Chapter 6
To Rebuild
Vokun stroked Lyn's soft hair as she lay with her head on his chest. The stone floor beneath him was cold and uncomfortable, but he couldn't think of a more pleasant place to be right now. Lyn stirred at his touch and pushed herself up with a yawn, stretching.
Vokun sat up in turn, cracking his neck.
"I wish we had a horse," he mused.
"Huh?" Lyn frowned, confused.
"Well it's going to be a long walk to the city. And we need a lot of tools and supplies. Carrying them back will be… such fun," he grimaced.
"What makes you think you're going?" she demanded.
He paused, blinking at her.
"Because I'm the Dragon Priest and it's my duty to take care of those under my care," he stated.
"You're too important to go," Lyn scolded. "If anything happened to you… No. You're not going. I'll get whatever we need," she asserted, grabbing her robes and wrapping them around herself.
Vokun had to laugh.
"You can't order me around," he said, feigning indignation.
"Not as your disciple, no. But I'm also your wife," she replied, tying her rode closed.
"Ouch. Playing the wife card," he smirked, standing and placing a kiss on her cheek.
She rolled her eyes at him.
"My dear, you're just a bit too conspicuous for the task. All the people of this age remember is that we're cruel monsters. If the guard hear of our actions, they will likely arrest us, if not worse. Even if you managed through one city, word would spread quickly about a white-haired elven woman preaching the Dragon Religion. I at least can blend in with the general populace."
Lyn looked him straight in the eyes.
"You are not going. I will be… discreet. And that's that," she replied tersely with all the flexibility of a rock.
He gave a pained smile and resisted the urge to rub his eyes. Arguing with Lyn was much like beating one's head against the wall. He sighed, reminding himself that she just wanted to protect him.
"Alright," he conceded, "but be careful." He paused, frowning. "And don't set anyone on fire."
"Unless they deserve it," she nodded.
"You're hopeless," he mused.
Lyn grinned unashamedly.
"You know," Vokun began. "We should not keep the boy here. It's not fair to him. He should be free to have his own life and make his own choices, not be dragged along like a puppy. Perhaps you could see if he would like to stay in Riften. See if you can set him up as an apprentice to one of the tradesman, or an assistant if not."
"No, I..." Lyn began, looking away.
"I can tell you're fond of him, love, but you have to do what's best for him," Vokun insisted gently.
"No!" she refused sharply. "I'm not leaving him with some strange outsider! What if they're mean to him? He's had a difficult enough life already. He doesn't need any more hardship."
"It won't be any easier for him here. There's much to do, and we don't even have a stable food source yet." Vokun paused and gently lifted her chin. "At the very least, he deserves to be able to chose. Would you take that right from him?"
Lyn gritted her teeth.
"Curse it all, but you're right," she admitted grudgingly. "I'll…. I'll talk to him about it before I go." She shifted her gaze away again, changing the subject. "I think Helgen would be a better first stop. It's closer."
"It is, but Riften will have a larger assortment of goods and more people that we can speak to," he replied. A somber smile played on his face before he hid it away. She never did well when it came to dealing with problems she couldn't incinerate.
"Fine," she nodded. "It doesn't make a difference to me either way."
She threw his robe at him and pointedly refused to meet his eyes.
"I'll send any potential followers to Autumnwatch," she announced. "We'll leave a guide of some sort there to take them to the tunnel, eventually anyway. It's not much, but I don't want the guard to have our exact location. You remember how it was near the end..."
"Yes,' he nodded grimly. "I think that's a good plan. I hate to do that to people, but..."
"If they can't handle it, we didn't want them anyway," she retorted, waving her hand dismissively. "And we should keep the tunnel shut, just in case."
"Yes dear," Vokun drawled with a smirk, shaking his head.
"Unless you want the guard searching the area and finding us," she groused. "Nothing says discreet like a nice passageway that practically screams 'what's through here?'."
"Fair enough, though I very much doubt that in this day and age they would have an active desire to seek us out versus merely apprehending anyone we might send to the cities," he rationalized, donning his robes.
Lyn paused for but a moment.
"That's not the point," she barked.
"Mm-hm."
He smiled and touched her arm.
"Take heart, my love. This world is not the same as it was before. But if it helps you feel better, then we can do as you suggest."
"It doesn't make me feel better, it's just prudent," she snapped snidely.
"Yes, because emotions are evil," Vokun teased, placing a hand over his mouth. "We can't have people thinking you care! It would be awful."
"Mule," she grumbled, rolling her eyes.
Matthias twiddled the rock in his hands, studying it before he hurled it out across the rippling lake. Emotions warred for supremacy within him, driving him mad with their incessant raging. Anger, sorrow, and apathy took turns ruling him. His personal favorite was apathy. At least then his heart hurt but he didn't care. He picked up another stone, clenching it until his knuckles shone white. The worst part was, he had no one but himself to blame. Divines, she'd even told him plainly that Vokun was her husband. What had he really expected?
