Chapter 20: Home
Alduin and Ruigus made a quiet journey as they traveled to Colovia.
Ruigus's mood quickly normalized as they left the Imperial City, he was smiling brightly.
"Pretty soon we'll be crossing into one of the deep forests, just gotta follow the path, don't wanna go off of it. I hear it's usually a gamble of harm and unharm." He stated.
"Too isolated?" Alduin asked.
"Nah usually Spriggans if one isn't trying to be respectful, I hear there's sometimes Goblins and Ghosts in here. I'm just glad there's no Ogres." Stated Ruigus as he looked around warily.
"The spirits of the dead appear in these forests often?" She questioned.
"I hear it depends on a lot of circumstances. All I truly know in the end is that a lot of death has gone on inside our Forests, right now we're just around the area that a man by the name of Rislav with an army from both Skingrad and the estates ambushed a very terrifying emperor by the name of the Gorieus and his men, that's left a lot of bitter memories." He informed with a certain wariness in his tone.
"Er, this was around the time of the Alessian Order. Those books will tell you all that you might need to know aside from….the unexplainable but it's what everyone says that separated all of us here in Cyrodil. Hence the different languages, and all the different attitudes." The Dragonborn added, looking up as he saw birds fly overhead.
"They also did one thing weird that I'm not sure affected you, your father, Akatosh was Auri-El once right? They….combined him and the others with both the Alessians own beliefs and that of the mer into one. I do not understand the effects of it either but…..."
"I had not heard from anyone around the time this supposed merging happened for a long period. The last time I have ever spoke to any of them was the time my mother spoke to me recently, I only truly recognized her by spirit." Said Alduin as she too was confused.
"Those Alessians….I believe they broke us all but yet not myself, I have no idea how the Time Wound, my setback, it seems I was not included after my defeat and I was forgotten by all. I wonder if it was for the best. But nonetheless, this is intrigue is beyond even me Ruigus." She stated.
"Oh Alduin you have no clue, I hear stories of how for a while during the time of the Alessians the world seemed to have gone wild." He stated with his own incredulousness.
"I would believe whatever tale there is around that time no matter how wild." Stated Alduin.
"Yeah, there is many echoes from that time. I wonder what went through the minds of ones like that Rislav when the Alessians tried to kill us all." Said Ruigus as he shook his head.
"After all this time the Nibeneans and the Heartlanders have always been closer together, not to say that they never fought each other, we all did many times but there is a total disconnect from each other at times." He said as they trotted through the well traveled path, a sign to their left said 'Beware Goblins'. One that Alduin saw as they made their way.
"Heh I remember the times of Molich the Goblin Slayer, he helped clear out the largest infestation we ever had back in the Second Era." He mused as he spotted the sign as well.
"They're nothing to worry about unless they have magic, to the normal person most of the time anyways, I can't imagine them being the end of our lives anytime soon." He added jokingly.
"Hm, I remember seeing a corpse of one as an offering to Paarthunax once." She stated.
"Yeah I imagine they crossed the mountains at that time, Ayleids kept them suppressed until the rebellion." Said Ruigus.
"I wish I had been there to witness it." Said the Goddess.
"To curb the efforts of our saviors right at the very end?" Ruigus asked with obvious light teasing.
"Perhaps you wish that in the end. No love, I would have liked to have spoken to the leaders of the Revolt, nothing more." She stated.
"What that could have been." Ruigus agreed as he pondered the abstract thought.
"Still, as far as I can tell with what that's been supposed, by what I have seen, and by the….memories of Vahlok I think that in all honesty and fairness to you and all the dragons that existed back then is that you were not seemingly overwhelming with the likes of daedra worship, torture, and flesh gardens that the Ayleids so practiced." Ruigus stated honestly.
"I….recall hearing about those flesh gardens." Stated Alduin, disturbed as she spoke of the matter.
"I had not realized they were made from people." She said.
"They carried Meridia's favor did they not? I find it strange that she of all people would have appreciated such things. That is more of Boethiah's liking, Namira even." She wondered aloud.
"Yeah, I remember it was Umaril, their greatest King that asked for aid. She liked the Ayleids that weren't part of the general evil their lords showed, at least the ones that didn't worship her anyways." Stated Ruigus.
"Sounds she lived up to her part as ever, being both aid and equally terrible." Spoke Alduin with a smirk.
"Ah, oh well." She added. And then they saw four armored Colovians on horseback in front of them.
"Let me talk to them, I doubt they'll speak in this language, er don't take it too hard if they give you the cold or hard stares." He informed quickly for Alduin's knowledge.
"Alright, huh; they look like the Freiritter. That's good news I guess." Said Ruigus as he observed them.
"Freiritter?" Asked Alduin.
"Free Knights, not really Knights as they don't quite exist here but do exist, I'll just...talk to them for now." Breathed Ruigus as the four drew closer, the leader was a woman.
Alduin saw a painted human skull with a dagger in it's mouth on the woman's steel helm. Further inspection saw that the rest had the same insignia on their's as well. She noticed that they wore large leather jackets that revealed in the center some rather smooth appearing armor.
"Hallo." She greeted with her raising her hand.
("Hello.")
"Ah hallo!" Ruigus replied with a smile as he spoke fluently.
