A Single Father

Rating: K+

Pairing: Dragonborn/Farkas

Genre: Tragedy/Hurt/Comfort

Farkas shifted the large buck on his back and smiled at his son who was carrying his own trophy. He had done quite well this trip, he figured Blaise's aim would surpass Aela's over time but he was not about to start any rivalries just yet by saying anything to either of them. He would confide in Salroka about it though, once she returned home from her own "hunting trip".

Farkas knew her "hunting trip" contained game, but not exactly the kind you brought home to eat or to make furs and tools with. People did not find him to be a smart man, and they're correct- mostly. Farkas wasn't as brainy as his brother, but he was just as observant. He knew what his wife did before she'd joined the Companions and even during her time and continuing. It didn't take a genius to look at her unique mare and notice the non-subtle Dark Brotherhood hand printed on the saddle, or the red-black gloves he'd caught her wearing on more than one occasion.

Salroka knew that Farkas knew, but he was smart enough not to bring it up. He had no reason to. Yes, it was dark and yes, it was frowned upon by many due to it's rogue tactics- but, whatever gets the job done. He had used somewhat roguish tactics a few times before in his life, but he doubted he had done so with as much grace as his wife probably did. After all, he'd fought as her Shield-Brother many times, enough to know she had a preference to shadows, bows and carried a wicked mace that seemed to make others sulk away or scream at its sight (whatever it was had proved handy).

Blaise was talking faster than Farkas wanted to bother trying to keep up, he was thrilled to see his son so excited and passionate about learning to fight and hunt just about as much as Farkas was to teach him.

Before Farkas had met Salroka he never figured he would get married (especially before his brother) or even gave thought to having children. Yet, here he was. His wife was out saving the world, his daughter was inside the city with Vilkas (or at least she better be- Farkas would rip his brother apart for losing Sissel), and the father son duo was making their way quickly into the city with game in tow. He'd truly been blessed with a life worth more than all of Skyrim- of all Tamriel.

With much of Skyrim at peace, if the weather was warm and breezy the gates were opened and today was one such day. Blaise calmly greeted the Hold guard nearest him and Farkas nodded to them. The two if them could see Breezehome from where they stood, they smiled at each other and began the last leg of their trip.

Upon opening the door Farkas instantly noticed the chores had been kept up with in the four days the two had been gone and they could smell something cooking. The chef wasn't Sissel as Farkas imagined, but his twin brother standing over the pot with Sissel berating him on how he had to do it properly or not at all.

"I've missed you, Sweet One." He laughed, garnering the attention of Farkas and Sissel.

"Daddy!" She screeched, running around the hearth and jumping into Farkas' open arm, ignoring the buck he carried. He gave her a kiss on the cheek and let her down so she could continue hounding his brother's poor cooking skill.

Blaise and Farkas excused themselves to go skin the deer and gather up the meat from them to be cooked and eaten later. Salroka had been running low on leather and leather strips last he checked, so he knew she would be happy to come home to a larger supply.

Blaise had yet to skin an animal but Farkas was certain he would catch on quickly. Farkas would never tell Blaise that his sister had already proficiently skinned multiple animals in her short life while Blaise had not once, he and Salroka already discussed that once Sissel was older she too would be allowed on the hunting trips. Both their children were strong and smart, you had to be in a land like Skyrim. Or just be brutishly strong like Farkas with a genius twin brother like Vilkas, you'd be fine then too.

Vilkas joined Blaise and Farkas outside, scowling slightly. "She's a miniature Salroka." He grumbled, tending to his hand where a small bruise was forming. Farkas laughed as he noticed it was most likely due to Sissel slapping him with a ladle and kicking him out. Even though Sissel was adopted she was very much like Salroka, the girl even dreamed of Paarthurnax!

"Uncle!" Blaise shouted, Farkas assumed it had been a shout intended for Vilkas until he caught his son staring off toward the village gates.

