17th of Hearthfire
"This one's heart was broken when she heard of Noxaura's ordeal." The Khajiit said as we sat in the private dining room over the remains of our breakfast. "Nahana thanks the Gods to see Noxaura looking well."
"I thank you, my friend." I replied. "I am much recovered. A host of friends aid me in my recovery."
It was indeed a group effort that I had to thank for my recovery, aided by my own healing spell and one of Aric's small potions, both of which were administered as I retired on my own rented bed with Aric a warm and familiar comfort by my side.
"We removed her bandages this morning." Aric said to the Khajiit and Elven pair that was visiting us to share their news. "She and my daughter Lucia resemble a pair of some rare spotted version of Imperials, and will do so for some time; but eventually the new skin will resemble the old."
"It is a good look for Noxaura." Nahana said. "Some would prefer it persisted."
"Some should manage a better sense of decorum when speaking to an Archpriestess." Avirel responded.
"I am not so delicate as that, friends." I replied. "You would be shocked were you to hear some of the comments uttered by my sisters."
"Nahana will take her chances were that opportunity to present itself." Nahana said with a toothy smile, earning her an eye roll from her companion.
"You have news for us, I believe, do you not friends?" Aric asked.
"The cultist camp to the east lies abandoned." Avirel said. "It appears the residents left shortly after the Reverend Mother's battle in the guild hall."
"Avirel and Nahana did not keep constant watch on that place, only occasionally." Nahana said. "The red robed ones could have left earlier, but only by a day or so."
"But if they had learned of the deaths of the two that the Reverend Mother dispatched, that could have been their reason to flee to some more secure location." Avirel said.
"Did you search the site?" Aric asked.
"Briefly." Avirel said. "They took only necessities. Much was left behind."
"We cannot leave without investigating further, surely." I said. "There can be no harm in it, if the site is truly abandoned."
"You are barely recovered from your last encounter with them." Aric said. "It is too much, too soon."
"It is a leisurely ride on a pleasant morning." I said. "And I am weary of my idleness. I promise I will flee at the first hint of trouble."
"You would do no such thing, and everyone here present knows as much." Aric said.
"I am well rebuked." I replied meekly. "I beg pardon from each of you."
Aric was silent for a moment.
"How far a ride at a leisurely pace?" he asked Nahana.
"More than an hour, less than two." Nahana said.
"I will be a complete stranger to Loga if I do not spend time with her." I said
"I see through your ploy, madam." Aric said, "I am harder to deceive than that."
"Since when?" I asked.
It was indeed a beautiful day for a leisurely ride, made more beautiful by my new found freedom from bandages. But Nahana clearly had a different idea of what constituted a leisurely riding pace. It was well over two hours before we arrived at the standing stones that had recently been a base for the cultists. It seemed that the same hand had erected these structures and those from the site to the west.
It also became apparent how the cultists were passing messages.
"Is that what I think it is?" I asked as I stared at the enchanting station, and the orb on it that was pulsating with energy.
"I believe it is." Aric said.
"Nahana has never seen such a device before." The Khajiit warrior said.
"The Thane has similar devices in each of his homes scattered across Skyrim." I said. "They are all connected one to another. A mage who knows the proper spell can send a message using any one of them that can be received by all its linked brethren."
"They left in such haste that this message has not been read." Aric said.
"Is there any way for you to retrieve it?" I asked.
"None that I am aware of." He said. "Not unless I know the proper spell."
"Do we gain anything by destroying this orb?" I asked
"No." Aric replied. "This undelivered message would have arrived at all the linked orbs. It has certainly been read by some of the cultists."
"That means that it was sent by an orb linked to their network." I said.
"Yes." Aric replied.
"Then we should be searching for such an orb." I said.
"It is information we should pass to the Emperor's agents." Aric said. "Remember, our involvement is ended."
"Will those agents have the skill to identify linked orbs?" I asked
"You may recall that I mentioned that such devices do not go unnoticed." Aric said. "Any mage should be able to identify a linked orb from one that is not linked. The Daedra that is used to link the orb to the network is easily detected."
