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R.I.P. neildarkstar. Haven will miss you dearly.
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Aillyn Winter Wolf; series...book 1
Topic Started: Oct 13 2016, 12:32 AM (87 Views)
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Letters from Home.....pg 1


I grimaced down at my stew and took another swing of ale. It didn't exactly make sense, to become a full member of the Bard's college I had to find some book with verses in it that was buried in some ancient crypt? Gah... well I suppose I aught to thank my father for insisting on my learning to use a sword. Nothing for it though, I wanted to learn more of music composition and the only place for that would be the Bard's college, plus as a member I would get better jobs.

"Hey little lady, how bout we go tumble in the sheet's". His heavy hand gripped my shoulder and I registered his foul breath at the same time. I grabbed his middle finger and bent it backwards towards his wrist, swiveling around on my stool as I did so and leaning forward as he hit his knee's.

"How about you go jump in the river and sober up and I won't slit your throat?" I said it in the sweetest voice I could muster as I let him go. The man on the bar stool to my right laughed, when I looked at him he held his hands up and said he wasn't planning on hitting on me, but was I going to play that lute on my back? I said I had already made arrangements to do so, why?

He shook his head and then nodded to the man with the drum who was giving me a hard look. "He sounds like a cat in heat when he sings." I frowned and then laughed, I finished my stew and ale then got up and walked over to the fire. I limbered up my fingers with a short instrumental song, then I settled in to sing for my bed, food and what coin I could get as tips.


"Kristof?! What are you doing in this God's forsaken town?" I looked a the Nord mercenary and recalled his name.

"Vorstag! That's right you live here don't you?" He nodded and I gripped his arm and grabbed his shoulder in greeting. Just then the girl started singing and we both turned to look...she looked like a spit-fire and sang like an Angel. "As to what brings me to town, she does. " We both stood there listening to the girl, she really could sing, no wonder she wanted to go to the college. I fingered the letters in my jacket and wasn't happy at the ill tidings that I brought. " I have letters from her family and..I'm supposed to take her home."

We found a table and listened to the girl sing. Eventually Vorstag wandered off to protect the virtue of the Inn Keeper's daughter, though that might have been a questionable endeavor. I leaned back and stretched out my leg's, it might be a long night. She really did have the voice of an angel, even her speaking voice was soothing to listen to, as she talked to the patrons and recited some of the news that she had picked up in some of the smaller towns.

I thought about the letters in my pocket, they were not filled with good news, but because I had not read them, I could only guess as to the exact content. I wasn't exactly happy that my father had contracted me to marry one of the Wynter-Wolf daughters, I could only surmise that she would be even more unhappy. The one I was supposed to have married ran off with a farm boy, before she had even met my brother or I. Being nobility in Whiterun, they could open door's that would otherwise be closed to us, we needed the contracts in Skyrim, the Thalmor where making it hard for any Nord to make a living in Cyrodiil. When she didn't start playing a new song and started putting up her lute, I stood up and walked over to where she was.



"Aillyn? Aillyn Wynter-wolf?" I heard the gruff male voice and looked up into grey? green? Well truly it didn't matter what color they were, they were set in a face that would cause most women to drool. Leni, get ahold of yourself...geeze!

"I'm very sorry sir, I'm done for the night." When I looked away from his compelling eyes, I noticed he was holding out an envelope. " I... Oh, well thank you." I took the envelope and saw that the hand writing was from my Granmere, the head of our House.

Dearest Leni,
I have some bad news, right before your parents left for the horse fair in Elsweyr, the main farm was hit by bandits. Several of our workers were killed defending the place, the farm and out-buildings were burned to the ground. The Hall and cabin are fine.
We are all fine, your parents decided to take the younger children with them, your older siblings are still here. Well with the exception of Erin, but your mother wrote you a note about that. I'm sure the young man has that one as well, but as he is probably aware of most of the contents of the letter, he might not wish to give it to you right away.
Leni, do not take out your anger on the young man, your sister made a mistake and well... read your mothers letter. Just remember, the Cabin was given to you, the Hall will always be your home. We could use some help rebuilding the Farm... many of our best brood-mares were run off and I know you have a good eye as to horse-flesh.
Love always,
Sabrina Wynter-Wolf

I re-read the letter, what did Erin do that would cause me to be mad at a strange man. I looked up at him and his face was passive, but his eye's had a sad slant to them. I simply held out my hand, he took a huge breath in and then handed me another letter. I opened it up and began to read, then had to stop and re-read a couple of lines.

Dearest Aillyn,
I do not doubt that your Granmere has advised you on the problems that beset the Farm. Unfortunately those are not the only problems that we have. I know you are aware that your sister Erin was contracted to marry a man from Cryodiil, well she decided after we had the contract signed and most of the money spent, that she would rather not marry a man she had not met.
As the second eldest, it falls to you, unless you and the young man do not get along at all. If you can not, for the honor of our family, see your self married to this man, then we will have to talk the boy's father into waiting another ten months til your younger sister Cicily is old enough to marry.
Now more than ever we really need the connections with this family, please give the idea more than a passing moment of anger.
Your Loving Mother,
Tiananra Wynter-Wolf


I stood there for a moment with the letter in my hands, I can't say I was thinking. I felt sheer unadulterated rage, Erin had known for a year that the marriage was being contracted, she could have stopped it anytime before the contract was signed and money was exchanged. I balled up the letter and threw it in the fire, not that it meant anything, I could recite the whole thing verbatim.

" I.... You... Married, I'm going to beat that girl from one end of the tundra to the other." I turned and faced the man and took a really good look at him while I tried to calm down, it wasn't easy. He was a good ten years older than I, which meant twelve or more years older than Cicily and she was rather in-mature to begin with. Not that I had any experience with men, but she, well mother had babied her youngest daughter as father would not let her baby any of the boys. I closed my eye's and took a deep breath in counted to ten, as I let it out slowly.

"Your name is Kristof? Kristof Luilfr?" He nodded slowly. "Well, Kristof, I'm going go my room, to sleep, by myself. I will see you in the morning. I have a job at Old Hroldan Inn. I'll see you at breakfast and we can discuss what we need to do. Good Night" With that I turned and walked into the room Kleeper had agreed to let me use for singing, I had picked up my "hat" and looked at the coin that was in it. Not a bad haul, plenty of silver, even if I couldn't get a room and food for singing I would not starve. I would need a tent.. er maybe we would need a tent.

I undressed and poured some water from the jug into the basin and washed up at bit. I would really like to be angry at the man, but it wasn't truly his fault, if I remembered correctly and I knew I did, it was his father who wanted the connection between our families. It wasn't completely unheard of, my family had a title and land, were very well connected, but some bad seasons meant poor crops, so the family needed cash.

The Luilfr's had cash, from trade mostly, but also from other sources. I went to the desk and sat down with paper and quill, to write my Granmere as I knew my Mother and Father were well on their way to Elsweyr.

Dearest Granmere,

I got your letter and I will send on what I can of my pay to help with rebuilding the Farm. I will keep some of it as I think I can do better with horse trading along the way. I already have a very good broodmare and I was planning on buying another and bringing both of them in. If I could trade out one of them for a gelding from the herd, that would be great, if not, well, I can walk.
Granmere, I am angry , no furious at Erin reneging on her word, to me that is what she has done. I have not alienated Kristof Luilfr, but I will tell him that I also will not marry a man I don't know. I won't, family honor or not. I'm hoping and I haven't yet asked, because I wasn't sure I could be civil to him yet, but I am hoping that he can really use the sword that he carries. I am still not very proficient with the sword, but I can use the quarter staff and bow very well. I learn all sort's of things in the Inns and barrack's , including places that have "treasures", I'm not really the treasure hunting kind Granmere, but it's one way to get to know Kristof and see if we can get along.
I would like to travel some and see new places for a while, hopefully Kristof Luilfr isn't the settling down kind, if he is...well their is always Cicily.
So I will talk to him tomorrow and see if he and I can come some kind of terms. Mother said that Cicily will be old enough to marry in ten months, we both know that is a load of bull turds, she needs years to mature not months. So anyway, I will get to know him and see if we can't come to some kind of comprimise.
Your loving Granddaughter,
Aillyn


With that I sealed the letter and then packed everything up for the morrow except my travel leathers, then placed the letter on top. I knew that Kleeper would see a courrier before I did, so would leave the letter with him. Then I laid down and went over the day, made sure I had all the messages from one family to another memorized, including children born, who married who and those who had died. Then I settled myself into sleep.



I watched the girl, no woman walk away. I saw the glow of her green eyes when she had first looked up at me after reading her Mothers letter. Oh yes, she has fire, just very self-contained. I would just have to remember how young she really is, just barely over the age of consent, even though farm and country people did marry younger than city folk. If I remembered what my father had said about the Wynter-Wolf daughters, she was twelve years younger than I.

I would see what tomorrow morning would bring, but I wanted to get to know this young Lady, something told me that life with her around would never be dull. I laid down and as I drifted into sleep, I laughed to myself, Father had said that the family was all blond with blue eyes, but Aillyn was a strawberry blond... Huh.. the one child out of eight to take after her father.


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Old Hroldan to Rorikstead....page 2


As old habit's die hard, I was awake as the roosters crowed. I got up an washed my face and cleaned my teeth, dressed and fixed up my hair for travel. I had time to think as I did all this, but over thinking would only make me angrier at my sister.

I picked up my pack and the letter and walked out to the common room, Kleeper was leaning on the bar, so I handed him the letter and a gold septim to see it sent off, along with the courier fee. I looked around and saw Kristof sitting at a table eating breakfast, so at least he was an early riser. I sat down and grabbed a muffin from the basket on the table, he grabbed the jug on the table and poured another mug, telling me it was fruit juice. I tore a piece off the muffin and popped some in my mouth... I looked across the table at him and tried to figure out the best way to say what I wanted.

"Kristof, if I remember what my Granmere said , you weren't all that happy with the idea of an arranged marriage either. Fact is I had not planned on marrying for years yet, I want to explore and see something of this land. It would be nice to see other lands as well. A good portion of the horse herd belongs to me, I've been training and trading horses since I could walk and talk, so I have a decent income from that." I looked the man strait in the eye's as I talked, I wanted to know what he thought. So far only the mention of the arranged marriage caused a twinge, so.

" I am not adverse to the idea of marrying you, only I wish to get to know you. I won't go blind into an arrangement that is supposed to last our whole lives. I am not saying I'm happy about this, but that has nothing to do with you or well it does, but I know it isn't your fault." He nodded but still didn't say a word, so I kept on with what I wanted to say disjointed though it was.

" I'm not sure how you feel about traveling, but I want to explore and then I have my classes at the college. I'm hoping you can see your way to traveling with me, as I may only get back to the Farm once in a while. We can give it at least half a year, to get to know each other better, then decide if we will suit each other. Mother and Father should be back from Elsweyr long before then and we can pass by the farm at least long enough that you can meet Cicily in that amount of time. Honestly though, she isn't mature enough for marrying and well that is something that would have to be discussed if we don't get along."

I picked at my food while waiting for him to say something, anything. His face was completely passive, though I could tell he was thinking. That was a good start anyway, I liked a man with a little bit of brains. His eye's had that far away look one gets when the person was thinking hard and he did have beautiful eye's.. hazel yes that was the color, well maybe.

After a few minutes his eyes took on a piercing intensity that was very hard to look away from. At the same time his mouth quirked sideways in a slow grin that took my breath away. It turned his face from simply handsome to absolutely gorgeous.

"That sounds fine to me, I just hope you don't expect much in the way of conversation. My brother is the talker in the family. My father has been after me for a few years to get married, this isn't the tip of the ice burg for me. That doesn't mean that I want to settle down and live a quiet life, not yet anyway. So I think I can follow you around from Inn to Inn or town to town."

"Well umm, it's not just town to town or waiting around Solitude while I take classes. I also have some good leads on ruins that have treasures in them. I know, I know... but the Farm needs the money, what was traded for this marriage, that will go a long way to putting in crop's and buying new stock, paying workers . But the buildings themselves, that will take more money." His eye's lit up like a kid that was offered cake with double frosting. I laughed, he might just be the best traveling companion I could ask for, well their was one small problem.

"Umm Kristof...Kris?" he shook his head, " You don't like your name shortened?"

"Not to that, no." he chuckled and tipped his head slightly sideways, " Believe it or not, Luilfr means wolf and that is what the men under my command always called me."

"So Wolf?", I laughed, "That, truly is funny, so the lack of name change for me and any daughters would not be a problem?" He shook his head slowly.

" As long as one son carries on the Luilfr name, which I believe is in the contract, all males to have our last name, females to have yours."

"Well about the command or rather the uniform, I'll take it that armor IS part of your uniform?", at his nod I kept going, " We need to get something that doesn't have the local Thalmor killing you then asking your corpse why you are wearing Blades armor.... and they will you know. If you don't like the "Nordic" look we will find you something else, but I'm not a battle hardened soldier, actually I'm rather hoping you can use that sword really well. I'm still learning mine"

"Huh, our Mercenary company bought all this armor in the Imperial city, but I guess outside of there most people wouldn't know and yeah, you are right about the Thalmor. I am not however wearing fur heads and other things."

I laughed again and looked at him. "No but I think we can find something that will suit you. Probably have to wait for a trip to Solitude, but as long as we don't run into Thalmor patrol's, I think we will be fine. You are ok with a fur coat, cause if not, you'll freeze to death." I tipped my head sideways and listened for a moment.

" Are you ready to go?" He looked startled at the abrupt change in conversation. I had to laugh and explained that the guard on watch had just tapped on the door, letting Kleeper know that the guard would be changing in a few minutes, which meant dawn was not far off. I picked up my pack and we walked out, I then had a thought.

"Do you have a horse?" I had stopped on the little bridge that crossed over the small stream that ran through the town.

"Actually no, I took the carriage here from Solitude when I was told you would be heading this way. I do have the money to buy a horse if I need to."

"You don't need to, I planned on buying a horse from the stables here to add to the broodmare herd, so tack is all you will need. I have enough fodder for a few days and we should be in Rorikstead by then."

"That works." So we went out and looked at the horses, of the four mares for sale, I decided on a mid colored dapple grey, as she was already in foal, so I decided that being the lighter of the two, I would ride her and we would head strait to the Farm after my job in Old Hroldan, at a slow pace.

We got to Old Hroldan with no more than one wolf to fight. They had a rather large crowd, what with the wedding I was playing for and family that had come in from different mines around the area. I not only sang but recited the news and messages from other family members that I had run into.

I looked around and found Kristof leaning against a pillar, obviously watching me and keeping an eye on everyone around him. He had a look that was very off-putting to the younger crowd, but I noticed some of the older men make there way over to him, one handing him a mug of ale. He was soon talking to them, but no matter where I was, I could feel his eye's on me, it was both unsettling and comforting.


I watched the girl, Aillyn, I really needed to start thinking of her by name, interact with the people. She sang old song's, some of them I didn't understand, she was singing in a language I didn't know. I listened as she talked to the people, obviously reciting news and messages that others had given her. I was impressed by her memory. She picked up children and answered their questions as easily as their parents. She had a quick smile and a musical laugh, that I started looking forward to hearing.

A few of the men came over and one handed me a mug of ale, then asked about the armor. I explained about our families mercenary company, that most of us were just men like them, that had no way of making a good living, except being a soldier, but that not all of us believed in the Empires agreements with the Thalmor, so hired ourselves out to protect large caravans or Nobility.

I didn't feel the need to explain that some of those caravans either belonged to my family or that we invested heavily in them. I kept my eye's on Aillyn and noticed that some of the men were doing the same thing with their women, except scanning the hillsides also. I asked what dangers of the area were, as being from Cyrodiil, it would be different.

The men explained about the Forsworn and that even though at times they would trade goods with the miners and farmers, other times they would just as quickly raid them. One of the old men summed it up pretty well when he said " Ya dunn need ta kill'um on sight, just keep yer sword ta hand". I took that under advisement. Plus the normal animal dangers, wolves, bear's, sabre cats, but now their were rumors of dragons, none of them had seen one, but some farmers that passed by had.

When everyone sat down around the fire and Aillyn stood in the middle and started telling the tale of a sword-maiden, not one person made a noise, even the children settled down. She started playing a song at the end of the tale that had everyone laughing, including me. She was soon joined by other people from the crowd that played instruments and song's full of cheer, dancing songs, soon had everyone on their feet. I melted into the shadows and watched Aillyn, the crowd and the surrounding hillsides.

Secunda was but a dim glow on the horizon, Masser having long since set, when the crowd broke up and people headed for their bedrolls. When Aillyn started looking around, I walked out of the darkness and the bright, if tired smile she gave me made my heart skip.

" I have us a room inside, it's not a big room, nor does it have a bed," she gave that musical laugh that had me smiling in return, " but children won't be crawling all over you at first light."

" I have a bedroll, I do however appreciate not being awakened by a toddler bouncing on me." So we went into the Inn and found a storage room that had our pack's in it already. We both laid out our bedrolls, there would not be much room, but I turned around so that I wasn't facing her and started taking off my armor, I heard her undressing as well, but left her the little bit of privacy that I could.

It was mid morning before we headed out, our horses were already groomed, saddled and had been fed, the Inn Keeper said some of the younger men had seen to it before they took off back to the mines. I double checked the tack as Aillyn talked to the Inn Keeper and got the money she had been promised for being here. Plus it seemed some other things that would be delivered to the Farm.

As we left up the trail, Aillyn told me about the area and we passed through a small mining village. She said that the Hill people here were a strange mix of Nord and Breton and most had been here as long as the Forsworn, some even related to them. They met a few times a year, weddings and the funerals of family heads, but kept in touch by sending out small hunting parties that often met or stayed with others overnight.