His wife was home. Farkas turned toward the gate with a smile that fell when he noticed the man was alone and face grim. "Vilkas, take Blaise and Sissel to the training grounds for awhile." Vilkas raised a brow but didn't say anything, he put a firm grip on Blaise is shoulder and led the boy off to do as Farkas asked.

The Redguard kept a slow pace, but it wasn't suspiciously slow. He had his glare locked on the ground as he headed toward Breezehome. "Nazran!" Farkas called, garnering his attention. He knew that wasn't his real name, he also knew that Nazran was an assassin like Salroka. So was Farkas' "niece" Babette, he assumed. Nazran did not walk to the side of the house to greet Farkas instead he just headed inside. With a grumble, Farkas followed the man inside.

Nazran was sitting in one of the two table chairs by the door, a bottle of spiced wine in his grasp that he'd nearly emptied already. Looking over the man, Farkas realised why so many fell for his and Salroka's ruse. Aside from both being Redguard they had no other familial connections but they both looked very close in appearance. Granted, Salroka was very feminine and had much softer features, the two could still easily be mistaken as siblings. It had even taken Farkas almost six months to finally realise it. Vilkas was brilliant, but he likely didn't know solely because he didn't know their Harbinger like Farkas did or see her and Nazran interact. The Redguard emptied the bottle and slammed it down on the table he was hunched over on. "What's wrong?" Farkas almost growled, it wasn't intentional but he was now worried about his wife as a result of Nazran's actions.

The two weren't suppose to return for another three days at least and yet here was Nazran, alone and without Salroka.

"She's dead... That damn jester killed her." The last part came out as a dark whisper, but Farkas heard it all as if it had been Shouted at him.

Dead.

Farkas stumbled back and hit the chair behind him. He allowed himself to fall back into it and buried his face in his hands. Hands that had many times before held Salroka close to him but never again would get a chance to run his hands over her ebony skin. In an instant Farkas felt his heart clench, his breathing halt and his world crumble around him. "What?" Was all he managed to choke out. He wasn't sure Nazran heard him, but he didn't know how else to speak yet.

"You know her, what she does. What I really am."

Farkas nodded in his hands but didn't look up. He was too lost in his grief to bother.

"She was our Listener, and a damn good one. Always looking out for us, taking care of us, even the jester. The damn fool clown went crazy- again. This time he struck Babe and fled. Salroka followed him. This is all we found." Nazran stood from his chair and placed something small on the small table next to Farkas' chair.

He peeked over and flinched.

Salroka's wedding band.

Shakily, Farkas picked it up and gripped it tightly in his fist. He remembered crafting it for her years back, he wanted it to be perfect for his Love and for it to last until the end of their days. Farkas didn't expect it to be so soon. Not someone like Salroka, not the Dragonborn.

His heart still wept, but his anger began to rise. "And where had you been?" He asked, not wanting to put full blame on Nazran though it was hard.

"Salroka told us not to follow, not that we could. Babette was bleeding out in my arms." Nazran tugged on his beard a bit, he looked like he was about to say something but decided against it after seeing the fire burning behind Farkas' eyes.

The two men were silent, the only sounds heard were the soft snores of Sissel and Blaise's pet fox in the kids room.

Sissel and Blaise didn't know yet. How would he tell them?

Sissel and Salroka were so alike it scared all who saw them together. Sissel had fire in her heart as well as compassion. She and her mother did as much as they could together. Sissel even began learning pranks from her mother and constantly pulled them on her father or brother. The bond between them was unbreakable and filled start to end with love.

Blaise was much the same, he was very well loved by his mother and he loved her just as much in return. His favourite thing was standing by the gates and waiting for his mother so he could be the first to hug her when she came back.

Farkas was always thankful that she took special care to hide or mend her wounds and replace her armour with robes of some sort before coming home. He still had nightmares sometimes about some of the ways Salroka's body had been damaged in battle, she'd come home with her armour beyond repair some times and burns or cuts he didn't think had a chance to be mended covering her person. After they had children that all stopped. She told him she had friends in Riverwood and stayed there after her outings so she'd be presentable to their children who had already seen too much horror for their age.

