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]

Grits: knocking would definitely have helped, haha. Gwyn doesn't really have an inhibitions. And linking their minds didn't feel fair to out off any longer. They adore each other and at this point have actually been a part of each other's lives for longer than Cain was with Anska.

Acadian: back-filling events like that is a lot of fun, especially when it's for levity. They'll fall into step with their new arrangement before too long! Would that we call could float above the ground...

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Chapter XVIII – Division

“I’m at a loss.�

Kirin stood behind his desk and stared out of the window while he spoke. The first true snow of the season blew in early that morning, blanketing the land in a brilliant white that would likely not vanish until the spring thaw. It was early for such a blanketing snowfall, but not unheard of and it served to highlight the glum mood of the Windborne patriarch.

“As am I, dad,� agreed Linneá. Alftand, Raldbthar, Arkngthamz, Mzinchaleft, Mzulft… all places that should be absolutely teeming with Falmer. And that’s not even counting the other hives that we checked.�

Is it time? Serana asked her wife quietly from the accompanying chair. To mention the Forgotten Vale?

No way around it now. Wish me luck.

Linneá took a deep breath and began: “There is one other place we need to check, dad, but it’s not on any maps, nor does anyone alive besides myself and Serana know of its existence. I can make the journey there to meet an old friend, but I’ll need someone with me, and it can’t be Ana.�

With a sigh, Kirin turned from the window and sat down across from them. “I would say I’m surprised, but at this point I would only be lying to myself. Where is this place and who would you be meeting?�

“One sec.� Linneá locked the door to the study and cast her sound dampening spell over the area before returning to her seat. “Far to the west, in the mountains bordering High Rock, there is a large series of caves and canyons that’s home to a forgotten chapel of Auri-El; the Snow Elf aspect of Auriel and Akatosh. It’s where Ana and I found Auriel’s Bow.�

“I see. I know you would not hide this without good reason, so please tell me why this lost chapel is important to the matter at hand.�

“The Chantry is overrun with Falmer tribes,� said Serana. “And they are watched over by a Snow Elf named Gelebor, who very well could be the last living member of his race.�

“A living Snow Elf?� asked Kirin in surprise. “That certainly is a secret worth keeping. How far away is this place?�

“Far,� said Linneá. “A few weeks on foot; possibly a week on horseback. I’d like to take Gwyn with me.�

Kirin weighed her request without speaking. If his daughter wanted someone by her side, then it would obviously be a dangerous undertaking. And it was also much too long a journey for them to leave Salihn behind for. It made sense to him, though he wondered how his son would take it. Or how Cain’s fiery mate would feel about the matter.

“Do you think Gwyn would agree to that? Even Cain, for that matter?�

“They’ve had two weeks to consider it,� said Linneá. “Ana and I knew it might come to this, so we gave them a heads-up. Gwyn wasn’t thrilled, but I think she understands the urgency.�

“Are they home from Markarth yet?�

Linneá nodded. “Mum says they got in two nights ago. We should be able to catch them before they depart for Riften.�

“Do it,� said Kirin.� His daughters stood up to leave, and he moved around the desk to embrace them each in turn. “I know this won’t be easy for the two of you and I’m sorry it’s necessary. Serana, you know that Lydia and I will help you as much as we can while Linn is gone. Our doors will be open for anything.�

“I know, dad,� replied Serana, wiping away tears. “You probably won’t be able to get rid of me while Elle is away. Especially when Salihn is at school. I don’t know if I can handle the solitude – I had enough of that before Elle rescued me.�

-----

Lydia knocked timidly on the door to her daughter’s living quarters. She wasn’t sure if either of them were at home until she heard a faint rustling noise that precipitated the door being pulled open. Linneá beckoned her mom in while trying to avert her gaze, but Lydia had too much practice as a mother to miss Linneá’s puffy red eyes.