He growled, clenching his teeth together as he threw the rock violently, sending it crashing into the water's surface. That was probably the worst part of all of this. He couldn't hate Lyn or Vokun, and if he was truly honest, he didn't. The one he hated was himself. Still, he really didn't want to see either of them right now.
Matthias rubbed his face as the sky gained a pink hue, heralding the rising sun. How could he have been so blasted stupid? Another rock sailed over the lake's edge before plunking into the crystalline depths. He grimaced and stood purposefully. Divines he was sick of moping about! It was time to get up, dust himself off and get over it!
"Here you are!" Lyn sighed in relief behind him.
Matthias was fairly sure his heart stopped. Or his lungs forgot how to work. Maybe he'd been kicked by an invisible mule...
"I've been looking everywhere for you!" she chastised, catching his shoulder.
"I'm here," he muttered.
She looked him over frowning.
"What's wrong?"
His mind fumbled for an answer.
"… Didn't sleep well."
It wasn't a lie, at least.
"Right," she sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have left you by yourself. I forget how unsettling these places can be at night if you're not used to them."
"You had other things on your mind," he jabbed subtly, unable to resist.
"True enough," Lyn replied, missing his meaning. She paused in silence, wondering why he refused to look at her.
"We're going to plan out where we'll have the farmland today," she offered.
He nodded slowly.
"I'll be going into the city to get us some tools and supplies, maybe even some followers if we're fortunate," she continued, frowning. At length, she decided on a change in tactics. "I was thinking it would be prudent to have a garden of alchemy reagents. Why don't you be in charge of that?"
This time he looked up at her.
"Really?"
"Yes," she returned earnestly. "You seem well qualified. Just tell me what cuttings you'll want for it and I'll get them."
"Alright."
Lyn frowned in irritation, but reigned in her ire. The boy had spent an unsettling night in a dark and unfamiliar place alone. He deserved to be reticent if he wanted.
"Come on," she said, ushering him back toward the temple. "I'll show you where I'm thinking the garden will go."
Matthias shook his head and reached out a finger and pointed a small distance down the lake shore before he thought about his actions.
"There," he insisted. "There's good soil by the lake and plenty of sunlight. And they'll have a tree to help the plants that like shade."
Lyn blinked, assuming that what he said made some sort of sense.
"Alright then, if that's where you think is best," she shrugged, in the hope of making peace with him.
He nodded and forgot himself for a moment.
"Actually, this whole valley has good soil. Just look at how healthy the plants are and the deep green of their leaves. They're happy," he smiled, gazing out at the forest of pines on the other side of the valley.
"Um, good," Lyn agreed hesitantly. She followed his gaze, and to her credit, managed to keep her scoff to herself. Plants were plants. They couldn't be happy. She shook away the thought. "I'll be back as soon as I can. For now, will you go and help Vokun?"
Matthias wanted to bite his own tongue as he nodded.
She touched his head for a moment before she turned her back to him, taking all of two steps before stopping.
"Matthias?" she called over her shoulder.
"Hm?"
Silence drifted between them before she finally spoke again.
"Do you… want to leave? I could take you with me to Riften," she managed to say. "Then we'd find a good person to take you in and give you paying work, maybe even an apprenticeship. You could make a life for yourself there."
Lyn couldn't look at him. If she did, she'd have to actually admit how fond she was of the boy. She needed to distance herself, to be objective. She didn't have the luxury of caring or compassion. Her duty, first and foremost, was to the Dragon Priest. Protecting him had to come before all else. She curled her hand into a fist and clasped it to her chest. By all that was sacred, these feelings were traitorous! They deprived her of the strength and conviction she needed to fulfill her purpose. She waited silently, unable to look into those arresting eyes of his. Alduin protect her, she mustn't.
Matthias stared at her back and struggled to understand her words. Why was she saying this? Did she not want him around anymore? He supposed that would make sense. She had her husband back, and soon the other members of the group would wake. There was no place for someone like him here. Simply put, she had no more use for him anymore, so she wanted him gone.
Still…
"I don't want to go," he whispered softly.
Lyn didn't dare to believe her ears. She turned around slowly.
"What?" she asked in disbelief.
He looked down at his feet and poked at the dirt with the toe of his boot. Divines, the pain in his heart before seemed paltry compared to the suffocating thought of leaving.
"Can I stay?" he murmured pleadingly. "I'll be really quiet. And I won't eat as much. You won't even know I'm here."
Lyn hesitated, hating herself for what she was about to do, but Alduin forgive her… she wrapped both her arms around him and hugged him.
"Of course you can stay," she replied simply.
Matthias's mind emptied of all thought. He stood, stunned with his chin resting on Lyn's shoulder. Before he could even think to return the embrace, she was gone, dashing away across the verdant expanse toward the dark passage leading to the outside world.