The four riders seemed to be warm to Ruigus but frowned and gave Alduin the sort of looks as though they were questioning her existence.
"Wer ist dieser Nord?" The leader of the Freiritters asked Ruigus, she asked warmly enough but her eyes were nonetheless narrowed.
("Who is that Nord?")
Ruigus laughed and scratched his hair.
"Sie ist eine gute Freundin und eine gute Frau, sie wollte etwas über unser Zuhause lernen." Stated Ruigus lightly with a slight nod.
("She is a good friend and a good woman, she wanted to learn about our home.")
"Ah!" The Ritter leader replied.
"Also gut, stellen sie sicher, dass sie sich nicht von ihren nordischen wegen rausschmeißen lässt." The Ritter woman said cooly with a dismissive hand-wave and gave Alduin a look of approval.
("Alright then, make sure she doesn't let her nordic ways get her kicked out.")
"Danke, ich bezweifle, dass sie es tun wird." He replied, chuckling.
("Thank you, I doubt she will.")
Instantly the demeanor of the four changed as they began to go past.
"Good day." The Freiritter said to Alduin as she and her four went onwards, what was once near hostile glares was relatively warm expressions.
"Such a strange change." As she noted the behavior.
"What was that?" Alduin asked Ruigus after they gained distance from the traveling Freiritters.
"Just the Freiritter on patrol for all sorts of things." Ruigus sighed lightly.
"I mean their behavior, at first they looked like they wanted to kill me." She stated.
"Oh, haha no they were just wondering who you were, I told them you were a friend and they seemed to like that." He replied smiling.
"That's all?" She asked, bewildered.
"Yeah." Replied Ruigus.
"Well, who are they?." She questioned.
"Like I was saying earlier 'Free Knights', they handle creatures and all types of disturbances, they also help priests and religious orders with daedric sites as well, if not before them most of the time around here, they're like a Colovian Kingdom version of the Oculatus except they don't drag you into a cell and drive you mad with endless questioning." He stated.
"They sound like they are at odds with that group." Pointed Alduin.
"I've never heard anything about that before. They're really just retired soldiers and knights with a fortune who sign up to help keep Colovia safe from daedra and monsters. They're nice people if you live here long enough. Considering that they would be people who've fought for long here. I guess in that sense, they're also like a third military around here aside from the state or legions." He ended happily.
"Ah I see." She then was silent for some moments as birds chirped.
"I shall endeavor to learn your language quickly." She stated, straightening herself.
"Oh that will be very useful. Don't worry too much, my mother knows Tamrielic, I think she can teach you." Stated Ruigus.
"Excellent, I look forward to seeing her Ruigus!" She stated with honesty as she smiled kindly.
"Ahaha, thank you. She isn't special, er that is to say you will find her a good woman but nothing mystical or anything." Stated Ruigus as he felt somewhat nervous over the matter, unsure of how it would all go when they saw her.
"I believe she may be." Alduin replied optimistically.
Ruigus blushed a little as his heart felt warmer.
"Well if you find her that way." He replied simply before taking a look around.
"Yeah we're not that far away, just have to cross out into the Gold Road and then we'll be there." The Dragonborn then informed as the trees thinned out a little at a small crossroads.
"We'll still have some time before we reach...that. For now I just want to enjoy the forests I stomped around in when I was younger." Ruigus said contentedly. This perked up Alduin.
"You walked around these a lot didn't you?" She questioned but sounded more like a matter of fact.
"Yeah, I went through them a lot with some good friends a long time ago. Sometimes by myself too, it's why I say that these are both dangerous and hardly anything to be scary of with those Freiritters. I remember there was this one big, pure pond I used to swim in and get water from. It's a neat spot. I can lead to it from here." He mused with a content expression.
"Show me it." She suddenly demanded.
Ruigus spun to his right to look at her in the eyes.
Her's was a fierce look, it betrayed a burning passion.
"S-Sure." Ruigus blushed furiously.
There was an awkward silence as Ruigus suddenly felt beyond flustered as Alduin made her intentions obvious.
He then led her through the woods slowly as he found a relatively still intact trail to it.
"I want to ease you before we reach there. You have been through a lot. But I deserve something as well." She stated coolly and with an aloof air about her.
"Dismount." Replied Ruigus as he blushed, hopping off Trun and securing him on a tree.
Alduin giggled as she did the same with hers.
Alduin took his side, sneaking her arm underneath his armor as she held him lightly around his back.
Ruigus seemed to grow calm with that.
"You are like a shy maiden like this. Yet you are among the bravest." She mused with a wide, pure smile.
"Your innocence can be intoxicating." She then giggled.
"I….Am just not used to this." Ruigus replied simply, composed.
"We have done this about four times now haven't we?" She said as she pointed that out to him, holding her rather mischievously sinister grin.
"Ye-Yes?" He questioned uselessly.
She laughed softly and tightened her grip.
"Perhaps I may be just content to hold you for a while as you work on the sadness within your heart over friend and father." She mused once more in a serious tone as they walked slowly.
"D-Don't put yourself off." Stated Ruigus rather intently as he gazed with the same energy into Alduin's eye.
A pleased look came across Alduin's face as she pulled him and gave the rather cutely behaved dragonborn a kiss on the lips.
