Author's Note: Yes, I'm afraid this is mostly a filler chapter while I figure out where to go next, but it also carries out Yssha's promise to her parents, so I don't feel too bad about it.

Chapter 10 - Troubled Parents

8 Rain's Hand, 5E 3

Yssha heard Lokbiidaan call her, and went outside to watch him land. He was carrying three, Grams and - her parents? Yes! She ran forward when they dismounted, hugging all three, and smiled up at the dragon when he rumbled pleasure at her. "Thank you, vahriini!"

"My pleasure, thuri." He took off, leaving her to her reunion, and Yssha studied her parents.

"It is good to have you here, but should you not be at the farm?"

S'Rasha smiled. "It won't suffer from our absence. This early in Rain's Hand, weeds won't be much of a problem, and we promised payment to the neighboring children if they keep them under control while we're gone. In the meantime ... how are you? After ... you know."

"I am well, I promise you. Come inside, let me get you something. Rayya has found some excellent tisanes, or we have the usual Skyrim beverages. Breakfast, if you are hungry."

All four entered Lakeview, settling into the main hall around the dining table. Shortly afterward, they were joined by Marcurio, followed by Nevan, Serana, Valerica, and Freyr. Yssha helped Rayya serve breakfast, then both of them joined the rest.

They ate in silence for several moments, then Yssha's mother Nasha asked, "Do you have any idea how long before our grandson will be born?"

Yssha shook her head. "It is too early for Danica to even guess, other than that it is likely to be longer than a Khajiit pregnancy, and shorter than human. Perhaps somewhere between five and eight months. We do know the exact day and time of conception, so at least the length of mine will be exact. Oh, and she believes it is unlikely his form will be affected by the moons ... though that is also speculation."

S'Rasha, her father, chuckled. "With a human father, that seems a reasonable speculation." He sobered. "You're looking good, moni, and we were told you're fully recovered, and that your soul-guests, especially the three you let stay 'awake', protected you from mental damage."

"That is true," Yssha said. "Well, there is a certain amount of disturbance from what I was shown of what led up to the Dragon War, and that war itself ... but I believe that disturbance was deliberate, to encourage me to avoid Alduin's errors." She paused, then chuckle-purred. "Did you call me 'moni'?"

"I did." He grinned. "As your parents, we almost have to learn, and any dovah nearby will come down to give us lessons if we put out a red cloth. Dovahzul is becoming a status thing, with both you and your vahrinne preferring it. If you don't know at least the relationship words, you're hopelessly ignorant, and if you can't carry on a basic conversation, you're hopelessly uncultured."

Yssha snorted, almost like a dragon laugh. "Oh, dear! That is a surprise. I mean, I knew it was beginning to spread, but that extent ... well, I am pleased about that, for it is my native language, and I enjoy speaking it, rather than Common, with others."

S'Rasha nodded. "We understand that, at least intellectually, though it seems odd. But back to your welfare - how bad is that disturbance you mentioned?"

"Right now, not too bad," Yssha replied. "But while I was experiencing the memories, I was reacting to them as myself. Yet I experienced the dragon's feelings as well, and the two were often exact opposites." She shuddered at the memory. 'There were no few times I thought the physical torture would have been easier to endure."

Grams nodded soberly. "It probably would have, at that. Mental can be a lot worse than physical, and harder to recover from. I never had that problem as bad as you have, twice, but I think I can empathize."

Yssha nodded. "I think you can - my uncles, as well. And bad as it was, it could have been far worse. I do not hold Alduin's soul; Bormah Akatosh took him back to Himself. Nor do I have the souls of his closest lieutenants, since they are alive and have become my friends. And thank the Nine, unlike Alduin, I do not devour human souls, so my only knowledge of the human suffering was indirect, what I was shown from the dovah viewpoint."

She looked at her parents apologetically. "I am sorry."

Nasha smiled. "It's fine, monu. We're just glad to have you back safely. My adventuring year was relatively uneventful, and S'Rasha's Family doesn't have that tradition. So compared to Grams and you, well ... we are boring indeed."