He let himself fall until his backside thunked into the dirt. His emotions felt like someone had thrown a hive of swarming bees in his skull… and shaken it for good measure. Garden. Definitely needed to go and work on the garden. Yes. Much better than sitting here. Excellent plan. Oh blast it all! He hadn't told Lyn what plants to buy! Matthias grumbled and stood, dusting himself off. He signed in resignation. There were blue mountain flowers and thistle plants growing wild here and there. They would be a good start.
At any rate, he figured he should probably make himself useful and see how he could help Vokun. The bitterness in his heart surfaced again at the thought. He grimaced and sighed as he rubbed his chest. Why couldn't things just be easy?
Krahsilsaan blinked at Lyn for a breath before he threw back his head and laughed. After the fit passed, he met her stare and laughed anew.
"And why," he balked incredulously through his mirth, "would I ever do that?"
"To aid us in gathering supplies and followers faster," she replied, wondering if one of Matthias's "please"s would help.
The dragon kneaded the frozen soil in his claws, staring over her at the sarcophagi.
"It seems to me that you planned to do this on your own from the start. My assistance, nay my very presence, was unexpected so you can simply do as you planned from the start," he spat contemptuously.
"It would take me weeks to travel to each city and back for supplies and followers. Together we could make the journey in well under half the time," she replied diplomatically.
"Yes we could. But that's about as likely to happen as you setting yourself on fire," he retorted.
She opened her mouth to reply only to be cut off.
"Do you see the saddle? The hooves? Perhaps the flowing mane and tail? No? Then as you can plainly see, I am not a horse!" he seethed, baring his fangs.
Lyn reached out and set her palm on his snarling lips.
"I know old friend, but I would not ask you were it not of the utmost importance. We fight against the very flow of time itself. You can feel the moment of His return drawing nearer, can you not?"
He snorted and looked away snarling.
"I am under strict orders not to be seen," he grumbled, shuffling his wings.
"I can ensure that," she smiled, holding up one hand that glowed with a pulsating deep blue.
"I am, by right, your ruler, your divine!" he protested. "And yet you treat me with such disrespect."
"Then let us find others who will treat you with due reverence, Your Eminence," she replied with mock severity, placing her hand over her heart and bowing.
Krahsilsaan bared his fangs in irritation. But still… it would be nice to bathe in the adoration of the masses again.
"I will take you to one city," he conceded. "And in return I can set you on fire."
"Thank you," she bowed earnestly, fairly certain that the last part had been a joke.
Fairly…
The wind snatched at Lyn's hair, throwing it every which way as Krahsilsaan dipped his wings and landed in a rush of air where the vibrant trees were sparse. He dipped his head, letting Lyn lower herself from her place just behind his horned head.
"This is as close as I will go, Child-of-Snow. When you are done, call to me. Otherwise I believe I saw a herd of elk that looked delicious."
"I thought you weren't supposed to be seen," Lyn smirked, her spell having faded moments earlier.
Krahsilsaan muttered a non answer and leapt into the air, spiraling away.
Lyn smiled and shook her head. It seemed not even Alduin's own decree could keep a dragon from his rumbling stomach.
She turned away, walking in silence for a time before she saw the first outcroppings of farmland that clustered around Riften. Lyn casually strode past a farmer's line of laundry and pulled a cloak from it, wrapping it around herself before drawing the hood low over her face. Something "conspicuous" something something… That man was such a worrier.
The gate to the city stood open and the morning traffic drifted through. The guard stood lazily against the walls, enjoying the peaceful calm. They showed little interest in the pedestrians, and Lyn passed by easily. She took a moment to study the area, determining where to start. But in a city of underpaid, undervalued people and a host of beggars, the decision wasn't difficult.
Matthias followed Vokun silently into the temple his eyes turned upward as he watched the spider webs warily. He scowled and brought up his hand, focusing his will until a tiny flicker of flame danced on the tip on one finger. The act made him feel slightly better, even though he knew it wouldn't do much against anything more than the world's smallest spider.
Vokun turned and looked at him in confusion before he understood.
"If it helps, they're just as scared of you."
"Doubt it," the boy muttered before quickly amending. "I mean I don't think they're scared of me. I'm not scared of them!" he insisted, letting the flame die out.
"Alright," Vokun shrugged agreeably, hiding his grin from the boy. "What do you say we have some breakfast, then get started on cleaning up the temple and some of the rooms since someone," he winked, "already chose the best location for the farmland, huh?"
"Fine," Matthias nodded, brushing away the man's praise. Besides, a drunken Altmer could have picked the location rather than him and achieved the same result. Really, it wasn't hard to find the best soil.