"Considerate." She purred.
"You are well worth everything, you know that?" She questioned matter of factly.
Ruigus held no response as the two walked. He held a rather soldierly-stoic expression.
"Hm, relax why won't you? I am going to show my affections to you in your homeland after all. If you don't, I'll call you what you said are those embarrassing nicknames again." She replied with some rubbing of his side with her arm as she calmly teased him jokingly.
"Alright, Alduin." He said contentedly, with a small smile.
The two began to undress as they stopped and checked around, the two admired the spot for a few moments before Alduin spoke up.
"We are in luck, there is nobody around, and none shall ever watch what I do to you." She stated confidently.
Ruigus blushed and also cringed simultaneously.
"Oh shut up." She howled with laughter.
"I will ensure you enjoy this." She then stated proudly.
"I will." Replied Ruigus simply, and as seriously as he could.
Alduin rather watched him as he undressed, drinking every detail of him as she could.
She had noticed that he had rather become more muscled as of late with all the near endless fighting he had gone through at this point. She admittedly felt sad as she thought about all the struggles she and many others had put him through by this point, and it would only increase. And yet she felt a strange pang within her once more.
He noticed her staring, and once again acted shyly as he tried to cover himself.
Grinning, she approached him and merely pinned him against a shapely, smooth rock.
She said nothing as the two's breathing became loud, her eyes took a gold hue as she felt his heart beat against hers.
Her hand reached to stroke his manhood, he moaned into her chest as she toyed with it slowly, even a bit cruelly whilst keeping her eyes locked with his.
"Alduin!" He exclaimed lovingly.
She giggled, enjoying the immense satisfaction that came from the action and the results of Ruigus's expressions and moans.
She then softly held Ruigus as she lightly pushed him to lower his stance and straddled him.
She reached down with her hand to connect the two of them as she stared into those pure, warm, and dutiful eyes of his, as he stared into the loving, fierce look of her own.
"We shall go gentle this time." She announced as she hilted him. He moaned softly and she pressed her body into his. The scent flooded into Ruigus's body as she marked him in this way and he was intoxicated with it.
"You put so much effort into the last few times, even the first time when I was so rough and forceful on you. I shall do it all this time alright?" She questioned with no response as Ruigus seemed rather shy in her eyes.
She reached her left hand out and ran it through his hair, he had a near child-like smile and kissed her on the chest as she raised herself and lowered slowly.
She moaned deeply as he continued a trail of kisses on her chest.
"Idiot." She giggled as she increased her pace at a slight and raised his chin up to conquer his lips once more, as he broke under a furious assault.
"Our first t-time ngh!" She moaned as she felt a kiss on her right breast.
"I didn't mean to be so...ah~ overbearing." She stated as she unintentionally clawed into Ruigus's back with her nails. Who barely registered the pain as he lost himself to the pleasure and the happiness he felt and away from the whirlpool of the negative he bore with him.
"I love you." She stated fiercely and held on even harder as suddenly as she felt him go off.
She fell to her urges a moment later, pressing herself against Ruigus in more force.
"I love you Alduin." He replied calmly with a most warm tone.
Her soul felt a thump. She leaned down and kissed him deeply.
"Want to go for another round?" She asked softly as if she was whispering sweet nothings.
"I do not wish to take up much time." She added, whilst still continuing to slowly ride him.
"Yes, another." He replied contentedly and yet almost seemed to beg to her ears.
"Good mate." She purred with a near bestial tone.
"You're mine!" She hrowled alongside a near racuous laughter as a red tint to her brown eyes gleamed as she began to wildly ride on Ruigus who seemed to be in complete pleasure as she did so, grinning she continued to press on and mark the young man with her scent.
Alduin enjoyed the young warrior's passionate kisses and increasingly rough grabs as she giggled lightly and made Ruigus lull out in cute expressions as he felt increasingly at a sense of strange peace.
It ended with him being pushed away from the boulder and Alduin spotting light red marks on Ruigus's back and chest that she had made.
She finished up after Ruigus and quickly took a quick dip into the pond and arose out of it, washed.
Alduin noticed she had caused some spots on Ruigus's back to lightly bleed as she had gotten rougher with him.
"I'm sorry." She stated as she checked his back.
"I didn't feel it much until after, it's fine now you didn't go deep at all." Laughed Ruigus.
"You are opening yourself for a lewd statement, you are perfect in that sense." She replied, a haughty expression.
"Next time I will be rougher, I'll try not to cause…..That though." She said as she winced at his back.
"Isn't it just light cuts?" He asked with still furiously blushing cheeks, as he held his tunic.
"Well yes but if I had claws..." She trailed.
"Oh." Understood Ruigus.
She let out a giggle.
Alduin redressed and waited for him.
"Admiring something?" She asked suddenly as she saw him staring around.
"Admiring what I once wandered as a child." He smiled as he stood in this little part of heaven of he once found.
"Let's get going." He then stated with his usual bright demeanor.
Smiling, Alduin walked along at his side as they headed out.
"Next time Ruigus, I'll have you declaring my name through the whole forest out of fear and pleasure." She stated boldly.
He blushed furiously.
"Sounds good." He replied, barely holding a stoic aura as he said so.
