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]

A magician never reveals his secrets! At least until the next chapter...

{================}

Chapter XXV – The Rising Light

The entryway, kitchen, and dining room of Elysium Estate were lined with candles flickering away in the dim light of evening tide. Wall shelves, tables, chairs, bar stools, countertops, side tables, and the floor itself all contributed to the cause, and in the center of the open space waited something wholly remarkable to Cain – a feat of nature magick that took his breath away. A fairy ring of mushrooms and toadstools grew from a small patch of earth spread over the floorboards separating the home from the frozen ground beneath it.

Gwyndala Louvain waited for him amidst the summoned ring, barefoot and clad in a strapless shimmering pale blue dress which clashed magnificently with her natural strawberry blonde hair gracefully caressing her shoulders, now fully on display for the world to see. Or, at least for Cain and his father to see.

“Kirin, would you please excuse Cain and I for a moment? We have a matter to discuss. There are refreshments downstairs in the reading nook.� Kirin bowed his head in acknowledgment, winking at his son as he walked by. Gwyn placed a delicate hand on his shoulder. “Thank you. This won’t take long.�

“You kids take all the time you need.�

He vanished out of sight down the hall and into the basement. The door could just be heard latching with a slight click, the otherwise quiet sound plainly audible in the stillness of the house.

“Gwyn…� began Cain. “Your hair! It’s – “

“Exactly as it should be. But that isn’t important right now. Empty your pockets. You know exactly what I’m looking for.�

Cain certainly did know, and he produced a finely crafted white-gold band inlaid with a large emerald from his trousers. The cut and polished gem shone brilliantly in the voluminous candlelight, twinkling on the open palm of his hand.

“Oh!� exclaimed Gwyn, raising a petite hand softly to her mouth. “Cain, it’s beautiful!�

“You deserve nothing less.� He reached for her left hand and gently slid the ring onto a waiting finger. “Gwyndala Louvain, nothing would make me happier than to have you as my bride. Do you accept this offering of my heart, my life, to be entwined forever with your own?�

“Of course I [censored] do!�

Cain stooped to kiss his fiancé and nothing else in the world mattered in that moment. And had his father not been resigned to waiting in the cellar, their celebration would have moved to the bedroom in short order. Instead, Cain tore himself away from bliss and ran a hand through Gwyn’s curly locks.

“Never thought I’d see this on you again,� he smiled. “And I can feel how at peace you are. You must tell me what happened with you and Lady Mara.�

“Another time, love. Let’s go tell your father the news.�

-----

For all the noise and clamor of celebration echoing through the lower halls of the Blue Palace passersby might have thought an early and roaring Saturnalia party was underway. The kitchen fires were relit and enough food for a small feast was carted out along with the finest vintages of wine and brandy. Casks of mead were broached, and crystal goblets reserved for royal events were filled to the brim and clinked together joyously as the Windborne family and their divine matriarch toasted the newly engaged couple. And somewhere in the western Reach the cold ashes of a campfire and a small token hung in the low branches of a fir tree were the only remnants of a paused journey.

Gwyndala Louvain was the life of the party, showing off the ring of her betrothed and blushing while her soon to be sisters and mother fawned over the true color of her hair. No longer did it shift from blue to black to red to green or to white at the behest of a tortured soul as it had for so many long years.

“Can you still change it if you want to?� asked Linneá. “Could be a fun party trick if you have control over it.�

Scrunching up her face in concentration, Gwyn gave it her all but after a few seconds, she ceased the attempt with a shrug. “Doesn’t feel like it and I’m fine with that.�

“I don’t blame you, sis,� said Serana. “I’ve never seen you so happy and I’ll never not be thankful that Elle thought to ask on your behalf for Mara’s aid. I love you, and I’m looking forward to the three of us sharing many long years together.�

“It’s good to hear you say that,� winked Gwyn, “because I want you at my side when Cain and I are wed. I’ll never forget how you bared your own soul to me all those weeks ago when I felt so low.�

They shared a tearful embrace while Linneá patted her wife gently on the back before moving off in search of her brother. When Gwyn and Serana separated to dab at their eyes, Lydia joined them with three new drinks and began to examine the dress Gwyn wore. Many of the seams were stitched back together with slightly off-color threads, and several folds were pinned over to hide frayed and patchy sections of the thing fabric.

“Hm, this won’t do at all, dear,� she frowned. “How long have you had this dress?�

“[censored], I’m not even sure, Mrs. Windborne. It was Aunt Marcie’s.�

“We’ll have you visit the seamstress when you return from your journey with Linneá. You’re far too elegant to don so many of the careworn clothes I’ve seen you wear. Oh, and we’ve been through this already – call me Lydia. Or mum, if you prefer.�

Gwyn nearly wilted in delight and almost fell into Lydia’s arms, but she took a deep breath to keep her composure before defending her choice of wardrobe in a most Gwyn-like manner. “I’ll whatever I damn well please… mum.�

Lydia beamed from ear to ear and squeezed Gwyn tightly to her.

Across the room, Cain sat with his father, sister, and Kyne, sipping from a frothy pint of mead while watching the women of the Windborne clan gossip and giggle endlessly with each other. He couldn’t help but notice the absence of Salihn, and he wondered where the little one had gotten to.