Vokun took the taciturn response in stride and sat down on the steps leading to the altar. He untied a wrapped bundle of food from his belt that Lyn had given him along with instructions to make sure the boy was properly fed. She hadn't appreciated his reply that it made the boy sound like a lost puppy…
The knots fought him for a moment before he finally unwrapped a hearty amount of venison strips and a loaf of bread. He handed a little over half of the fare to the boy.
"What do you think of the area so far?" Vokun asked, gnawing at one of the tough strips of meat before finally getting a piece to break off.
"It's fine," the boy muttered, busily chewing on a large bite of bread.
"At least it's not covered in snow," the man returned cheerfully.
"Mm-hm."
Alright, breakfast conversation was clearly going well.
"Where are you from?"
"Sah-ri-thood," he replied with a mouthful of venison.
"Solitude?" Vokun ventured.
Matthias nodded curtly.
Vokun tapped a single finger against his leg as he frowned in thought.
"So, I'm going to venture a guess that you're not too fond of me. Is it the whole magic-coming-back-from-the-dead thing? Because I can see how that would be unsettling, but I promise that I mean you no harm."
Matthias paused and wiped his mouth.
"I don't dislike you," he offered. In fact, it was mostly true. He just didn't want to like the man.
"Well, I'm fairly sure you're not usually this reticent, or Lyn would have probably thrown you off a cliff by now," he smiled to let the boy know he was joking.
Matthias hid his grimace in another bite of bread. His own nature poked at him incessantly, insisting that he stop being rude. He thought about yelling back at it that he didn't feel like being nice to the man who stole Lyn, only for his own cold logic to slap him across the head. He looked away out the open window, telling himself he was a fool. What had he actually thought would happen? His hand clenched determinedly around his food. He needed to be better than this.
Vokun frowned and continued drumming his fingers subtly on his leg. He shrugged at length, then respectfully let the matter go.
"Ugh," he grimaced, pointing to a group of large mushrooms poking up out of one of the rotting wooden remains of a shelf. "What are those monstrosities?"
Matthias paused and turned back, his last piece of food halfway to his mouth as he followed the man's finger.
"Imp stood. Don't touch it, it's poisonous."
"Wonderful," Vokun remarked sourly. "And here I was about to ask you what it's used for."
"Well," Matthias mused. "Poisons, most commonly. It'll knock you on your backside for sure, if you're not careful. But if you refine it correctly, you can use it in remedies. I'd still recommend using something different though."
"Wow," he replied. "Lyn told me you knew about alchemy, but I must admit, I'm impressed. "How did you manage to learn all that?"
"My mom taught me. She was an alchemist," the boy shrugged, embarrassed at the praise.
"Really? My dad was an alchemist too, before he joined the Dragon Religion. He hated making potions though, never taught me a darn thing. In fact, he was thrilled when they gave him a different job."
"How could he hate alchemy?" Matthias protested.
"He never wanted to be an alchemist, but his father taught him and my dad was really good at it, so it earned him a good living. Still, I was glad when we left to come here. He was so much happier."
"Wait, so he just decided to run off into the mountains and brought you along?"
"There was no one he could leave me with, and I wouldn't have stayed behind anyway. My Da was a good man. I wasn't about to leave him," he shrugged.
"What was it really like in these places back then?" Matthias pressed, looking around the ruins.
"Well," Vokun paused and thought for a moment. "I guess it depends on the person. If you could take orders, and wanted a safe place to work, live, and sleep, it was great. You never had to worry about finding work or whether or not you could afford to keep a roof over your head. But it had its share of disadvantages too. For most, the rules and system in place were too ridged. If you had a trade, you could practice it, but most people were simply assigned to whatever area needed more workers to help everything function. If you hated farming, or working in the kitchen, you were somewhat stuck because even though you could appeal to your superiors to switch, if that was where they needed you, you stayed until someone else could be found to switch. Which could be months, years, or never."
"Then why did people stay?"
"Most had nowhere else to go. But even so, it wasn't all bad. You were assigned a job, and if you did it, you were fine. No one really cared too much what you did after that. You always had three meals a day and a place to sleep safely at night."
"But it seems kind of… hollow."
"Of course, it does if that's all you look at. If a baker in Solitude wakes up every morning, does his job and goes to bed, it doesn't make much of a life either. People were free to talk and visit with one another whenever they wanted so long as it didn't interfere with their job. And they had to keep their voices down at night," he added before laughing.
"My friend Ronald actually learned that one the hard way. I remember one day, he decided to challenge this big mammoth of a man to a drinking contest. It was a profoundly bad idea. Those two made such a ruckus at sundown that half the settlement packed into the dining hall just to see what was going on. Of course, by that time, my friend was already determined to dance a jig on the tabletop while singing the most off key ballad to everyone he saw..."
Matthias laughed heartily.
"What happened then?" he pressed.
"One of the members of the previous Vokun's Hand came in looking absolutely furious. But when my friend turned to him and started to try and serenade him, the man actually cracked a smile and burst out laughing. Of course, that didn't stop him from assigning Ronald to outhouse duty for a week."