Alduin's eyes went wide with surprise, and slowly gained a most predatory grin.
"I might do more than what I implied." She said as she wrapped her arm tightly around his waist once more.
"Oh by Stendarr what have I doomed myself too?" He thought as he sighed wistfully and held back a chuckle.
She skipped along and planted a kiss once more.
Alduin beamed, as anomalous as ever to the passionate colovian.
"You take a lot of enjoyment from all of this." He replied to her as he grinned and shook his head in both amusement and happiness.
"How could I not?" Was her playful response.
A quarter of the day passed as they crossed the once fateful Gold Road and approached the city of Kvatch.
It was just in sight as it's castle sat on top of a hill, overlooking the near-large city and the great forests and plains around it.
It was an imposing, yet rather majestic sight.
"As you know, it's been razed to the ground many times and it has come back." Said Ruigus as he stared at it as they rode on the open farm fields in front of it, they were in a small town before the city itself.
"And it still persists, I see the reason upon seeing a map and coming here." She stated.
"What do you think of it?" Questioned Ruigus as he faced her and blinked.
"It is on hills but is in a bad position, it seems it is rather a centerpiece for the entire kingdom. I would say that it is additionally cursed Ruigus. And I see that great work has been put in to alleviate that." Said Alduin as she pointed to the one of the two keep garrisons Kvatch City had aside from it's own Castle; considerably now it's own settlement with similar defenses.
"Last war I remember a group of mercenaries that the Dominion hired took that keep." Said Ruigus as he pointed to the one that city had.
"It was the only fighting this city had before it was given up, my father was in it and so was Tullius, it's a rather fond memory of his." He stated with a light smile.
"Do you wish to hear it? It's one of the few I hear about my father and his brother." He said.
"….Tell me." She inquired.
"I shall, once we arrive home I promise I'll tell you the story of twenty-four years ago, it was a relatively happy time before it all ended the way it did." He sighed.
"I understand, I would like to see of what the war was like back then. Those trenches we saw when we first entered are something I shall not forget easily." She replied with genuine wonder.
Ruigus's lips curved upwards.
"It is a long and terrible struggle." He stated.
"But, I have lived in a wonderful land, even if most of it's old glory is now gone since the death of those who carried us to a near paradise." He stated in reverence to the heroes of Colovia that had existed before his birth, and what good they had created before it was ruined by the Aldmeri Dominion's Thalmor.
"I'm happy to see that you have had healthy figures to look up towards to, I admit, I wish I could have had some personal insight them with how good you say they are." She stated. She noted he never specifically said their names and treated as they were a singular force, for all she knew perhaps they were.
He looked at and held a small smile.
"It's worthless to wish that they were now to aid us isn't it?" He questioned something that he did not intend for her.
"Alduin, I want to strive for which that they had. The companionship, the courage, the strength, their spirit." He stated aloud as the city drew closer and closer.
"I think they have left their legacy of which exists inside me and Tullius, I wish to spread that spirit as far as I can. I am slowly working to that, I know I am." He said, bordering on a proud declaration.
Alduin stared at him.
"I shall show it to those undead when we join with Lucis and make our way to that fort so we shall begin to liberate the whole land from them." He added once more.
He then faced Alduin.
"That'll just come after we visit my mom and Tullius's wife. Let's go Alduin." He said as he got his horse to speed onwards. Scaring some townsfolk as he sped on ahead.
Alduin shook her head, smiled and followed to join the speeding colovian.
"He's been doing that a lot hasn't he? What fun he has here." She thought humorously as she chased after her mate.
He too was a force of nature like her.
Alduin was welcomed into the city of Kvatch with more of that language of theirs.
She stared at the peoples that lived and saw that they seemed to stare at her a lot, funnily enough there were even some of the Elves of the Altmer and Bosmer variety that regarded her funnily as the two rode along into the rather quiet gates into Kvatch.
"They say that the wolf of Kvatch on our flag is actually a fox." Stated Ruigus as the two stared at the large banner of the Kvatchian flag as it hanged over them.
"I hear it's because that Solitude in Skyrim has a wolf as their own and they've been around longer. All I know is that we have a greater population of foxes than they." Laughed Ruigus.
"Even Tullius is known as 'The Fox' too for….what he was always known for I guess, and he was raised here. I suppose it's quite true in the end." He said, as he reached for his moon amulet, the gems on it glowed brightly.
Smiling, he put it away and switched to his locket.
"I hope you are well mother." He prayed.
"The fun fact out of the way, at least it's a bit more lively out here than normal." Said Ruigus.
And then a few knightly looking individuals walked past.
"Oh, the Order of the Hour." Said Ruigus offhandedly to Alduin as they strolled onwards.
"The who?" She asked.
"Order of the Hour, Akatosh worshippers who really dislike magic here, it's almost completely outlawed here and only really used for the necessities." Explained Ruigus.
"They try to ban it, for what?" She questioned incredulously.
"Oblivion Crisis, when the city was completely razed in the first attack and was rebuilt and resettled they banned it for long time, but it was lifted out of said necessities." He stated.
"Oh that's right, forgot to mention this but a group of people known as Kosaks came and helped to repopulate and rebuild the city after it was razed during that." He added quickly.
"And they are?"