“It’s harder than you thought it would be, isn’t it, hon?� Lydia placed a comforting hand on her daughter’s shoulder. “I wish I could say it gets easier.�
“I hate it,� sniffled Linneá. “The idea of not seeing them or being able to hold them for weeks is unbearable.�

Lydia glanced around the otherwise empty room. “Is it just you here right now, Linn?�

“Yeah. They went down to lunch. I’m trying to sort out what I have to pack.�

“Packing can wait. Let’s go be with them.�

“Mom, I – “

“Not up for debate. We’re going.�

“Yes, mother,� Linneá rolled her eyes. “You’re awful bossy sometimes, you know.�

Linneá stopped puttering about the room for supplies and followed Lydia downstairs to eat lunch as a family. She took her seat next to Serana, gave her a quick kiss, and put the impending quest out of her mind while they ate. Her eyes met her mother’s watchful gaze more than once and she tried not to blush from the look of pride Lydia wore so openly. Thankful that she let herself be steered away from the self-inflicted doom and gloom, Linneá ended up joining her wife and daughter for a walk through the town too, after they finished eating.

By the time the three of them made it back to their living quarters, spirits were a lot higher all around. Serana and Salihn even made Linneá sit by idly while they picked the outfits she would pack for the trip, and they promised to see her off from the city gates bright and early the next morning.

-----

Having heeded her would be sister’s advice after the last recall incident, Linneá recalled outside of Elysium Estate a short while later to break the news to her brother and Gwyn. She lingered on the doorstep for a moment before knocking – a small part of her was just a teensy bit afraid of the diminutive Breton she’d be bearing bad news to in a couple of minutes. Collecting her thoughts in silence, she was about to finally knock when said Breton’s voice rang out from inside the home.

“Just open the [censored] door already, Linn.�

Linneá grinned and let herself in. “How’d you know I was there?�

Gwyn sat at the dining room table with a glass of red wine and a dusty old book. She marked her page before answering: “the big purple flash gives it away. If you plan on refining that spell any further, I would work on doing something about that.� She poured some of the wine into an empty glass and set it across from her. “Have a drink. I’m assuming you’re here because of what we talked about a couple of weeks ago. Your little adventure?�

“How’d you know?�

“Timing makes sense. And it’s just you, which means Serana is probably at home getting your gear ready.�

“Right on both counts. Dad wants us to leave in the morning.� Linneá took a sip of wine and peered around the house. “Where’s Cain?�

“Out back meditating,� said Gwyn, shortly. “He knows you’re here.� Gwyn took a pull from her own glass and regarded Linneá quietly. She could tell that even though the journey they were to undertake together was her idea, the Nord really wished it wasn’t necessary. Linneá just wasn’t herself, and that didn’t work for Gwyn. “Look, Linn… I know you don’t want to be doing this anymore than I do, but I need you committed to the task. You said this could be dangerous? Then I need you with me out there. All of you. Don’t leave half of yourself in Solitude.�

Linneá looked taken aback by this turn of events. She thought for sure that coming here would mean dealing with an explosive version of Gwyn who did not want to leave Cain’s side for any amount of time. Instead, she found herself on the back foot and being given a pep talk as if she needed to be reined in. They must have had some long nights discussing this, thought Linneá. She’s more ready than I am.

“Your wish is my command, O wise sage of my brethren!� cracked Linneá. “Seriously though, that was a great big sister talk. I promise you I will be ready tomorrow.�

“Good. And I’m not your big sister.� Gwyn paused for the briefest of seconds to smile cheekily at her. “Not yet anyway.�

-----

“So, are you two going on foot or by horseback?� asked Serana.

“Dunno yet,� said Linneá. “Gwyn was being coy about it. Said she doesn’t like horses, but that she isn’t against mounted travel.�

“A summon of some kind?�

“Probably. I get the feeling that Gwyn knows a lot more about magick than she lets on.�

The two of them lay in bed, arms locked around each other. Masser and Secunda had long since risen overhead and the night was getting late, yet neither Linneá nor Serana wanted to sleep, for that only meant they would be apart sooner. But it was a losing battle they waged, eyelids drooping lower and lower, and their eyes staying shut for increasingly long intervals after daring to blink.

“I think you two will be fine, Elle. And look on the bright side – you’ll get to know her a lot more closely. We’ll get to know her.�

“That is enticing,� admitted Linneá. “Especially since it’s only a matter of time before they announce an engagement.�

“What makes you say that?�

“Just something Gwyn said earlier.�

“I’m looking forward to that,� said Serana. “Our wedding is the only one I’ve ever been to.�

A lull in the conversation followed her last musing and that was all it took for the pair of them to drift off into sleep. Tomorrow morning offered to be a trying time for Kyne’s children as they set out on diverging paths towards new destinations.

This post has been edited by Kane: Aug 18 2025, 07:30 PM