"Worth it," Matthias nodded.
"For everyone else, at least!" Vokun laughed. "People talked about it for weeks after. You should have seen their faces!"
Matthias paused and thought for a moment, head tilted sideways.
"You know," he began, "you're not really what I expected a Dragon Priest to be like..."
"I take that as a compliment, thank you."
"No, I mean-"
"I'm not some power hungry, controlling tyrant with a need to suppress others to elevate my own status?" he surmised simply.
Matthias blinked twice.
"Yes."
Vokun grinned.
"But it's more than that," the boy continued. "You're… nice. And have a sense of humor. I kind of thought you'd just be some gloomy all-powerful person that throws fire and would rather crush someone like me rather than sit down and have a conversation."
Vokun adopted an overly dramatic expression.
"Well, I'd crush you, but then Lyn would be mad, and then she'd crush me… It would all just be so terrible." He placed the back of his hand to his forehead.
Matthias laughed and shook his head.
Vokun gave a small smirk, then spoke earnestly.
"Honestly, I just remember what it was like back then. I remembered what worked and what didn't and want to change how things are done. I don't need to rule through power and fear, and I don't want to. I want to make their lives better, safer, and make them a world better than the one that I had."
Matthias paused and thought again.
"Can I ask you a question?" he ventured.
"Of course," Vokun insisted.
"Lyn says that Alduin is your… Dread Lord? But why would you worship the World Eater? It doesn't make sense. I mean, he's supposed to destroy the world like in the old stories, right?"
"That is his task come the end of time, yes, but it is not his sole purpose. And in truth, Alduin was not always as he is now. Mortals are, by nature, chaotic and ever in need of guidance. Alduin attempted to do so by taking upon himself the burden of leadership, but had to rule firmly, else mortals would not listen. Over time, they became angry and rebellious, so he had to become stringent, almost cruel. Through the ages it seeped into his very soul, poisoning him and changing his very being. Thus, he became Al-Du-In in full, the Destroyer, Devourer, Master."
Vokun stared at something far away.
"He ordered all traces of his former name and self erased. In truth, I do not think he could bear to be reminded of all he had lost. Perhaps one day, if I can show enough people how to lead a peaceful existence, we can purge the need for cruelty from Alduin's heart and he can become himself again."
"But I don't..." Matthias frowned, thinking.
"Go on," Vokun encouraged, waiting patiently.
"I don't know. It doesn't sound… right. Alduin ruling us for our own good? People just wouldn't be happy with a dragon telling them what to do. They would want to govern themselves."
"Therein lies the problem," Vokun nodded. "The true secret of mortals is that they are never happy, never content with what they have, and none of them can agree on what is best for everyone. Alduin is far more than a mortal. He can see beyond the restrictions of mortality and time to truly understand how to guide us to prosperity."
"But what if his definition of prosperity and ours are not the same?" he countered.
"Then the people will speak to the Priests, the Priests will speak to Alduin, and Alduin will contemplate with them to find a solution together."
"That didn't work before," the boy stated boldly.
"Yes, but there were many problems with the old ways. I will freely admit that the Priests of old in Skyrim were corrupt. Power granted by a dragon can be… seductive," he shook his head. "Without the proper Priests in place to act as mediators, the system begins to break down."
"Then it seems like a bad idea for a system of government..." the boy frowned thoughtfully.
Vokun gave a small laugh.
"Suppose the Jarls ignored the people's wishes, never spoke to the king, and only acted in their own interests," he countered. "That would be remarkably similar, don't you think?"
"Oh..."
"No system of government is perfect," the man offered kindly, standing and dusting the dirt from his tattered robe.
"So… you're saying Alduin actually cares about us?" Matthias asked in disbelief.
The man smiled sadly.
"He did, once, but we betrayed that love. Now we must work to gain it back."
"I..." Matthias began, then shook his head. "Can we talk about something else?"
"Sure," Vokun smiled with a nod. "Why don't you tell me all about the plants in the area? Lyn says you know all about alchemy."
Lyn…
"Can I ask you one more thing?" Matthias ventured softly.
Vokun gestured for him to proceed.
"Lyn… Has she always been like she is now? I don't understand it. You want to save people, but she… she'll kill anyone that stands in her way..." he mumbled softly.
Vokun sat back down next to him heavily and gathered his thoughts.
"Well, she's been that way since I've known her," he sighed. "But I asked an old Arbiter the very same question much as you did. From what he told me… by the Great Dragon."
The man shook his head solemnly, a grim sorrow weighing on him. Matthias stared and bit his lip, keeping silent. Vokun sighed and cracked his neck before at last continuing.