"Haha, Horse bandits as far as many are concerned except approved by the kingdom for not robbing or stealing from the people that live here, in a sense they're like the Freiritters except they live up to the bandit nature by raiding the other nations. They also have a reputation among everyone for being known as 'gentlemen bandits' that can kill you and look very friendly about it. I'm related to a group of them." He explained to her.
"Fascinating, I thought they wouldn't support banditry around here." She replied.
"Only if it doesn't hurt the Colovian people is how the logic goes." Said Ruigus as he reported it rather accurately to the current behavior and attitude of the land.
The two rode for a bit as Alduin scanned the quiet streets and stared at the many names of the buildings that had two types of names, one in tamrielic, one in colovian.
"You know one thing about our home as that as you see now all of these buildings are made from bricks, I think us and the Bretons are the only ones to make use of this. Our brothers to the east all use Marble and I think some brick for their own among a couple other things they use to make it look fancy and all." Mused Ruigus as he trotted down the streets which he roamed so much in his youth.
"Oh had my first fight over here." Pointed Ruigus at a street opposite to them.
"You got into fights when you were younger?" Asked Alduin, not having expected Ruigus to have had any sort of real fighting before they met.
"I did, when I was around like thirteen I got into a few, when I was in school for a bit over with my cousins I got into only one." He shrugged.
"First stealing now this? Hmph, you've quite the streak of crime." She replied with a joking judgement.
"Ah maybe, there was one where they insulted my mother and family, I'd argue that one is undeniably justified." He stated as they trotted through.
"It's kind of weird coming back home past noon like this, it grows lifeless out here and everyone starts to end their day, we'll cut through to the residential area soon." He stated and informed his counterpart.
Alduin noticed how every house and building had space to them, in the Imperial City it looked like nearly everything save for the mansion of his cousins were all cramped into one another here in Kvatch everything felt more appropriately spaced out from one another.
It helped that the city was nowhere near the gargantuan size of the Imperial City Alduin supposed.
"One day we'll enjoy home I think, just now we have to just go from point to point." He sighed as he looked at each of the houses they now passed, wondering if the families he knew growing up still lived here.
"It's better than nothing. I guess I might have some time to wander about soon enough." He breathed.
"Anyways, we're getting close. Are you ready Alduin?" Asked Ruigus.
"Of course." She replied.
"I should have guessed." He chuckled. And then looked at something that stood out to him.
"Well, a statue of Morihaus!" He said to Alduin as he pointed at it.
The statue was of a tall man in very thick armor with the helm of a minotaur.
"It's a smaller one than what you would usually see, you may recall he was with Alessia and Pelinal during the rebellion against the Ayleids." Ruigus stated as he kept his eyes on the statue as it seemingly looked down at them.
The landmark meant he was close to home, he felt his heart rate increase a little bit out of pure nervousness.
He still did not know what he would say to his mother.
Soon Ruigus had her stop at a house with a gateless entrance.
"Let's get off here and go knock." He stated with a small audible breath as he cleared his conscious.
"Are you fine Ruigus?" Came Alduin as she her ears picked up the subtle sound.
"Nervous. Guess I was the one who wasn't ready but it'll be okay." He chuckled as they approached the door.
In the front of the yard there was blossoming flowers, his mother's favorite hobby.
Ruigus knocked on it lightly.
There was some silence, and then the door opened.
Ruigus stared at the visage of his mother who stood with wide eyes.
The two stared at each other for a moment, petrified.
Ruigus inwardly shook himself and went to embrace his mother.
The two held each other tightly. Then Hildeguard let go, and cupped his face as her green eyes gazed back into his.
"You've gotten so tall." A delicate voice said in tamrielic as Ruigus's eyes felt wet.
Alduin stared at the woman who was almost reaching his height, she was a blonde and very pretty woman.
"Your hair is black, your beautiful are eyes are much lighter and fiercer. My Sieghard….I am proud of you." She stated as her son laid his head in shoulder, tears streamed from his face.
"I…..." Ruigus stopped himself, at a loss for his own words.
"I have missed you so much. In the days after I first arrived, I had a dream of hearing you say that you loved me. I could barely stay there but I promised you." He said as his hug tightened.
"I've done things I never thought I could have gone through with." He admitted to her.
"I don't know how I have come home alive." Ruigus said with sadness.
"You have gotten here in the end Sieghard, there is nothing to think of it." She said as he pulled away.
"Mother, I've killed people." Stated Ruigus as he shook slightly.
"Father did the same, and he hated it. You are still my warm beloved." She said, on the verge of tears herself as she comforted him.
Ruigus figured he should not focus on the matter of death around mother. It already felt wrong enough saying to her what he did as far as he was concerned.
"Mother meet Ald-Alavia." Said Ruigus as he motioned to her, he barely managed to hide his own shocked expression at how he had both lied to his mother and had nearly given Alduin's real name away.
"I don't wanna lie to her not after so long." He thought, conflicted.
Alduin met the eyes of Ruigus's mother.
She felt a strong look to the eyes of the woman as though she was but gazing into her soul completely, at least that was the sort of presence she felt. This woman in front of the goddess had a strong aura around her that seemingly out-powered her own in a manner she had not recognized.
Alduin was inwardly completely bewildered.
