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.

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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]

Acadian: no good will certainly come of their meddling. Such an object is too dangerous to predict its effects.

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Chapter XXIX – The Forgotten Vale

Two figures with magickal light floating above their heads approached in the darkness: one tall and the other slight. They both carried themselves with a feminine grace that Gelebor easily picked out by the way they walked beside one another. It wasn’t until their spells snuffed out and they entered the flickering light of his roaring fire that the Snow Elf recognized the familiar face of the Nord woman.

“Ah, now this is a surprise,� said Gelebor. “Ms. Linneá, yes? I did not expect to see you return after all this time.� He looked down at Gwyn and smiled genially. “And who would this be? As I recall, you last visited the Chantry with another vampire, though you seem to have cured yourself of that affliction, too. I must say, your natural eyes suit you much more so than the gleaming red of the night dwellers.�

“It’s nice to see you again, Gelebor,� said Linneá with a curtsey. “This is Gwyndala, my soon-to-be sister-in-law. And it’s ‘Mrs.’ now, if you please,� she added with a smile. “Serana and I were wed a few months after we departed here with Auriel’s Bow.�

“Very nice to meet you, Gwyndala.�

“Gwyn is fine, Gelebor. Nice to meet you, too.�

Gelebor offered them to sit with him by the warm flames and Gwyn did not hesitate to do so. She rubbed her hands together dangerously close to the fire until the cold had been chased away. Linneá, Nord that she was, removed most of her outerwear before sitting so as to not sweat to death, which still somewhat annoyed the Breton.

Once they were comfortable, Gelebor offered them a basket of snowberries to ward off the chilly air, which Gwyn gratefully accepted.

“So, what brings you all this way?� he asked the two of them. “Not more vampire business I hope?�

“Not this time, Gelebor,� said Linneá. “Actually, we were hoping you could shed some light on recent Falmer activity in Skyrim.�

Linneá told him of their plight, with the occasional clarification of a detail from Gwyn. The Snow Elf listened with rapt attention, though his features did not betray anything while the tale of the missing Falmer and the Windborne family’s attention to the matter met his ears. He did not speak for a few moments following the summation, but they could practically hear his thoughts churning over.

“I am pleased to hear that you have kept this place a secret for so long, Mrs. Linneá,� he began. “However, if we are to continue having this conversation, I would ask that the two of you partake in a binding oath under the seal of Auri-El to not share any of what I am able to divulge, unless I give you permission to do so.�

Gwyn’s eyebrows raised questioningly, but Linneá quickly grabbed her hand and held it in her own, presenting them both to the Knight-Paladin.
“Absolutely. We will swear to your terms under Auri-El’s authority, and under Kyne’s, of who I am her chosen Champion.�

“The Sister-Hawk? And yet you were once a vampire?�

“Kyne has always been a large part of my life. My father, the Dragonborn, served as her champion in his younger years before ascending to the throne. Now that duty lies with me.�

“How fascinating. I’d love to hear more about that – another time, that is.� Gelebor pulled off an amulet from his neck that featured the ancient symbols of his patron Divine, Auri-El, and laid it upon his outstretched palm. “Place your hands over this and I shall intone the oath.�

Linneá and Gwyn placed their hands as instructed and closed their eyes in wait. Gelebor never spoke aloud, but soon enough a beam of pure golden light encircled their hands in an intricate and binding web. It glowed powerfully and then faded out after several seconds.

“The oath is completed.� Gelebor stood up and gestured towards the stone monolith Linneá and Serana traveled through on their original visit to Darkfall Cave and beyond. The portals to the various Wayshrines throughout the Vale still shimmered in their archways offering a distorted vision of the destinations beyond. “Please follow me to the balcony of the Inner Sanctum.�

The Knight-Paladin led the way with due haste. Linneá and Gwyn followed just behind him, stepping through the portal and into the once proud Inner Sanctum of the Chantry to Auri-El, now reduced to rubble. A clear and star laden night sky filled with the light of Masser and Secunda shone down upon the trio as they stood among the ruins.

“What the hell happened here?� asked Gwyn, looking around at the mess.

“Ms. Linneá and her spouse wrestled Arch-Curate Vyrthur for control of Auriel’s Bow in this very place,� said Gelebor. “It was Vyrthur who destroyed the chapel.�

“And then Serana picked him up by the throat and chucked him over the parapet up there,� said Linneá. “Sexiest damn thing I ever saw.�

Gwyn rolled her eyes. “Good to know your infatuation with each other hasn’t dulled over the years.�

“Never.�

Gelebor politely cleared his throat and began climbing the steps to the balcony overlooking the frozen lake far below. Following up him up with a measure of apprehension, the two women soon came to a stop on either side of where he stood in wait and surveyed the Forgotten Vale with a look of wonder.

Nearly every inch of the valley, and all that they could see beyond, was filled with Falmer tents and burning campfires. Countless numbers of the diminutive fallen elves moved about like ants through a colony. The odd pens where they raised their chaurus pets were scattered about sporadically, and there were dimly lit mushroom and toadstool farms tended to on the shorelines and cliff faces that bordered the lake.