"The previous Vokun was a cold man in a time of ruthless men all scrambling for power. From what I understand, he took Lyn in on a whim, then, once he found out she could Shout, he began to train her himself," he clenched a fist. "He forged her into a weapon that he could use to subjugate the masses or even challenge other priests with, and didn't care if she died in the process. It was demanding and brutal, both in mind and body. All for the purpose of maintaining his control and gaining himself further power. Over the years, he ingrained in her his own twisted beliefs, keeping her separated from all others as he turned her mind into what it is now. Only when he could trust that she could never be turned against him did he allow her contact with others."
"But how would he do tha-" Matthias began.
Vokun held up one hand sharply and shook his head.
"I will not speak of it," he growled through clenched teeth.
He took a steadying breath before he continued.
"What he got in the end was the perfect weapon. If he told her to kill, she did. It didn't matter if it was men, women, or children, she obeyed. It was decades before she tempered enough to even allow herself to even get to know people, but the eventual death of the previous Vokun left a crack in her being. He was all she had. With him gone, it forced her to talk to others, to interact with them. That's about the time I met her. She was still plenty scary then," he added with a sardonic smirk.
Matthias frowned for a moment.
"Did she take over for him?" he asked.
"No, Krahsilsaan determined that I would succeed Vokun and take up the mantle of Dragon Priest."
"I bet she was thrilled..."
"Actually, she was quite pleased. She hated having to deal with people, and really just wanted one person to tell her told what to do. Unfortunately for her, I'm mean. I gave her all the jobs that made her have to interact with others," he winked.
"Hold on, she actually obeyed you?" the boy balked.
"She had to. She was a member of my Hand." He paused, then explained,"Really it's just a group of five reliable people to help with the day to day running of the settlement. I was able to persuade the other members of his Hand to… shall we say, retire, when I inherited them, but there was no way I could dismiss Lyn. Not only would she have refused, I couldn't bring myself to turn her loose on the populace…. Well, that and she probably would have killed me in my sleep if I did…" he mumbled.
"But you gave her all the jobs with people," the boy protested.
"Yes, I did," he laughed wryly. "I started her out with Martha, the cook. You'll meet her soon. She's a nice woman, impossible not to like." He paused and rubbed his chin for a moment, thinking. "I believe Lyn threatened to set her on fire the day they met… After which our dear sweet Martha walked right up to her and stared her down, biding her to go ahead, but the last thing in this life she would do is take Lyn out with her. They've been friends ever since."
"What?"
Vokun offered a shrug.
"I don't pretend to understand it."
"Is that why you sent her to get supplies? So that she could interact with people?" Matthias asked.
"No, she rather stubbornly insisted."
"That sounds like her."
"Maybe I should have told her to be nice..." Vokun grimaced.
"Wouldn't work," Matthias smirked.
Lyn took in the faces of the crowd sitting before her on the floor. They glanced to each other and murmured as the candles cast flickering shadows around the room. She turned, giving them time to think as she spoke to the abode's owner.
"Thank you for the use of your home," she offered, bowing her head slightly.
"It's not a problem," the dunmer woman replied. "Anyway, it's my sister's home, but she won't be back from the market until evening."
"Miss?" called an argonian, raising her hand.
Lyn turned back, giving the speaker her full attention.
"How do you know the dragons will return? How do you know that Alduin will return?" she rasped.
"Yeah, and how do we know this place you speak of will actually treat us fairly?" chimed a nord, his bare chest a patchwork of scars.
"You'll not be prisoners," she stated. "If you feel how we operate is unjust, you may leave at any time."
"I've heard that one before," the nord countered.
"Hush Bjorn," another man called.
The dunmer woman thought for a moment, then spoke.
"It might come as no surprise to some of you, but I'm familiar with the process of those loyal to the Daedric Princes attempting to gain followers. Some make empty promises and others speak the truth, and it is remarkably difficult to separate which is which until one sees it with their own eyes."
Lyn tried not to scowl at the assessment.
"I will freely admit," the woman continued, "that in my younger years I walked in some rather dark circles. In time I came to know the deceptions of many a missionary and recognize when they do not believe what they profess," she paused, looking Lyn squarely in the eyes. "This is the deception I see in you now."
Lyn frowned, blinking. The group murmured among themselves as she stared back at the crimson eyes.
"You're right," Lyn conceded. Conversation stopped immediately. "This new age of the Dragon Religion is not what I was taught, and is not what I believe. This is High Priest Vokun's vision of the future, and regardless of my personal beliefs I will do all in my power to make his dream a reality. That is my duty as a member of his Hand."
"And if you had your way?" the dunmer asked.
"Then there would be only one purpose for the weak, and that is to be ruled by the strong. But Vokun insists that we must empower the weak and help them become strong. In doing so we will create a world where everyone can thrive," she paused, realizing that she had the complete attention of the group.
"I will admit I do not think such a world can be, but I… would be curious to see it."
No one spoke for a time, they merely stared at her, assessing her silently. She met their gaze calmly.