Our pace was rather slow, even for horseback, but I started to realize that we were going up and down as much as forward, often getting off and leading the horses. Aillyn said that we would make it to Rorikstead in the late afternoon early evening and she would play for room and a meal. It would be another day or two before we got to the Farm.

When I finally saw the town, just as the sun was setting, I was more than happy to get off the horse and onto my own two feet. Aillyn greeted the people that came to meet us with a smile and hugs, two younger men took the horses and said that the tack and our pack's would be in our rooms. Their was soon a crowd around Aillyn, that was all asking after people, each talking over the other. She hushed them down and said that she would be more than happy to answer all their questions and would give out the news, in the Inn, after we had cleaned up and eaten.

The Inn was packed by the time we had cleaned up, Aillyn had changed and our dinner was eaten and I figured out quickly why we had eaten in our room. She went up to the Bar and stood there with a small space around her, I went behind the bar and found a corner with no one in it. It was almost dawn by the time the last of the patron's left, all fully satisfied that they had all their messages and she knew what to pass on.

That was not how the Bard's and minstrels I knew worked, they played music and entertained, sometimes composed and that was all. The little bit of coin that I saw pass hand's could not have been worth all that she was doing. As she said goodbye to the last of the people one of the young men came up and told me that our room was ready, but that if we wanted a bath, their were two tub's downstairs with hot water waiting. I thanked him and gave him a couple septim's, which he took with a smile and said would go towards the armor he was saving for.

"Aillyn? There is a hot bath waiting for us downstairs." She perked up a bit and disappeared into one of the room's coming back out with our pack's. I took mine and followed her down the stairs.

"Kristof, I was thinking to get a couple hours worth of sleep and then head to the farm, we could be at the cabin right after sunset tomorrow, we can just overnight here again and start out first thing in the morning or if we head out I know a hunter we can overnight with if it's late and doesn't look like we can make it."

We got to the basement and she went behind one of the screen's and I soon heard a little splashing as she got in, I was still taking off my armor, as I placed the last of it on the chair next to the tub, I decided that as she knew the area better than I, she could take the lead on our travel.

"Aillyn, If you want to get home quicker, we will leave here today and see how far we can get. You know the area better than I do." I heard a bit more splashing and then the sound of water hitting water, then bare feet on stone. A minute or so later her head popped around the screen, followed by the rest of her in loose pants and shirt.

"I'll get our bedrolls ready, they did give us a room with two beds, but you'll want to sleep on or in your bedroll anyway, he kinda skimps on the mattress stuffing." She stood there looking at me and I wasn't sure exactly what she wanted.



I went around the screen and told him about our room, but , I'm sure I wasn't ogling or drooling, I know I wasn't...couldn't have been. I'd seen my brothers without shirts on, heck I'd seen them naked, but they didn't make me want to run my hands down their chests and follow a scar that disappeared into the water.

"Aillyn, unless you plan on washing my back, I need to get out of the water... it's starting to get cold." His voice was dry, deep and had a hint of laughter in it. I meet his eyes for a brief moment and I know my face went beat red, so I turned and ran up the stairs. I asked Erik if he would wake us in a few hours and to please have some kind of lunch that we could take with us ready. After he agreed, I went to our room and got the beds ready, I was sound asleep by the time Kristof came up.

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On the way Home page 3


A few hours sleep wasn't nearly enough, but I kept worrying that Granmere had down played what had happened with the Farm. I dressed in my travel clothing, looking at my dress and knowing I would need to spend either some time sewing new ones or gold to buy. The Elder folk expected me to dress correctly, but it wasn't easy to keep the dresses neat when traveling, I would though. That got me to thinking about Kristof's Armor, I knew my elder brother had a set of armor that he had commissioned , but then decided he preferred light armor. Their was no animal heads on it, well not real ones anyway, not to much fur either...heavy silk lining. It would do, at least til we found something he really liked. I finished dressing and turned to wake Kristof only to see that he was already awake and had been staring at the ceiling.

"I...well your awake, I'll let you dress in peace." I turned to go and heard him stand up.

"Aillyn," I stopped but didn't turn around, he walked around me and stood blocking my way through the door, I looked strait ahead and was staring at the hollow of his throat. His voice was soft and deep, " Aillyn, look at me." I forced myself to look up into his eyes, he had a soft smile on his face. " I had no intention of embarrassing you, it's easy for me to forget how young you really are. You are very mature for your age, in some ways," I looked down and away from his face, then looked right back at him. "but also very young, in others."

"You're right of course and their are reasons," I took a step back, but didn't loose eye contact, " If you get dressed we can get going." He took a step forward and leaned down and brushed his lips against my cheek and kept walking to his armor. I didn't turn around.

"Aillyn, you can talk while I dress." His voice was muffled as he pulled something over his head.

"Well, it stems from the reason that the females in my family keep our own last name. You've met my Granmere Sabrina?" I heard a muffled yes, so I continues. "Well she was a Sybil, before she married. The Sight runs in the blood lines of course and anyone suspected of being a Sybil is encouraged to take up the Bardic trade, to get to know the people and for the discipline . They knew early on that Erin wasn't a Sybil, so it was always looked for her to marry well and to a position that would help the family." I paused, it was never easy voicing ones own shortcomings. " I took to music early, can play just about any instrument one puts in front of me, once heard I can play or sing any song, I don't forget the spoken word, ever. So, some of the Sybil's gift's are mine, except I am magically inert." It hurt, but the day I turned sixteen and had not yet had a vision, we all knew that I was not a Sybil.

I had not heard him, but suddenly his arms wrapped around me and I felt warm and comforted. "I am truly sorry Aillyn, I can hear the pain in your voice. You were trained for the visions and to interpret them?"

I nodded and relaxed back into his chest, " Yes, with a our first Moon Cycle, the Sybil's in our family have their first visions, but the strongest, sometimes the visions don't come til much later. So, well by the time I was sixteen, we had all given up on my being a Sybil, but the Hill people still treat me as if I am. I am still valuable to them as a Bard or Skald. So, learning to compose has become important to me. I can repay the people by writing them special songs...good ones."

I could feel him breathing both against my back and my neck, as his chin rested on my shoulder. He was silent, but that was no more than I expected from him, he thought things through before he voiced his opinion.

"I don't pretend to understand magic, but I can tell this bothers you, so I will try to understand. It seems to me, you can do more for the people, like your Granmere does now. I saw respect and love from the Hill people that we have met in the last few days. They not only wanted the trade in news and messages, but I heard them ask your opinion on matters. You say they know you don't have the sight?" I nodded and said that they all knew. " Then it is you...not the sight, that they are wanting opinions of."

I nodded, I had not really thought of it that way. "Anyway, that is mostly why I have little experience with men, it was pretty much taken as a given as I was growing up, that I would not marry until I was older the way Granmere did." I heard as much as felt the snort, before he loosened his hold and then turn me around. A soft kiss on the lips and he turned and picked up my pack, tossing it to me and hoisted his.

"We have a year before a breech of contract... you said six months, we get to know each other better and hopefully you can learn just a little bit at a time, ask and I'll answer. Just remember that I'm human, but we will go at your pace." With that he turned and walked out the door. I didn't fully understand what he meant, but well he had said I could ask.

I put my pack on and followed him out. He was trading a small pack with Erik for a few septims, lunch more than likely. The horses where saddled up and ready to go, but I checked on the tack and their hooves anyway. Mysty seemed in good form, but I knew I wouldn't rush her.

It was late in the evening when we made it to the Hunters camp, He was more than happy to see us and we traded a couple items with him. When it came to sleeping, Kristof made sure to put me nearest the wall, so that anything would have to go through him to get to me. That was fine with me, while I was good with my bow and quarterstaff, I still wasn't the best with a sword.

We were up and ready to go at first light. I let Mysty set the pace, to a point. She had a long fast gate that moved us along at a pace that I let go for only short periods of time. I had picked out the mare Kristof was riding for our mountain herd, she wasn't as fast, but she was surefooted and had a nice steady pace, but it meant that she wasn't up to the pace Mysty was setting.

At one point in an area I knew was rife with wolves we were running, leading the horses on a long reign. I slowed down to walk as I knew their was a nice spring up ahead, that would be a good place to stop to eat a late lunch. I looked to Kristof and realized, that he was sweating and breathing hard.

" Oh Lord, why didn't you say something? I never thought about it, we run a lot even when we have horses. It's the main reason that we don't wear heavy armor, except in pitched battles."

"Point noted, I'll have to rethink my heavy armor." His sideways grin said that he had no hard feelings, " Plus as much as it rains and snow's here, I might end up a rusted mess." We made it to the spring and I loosened the girth on both horses and took the bridles off so they could graze, as unknown horses, I hobbled them.

"Truly Kristof, I think a light or medium armor might be for the best, we don't get into too many pitched battles. That armor is well made and I think because its enameled metal, it wouldn't rust... unfortunately, I think it's also a great big target. " I bit into the apple that I had pulled out of the bag that Kristof gave me and then handed it back to him.

"Huh, I have some leather and chain-mail armor that I mostly wear hunting, but it may suit if we aren't in the kind of battle's that I am used to when defending clients." His voice trailed off and his face went dead still.

"What?" Then I felt it... the tremors that meant a mammoth was near, so I stood up, turned around and sure enough, not to far behind me was a giant. His mammoths were heading up the hill. I looked at the old one and bowed at the waist.

I pulled out my Lute and started playing, the song's that the Giants seemed to like where unsettling to most people and Mer, but that was alright, I wasn't playing for them anyway. Their were no words to these songs, just music, they had been passed down through my family for generations untold. He paused in his walk and the mammoths kept going down to the grazing land to the west. He pulled an item from his pouch and tossed it close to me, then walked on after his mammoths.

I walked over and picked up the item that the Giant had dropped, I grimaced as I looked at the human skull with a crown on it's head. I pulled the crown off the skull and then dug a hole for the skull. Giants were an odd breed, they got offended if you didn't take the gifts that they gave you, but often the gift wasn't what you thought it was.

Kristof's shadow got to me before he did, but he looked at the crown and raised an eye-brow. I just shook my head and said I had no clue, but I'd give it to Granmere to sell. "Generally the Giant's will leave you alone, just don't attack their mammoths or even try to help if they are being attacked, they don't seem to understand help."

We got on the horses and made good time, I saw smoke from the cabin's chimney before we were close. It was late in the evening, but I rode right past it and down to the Horse camp, the cabin was above the snow line and while the fire would be banked in the evening and food that would last a couple days placed in the pantry, their wasn't a barn or lean-to.

We un-tacked the horses and put the tack in the shed, groomed them and then let them loose with the few other horses that were left to the herd. I could see the Home Farm, but decided to head back to the cabin for then night then take a look at the Farm, then talk to Granmere.

When we made it to the cabin, I dropped my pack, but gently placed my lute on the chest next to the door. I dipped some water out of the barrel and put it in the big cauldron next to the fire. Put a little more water in a pot and hung it on the spit over the fire, then placed a couple more small pieces of wood on the fire. finding a small packet of vegetables in the bowl over the mantle, I poured them in the pot, then took out some of the meat that I had traded with the hunter, chopped it up and put that in the pot also.

It would be at least a half hour before the stew was ready and I figured that was enough time to wash up and change clothing, get a couple bed's ready to sleep in. I turned and found Kristof staring at the bed in the middle of the floor. He turned and looked at me.

"Oh, their are beds down stairs, you can have one of those." He was shaking his head.

"If you sleep up here, I sleep up here...and I'm not sleeping on the floor Aillyn."

"Oh, well in that case, we can both sleep down stairs. There is a fireplace down there also, but that one is probably not lite yet. So, you can go light that one and I'll get a good wash and dress for bed, then I'll go down and make our beds up, while you wash up. We can eat dinner and go to bed."

He looked at me for a moment and that damn sexy sideways grin appeared. I heard him chuckle as he headed for the stairs, some wood and kindling in his arms. I felt the fool again, I suppose Erin might have just made up the bed up here, but to me that had implications that I wasn't ready for yet. I needed a little time to get used to all of this.

Wanting the wash, I stripped down and dipped some of the now steaming water out of the cauldron and used it to wash, putting on my sleeping cloths. I filled a bucket and used a second bucket and jug to wet my hair and soaped it up pretty good. Even after the bucket was empty I could feel soap in my hair, so I tried filling the jug again to rinse it again, but it was hard with my eye's closed.

"Here, let me do that before you end up in the fire place." I started a bit, because I had not heard him return up the stairs. I heard the bucket hit the floor in front of me, so I knelt down in front of it and waited. I felt one of his hands in my hair and water hitting the back of my neck. "There you go, all the soap is out." He handed me the towel that had been over a chair and stepped away, I wrapped my hair up and then stood up.

"Thank you. There should be more than enough hot water for you to clean up also. Would you like me to wash your hair also?" I tried to keep my voice firm and I'm not sure I didn't squeak a little at the end, I really hoped not.

"Your welcome and as kind as the offer is, no, my hair isn't as long as yours and I can manage." He started to pull the gamebeson off over his head and I headed for the stairs. One of these days I was going to hang around long enough to see how far down that scar went.

I dug around downstairs in the storage chests and found a couple bed-rolls and extra blankets and sheet's. I would miss my nice soft mattress. I made sure the fire was banked and ready for more wood, but Kristof had done a very good job of setting the fire, the wood had probably already been in the hearth.

When I figured enough time had went by, I went back up the stairs and then asked if he was decent. I should have known better because all he said was " Yes". We ate dinner and he asked if I was sleepy and I wasn't so, I said no.

"Good, play for me.", he had gotten up and handed me my lute.

"Alright, what would you like to hear?" I was curious as to what kind of music he preferred.

"It doesn't really matter, you play and sing beautifully. I did enjoy those song's that you sang at the wedding, even though I did not understand them." He had stretched out on the bed, with his feet propped up on the foot board, staring at the shadow's on the ceiling.

So I went through the Old songs, the traditional Hill song's. I had played for about an hour or so when I realized that he was snoring. I laughed softly and put up my lute.

I decided to make some apple fritters for the morning, I checked to see if all the ingredients were here and thanked whoever for making sure their was fresh cream and butter. I set everything on the table so that it would be easy to fix first thing in the morning.

I walked over to the bed and looked down at the sleeping man, he looked so at peace that I didn't have the heart to wake him up. I put the Bar across the door, we had never had any problems, but you never knew. Then I grabbed a couple more blankets from the chest at the foot of the bed and crawled in next to him.


I woke in middle of the night to find Aillyn curled up on the bed next to me. Half woman, half child, I could only hope I had enough patience. Between the oddly needy stares and the fact that she had no clue just how beautiful she truly is, I would need patience.

I got up to add more wood to the fire, the stone floor was freezing. I quickly got back in the bed and pulled her back against me. She squirmed a bit and muttered something, it took me a moment to figure it out, then I almost laughed out loud. Instead I just close my eyes.

I was still laughing inside when I fell back to sleep, because it was obvious she hadn't always slept alone, her muttered " Rin, your feet are freezing, go put some socks on." Told me that she was closer to her sister than she admitted.

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Edited by Areial, Oct 13 2016, 12:44 AM.
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Home for a few Days........page 4

I woke the next morning with the unfamiliar weight across my back and leg, the deep breathing next to my ear let me know what the weight was. I tried to slide out of the bed, but I only succeeded in getting one arm stuck underneath me. I tried simply rolling over, but I was well and truly stuck, I gave a heartfelt sigh.

"Aillyn, What are you trying to do?" His voice was even deeper fogged with sleep and sent shivers down my back.

"Trying to get up." That seemed reasonable enough.

"Why?" was his one word answer.

"Well, because it's morning, I need to start breakfast and their are several things I would like to get done today." I started wiggling around again, I didn't get very far this time either, however it was because his arm tightened around me.

"Why don't you relax for a moment and tell me what you have planned for the day. And please don't tell me you can do that just as well from across the room. "

"Umm this isn't a very comfortable position, but I'll stay where I am at." His leg moved and arm lightened on my back so I rolled over til I was on my side facing the fire place. The heat from his body really did feel good against my back, so I relaxed and thought about the long list of things that needed to be done.

" Breakfast first of course, then I want to go see Granmere and the horse herds, it was really to late to see them when we got in last night and I want to know what's left. I'm sure my brother has a plan for the Home Farm, so I'd like to take a look around and then talk to him about what he needs from me. Granmere will know what it is if he isn't around. Help with the clean up of course, what we can. Crop's will need to be in the ground in a month or so." I wiggled backwards a bit so I wasn't leaning so much, but his hand squeezing my hip stopped me mid motion.

"Aillyn, That is not a good idea.", I thought about that for a moment and was glad for the dim firelight.

"Sorry, I was just ... wanted to lean against you more and... sorry, I wasn't thinking." Dang it, I wasn't five and completely unaware of the male anatomy, that was pretty dumb.

"Don't be sorry, I'm happy that you are comfortable enough around me to not think, just react. So, that sounded like enough to today. I want to get in some sword practise, for you, your damn good with that quarter staff, but it's almost useless in tight places. So what else is on the agenda?"

"Eventually I need to go to Dead Mans Respite and get the book that the Headmaster at the Bards College sent me after. Ummm later this month I need to go to Dawnstar, it's part of my rounds, the Innkeeper their is paying me to help his errr "wanna be Bard" sing. She, is very hard headed, sings to loudly and off key. Then on to Winterhold and a night or two at their Inn. One of the ships I was told about is off the coast up there and the low tide this month may have it so that we can get out to it. It might net a bit of gold."

