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]

Chapter XII – The Trail Goes Cold


A light snowfall blanketed the woodlands just south of the renowned Dragon Bridge in western Haafingar. The citizens of a sleepy village nestled within the splitting road out of Morthal were winding down the harvest season and winterizing their farms against the coming months of cold darkness. Only the sawmill showed no signs of slowing down, for the small river snaking its way towards Solitude flowed steadily on.

Hallix farm stood on a small rise near the outskirts of the town, tucked in against a low ridge of rocky hills that were all too familiar to Linneá and Serana. Years ago, they had raided a rogue vampire lair buried deep within a colossal cave system to rescue a Moth Priest and snuff out a brutal orc mercenary. They were glad to have found that an immovable pile of rubble filled that forgotten cave entrance, sealing off the ancient cathedral inside.
Their light footfalls muffled by the falling snow, the duo wound up a narrow path to the front door of the farmhouse and knocked on it. Pavo Hallix opened his door a few seconds later and slammed it shut the moment he saw Linneá’s face.

“I think you’ve made an impression on him, Elle,� giggled Serana. She knocked on the door again. “Open up, Mr. Hallix, we’ve been sent by the High King to look into your animal attack reports. I promise my wife is not here on a crusade of vengeance!�

The door opened just far enough for Pavo Hallix’s sullen eyes to stare suspiciously at them. “He sent his own daughters for something like that? Why?�
“Dad likes to have those he can trust look into some matters,� said Linneá. “We just need to make sure your dead livestock isn’t connected to another incident near Whiterun. It won’t take long. All we need is to ask you a few questions and then have a look around the property.�

Pavo opened the door further and ushered them inside. “I’m pleased that he is finally taking me seriously. I’ll tell you everything I can.�

The farmhouse was a quaint single room homestead with a large hearth centered in the back wall. A small table with a single chair stood near the fireplace, and several shelves stood against the farthest wall, alongside a tall cupboard. A few barrels of preserved food were tucked into the corners, and at the opposite end, a narrow staircase led down to a cellar. Pavo Hallix deigned to offer any refreshments to his guests, and he stood waiting with his arms crossed.

“Word of advice before we get started, Pavo?� said Linneá. “Skip the potatoes next time and maybe dad’ll be more receptive. They don’t do anything but piss us off. Now, then… how many times has your livestock been attacked.�

“Three times in the last month.�

“Any signs that would indicate what sort of beast it is? Tracks, fur, broken claws?�

“Usually just a lot of blood,� answered Pavo. “I’m no hunter, so I’ve never looked for tracks. Although, I did find one odd thing in the mud after the last attack.� The farmer moved over to one of the shelves and picked up a small object and handed it to Linneá. “Dunno what it is. Sharp little bastard though.�

Linneá and Serana took one look at knew exactly what it was. Serana dug a bit of cloth out from her belt satchel and carefully wrapped the object up in it, taking extra care to not let it nick her skin. She had no desire to be poisoned once again.

“Did you cut yourself on it at all, Pavo?� she asked the farmer.

“No, but I can tell it has a keen edge. Do you know what it is?�

“Chaurus chitin,� nodded Linneá. “Most likely with a strong poison coating the edge. Thank you for showing that to us. We’ll head outside and have a look around the pens. If we need anything further from you, one of us will knock on the door again.�

Pavo bowed respectfully and thanked them for looking into his woes. Back outside, Linneá confidently led Serana around to the western side of the livestock pens. There were tracks set into the frozen mud, clear as day. They knelt down in frosty grass to examine them closely.