"I have no reason to deceive you. It's your life on the line, after all. You will stay or go as it pleases you," she finished.
They looked between themselves and conversed again.
"Will we really get to see a dragon?" the argonian asked, hesitantly to which the entire group agreed and echoed.
Lyn laughed before a mischievous smile took hold of her.
"I can take you to one now," she offered.
The group gaped and hastened to their feet. Lyn tried to fight her mirth and prepared herself mentally. Krahsilsaan was going to be angrier than a khajiit without a sweetroll.
Lyn led the group out of the city and into the wilds, only stopping once they were a suitable distance from any chance of prying eyes.
"Wait here," she insisted as they stood at the edge of a clearing in the colorful trees. She took a handful of steps and let power thread her voice. "Krah-sil-saan," she called, a resounding crack splitting the air.
The people muttered and exchanged glances.
"The power of old?" a nord whispered, awestruck.
Their chatter died instantly as a roar from the sky froze the marrow in their bones. Before they could blink, a gale of wind struck them from behind as the dragon soared over their heads and landed with jarring force. He turned and fixed them with his ice-hued eyes.
"Joorre..." he grumbled, lip curling.
"Drem," she soothed, placing a hand on his neck. "They wish to see your great might, Eminence," she said, using the dragon tongue.
Krahsilsaan turned a vibrant eye to her.
"You only use terms of respect when you want something," he grumbled sourly. "This was not our agreement."
The argonian female took a tentative step forward, jaw open in obvious awe.
Krahsilsaan shifted his gaze back to her and studied her for a moment, as well as the rest of the mortals. Their similarly enthralled faces gave him pause. With a grumbling sigh, he decided that it might not hurt to humor Lyn. Just this once. He settled himself in the dirt and flared his wings, striking a remarkably regal pose.
"Approach, mortals," he decreed, using the two-leg's dialect with an internal shudder. "I have no need to harm you."
The argonian took two more hesitant steps and reached out a hand.
Krahsilsaan barred his fangs at the gesture. Lyn patted his neck subtly, speaking words both soothing and pleading. He growled and dipped his head grudgingly, resolved to throw her off his back the moment they were in the air together.
"Such beautiful scales," the argonian whispered.
The dragon blinked, head tilting sideways.
"Yes," he agreed, shuffling his wings.
She smiled, though with her reptilian snout, it was more like revealing her entire mouth of teeth. The rest of the group began to creep forward.
"And powerful claws," she praised. "You could rip through stone and flesh alike."
"This is also true," he preened, allowing her to touch the tip of his nose.
"With glorious wings that could battle the strongest gale!"
"Yes," he sighed. "Truly I must seem so imposing to one so fragile. Approach mortals!" he demanded. "Come and view the epitome of power!"
They continued forward slowly, some of them daring to reach out and touch the glittering scales if only to ensure that he was real.
Lyn rolled her eyes as he bathed in their adoration. Questions flew from the group like arrows. Krahsilsaan resettled his bulk and answered dramatically, at times lifting his head into his vision of a majestic pose.
"What a magnificent sight," breathed a voice beside her.
Lyn turned to find the dunmer woman from before standing by her side, gazing up at the dragon. The mid-afternoon sun reflected off his scales in shimmering blues, casting dancing flecks of light among the trees.
"He is indeed, but don't tell him I said that," she smirked.
The woman smiled serenely.
"I would like to come with you," she stated bluntly.
"Those who wish to join must make the journey to Autumnwatch Tower south of Ivarstead. Someone will be there to guide you to the temple." Lyn studied the woman's face for a moment, then added softly, "We do not have the luxury of sheltering those who would come and go on a whim, only those who truly desire a new life. The journey will sort out the people who lack resolve for us. Forgive me."
"No, I understand," the dunmer replied. "It is the logical course. We'll meet again," she added with a smirk.
Lyn smiled earnestly. Yes, she rather believed they would.
Krahsilsaan roared jubilantly as he soared, beating the air with his wings.
"I have forgotten how wondrous it feels to fly the skies of this world!"
Lyn laughed as the wind whipped her robes into a frenzy. For the third time, she glanced back and checked that Krahsilsaan still had the supplied nestled safely in his front claws.
"Do remember that I can keep us from being seen, not heard!" she chastised.
"Bah! Let the foolish mortals hear me! I am but a myth, remember?" he bellowed. "Now, we will return to the temple, throw the supplies on the little Priest'shead and press on to the next city! You can leave your bird at my towers to guide the followers that will come to us," he commanded, angling his wings. "Though I doubt the little mortals will make it there before tomorrow. Such a slow species."
"Are you certain?" Lyn smirked, letting "my towers" and insults go unchallenged.
He tossed his head triumphantly, jostling her in the process.
"The more we speak to, the more will come, and the more will shower me with their adoration!" he decreed.
"You're enjoying this far too much, old friend," she returned.
