Chapter 35

Garen felt his groggy mind slowly coming back into the waking world. He slowly felt his body coming back into focus. At the very edge of his senses he could hear two female voices talking.

"...ened to him?" One voice spoke. The voice sounded familiar, but to his groggy, fatigued mind, he couldn't place it.

"He saved the world once more." Another voice spoke with pride. Garen felt his eyesight begin to return to him, but all he could see were vague shapes.

"He hunted down Miraak and put an end to his foul plans." The warm voice spoke again.

"I managed to get to him in time to save his life, but not in time to stop the dagger." The voice spoke again with sadness.

Garen's sight returned to him completely and he blinked rapidly clearing his eyes of the mist that hung over them. When he could finally see, Garen looked up to see the Night Mother speaking softly with Serana in their room. Garen turned to see Aela watching to two in silence. Sofie and Toothless were watching him, worry in the eyes of the small child.

"PAPA!" Sofie exclaimed in joy at seeing him awake. In a moment, sofie was on him and hugging him tightly, burying her face into his neck. Garen felt her tears of joy wetting his neck.

"It's good to see you too little one." Garen chuckled out weakly.

On his shoulder, Garen felt the small hand of the Night Mother squeezing lightly.

"Take care my son." The Dunmer woman smiled to him.

Garen smiled weakly and nodded. "I will my mother."

With that, the Night Mother turned and left the room. As soon as she crossed the threshold, Garen lost her scent and knew that she had gone back to the void.

On the bed next to him, Serana sat down and looked into his eyes with joy of her own.

"How are you feeling?" Serana asked and placed a hand on his face.

"Like I was hit in the chest with a giant's club" Garen groaned. As he became more and more awake, he could feel the pains from his fight with Miraak and the toll it had taken on his body.

"Alright." Serana chuckled and stood up. "Come on Sofie. Let's let your father sleep, he needs it."

Sofie made a small sound of protest but let go of Garen. Garen placed a kiss to his daughter's forehead and smiled at her. He watched Serana and Sofie leave the room, but Aela stayed behind, an annoyed look on her face.

"Don't you ever do that to Rana again." Aela scolded in a snarl.

"Rana?" Garen asked, blinking his eyes in confusion.

"That goddess of a woman that is your wife! I don't understand how she could put up with you dissapearing for over two months." Aela growled at him.

"Two months Garen!" She yelled, Garen tried to interrupt her but she didn't give him the time to.

"In those two months Rana has been a bundle of emotions! Every night she cried herself asleep!" Aela yelled at him, taking a step towards him.

"Every night I comforted her until she stopped crying!" Aela yelled taking another step forward.

"Aela…" Garen began, trying to interrupt.

"EVERY NIGHT!" Aela roared in fury.

"AELA!" Garen yelled, his thu'um shaking the house.

Aela looked at Garen and for the first time since beginning her chewing out noticed the hole in Garen's breastplate. Aela stopped talking and stepped up next to the bed. She placed a hand on the hole and looked at him.

"I only know what happened in the first two weeks that I was gone." Garen snarled out at her.

"After that, I was in the hands of Lady Mara, on the brink of death, being brought back." Garen spoke coldly.

"If you are going to blame anyone for keeping me from my family then blame Miraak for being lucky enough to get his blade through my armor." Garen sighed out and moved to stand from the bed.

Garen stood, but stumbled and Aela caught him. "If it had been my way, I'd have been back a month and a half ago." Garen spoke sadly.

"Get me out of this armor." Garen spoke softly and Aela nodded.

With Aela's help, Garen removed the armor and got back into his bed. Even if a goddess had healed him, being brought back from the brink of death took its toll on the person being healed. He'd need a few days of rest before he could do anything yet.

"Aela." Garen spoke when the huntress began to leave the room. "Thank you."

"For what?" The huntress asked.

"For taking care of Serana and Sofie when I couldn't" He spoke somberly.

"Anytime." Aela returned softly. "Get some rest."

Garen nodded and lay back. He relaxed all his muscles and was soon embraced by sleep.

After three days of near constant slumber, Garen awoke. He looked out the window and by his guess it was only a few hours before noon. He sniffed the air and a familiar scent caught his nose. It was one that he had smelled during his time hunting Alduin, but one he never expected to smell again.

Carefully, Garen stood up. He slowly made his way to the main room of the home, using the walls to keep himself upright. When he finally reached the main room of the house, he stopped. In his dining room was none other than Savos Aren, Arch-Mage of the Mages College, sitting there talking magic with his wife.

While Garen was well taught in the school of restoration, his abilities were given to him by Lady Mara. That being said, other than the very basics of magic, he had no clue as to what the two were talking about.

Savos noticed Garen come in and smiled at him.

"Ah good, it is nice to see you again Garen." The Arch-Mage spoke to him and Serana turned to beam at him too.

Serana rushed over and pulled Garen into a tight hug. Garen was nearly knocked over by the hug and still felt sore from taxing his body in the fight with Miraak. Never the less, he returned Serana's hug as best he could.

"I'm glad you're finally awake." Serana smiled after kissing him.

"You and I both." Garen chuckled.

"So what do we owe the pleasure of this visit to Savos?" Garen asked the Dunmer.

