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]

Just a minor clap! One never knows what to expect with Gwyn. However it's most likely she was fixing a tea to enjoy in bed.

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Chapter XVII – Chasing Memories

After twenty-nine harsh years of life that no one should ever deserve, Gwyndala Louvain finally discovered true bliss in the arms of an honest and uncommonly kind Redguard. She relaxed in his arms by a fireside at their home, completely content with her life in a way she’d once only dreamed of. Well… mostly content. Weary from the day, Cain had dozed off before she could broach a touchy subject and his loud snores were bordering on obnoxious.

Their visit to Falkreath went very well and Gwyn surprised even herself with how much she enjoyed the jaunt south by his side, and she even got to have a little fun teasing him with the improvised fiancé bit in the Jarl’s Longhouse. Now she found herself truly pondering over his reaction. Was he already thinking about that sort of thing? They’d only been together for about a month at this point – did he see the two of them being wed? It didn’t surprise Gwyn in the least, considering they’d been a part of each other’s lives for much longer than a month.

I suppose it’s just a formality at this point, thought Gwyn. And I did tell him to put a baby in me…

She craned her neck up and studied his sleeping face. Things had come so far between the two of them since that day in the mountains above Evermor. Further than she’d ever thought possible. But there still remained a singular subject Gwyn found herself nervous to bring up: Serana’s advice on how to ease the burden of her dark past.

In the time since they’d spoken, she’d thought about it constantly, and now, weeks later, Gwyn finally felt that she was ready to take that next step with Cain. The unanswered question was whether or not he could bring himself to do such a thing after how it ended last time. Gwyn was there at his worst… she knew exactly how much the loss of that connection with Anska broke him. Dare he take that risk again?

She pulled herself away from his torso and sat up, running a gentle finger along his cheek to gently rouse the sleeping man. Cain’s eyelids fluttered and then opened groggily. He rubbed at them with his palms and smiled at Gwyn.

“Everything okay?�

“Mhmm,� said Gwyn. “I just, uh, wanted to talk to you about something. But if you’re tired, we can wait until the morning.�
“I’m never too tired for you.�

“And that’s why I love you. This is something serious, though. I need you to be aware of that.�

Cain sat up and looked at her with concern, his fatigue suddenly forgotten. “What is it, Gwyn? What’s got you so hesitant?�

Her stomach began to churn uncomfortably. Gwyn had been rehearsing this conversation in her head for a couple of days now, but it didn’t actually help now that the moment had arrived. There was a certain level of uncertainty bordering on fearfulness as to what she would do if he said no. It was a lot to ask of Cain – much more than he’d taken on with Anska. Gwyn knew without a doubt that he wanted to help her deal with the past in any way that he could but sharing that trauma in their minds meant that her beloved would experience the darkness the same way that Gwyn did every minute of every day.

She swallowed hard and made the leap. The hell with it. This is who I am, and I know what I want.

“I want… No, not want. I need you to do something for us. I – “

“You want me to link our minds.�

She nodded while her body filled with the dreaded weight of overpowering nervousness.

“Gwyn, you know that I would do anything in my power to help you…�

Oh, [censored]. No no no no no! Don’t do this to me!

“…but are you certain you want to be in here?� finished Cain while pointing at the side of his head. “I know what I’m getting into with you when we become that intimate, even if I don’t understand it yet. But it’s not just me that you will be dealing with.�

“I don’t… what do you mean?� asked Gwyn. Her heart rate began to settle, but she was still on edge.

“Sharing a mind leaves impressions, for lack of a better word. And despite my making peace with it, there are still echoes of Anska in there. Her thoughts, her memories, her desires - all of who she was left a mark that I don’t think can ever be erased, and you will be privy to it. Her consciousness may be absent, but on some level, I still carry her with me.�

Gwyn realized in this moment just how much that meant. It explained a lot about why Cain was in such pain for so long a time following Anska’s death – why he had so much trouble letting go. And why it took the direct intervention of the Divines to finally allow him a measure of closure.
“I never, um… I never would have considered that. Why haven’t you said anything about it before?�

“Because it wouldn’t have changed anything,� said Cain. “I love you completely and that’s why I need to make sure you understand what you’d be getting into. If you’re worried about some sort of conflict between the two of you, then cast it aside. I know what we are and what we have. You will find nothing other than the devotion that I carry for you.�

Gwyn saw the truth in his eyes, and she felt no doubt in his words, but they had still caught her flat-footed. The echoes of his late fiancé were not a thing she would ever have guessed were something to be contended with when they became joined in that manner. More importantly, however, Gwyn did not feel intimidated by that in the least. Her feelings for Cain were clear.