"Huh, well that sounds like enough" His fingers were tapping an odd rhythm on my hip and I'm not even sure if he was aware of it. I was, it was doing funny things to the pit of my stomach.

Nervous habit? I didn't think he was the kind to lay abed in the mornings, so... this was more than just relaxing.... hmmm about us getting to know each other. Well no, I shied away like a green broke filly every time he came to near, physically. So.. well it makes sense, we calmed fractious horses the same way, get them used to you being there, then move in closer and closer. So... I felt him lean over me and use the hand on my hip to shake me.

" Your not falling back to sleep on me are you?", he sounded amused.

"No, not at all, so tell me something about yourself. It doesn't matter what, I know very little about you really, beyond that your family owns? runs? a mercenary company, That the nobility and the caravan traders both hold your family in high regard."

"My Great Grandfather started the company not long after the White-gold concordant was signed. He also changed his family name, I told you that Luilfr means "wolf", but the reason behind it is that he and his brothers were like a pack of wolves. There are others in the family, that didn't change their name, they are Nobility, titles, land, money and a place in the Emperors court. We have nothing to do with them, except to know and keep away from them. Great Grandfather married a Nord woman, a simple smith, but strong willed, we tend to do that." This time I did sit up, but turned around and looked at him. He rolled over on his back, looking up at me.

"I have three brothers and one sister. My oldest brother Darrius runs the "field" operations for the "Wolf Pack" our Merc company. Tomas, runs the freight lines that we own, it's not a large company, so he also invests in some of the Khajiit caravans. My sister Raine is our lead Healer, she both uses Restoration Magic and herb lore, teaches both. I'm next in line, then our eeerr baby brother Tannick, who is actually a few years older than you. Father and Mother are looking for a house here, Mother is another Nord woman, so we are much more "Nord" than Imperial, though, that is just our branch of the family."

" I was trained from a very early age to run one of the sub-companies. When father started hinting that he wanted to marry into a good family here in Skyrim, Tannick took off, I however wasn't as quick to leave the Fort....so here I am." He paused and sat up, then took my hand in his. " I am not unhappy to be contracted to marry you, Aillyn, I think as long as we take each day as it comes and get to know each other, we will suit each other. " I looked down at our entwined hands, flattened mine out to sit against his, palm to palm...his large, callused, darkly sun-tanned.. mine were long fingered, but much smaller than his, pale... though I too had calluses, both from playing the lute and hard work.

I got up off the bed and walked around, so that I was facing him as he sat on the edge. "Just know that I do have a temper, like all of my family, I often act on impulse, usually to my later regret. I think neither of us are ready for children and a rocking chair, so in that I'm sure we are close if not of one mind." I looked away for a moment and steadied my nerve. " I think... no, I know that I have a physical attraction to you, but I really don't know you well and I hope you can give me the time that I need to adjust to the idea."

He held out his hand and I placed mine in it, but then he just went all quiet and I saw that he had that blank look on his face and in his eyes that said he was thinking. I stood there and let him have all the time he needed. I ran through some of the memory exercises and the words to song's that I had not sung since learning them. When he squeezed my hand and kinda pushed backwards, I knew he wanted to stand up, so I took a step backwards. He placed both of my hands on his chest and held me by the shoulders... we were still far enough apart for a small child to pass between.

"Aillyn, physically, I find you very desirable... a man would be blind not to see the beauty without and within. I respect what and who you are to the Hill People, what you want to do and be. I am in awe of your intelligence and memory, your kind heart." He ran one hand down my back and pulled me closer, his other hand on my cheek. " I will give you as much time as we can afford". With that he slowly lowered his head and placed his lip's against mine, it was a light brush only, but caused an inner turmoil, I relaxed and tensed by turns... I felt his smile against my lips, before he stepped back.

" You do like apple fritters don't you? There is also some stew left over along with some berries and stuff."

"What ever is to be had, I'll eat, I'm not all that picky." He started pacing around and looking into all the cupboards and drawers.

"Kristof, your pack's are probably outside the door. I heard something thump this morning, so one of them men brought something up. They knew you were with me and might want them, so probably brought them up." He was to the door and lifting the bar before I could even finish the sentence. He came back in with two packs, which he tossed on the bed, then went back for more.

As I mixed the dough up and sliced up the apples...heating the pot to cook, I watched him unpack the various thing's he had brought. One of the smaller trunk's was nothing but book's and what looked like hand written journals. Another of the trunks looked like carvings and other art object's. While the dough was rising I sat on the trunk and watched. A long narrow box was swords and axes and a couple unstrung bows.

When breakfast was ready we ate and I looked at the leather hunting armor's that he had brought, plus another armor that, looked like it was made for court or something. It was black quilted leather with gold trimmed bright-work, gold thread. When I asked he said it was the armor he used when he was meeting with Noble clients , when the old Blade's armor wasn't a great idea.

I must say that I underestimated how large he really is, I had thought most of it due to the bulkiness of the armor, that wasn't the case. Seeing him half naked I knew he was physically very fit, but had not noticed ... well I can't kid myself, I was to busy looking to see were that scar ended to pay attention to how all the part's came together.

The leathers he choose to wear that day fit him like a glove, the chain and leather would be very protective, the quilting warm... though I had a fur cloak that I planned on letting him have. We walked down to the horse herd, two of my cousin's and a couple dog's watching as they worked to get some rock's out of the field. Most of the mare's that were left were the older ones, almost past their prime, but most still had five or more years of good breeding to them. These were the mares that weren't really good for riding any distance or getting a full days plowing. I was not totally disheartened, we could build on this. When we got to the area the mountain horses where kept, I saw that we were much better off, most of the horses where here.

These horses were bred for agility and intelligence, soundness, they acted more like dog's than most horses. These were the horses I preferred in the winter, when I rode to my job's. I got a better look at the Home Farm from here also and it looked bad, none of the building where whole. All the pens and fences were down. It looked as if the tool shed had burnt to the ground. That would have to be replaced and soon if we wanted to get crop's into the ground, along with any plow tack that had been in there.

I sighed and turned to walk up to the Hall, Granmere would let me know what I could do.

"Aillyn, as long as the people are safe and unharmed, the buildings can be rebuilt. It may take time, but life is more precious than wood."

" I know Kristof, but it takes longer than you would think to rebuild here. It's not a simple thing. We can only build late Spring to early Fall and everyone else who needs things built is also building then, it's not just that supplies are hard to bring in, the workers are highly sought after also. "

We walked in silence up to the wrap around porch, at my first glimpse of my Granmere, I left off dignity and ran to her. I gave her a gentle hug and kiss on the cheek. She patted my shoulder and told us to sit.

"No one was seriously hurt in the raid, but a few of the men were hurt badly trying to put out the fires and save some equipment. Your brother Ian, is off seeing which of the mills can supply the lumber we need. Seth is touring the mines looking for ore or ingot's that can be fashioned as he see's fit, he's gotten to be quiet the smith. Your other siblings are with your parents on the way to the horse fair in Elweyr. Some of the cousin's have dispersed to other relatives until we get rebuilt. Our workers have been tending the horses and going through the ruins to save what can be saved before we tear down. "

"Granmere what can I do to help?" I handed over the bag with some of the items of value that I had gotten, off bandits, the giant and other things. " I have some things coming in mid-spring from the Hill People, live stock, mostly chickens and geese, but a few calves and cow's."

"Girl child, what did you have to promise for that?" she didn't sound overly worried, but slightly irritated.

"Gram... you aught ta know better! Our family has helped many of the Hill Families over the years and now they can help us. They never have much and I told the Headman to make sure no one sends more than they can afford to. I knew we would not be in dire straits or you would have put out the word to come home fast."

"Your right, the money that we got from Kristof's family for this marriage is buying all the farm equipment that can't be made by Seth, along with seed. Not all the good horses were stolen or are with your parents, we sold some to get lumber and other supplies. I know you value your privacy Aillyn, but when your brothers get back they will be staying at the cabin, Your cousins also. I have all the workers here in the Hall. We are building the workers bunkhouse first, which will be big enough for the extended family."

I wasn't really happy about that, but I wouldn't grumble....much. It's not like we would be there overly much, so sharing would not be that much of a problem.

"hmmpf.... Granmere, as long as I get my bed I don't really care. Have the boy's move it downstairs to the end of the room and move some of the wardrobes around to made a screen, with a blanket for a door. A wall would be better, but the lumber is needed to the bunk house, Main Farm house and mill first. We won't be here often, you know I have the Northern holds in the Winter as no one else wants them. "

"I'll make sure it gets done and then moved back when they leave." She looked between the two of us, Kristof had not said a word yet, letting us natter on like two hen's. "I know it's early times yet, but how are the two of you getting along?" We looked at each other and he raised one shoulder and dropped it, I shook my head. Granmere looked back and forth between us and then laughed.

"If you two can silently talk to each other, then you are doing just fine. Ailynn, I know you are dying to go look at the Home Farm, not much you can really do, but go look anyway." When Kristof went to get up she shook her head. " I wish to talk with you Young Luilfr, Lyni scat." I laughed and took off, I would be fine, Kristof on the other hand might not be.



I watched Aillyn, run off, standing so that I could watch. The Home Farm was near the road, even though I could see workers, I didn't like it.

"Kristof?", I turned at the sound of my name. " Are you happy with your fathers bargain?"

"Lady Sabrina, I am not unhappy at the bargain. Your granddaughter is a wonder to be around, I am in awe of some of her skills. We are getting along fine so far, she's rather innocent, but has explained that."

"Have you told her who you are?" I stiffened, cause Father had said nothing about revealing the families secrets to her. " Ah I can see that you haven't. Are you shamed by what your family are?"

"No Milady not at all, we are who we are." I was not the swift thinker my brothers were, but I knew our father kept our secrets tight. That left a few options, only one that really made sense. " You can still see, your abilities as a Sybil are still active? How I thought.... that is why father... Holy Talos." She was grinning ear to ear.

"Yes, he was insistent on a non-mage, but wouldn't explain why. Yes I still have the sight, Sybil's don't loose the sight with our maiden-head any more than a regular mage looses their magic. That is just something we let out, so that men leave the young Sybil's alone and the young girls concentrate on their sight instead of mooning over some farm boy."

" I will tell her, when I am sure she actually wants to marry, me..Kristof, not just a contract. So who else knows?" It came out as almost a growl, we kept our secrets, we had reason to.

"No one boy, I have the sight and sense. Her parent's asked me, I talked to your father and knew. I did the negotiations after that, but that's not abnormal in our family either. Make up your mind and tell her sooner than late. Even if she decides, not to marry you after that, she wouldn't breath a word, none of us would."

I turned again and looked for Aillyn, her red-gold hair was not hard to find. She was in what appeared to be a garden, moving wood. I turned and looked at Lady Sabrina, her family was like ours, in ways, secrets.

"You know, what we have we hold." She nodded sagely, mouth tight.

"Wolves in more than just fighting style." She was looking at me with the same tilt to the head that Aillyn used. I nodded, but left everything unspoken. "Aillyn can handle the possessiveness as long as you can handle her free-spirit. A caged song-bird will wilt and stop singing. Don't make her unhappy, young wolf."

I bowed and then took off at a jog, it would take me days to figure out what had and had not been said. I was not as good as my brothers at all the subterfuge. I was pretty sure that was why Father hand not put his foot down with Tannick or Seth, both of whom might have been better with schemes. I was more strait forward, more like Father, which might have been why he sent me here. These people seemed strait forward, I would do well with them if that turned out to be the complete truth.

I helped Aillyn clean out the Farm's home garden and we stacked the wood according to if it was at all usable or not. Mid-day found a couple of the workers wives bringing lunch and we ate with them, then headed back to the Hall. We did not see the Lady Sabrina, but went instead to the forge in the basement area.

"Kristof, the rooms beyond are bathing rooms, the forge heat's the water. Their are towels and loose clothing that you can put on, if you leave your hunting leathers one of the worker wives will clean them and put them in the chest outside the door of the cabin if it is late or knock if it isn't."

"Aillyn, you know I wanted to get in some sword practice, you need it."

"We can do that tomorrow, the only thing I have to do is mend some of my dresses and a patch or two on my travel leathers."

" I will hold you to that, you need to get better with that sword if we are going to go digging into dungeons and other places. That quarter-staff can't be swung properly in a narrow hall. You can't help your family if you are dead."



The next several days were carbon copies of each other, we spent the morning at the cabin, I would cook, while Kristof red out loud. Some of the book's I had already read, but others were new information for me. After I set a stew on for lunch we would go down to the Hall's yard, which had a nice flat area for sword practice and even had a target for archery.

Mid day saw us back at the cabin for lunch, then an hour spent on sewing and repairs to the never ending tack that some of the workers brought up for me, Kristof really helped with the tack repair, he was good at leather work. I put more stuff on for stew and then we would go down to the yard again and practice more with the sword. A bath after that and back to the cabin.

The evening's I played my lute and sang some of the old songs for Kristof. I would often sit on the bed and he would lay his head on my leg, looking up a me as I played. I found that he was very good at strategy games, but really that made sense. He always said his brothers were better, that I found hard to believe.

We slept each night in my bed together, like the first night in the cabin, where we started out on different sides of the bed, but after the second night, Kristof curled up around me and we fell asleep that way, though I am sure it took me much longer to fall asleep.

I found out much about him over those days, like he preferred eating not quiet ripe snowberries by the handful, they were tart and I didn't like them that way. He was quick to learn how to make apple-fritters as he really seemed to like them. He grew a heavy scruff of a beard if he didn't shave, which looked very sexy, but was also rather prickly when he kissed me. Which he did at some of the oddest of times, but never when we were laying in bed together.

Our fourth morning at my cabin, I told him that we would leave the next day. We set about getting our gear ready, I had a pack that he could use, as the farm had no spare geldings for us to take. That was fine, our first stop was Deadman's Respite and I did not know how long we would be in the barrow. Plus if I remembered right, their was a herd of horses that called that area home. I would see if any were worth catching.

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The Thing about Bards is, they like the last Word....page 5


After dinner that night, I dug into the stores of weapons that I had, I was looking for a particular item. A bow given to me when the previous owner passed into the next life, by his partner. The man had died of a massive infection from a poisoned knife, the thief had also died, from a sword going horizontally across the neck. I pulled the case the bow was in, out and set it on the table I might need to oil it, even though it had been wrapped in oiled cloth. I looked for the small box with the arrow's...no bolt's that is what the woman had called them, bolts.

When the case made a soft thump on the table, Kristof looked up at it, because I was still looking for the bolts I told him to go ahead and open the case. I was leaning over into the trunk when I heard the spring unload, knowing it hadn't been loaded I didn't look up.

"Damn, is this what you plan on taking into Dead Mans Respite?" I had finally got hold of the bolt case, so looked up at him. I laughed at the look on his face. It was a cross between admiration of the weapon itself and envy.

"Yes it is, you said a quarter staff isn't much use in the narrow hallways and such. I figured my re-curved bow might also be a bit large, so...Seth made more bolts for me, I had only had 25 to start."

"Do you think you could get another, perhaps two?"

"Well, not where I got that one, no, but Seth is working on recreating this bow, Crossbow is what the woman said. He's very good, it will take time though, but other than that outside the Dawnguard ,I've never seen one."

"The who? Dawnguard...who are they?"

"Vampire hunters, that's what the woman was and her partner, the one that gave me the crossbow. "

After that their was nothing for it but that he practice with the bow, it was at least an hour. After about fifteen minutes I decided I was cold enough and went back inside. After half an hour I went to bed, morning would come early and I wanted to get an early start.

I'm not sure when I fell asleep or when Kristof came to bed, but when I woke up, his warm body was draped around mine. For once I could actually move so I rolled over and put an a wee bit of space between us. I watched as the fire light cast shadows over his face. Was this the man I wanted to wake up with the rest of my life? I could not say, but the thought of him not being in my life left a hollow space in my heart.

I leaned up on one elbow and took the end of my braid and lightly brushed it back and forth across his nose. At first he just wiggled his nose at the irritation, then smacked at my hand....when I laughed his eye's opened up and I found myself flat on my back staring up at him.

"Good Morning Sleepyhead". That might have come out just a little too perky cause, he lowered his head till our noses met and growled at me....growled!

"Masser has not even set yet, so it's not really morning now is it?" He shifted slightly and I became acutely aware of the way our leg's were entwined and just how intimately our lower bodies were pressed together. I needed a distraction and talking always worked for me.

"Well if we are going to get an early start on the day and make it even partway to the valley the Barrow is in, then we need to get going." He lowered his head til just the corner of our lips touched, then ran his along my cheek til I could feel his breathing on my ear. My heart was beating so loudly in my head it's a wonder I could hear the next word's he whispered.

"Aillyn, your panic is starting to show." It was too, but he kissed me softly on the lips and then rolled out of bed, grabbing his armor, he went downstairs and I could hear him stoke up the fire. I touched my finger tips to my lips and closed my eye's, I could still feel his heavy weight pressing me into the bed. I blushed ... I had read that a man can't really hide his desire, that appeared to be the truth. I decided that if I wanted any privacy to get washed and dressed I might needed to stop thinking and start moving. So I started reciting, in my head, the most boring verses and Ode's that I could think of. It worked, well sort of, I managed to get washed and dressed without thinking about him.


By late evening that day we were at the mouth of the river valley that Dead Man's Respite was in. I was in a surly mood, I had repeated every Ode, Mantra, diddy, poem or epic ballad that I knew...and I knew a lot. We set up camp in relative silence. After camp was set up and a stew was cooking in the pot. I decided to go take a swim, both to clean the sweat off and to cool off.