Yssha smiled. "Believe it or not, boring can be good - and you were not, to me. Irritating at times, but I am sure I was the same to you, and the more I learn of the world, the more I learn to appreciate you. I just wish the children in the orphanages I sponsor - and the one Kiraya sponsors in Elsweyr - had parents to be irritated with."

"You have trouble finding foster parents?" Nasha asked. "With your brother and sister fostered to the Knights and the Chapel, I wouldn't mind having another couple of youngsters around." She chuckled. "But I have no desire to go through pregnancy or giving birth again! I'll leave that to the younger fems."

"Really?" Yssha was delighted. "The last time I visited the orphanage in Whiterun, a caravan had dropped off a couple of youngsters they weren't able to care for. I am sure Greta would be happy to let you interview them."

"We'll stop there on the way home, then," S'Rasha said. "A quiet house was nice for a while, but then it began to seem lonely."

"And your ... other problem?" Nasha asked delicately.

"Is ... not as bad as I had feared," Yssha replied. "With the exception of Siddgeir of Falkreath, no one has been rude or crude about it, or gotten pushy when I said no. Which, by the way, I always do if I know the man is married. I do still have standards."

"Of course you do, darling - you were properly raised, though we might have done some things differently if we'd known we were raising a dragon, and what that meant for you once you were no longer a child."

"Ko vahzin ... truly, I cannot see how that would have made an appreciable difference," Yssha said. "I would not have understood it - could not have, until I learned my first rotmulaag and then absorbed Mirmulnir's soul. Dov and vodov are simply too different. So faulting yourselves for something none of us could have comprehended would be pointless.

"Now - how long can you stay? I have much besides this estate I would like to show you, people I would like you to meet, and Turdas is the first anniversary of Alduin's defeat - there will be celebrations throughout Skyrim. I will warn you that, Nords being Nords, it will probably be rather drunk out most of the day, and certainly by evening."

"The neighbor children are quite reliable," S'Rasha said. "Even so, I wouldn't care to be gone much more than a week, so we should probably leave next Morndas."

Yssha smiled. "Thanks to dragon travel, that should be plenty of time to show and introduce you around."

They started the tour with Lakeview Manor, of course, and Yssha was delighted with her parents' reactions. Bathrooms hadn't spread as far as Cyrodiil's farms, but after her mother's reaction, Yssha was certain that was only a matter of a very short time. The toilet was the main attraction, but farms got you dirty enough that the occasional bath wasn't that terrible, to get off what would be either very unpleasant or impossible with normal grooming. Heating and cooling runes? Oh, yes, and Nasha was wondering if the temperature could be controlled for cooking. Yssha made a note to ask Nevan or Serana, but she said she thought it might be possible.

Helgen was next, where they got a tour of her palace while she made a visit to J'Gashta, accepting his "comfort" happily - she liked him, and wanted him to be honest if he claimed to have comforted her.

Solitude, where she introduced them to the Radiant Raiment sisters and bought her mother a couple of dresses, then over to the Winking Skeever to meet Gulum-Ei, who presented her father with a Daedric bow and some arrows she remembered selling him earlier. Then up to the Blue Palace, where both Elisif and Falk praised her to the point her ears burned while her parents beamed.

Heljarchen Hall was next. "This was built to be a clanhome, as you can tell," Yssha said. "Plenty of room, workshops for all the crafts, and of course the same amenities as Lakeview." She smiled at Gregor, her housecarl. "How go things?"

"Very well, my Thane," he replied. "Had a giant come closer that I liked, a couple of days ago, but a Skyguard team scared him off. No damage done to anyone."

"That is good. Do you know which team?"

"I'm afraid not. An Elder, but I don't know individual markings well enough to tell that."

"Unfortunate; I would like to have complimented them on their restraint. I will speak to Franken or Dovgrahaak; they should know."