"I'm just doing my part to assist you and my brother in gathering faithful followers," he replied in mock innocence.
"Oh yes, and the wastes of Oblivion have frozen over."
In answer he opened his mouth and shot a burst of frost before him, then plunged through it, coating Lyn in crystals.
"Very mature," she grumbled, brushing the ice from her. "Truly you are a paragon of dragonkind."
"I'm glad we agree," he preened.
Evelyn set down her tea calmly and leaned forward in her chair as she studied the ragged urchin before her. The fireplace behind her cast sharp shadows on his gaunt face. Or hers. It was remarkably hard to tell.
"Are you certain?" she asked.
"Aye ma'am," he nodded. "There was a lady down at th' docks earlier talkin' about dragons or some such. She must've been old, a'cus she had white hair, but I don' think her face looked it."
"Do you know where she went?" Evelyn asked slowly, grim portent weighing down each word.
"Well, Stinky told me she said people should go to Autumnwatch Tower. Apparently they'll find something there?" the child shrugged.
"Very good, you've done well," she praised, scribbling notes on a piece of parchment.. She snapped her fingers twice and a servant was at her side in a breath. "See that the boy is fed, clothed, and given a safe place to sleep for the night."
"Thank you," the urchin grinned. "Can I... take some food for Stinky too?"
Evelyn nodded and waved him away quickly, standing and turning her back as the boy was ushered out.
"Autumnwatch, huh?" she mused, gazing into the fireplace. She picked up her teacup, sipping at it. Strangely it tasted metallic, like the promise of freshly spilt blood. Perhaps that was just the promise of vengeance on her tongue.
Evelyn turned and jumped backwards, the teacup falling from her fingers as she instinctively reached for her dagger. Two cloaked figures stood calmly before her, the firelight barely casting enough illumination into their drawn hoods to see their faces were cowled as well.
She took a deep breath, and centered herself at once.
"Thank you for coming," she stated.
They remained silent.
"I have a probable location," she stated, handing over the piece of parchment. "You would find her regardless though, wouldn't you?" she smiled.
They nodded.
"You've already been briefed on the woman, I take it?"
Again, they nodded.
"I do not want her dead. I want everyone she loves slaughtered brutally. Take from her all that she took from me. Let her spend the rest of her years as I will. I want the kills messy. No poisoning their food, not killed in their sleep, not killed from a distance, I want it up close," she insisted. "The last thing they will see, the last thing they will know, is the terror that coursed through my boy's veins, the agony that ripped through his body. If my conditions are not met, you will receive no payment. I am trusting that you are professionals who can accomplish this, yes?"
The figures said nothing, merely nodded once, slowly.
"I won't keep you," she dismissed, knowing their meeting was over. She turned away and stared again into the fire. It was time for another cup of tea, or perhaps something stronger. And besides, there was no need to ruin such a lovely air of mystery by watching the assassins leave like common mortals.
A voice called her from somewhere far away.
"Martha, can you hear me?"
She drifted for a moment, lost between the world of waking and dreams.
"Where…?" the woman croaked, glazed eyes seeing only darkness.
"Easy there," a man soothed. "You're awake now."
Awake? She blinked heavily, trying to look around to little success. Her gray hair and wrinkled skin shifted as she squinted into the dark.
"It's alright, I'm right here."
A hand gripped hers gently.
"Vokun?" she asked, focusing on his face.
"None other," he smiled. "I've already helped the others into the temple. You're the last one up. Someone wanted her beauty sleep," he grinned, adding a wink that she didn't seem to see.
"Into the temple?" she asked, confused. But they were already in the temple...
"We're at Arcwind point. It's a long story. I can explain on the way, if you can stand? There's a lovely bedroll with your name on it."
Somehow, sleep sounded… very nice. She nodded and allowed him to lift her out of the sarcophagus that was her tomb in so many ways. He set her down gently, letting her lean on him as they made slow progress through a blurry landscape.
She blinked, drifting in and out of awareness, somehow still managing to complete the task of putting one foot in front of the other. Suddenly she was being lowered down. Martha paused, her hand running across the soft fur of the promised bedroll.
"What..." she began.
"Just rest for now. You can ask all your questions in the morning," Vokun smiled, helping her lean back and settling the cover over her.
Martha nodded and laid her head on the waiting pillow, finally seeing two other slumbering figures in the room. She smiled, recognizing friends. Her last thought was one of surprise that Rolf wasn't snoring like a hoarker. It seemed Alduin still loved them after all.
A/N: Thank you to everyone that has taken the time to review. It's remarkably helpful for me to see your thoughts and reactions. :) To everyone else, thanks for reading. ;) I'll be honest, this story, for whatever reason, is tough for me to sit down and write. I suppose it's just not one of my favorites. (I'm just rambling here, sorry. But don't worry, I'm going to finish it, despite all my complaining.)