Author's Note: Disclaimer: I do not own Skyrim or any of the mods referenced here. I am making no money off of this fic.
Hello! This is my first story on here, and I hope you all enjoy it. I actually wrote this to get rid of my writer's block on one of my novels. When my husband found out I wrote a fanfic, he said I should post it, so here I am. This idea came to me after playing the game and then having a dream about it. I don't write tragic endings, so this will have a happy ending. I have also referenced a few mods. The names and creators are in the author's note at the bottom. If you are a PC player, you should definitely check them out. Inigo is one of my absolute favorite mods.
In addition, I have taken some liberties with the gameplay (including changing minor details of certain quests) to make it more fitting for writing material that would reflect a more interactive life in Skyrim. I have also expanded on some personality traits—we don't really see enough of Ondolemar to get an accurate representation of what his personality would be like across the board, so I've placed him in some unique situations and expressed how I think he would react in those instances. There will be some sexual content in later chapters, and there is canon-typical violence as well as brief mentions of off-screen abuse. There will be no adultery on the part of our main characters.
This work is finished (9 chapters and an epilogue), and a sequel is also completely finished (9 chapters and an epilogue). At this time, I plan to post one or two chapters a week. Please read and review!
The day is calm and warm in the winding roads of the Reach. The mountains and cliffs are particularly beautiful in the bright sunlight that shines down on the pair of travelers. They are moderately worn and only slightly covered in blood, which is out of place for most run-of-the-mill adventurers frolicking through Skyrim. The blue Khajiit is cleaning off his ebony swords in the crystal stream that flows along the bank where they are seated, and his companion looks wistfully into the water. Her own bow is discarded, but her mage robes show that it is not her only weapon. Instead of cleaning a weapon, her hands are submerged in the cool water to ward off any lingering effects that her fire magic could have had on her skin.
"Is something the matter, my friend?" the man asks. His voice possesses a very thick accent, but at the same time, it is rather smooth and soothing. She finds it comforting.
"I don't know, Inigo," the woman answers. "My life isn't what I thought it would be."
"Are you talking about your husband?" he questions quietly. He knows that the man has changed quite a bit since his friend had gotten married a few months prior. Almithara had successfully completed the coursework and was promoted at the College of Winterhold before she and Inigo had wandered into Whiterun to stay for longer than a few hours on an errand. While they were there, they had joined the Companions. While being a Breton mage had not endeared her to the members of the guild, she had proven herself many times over and supposedly won the heart of Vilkas. Inigo had a funny feeling about the burly man when they met, but he chalked it up to being concerned about his friend. Now, he isn't so sure that his initial thoughts had been that far off base.
"Yeah," she replies softly. "When we first met, he was so sweet and really smart. His brother was also very kind, but Vilkas just had a higher level of intelligence. I thought that we could be good together. Ever since we got married three months ago, he's been pushing me into having a baby with him right away. I can't have a baby right now, Inigo. I have to fight Alduin and save the world. We only just saw the Greybeards recently. I'm sure that particular task is going to take up a lot of our time. I can't fight a dragon with a baby on the way, and we already have the kids that I've adopted. I mean, I only had Alesan and Sofie when we married, but I've picked up Lucia, Francois, Runa, and Samuel since then. I thought it would be enough, but it isn't. I know he will be furious if he finds out that I am taking a preventative potion. I avoid him when I can."
Her companion looks torn at what to say, his bright eyes filled with both deep sorrow and endless compassion. What can one say to their friend in the midst of a crisis? "I do not think bringing a child into this world right now is a good idea, Ara," Inigo finally answers. He is the only one permitted to give her any kind of nickname, and that is only because she can't prevent him from doing it. That and his cute ears.
"It shouldn't be this way," she sobs. "We've only been married three months! He's demanding things of me without taking my needs into consideration. He made promises he isn't keeping. He said I could do what I needed as the Dragonborn when we first discussed marriage, but he isn't being supportive now that we are actually married."