“She was asleep already when you return to tell Lydia the news, dear,� said Kyne. “The girls didn’t want to take her.�

“That’s a shame,� said Cain. “I’m sure Gwyn would love to see her.�

“She can come say goodnight before you two leave,� said Linneá. “Salihn’ll get a kick out of that.�

“There will be plenty of time for all of that,� promised Kirin. “You’re almost done visiting the hold capitals, Cain, and my daughters will also reach their destination before too long. Hopefully we will have the answers we need ere the depths of winter set in.�

]“You won’t have anything for me to do after I’ve met the Jarls?� asked Cain. That surprised him. He assumed there would be no shortage of things to do in preparation to succeed his father.

“Nothing important. You and Gwyn deserve some time to yourselves, and I mean to give it to you.�

That certainly was an enticing idea to Cain. Hunkering down at Elysium until spring broke sounded like a wonderful notion that the two of them would thoroughly enjoy; and they were always within reach of those they loved with the cast of a spell. Only Windhelm and Riften remained far off for his grand tour. He had purposely saved Whiterun for last with it being so close to home.

Linneá and Kyne struck up a conversation with him before Cain got further lost in thought, leaving the king to his own devices.

Kirin took a pull from his mead and studied Gwyn. The differences since they last saw each other appeared subtle but altogether remarkable. Cain’s earlier promise that her blunt tendencies and lack of inhibition were truly what made Gwyn tick had never been more obvious to him, but what highlighted it the most to Kirin was that he no longer saw the brooding grimaces, or flashes of despair that would usurp her normally confident and purposeful features. His family was growing and becoming more complete and certain of themselves. Nothing could make a father prouder.

The drinking, celebrating, feasting, and mingling continued on towards the morning hours, but like all good things, the night did eventually come to and end, and after a final toast from Kirin they all retired in pairs, save for Kyne, to the intimate privacy of the bedroom. Adventures would continue the next day, and one of them in particular would strive forth with a new outlook.

-----

A door slammed shut behind two figures shrouded in darkness. With the lack of candle or moonlight penetrating the still air of the bedroom an observer would not be able to tell where one of those figures began and where the other ended. At least, not until a stray leg caught the edge of a low table and a man grunted in pain.

“[censored] that hurt,� Cain grimaced, sitting down on the table to rub the sore spot on his shin. “Give me a second and I’ll light the timber in the fireplace.�

Gwyn didn’t respond but he did hear a faint rustling sound from beyond his vision, and then the dim glow of her tattoos revealed themselves just beyond his reach. Before he could stand back up, she climbed onto his lap and kissed him in the darkness. His hand explored her bare skin while their lips remained together, and when she finally pulled back Gwyn once again stopped Cain from standing up and carrying her to the bed.

“Just wait a moment,� she whispered. “I don’t want you to run into anything else.� She raised a hand in the gloom and her empty palm filled with flickering flames that cast a fireball into the waiting fuel of the stone fireplace. Light danced across the room illuminating Cain’s utterly captivated face.

“Gwyn…�

“I know who I am now, Cain Windborne. And I’m all yours for the rest of our lives.�

-----

When the bright sun of early morning came, Cain seriously contemplated stepping outside the estate to use his Storm Call Thu’um in a vain attempt to prolong the time he could remain in bed with Gwyn. They were soon to awaken and go their separate ways once more; Cain regrouping with palace guards for the journey to Windhelm, and Gwyn recalling to the talisman alongside Linneá.

But they still had a few moments that he did not want to end. Her small frame was pressed against him, and he breathed in the rosy scent of her hair longingly until her eyelids fluttered open and Gwyn yawned peacefully.

“Ugh. Do we have to get up?� se said.

“Wish we didn’t,� sighed Cain. “But duty calls.�

"Don’t [censored] remind me. I’d have frozen solid outthere were it not for Linn’s handy warmth spell. At least I can light [censored] on fire now, too. Small victories, I suppose.�

“There’s nothing small about that,� said Cain. He fell silent for a moment while trying to catch a wispy thought he’d awoken with earlier but couldn’t seem to remember what it was. It had been teasing the edge of his consciousness since Gwyn’s return, yet still eluded him.

Gwyn felt his brow furrowing and took a peek in his mind to see if she could help jostle his memory. “Oh,� she giggled. “That. I figured you’d ask at some point.�

With her aid, he suddenly remembered their brief exchange while he was far away in Winterhold. How could they have spoken when Mara had put her to sleep for well over a day to let her mind wrestle with the coarse web the divine had helped to unweave?

“You’re fretting over nothing,� said Gwyn. “She woke me up so that I could eat something but kept the details hidden from you until I was ready. Actually, she got a little cross with me when she realized we were speaking mentally. I think she was trying to prevent any outside influence while I struggled with myself.�

“How did she manage that?�

“No idea. Something or other about dampening our link. You know how the Divines are.�

Satisfied that he didn’t imagine the entire thing, Cain sighed and tossed aside the heavy down blanket they were snuggled under and was about to sit up when Gwyn laid a hand across his chest. “I didn’t say you could go anywhere.� She craned her neck up to kiss him while that very same hand busied itself with something further down. “You still owe me a child, idiot.