Warmth. A loving, comforting, pleasant warmth. Flowers; beautiful flowers, dotted across the gentle landscape. Birds singing their songs perched high in the great pines of the forest.
Kiku sat on the edge of a small pond, staring dreamily into the clear water. From the surface, he could see small creatures swimming around peacefully, the only sound the buzzing of insects and the flowing of calm waters through the nearby river. He sighed in content as he dipped his small feet into the pond, the cool water a welcome contrast from the slight heat that had begun to rise with the coming of summer. Kiku often liked to walk around the gloomy town of Falkreath, taking the time to admire nature's beauty. Though others living in the area might disagree, Kiku still found solace in the deep, luscious foliage of the Falkreath Hold. The large cemetery seemed a permanent reminder of the fragility of life, leaving a melancholic feeling lingering in the air, though despite this, he was still fascinated by the influence Kynareth seemed to hold over this place, bringing overflowing life into a place so burdened by death.
By his side, Kuro shifts slightly, attempting to achieve a more comfortable position in the grass. He was always a sleepy one, even during the day; often during their daily outings, Kuro would take the time to find a spot to lay down and take a short nap in the gentle rays of sun breaking through the canopy of trees above them.
Kiku smiles down at his brother, taking a piece of grass and using it to teasingly tickle his nose. Kuro flinched and scratched at the spot, sending a playfully annoyed glance at the boy staring down at him. Kiku chuckled, amused by the child's humorous expressions. Though twins, the two often acted much differently than the other. While Kiku was more reserved and tended to keep his feelings to himself, Kuro was very much outgoing and expressive. Polar opposites, and yet they couldn't be any closer.
As Kuro slowly rose from his resting position to sit level with his brother, Kiku felt a dark feeling pass through him. A chilling, foreboding feeling that told him something was amiss. It was like the sky was clouding over, the animals were retreating to their homes, the refreshing water became as cold as ice. Kuro frowned as he noticed the paranoid expression on the other's face; as he reached out to him, Kiku felt a sudden pain in his chest. A scream.
Kuro immediately turned in the direction of the voice, standing to go and investigate the cause. Kiku attempted to join him, but Kuro insisted he stay put in the event of danger. The pain increased as Kuro assured him everything would be fine. He turned and ran in the opposite direction. To their home, where their mother's scream had originated. When Kuro was out of sight, the world fell silent once more. Shadows began creeping their way towards the young boy, now sitting alone and frightened and confused next to his tiny, shallow pond.
Another scream. Kiku closed his eyes. The pain had stopped.
With a jolt, Kiku awoke from his nightmare. A dream he had not experienced in many years. He could feel the sweat on his brow beginning to cool, his heart rate fast and erratic. He brought his hand up to his eyes, rubbing the area to ease the throbbing ache that had begun to form. Letting out a deep sigh, he thinks about the dream once more. Why has it resurfaced now, after all this time? To his knowledge, there was nothing that could have triggered the memory to rise to the forefront of his mind like that. Perhaps the chill in the morning air had given him a fever? Yes, that must be it. He'll have to take a trip down to Falion's home to see about getting some health potions.
Next to him, the covers stir slightly. Kiku freezes, forgetting for a moment where he was. He looks to his left; Kuro mumbles slightly in his sleep, Kiku's waking having disturbed him. His eyes widen as he looks down at his twin, the parallel to the memory all too clear in his mind. Gently, he fixes the blankets over the other man, then stands from their shared bed, waiting as the world goes blurry for a few moments before moving to the wardrobe against the opposite wall. He had a tendency to wake in the early hours of the morning, before the sun has even risen above the horizon. Willem tells him to avoid consuming so much salt, though Kiku can't see how there could be a connection between what condiments he uses and his ability to sleep.
No matter the season, the mornings in Morthal are always frosty and damp, leaving its residents shivering beneath their covers well after the sun has risen. Kiku, in his restlessness, does not have such a luxury. He opens the drawers of their armoire, eager to don some warmer clothing for the day. Most of his clothes were light and versatile, fit for a day's work at a lumber mill. Well, that and for some reason, Kiku's body retained heat fairly well. Perhaps too well, actually. There were many days during past summers where he had to resist the urge to remove his clothing entirely, lest he suffer heat stroke. In truth, most would not mind if he removed his shirt during work, but Kiku felt doing so would be too "unprofessional". Never mind Kuro regularly performed his work shirtless.