Then Ruigus's mother beamed.
"It's very wonderful to finally meet you Miss Alavia." She said with an invigorated look in her eyes.
"Th-Thank you. It is the greatest to meet you as well." She stammered and stated as she blushed.
Hildeguard laughed.
"No need to be so formal, Alavia." She said with a warm smile.
"….Sorry." Nodded Alduin, now feeling quite on the backfoot.
Hildeguard giggled and faced Ruigus.
"It's your home too, come in." She pleaded.
Ruigus nearly ran inside as she led the two inside.
The house that Ruigus and his mother had lived in was simple, nothing of note other than the flowers and paintings that were about the house.
"The house looks the same as ever even without me, mom." Said Ruigus as he looked around.
"I picked up your work, even with me as I am." She replied as she sat at a table and motioned the two to join her.
"I had worried about that." Ruigus said slowly, to which his mother giggled in that same delicate manner.
"I had Helmut coming over from Evelyn to help me, he is always dependable." She replied.
"How is he?" Asked Ruigus.
"He has been treating himself rather roughly for not going with you Sieghard." His mother giggled with a sad tone to it.
"Please visit Evelyn to see him, my beloved Sieg." She then said.
Ruigus nodded.
"Yes, I shall." He stated.
"You are a good boy, my son." She stated causing her soon to look downwards with a blush, she giggled once more and faced Alduin.
"You are a good woman for being at his side." She smiled.
"Isidorus thought the same. Yet it's naturally obvious, they are a family." She pondered.
"Ah, I've done the best I could." She stated, then looked at Ruigus.
"It was him who mostly took care of himself." She added.
"….You've saved me a few times." Replied Ruigus, to which Alduin lost a spark in her eyes.
"And he's saved me from about….three times that." Stated Alduin.
"Are you trying to be humble with her? You know what you're doing." Blinked Ruigus as he laughed in the inside.
"I'm most thankful to you. I have a very special daughter in-law." She stated with a beaming look to her.
Ruigus was bashful, Alduin was flushed beyond mortal belief and awestruck.
Alduin herself had never heard any sentence like that before, nor the words that she recognized yet had not once heard.
"Oh me, special?" Alduin asked, trying to laugh it off. Whilst the behavior would have been noted as strange Ruigus's mother gave her a look of approval.
"I see it in your spirit." Said Hildeguard with a light smile.
"...You are right. And we have not said the story that we wish to tell." Replied Alduin.
Hildeguard stared at her for a few moments in contemplation.
"I…..Do not want to hear much of the fighting, I'm sorry." Hildeguard stated, a downcast expression upon her.
"I understand, mom." Said Ruigus as the floor felt more appealing to look at in the circumstance.
"Uh, mom." He then said suddenly, causing the two to look at him.
"Is Florian…..buried in the graveyard here?" He choked out.
"Yes, yes he is." She said.
There was silence in the room.
"Mother, I shall return." Stated Ruigus as he stood up.
His mother came up to stop him.
"Wait!" She declared, as Ruigus turned himself to face her as he tried not to break the stoic expression he held amongst the torrent of emotions that flooded through him.
"Please take some of our flowers to him." She said, in a manner that nearly drove her son to tears.
"I shall, I will let you pick them mother." He stated. Then turned to look at Alduin who remained respectfully silent.
"Do you want to stay?" He asked suddenly and nervously.
"I will come with you. Do you not desire for me to?" She questioned back.
"No, no. Just thought this is more of something with me and mom's here so…." He didn't finish.
"By Stendarr these last few days have been hard, almost more than…..Out there." Ruigus laughed sadly and sighed.
Suddenly Ruigus felt a poke and saw his mother.
She held some white Lilacs.
"Give these to him Sieg." His mother choked.
He accepted the flowers as she placed them lightly into his hands, he held on loosely.
"I'll be back soon." He said once more.
"I know, my son." She replied.
Ruigus proceeded his way outside of the house, Alduin stayed a moment as Hildeguard tagged at her shoulder.
"He is happy with you at his side, please be there for him." She said.
"I will, Miss Hildeguard." Replied Alduin.
"You don't have to be formal, we're family." Hildeguard replied.
Alduin's lips quivered somewhat.
"Thank you. Your kindness has been granted down to your son" She stated.
"I wish that would be the last thing he would possess as he becomes a man." Replied Hildeguard. She then waved.
"I'll have food ready for you both." She said, with a smile.
"Thank you." Said Alduin once more before she walked out to join Ruigus, who was waiting for her.
Something that had been occurring again and again for the pair.
Yet, inside the old home, tears fell from Hildeguard's face.
A roaring sound of thunder came as the pair walked in the graveyard.
"The roar of Shezzar, and then the tears of Kynareth shall be next." Mused Ruigus as he looked up at the sky.
Then he cast his eyes towards the grave headstones, all done in different styles pertaining to one's legacy in life.
He looked for one with two greatsword carvings sticking out of the headstone, there was quite a few of them lying about where they walked.
Following the names the two kept going through the ever saddening graveyard until one in particular was found.
Willi "Florian" Siegel
4E 179 – 4E 202
And Ruigus went on his knees to go eye level with the headstone.
He was visibly emotionless.
Then he laid down and seemingly faced the grave as though there was someone lying on the grass across with him.
