A/N- Another chapter. Let me know what you think.
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Elrue spent the rest of the day in deep thought. What could her father have possibly been implying? Was he a fugitive and she didn't know it? Was he a great hero living incognito? Was her mother really alive? The blonde's head reeled with question after question and Emiluin's stoicism did nothing to alleviate her anxiety.
That night as they finished dinner, the young woman turned to the man. "It's time I knew what was going on."
The tall man put his flatware under the pump and poured himself a glass of wine. "It is." He took a sip. "Once upon a time-"
"Before you begin," She interrupted. "I have to know, are you about to tell me that my whole life is a lie?"
"No." He said and she let out a breath she had been holding. "But your whole history is." This caused her to freeze once again. "May I continue?"
"Please do."
"Once upon a time, there was a fearsome Nord warrior who was captured and tortured by his enemy; a High Elf. In order to survive the ordeal, he deceived the High Elf and she fell in love with him."
"Clever son-of-a-bitch."
"The High Elf found out his treachery, but it was too late. He escaped and she was pregnant." Emiluin paused and took another calm sip of wine; though his daughter noticed how his hand shook slightly. "She bore a daughter, but could not bear to keep her. You see, the Altmer's life was dangerous and chaotic. She knew the child would be in peril and she could not look upon her without seeing her deceitful lover's face. This elf gave her daughter to her brother and made him swear that he would raise her well and protect her from harm. In spite of the hate she bore for the Nord, she loved her daughter." Elrue became dimly aware that she knew how this story ended. "And so her brother took the child and raised her as his own and found this final mission to be the most rewarding he had ever known."
"I am that child." She said quietly and stared into the flames of the small fire as her father took another sip of wine. "And you are my uncle."
"I am your father." He said sternly. "I may be your mother's brother, but I raised you and loved you and taught you. None of the life we shared has ever been ingenuine. I never put on concern or feigned care for you, my love."
"I believe that." Elrue said after several seconds of silence. "So, my mother-"
"Newnele gave me to you to protect you. She loves you dearly."
"I believe that, too." The woman nodded as she pictured the face of, what she had known as, her aunt and knew the affection to be real. "My birth father? The traitor?"
"A Nord living in Skyrim."
"Does he know of me?"
The man paused. "We don't know. Your mother certainly never told him of her pregnancy, but...he is a...powerful man and powerful men are often well-informed. I have watched every day of your life for him on the road in the face of a peddler or merchant. In the dagger of a fisherman or adventurer. I have watched for him always and taught you to do so as well."
"He would kill me?"
"Or abduct you." Emiluin nodded. "That is why those salesmen put me on edge today."
"But they were not Nords; they were Altmer."
"All the more unsettling." The man spoke and the young woman's eyes flashed with confusion. "You see, there were many within the Thalmor that believed your mother should have cut ties with you all together or sent you to Skyrim or to Cyrodiil. That your existence is a flaw or weakness for her."
"So I'm an enemy of the Nords and an enemy of the Thalmor. Fantastic."
The man nodded with a faint smile. "Which is why I have trained you to be suspicious of all people."
"You have trained me." The woman smiled. "What were you before? A Thalmor warrior?"
"I was a Sommerset Shadow."
The air in the cottage evaporated. "A thief? You were a bloody thief?"
"Who else could sneak up on a deer?" He asked.
Silence rang again. "That's a fair point. It explains why I can't ever sneak up on you and why you are so good with weapons, potions, and magick."
"So are you." He pointed out.
"Me?" She laughed. "Alright, potions, yes and I'm pretty good with magick, but weapons?"
"You can hit a squirrel sitting in a tree fifty yards out."
"But that's hunting."
"Imagine it's a bandit charging you down." Elrue paused. "You're also quick and efficient with the scythe which is nothing more than a long handled weapon. I would love to see what you could do with a war axe in your hands."
"But harvesting barley is far different than striking someone dead." She argued.
"Perhaps, but both activities have many of the same motions."
The woman let this sink in a moment and then shook her head. "So what does this mean?"
"It means that you now have a choice. The last time your aunt-" He stopped. "Your mother, came to visit she reminded me that you would soon be twenty-five. This was the age at which I was to tell you everything and allow you to make your own decision about your future."
"So I can stay here or join her? Is that it?"
"Basically." He nodded and then sipped his wine. "If you chose to go, you will take your place with Newnele and be treated as Thalmor royalty. You'll never want for anything. All will be yours. Robes, parties, jewels, suitors-"
"You're really selling this for me." The woman said sarcastically and the man seemed to hold his breath. "Since when have I ever wanted any of those things? No," Elrue shook her head, "my place is here. I wouldn't know what to do in a city or surrounded by high society."
The man smiled and the blonde could see tears threatening the edges of his eyes. "Well, now all that's left to do is to tell your mother all of this-" He began, but the sound of faintly clicking metal rose to their ears from the kitchen and they turned around just in time to see five people streaming in.
Emiluin jumped to his feet and unsheathed his dagger. The blonde was just behind him as both squared their shoulders to the intruders. "What is the meaning of this?" The man demanded.
"There's a bounty out for a High Elf male and an elf-changling girl."
"You're mercenaries?"
"We're Shadows."