“You can take some more time to think about if you’d like,� said Cain. “I’d give anything you have you in there with me and – “

“Hush,� interrupted Gwyn, putting a finger to his lips. “Just [censored] do it.�

“As you wish,� said Cain. He scooped Gwyn’s tiny frame up in his arms and carried her to the bedroom. “We’ll need to be somewhere soft for this. I don’t know what will happen with you being awake for it.�

-----

Panic followed by a flash of fear surged into Cain’s mind before he heard the scream and shattering of dishware from the kitchen. By the time he made it out of his bedroom with a dagger in hand, Gwyn was already giving Linneá and Serana a loud dressing down for recalling unannounced into their home. His sisters covered their eyes in the face of Gwyn’s immodesty until she fired a silent request to Cain.

Don’t just stand there gawking, go get me something to wear!

Yes, ma’am.

Once Gwyn adorned some clothes and settled down, she bustled around the kitchen again with Serana while Linneá joined her brother at the dining room table. They made small talk for a few minutes until they were joined by the other two bearing a platter of freshly brewed tea and coffee. Cain wasted no time in pouring a cup of the caffeinated liquid and he sipped it gratefully.

“Long night?� asked Serana. “Elle and I have had a morning, too.�

“Yeah, we were both up late,� said Cain. “I think it was worth it though.� His brown eyes twinkled while Gwyn rolled hers and snorted loudly. “Yes, dear?� he asked her.

“Quit being coy,� said Gwyn. She turned to his sisters and pointed at the side of her head. “He’s in here now. And vice versa. It was… an experience. For the both of us.�

There passed a brief moment of silence until Linneá fished a Septim out from her belt satchel and handed it to her wife. “I don’t get how you know these things, Ana, I really don’t.�

“Uh, what just happened?� said Cain. “Did you have a bet on us?�

“Yep,� grinned Linneá. “It was only a matter of time before you two made the link, but I figured there’d be some stuff to work through first. However, my better half excels at reading people, and she noticed the adoring way in which you often stare at our brother, Gwyn, and felt you’d want him as close as possible.�

Gwyn’s eyebrows furrowed. “I feel like past me would have been really [censored] annoyed at the both of you right now, but I’m actually not surprised at all. Mind telling us why you’re here?�

“Got a map?�
Cain nodded and went to grab it from their traveling supplies. He unfurled it over the center of the table and set their mugs on the corners to keep it spread. Serana pulled a piece of charcoal out from her satchel this time and marked a spot near the southern foot of the Druadach mountains with an ‘X’.

“Dad needs you stop here on your way to Markarth. It’s a decent sized series of caves called Gloomreach and there ought to be Falmer living there.�
“Ought to be?� said Cain. “Guess the hunt doesn’t go well?�

“Something’s [censored],� said Linneá. “And I don’t like it. I am glad you and Gwyn didn’t wait around to make your connection, though. Serana and I were discussing next steps if the scouts have similar reports, and a long trip to somewhere hidden will likely be in order. The kind of trip that we can’t both go on. If it comes to that, I want you to come with me, Gwyn.�

“Me? What about our travels? I can’t leave Cain to deal with those fops all on his own.�

Her reaction came off as genuine to his sisters, but Cain felt the anxiety creeping up in her mind and knew that Gwyn really did not want to leave his side. The idea was borderline frightening to her and would take some time to get used to.