Yssha took a break there to cast warmth enchantments on her parents' clothing. "Our next stop will be at High Hrothgar," she explained, "followed by Monahven. Both are extremely cold, so you will need this protection."

To her surprise, Arngeir smiled as she led her parents into High Hrothgar, and he bowed to them. "It is good to have you here, Dovahkiin. It is a rare honor that we get to meet a Dragonborn's parents. Please, come in, and be welcome. I am the only Greybeard who can safely speak to you, so please don't expect the others to try."

S'Rasha and Nasha returned his bow. "As you say, Master Arngeir," S'rasha said. "Yssha did warn us. But this monastery is most impressive, and we would very much like to see what is permitted."

"Of course." He introduced them to Masters Einarth and Wulfgar, then showed them around, from the meditation hall and living area to the isolation room where Yssha had spent three months recovering from the soul-shock after killing Miraak and absorbing all the dragon souls he'd held. That part of the tour Yssha skipped, rejoining the group in the main hall, then going outside to the rear courtyard.

Nasha smiled at the three Greybeards before Yssha called Odahviing to fly them up to Monahven. "We are grateful for everything you've done for our daughter, Masters, perhaps more than you can know."

The three returned her smile. "It was our honor, Nasha, S'Rasha. The last Greybeards with the honor of teaching and acknowledging a Dragonborn lived over six centuries ago. We were simply fortunate to be here at the right time for her."

"Nevertheless, our gratitude remains," S'Rasha said with a purr.

Arngeir nodded. "We understand. Now farewell, and enjoy your visit with Paarthurnax." The Greybeards returned to the monastery, and Yssha called her friend.

The flight was a very short one, which Yssha couldn't help contrasting with her first trip, constantly clearing Paarthurnax's protective mist, and shivering despite her own fur, and a fur coat over her armor. This was definitely much nicer!

When they landed, she introduced her parents, and was pleased when they greeted her mentor with, "Drem yol lok, Paarthurnax!"

"Drem yol lok, Dovahkiinro bormonah - Dovahkiin's parents. It is an honor and a pleasure to meet you."

"And ours to meet you," S'Rasha said. "She has spoken much about her mentor and first dovah friend, though we had the impression you looked much older."

"When we first met, I did," Paarthurnax said. "After all, I had spent four millennia perched on this mountain, leaving only for the briefest of hunts, and dov deteriorate under such conditions. Once she defeated Alduin and I was able to fly and hunt freely, I began the regeneration that is normal to dov. I am almost totally back to my prime condition."

"Which pleases me no end," Yssha said. "I was concerned about you for some time there, especially when you helped Marcurio and me fight Alduin right after I learned Dragonrend." She smiled at her mentor. "I have not had to use it since Viinyolbrii, and Dragonbane rests in Mirmulnir's jaws. I pray it may remain there."

"As do we all," Paarthurnax agreed. "Speaking of Alduin, what are your plans for the anniversary?"

"I will start with an audience in Helgen to remember the town's destruction and celebrate the rebuilding. After that, Marcurio and I have invitations to attend celebrations in all the other Holds, so the rest of the day will be spent doing that. Fortunately for the two of us, it is almost exclusively a Skyrim celebration - we can only spread ourselves so thin!"

Paarthurnax snorted a laugh. "You will survive, fahdoni. Oh, and congratulations on your coming child. His birth will be great cause for us to celebrate, even though he will be joor."

"Really?" Nasha said. "That seems odd."

Paarthurnax rumbled with amusement. "Why? It will be the first time in dov history that a thur has been a parent. Alduin sky-danced innumerable times, but never had any desire for offspring, so he fathered none. That means Dovahkiin's infant is a great event for us."

"There's no need to go everywhere you want to show us in one day," S'Rasha said then. "It's midday, and I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm hungry!"

Paarthurnax rumbled again. "Go, then - I would not keep you from a meal! We can hold more tinvaak some other time, if you wish. Any dovah who looks to Dovahkiin as thur will be happy to fly her parents wherever you wish to go."