((Hello everyone! This is the first fanfiction I've ever actually written out and published, so any feedback would be wonderful! This entire story and its plot are based on a dream I had actually. Anyways, this first chapter is meant to be a bit vague and short, as it's showing the overall view of their lives in this world. In the next chapter, things will begin to change and the length will gradually increase over time. Please, enjoy this little AU adventure!))
The darkness always gives way to light. The freezing snow melts to reveal the budding remnants of the previous fall. The fear and depression will eventually subside, and joy will once again wash over the land. This is what Kiku liked the most in his daily life. Simplistic as it may be, there is always hidden beauty in the world around him. He had grown content with this way of life; he wouldn't give it up for the world. Finally, he was in a setting where all were relatively safe, happy, and relaxed.
Years ago, when their mother had passed on, Kiku and his dear twin brother, Kuro, had no hope of a bright future. Yet, here they were, busily chopping up wood and fallen trees, humming cheerful tunes as they toiled from sunrise to sundown. Here they were, maintaining a decent flow of septims, sharing stories and fleeting thoughts by a warm hearth fire. Here they were, with their beloved companion, Willem, living together in the small town of Morthal and savoring the days that go by as if each moment were a treasure.
As he stared wistfully into the wispy clouds above, Kiku Honda felt truly at peace in his life.
The rhythmic bumps and jolts of the wooden cart was soothing to Kiku, as he had become used to it over time. That is only natural, of course; owning a wood mill would require a supply of lumber, and it's much cheaper to simply hack down the trees yourself than hire workers for you. Plus, he has to admit, he enjoys venturing into the vast wilderness of Hjaalmarch and wandering through the lush, towering trees. Though, one has to be aware of the many dangers of wandering outside town limits (though the small village of Morthal isn't exactly what one would deem a secure settlement); it is this reason that Kiku never travels the roads alone. At his side, Willem is focused intently on the road and surrounding forest, guiding their horse safely along the trail. From the back of the cart, Kuro sings a light, airy song as he watches the rear; you can never be too safe, especially with wolves as vicious as those in Skyrim. Luckily, bandits have never given them any trouble. After all, what bandit in their right mind would rob people of wood?
Kiku jolts to attention when he realizes he was being spoken to. He turns to face Willem, the man's hazel eyes still locked on the stone path ahead of them. "Ah, sorry, could you repeat that?" he asked quietly, a bit embarrassed to have been caught with his head in the clouds again. Really a terrible habit to have.
"Just askin' how business has been goin' for you guys lately, what with the war and all," Willem replied shortly. Ah, of course. Business. Well, he shouldn't be surprised really; Willem was not one to speak of himself much, so work was a subject that came easily to him in conversation. Kiku smiled slightly, thankful that Willem had not brought up his daydreaming.
"Oh, we've been alright, for the most part. If anything, we've been a bit busier. Many wish to build sturdy blockades or strong houses in the event of an invasion, and the trees in Hjaalmarch are thick and strong. It's more work, but nothing that we cannot handle."
"Hmm, that's good. But if you do end up needin' anything, just ask."
"You are kind, Willem. But you worry too much."
Willem simply huffed and went silent, ultimately ending their conversation. Kiku at least appreciated Willem's help, but he truly believed the man fret too often over him and Kuro. He meant well, of course; he simply feared harm coming upon the two. Kiku regularly reminds the Nord to calm down, lest his hair gray before 35, but he always finds some way to end the discussion.
From behind, Kuro's gentle song abruptly came to an end as he yawned (quite loudly) and stood up to see the two men in front over the piles of freshly cut oak. He smiled warmly at Kiku, his long, jet-black hair draping loosely over his shoulder. "Hey, we're almost home, right? I'm sooooo tired! And hungry. Mostly tired, though. I feel like I could just fall over and sleep on these logs back here," he joked lightly, making exaggerated expressions resembling a yawn and pretending to collapse onto the piles of wood out of exhaustion. Kiku chuckled softly as he brought out a map of the area surrounding the woods.
"We should be home soon, Kuro. I'm sure you can wait a little while longer; unless you want to wake up covered in splinters and leaves, that is."
Kuro grimaced and slumped over the edge of the wagon, closing his eyes and pouting slightly. Kiku rolled his eyes and turned back around, letting his brother rest his tired head. He will never understand that man. Kuro seems to be constantly fit to bursting with energy and an attitude of optimism, and yet at the most opportune of moments, that seemingly boundless supply of energy fades away. Usually when given a particularly strenuous task to complete. He may be a bit lazy at times, but Kiku loves him regardless. Even if he cannot understand why his brother so prefers the name "Kuro" over his true name.