After sifting around through assorted shirts and trousers, he comes across a familiar deep green tunic folded neatly under the twins' supply of winter attire. He pulls the article out from under the pile, running his thumb along the smooth material. It was a simple, yet well-crafted tunic, fit with cross-body leather belts and hand-crafted steel buckles. Red stitching travels down both sides, ending in slits parting at hip level, the shirt itself reaching down to his knees. The sleeves were elbow-length and loose-fitting, providing him with plenty of protection while still allowing him to stay cool. His favorite tunic; made by Willem himself for Kiku's birthday last year. He had been so flattered that the man went through all that trouble to make nice clothing for him that at first, he had refused to accept the gift. Of course, Willem insisted, saying he tailored it specially for Kiku and Kiku only. Everything, from its color down to the material, was picked with the smaller man in mind. The color was such that it reminded him of the deep forests that cover the mountains north of their town. He really was so thoughtful... Kiku blushed as he thought of the whole affair, covering his reddening face with said tunic.
Giving himself ample time to calm his nerves, he lowers the tunic and rests it on the pile of shirts inside the wardrobe, beginning to take off his sleepwear. He also takes the time to quickly pick out a pair of suitable pants, slipping the outfit on once his night clothes had been put away neatly. He had to admit, Willem sure took care in making sure the shirt fit Kiku perfectly. It was so comfortable that, if he focused, it was like it wasn't even there. He puts on a simple pair of brown hide boots and his "lucky circlet"; made of copper and set with jade stones, it was enchanted with a "fortify stamina" spell. Kiku shuddered at the thought of going a single day without the extra support, having to lug around heavy, uncut timber all day.
Behind him, he hears Kuro continue to mumble incoherent phrases in his sleep. He turns, seeing his brother scrunch his face up slightly, a sure sign he was having an intense dream. Kiku frowned slightly; lately, it seemed Kuro's dreams were becoming more and more strange and vivid. Sometimes, he would wake up in his usual pre-dawn setting to find Kuro groggily seated at the dining table, having experienced a dream so bizarre that he couldn't fall back asleep. Kiku walked quietly back over to the bed, leaning in slightly to better see the other's condition. Kuro seemed to be curling into himself, his arms and knees tucked close to his body as if he were cold. Yet Kiku could clearly see the light sheen of sweat covering his face. Deeming it best he keep his brother from suffering a bad dream any longer, he reaches an arm out and shakes Kuro firmly, knowing the other was a heavy sleeper. Immediately, his face seemed to visibly relax, and he shook his head lightly side to side, subconsciously refusing to wake up. Kiku continued shaking him lightly, moving in to speak to him as well. "Kuro, come on... come on, wake up now."
"Hnn... K-Kiku..? Gods, I- what time is it?" Kuro responded slowly, his speech slightly clipped and rough from a rough night's sleep.
"I'm sorry, it's still early. You seemed like you were having another bad dream, so I thought I'd wake you. Are you alright?"
"Oh, really? I... oh wow, I didn't even realize that was a dream... yeah, I guess it was pretty intense."
"What was it about?"
"Nothing in particular, I don't think... it was just- just so strange, you know? But I thought it all made perfect sense..." Kuro sighed, averting his gaze away from his twin. Ah, so there was more to it than that. Kuro was a terrible liar, and everyone knew it. But Kiku decided to let it go, smiling softly at him.
"Well, at least it's over now. Would you like something to eat or drink? I haven't started breakfast yet, so maybe you could have a snack to tide you over?"
"Oh yeah... that sounds good. Thanks, Shiro."
Kiku paused as Kuro yawned and stretched, realizing what the other had just called him. Shiro. Kuro didn't even seem to realize what he'd just said, as he promptly crawled out of the warmth of the straw bed and shivered as the chilly air hit his skin. Shiro. A nickname that Kuro used to call him often as children. He hadn't used that name in over a decade. Kuro noticed Kiku's sudden confused expression, and he placed a hand tentatively on the man's shoulder. "Hey, everything okay?" Kiku snapped out of his thoughts and memories, turning to give Kuro a reassuring nod.
"Yes, I'm fine. I was just thinking of what I should prepare for breakfast this morning. We're out of fresh venison, I believe."
Kuro's eyes widened, and he let out a large gasp as Kiku revealed this information. "What!? Out of meat? Now I'll never grow bulking muscles like Willem! My dreams are crushed!" he half-shouted, putting a hand to his forehead and pretending to wipe an invisible tear from his eye. Kiku let out a soft laugh and rolled his eyes at Kuro's silliness.
