

Linneá looked absolutely stunned, but happy, nonetheless. Soon enough, tears of her own mingled with Gwyn’s. She caught Cain’s eye down the hall and waved him over. Not wanting to intrude on Gwyn’s tender moment with someone other than himself, he settled for giving her hand a gentle squeeze before heading into the kitchen. Coffee was essential for the morning ahead of him.

The water was on and starting to heat up when Gwyn finally let go of Linneá to dab at her eyes with a napkin from the table. “I’m sorry, Linn. Your cuirass is soaked from my blubbering. Nice armor, by the way.�

“It’ll dry,� said Linneá. “Are you alright?�

“I’m fine. Really. I just, um… you… you’re the first person to tell me that. Ever. I never knew my father, and my mother just used me as an object, and I was an only child, so... Yeah. You caught me off guard.�

Linneá’s heart ached for the young woman Cain had brought into their life and silently vowed to never let the poor girl down. She lifted Gwyn’s chin with her hand and stared directly into her eyes. “Hey. You have my brother now. And you have us. Like it or not, Ana and I are your sisters now and you’ll never be rid of us. Got it?�

Gwyn nodded with fresh tears pooling up. “I’ll hold you to that, Linn.� She gave Linneá another quick hug and then headed into the kitchen to help Cain with his coffee. They gathered up some more mugs for their guests and set them out while the water simmered away above the small cooking fire. With nothing to do but wait until the kettle whistled, Gwyn’s hand found Cain’s and clasped it tightly. “Thank you for brining me here. For bringing me into your life. I know it was a rocky start, but this is the happiest I’ve ever been.�

“You don’t have to thank me, Gwyn. After everything we’ve been through together, I’d give you the entire world if I could.�

“The world feels like too much,� she grinned. “But I’ll certainly settle for Skyrim, Mr. Future King.