I told Kristof that I wanted to take a swim, he said that sounded like a good idea. So I set off down to the river and he trailed along behind me. I wanted a moment or two by myself, I was getting irritated, I was not used to being with someone day and night and the irritation showed in my voice.

"Kristof, I can bloody well take care of myself long enough to clean up!" His face went blank, absolutely neutral and his eye's became hooded.

"Naked? Or had you planned on wearing your clothing and weapon's in the water with you?" His voice and words were reasonable. I wouldn't be able to fight off a skeever stark naked, that of course did not help my temper any. "Aillyn, I will turn my back and won't peek, but I would prefer to be there in case a bear or sabre cat decides to attack. I'll let you fight off any mudd crab's bare handed, how's that sound?"

I didn't bother answering but kept heading down to the water. When I found a spot on the bank with a small over hang, I used that as a screen and took off my travel leathers. The water was ice cold, hating myself, but wanting to get clean, I dove in and came up gasping. I got back out of the water and used the soap I brought to wash, both my hair and body, then dove back in to rinse off. After drying off with a towel I dressed in my spare clothing and walked back up the bank to Kristof.

"Aillyn, if you wouldn't mind, I too would like to wash the sweat off my body. It's not just you that might have problem defending herself naked, so would I." I felt slightly ashamed, but I really had wanted just a moment to myself.

" I'll keep an eye out for bear's". What in Oblivion was my problem, Kristof never crowded me, well except by insisting that we sleep in the same bed. He wasn't pushing, I had asked for time and he was giving it. It's true I was used to being alone, ever since I started my rounds to the Hill People, I had days on end with no company but myself. hmmpf, days alone... year's of a huge family with no privacy at all, fighting to have a moment of peace.

So....so, it wasn't just the physical sensations and emotions of here and now with Kristof, it was also the past. I had shared a bed and room with my sisters as we grew up. The three of us curled up like kittens in the bed to stay warm. Huh, well that is why actually sleeping with him didn't bother me, my body had been used to another's most of my life. The other sensations I would, for now at least, attribute to my physical attraction to Kristof, that made the most sense anyway.

Emotions, well those were nagging at me, why? Kristof choose that moment to walk past me and I trailed slowly behind him. As we ate dinner and I cleaned up afterwords. I had time to think as I leaned back against a stone and watched the Aurora dance delicate patterns of light across the sky. Why were my emotions all ragged? The fact that I was already feeling a strong emotional tie to Kristof wasn't a bad thing. I already could not imagine life without him, being that this was a forced marriage...Oh bloody ashes, forced.. I even thought forced, not arranged. That is what I was rebelling about, even if I wasn't completely aware of it.

Because this wasn't my choice, he wasn't my choice...the marriage wasn't my choice. I was giving myself a headache, but I needed to get this either resolved or at least somewhat settled in my head. I could get us killed if my mind wasn't completely on task tomorrow, in the Barrow. I looked across the fire at Kristof, he was reading one of the hand written journals, I had thought they were his, but obviously not.

I closed my eye's and thought of life without him, what it was before, I felt the sharp pang in my heart, a sense of loneliness that I had never felt before. That wasn't what I wanted. Emotional attachment to him wasn't a bad thing, quiet the opposite. I felt an emotional attachment, I felt a physical attraction to him, I knew he felt the same, physically at least. So the problem was only that I felt I had no way out, but that wasn't true, I had not signed any contract, Erin had, Granmere had first contracted for her...then put me up as a replacement, but I got to decide.

"Kristof?" He looked up from his reading, but didn't say a word. "Kristof, I am sorry. I had no reason to snap at you. I guess I am starting to feel forced into this against my will, but when I think about it, it's not, I'm not. I'm just being ridicules, I spent so many years trying to get some peace and quiet away from my family, some privacy, it's irritating me more than it should, that I am loosing some of that. I want your company, I can see my life without you, the way it was before and I don't want to go back to that."

I walked over and knelt down beside him. I put my hand on his arm and watched closely for a clue as to how he felt.

" When I started my rounds as a bard, I was alone for the first time in my life, I had quiet, I got to sleep in a bed all my myself. I know you are close with your brothers, so maybe you can understand. I Love my brothers and sisters... but I craved solitude, peace and quiet. But from the first moment I saw you, talking to Vorstag, my heart skipped a beat and I wanted to know who you were. When you came over after I was done playing and gave me those letters, I wanted to kill my sister. I was never angry with you, what I was right from the start is attracted." His face was still passive, but his eye's had softened.

"The more I have gotten to know you, the more I want to know and the less I want to be alone. I am not usually not so backwards in what I want and how I go about getting it. Kristof, in some ways, I feel I have not really been myself since I read those letters, I've been fighting myself. Had we met under a normal situation, I would have been attracted and tried to get to know you better... perhaps be adventure partners for a short time and then get married... and all that means. We get married very quickly here, so no one would think twice about it. "

"If you can indulge me just a little bit longer, I need to get over one more mental hurdle." I stopped , I often used twenty words when five would have done. He had that air of listening and thinking intensely, so I kept quiet, even when I wanted to add more... with me their is always more. It was fascinating to watch his eye's change from a dull grey to a molten silver-green as his internal mood changed..... his face was completely passive, blank, I really wish I had half that control, but I tend to blush all the way to my toes with anger or shame.

" Aillyn, I said I would give you all the time that we can afford. I meant, while my Father might not be happy, as long as the contract that was signed is not broken, on either side, I will deal with his gruff."

"Thank you", I stretched up and pressed my lips to his, what started as a simple kiss, ended with him pulling away and laughing at the look on my face, I was giddy and had an ache in my lower body that I pretty much knew I didn't want satisfied that night... but it was tempting.



I woke the next morning with with an ache in my groin that wasn't going to go away with someone wiggling her lush little derrier into it. So I got up making sure she was covered, then added wood to the fire and a bit of water to the stew so it would not burn to the bottom. Then I went down to the river and jumped in the ice cold water, I can't say it improved my mood any, but it had the desired effect.

I was dressed and had breakfast ready by the time I woke her up. While she ate, I straitened camp, I would leave it set up, but put most of the food stuff up a tree so it would not attract animals. I didn't know how long it would take to find this book in Dead Man's Respite, so it would be better to plan on staying here another night.

When she was done she cleaned our plates and put her pack on. The look on her face as she wrapped her lute, bow and quarterstaff in oiled canvas and then placed them with our food up towards the top of the tree was funny, I kept a strait face and didn't laugh only through sheer will. It didn't take long and we were at the Barrow's entrance. I stopped Aillyn and asked if the crossbow was loaded, which it was..and asked her to stay behind me, but to keep an eye out and make sure nothing snuck up behind us.

We entered the barrow and heard the soft strumming of a lute. As our eye's adjusted to the dim light, we saw a ghostly form playing the lute. He was standing in front of an pillar, Aillyn, lit our lanterns, which gave off a soft glow and she picked up the ornate dragonsclaw that was on it... which opened the gate.

We followed this ghostly man through room's full of Draugr, which Aillyn took much better than the one with giant spiders in it. I was proud of the way she handled herself, the Crossbow as on a sling that she could just put behind her back, when not in use. She was clumsy with the sword still, but she got the job done. I wanted a copy of that crossbow, the power of it was obvious when she got clean hit's on anything, death, swift and sure. The wolf Pack could really use a weapon like that.

She refused to take any items off the dead, but when it came to chest's, it seemed my little Bard was an accomplished lock-picker. I didn't ask, but I was sure their was a reason for it. She weeded through the chest's finding gold, gem's and jewelry and other light, small items that might be worth selling.

I'm not sure she even realized she was doing it, but every time we got into a fight with draugr or skeletons, she would humm. At first it was a bit distracting, but then I realized without looking I could keep an ear on where she was. When we got to the last room, the Ghost went up on a dais and started yelling at Olaf, for him to come out at fight it out like men. My little Bard had a trick up her sleeve, she told me to stay within the light, which I didn't know what she meant.

When she pulled a rolled up piece of paper out of her pack, she told me to close my eye's when she said to. I watched as the Draugr got closer and closer and was about to say something when she yelled "Close them".. then I saw a brilliant white light behind my eyes, I waited just a moment till the light started to dissapear from behind my eye's and then blinked them open.

I could see what she meant by the light, their was a circle of light around us, which caused the draugr to fall to ash when they entered. The Ghost was on the dais and his form was wavering, but he held true. He stayed as far away from the light as he could fighting the draugr. When all was still and our circle of light had dissipated, the Ghostly Bard called on Olaf again.

Olaf finally came out and we stood back and watched the bard fight him, there were a few times Aillyn seemed to want to go help him, but I saw this as a matter of honor, the Bards honor... if he failed, we would not, but he didn't.

Once Olaf was done for and nothing but an ash pile, the Ghostly Bard went over and moved something out of the ash pile, but could not seem to pick it up. Aillyn did that for him and he walked away to a door, behind which was a treasure room. She squealed like a child on Saturalia and looked at all the gold and gem's and other items piled into the chest. She stopped and pulled the journal from her backpack and showed it to the Ghost, telling him that the content's would come to light. He waved his hand in front of him and then bowed to us both.

Before she could be come engrossed in figuring out how much we could carry, I stopped her. "Aillyn, I'm proud of you girl, you handled your self well with both the sword and crossbow." I tipped her head backwards slightly and looked down into her eye's, they were dancing with happiness and some other emotion I did not have time to recognize before she threw her arm's around my neck and pressed her lips to mine. I closed my eye's and drew her closer, savoring both the feel of her lips and body against mine, but also that she had spontaneously brought us into physical contact.

An hour later we where leaving he barrow, with both our pack's full to the brim of items she felt we could sell. The rest she had left on the table, figuring if anyone else managed to get in, they should have some kind of reward. We came out into the late afternoon sunlight. It had not taken nearly as long as I thought it would, but tomorrow morning would be soon enough to leave.

For a brief moment I wondered if I could get her to wash my back, but then thought better of it, that might lead to something she wasn't quiet ready for, yet.



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A Short Walk to a Long Bridge....page 6


By late the next morning we were well on our way to Solitude. Aillyn, was a fast walker and I was more than happy to have worn the light armor. She hummed and sang as we walked, she looked much happier and at peace with herself. The walk through the River valley was quiet and she pointed out various old ruins.

Right before we made the road, bandit's decided to attack, I had not rounded the corner yet and heard them. She had stopped humming as they threatened her, she gave an answer about giving them all her gold. I hurried my steps, but right before I rounded the corner I heard her start humming "Ragnar the Red" and then heard a loud thump and another softer hit followed by a male yell of pain. I came around the corner to see her walking away from two bandit's that were on the ground, one with a hand over his face, blood streaming out, the other rolling on the ground clutching his groin.

I stopped in front of those two and watch my little Bard, a whirling dervish with that quarterstaff bring down another bandit with one powerful hit to the stomach and another to the side of his head. The bandit folded and didn't move, She walked over to the one clutching his groin and kicked him in the head, I winced but didn't say a word. She glared at me and them muttered something about men, I just threw up my hands.

We made it to Dragon Bridge South with no more trouble, we planned stopping at the Inn for the night, even though it was late afternoon. I followed Aillyn as she went to talk to the stableman and to see what kind of horses they had for sale. She gave the few they had a good look over and started talking to him about a long legged chestnut. They went back and forth over the mare's good and bad qualities and came to a price both could agree on. She also paid him a bit extra to keep the horse there until we came back through in a day or so.

"Aillyn?If it wasn't for the very small space inside those dungeons, I'd say keep the quarterstaff and use it at all times. You are damn good with it. We'll work on the sword, but only as a secondary weapon, how's that sound?"

"That suites me fine, father always says that it's the reach of the sword that makes it a good weapon to know. We chose the Akivari style because it can be used one or two handed. It may be harder to learn, but I will. If I haven't said so, I do appreciate that you are willing to teach me." I closed the short distance between us and put my hand on her cheek. It still amazed me how soft and pale her skin was next to mine.

" It's my pleasure, Aillyn." I ran my thumb down and then back up the center of her throat, then tipped her chin back in kissed her lightly on the lips. " Your very beautiful with your head, on your shoulders." We separated to take bath's, but I noticed that their was a room where we could share a bath. Hmm, maybe at some other time.

I waited across from the women's bath, but far enough that the others would not think I was trying to peek. She came out in another of those knee length dresses, this time the overcoat was red. They went a long way in helping her to look younger, well until you noticed the button's straining against the fabric. That would make a man wonder if too deep a breath would cause the button's to pop and what would come tumbling out.

I put that thought away and settled in a dark corner, as she started tuning her lute. Perhaps a couple new gowns, full length and some new travel leathers also, her favorite was worse for wear and was patched in more than one place. She seemed to like red, which for a wonder didn't look bad with her strawberry hair. I laughed inside when I realized she was singing a version of a song she had sung before, only this one was slanted to making the Empire into hero's, the other version the Stormcloak's were the hero's.

The mark of a good bard, knowing the audience. I was happy that she had no plans to settle in the near future, I wanted to see something of this land that my father had decided we should move to. Which brought me to the Wolf Pack, they...we would have plenty of work here, while their were other mercenaries, we were specialists. Tomas should be on his way here, looking into trade routes, but also looking for contracts for the Wolf Pack.

It was one of the reason's we were as successful as we were, we had our own caravans for supplies, if we took big contracts and the large caravans were a success because they could call in the wolf pack for protection. Which was another thing, Father had asked me to keep an eye out for a fort or large piece of property that we could buy or convert into a new home. There looked to be plenty of half ruined fort's that we could fix up, if the local Jarl would allow it.

Aillyn, had moved on to a rowdy song about some sailor or the other, which brought on laughter and many yells. We all knew fathers thoughts on this, If the Empire won, Skyrim would be much weakened and bandit's would be prevalent. If the Stormcloak's won, the Thalmor would try taking it over and would succeed if not bolstered, which Father would offer, for a price of course. The price, the land around the Fort and title for the Family. I would need to explain the whole plan to Aillyn, because if she only got part's of it, it would be easy to misunderstand.

I grimaced to myself, that thought lead to the biggest hurdle, the families secret. Who and what we are would be hard to explain, perhaps not as hard with her family as another. As her Granmere said, sooner rather than later, I just needed to know she was committed to me, not just a contract. We are a possessive lot, we Luilfrs, but it comes with the territory.

Sooner, we are possessive and that would lead to problems. I almost jumped in, when one of the soldiers decided to make an advance, but the Innkeepers son's let it be known that it wasn't to be tolerated. It was odd that more men didn't make advances on her, but when I really looked, those ugly childish dresses probably really helped. I didn't like them, made me think I was sniffing after a child.

The tone of the next song slowed, I caught a line about sewing a shirt with no seams? How in Obilvion, that made no sense and I could only stitch leather. I listened a little harder and pretty much decided the song made no sense, but to half the men that were drunk, it probably didn't matter.

Tannick would look at her age and not care, I narrowed my eye's at the thought, he usually had any females eating out of his hands. I could actually feel a surge of protective anger rising up, Aillyn wasn't mine, not by her choice and I had no reason for anger at my brother, he had disappeared when father started talking about marriage. But it was the way we are, family trait.

Next time we were back at her cabin, that would be a good time. But, only if she had sorted everything out in her own mind. It wasn't just myself I had to protect. This song was slower, about a sailor who was looking for a woman that promised to wait, I snorted at that, who then married another. A melancholy song, so she was winding down, Masser was full and up, so it was pretty late.

I had noted the men leaving, but not how few were actually left. So, I moved out of the corner to where she had left her lute case near the counter. As usual it had coin in it and a few trinket's. The Barmaid was sleepily drying mug's, she told me the Inn Keeper had went to bed, but would be up early enough to catch the Bard for payment. I nodded and said I would pass on that information. She packed up and we went to our room. As usual I turned my back to her and let her put her night cloths on.

She sat cross-legged on the bed when I turned around, I sat across from her on the chair and held out my hand. She placed hers in mine, but then grimaced at how awkward it was, so got up and plopped herself in my lap, her head on my shoulder.

"Aillyn, how much or rather what do you know about the contract between our families?"

"Truthfully, not much as to the exact wording. I wasn't really there when your Father was. I came and went a few times while it was all being hashed out. Mostly by letter and messenger. Hmm let's see, fact's, you know not much. One of your fathers son's to marry one of the Winter-Wolf daughters, which could be my sisters or I or one of our cousins. Non-mage, I know that was made rather implicit. But the first part of the contract was made with Erin and you, til she ran off. More of a business marriage, but with conditions."

"That's all, nothing else was said to you?" That was rather sketchy, it wasn't even half the marriage terms, let alone the ones added about children.

"No," she pulled slightly away so that she was looking at me, "So...what is the big hairy secret? I know you are keeping something from me. I may have no magical abilities, but I read people very well." I chuckled lightly, that as an apt turn of phrase, but not something I was going to get into right now.

"That's a rather simplistic reading of the contract, which of course is all you would have needed to know, if your sister had actually went through with the marriage as planned.", she laid her head back down on my shoulder and I could feel the muscles in her back relax.

" In ways you are right, one of the Wynter-Wolf daughter to marry one of the Luilfr son's. You have a choice Aillyn," my throat got tight as I kept going. " In six months if you haven't decided to marry me, then the contract states that you will meet my brothers and see if either of them might suit. Tomas is already married, into one of the trade families, Darrius isn't, but is pretty focused on the Wolf Pack right now, Tannick, well their is no telling with him. He's the wanderer of the family, so might get along with you just fine."