"Oh, come on now, don't be so dramatic. I never said we were out of meat, just that the venison is gone," Kiku explained, and Kuro muttered a quiet "whew" as Kiku moved into the dining room to fetch his brother a drink. Their home wasn't anything special, save for the rather decently-sized basement accessible to the left of the front door. Everything was quite standard, really, the one-room living space consisting of an hearth for warmth and cooking, an area designated for eating and storing food and other utensils, and just enough room left over for a single full-sized bed and a couple dressers for storing personal belongings. Perched atop the mantle above the fireplace were some extra wax candles, an assortment of favorites in literature, a medium-sized urn, and a small rabbit figurine made from glass. Most of the items in the home were originally brought by the twins, though Willem did save a few mementos from his hometown - such as the rabbit figurine, a gift given to him by his younger sister. However, as far as the trio were concerned, everything was shared equally between them.
Digging through the assortment of bottled drinks, Kiku grabbed a fresh container of milk, walking back over to Kuro, who was just finishing getting dressed for the day. His outfit was largely similar to Kiku's own, though in place of his hand-made green top, Kuro sported a signature red tunic with soft blue accents. Red had always suited him so nicely. After tying his long hair up into his preferred high ponytail and slipping on a golden ruby ring, he thankfully accepted the drink from his brother. Kiku had always scoffed at the insult of "milk drinker"; milk is good for your health, much better than plain old mead for every meal. After Kuro smiled approvingly at the given beverage, Kiku left him to finish his morning routine as he ventured to the basement to wake Willem.
The cool, damp earth from outside has left the basement feeling rather chilly. As he descended the sturdy wooden ladder down to the lower floor, Kiku once again felt bad for poor Willem. No matter how much the Nord man insisted he was fine down here, Kiku couldn't help but worry for his health. Sleeping all night in such a damp room could put you at risk for an illness, though Nords were generally better at handling the cold than others. Plus, despite being a bit too tall for the low ceilings, Willem had put the extra space to good use. When they had first moved in, the basement had been used primarily for a little storage room, though Willem had managed to transform the space into a rather useful area. All boxes used for storage were located behind the ladder and off in the far right corner of the wall. To the left, a small wooden door led into an even smaller room, which Willem had fixed up to serve as his bedroom. Beyond that, straw dummies and weapon racks were set up in an orderly fashion so that he would never miss out on an opportunity to hone his skills in battle. The entire basement was relatively well-lit as well, thanks to the several candles that the blond had mounted onto the walls. Though, Kiku still wished to hang up some decorations along the stone walls to make the place seem more homey.
As he reached the bottom of the makeshift stairway, his feet connecting to the uneven surface of the rocky floor, Kiku turned to the left in the direction of Willem's room. He always felt a little guilty about waking the man, since he worked so hard for so many hours every day. Though, on most occasions, Kiku would enter the room only to find said Nord man already awake, casually reading a book as he sat upright in his bed, seemingly awaiting Kiku's arrival. Though most found his behavior rather odd and unusual, Kiku found Willem's quirks to be quite endearing. How he tries - and fails - at hiding a smile when conversing with the local children, how he can be both strong and soft at the same time, how he can be a tad stingy yet so generous to the people he cares for... Kiku thanks the Divines every day that he had the opportunity to meet such a wonderful person in his lifetime.
With slight hesitation, he knocked lightly on the door, standing several minutes until he decided to knock again, only to be met with the face of his dear friend, hair still messy and unkempt from sleep. Upon seeing him, Kiku smiled fondly, offering morning greetings as Willem stepped aside to allow the smaller male inside. His room was simple, yet efficient, just like he liked things to be. Nothing but the bare essentials, with just a few extra odds and ends added to make the most of little space. A single bed, a dresser and wardrobe, a small table and two chairs were all the pieces of furniture that could be accounted for, with a small chest at the end of the wooden bed containing miscellaneous objects like books or spare change. Yet, everything was kept looking pristine, however not so much so that it appeared cold. If one simply looked close enough, they would find that Willem's personality really shines through in the ways he expresses himself.
Turning so that he once more faced the older man, Willem leaned idly against the wall behind him, using a hand to brush up his hair in the usual spiky fashion. He had chosen to wear a simple blue, short-sleeved tunic, some long-legged brown trousers, and sturdy leather boots; yet again, simple, yet it suited the man so well that it appeared more intricate when he wore it. "Mornin', kid. Sleep well?"
"Ah, yes, I slept well enough. Though, Kuro had another nightmare it seems, so he's woken up rather early today."
Willem raised a brow at that, concern flashing in his eyes for a few fleeting moments. "Hmm, 's that so? Wonder if he's not feelin' well or something."