"Then our journey here yielded important information." I said triumphantly.
"To the victor the spoils madam." Aric said to me with a bow. "Toinen, pry that orb loose from its housing and store it in the Reverend Mother's saddle bag. "We will deliver it to the proper hands."
"Yes, milord." Toinen said.
"And we should search for any written documents." I said to my three retainers. "The Thane is a great believer in memorizing ones orders before burning them, but not everyone is so careful."
"Yes, your Grace." The three men said as the outpost became a beehive of activity.
"I will assist you." I said.
"You will do nothing more strenuous than sitting, madam, or I will take hold of you and not let you go." Aric said.
My smile formed as I drew close to him and place my hand on his chest.
"Is that a promise, sir?" I asked him.
"Miss, if you don't mind me saying, the lads have noticed your robes growing looser every day. We're a bit concerned for your health." Ensim said on our return journey.
"I cannot deny the truth of your words, Ensim." I said, "But as to my health, my recent injuries notwithstanding, I feel perfectly well."
"I am glad to hear it, miss." Ensim said. "The lads will be glad as well."
"At some point in time, they have taken to calling you miss." Rigel said. "But I am unable to identify exactly when."
"It began once she awoke from her recent deep sleep." Aric said. "They have all three adopted her into their unofficial family."
"They are all my age or slightly younger." I said. "Surely miss is reserved for someone much younger than oneself.
"It is a term of endearment, and as such recognizes no restrictions." Aric said. "But he is correct, you have shed every ounce of excess body fat. You more resemble a dryad than a priestess."
"I will reserve judgement on that comment, sir, until I know whether it was meant as a compliment." I replied.
"You have drawn upon the power of the Earthbones quite often of late." Aric said. "It has a cost, which you are well aware. You are a candle, burning itself so it may generate light. In the extreme, you are overcome, and fall into a sleep like someone from the old tales. In less extreme cases your body uses its own stores of energy. The piper demands payment once his song is played. You must take great care when wielding the power in future. I cannot say with certainty what may occur were you to pass some invisible line. I have never known anyone who wielded the power as you do."
"My body was quite good at signaling when it required sustenance after my training sessions with Amren." I said. "I receive no such reminders after wielding the power."
"We return home after our final audience at the palace. Your life should be much more quiet." Aric said. "This may be a question that never requires an answer. Just be mindful, and be cautious."
The horses clearly enjoyed our outing. They were quite vocal, and at times playful. The two legged members of our party were quieter, and more contemplative. The quiet of the countryside led my thoughts back to my cozy cottage which I would see again in not too many days.
"Gods, I have just realized, where shall I house our three retainers?" I asked Aric.
"Where had you intended to house Kolmas' family?" Aric asked in return.
"In Helgen." I said. "You said yourself that they expand outside their walls in almost every direction. They would do well there, would they not?"
"I believe they would." Aric said. "But your retainers must be closer than that."
"Would the Companions allow me to rent space in their upside down vessel?" I asked. "Or perhaps a home in Whiterun that could hold Kolmas, his family and Ensim and Toinen."
"Kolmas' wife would be run ragged caring for all of them." Aric said. "Best if we housed them apart."
"If they resided in Whiterun, Amren could instruct them." I said. "He could instruct all of us."
"It is something to consider." Aric said.
We had ridden only a short distance further before another thought occurred to me.
"Gods, I had totally forgotten." I said, "I must recharge my rings. I must return to the mages guild hall to do so. It sounds silly when I say it, but I dread returning to that building."
"It does not sound the least bit silly." Aric said. "I feel the same way every time we pass through Dragon's Bridge. Too much trauma is associated with that place. At least this site will soon be behind you, and you will not see it again, if ever, for quite some time."
"My shack in the Rift should affect me in the same manner. But it has now become the place in my dreams where Railius visits me, and as such it has carved out a special place in my heart."
"Have care." Aric said. "Railius now knows the way to your Mother's cottage. He may no longer be satisfied with a shack in the Rift."