The remainder of the ride back to Morthal was a quiet one, as was expected. Kiku greatly appreciated the content silence the three have grown to understand and accept. He glanced over the scenery, admiring the beautiful flora that grew in Hjaalmarch. It was the 12th of Second Seed, the snow having finally melted and given way to the hidden flowers and bush that were buried underneath. Kiku loved how the many shades of green, brown, and blue mixed together here in the forest, creating many beautiful sights. The soft rays of the afternoon's setting sun glinted off of the shiny surfaces of the many stones that made up the main road, and Kiku found himself needing to squint to avoid the blinding glare. But everything was so peaceful this far out in the wilderness.
After another few minutes of bumpy roads and Kuro's occasional complaints, the small wooden buildings of Morthal appeared below them as they descended from the rocky hill leading out of town. At this late in the day, most of the citizens had begun to make their way to their homes before the sun set completely. As they rode into the town, Willem nodded at two of the guards stationed in front of the Jarl's Longhouse. Kiku chuckled quietly to himself as the two men waved eagerly in return, both staring happily up at Willem. Though their names escaped him at the moment, he recognized the duo as the new recruits that had recently joined the hold's guards. Of course, it had been required of Willem to meet them before their acceptance. He is the chief of the guard in Hjaalmarch, after all. A position that Willem had spent countless hours training and studying for. Kiku had to admit, he was so very proud of his friend for all that he had accomplished since they had met.
Once the wagon came to a slow stop in front of the wood mill at the edge of town, Kuro all but sprang up from where he had nearly nodded off on the railing and made his way to the front, where he gingerly took the reigns from Willem's hands to guide their little steed into the stables. Meanwhile, the two men in the front seats took to work unloading the day's supply of lumber. It had been getting more difficult to track down decent trees lately, as the wild animals rose from their season-long slumber and took to marking their rightful territories on the bark of surrounding trees. He was thankful that they had not needed to venture too far out of town today, however.
After years of handling such heavy materials, Kiku was quite strong, yet Willem always insisted on assisting the smaller man and carrying the bulk of the logs. It was actually rather endearing how Willem cared for him in such little ways. As he set down the final piece of oak they had brought back in their cart, Kiku sighed and wiped his brow of the sweat that had settled under his long bangs. All this work could really prove tiring, especially once the weather began to warm up and the sun bore its warm light for longer periods of time. Kuro had finished securing their horse in it's stall, and he jogged over to the other men, his signature goofy smile plastered on his face. "Alright, now let's get some food! I've been starving since we left!"
Willem turned to face him, a small smirk barely visible on his face. "Oh, but aren't you tired? You should get some rest now, just eat somethin' in the morning.
Kuro's face turned a near comical shade of white as he recalled his previous chain of whining. "Ah, well, maybe... maybe eating something will give me more energy!"
Willem's smirk only grew as he pat Kuro lightly on the shoulder. "Well, since you seem so eager, why don't you do the honors of cooking up some dinner tonight?"
Both of the Honda twins flinched at the thought. Really, as much as Kuro simply adored food of any kind, the man couldn't cook to save his life. In fact, his cooking would be most likely to result in ending one's life. Kiku spoke up rather quickly. "Oh no, that's alright! I can make dinner for us all tonight, really!"
Kuro sighed in relief as Willem let out a low laugh. It was a bit rare to see Willem express such joy, but the two brothers were happy whenever they could witness more of the blond man's emotions. The three continued on into their shared home, laughing and recounting stories of recent events and local gossip. Kiku shortly began work preparing the night's meal: a nice venison roast with some vegetable stew on the side.
Even throughout the meal, Kuro chatted away animatedly, and Kiku talk of any news he had heard from other areas of Skyrim, Willem sat quietly, as usual, and would occasionally join in with a remark of his own before returning to his meal once again. But everything was completely normal. The same routine, a different day. Though Kiku did not mind the repetition. Every new day held something a little different, and that was something that motivated Kiku to continue on working each morning.
Soon after all the food had been eaten, the trio said their goodnights as they made their way to their rooms. Willem had his own room in the basement (though Kiku insisted otherwise, Willem preferred the space), and Kuro and Kiku shared a room together next to the dining area. It was a relatively small home, so the two had to make due with a single bed, though neither were bothered by this. Kuro was one to be physically affectionate, and Kiku had long since abandoned any qualms with such contact when it came to his brother.
As he drifted off to a peaceful sleep, Kiku silently thanked the Divines fo all the wonderful people and opportunities he had been given in his life. For such happiness was all he could ever wish for.
((Kiku - Japan
Kuro - 2p!Japan
Willem - Netherlands
Also, the month translates to May! Morthal is the capital city of Hjaalmarch hold, and yet it's still a very small town compared to Whiterun or Solitude. There is no protective wall, and dangerous swamps basically cover one edge of town. This fic is more like a crossover, so important characters like Ulfric, college mages, Dark Brotherhood members, etc. will remain in the story and will not be replaced with other characters.))