Though the thought had crossed his mind, Kiku didn't truly believe that to be the reason behind these recurring dreams. There was no apparent fever present, nor was he acting particularly sluggish during the daytime. Plus, if that were the case... then Kiku himself must be ill as well. In truth, this past night's latest dream had not been the first, though it had certainly been the only one to have brought up such a vivid memory of his past. Luckily, since he naturally rises from bed at such early hours, none in the household had seemed to notice that anything was amiss. It was best that he didn't burden the other two with such a silly thing as some bad dreams! "Perhaps. He seems to be acting as his usual self for the most part, though maybe we could ask him about it later."
The taller man nodded slightly in agreeance, though as he opened his mouth to say something more, a slightly muffled whine could be heard from above them. "Come on guys, quit being all lovey-dovey and get up here! You don't really want me to make breakfast today, do you...?" Kuro called out, slight teasing evident from his tone of voice. Kiku noticeably blushed at his twin's accusations, turning to face the ladder with an exasperated expression. Willem, on the other hand, merely chuckled amusedly as he moved away from his resting position against the opposite wall. As he passed by Kiku on his way upstairs, he moved his hand to lightly ruffle the man's soft raven hair, not looking back as he began the ascent to the first floor. This, of course, did nothing to quell the shorter man's fast-beating heart, his body frozen stiff as Kuro's continued complaining and Willem's joking comments echoing from the top of the stairwell. Do we really seem like that to other people...?
The night air felt cool against his exposed skin. Yet again, the day had gone by with no meaningful events to speak of, which he truly didn't mind. He was content to spend his time with the two of them... they could be sitting in complete silence for hours, yet he would be happy simply to be with them. But now, as the world around him slowly shut down and his loved ones drifted off to sleep, Kuro felt truly alone. The house felt eerily empty at nighttime, when the silence was thickest and the sounds softest. At his side, Kiku lay sleeping quietly, his breathing even and calm. Looking at his brother's sleeping face, Kuro couldn't help but smile; he really was adorable, his exhales slightly blowing his disheveled bangs, only for them to fall back against his face every time. Like this, he seemed so peaceful... it was a nice contrast to the man's almost constant inexpressive demeanor. He only wished that Kiku could stay so content forever...
With a drawn-out sigh, Kuro closed his eyes and turned so that he was facing the barren ceiling above them. Lately, he had been feeling so inexplicably paranoid about his home, especially when he was the only one entirely conscious. It was odd, really - never before had he felt so uncomfortable in their little abode; usually, it always felt so warm and inviting inside these walls. But at the moment, the only thing he could focus on were the few sounds that arose from his surroundings. The cracking sound of wood settling, the uneven snapping of the burning fire from the hearth, the occasional whisper of wind from outside the window to his left. All completely rudimentary, everyday sounds that one could expect to hear in this setting. So why did he feel so on-edge?
He was so tired, yet his body screamed at him to remain on alert. It simply didn't make sense; why should he be so attentive like this? Common sense clearly indicated that there was no threat to him nor anyone around him. Sure, their small town had no protective walls to speak of, yet that had never really proven a problem before. The guards patrolling the hold were particularly dutiful and took their work very seriously, so any trouble started around here was quickly resolved, mostly without any injury. Not only that, but the very Captain of the Guard was sleeping not more than 20 yards from where he was! Looking at all this, he honestly should feel more secure than most would in their beds at night. Yet, that nagging suspicion kept breaking through to the front of his weary mind, keeping him awake despite his eyes pleading for sleep. After a few more unsuccessful moments of attempting sleep, Kuro rose softly with a huff and carefully crawled out of bed, the cold of the wooden flooring at his feet sending a shiver throughout his body. Maybe I could just do a quick check of the house to ease my nerves.
And so, the frustrated man took to the task of making sure his house was secure for the evening. He walked along the walls, confirming that all of the windows were shut tight. He checked the fire, adding another log to the flames for good measure. After seeing that their front door was, indeed, locked up, he slumped forward and rested his head on the door with a dull thud. Like this, certain noises were amplified, as he could feel their vibrations against the sturdy wood of the entrance. He stood still and listened for a while, slowly bringing himself to relax as each moment passed with no abnormalities. Slowly, he opened his eyes once more and straightened himself up, preparing to make his way back to the comforts of his bed when...
