A Healer's Touch Part 2
DRAGON CHILD
Chapter 1 – Now and Forever
"I'm so glad my stomach has calmed down. This town smells awful," Eirin said, wrinkling her nose.
Fjornir laughed and placed a hand on Eirin's somewhat swollen lower abdomen. "You just want nothing to do with fish lately, Dyra."
"Ughh," Eirin confirmed. "And of course Riften smells of nothing else."
"I guess you won't want to honeymoon here, then." Fjornir grinned.
Eirin shook her head. "One night at this inn was plenty for me. Let's just get to the Temple and leave for the countryside as soon as possible."
"And just what do you plan on doing in the countryside, lass?" Fjornir winked at his wife-to-be. His voice sparkled with that hint of a brogue Eirin loved to hear.
Eirin leaned over and kissed Fjornir. She then looked into his eyes with a wicked grin on her face, and said, "Not smell fish all day." She kissed him again, then walked to the dresser and pulled out a green dress from her knapsack. She slipped it over her undergarments. Soon Fjornir's hands were at her back, fastening the toggles.
"Why don't men get to wear such pretty things?" Fjornir asked as his hands felt the contour's of Eirin's hips under the green cloth.
Eirin laughed. "Oh, but you do." She turned and placed the signature Stormcloak Officer bearskin headdress upon his head. The bear's brown fur was a shade lighter than Fjornir's own brown-red coat. He wore his hair slightly longer than his shoulders now. From each temple, a braid pulled the hair away from his face, in the same style as Ulfric Stormcloak. Fjornir kept his beard full and soft but not too thick – just as Eirin liked it.
Fjornir put on the rest of the Stormcloak Officer's uniform. When he was fully dressed, Eirin ran her hands along the bear's paws that draped over each side of Fjornir's chest. She stretched up to kiss him, but instead looked into his eyes and whispered, "Come on, Bear Man."
The ceremony was quaint with few guests. Lydia, Fjornir's housecarl, insisted on coming, her reasoning being that Riften was full of the untrustworthy and the Dragonborn needed protection. Fjornir's Companion friends from Jorrvaskr, Aela and the twins, Farkas and Vilkas, and friends from Riften, Brynjolf and Vex, were also present.
Fjornir held Eirin's right hand tight. Her family was either missing or deceased, and she had few friends left to call her own—none of them could make the journey to Riften.
Eirin listened to the priest of Mara speak. She'd heard those words so many years ago, but hadn't listened to them back then. She had been entranced at the time by her then-love Vorstag. And then it dawned on her – this was the second time she'd stood in the Temple of Mara, pregnant, marrying a man she loved.
She quickly shut off her thoughts, determined to hear all of the priest's words this time. This last time, she said to herself. She wanted to savor this moment with Fjornir, the man who had never given up on her. Eirin realized that Fjornir was watching her and not the priest. She smiled up at him.
That sweet smile, Fjornir thought. When the priest asked if Fjornir would be bound to Eirin in love, he replied, "I do. Now, and forever," never taking his eyes off of Eirin.
Eirin heard the priest ask her the same, and she replied in kind. At that moment the priest handed them each a gold ring. Fjornir slipped the smaller one onto Eirin's index finger, and she the larger one onto Fjornir's. The priest's assistant did a fine job in finding well-fitting rings.
The couple held one another's hands as the priest finished the ceremony. When the priest gave the final blessing, Fjornir took Eirin into his arms and kissed her. The audience cheered. Lydia attempted an air of good-humor and failed miserably, but no one was looking at her, anyway.
Eirin heard none of the cheers and chatter. Her arms hugged Fjornir's neck and her lips were sealed to his. She gasped when Fjornir lifted her into his arms and proceeded to carry her out of the Temple into the early morning light.
As Fjornir walked down the steps with his wife in his arms, a man approached. "Can I help you?" Fjornir asked.
"I have a letter for Eirin, daughter of Vigge of Helgen. I was told she would be here at the Temple," the man responded. He was a courier.
Fjornir stood Eirin on her feet.
"I'm Eirin," she said.
The courier handed her the sealed letter. "Glad I finally found you. You're a hard woman to track down." He saw the wedding ring on her finger and added, "Congratulations." He smiled and left.
Eirin looked up at Fjornir, then back at their friends who had gathered behind them in front of the Temple.
She opened the letter. The writing was rough and unskilled.
The writing of a child.
Auntie Eirin,
It's me, Haming! I hope this second letter can find you. I wrote one before with Grandpa Froki's help. We thought you were in Markarth but the letter came back to us. Where are you? Grandpa was taking care of me but he's getting sicker. I don't know what to do. We live in the south, in the mountains, pretty far from home. A dragon attacked home. It killed Mom and Dad. I ran away to Ivarstead. That's where Grandpa found me. Do you know where he lives? I know it's not too far from a river. Please come if you get my letter. I'm really worried about Grandpa Froki and I don't know where Grandpa Vigge is. I hope I see you soon.
Haming
When Eirin finished reading she handed the letter to Fjornir. He read the message, then looked at Eirin and said, "I think I know where he is."