“By the Nine. Gelebor… how many are there?�

“Thousands, Ms. Linneá. They began turning up here months ago.�

“At least they aren’t all dead,� noted Gwyn. “That was beginning to look like a real possibility.�

“It’s been quite the challenge getting them to cohabitate without infighting,� sighed Gelebor. “The Betrayed are very territorial and did not take kindly to the refugees that continued to pour in. Eventually, we were able to choose representatives from the major clans and establish lines of communication. And boundaries. Matters have become much more copasetic since that milestone was attained.�

Linneá could scarcely believe what she just heard.

Neither could Serana for that matter. Is he serious!? she asked her wife silently. Did he just casually tell the two of you that he can communicate with the Falmer!?

Sure as [censored] sounds like it. That changes everything.

“Gelebor, you can speak to them?� asked Linneá.

“Oh yes. It took many long months after you brought peace to the Chantry, but the struggle was not in vain. There is even a council of sorts that I regularly meet with to keep tabs on their progress. The Betrayed are very intelligent beings who I fear are utterly misunderstood by the world at large. It is probably a good thing in the long run that so many have fled their homes to exist here among their own kind.�

“Yeah, but what’s the plan beyond that?� said Gwyn. “They can’t live here forever and if they continue breeding with each other the valley will grow too small to contain them. What happens then?�

“That will be a matter to address at that time,� said Gelebor.

“Uh, no it [censored] won’t be. Kicking a problem down the road isn’t going to work in this situation.�

Gelebor frowned and opened his mouth to retort when Linneá interrupted.

“You’ll have to forgive her bluntness, Gelebor, but Gwyn isn’t wrong in this, and her concern comes from an important place. It’s only a matter of time until her and my brother ascend to the throne of Skyrim. You’re looking at the future High Queen, and this is something she will have to contend with.�

“I see. In that case, I believe we should have an open line of communication going forward. For all our benefit.�

“Agreed,� said Gwyn. “But you do realize that means we have to be open with the inner circle of my father-in-law’s royal court, yes?�

“I will trust your judgement on what needs to be shared under our oath,� said Gelebor. “Let us move on for now. I would ask that you rest for tonight, and then tomorrow morning we shall meet with The Betrayed.�

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It was a fairly restless night in the tent for Linneá and Gwyn. They were safe in Darkfall Cave under the watchful eye of Auri-El’s Knight-Paladin, yet both of them tossed and turned while their minds processed the day’s revelations and what it held for the future of Skyrim. And for the current situation they had come so far to investigate. The answers were tantalizingly close.

The warm rays of the sun were not available to rouse them from the tent, and so Gwyn was thoroughly unsure of the hour when she shuffled out of her sleeping bag to heat up breakfast and tea over Gelebor’s seemingly everlasting fire.

He greeted her warmly and even shared a mug of tea with the Breton while Linneá remained asleep in the tent.

“Good morning, Ms. Gwyn. I trust you are ready for the day?�

“No. This will be Linneá’s show. I’m still too new to this land and I don’t know nearly enough about the Falmer to be of use. But it will be a good opportunity to observe and learn,� she added.

“A wise insight,� said Gelebor. “My heart tells me you shall serve your people well.�

There came a rustling sound from the tent and a tousle-haired Linneá poked her head out to see what was going on. “Any idea what time it is?� she asked.

Gelebor peered at the Wayshrine. “I can just see the sun rising through the portals. Dawn approaches.�

“Good enough,� said Linneá. Her head disappeared into the tent for a moment. She emerged a few minutes later fully dressed and ready for the day, her long and messy hair tied up in a ponytail. “What’s good to eat?�

Gwyn stirred a skillet sizzling with the few remaining fresh vegetables they had from their bag and tossed in some dried venison to re-hydrate it in their juices. She sprinkled some seasoning over the top and laid a hunk of bread near the coals to heat it up.

“Whatever you can call this,� she laughed. “I just tossed some [censored] in a pan and hoped for the best.�

“Smells amazing, sis. Where’s the tea?�

She helped herself to a mugful from the urn Gwyn passed her way and sipped carefully at the piping hot beverage while Gelebor began telling them how the morning would unfold. They hung on his every word with rapt attention. Meeting with leaders of Falmer tribes promised to be a harrowing experience no matter which way Linneá looked at it, and she did not want to be caught flat-footed, nor did she want to inadvertently cause harm or insult the fallen mer.

The hour finally arrived after Linneá and Gwyn finished their breakfast and tea. Gelebor led them once again to the Wayshrine, but this time they entered a portal to Wayshrine of Resolution, which stood on a rocky hill overlooking the frozen lake. Gwyn bundled her cloak more tightly about her and cast her warmth spell to fend off the icy gales blowing in off of the tent-packed expanse. They descended the hilltop single file to where a massive Falmer hut – much larger than any Linneá had ever seen – was erected on the shoreline. The familiar gates crafted from the chitinous chaurus barred entry to the hut’s interior.

Gelebor pinched his throat between his fore and index fingers, and spoke in the raspy, guttural language of the Falmer. The gate swung inwards, and he led them inside.