My laughter rang aloud for all to hear.
"I had forgotten." I said. "How quickly he abandons Danica for my Mother."
"Do we know that he has done so?" Aric asked.
I was about to make a comment on a man becoming attached to more than one woman until I recall to whom I was speaking.
"Do you know, he suggested once that since you know the way to Sovngarde that we could visit him." I said
Aric smiled and began to speak but stopped himself and adopted a quizzical look. He was quiet for several breaths, lost in his thoughts but occasionally glancing at me.
"Will you share your thoughts, sir, or do you intend to keep me in suspense?" I asked.
"I will share my thoughts, madam," he replied, "once I can identify them."
We passed by the palace after returning our horses to the stable. Aric entered alone to deliver the orb and confer with the Emperor's head mage while I sat in the shade of a large tree and enjoyed the cool afternoon breeze. It was there that I encountered two familiar faces.
"You have met my sister, madam." I said to Rene after the laughing pair had seen me and approached my shaded bench. Rene and Lucia had been holding hands until they recognized me as the solitary figure seated in the shade.
The summer air in Cyrodiil has some magical amorous quality. I thought.
"Lady, you look so much better than when last we spoke." The woman with the raven hair said.
Her gaze quickly went to the spots of new flesh and skin on my face and neck.
"Rene is an excellent tour guide." Lucia said. "My face hurts from laughing."
"Does the Imperial City contain so much mirth?" I asked the pair.
"It does when one knows where to look." Rene said as she looked at Lucia and smiled. Rene was taller than I, but not as tall as the woman upon whom she now gazed from a distance that was quite close.
"How does your tour of the city fare?" Aric asked his daughter as he approached.
"Her face hurts from laughing." I said with a nod towards Lucia as Rene increased the distance between the two of them.
"It is a pain I can well remember from when she was still a child." Aric said. "She was the source of much laughter, as were her sisters."
"He exaggerates." Lucia said to Rene with a smile of her own. "He is very old, and his wits are addled."
"Madam, your stomach makes a sound that cannot possibly be healthy." Aric said in response to my stomach signaling the need for food.
"It is well past lunch time sir, and mine is not the only organ sending such a message." I replied.
"In that case, let is take our late lunch at the nearby Inn." Aric said. "I enjoyed both their dining room and their menu very much."
The nearby Inn was also known as the Tiber Septum Hotel, where we had lunched before, and was the most expensive inn within the Imperial City. It was also the lodgings of Captain Kurst Fair-Shield and his cousin Runa; so it was not a surprise to see either of them descend the stairs that lead from the lobby to the rooms on the upper floor. It was a surprise, however, to see the look Runa and Kurst shared as they descended the stairs together.
Three of the four members of our party paid particular attention to the items on the menu, held quite close to our faces, until Kurst spoke as he and Runa approached.
"This is a pleasant surprise." Kurst said in a manner that almost had me believe it was the truth. "We have ourselves just returned from our tour of the city."
"Rene and I were close to concluding our own tour when we bumped into these two exiting the palace." Lucia said.
"Your Father was exiting the palace." I said. "I chose to remain outside and enjoy the shade and the more comfortable coolness it provided. The palace more resembles a meat locker in temperature rather than a residence."
"I thought your audience was not until tomorrow." Runa said.
"It is." Aric replied. "We had intelligence that took us east of the city, to the cultist outpost that we discovered earlier."
"As there is not a mark on either of you, I will infer that the camp had been abandoned." Runa said.
"Abandoned of residents, yes." Aric said, "But they left behind a fair amount of material, including a scrying orb which still held an undelivered message. The orb is now in the hands of the Emperor and his mages."
Rene looked down at her hands when the word cultist was spoken and only looked up again when the orb was mentioned.
"What is a scrying orb?" she asked.
"It is a device for sending and receiving message across great distances." I said. "It is how these people passed information regarding us so quickly."