Savos smiled. When Garen had met the man, Garen had never used his title and only called the Arch-Mage by his first name. When he had asked about it, Garen had replied that he was still a man even with his title. As far as Garen was concerned, a person earned their title by everyone on a person by person basis.

"I am here on College business." Savos smiled.

Garen leaned on Serana and they sat down together, Garen in the chair Serana had just occupied and Serana on his lap. Garen looked at the man with curiosity on his face.

"Has something happened?" Garen asked curiously.

"No, no, nothing of that nature." Savos waved off with a smile and chuckle.

"I have actually come here to ask both of you a question." Savos spoke and Garen and Serana shared a look of equal confusion.

"And what would that be?" Garen asked.

"I would ask if you two would like to become teachers at the College." Savos smiled to them.

"Wait." Garen spoke shaking his head. "I can understand why you'd want Serana to become one, but why me?"

"It's simple." Savos smiled. "At the College, we have no teacher in the mundane combat and defenses. I hope to teach the students that there are other ways to defend oneself should they be unable to use their magic."

"Ok then why me as well?" Serana asked. "I thought that the College didn't allow Necromancy."

"Publicly that is true." Savos smiled slyly. "But I hold the belief that all magic, in nature, is neither good nor evil. Only the user determines it's use."

"I would be honored." Serana replied hesitantly, her hands moving unconsciously to her belly.

"But you are expecting, I know." Savos smiled. "I am more than happy to wait for you to accept until after your child is born and after you feel up to becoming a teacher as well as a mother."

"The same goes for you as well Garen." Savos spoke, turning his gaze on the man.

"I wouldn't want you to be taken from your newborn any more than I would want Serana to be." Savos spoke and Garen nodded.

"I would be honored to teach at the College Savos." Garen replied.

"As would I." Serana smiled to the Dunmer.

Savos beamed and stood up. "It's settled then. Let me know when it is you will be joining us a month or so in advance and I will have a room made up for you two."

"That won't be necessary." Garen chuckled. "We can travel back and forth each day."

"It's a day walk between here and the College, half a day on horse." Savos replied with a raised eyebrow. "How…."

"I have my methods." Garen interrupted cryptically.

"Very well then." Savos replied with a shake of his head. "Just give me a few weeks to let the other teachers know and the students as well."

"Just don't let the students know who it is that will be added to the staff." Garen requested and Savos nodded.

"Unless you two have any questions, I must return to the College."

Garen and Serana shook their heads and Savos bowed.

"I wish you both a strong and healthy child." Savos spoke and Serana grinned.

"Thank you." Serana replied and Savos nodded before leaving.

"I didn't see that coming." Garen chuckled when Savos left.

"I don't think that anyone would have." Serana replied before pulling Garen into a passionate kiss.

"Please don't ever do that again." Serana spoke sadly when they parted.

"I'll do my best." Garen replied, knowing what she was talking about.

The months leading up to the end of Serana's pregnancy went by both at a crawl and at a run at the same time.

Garen could hardly believe it when Lydia gave birth to her and Talmar's daughter just three months after Garen had returned from Solstheim. Lydia had let Talmar name their daughter and he decided on a name right away. Their daughter had eyes that reminded him of someone that was the only person that had shown Garen and Talmar any kindness when they were young. In his daughter's eyes, Talmar saw the same kindness, and named his daughter Laurana after the woman that had given the two a chance at life so long ago.

Just a few months later and Serana gave birth to twins. Garen was ecstatic when he and Aela delivered the first of the two babies.

The first was a strong and healthy girl. Even from just being born, Garen could tell that his daughter would take after her mother and one day be just as beautiful. When Garen looked into his daughter's eyes when she first opened them, he could see an intelligence in her eyes akin to her mother's.

There were complications when Serana was giving birth to the second twin however. When the second twin, a boy, was born, his umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck. At first, Garen had thought that the child had died, but the boy's scent and ragged breathing told him otherwise. With his quick thinking, and a major blessing from Mara, Garen managed to save the boy's life. to his sorrow, Garen was no miracle worker. He could feel that he had saved the boy, but he would be mute for the rest of his life.

To Garen and Serana, the boy's impairment meant nothing to them. He was alive and that was miracle enough for them.

When everything calmed down and while he was holding his new born son in his arms, Garen noticed something that he hadn't seen before. The first was an odd birthmark that was on his hand and wrapped around his arm up to his elbow. Garen was puzzled by what it was, until it was forgotten when Garen felt something he hadn't expected. Garen could feel the soul of a dragon waking in his son.

Garen felt immense pride and sorrow to know that his son was dovahkiin like he was. Pride because it meant that his son was destined for greatness. Sorrow in that he knew what the life of a dovahkiin would entail. As far as he knew, there was not a single dovahkiin in history that had an easy life.

When Serana awoke from exhaustion induced sleep from the hard birthing, Garen let her name their two children. Serana decided that their son would be named Garen as she felt that the boy had the spark of greatness and heroism in him, just like his father. Their daughter would be named Lilith, after a close friend that Serana had when she was first mortal. Serana told Garen that her friend had been the closest thing to a sister she had, much like how he and Talmar were brothers.

Garen couldn't be happier after that day's events. He had two beautiful new children, and a still healthy wife. There was nothing in his past nor, he suspected, in his future that could come close to the pride and joy Garen felt at the birth of his two children.