"Kristof...." I hushed her by simply kissing her.

"Let me finish Aillyn. You do not need to marry any of us, neither do your sisters. The forfeit is not the money back, it's land. More specifically the empty land to the west of the farm, against the mountains, though you keep your cabin, your Granmere was firm about that. Yes, the family does have a secret, but only those in the family or who are going to marry into the family know." I took a deep breath, it was hard skimming the truth.

"We are a very possessive lot Aillyn, what we have we hold. Once we are mated, I will belong to you and you to me. Before that happens I need to know that you are committed to me or that you don't want to be. I need you to understand that, it's a life-time commitment. You said you had one more mental hurdle, that's fine, I just gave you more to think on."

Her hand went to my cheek and I looked down at her. She had a small smile on her lips, but her eyes were glowing green, the same color as new leaves in spring. I brought her hand to my lips and kissed it, then held it between both of mine, while I rested my cheek on top of her head, breathing in the scent that was all her. We stayed that way for a good long time, I was content just to hold her for now.

When her even breathing and limp body told me she was sleeping, I stood and placed her on the bed, then undressed and joined her. I pulled her back into my arms and held her long into the night. It was long before I fell asleep myself, I had given her the choice, it was now up to her. I did not want to let her go.
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To Become a Bard page 7


The next day found us on our way to Solitude, the day would be a busy one. We crossed over to Dragonbridge proper before the sun was a gleam on the horizon. The Aurora was bright ribbons of light across both Masser and Secunda, both dipping towards the mountains behind us. I wanted to get into town before the shop's closed, Kristof was right, I needed new dresses and at least one new set of travel leathers, two would be better.

I kept to a pace that I thought Kristof could keep up with, I had heard some mercenaries talking about the Wolf Pack and how they moved from place to place quickly and unseen. I heard his breathing and kept the pace , when I heard his breathing getting hard and labored I slowed to a walk for a while. He was fit, I could see that, but he wasn't a runner. Well they were specialists, so maybe the area he specialized in wasn't the moving fast and quietly area. Huh, he wore heavy armor, that wasn't really conductive to moving quickly or quietly.

Well I had talked him into light armor, he would develop better lung's for running and climbing. We both had things to learn, the sword wasn't coming easy for me, but I would develop better skills. I slowed to a walk again before we hit the crossroads, the wind was starting to cool and had a dampness to it that meant rain was on the way. After a bit I picked up our walking pace to a ground eating walk.

I wanted to get to the dressmakers before they closed, but I also didn't want to be a soggy mess, not that I had much of a choice on that part. When I finally got a look at the horizon through the tree's, I could see the storm on the horizon over the Sea of Ghost's, it would be a bad storm, but we would make it to Solitude dry.

Kristof had knocked my last mental hurdles into the ground, I wasn't trapped into a marriage, it would be my choice. And it was, I was pretty curious as to this family secret of his though. Hmm If I look at it logically, what has he let drop? Possessiveness...Mates for life? That's the only things he has really let drop factual. But, he always knows when Masser and Secunda are up or going down, hmm means something right? The Wold Pack moves quickly and quietly... Wolf pack? hmm Werewolves?

Oh, that would fit some things, but not quietly, people would notice Werewolves. Specially in Cyrodiil where they are not as common as here. Well he did say he would tell me, when I decided that it was him and not a contract I was marrying, not that I would marry a contract, honor it yes, but marry a man. I saw the first watchtowers of Solitude along the road and slowed, so that we would not come in all sweaty and out of breath.

We entered the city and I asked the guard where the best dressmaker was and where a good armorer was. He gave me directions to both. You would not think so, but from past experience with dress makers I knew they would take longer than an armor with the type I wanted, so we went their first.

The two Altmer that greeted me, with their noses stuck up in the air, soon changed their tunes when I told them what I wanted and then picked out the cloth and some jewelry to go with it. I figured one good dress for now and I would order more to be sent to the Farm. Kristof was leaning against the wall and I held up two fabric bolts and asked which he liked better. I choose a pattern, that I thought would go well with the red with gold embroidery that he picked. Though he lingered over another pattern, it was a little low cut for me, but maybe someday I would get it.

After settling all prices and what would be made and that I could have the first dress in two days, we went to the armorer and I described my fighting style and what I needed in armor. Kristof put in a few words here and their. We debated the merit's of a full armor style verses the cloth and leather I wanted. That lead to the three of us going to the Imperial practice grounds and Kristof and I sparing with our favorite weapons. He with his sword and shield, I with my quarterstaff.

We were both a sweaty, tired mess when the armorer call a halt and to our surprise, we got a round of applause from the Imperial soldiers that had been practicing their weapons. The commander came over and asked if we would like to do some training with his recruits, they could use it. We both agreed to help as we could, when we were in town, but on the understanding that neither of us was actually going to join the Legion.

The armorer came over and asked Kristof if he was used to wearing heavy armor, which Kristof answered yes to. Beirand nodded and said that it showed, Kristof moved with a slow deliberateness that only someone used to heavy armor used. He asked if either of us had gotten hit, we both said no and he nodded to that as well. He took our measurements and said he would have some armor for the both of us in a two or three days.

We thanked him, Kristof was surprised but thanked Beirand, saying that he had not expected new armor also. Beirand laughed and said that mine would be a matter of putting some odds and end's together ...sort of. He said I needed a free range of movement and most of the armor types including what I was wearing, limited it some.

We thanked him and he said a price could be decided on when we saw that armor. I asked him about a shop where we could sell some items we had gotten from some bandit's that would no longer need them. He laughed and said he would look at any armor or weapons, even if bad the metal's could be melted down. For anything else his wife ran a shop and would probably buy most of the rest.

So I pulled out the smaller armor pieces and daggers and we set to, talking about what he could use as replacements for the metals he would use to make our armor. I left the rest of the metal and leather, he telling him he could either use it to offset the cost or give us fair price for it. We shook on it and as it was getting late I turned and headed for the Winking Skeever.

"Aillyn?", I stopped and looked back at him, " We aren't going to the Bard's College tonight to turn in the Journal?"

"No, mostly because it's late and Viarmo will want to got strait to the palace and give it to Elsif and she might not be happy at having her day extended. I'd rather have to sit and wait half the day on an audience than make the Jarl unhappy. I'd rather just pay for a room, bath and food and have a nice quiet night."

"That sounds fine with me Aillyn." We walked side by side to the Inn and Kristof asked and paid for our room. We took our baths and asked for dinner to be brought up to our room.

The room had a nice sitting area and a desk, which I took advantage of and wrote a letter to Granmere and told her about what had happened and that I thought I would have enough to bring in to pay for either the worker's or the material to rebuild the Farm House. I would send it Imperial script via courier as I would not get back to the Farm for at least a month. I also had at least one more brood mare for the herd and was planning on looking at another few in the next couple of days.

When dinner was brought I got up and ate with Kristof, he asked if I was finished with the desk, as he needed to write to his Father and Darrius and let them know what was happening and that he had not heard from Tannick yet. I said I was done and curled up on the bed with the book "Chances Folly". It wasn't very long, but I was rather sleepy when I finished it, so I got up and put it back on the shelf.

I walked over and draped my arms over Kristof's shoulders, placing my chin on his shoulder and asked if he was almost done. He stiffened so quickly that I thought I had made a mistake and started to apologize, standing up and backing away.

"I...I'm sorry, I didn't think, I used to hang over my Papa that way. I didn't mean to intrude on your letters, I didn't read them. " It was the only thing I could think of. He was up and had me wrapped in his arm's before I could even blink. Both his arms where all the way around me, my head tucked right under his chin, when he spoke I could feel his jaw moving.

"Aillyn, oh no Aillyn, you did not intrude, I just wasn't expecting you to drape yourself over me, you surprised me that's all. You may read my letter's if you want, there is nothing in them but event's that have transpired. I want, well what I really want can wait for now. I will try and not react so badly if you feel the desire to be a blanket and keep me warm. " I wrapped my arms around his waist and stood their listening to his heart beat, it was slowing down, almost in pace with mine.

I leaned back an looked up at him and he used that as an excuse to kiss me on the nose. I wrinkled it at him and tucked my chin downwards as I yawned. He laughed and I looked back up to ask how long he was going to be. He leaned down and kissed me softly on the lips, then spun me around and smacked me a good one on the butt and said to go to bed, he would be there shortly. I was again asleep by the time he made it to bed.

I was up and bouncing around by daybreak, so it's probably a good thing Kristof was awake before me, he was quiet, but in his reserved kind of way. I could barely sit still long enough to eat breakfast, but I knew it would not do me any good to get to the College to early. I put my best dress on and realized while it wasn't as tattered as some of the others... it really wasn't very good. Well I did have more ordered and it would have to do for now.

We set off for the College and Vairmo was more than happy that I had retrieved the journal, but not with everything in it. Their were many pages that had been lined out and couldn't be read. We reordered some of the lines, until he was happy with the way it scanned. Then he said he was going up to the Blue Palace to make an appointment to talk to Jarl Elislf, I should come along.

We followed at a much slower pace and sure enough had to wait til mid-afternoon for a break in court. We finally got to speak with her, I stayed in the background and listened to Vairmo as he recited the epitaph. All in all it ended with the Bard's college being able to have their Festival and some coin and the notice of another Jarl, which in my position, wasn't a bad thing.

We were dismissed and Viarmo told me to come back after dark, but could I please tell Jorn to get the Effigy ready for the festival. He said I should make sure to be there, sometime after dark. For some reason I was unreasonable tired, when all we did was sit still half the day. So we went back to the Inn and had a late lunch, I took a nap and Kristof read one of the journal's he had brought.

It was late evening when we made our way back to the College. The Sisters had not gotten my dress ready, it needed a final fitting on the morrow, but I had a set of travel leathers, with two tops and a couple different accessories. It was a very grand evening with most of the Thane's of the hold and the Imperial Commander in attendance. I played my lute with some of the other student's, song's that we all knew. I even managed to talk Kristof into dancing with me, I can not remember a better night.

I know I was floating in the clouds when we went back to the Inn, I was also a bit tipsy, so I tried not to say anything that I might later regret. I did a quick wash and then made my way up to the room, collapsing on the bed.


I walked into the room, Aillyn was laying sideways across the bed, one hand curled under her cheek. After I got ready for bed, I picked her up and climbed in to the bed myself and settled us both in for the night. It was getting harder and harder to sleep with her, when my body wanted something entirely different.
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Leaving Solitude, to find Peace....page 8

We spent the next couple of days in Solitude getting everything ready to travel out. I had my rounds to do now, the northern route then back to see the Hill people with a stop at home somewhen. I did purchase another horse, she was small, but had good blood lines. The man was going back out to sea and had bought the Hill Pony after trying his hand at mining and marriage, neither had worked out.

I noticed that Kristof had gotten quieter as the days passed, he seemed to pace more and had literally growled at Jorn, who had done nothing except put his hand on my shoulder. He reminded me more and more of a caged animal as the days passed. I had planned on waiting one more day to see if any of the "plain" dresses would be ready, but decided I could simply just wear my old ones til I got home, by then they should be there.

We left very early the next morning, the further away from Solitude we got the more relaxed he he appeared. I had thought about staying in Dragonbridge at the Inn, but decided that camping out on the other side of Frost River Farm was a better idea, there was a nice forest that would provide some screening from the road and I thought he might be happier not staying in even one of the smaller hamlet's.

We set up camp and got the fire going, I had started a fire and was putting a pot on for stew, when Kristof came up and said he was going to go off and hunt some before dark. I looked at him and nodded, figuring that he just wanted some time alone. That was fine, I could also use a bit of solitude, this was going to take some getting used to. My brothers and sisters didn't try and stay glued to my side, but if he wanted alone time now and again, then I would also be getting some.

I had already decided that I wanted to go through with this relationship, did I love him? I wouldn't go so far as that. I knew we were already friends, we could be more, not just physically but more than just friends. The hardest part is going to be not giving into the physical, which I know he is fighting with already. I'm not thinking it's a bad thing, Erin wasn't a virgin going into her marriage, I was now, would be if we didn't rush that.

I did not however miss what he had said about once mated, it would be for life, somehow I knew he was being literal. That didn't bother me like it might some, my parent's have been together since my mother was seventeen, I saw how devastated Granmere was when Granpa died, she had been in her late twenties when they married. She had the rest of the family and she made us her life, but at times I could see that she still missed him terribly.

My timing for this self revelation could have been better, I did not wish my first experience to be in a tent or an Inn. I could not cut my time in the cities, but we could go to the Hill People at my leisure, plus I wanted to get back to the Farm and see how the repairs were going. The money I had sent should have been there and Granmere would have found people for the work, she always does.

I stood up and walked a short distance from the fire, listening and looking for any traces of Kristof. There was nothing moving close, but I heard the sound of wolves howling in the distance. That meant nothing, as I had noticed that while he fought like he was still in heavy armor, he moved lightly with little noise.

I had already eaten some stew with bread and cheese when I heard a twig snap on the edge of the tree's, I stood with my quarter staff at the ready. He came out of the dark as silent as a wraith, holding a pheasant. I smiled in welcome and held out my hand for the bird.

"There is stew, but I can pluck the bird and start it cooking if you want to wait?" He walked right up on me and placed the bird in my hands, standing but inches away. He was wavering, weaving back a forth a bit, almost like a drunk would do, though I smelled no alcohol on his breath. Looked up at him and his eyes were almost glowing silver. I looked to the left and dropped the pheasant to a flat rock., then back up at him.

I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him closer. "Kristof, what's wrong?" He dropped his head down onto my shoulder, his nose a cold spot on my neck, his breath a warm breeze across my throat. His arms slowly wound themselves around me, one across my lower back, the other across my shoulders with his hand tangled in my hair.

"I... Aillyn, I keep thinking you are having second thoughts, I do not wish to loose you." I placed my fingers on his lips and felt him kiss them.

" You aren't, I mean you won't... I am not having second thoughts, As it happens my mind is made up completely." I leaned slightly back and he raised his head so that we were looking at each other. I pulled my arm's up and placed one hand on either side of his face. " I will marry you, of my own free will, not only because of the contract between our families, but because I wish to. I look forward to waking in your arm's every morning, to falling asleep in them every night, to fighting by your side til we are old and grey and can lift a sword no longer." I closed my eye's for a brief moment, to find my inner courage, though I could feel the blush already rising.

" I'm sure you've guessed, but I'm not just green, I have no experience in the intimacies between men and women. I am not asking to wait til our contracted marriage for such, that could be months away. The only place one can legally marry is Riften, in the Temple to Mara, but my family and the Hill people will except a blessing at one of the Shrine's to Mara as long as it is witnessed. By preference I would like either my Granmere or one of my brothers as that witness." I could feel my cheek's getting hotter, just at the thought of my next words.

" I would also prefer my first time to not be in a tent or a strange Inn, but in our home, where neither of us have to worry about bandit's or bear's coming through the tent wall." I brought my lips to his in a soft kiss, after a second he pulled back and looked down at me, I moved my hands to around his neck.

"Aillyn, those terms are more than acceptable.", He bent his head down and the kiss he gave me curled my toes. " I can wait, now that I know this is what you want, my mind will be more at ease." His lips were still touching mine, I could feel his hands on my back pulling me even closer, the kiss we shared next left me in no doubt how much I had to learn about the physical intimacies that he could teach. My whole body pulsed in time with the slide of his tongue over mine. The feel of his body pressed to mine, not only left me with little doubt as to his state of arousal, it left me aching for more.

I think I actually squeaked when he pulled away , turned me around and smacked me on the butt again. I paused with a look over my shoulder, " Go to bed Aillyn, I'm a man, not a saint and as you said, now is not the time or the place". I did go lay down and eventually I fell asleep and I know that sometime during the night, he came to bed.

Morthal was a short ride the next morning, it was sunny and beautiful. We left the horses at the stables with water and grain, the young stable boy said he would keep watch on them, his father said they would groom them. I went and talked to the Inn Keeper and made arraignments to play that evening, for our room and supper.

"Kristof? You don't mind tramping through the swamp do you? Granmere is a master Alchemist and she is teaching Cicily the trade, I know a little, but was never that interested. But I do know what herb's and other ingredients she needs that grow only in the swamps."

"Aillyn, I not only don't mind tramping through the swamp, if you show me what it is we are after, I will help you gather it." I smiled and handed him a bag and a skim net.

" I was hoping you would say that." So we spent a hilarious day with our boot's tied around our necks, pants rolled up to the knee's, chasing butterflies, dart-wings and small fish. We had also gathered enough of the swamp herb's to sell some, which I would do the next morning. My next town was not far away, so that would afford me another chance to collect some herb's.

At one point he got stuck in some deep mud and when I went to help him out, he ended up face first and I was flat on my back in the smelly stuff. There was nothing for it after that but to go find a deeper pool in an area that had some sunlight. We stripped to our small cloths and I washed the swamp mud out of our clothing, then hung them on some branches to dry.

He started a fire and I went and caught some fish large enough to eat. We both dried off and had a decent meal. Even though I really wanted to ask him about his "family secret", I also didn't wish to spoil the day. I knew it was important, but I also trusted him enough that it didn't matter when he told me.

I played to a full house that night, it seemed the local bard was no one's favorite. I played happy song's of hero's and battles one, of friendship's most strange. The town had a somewhat gloomy air, but I had no intention of sticking around to find out why. The Jarl and my Granmere where two of a kind and I had no need of another person telling me my future in riddles.