Crunch
A sudden sound, almost like a single footstep from outside. Kuro froze in his tracks, his rust-brown eyes growing wide. He could feel his heart once again pick up pace, and his breathing became more rapid by the second. A footstep outside your home was not something that you would normally hear at this time of the night. The guards never walked up to the civilians' abodes as not to disturb their sleep, so by all reason, there really shouldn't be anyone strolling around outside. Several minutes passed by, Kuro not moving an inch the entire time, straining his ears for any other unusual noises. When none could be heard, he changed his position and crept carefully towards the nearest window, taking a small peek outside to see if there really was anyone out there. No one could be seen; the view before him was one of a sleeping town, guards making their patrols with torches in hand and fur cloaks wrapped snugly around their shoulders for protection against the chilly weather. Nothing out of place in the slightest.
It was probably just an animal or something... he tried to reassure himself, attempting to steady his breathing to something more regulated. He stepped away from the window, shaking his head slightly as he turned back to continue towards the bed, which seemed more and more welcoming the closer he became. As he neared the bedside, Kiku's position not having changed much at all, Kuro had finally begun to convince himself that he was just being paranoid. It was probably due to these crazy nightmares he's been having these past few days... yeah, he was probably just apprehensive about falling asleep because he feared another bad dream. Glad that no one was awake to see him acting so ridiculous, he positioned himself to crawl back under the covers when he began to feel something near him. Or, more accurately, someone. His breathing stopped completely, body going rigid as the presence became known to him. It seemed that whoever it was, they were watching him intently, unmoving as the man before them began to panic internally.
Too afraid to face the intruder, his eyes scanned frantically around all that was visible in his line of sight, not coming across any weapons or other means of self-defense. He had no way to protect himself if this person was here to do him harm. Kiku's sleeping figure caught his attention, and he figured he should wake the man so that he could be aware of the danger present to them. Yes, he couldn't let this stranger hurt his brother in any way, he had to wake him up! Yet, just as his arm reached out to grasp the twin's shoulder, the being next to him moved at incredible speed, appearing behind him and grabbing hold of his body. Kuro tried to yell out, tried to get Kiku's attention, but the person clamped a strong hand over his mouth, preventing him from making any loud noises. His arms raised up behind him, blindly grabbing as he tried to take hold of whoever was attacking him. They were obviously taller and more muscular than he was, that was for sure; the grip they had on his smaller body was sturdy, so much so that he could barely move at all. They then began to walk them backwards, slowly dragging him towards the front entrance. Oh Gods, are they trying to take me away!?
At this point, Kuro was in full-on panic mode, his limbs thrashing around in desperate attempt at breaking free from his assailant. However, he suddenly began to feel very... drowsy. From the dim light flickering from the hearth, he began to make out a few features about this person holding him. It seemed they were definitely male, yet their skin was completely hidden under intricate robes of black and gold. They also appeared adept at using magic, as some sort of spell was emanating from the hand firmly clasping down across his torso. Ah, he hadn't noticed that before... his eyelids were growing heavier at an alarming rate, his strength fading as his body grew progressively weary. Robes... in his fogging mind, he felt that these robes were significant of something... he felt he should recognize these clothes.
The unknown man removed his hand from Kuro's mouth, opting to supporting his now slumping body instead. Despite finally having the ability to call out once more, Kuro found that he barely even had the strength to manage a whisper. The door opened quietly, the pair slipping out before anyone could notice they were gone. Whoever it was certainly was clever; with their speed, they raced silently behind the home, away from the watchful eyes of the guard. From there, he only needed to dash straight ahead into the vast swamps of Hjaalmarch, where he surely wouldn't be found by anyone. Kuro was shifted so that he was no longer touching the ground, carried bridal-style into the deep, foreboding swampland north of his village. As his eyes finally drifted shut, and his mind drifted away into unconsciousness, he finally made the connection that had puzzled him about his captor. The robes he was wearing... he had seen this design before.
The signature craftsmanship of the Thalmor, top elites of the Aldmeri Dominion.
(Ah finally, some action is happening! Writing out those first few chapters is always hardest for me. How do people manage to write all this filler content?
Anyways, I'm not entirely sure there's a spell that can put someone to sleep like that, but I'm sure that masters of magic could do something like that, no? Seemed fitting for a member of the Thalmor, at least. Kidnapping is something they do on a regular basis, after all! Those swamps really are disorienting, too. I always get turned around when I try to walk through them in the game. Thank the Divines that you're given a map right at the start of the game, or I'd never find my way around that place!
Hope you enjoyed! Sorry this second chapter took so long, real life stuff and writer's block are very real and very unfair. Hopefully I can get the next chapter up sooner, since I no longer have to fill in so much info between events~)