Alduin noted he looked rather saintly as he laid down next to his friend's grave.
He was akin to an Aedra, as though fallen from the sky to comfort the resting soul of the deceased man that sat in the grave below.
Minutes past as he lay staring at the headstone of his old friend whilst Alduin stood wordless and uncertain.
"I remember the days when we used to run around the forests and made our struggles together, Florian. I wish I had seen you before I left, but it had been so long since." He said at almost a whisper to the grave.
His hand let go of the white lilacs in his hand as they dropped at the front, Ruigus stared up at the darkened clouds that came ever closer.
"The day comes to a close, and I cannot bear the loss much longer Florian, I'm so sorry." He stated as he stood up.
His eyes were wet, but no tears fell from them.
"Hey, Alduin. I'm ready to go." Said Ruigus.
It would rain soon, and the sky was now at past sunset.
"This may be the last moments you will have here for a while Ruigus, do you think that you may need more time here?" She asked as thunder roared once more.
Ruigus shook his head.
"No, even if I come back in another year I will visit if I can. I think for now I can rest that at peace. We must return to mother and see what else there is for us to do, I don't wanna just spend a day here and leave it at that." He said calmly.
"That is sound." Alduin smiled lightly.
Whilst Ruigus was often airheaded, he could never forget the promise that he and his deceased friend had once made.
"In the end, he died a Warrior's death Alduin. He lived life as one before I could I think." He stated openly and wished all the same.
Alduin held back dumbfoundedness as she thought on that, yet she had already understood.
"You walk the path of your time, my love. His was on a similar one, yet had a different result due to circumstance." She stated.
"Bad luck for circumstance, that's just something." He stated bitterly, and walked with Alduin back to their horses.
"But it's more than that. Always is." He said with a shift to calmness.
"What's done is done, I shall miss him as much as I can until the next time." He added once more, and left it at that.
The days when he and two other friends played with him in Kvatch as a child, they were such pure and happier times. Until a Thalmor agent had come and ruined it all.
He didn't want to think about it. He and Florian was all that was left afterwards.
And now, it was just him. And those he looked up to.
The old memories that he had suppressed a year before he decided to ignore them as he went to change himself in Skyrim flooded back, and he knew that he could no longer try to hide his soul from it.
He gritted his teeth in pain.
As the two rode through the street, a panting man wearing the trademark clothes of a courier ran up to the pair.
"Oh by Zenithar, Ruigus? Er sir Sieghard?" He asked as he looked up at the mounted dragonborn who gave a slight nod.
"That's me, you have something?" He asked quietly.
"Yeah, a letter from….Warlord Sondheim, here you go." He said as Ruigus's mind spurned into action once more.
"Thank you, take care." He replied as he took the letter.
He decided to stow it away in a side pouch he wore with him.
"Not going to read it?" She asked.
"Oh no, I'll do it later when we get home but I imagine he wants to meet me." Assumed Ruigus.
"I would have no doubt of that! Considering the time we have he may consider barking at you to go see him right now." Said Alduin. To which Ruigus gave a wistful sigh in reply.
"And I just got back to mom. By your name, I'd rather not go." He said with an unwilling smile.
"You can make the choice for your own self." Suggested Alduin.
"Huh….I'd rather worry about it tomorrow, even if I have to leave once again first thing." He stated as rain began to pour over their heads.
He forced a light smile as he reflected upon the usual weather of his homeland, thunder and rain.
"Goodbye, Florian."
With rain dripping from the two they were welcomed back into Hildeguard's home.
"You're back! I was getting worried with the storm." Said Ruigus's mother.
"You know storms aren't gonna carry me away to Atmora mom." Ruigus pointed, with a light smile.
"I know Sieg. You're long past that." She stated. In a manner that struck the silent Alduin as both prideful and sad.
"Uh...Thank you for the food mom." He then said suddenly as he went to start eating it.
Alduin, standing like a statue once more broke out of the stance and sat next to Ruigus, who was eating most voraciously.
Partway through as Alduin and Hildeguard made some small-talk Ruigus focused on and opened the letter from the Warlord.
It was nothing special, go meet him in the reserved Warlord estate structure in Kvatch and go specifically alone. It seemed that the Warlord was sparing some time for him.
He figured he would go tomorrow first thing in the morning after he gets himself ready for that day.
He began to blink a few times as he felt very tired, Alduin and his mother's talk intensified.
Even the energy from his food was hardly enough to keep him from falling to his tiredness.
He smiled at the two of them.
He was so happy, and grateful.
"Hey, I'll be going to sleep." Stated Ruigus as he arose.
His mother and Alduin were pulled from their conversation.
"Your bedroom is in good shape Sieg, it may be too small for you now." His mother said, wincing.
"It's my old bed, it'll do just fine." Ruigus gave a tired smile, and walked on out of the room.
There was silence between Alduin and Hildeguard as tears quickly formed in the latter's eyes minutes after he left.
Hildeguard buried her head into Alduin's shoulder, who was taken most aback.
She sobbed into her. Alduin awkwardly wrapped an arm around the crying mother as she continued. A most worried feeling spread in her heart.
"He's grown, I am so happy." Said Hildeguard as she sniffled.