I had noticed as I played a woman that I at first mistook for a barmaid, she was wearing scanty enough clothing, flirt with all the men. As it happened, she didn't cross Kristof's path until the end of the night. I was packing up my Lute and had just turned around and the two of them stood their looking at each other, with the oddest of glares. Kristof growled at her, and what's really strange is I could have sworn she hissed back at him.

"Come on DiiDrogGrohiik, pick up your feet and let's get some sleep, I'm tired."

"What did you just call me?" He sounded slightly perturbed.

"DiiDrogGrohiik? literally it mean's My Lord Wolf, it's in the ancient Dragon Tongue."

" You speak the Dragon language?"

"Some, Granmere is fluent or as fluent as one can be who only has another human to speak it to. She is teaching all of us. Our name is old, very old, but wasn't always Wynter-Wolf, in a time when our people where slave's to the Dragon's and their Priests it was LiizVenGrohiik, which literally mean's Ice Wind Wolf."

"Ah, I see." I snorted and shook my head, as I closed the door to our room.

" Uhuh... you are not getting away with it that easy. Exactly why did you growl at that woman?"

"She's a vampire. I really have no use for her kind. Some stick to their own, but the way she was chasing after men, I would say that she is an active blood drinker." I was semi-surprised at that, I had not really gotten a good look at her in the dim light, but...well what did I know about vampires.

"Shouldn't we tell the Jarl? I mean, isn't that something that they should know?"

"Under normal circumstances I would Aillyn, but I can't go near the Jarl, she has the sight, which I know you know. I don't need her doing a reading on me, even if it's not on purpose. Her daughter we've already run into, she's not head-blind, but hmmm blocked, I think that is the best way of putting it. The Son, well, he is even stronger in the sight than his mother, but he knows not what he is seeing most of the time."

"Oh, well I guess not then." I yawned and started stripping out of my clothing, to put my sleeping cloths on. When I was done, I crawled into the bed and then made myself comfortable. Kristof was not far behind me and I was soon warm and dozing off.

We traveled on to Stone Hills after a late breakfast and selling some of the excess ingredient's to the Alchemist there. Right before we left town, I saw someone I knew, by reputation if nothing else. I suggested to Kristof that he go to the edge of town and wait. He gave me and odd look but did exactly that. I waited til the Wizard came abreast of me got off my hill pony and then hailed him.

"So what now that you have a position at a court, you no longer speak to lowly bards?" He looked at me and smiled, with a slight bow.

"Aillyn, your rounds bring you to Morthal now?" He had a slight furrow in his brow.

"Yes and No, I don't actually have to stop here, it's not officially on my rounds, but no other bard has been assigned, so I figured no one would mind. I have to be leaving, but before I go I wanted to point out that Alva is a vampire."

"Oh, well yes I know, but I can't prove she has been feeding or well anything else. I strongly suspect a couple of crimes, but I would need the proof of them. Even that I think she Thralled Gorm, I can't do anything about, as he keeps saying he's fine." I gave him another quick hug and then got back on my hill pony

"Alright as long as someone knows. I couldn't live with myself if a vampire was running around unchecked. Take care Falion." With that I turned the hill pony up the pass out of town, Kristof walking his horse along side mine.

Stone hill's was such a short way away that we walked the horses slowly, I often got off and picked some herb's. They were a quiet little place with a small one room Inn that also doubled as the town's meeting and eating place. They stopped mining a bit early and I started them out with the news I brought from Kin elsewhere in the Provence. I played the old song's here, mixed with new, imparted bit's of lore and stories that made the people laugh,

The next morning we headed out for Dawnstar, I started thinking what song's would go over well with both miner's and sailors, they had a good mix of both. The distance to Dawnstar was much greater and took almost a week, with the snow storm after snow storm making us camp early.



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Blizzards and Wolves page 9

I followed the track's through the snow, she was panicked and running blind, the smell of wolf will often do that to young deer. If I remembered rightly from the other day, their was a sharp ravine in the direction she was running. I heard her cry's of pain before I made the edge, it looked like she had run out into thin air. I found a more gentle slope down and looked down at her.

Her eye's were glazed with pain, her hind quarters laying at an odd angle and blood running from her nose and mouth. I knelt beside her and said a small prayer to Kyne and slit the does throat. I worked quickly in the frigid air, her bodies heat quickly dissipating, taking the best cuts of meat. The rest would be left to the winter hungry predators, this blizzard had made hunting hard for all.

We were a day's ride out of Stone Hill's, but it might as well have been another Continent. The only warning had been a dark line on the horizon, out over the Sea of Ghosts. We had been making as good a time as we could without over exerting the horses. A snowy Sabre Cat, camouflaged well under a snow filled tree, had spooked my horse and she had darted off the road and onto some thin ice, she had twisted her leg. While not broke, she was lame.

We had gotten to an old ruin that was less than a full days ride to Dawnstar, gotten our tent more or less set up inside the ruin, hard against one of the walls. We had used the Hill Pony to pull a small downed tree to right outside the ruin and I had been chopping at it to make firewood ever since. The snow piled high on the ruin was insulating us from the worst of the winds.

We had been stuck in the ruin the first two days, the wind howling so fiercely that we had to yell to be heard above it. The third day we had awakened to a lull in the storm. I had suggested that we make a dash for Dawnstar, but Aillyn had told me that she could feel another storm coming in. She laughed at my look and said it wasn't magic, it was just being used to the pressures and wind and feel of storms in the area.

This lull if she was right would last another hour or so, not long enough for me to get back to the ruin. I was just wrapping the meat in the deer's hide and a waxed piece of canvas, when I heard them, wolves and a decent sized pack. I moved a little faster and got the meat into the over large pack and walked down the ravine in the direction away from the wolves. Hopefully they would stop and eat and not follow.

By the time I made it out of the ravine the wind had picked up and it was snowing. I closed my eye's and felt of Aillyn, it was unusual that we bonded before mating, but I felt her emotions. Right now she was in a high state of anxiety with the beginning of the storm. It was odd, but the one thing that would ease her mind some, is the one thing that allowed me to find my way back.

The first time the wind had died down, while I was out hunting, I debated telling her our families history, which from the beginning would tell her what we kept hidden so well. Then on my way back with a couple of pheasants and a rabbit, I realized I could feel her emotions and it guided me to her like a beacon.

It was a conundrum, if I told her, she wouldn't worry as much, then I would have a harder time getting back, but not telling her, I could make it back as long as I didn't freeze. I felt the road under my feet, the wind was sharper out of the tree's, but I could make better time not worrying about hidden rocks, roots or streams.

I could not see the ruin through the heavy falling snow, but I knew I was not far away, when I felt her anxiety change from surprise to fear, then anger I picked up my pace. I felt another presence, but directed it to her, then quickened my pace even more. I made the ruin just in time to see her shoot the first bandit with her crossbow, drop it then pull out her quarter-staff. I dropped my pack and drew my bow, shooting one that was closing in on her from the side.

What happened next was pretty much a blurr, this was a large group of bandit's and I could not make my way closer to Aillyn. I felt my brother, a nudge in my mind and sent him a picture of him helping Aillyn, the one I got back was a picture of him going for a bandits throat. I laughed to myself and listened for Aillyn's humming.

In Battle thing's happen very fast, as I turned I caught some movement further around, felt my brother coming at me and saw Aillyn heading at me from a different angle. I hit the bandit at my back a glancing blow as I turned, my brother also hit him, but Aillyn hit my brother and I heard him yelp and felt his surprise. He turned and snapped at her and I yelled for her to stop, I felt her surprise, but she had no time to .pull the swing.



I rushed to Kristof's aide, with bandit coming up from behind him, he could not turn quickly enough to get in a good blow, at the same time a huge white wolf landed spun the bandit off balance and then turned and jumped at Kristof, I missed it's head and hit it on the shoulder, it yelped and snapped at me so I aimed a blow at it's head. I heard Kristof shout no, but I could not stop the spin on my quarterstaff and hit him a glancing blow.

The huge white wolf staggered and looked to drop, then my eye's got blurry and a man knelt with one hand on the ground. A huge blond naked man, with a sharp resemblance to Kristof. He looked up into my eye's and must not have liked what he read their cause he yelled.

"Kristof, tell your bitch off of me." ,and I really saw red, I hit him a glancing blow off the shoulders and then turned my quarterstaff of Kristof, hitting him anywhere he wasn't defending, my blows would leave bruises.

"This is your SECRET??!! That you are werewolves?!" I hit him again, this time on the shins and left arm, backing away.

"umm NO, we are...." I hit him hard on the hip and yelled over the top of him.

"What else in Oblivion would you call it.. Your men that turn into wolves!" I hit him twice and backed away as he started coming forward.

"No, we are not!" As he spoke he blurred and a huge black wolf was in mid-leap, his mass knocked me to the ground and the wolf bent it's head and nuzzled my cheek, in apology and then the man lay on top of me. From some little distance off I heard the man, his brother, say.

" I take it you had not told her yet? I'm just going to take care of these bandit carcases while you deal with your mate." Kristof turned his head and growled and now I know where he got that trait from.

"Put some cloths on." I heard the man chuckle, then those glowing silver eyes turned back to me.

"Aillyn, I know I should have told you sooner, I promised I would. I needed you not to know, so that I could follow your emotions back to you. I'll explain that also, but I think we need to get inside, before this turns into an outright gale. Please say that you will listen with an open mind?" I could see the emotions on his face, could feel how upset he really was. I nodded and he kiss my cheek lightly. "Thank you, Aillyn"

The wind picked that moment to gust and you could feel the difference in the temperatures, it would drop, very low tonight. I headed back to the barrow, picking up the bucket of spring water that now had a coat of ice over the top, it would melt next to the fire. I turned and saw the two men pulling the bandit's away from the barrow, Kristof stopping to pick up his pack.

I was not sure how I felt about this revelation, I know I was not happy that he had not told me. I tried not to think about it for a few minutes, I needed to not be mad at him. I heard them come into the barrow, Kristof stopped at the hollowed out block of ice we were using to keep meat fresh frozen and deposited his latest catch, their was quiet a bit of it. I snorted, no wonder he constantly brought in small game, a wolf would be able to travel over the snow much more easily than a man.

"Aillyn, this is my brother Tannick, Tannick, this is Aillyn, who has consented to be my wife, but is not yet my mate." He held out his hand with a mercurial grin on his face. I shook his hand and really got a good look at him. He was gorgeous enough that I could almost bet he had women and girls of all ages drooling and following him around like lost puppies, errr maybe that was a bad choice of words, I sighed to myself.

"Have a seat Aillyn, this is not a short story and I am sure you will have questions to boot. First let me explain, that we are not men, who turn into monstrous beasts, not werewolves as you are used to them. No, what we are is wolves that can turn to men or women. Long ago in our Great Grandfathers Grandfathers time the first of our kind was born."

"You see our forefather was born a wolf, his mate a Nordic woman. Her father found him when he was but a cub, she but a child. They grew together and were as much friends as two separate species can be." He paused for a brief moment to gather his thoughts", Back in those days the Nordic people worshiped Kyne as the Mother Goddess and also animal totem's, her tribes was the Wolf. Year's passed and the girl child grew into a Shield-maiden, he into her fierce protector."

"As the sole child of the Chief of their Tribe, she was much sought after as a wife, but she found none of her suitors worthy of her or the title of Chief, because that is what her husband would be. It is said that the two of them communicated the same way we do today, picture and emotions. He did not quiet understand why she would have to choose a mate she did not want, no She of his kind would tolerate such a thing."

"She decided to make a pilgrimage to one of the Shrine's to Kyne, to ask one of the Priestesses for advice. They had a great adventure traveling to one of the Sacred Shrines fought many a battle side by side. Each saved the others life countless times."

At the Shrine they both found peace and sat beneath one of the tree's to soak it in. They would leave the grove to hunt for food and to eat, but then return. One morning waking to find a Priestess sitting on a stone across from them, the Shield-maiden told her story and asked the Priestess for advice. The Priestess sat and looked at the two and then told the Shield-maiden that she should marry he whom she loved the most."

"The Shield-maiden looked confused and told the Priestess that she loved non of the men who courted her and aside from her Da, the only male she loved was Ren, her wolf companion. The Priestess looked to Ren and asked him what he thought, He sent pack pictures of the Girl and their friendship and the emotions that he felt. The Priestess nodded to herself and then began to glow, so bright became the light that nothing but it could be seen."

When the Light faded, their stood the Shield-maiden and a Warrior. It took him some days to learn to be human and often the two would fight side by side, Shield-maiden and her Husband, but just as often, Ren would run the hills as a wolf, with his wife on a horse to keep up."

"Aillyn, their first children were a mixed bunch, but they learned somethings very quickly. Magic runs strong in the family and because of this, our wives who are mages often can not carry a child to birth. We do not know why, just that it is so. All the males and most of the females can turn wolf. We are fiercely protective of each other and our mates. We mate for life, this is not just a choice, we are bound to our mate, her or his life is ours. Wolves live not as long as Humans or Mer, so Kyne was generous enough to tie our lives together, otherwise we would be leaving behind early widow's."

"It is that emotional bond that I have been using the last couple of days, to find my way back through the storms. I hope you can understand, I will leave you time to do so." He looked searchingly into my face, but I was keeping that as bland as I could and holding my emotions as closely as I could.

" I need to think, you have given me much to think about. I am.... I am very mad that you would not think enough of me before now to explain. Your Father and Granmere came to this contract, I have no doubt that Granmere knows what you are. IF she consented to this marriage and obviously she did, then any of the rest of us would not speak of things that your family wished to keep secret. We would be honor bound to keep your secret regardless and I am sure your Father knows enough of our family to know that."

He picked up the Ax and walked out of the ruin and I soon heard the sound of ax hitting wood. He walked back in with a few more chunks and then putting the ax down, turned back to Wolf and left. Tannick looked to me and then back at the place his brother had left from and the white wolf also left the ruin.

I had much to think of that night and I was awake late into the night. Neither brother had come back when I slipped into sleep.


I ran the wilds, with my brother by my side, until I could no longer feel her and then we used our noses to find the path back. It was cold, so cold that some of the tree's were cracking. Once we were dry, we both curled up one on either side of her, in wolf form. We didn't need the blankets this way, but took turns in the night putting wood on the fire, She would need to stay warm.

I was afraid of what she would say, think and do.


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The Best Laid Plans page 10

I woke the next morning curled around a warm furry body and cracked open an eye to make sure the fur wasn't white. I twitched my nose as the fur moved with my breathing and decided I was warm right were I was. When a cold nose touched the back of my neck, I realized if I wanted to warm the barrow up, I would have to do it.

As I flung off the blankets I heard growls from both of them. I snorted and firmly got a picture of myself pouring ice cold water on the two of them curled up in the blankets. I placed two decent sized pieces of wood on the fire and poked at it til I uncovered ember's that were glowing red. Sitting on a stone block that was close enough to the fire to soak up some of the heat, I put on fur-lined boot's and my heaviest travel leathers.

I started breakfast along with a hot berry tea, packing my things and then checked the horses. The chestnut's leg wasn't swollen any longer, so I figured we could get to Dawnstar before the next storm hit. The men could run in their wolf form and I could ride the Hill Pony, a good pace and we could get there. I heard a growl behind me and turned to see the two of them tugging the blanket back and forth. I stood there watching them, it seriously looked like two children fighting over the same toy.

Kristof let go of the blanket as Tannick yanked hard backwards and sure enough, he and the blanket when tumbling against the stone wall, Kristof was sitting their with his tongue hanging out and the silliest wolf grin I have ever seen.... well for about the length of time it took Tannick to untangle himself and then he launched himself at Kristof and both went tumbling into the opposite wall.

I ate my breakfast watching the two of them, then poured theirs into a bowl, cleaned out the pot and then saddled the Pony, putting the packs and such on the Chestnut. I put my finger's to my lip's and gave a whistle so shrill the horses both laid back their ears. It had the desired effect, both men now stood there with theirs hand's over their ear's.

"The two of you have five minutes to eat, before I ride to Dawnstar without you." I pointed to were I had left their food and then took the horses outside one by one, went back in and shoveled snow over the fire. I shook my head as I walked back out. I lead both horses around in a circle and then lunged them one at a time for a few minutes. When three times the five minutes had passed and the men came out and handed me the clean bowl's I put them in the pack.

By the time I got on the horse both men were again in their wolf forms. I finished up my rounds, picking up a third horse in Winterhold, a stocky Bay. Two week's later we were on our way back to the Farm. By the time we got there the horses didn't even blink that the two wolves, just excepted them as fellow travel companions. Well the two of them jumping and tumbling around the horses leg's would help get them ready for the children who would probably to the same thing.

My first sight of the Farm as we came down the road, showed that the home garden had been cleared out and planted and the house partly rebuilt. I'm sure the weather was the reason it wasn't completely done. With a few more horses added to the herd, it was starting to look much better. It looked like someone had started plowing the grain and hay fields, which would feel the horses in the harsh winter when grass didn't grow.

When we topped the next rise I paused again and took a better look, the rubble had all been cleared out, but work had not started on the mill or bunk house. I completely regretted that we had not been able to search out the ship or barrow that I had heard about. The gold we could have earned would go a long way to fixing the Farm. I felt a hand squeeze my ankle and looked down into Kristof's leaf-green eyes.

"Aillyn, you know I can feel your unhappiness and it's like an ache in my gut. All I have is yours, I would hope you know that. If you feel you can not take what I offer, then look on it as a personal loan, part of your share of any treasure we get going to pay it back. Don't say no, just think on it." With that he turned wolf again and trotted off.