“He’ll have to manage on his own,� admitted Linneá. “Or with some guards.�

“Linn, this is bullshit!� protested Gwyn. “I don’t want to be anywhere else, and I certainly don’t want to be dragged off to some mysterious place for weeks on end! Why the hell do you need me so badly?�

“Because it will be dangerous, and I trust you to help keep me safe. For Ana and Salihn.�

-----

Later that same evening found Cain and Gwyn sitting around a fire just off the road. In the distance, lights glowed dimly in the windows of Fort Greymoor seated on a small rise that overlooked the tundra on every side. They could have stayed inside the safety of the fort’s walls, but Gwyn didn’t want to sleep in the barracks with a bunch of self-important soldiers.

The news brought by their morning guests had caused a point of consternation they’d been talking about it off and on throughout the day. But, at this moment, Gwyn rested her head on his shoulder while staring aimlessly into the dancing flames and tried not to think any about it anymore with poor results.

“I’d just as soon say all three of us should go,� she said. “If Linn thinks this place is so important and necessary to find, then we should ditch this silly quest to meet the Jarls until a better time.�

“That’d be up to my father. And this is something I was supposed to have done last year.� Cain took her hand and held it to his lips for a kiss. “Let’s not dwell on it anymore. We still have our trip to Markarth together.�

“Fine,� grumbled Gwyn.

She stared into the fire some more and thought instead of the night prior to this one. The actual process Cain used to link their minds had been fascinating to experience initially as an observer, and the actual depths of power in his dragon blood that she peered into were unfathomable to her. Then Gwyn soon realized that the feelings of peace and serenity Serana described to her when she first suggested it were severely understated in the best possible way. The warmth and encompassing love of Cain comforting the darkness within her mind brought an inner peace she hasn’t known since she was a child.

But the image of her beloved’s face when he finally, truly understood what she carried with her seared itself into Gwyn’s memories – the abject horror of her past and the tears for her that followed drowned out everything else on her mind – including the echoes of Anska.

The hours after were difficult for the both of them, but by the time that sleep blissfully descended upon them, Gwyn felt a happiness and affection for life that was increasingly new to her.

-----

“That’s [censored] disgusting.� A grossly obnoxious squishing sound escaped from under Gwyn’s leather boots while they hiked up a rocky path towards the outline of a small cave entrance. She paused to rub the heel of her boot on the nearest rock, grimacing at the smell of animal scat. “How much further do we have to climb?�

“Another hundred yards or so,� said Cain. “Want me to carry you?�

“I’m seriously considering it. And I can only imagine what I’m gonna step in while spelunking through a goddamn Falmer hive.�

“It’ll probably just be mud, if Linn’s gut is anything to go by.�

“Here’s hoping. I preferred the road we left behind.�

Cain’s (and Linneá’s) estimation would soon prove true. The evidence began mounting just outside of the cave mouth where a few broken Falmer totems were laying, and there were a series of tracks frozen into the cold earth that led further up into the mountains. He unslung their traveling gear from his shoulders and set it behind a shrub while Gwyn readied herself with a flesh spell.

“Ready?�

“Ready.�

They entered the caves of Gloomreach and the first words Cain spoke were those of the Aura Whisper Thu’um. It revealed no signs of life, other than rats, spiders, and a few bats clinging to the craggy ceiling. Further into the empty hive they crept until it descended deep down under the mountains and still there was nothing. The desolate caves eventually ended and after another whisper from his Voice revealed no hidden Falmer, they headed back for the entrance.

Just as she had with Linneá and Serana, Kyne sat perched in wait outside the cave under the mid-morning sun, eager to hear if Cain and Gwyn had learned anything new.

“Another empty one?� frowned the goddess. “Very well. I’ll let the others know.� She fell silent for a moment while relaying the news to her champion and then morphed into her familiar human form. “The roads were empty while I circled on high. Mind if I walk with you for a bit?�

Gwyn shrugged. “Makes no difference to me. Just watch your step on this trail. My boot still smells like [censored].�

“I appreciate the advice, dear,� smiled Kyne. “But I do not actually touch the ground while in this body.� She hiked up the hem of her shimmering sky-blue robes to show reveal her feet floating an inch or two above the dirt.

“Must be nice,� muttered Gwyn, still trying to scrape the dung off on a rock.