Alduin stood, wordless as she comforted the woman.
"He and I have more to grow through in our path, Hildeguard." She replied calmly.
"I know, he will no longer need me soon." Said Hildeguard, in a happy, yet forlorn tone.
"He would not leave you." Said Alduin.
"I do not mean it that way, Alavia." Stated Hildeguard as she pulled away.
"I...Wish as a mother that he would move past having to worry about me and make something of himself." She said.
"I cannot imagine any mother or father who would not want that of theirs, to soar. It's wishful, but I always believed it was possible for Sieg." Said Hildeguard. With a heavy expression upon her countenance.
"Bizzare. You remind me of mother….yet you are a true human." Thought Alduin.
"Hildeguard, my own mother was….unable to be as supportive as you are to Ruigus er Sieghard I mean. And my father disapproved of everything I deviated from his wish harshly. I think…..you have done well." Stated Alduin as she smiled lightly at her.
"I don't understand though, you want him to move past you?" She then asked Hildeguard.
"I'm glad you are my daughter in law Alavia. All I have done for my son is the best I could, I have to thank Andred's friends for the rest." She said softly and calmly.
"I see. Oh-!" Alduin was cut off by a violent keel over by Hildeguard as she gasped for breath and grabbed at her own chest.
Alduin quickly moved to aid her to rest in a chair.
"Are you alright!?" She asked with genuine worry and fear.
"I'm fine, it's just chest pains….I'm sorry Alavia. Were you going to say something?" Hildeguard said slowly.
"Nothing more. Do you need rest?" Said Alduin as she gave visible clarity.
Hildeguard managed a smile.
"I do, thank you Alavia. I'm sorry to burden you with my troubles, I've been having some chest pains lately and they've not been good to me." Hildeguard laughed sadly as Alduin accepted her arm to take her to her room.
"You could get some magic to treat it, I'm sure that I can quite do someth-"
"It's nothing magic can heal dear daughter. Just lay me down for the night and I shall be fine, don't forget this is your home too so please use my home as you wish." She smiled as Alduin helped her into her bedroom.
Alduin noticed that her face lost some life to it's luster after the strike in her chest.
She would tell Ruigus about if he was awake.
"Hey, Alavia? Please don't tell him about my pains, I do not want him to worry anymore." She stated.
"You can read my mind." Alduin said flatly.
"It's just a mother's intuition." Replied Hildeguard, managing a wry smile. Before turning very serious.
"Please." She said.
"I shall." Responded Alduin.
Alduin supposed she might at a later time, yet she supposed perhaps it was of no real concern considering the good health Hildeguard was in.
She had to admit, she would like to speak with her more, especially moreso than Serafine currently for the obvious reason of being Ruigus's mother. So far she had found her talks enlightening.
She walked around the relatively humbly sized house aimlessly as she took in the sight. In a half attempt to weary herself to the point where she'd consider joining in with Ruigus, if there was even another bedroom.
Quietly stepping into his room she heard his voice rang out.
"I'm still awake somehow." He said as she walked in. He was laying in his old bed, his eyes closed.
"I figured you would." She giggled.
"It's so strange, all of this." He stated.
"Unsettling to be home?" She questioned as she lorded over.
"Ah not that extreme. Just that it all still seems like a dream." He replied.
"Mom sure didn't ask a real thing about what happened back over there. I don't think I'll get a chance to tell her, the Warlord wants me to meet with him by the end of the next day as he's here in the city. Might as well go in the morning." He stated.
"Oh, and he seems to want me to go alone." He then added in a light, humorous tone.
"Alone? Strange, do you think he will be up to no good?" She asked.
"Nah, at least not in the way you might be thinking. With him being Warlord he's kinda…..close to what you are er were in a sense. Not someone you want to decline and just forget about." Said Ruigus.
"Or one you might want to anger." He noted mentally.
"I see. I suppose that's good enough time to talk with your mother. She is a special woman, Ruigus." She stated.
"Thank you. That means a lot to me." He replied with a hidden smile.
"Ah damnit I need to get tired one way or another. Say, I can pass up the time with that old story from Tullius I mentioned when were just about to get here. Still want to hear it?" He then asked.
"I am still very interested." She replied with a nod.
"Alright I shall tell you it, it's a bit of a long one but this is one that gets him smiling as he talks about it." He said as he sat up on his bed.
It was a most interesting look into the old days of the land, as Alduin could have ever heard from any soul that she had met.
End of Chapter 20
Tullius's story shall be part of the 'First Great War' substory, I'll repeat this in the chapter for it but basically it's something I've had thought of for a little while. I'll be releasing the chapter coming out alongside this one and Vahlok's tale and two more over the course of the next two main chapters with no more releases of it until Vahlok's tale is done, It shall be in a somewhat more longer length than Vahlok's tale and shall be given one or two (most likely one) intermissions while Vahlok's tale won't be as long to warrant one.
Honestly I may move the 'First Great War' chapters in a different story at some point but I will say considering that as of this moment they will contain many background and character spoilers for some future additions to the story.
Will apologize to you all right now however, I lied to you last time. Two chapters left in Cyrodil before the proper start of Dawnguard begins.
And the intermission shall be posted when that happens.
And I do think that is all I have to say until the next chapter, until then!