Now the children had lost a parent, again.

He'd have to raise these two on his own, without his beloved Salroka at his side. Farkas wouldn't be able to do it alone. He'd have to do something. Because he was a member of the Circle he still went out on missions often, but he wasn't sure he could much anymore now that it was only him. There were already two smiths in the city, one being Grey-Mane. Perhaps he could move the children back to Markarth where Salroka had a housecarl living in their old home.

Wait, the children hated Markarth though. And, on top of that they had friends here while they had few there. He also forgot that they moved back to Whiterun so they'd be closer to Vilkas and the other Companions. Neither Farkas or Salroka could stand being so far out, they had hated it in Markarth. The house had been nice, but that's where all the positives to Markarth ended. They had a manor in Morrowind, but he wasn't about to move them to a whole different plane. Skyrim was home. They'd just have to stay in Whiterun and hope for the best. He and Salroka had saved up quite a fortune from when they were always out exploring Nordic ruins or saving Skyrim. They could live comfortably in case anything happened. They had hoped it would just have been a fortune to give to their children when they came of age to leave the home.

He was at a loss of what to do. He only made decisions with Salroka when it came to family affairs, but he didn't have that second opinion anymore. It was just him.

Alone.

"I'm sorry." Nazran said, pulling Farkas from his thoughts. There must have been steam coming from his ears as the wheels in his brain continued to turn. Nazran turned and left without another word and Farkas did nothing to stop him.

After a moment, something wet landed in Farkas' enclosed hand. He was going to think it was raining but it wouldn't be raining inside the house. Realisation hit him. The "rain" was from him. For the first time in years, Farkas began to weep. His heart aching and called for Salroka, for his wife, his lover, his soulmate. He was lost and didn't know what to do, half of him was gone and he couldn't function properly without that missing half. But, he would have to adapt and be strong- not for his sake but for his children. They didn't deserve to lose both parents again.

"Dad...? What happened?" Farkas still had his face mostly covered by his free hand as he continued to weep, but he knew the voice well. Blaise and Sissel had returned.

" You two are suppose to be with Vilkas training." He stated, not looking up to see his children's faces. They'd never seen their father cry and were more than shocked to see such a thing in their life. While Blaise stood dumbfounded, Sissel lowered her head. She knew. The dragon, Paarthurnax, had told her something bad happened to mama. But... She didn't want it to be true. "It's dinner time, dad." Sissel elbowed her brother roughly and hugged her father's arm tightly as she too began to sob for her mother's loss.

"We'll be ok, daddy. Paarthurnax told me so." She was lifted off the ground and into her fathers welcoming arms, he sat her in his lap and cradled her as he had when she would be scared- but this time it was not Sissel who was scared, but Farkas. Blaise was a "man" and didn't partake in man-to-man hugs, but he couldn't stop the burst of pain that made him lunge for his dad so he could feel safe and loved. They had lost someone vital in their lives, someone who could never be replaced. Farkas held his two children close and muttered words of comfort to them as both children's tears turned into uncontrollable sobs.

Farkas could feel Vilkas outside the door, but his twin bother made no motion to enter- this was their time to grief as a broken family and Vilkas had no place in the mourning with them just yet.

That night was restless for all in Breezehome. Blaise and Sissel stayed in their parents bed, neither able to sleep without a hug and kiss from their mother- something they once took for granted was forever taken from them and both children found that to be the worst. They wanted and needed their mother back. This was simply a dream to them that nobody was able to wake from no matter how hard they prayed.

Farkas was smothered between two small, sniffling bodies- he loved them but that love did not fill the void now gaping in his heart that tore wider as he breathed.

He couldn't live without Salroka. That was reality. Painful but true.

Comments are highly appreciated and I thank you greatly for taking time to read my tale!