I had much to think on, I know I gave Granmere a good sum and that probably covered a good amount of materials. So much needed to still be done, it required either the coin or the time to gather the materials. Kristof would be my husband and taking money that was his personally wouldn't be a bad thing. I would have to ask Granmere, her word was final anyway. Before we made the last hill to the farm, both men were back and on their horses.

As we came up to the Farm, I missed the shrill sound of children playing, dog's barking and adults yelling. It wasn't the "home" feeling I was used to, but that would return in time. All the children had been taken to various different family members, many of the dog's killed when the bandit's raided the place. The men working away from the Farm to make money and gather some of the supplies.

We walked through the Farmyard and I stopped and talked to one of the cousin's and he told me some of the news from the family and said that Granmere was waiting for us. We rode out to the herd, the mares all lifted their head's and watched as we walked through them to the tack shed. If felt odd not having the big herding dogs coming up and checking out who was here. I would have to remember to find a couple of good pup's that could be trained up.

I let the two horses out with the herd after grooming them and then took the Hill Pony up to the high pasture and let her loose with that herd. I warned both men about the Hill Ponies and their wolf form, those horses would attack, not run. They were used to being attacked by wolves and sabre cats.

We made our way to the Hall and talked to Granmere, she said she would be happy to witness our pledge, but that we should have one of the wise women from the Hill's there also, so if we could wait a day or so it would be better. I looked at Kristof and he said that was fine, nothing wrong with waiting another day or two.

I snorted and shook my head, sending as clear a picture as I could of the Hill Wedding I had played at, but with he and I as bride and groom... I could have sworn I heard a whimper in my head. Granmere sent the men out to help with some of the farm labor and then we got to planning the wedding dinner, cause the Hill People would expect it.

We would need to go out hunting, a couple deer and some pheasant and grouse would go over well. Perhaps a trip to town for some vegetables and a side trip to the river first to lay some trap's for crab and fish. Yes, that would go over very well indeed.

We Wynter-Wolfs were not like other "nobility", the Hill's and the People were never forgotten and the if the Luilfr's wanted to be a part of our family, they would have to get used to our way's. Their was no getting away from a "witnessing", Granmere had reason's I am sure, usually just herself would have been enough.

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Witnessing pg 11

Three days after our witnessing and people were still making their way back into the Hills and the City. The horses would probably be happy to move back down to the lower pastures. The sight of all the tent's filling the valley between the Hall and the Farm had been enough to send both brothers running for the hills with their tails tucked. Tannick got away with it, but not Kristof, Granmere had some word's with him.

It had taken four days for everyone to get to the Farm and in that time the three of us hunted, fished and gathered the food stuff we needed for a feast. I explained the Witnessing to Kristof and how ours would differ from the simple one's the Hill people generally had. Kristof rolled his eye's and said he would do his part, our formal wedding would seem easy in comparison.

That day dawned clear if cold and we made our way to The Lady Mara's Shrine, a crowd of people following. They left the two of us after Witnessing the first blessing and we knelt upon the cold stone step's, only a thin pad to keep the cold away. Our hand's entwined, the Ladies blessing the only warmth, besides the candles lighting the shrine.

We talked through the night in quiet tones, Witnesses keeping to the wood's and trading off through the night. As the sun peaked above the mountain top's, the whole group came back and Witnessed as we asked the Lady Mara again for the Blessing of our union. Making our Promises to each other for our future.

We made our way back down to the valley where a huge Pavilion had been set up, with tables and a small stage where anyone that could play a tune, would take a turns. The children ran up and gave us both wreath's to place on our heads and then threw petals in our way.

Each of the Hill Clan's was set up in different area's and we were required to walk through them all. We wound our way among them and those that had not come to the Dawn Blessing fell in behind us til we had walked among them all and then made our way to the Pavilion and the throne's that had been set for us to sit upon.

My Granmere was the first to give us our wedding gift, then one of my brothers and cousin's, then the rest of the clan's came forward. The came in order of rank, this had been determined by the wise women of the Clan's and they would enforce it. It surprised me only a little that one of the Forsworn chief's came and gave us a wedding gift. While I was not welcome in all of their camp's, I had known some of them from birth.

It was a glorious day, the best day of a girl's life or perhaps just the best remembered. That night, well Kristof showed me how a woman's body fit's to a mans, he was kind and I am a quick learner. We holed up in the cabin for the next two days, no one expected any different. Each morning food had been laid on the door by giggling girls and we set the basket's back on the stoop each night.

On the third day, we came down and said our goodbye's to the people and watched them leave. Granmere had used our Witnessing to hold a Clan meeting. We left on the sixth day after our Witnessing and headed our on my rounds. Tannick came along with us, he had thought to bring a tent of his own, but I pointed out that in the cold north, even in wolf form, he would not be able to keep warm.

Each town and mine that we stopped at had a small gift and a meal for us. I played many a night til the dawn and we did not leave until late into the day. When we found ourselves back on the coast-line, I was determined to check the wrecks of the ships to see what was left, if the scavengers had left anything that we could turn and sell.

The Cruel storm's that had kept us from getting anywhere the previous month, had left more ship's on the shore and wrecked in the shallows.

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A Change of Plans page 12

We left Morthal and cut through the swamp, I wanted to travel the coast line. With Solitude a dim shadow on the horizon, we came upon our first wreck. This one was high and dry and must have grounded at the height of the storms. We found little that was worth taking, a few pieces of ore and some heavy furniture, which we had no way of taking with us, which was a pity as it was very nice.

I would make sure and let some of he Hill People know, I am sure someone has a cart and any young man wishing to marry would have to build his intended a home. The ship not only has furniture that can be taken, but house hold items and wood that can be used to build.

We kept down the beach and found a doorway, it was really odd to see a door in the side of the mountain. I am no miner, but the rock's looked wrong for most of the mining that I knew of. I looked to both men and asked what they thought. Both men shrugged, but Tannick said that it was kinda odd, no smelter or cart to take the gleaning's of a mine.

So we decided to investigate, while not sneaking, we quietly walked through the doorway and down the short tunnel. What we saw at the bottom had all three of us drawing our bows. Kristof quietly called left, I said middle just as softly and Tannick confirmed he would take the man on the right. Tannick said on one fire and then counted backwards from three.

All three of the arrow's hit their mark and the robed men hit the ground, then Krostof and Tannick pulled swords and walked in-front of me, I reloaded my crossbow and kept my eye's open. When we got to the alter, the men parted to either side and I looked to the woman upon it, her eye's were wide open in fright and glazed in death. It looked like they had cut her heart out while it was still beating. I closed her eye's and said a prayer to Arkay.

We searched through the whole of the cave system and found more torchered people. Any of the robbed man or women that we found the men killed, both men growling in an almost inaudible tone. At one point Tannick shimmered and I thought he was going to turn wolf and go for the throat of the last man we found. I think he stayed human only for my benefit and to tell the truth I'm not sure if it would have bothered me or not.

I found various types of flammable liquid's and other items and sprayed them over everything, after looting some of the smaller item's like gem's and gold, I sprayed everything down and then used a staff to set it all on fire. I would tell the Jarl, and hand over the papers because it was clear that these cultist's were not the only ones of their ilk.

We left the cave, the door afire and smoke streaming thickly through the air. I was not happy and I set a pace that would get us to a good camping place halfway to Dawnstar. Someone else had set up a tent in the spot that I wanted and we walked up slowly to make sure we did not startle anyone that was at the camp. We need not have bothered, though the fire was ready to light and personal item's where strewn about, their was no one about.

Tannick lit the fire and then both men took off in wolf form, each going a separate way on the beach, after they had sniffed around the bedding and pack's left behind. Tannick who had went north toward Dawnstar soon darted past and was running at full speed in the direction that Kristof had went.

I got our dinner started and looked through the pack's, to see if their was any indication of who the people were. I found a couple letters and read them, they were hunters from Heljarchen, a young couple. When the men came back, I didn't need to see the look in their eye's to know that the smell of the people had lead strait to the Cultist's door.

I stood there for a moment with my eye's closed, saying a prayer to whatever deity was listening and Kristof came over and put his arm's around me. Even though I did not know them, their death's were hitting me hard. It was a needless death, I can only think that the two had come, hunting here because the winter was so harsh that the game in that area was scarce.

We stood that way for a long moment, I felt safe and comforted in Kristof's arm's. I knew though with a cult like that, it was a false sense of safety. From the state of thing's it was probably early evening when the two had gotten camp set up, the fire had not been lit, but enough wood had been gathered for a couple days.

"Aillyn, they will not catch us unaware, why do you think one of us sleep's as a wolf every night we are out? We can sense and smell people long before they get close. We call wolves to our aide if need be, we have not because then we would have to fight that way. We find it a very primal way of fighting, but I don't want to offend you. It's one thing to see us as wolves it's another to watch us rip out the throat's of people that way." I nodded, that made a lot of sense, at the same time, if I was hindering them, my sensibilities were less important than our safety.

"Kristof, our safety is more important than my tender feelings. Seriously, if it's a tactical advantage to be and fight as a wolf, then do so. Better for me to see and get used to it, than your having to change to survive and really freaking me out."

"It's not just that Aillyn, I want you to understand something. As a wolf we don't feel the same, our emotion's don't work the same way. I both feel more and less, wolves are pack animals and so we are. We function as one, the pack is all, but each individual is as important as the whole. You are part of our pack now, Aillyn, what we have, we hold. Do you understand that?"

" I do understand, Kristof, I understood when I agreed to be your mate, yes I have always caught that distinction, not wife, mate. I am your mate, you are my mate... equal no term distinction." He stepped back and looked right into my eye's and whatever it was he saw, he nodded to himself.

We ate dinner and then both men went all wolf and searched the area, Kristof changing back to sleep with me in his arm's. I woke the next morning with the two men standing at the tent entrance looking out over the Sea of Ghost's. They were talking in low tones, I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I could feel the urgent nature of it.

" Alrighty then guy's what's going on?" I stood up and stood right behind them. Looking from one to the other, it was Tannick that spoke.

"Sister, this is the kinda job that the Wolf Pack was designed to take. Their are not many of us in Skyrim, but Kristof and I, we should like to talk to the Jarl about stopping this cult before it takes to many lives. It work's to our advantage that you know the area well and have rounds to do. We know that you want to get the money up to fix the Farm up more and in this we agree. We would however give you a cut of the contract that we get and of course any loot in the Temple's are yours. If that suit's, then we can go from their, if not, then I will see to the contract and bring in some of the Wolf Pack to help, while Kristof stays with you."

I thought about that for a moment, as long as I still could make my commitments, I could do this. The three of us traveling together would be safer than two. I am no warrior and they are, I would learn, but it would take time.

"Well Brother, I would rather you at my mate's back than not. From the gem's I already picked up in that one Temple, I can buy a full years crop seed. We can travel together, I know some of the most likely places that Cultist could hide. I think it will take more than just one Jarl, the North is an area that is mostly unclaimed when their are problems and claimed when there are riches. Don't expect a great deal in pay, they will expect you to loot for the majority of your "pay", that is the way most of them work, but I might be surprised."

So we headed to Dawnstar and talked to the Jarl there, I was correct in that while concerned, he only offered limited coin for the contract, but my Wiley Wolves had something else they would take in payment, land. They got the promise of a good sized chunk of land as the majority of their payment for taking out the Cultists. It was only after the Jarl's Steward had read the paper's I found, that he agreed, he wanted his men to fight the Civil War, not chase Cultist's that could be anyone.

We would head to Winterhold and get a contract there and in the course of my rounds, get to all the major holds, but for now, any Cultists we found in The Pale were wolf meat. Both men talked about calling out to another member of the family, but I thought for now, unless we ran into more trouble that we had so far, I felt the three of us could handle it.

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Edited by Areial, Oct 13 2016, 12:58 AM.
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Changes pg 13
It was a long bitterly cold winter and I was looking forward to the milder weather of spring. Not that spring in the far north was warm, the snow never melted and the wind's off the Sea of Ghost's could chill one to the bone, but the longer day's meant it warmed more and soon the Farm would begin planting in earnest.

We cleaned out four more cultist lairs but found no more information on them than we had before. We found the bodies of hunters and traveler's tortured in a ritualistic manor. we laid the bodies strait and burned the places out, I prayed to Arkay to send their spirit's on. When I could I sent on letters and gold to the families, some as far away as Elswyr and Valenwood.

The Brothers now had land in four holds, Jarl Ulfric was the hardest to convince to give up the Land, but as we are all Nord's he finally relented. I think it was also the Wolf-pack's reputation and that they would add a layer of protection to the Hold and Windhelm in particular. I saw the map Kristof carried which had the granted land, three had water access, the fourth wasn't far from the Home Farm, but around the Mountain, it touched our land. All were easily defenseable land, large enough track's to build the Fort style dwellings that Kristof and Tannick said their father would want.

A freezing spring rain saw us on our way from my last job, we left Nightgate Inn and the small village that surrounded it and made our way to the Home Farm, it would take the better part of two days to get their. We camped that night at the edge of the Tundra, had it been a clear day, I would have just seen the blades of the Windmill turning over the hill.

As we ate breakfast we heard wolves in the distance, a large pack from the sound. Both men stood and put their bowls down looked to each other and turned into wolves. They were gone before I could ask what was up, I shrugged my shoulders and then started cleaning up the camp and got ready to dismantle camp. As I came out of the tent with the last of our things, I looked up.

A whole pack of wolves stood arrayed on the other side of the fire, one black, one white and a silver grey wolf gone white at the muzzle in the front of the rest. From Wolf to Human in the blink of an eye, I smiled my welcome and waited for an introduction.

"So your my newest Daughter?" He swept me into a hug and then kissed both cheek's. " And a beautiful lass you are and with child already I see." He turned away from me and looked at Kristof, " Why son did you not tell me?" Kristof glared at his father and then gave me a look that said he was sorry.

"Because father, Aillyn had not yet told me and you know it's a woman's choice of when to tell her mate, even if we can smell the difference." I closed my eyes and told myself not to be mad, it wasn't really Kristof's fault. I mentally thumped myself, of course wolves would smell the difference in hormones, I really should have known.

"It's fine Kristof, had I thought about it, I would have known you could tell and I would have asked as soon as I figured it out." The minute shift in my balance and my center, plus the spark of life, I might not be a Seer, but I know enough of myself to know. Commander Luilfr thumped his son on the back.

"So it's a good thing I brought in some of the Pack, they can chase after these cultist's, while you help with the Farm and she knits baby cloths or whatever women do." With a redhead's true temper, I went from almost calm to mad enough to kill with my bare hands before the last of his words were out. Both Kristof and Tannick took a step away from their father, they had seen my temper explode. I took one breath and then with effort kept my voice in a level tone that still reflected my anger.

" Commander Luilfr, while yes, the Pack may now chase after those cultists.. I will not be "staying at home like a good house wife", which I am not, I am a Bard and one in the old sense. I don't just play music, that is the least of my duties to the Hill Folk. I bring news, but even more than that, I settle disputes between neighbors ,ones they don't want to take to the Jarl."

"That is still only part of my job, I am my Granmere's eye's and ear's to the People and theirs to their Lady. I still have my place at the college and I will be attending classes. I will make my rounds to the Hill People, go to my classes and when my time comes, I will return home to have my children with my family."

He puffed up like a man does when he thinks he is in the right, but I walked right up to him and looked him in the eye's and growled at him, starring him down and then smiled sweetly.

" Ask your wife what she thinks of it, I'm pretty sure someone told me their mother gave birth in the middle of a skirmish in the camp you set up, because someone thought childbirth was no reason to be coddled. Well the women of my family feel the same, we are not coddled Nobles. I am my own woman and while your son is my mate, he does not own me."

The look on his face said it all and I nodded and then asked Kristof to introduce me to the men and women who had stood their through it all with impassive faces. Two of the men, then took down the tent and another put out the fire and made sure that no ember's remained to kindle a grass fire.

We then headed to the Home Farm, one of the men having taken my pack, he had given me a wolfish grin saying that women were lighter and faster, specially when unencumbered. I looked at the female Pack members and realized they carried nothing but their weapons. As I watched two of them cut out and went to either side, scouting and patrolling our flanks.

I listened to the men catch up on family and Pack business, which wasn't all that far apart from the sound of it. They talked about other family members and what Commander Luilfr had them doing. Right in the middle of a sentence, Kristof stopped and then turned and looked at me.

"Children... you said children, as in more than one?" I looked at everyone their and then smiled at him. I walked up to him, kissed him on the cheek and then started walking again. Over my shoulder I said.

"Yes, children as in two, twin boy's to be exact."

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Home for now pg 14

As we crested the last hill before the Farm, I looked with amazement at the array of tents spread neatly across the valley. It looked to be a small well planned out city of tents, the thought flickered though my head that the Jarl might not be thrilled with what amounted to an invading army on his doorstep.

"Father got permission, the Jarl's know. Each group will take out in a few days to a week, they wanted to meet the new Lady first. Tannick and I will be giving each Captain a run down on the issues in the area's that they are going to build in." Kristof smiled at me over his shoulder, it wasn't hard to figure out I would think that, I guess.

"Mi"lady?" I turned and looked at the young man that had walked up to my side.

"Yes, what can I do for you?" The puzzled look on his face didn't give me any clues as to what he might want.

"You told the Commander that you told news to the Hill People, that they were as much your people as you are theirs?" I nodded and he continued. " My Grandmother came from Skyrim, a mine not far from Old Hroldan, just a small place, but...I."

" You wish to know of family that lives in the area?" He nodded. " Tuthul's, Mother's Mother's Sister wed a Nord that had come to Skyrim, chasing a thief. Her name was Milenda, that was your Grandmother?"