"The Imperial Archmage has it now." Aric said. "It is impossible to penetrate the network without the exact spell, but it will aid them in their search. He will also instruct the mages guild to search their entire hall for similar devices. The palace will also be searched, since Maretta Greenfield was a resident there."
"I have never heard of such a thing." Rene said, "Though I am only a novice. I am referred to as a mage, but truth be told, the title of student is more appropriate."
"You are too hard on yourself my friend." I said. "I was referred to as priestess when I was eight years old, even though I was newly minted novice. I swelled with pride at the sound of that word, and it drove me to work harder at my studies. Let the title of mage have such an effect on you. Grow into your title through hard work and dedication. But also add right mindedness and just application of strength. If these cultists had remembered those two details Cyrodiil would have been better off."
"One again, the Reverend Mother displays her wisdom." Kurst said.
"You are very kind to advise me, Reverend Mother." Rene said. "Especially after all I have done."
"We discussed this at length, Rene." Lucia said. "You are not in any way at fault."
"Lucia is correct." I said. "You are in no way to blame for anything that has transpired. And my name is Noxaura. You have known that as long as you have known me. Please call me by my name."
"Thank you Noxaura." Rene said as she studied her hands again.
"Guilt is a terrible thing to bear, especially when you carry it in error." I said. "You know nothing of me. I bear a considerable amount of guilt, and all of it I have earned through my own actions. It is a wonder that I do not sink to the center of the earth from the weight of the guilt I carry. You may feel guilt for other things from your past. You will certainly feel guilt for things you do in future. Do not add to your eventual burden with this additional weight. It does not belong to you. It belongs to others."
"I wish it were that easy to put down." Rene said. "It seems that I cannot pry it from my mind."
"I have more than a passing acquaintance with that feeling." Aric said. "It would help you if you talked to someone."
Rene and Lucia looked at each other as Aric finished speaking.
It appears that she has already found someone to talk to. I thought.
"It is time for the Archpriestess to assert her authority and declare that sad topics are hereby banished from this table." I said. "We should place our orders before luncheon turns to dinner. And then I suggest, in the interests of a more merry conversation, a retelling of Lucia's first adventure with her Father."
Lucia placed her head in her hands as Runa mixed cheering with laughter.
Luncheon did indeed turn into dinner, as our revelry would not be denied. My portion I contributed quite freely, the prospect of returning to Skyrim having rid Cyrodiil of a great evil growing more real each passing moment.
Each of my companions here present had their own reasons to be merry. I had no evidence to support my theory, but I was sure I knew what shared reason Runa and Kurst had to be so happy. No evidence but for their glances and clandestine touches under the table top. I wondered if the Captain had won a larger portion of her heart or if the two were simply enjoying a stolen season that must end once we had returned Runa's cousin to Bruma before ourselves continuing north towards home.
My heart rate quickened, however, after Lucia and Rene had departed to return the young mage to her guild hall, when Kurst asked to speak to us privately. Runa departed for her room, but not without a smile and a touch on the Captain's arm.
Gods, is he about to ask for her hand? I wondered.
"My friend of a friend had quite an interesting report to deliver earlier." Kurst said.
"Friend of a friend?" I asked.
"You friend in the legion spoke to his friend in the city guard." Aric said.
"Yes." Kurst replied. "She sent him word this morning. It appears that the death of Maretta Greenfield has loosened the tongue of the man who's mission to search your rooms came to such an abrupt end. His fear of her retribution having evaporate, he told a meandering tale which, boiled down to its essentials, is that Maretta paid for the use of one of Zedrick's spies in the Imperial City. I say one of since Zedrick has many in the city. It may interest you to know that the men that the Reverend Mother apprehended in the city jail were not strangers to each other. Noxaura mention that the guard turned assassin spoke to the other man as he unlocked the cell door but, as her ears were elsewhere, she did not hear what was said.
"Yes." I said. "It was quite unsettling, having one's eyes in one location and one's ears in another."
"The man, whose name is Brusus incidentally, said the guard sent to kill him said something like: 'it's not personal, chum, it's just business.'" Kurst said.