“Falmer,� confirmed Serana. “At least six of them based on how spread out the foot placements are. No denying their involvement with these tracks here and the bit of chitin Pavo found. How’d you know we’d find them over this side, Elle?�

Linneá got to her feet and pointed towards the southwest. “There’s a surface level Falmer hive across the river, about half a day’s march from here. I think we’re gonna have to check it out.�

“There is? When did you come across it?�

“Some fisherman told me about it. That must have been, hm… at least ten years ago, but I doubt the Falmer deserted the caves. I made the mistake of trying to hide in there from a particularly pissed off merchant, and it was teeming with them.�

“Let me guess… you robbed that poor merchant blind?�

“Hey, I was in the guild!� said Linneá, throwing her arms up in mock indignation. “And I was good at my job. The mark had a successful trading post in Rorikstead and he didn’t trust the banks. I pilfered his strongbox for over a thousand Septims and a small pile of flawless gems.�

Serana rolled her eyes. “You must have been quite the rogue back in those days. I wish we could have met sooner, Elle.�

“You might not have stuck around,� admitted Linneá. “I was an asshole back then. Still pissed off at life and refusing to accept that mum might have known what she was doing. Didn’t even talk to Kyne back then either. It was at least another three or four years until I wised up enough to realize what an idiot I was being. It was Karliah who finally brought me around, and rekindled the flames, so to speak. I worked up the courage to return home only to find it empty, save for Kyne. You know the rest.�

“I don’t know, dear,� said Serana. “You were still a little roguish when we met. Did whatever it took to get me home and then to protect me. Even if it meant stealing to survive. I think I’d still have fallen for you. And I definitely would have smacked some sense into you sooner than Karliah did.� She inched in closer to Linneá and kissed her. “We were meant to be, Elle. Of that, I’m certain. Now, c’mon: let’s go hunt some Falmer.�

-----

It was a pleasant walk south along the eastern fork of the Karth River. The cobblestone road stretched from Dragon Bridge all the way down through Rorikstead and deep into the southern pine forests, snaking along the river’s course. The snow had ceased falling and a bright midday sun warmed the land while Linneá and Serana marched on. Despite the initial trepidation, they were enjoying themselves immensely, chatting about this or that and laughing gaily about past events.

They both missed Salihn terribly, but they also knew beyond doubt that she was safe at Elysium with Gwyn, Cain, and most likely Kyne. There was still some friction between their new honorary sister and the Divine, but they were at least civil with one another. For the most part.
“Do you think she’ll ever come around with Kyne, Elle?�

“Gwyn? Hard to say.� Linneá bit her lip in thought. “Gwyn has every right not to, if you think about it. I love mum to bits, but she unknowingly did the one thing she shouldn’t have: she violated Gwyn’s independence. I know it’s not the same as what went Gwyn went through before, but it was still a violation.�

“That was my thought on the matter, too,� said Serana. “And Gwyn at least seemed to understand why mum did it, so I guess all we can do is give her time. “

“Cain’ll help, I think. He’s pretty pissed off still too, but I think dad was supposed to talk to him about it today. It’s been eating away at Kyne, and I think she’d give them the world for even a hint of forgiveness.� Linneá brought them to a halt and pointed down at the rocky riverbank. A small ford led to the far side. “We cross here. Did you wear tall boots?�

Serana hiked up the hem of her flowing robes to reveal ankle high leather boots. “Nope. But I learned a neat trick for drying clothes last week. One of the books that came in with the new shipment was written by a clever Bosmer that used a form of alteration magick to heat things up without flames. Much less risky.�

They crossed the river and paused on the opposite shore to dry off. A small dirt path ran uphill away from them and alongside a mountain stream until it ended at another cave entrance. Chillwind Depths lay in the gloom beyond. The familiar odd decorations of the fallen mer were fixed into the ground outside as a way to mark their territory. And to warn off would-be adventurers.

Mushrooms grew in the rocky outcrops all around the cave, but it looked like they had been harvested recently. “Think it was our Falmer party?�
“Probably,� said Linneá. “Remember all those shrooms they were roasting in Alftand? Must be a staple of their diet.�

“Vaguely. I try to block out a lot of that particular trip, Elle. Blackreach was… eerie.�

“In that case, I’ll take the lead. Stay behind me, hon. And watch our back.�

They entered the cave and were soon immersed in total darkness. Using the Falmer’s racial blindness to their advantage, hovering orbs of white light blossomed into existence above their heads, illuminating the damp and icy cold cave. A foul odor rankled their nostrils. Moving forward cautiously, Linneá soon found the source – several dead Frostbite Spiders were piled in a heap about twenty feet into the depths.