"Yes, my Father was the youngest of Grandmothers children. So I have a cousin named Tuthul?" I gave the man a measuring look.

"You do and what's more, if you can describe a certain piece of jewelry that your Grandmother left with, you are part owner in Soljund's mine. Your Grandfather and Grandmother sent money back to her sister to help buy food during a drought, so they added that as a percent of their half of the mine. It's not much, but you do of course have Hearth Right as Family. Meaning a bed and two meal's a day, but they aren't rich, so take a food, flour and salt preferably as a Guest Gift."

The young man nodded and that seemed to start a steam of those who had relatives in Skyrim to ask after them. Those from the Hill's and the surrounding Villages, I knew, that was part of my Learning as Bard, family history. Those from the larger town's and cities, I did not know, but I sent off letter's to those that would.

All of the fallow land had been plowed and planted by the time the Wolf Pack disbursed to the various Holding's that Kristof and Tannick had won for them. We had mapped the Cultist's hideouts and the likeliest of the places they could still be. I sent word to some of the Hill People and Hunters and gave the Pack some Token's that would be recognized, for guides, until they knew the land better.

At first they argued, but then I explained to them, that unless they wanted bad neighbor's who would not trust in them, they needed to get to know the People. I knew that as wolves they could run the land and learn it quicker than any man, but unless they wanted the Hunter's to start hunting them, then ill will when they found out what the Pack was... they needed to earn that trust.

So each group went off with a token and said that they would contact the person that I had written to. I was exhausted by the time all had left, including Kristof's Father. He would be back in a week or so with his Mate, Kristof said he was looking forward to seeing his mother again. I relaxed and planned our Wedding, sending courier's to Riften to get everything in place and to make sure that we would have enough room's for all the wedding quest's.

I would wear the same dress as Kristof and My Witnessing... as it was expected. I had many things to do, aside from planning, I also had to write the Bard's College and let them know that I would not be able to do rounds this Fall and Winter, I had no rounds in Summer...as the other Bard's expanded and traveled to learn new song's.

The Hill People would expect me to make it to their gatherings, as they would not expect me regardless of a blizzard or other severe weather, I could take my time and either get their two or three days ahead of any gathering or plan to arrive the day before.

Kristof told me he knew the day my hormones had changed, that I was pregnant, but it was Tradition with his folk that the female tell her mate. He said that his father truly was sorry that he had preempted my announcement, he was just thrilled, these would be his first Grandchildren. I could of course understand that, it didn't mean I wasn't laughing inside, when his father got his tail scorched by Granmere when he protested my plans to continue with my rounds to the Hill People and my classes at the college. I was of course very careful to keep a strait face, as she chewed him out, in almost the same words I had used.

Granmere and I had a long talk, she would continue my training to take over as Lady, not just as Bard, when she passed.

"Granmere, I haven't the sight or magic's, how can I be our People's Lady?"

"Child, you might not have the sight, but you have in-sight and the trust and loyalty of our People. Not every Lady has the sight or magic, it's more than that, it's knowing the People, the Land. More, you understand the towns and politics and that child is nothing to sneeze at, the town Nobles like you." with that she held up her hand. " I do agree with Kristof's Father on one thing, your day's of playing in the tavern's need to come to an end. Play for our people, play as a quest to the Jarl's and other Nobles, but you must be seen as a Lady not just as a Bard. Continue with your classes, but stop playing for your room and board."

I bowed my head and could not think of anything more logical to say than that it made sense to play for my room and board rather than spend gold on it. Well, if nothing else, it would keep Kristof out of the city Jail's for beating the town drunks when they got too frisky.

I grumbled as Kristof and I packed our stuff onto horses to take down to the Hall, that would be our home when we were here from now on. The Cabin would always be mine, Legally, but for now Granmere said it made a better bachelor hall and I needed to be close to her when she needed me. Granmere had workmen putting up a partition in her room, our room now, with children's bed's on the other side, a doorway was left between the room's for now.

I looked at the old bed and wrinkled my nose, but I knew we would have a new bed as a wedding Gift. The Jarl of Falkreath Hold was proud of their Tall Tree's and the wood crafter's who carved them, justifiably. I'm sure just about everything would come as a Gift, two because of the Twins but I would take needle to cloth and make their naming cloths myself. I had plenty of time, to pick out bad stitching and have them match, but each be different, as I hoped my son's would each be their own man.

Tannick took off with an urgent note from his father about a friend that needed some help. Kristof asked him if he thought he would need help, but he looked at me and said no. I told them both, we would be in Solitude before Fall Equinox and if Tannick needed help, I would not be heading home before Mid-Winter night, but could do so by Carriage and Kristof was welcome to go and help his brother if he needed the help.

Both men looked at me like I was insane, til I rolled my eye's and then said in a mock cranky voice, "as long as he is their for our son's birth's of course". Both men kinda relaxed after that, like they expected that response.

I looked to all the horses on the Farm and decided on one of the Hill Ponies as being the most calm and reliable. I picked out a large grey for Kristof, I knew the mare and she was placid around new things and would be easy to train to ignore the Wolf that often leaped off her back or fought around her leg's.

We took short rides every day and Kristof changed and went wolf around the horses until the were used to him. I got in plenty of sewing done on the baby clothing, once both outfits were done and I was further along, I would start on the embroidery. I needed a feel for the boy's before I could set the pattern I would use.

When Kristof's Father and Mother returned, she loved the Home Farm and said she would love to bounce her grandson's on her lap. I told her she was more than welcome in our home and she should come visit the children as often as she liked. She told me stories from when Kristof and Tannick were just pup's, learning to change.

I had thought of that, I would need a nanny so that I might fulfill my obligations, that might be a hard one to explain. Well, I suppose a female member of the Pack, I sighed, the Hill People always sent a Nanny for the Lady, I could not turn them down. I shook my head, no, the Hill People were used to our strangeness, this would just be one thing after hundreds of year's of other strangeness.

It would take some explaining, Kyne's Gift....hmmm a song? Yes, that is what I needed for our People, something that they would understand. I rubbed my still flat stomach, seven-ish months to come up with something and get it out, I doubt the babe's would come out with tails and furry ears, I should have time.

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Areial
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Ulterior Motives pg 15

I plucked a couple discordant notes from my lute and grumbled, four set's of eye's looked around to see what the problem was. " Our newest homework project is writing an Epic Ballad that is suitable for a High Court. The song I am coming up with is, well good for my people, but not for a Jarl or a King." The wolves all put their head's down and closed their eyes, but I was not fooled for a second, their ear's twitched at each sound coming from outside our rented manor house.

I sighed and went back to the song I was working on, if I could not get the "epic court ballad" at least it fit as a Ballad. I was much better at writing country songs and funny ditties, but that is why I wanted to take composition at the college.

When after a few minutes I found my mind wondering again, this time thinking of Kristof, I decided to put the lute down and close my eyes and relax. I missed him, though he had not even been gone a full month. The Manor was nice and had enough room for the guards he left behind and also two female pack members who would advise me on the quirk's of pregnancy for those of the Luilfr line.

Tannick's need was not just a sword arm, he could have gotten that from any member of the Pack. No what he needed was my husbands political sense. He had written to say my advise on the the local political mud bath would have been invaluable, but as I could not come, he needed Kristof. I sent him off with a kiss and a reminder that I expected him back to see the birth of our son's and to be careful.

I picked my Lute back up and began to play the tune I had come up with.

" Softly blows the breeze in Spring,
*like a swans down kiss upon my lips,
*The Hand-maiden's warmth,
*a child's hug,
*as flowers fill the land.

The storms of Summer,
*like the clash of metal,
*as The Warriors blood
* in the heat of battle
*rings across the land.

The colors of Autumn
*like the warmth of a fire
*as The Smith shapes
* the sword of steel
* spreads across the land

Harshly rages the wind in Winter
* like the bitter words,
* of The Crones despair
* when her lover left,
* for the arms of another."

As I struck the last cords I heard the sound of clapping off to right, I looked over to see an Altmer in Thalmor robes.

"Wonderful song Mi'Lady, I don't recognize it, is it something you wrote?" He walked over and took both my hand's in his as a greeting. I smiled politely at him and drew him over to the sitting area.

"Yes it is Inquisitor, but not finished." I turned and looked at Lissyana, " Could you bring us some, Tea Inquisitor?" At his nod she said yes Ma'am and walked towards the kitchen. "What brings you here today? I can not think of anything I have done lately that would interest the Thalmor."

"Well, everything is of interest to the Us, but I came because Ambassador Elenwyn wanted to know if you would grace her next party with your presence and do her the honor of playing your lute. She had heard that you are very good, it's a genteel party and mostly will just be your peer's."

" I would love to play at one of the Ambassador's Parties. I have not seen some of the Jarl's in a long time and I would like to thank them for our Wedding presents."

"Ahh yes, We had heard you had gotten married, some mercenary?" His tone was not as mono-tone as he thought it was.

"Oh yes, My husband and his brother where sent here to see if their where job's for their Mercenary company. I met him in one of the small town's I was playing in at the time." I pitched my tone to imply that I was there out of boredom. " Traveling to small hamlet's is the best way to find fodder for some of the song's I was asked to write."

He stood up and walked to the window, each of the wolves that lay on the floor watching every move. I stood and as I walked past them made a motion with my hand for them to stay calm. I walked up next to the Inquisitor and stretched in such a way as to bring the fabric of my dress tight over my now slightly bugling stomach. He looked down at the movement as I meant him to and got a thoughtful look on his face.

"Mi'Lady, I had not heard you were pregnant. Will you have a problem going to the Ambassador's party?"

" No, I don't see that I should, so far everything is going fine or so I have been told. I am much more tired than normal, but that I am told is normal." I sighed and then tipped my head slightly, as if I was thinking. " Perhaps a second Bard? That way we can both take breaks and I won't become overly fatigued."

"Mi'Lady, I will inform the Ambassador that you will be pleased to attend and play, but that a secondary Bard will be necessary and why." he paused and got an odd look on his face. " Mi'Lady, we Altmer, we cherish our children, a trade off for our long life is that we tend to have few children. I will make sure that another Bard is going that night, if for any reason you can not make it, I do understand. Your and the child's health should come first." With that he took a step back and his face once more took on the stony expression one was accustomed to with Thalmor. " By your leave, Mi'Lady." he said before turning to go.

I stood at the window listening until I heard the front door close and Lissyana's footstep's returning. Then I walked back by the four members of the Pack that were now in their human form. I raised my hand in a hushing motion, as I sat back down in my chair. I thought for a moment and then sighed.

" Had I not said that I would play at the Thalmor's party, they would want to know why. They dig until they find dirt and not finding any question until one gives them what they want, truth or not. By letting him know I was pregnant I thought and I was correct, that I could act on a rumor I had heard. The Inquisitor's wife lost babe's twice late term, only by complete bed rest was she able to carry a third close to term."

" He has a soft spot for pregnant women. I happen to know that the Ambassador will be leaving for a meeting on the Cyrodill border in a day or so and won't be back for at least a month if not longer. That will give me time to get more and more weak, have complications with my pregnancy. It helps that no one knows I am carrying twins. I need one of you to take a message to Kristof and let him know what is happening. Nothing written and make sure that no one but Tannick is around."

That started a flurry of activity and two members of the Pack leaving, the second would come back with a couple more as guards. To the people of Solitude, the wolves where just that wolves.
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Areial
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Now and Later Lost.. page 16
I quietly rubbed my wedding band against the metal string's of my Lute, producing a faint metallic humm. I opened my eye's to see my boy's, their chubby little hand's stacking wood block's on top of each other, now and again tasting one. My heart squeezed in my chest as I looked at their silver eye's, so like their fathers I wanted to weep.

The wolf at my feet started a deep whine and both boy's toddled over and lay their head's on his stomach, that they should be so in-tune with emotions at such a young age did not surprise me. The boy's were soon asleep, their little hands fisted in white fur. Tannick's silver-green eye's looked up at me and the pain in them was un-mistakable.

"They will return, Granmere said so, she asked for a seeing and the Goddess allowed for it. Our mates will return. I miss them and I miss Granmere, but the Goddess called."

"I can not hear him, I could always hear him, no matter how far. How can you stand it, this emptiness.. the feeling that you are not whole? He has been your mate longer and you seem calm."

" Tannick, my Brother, I am calm because I trust in the Goddess and I trust that my Granmere would tell nothing but the truth. True I can not feel him through out life bond, but the Pack's female's told me that I would not feel anything, not happy, not sad.. no joy at our children, should he die." I watched as Ren squirmed to get more comfortable and I smiled at him. I leaned forward and put my hand on Tannick's neck ruff. " I feel happiness when I look at my son's, I feel sorrow when I look at you, for your bond is new, as is having your mate. My heart wrenches at the lose of my Granmere. When I think of Christof, I see the joy of his smile, the warmth of his arm's, I feel the desire of his eye's upon me... I do not feel the nothing they had said would precede my desire to stop living."

"How do you know what your Granmere saw was a true seeing?" I head the doubt in his voice, but he did not understand the magic, that was ours, because it was not that which others had.

"I know because when Granmere asked for a seeing, the Goddess asked for a sacrifice. It is a huge thing to ask of the Goddess, but Granmere was willing to pay the price she asked. " I pressed my lip's together, as he laid his head back down. I was choking back sobs, but he could not know, their was no way he would understand that after all Granmere had done for our people, she had very rarely asked for help, for a boon from the Goddess. To ask for something so personal, required a personal sacrifice, the Goddess called her home, that was what she asked.

I thought back to that week, Christof and a strange woman had come to the door, with Tannick barely holding to life. Grandmere and I used every bit of healing that the Goddess had blessed us with, mine more herb-lore than magic. I moved my foot so that it touched his back and added my strength to his, he could heal himself better than I could at this point.

I looked at the ruined mass of scar's that looked worse in human form. We had saved the eye, but it was a near thing. The fur on his wolf face would never grow back completely and I closed my eye's against the horror that had been his face when we got him un-bandaged. Before we could even being to heal him, we had had to dig out the pieces of claw from a gargoyle. Even now the four deep scar's were not completely healed, six months later. The fact that his face had looked like the skin had been flayed off by those claws said a lot for our healing skills, but those deep gouges, going through into his mouth and into bone, those would leave massive scar's.

Christof and the woman, Ai'Lenna explained all that happened, the Vampires, the Vampire Hunters.. the fact that Ai'Lenna was a vampire. She was Hunting down a group that rumor among other groups said was looking for power, power to take over and make all other peoples into cattle for their feeding.

Christof had left with AiLenna and another female vampire, to go look for an Elder Scroll. Briefly a few months ago, I had felt Christof and I received a letter telling me they had succeeded but had some other thing's to do, If they came near, they would stop in. They had not and I had not heard from him nor felt my mate in three months.

I touched the letter, tucked into the pouch on my side, I did not need to open it, I knew what it said. The word's gave me heart, I closed my eye's and sent my soul out and down into the soil, the substance of Nirn. I slowed my breathing, until I could hear my heartbeat, feel the pulse of Nirn and merged my essence with the larger power.

I could feel the life, all life that existed as bright spots of green on a larger canvas of gold, the few dark spot's, I marked and would send some of the Pack to those areas. All was in a delicate balance, but it was tipping, the dark was slowly gaining a foothold, each time a spark of green faded to gold, the dark got deeper, stronger.

I borrowed some of the gold power and fed it into a spriggan, whispering to her, that she needed to check the border of her Ward. I could see the dark blight, small creatures, not strong, but with each kill they would become stronger, eventually multiplying and moving on to the village that was not far from the spriggan's Ward.

I unfocused my inner eye and drifted, waiting to see if the Goddess would need my services, but all was as calm as it could be, during a war. Just as I was about to pull my senses back, I caught something, something evil. I looked harder focused in the direction I saw it coming from, but it was like a wisp of shadow on the wind. I got no more than a faint trace.

I tried harder, but all I got was a face, a familiar face, that I had never seen. The color of the eyes a silver-green the set of the jaw, a certain pulse to the aura, I knew her or at least who she might be. Other than that, fire and death.

I shuddered as I opened my eyes, looking down to see my son's still soundly asleep, but not the wolf. He changed, carefully and thankfully with cloths on. Disturbing the boys very little, he knelt in front of me and then wrapped his arms around my waist. The deep rumble of his voice was as much felt as hear.

"You had a seeing? You look disturbed."

" I did, I do not understand it, but... You have a sister? Silver-green eyes? Favor's your mother?" He jerked a bit at the description.

"Yes, our youngest sister, Asherea. She is a member of the Pack, but mage gifted. Rea is a slip of a thing, what she lack's in size, she more than makes up in skill and temper." He looked up at me and his silver-green eyes glowed. "Why?" The last word was said with a growl in his throat.

"Tannick, don't make me hit you where it would hurt the most. I see what I see, the Goddess does not give me a false trail. She will fight a great evil, but will not do so alone. I see four wolves at her side, two, have places in her heart, one... one IS her heart." I chuckled, suddenly knowing a truth. "He is her heart, her rock and the biggest pain in her ass.. he is strong, stubborn and more than a match for her." I slumped, I was tired, being one with Nirn was exhausting, even if most of the power to look came from him.

Tannick stood and picked me up out of the chair. My eyes closed and the last I remembered is feeling the warmth of my son's, the smell wolf around me.... and Silver eye's in the dark.

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Edited by Areial, Oct 13 2016, 09:37 AM.
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Serethil
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Oh, I got to re-read it all again here! Just wonderful.... glad you moved it here!
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The Family has more to say...but other thing's first.
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What a great tale! Took me a while to get through in two sittings, but it was worth the effort...
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Thank you Neil!
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