"Buisness." Aric said. "It is an unfortunate way to describe the death of a man."
The words came from my mouth before I could stop them.
"You are a member of a renowned group of assassins, my love." I said. "Is not their business the business of death?"
"You are an assassin, sir?" Kurst asked, the look of surprise clear upon his face.
"If I were to deny it, it would be a lie." Aric said as he looked at the cup in his hand. "I was quite young, and it was a question of join or die. I joined, never contemplating accepting any contract. But to answer her Graces question, yes, the business of the Dark Brotherhood is death. But death under strict protocols, and only with approval of the Night Mother. It is death to any member who breaks those rules. It is not this cavalier attitude to life and death that these people display. "
"The Dark Brotherhood." Kurst said. "Gods."
Everyone went quiet. Aric's face became a mask that I knew meant he was hiding his pain, even from me. I had wounded him. I had wounded the man I loved.
It was too much to bear. Perhaps if I had not endured an ordeal that had nearly killed me I would have born up better, but I could not stem the flow of tears, and the sob that escaped my lips was audible to all.
"I am sorry, beloved." I said as my breath came in gasps, "I am so very sorry. I would never intentionally hurt you, or cause you pain. You know this, surely, but I beg your pardon with all my heart."
He took my hand as my sob turned to crying.
"I know your heart, my love." He said, the pain gone from his face, his mask replaced with a soft smile. "You are not the source of the pain I feel. It is the memory of my youth, and what I did in order to survive, that is the source. Trust me when I say that becoming a member of the Dark Brotherhood is not the most painful memory I retain from my early life."
Diners at nearby tables were watching us, but Aric paid them no mind. He leaned closer and kissed me, a soft kiss, the tears still wet upon my cheeks; tears he wiped away with his calloused hands.
"Please excuse me, friends" Kurst said as he turned his face away from us, "I have something in my eye."
Aric's eyes held mine, as mine held his. They did not waver as he spoke.
"It is the season, sir." Aric replied to Kurst. "The summer air is well known to have that effect."
We walked slowly, hand in hand, back to our own lodgings. Evening had taken firm hold of the day, but lamps illuminated our path with a warm light.
"You have never spoken in detail of your early life." I said finally. "You have shared excerpts, but I realize I know very little of you as young warrior, recently transplanted to Skyrim."
"You have never asked," he answered, "And you know I am not comfortable talking about myself in any respect."
"You are a private person, and with good reason." I said. "But you know that you can speak to me about anything, do you not? We are lovers. We are friends. I have called you husband on more than one occasion, even though there is nothing official between us. But I am also a Priestess, a spiritual counselor. You may speak to any one of these aspects of me, singly or in combination."
"There is nothing official between us." Aric said. "Not in the sense of words written on parchment. Neither do written words exist that define my love for Lydia or my love for Elisif. But my love for them in no way insulated my heart against you. Falling in love with you was as natural a process for me as drawing breath. You said to the Emperor that my preferred title is Father. In most instances that is true. But in those rare instances when you call me Husband I prefer a different title."
My tears began again, but they were tears of joy.
"You have never objected that I pledged my love to others besides you." Aric said.
"They have had your love for much longer than I have." I said. "If they do not object to your loving me, how can I object to you loving them?" I asked.
"Neither would I object to you sharing your love with someone else, should it ever occur." Aric said.
"Excepting a child of ours, I do not believe the possibility exists." I replied as I wiped my face on my sleeve.
"Do not be so sure." Aric said. "You have a vast capacity for love. Think of the number of sisters you have adopted."
"There is love, and then there is Love." I said. "I trust you take my meaning, Champion of Dibella."
"I take your meaning right readily." Aric replied. "And I trust you take mine. Never feel you must hide something from me if you find an attachment to another grows upon you. Love is a gift from both Mara and Dibella. It would displease the Gods were you to deny it."
"Do you lecture an Archpriestess on the Gods, sir?" I asked.
Aric smiled slightly as he spoke.
"Whenever the opportunity presents itself, madam." He replied.