Skirting around the dead creatures, Serana followed her wife deeper into the twisting corridors of Chillwind. But nothing leapt out to attack them. Nothing scampered off into the darkness. No pincers were heard chattering from the gloom and no labored breathing of the stunted Falmer whispered from the dark. Only clutches of withered Chaurus eggs lined the walls.

Progress was slow and deliberate. Two hours came and went before Serana spoke aloud what they both were thinking. “This is so weird,� whispered Serana. “These egg sacs all look dead, as if they weren’t fertilized or cared for. And where are all the Falmer? The Chaurus?�

Linneá felt the same unease. She allowed her candlelight to blink out and then cast a detect life spell instead. There was nothing. The Chillwind Depths were empty, save for the two of them.

“Anything?�

“No, it’s just us,� said Linneá. “Hey, don’t you have a – “

“Way ahead of you.� This time it was Serana’s turn. A brief glow of golden light filled her palm before it cast out around them. Her detect dead spell filled every nook, cranny, and crevice as it radiated away from them in a wide arc, until a dense red outline formed in her vision. “Um. Next chamber, Elle.�

Onward they went into a large open cavern with a lofty ceiling. Stalactites hung perilously above them, slowly reaching out for the ground with a constant drip of calcified water. Some were longer than others, but they all went ignored by Linneá and Serana. At the center of the room lay a heap of burned bodies.

“Definitely Falmer,� noted Serana with a hint of sadness. “Too short to be anything else. Who could have done this to them?�

“I don’t know. Nor do I like it. Look around for signs of their attackers. Maybe we’ll get lucky.�

Another hour was spent scrutinizing every corner of the chamber. Fortune did not avail itself to them and it was with a confused resignation that they finally gave up and headed back outside. Evening approached with a swiftly setting sun when they stepped back into cold Skyrim air. To the surprise of neither Linneá or Serana, a large hawk had perched itself on a fallen log and waited patiently for them.

“Evening, mum,� said Linneá. “What brings you out to the wilds with us?�

The briefest of seconds lapsed and the goddess, now in her mortal form, greeted them both with a quick hug. “Hello, dears. You didn’t think I’d miss out on seeing you two back at it, did you? Why, just look at the two of you! I remember us having dinner around countless campfires like it was yesterday. I adored watching the two of you grow closer and closer together in those days. It filled me with such joy.�

“Go easy on the memories, mum,� smiled Serana. “You’ll get us all weepy. It is lovely to see out here with us again, though. Really does feel like old times. I half expect a Dawnguard patrol to rush up the hill and attack us!�

“Not on my watch,� promised the goddess. “So, did you find anything in there? Any leads for the farmer or your brother?�

Linneá noted the pained expression on Kyne’s face before it disappeared. She really is struggling with the distance between herself, Cain and Gwyn, she thought at Serana. Maybe we should talk to Gwyn later. See how she’s feeling about things. Serana silently agreed and then Linneá answered Kyne’s question. “No answers, unfortunately. Just more questions. All the Falmer and Chaurus in there are dead and the corpses were burned.�

“Dead? How strange,� muttered Kyne. “That does not bode well. I think it would be wise for Kirin to dispatch some scouting parties to check out other known Falmer dwellings. In the meantime, shall we head back to the estate for dinner?�

Serana looked at her with raised eyebrows. “Do… do you think that’s a good idea, mum?�

“Yes, of course. Gwyndala and I may not be on the best of terms, but we are still cordial to one another. Besides… it’s my house.�

They took one last look around the cave entrance for any sign of the invaders but came up empty. The sun was beginning to set when Linneá finally recalled them to Elysium Estate. She smiled in anticipation of seeing her daughter again and could not wait to hold Salihn in her arms.

Not if scoop her up first, teased Serana.