He wraps one arm around his friend's shoulder. "It'll be okay. Why don't you talk to him about it when we get back? We only have to go into Markarth for a short errand, and we can be back in Riverwood Keep a little after lunch time with your teleportation spell."
She nods her assent. "And you'll stay there instead of going back to Riften?" Inigo insists on staying in a cell back in Riften as penance for what he did to Almithara in the past. She can't remember what he is talking about. Still, the two have developed a wonderful friendship, and she understands his reasons for wanting to make amends in whatever way possible. She is pretty confident that she will eventually convince him to make Riverwood Keep his permanent home. She had been presented with the option to be the Thane of Whiterun Hold after the business with the dragon that attacked the Western Watchtower. Included in that was the option to watch over Riverwood and take up residence at the Keep that was found there. It had taken a considerable amount of her money to secure the place, but it was worth it in the end. Her children have a wonderful place to live, and the town is flourishing under her watch. Not bad for a twenty-five-year-old Breton who was almost executed by the Empire.
"Of course," he answers without hesitation. They finish cleaning their weapons and head back to the mine outside of Markarth to let Pavo know that the miners could head back to Kolskeggr Mine without worrying about the Forsworn. After collecting their rather large sum of septims, Inigo and Almithara make their way to Understone Keep to see the Jarl. In between her Dragonborn duties, Almithara also takes care of bandits that are threatening various holds and delivers correspondence between Jarls when she happens to be heading in that direction. Jarl Balgruuf requested that a present be sent to Jarl Igmund for his birthday that had recently passed. Ah, politics.
Passing security is as easy as Almithara has come to expect since her appointment to Thane of Whiterun. The guards are cordial to her but wary of her companion. However, being with her, Inigo is treated with much greater respect than he would be otherwise. Many towns do not allow Khajiit entrance, but Inigo is always welcome if he is in her presence. If anyone has anything to say about it, she will simply threaten them with a quieter version of the Thu'um that she has begun to learn. Works every time.
The Keep is stuffy and hot. The air has a stale feeling, and the two friends can almost taste it. "Before we go up there, I wanted to go see a Mr. Calcelmo. He's a wizard here, and I've heard that he's rather ingenious—if not a bit bonkers."
"Of course, Ara," Inigo replies amiably.
Calcelmo turns out to be just as batty as others had said, but he is also vastly intelligent and warms up to Almithara right away. His like of her is cemented when she goes into the Nchuand-Zel Excavation Site and kills the horrible spider, Nimhe, that has been bothering him. On top of that, she went deeper into the ruins and retrieved all of the notes from the researchers that had been killed to give him. He invites them to come back any time, gives them a key to the Dwemer Museum, and even offers to teach her new spells should she ever need any help. Inigo suspects that she is trying to postpone going home. Almithara would have admitted to that had he asked her directly, but honestly, she also really loves the feeling of helping people with their problems. The gratitude on their faces makes all of the effort worth it, and that is exactly what happened with Calcelmo.
Unable to find anything else to drag out the inevitable, the two friends ascend the stone stairs to the Mournful Throne. A bit dramatic if you ask them, but to each their own. As they reach the top of the stairs, Almithara pauses and her eyes show a spark of interest. Inigo is unused to seeing his friend with such an expression as of late and looks to see what she was looking at. He sees a small delegation of three Thalmor soldiers patrolling the short corridor. Immediately thinking that she is afraid of them, he gently nudges her behind a pillar. "Are the Thalmor after you?" he asks.
She's frozen, her eyes still firmly trained on the group. Or rather, they are trained on the man at the head of the group wearing the signature dark, hooded Thalmor robes. The high cheek bones, the endless depths of his eyes, the way he carries himself with such incredible confidence—it's one of the most captivating things she's ever seen. "Huh?" she responds, her head obviously clouded. Inigo furrows his brows. If he isn't mistaken, the look in her eyes is intense attraction. She shakes her head sharply, and her clouded eyes clear. "I'm sorry. I just got lost in thought, I guess. And to answer your question, I don't think the Thalmor are after me. At least, not yet. I'm sure that we can add their names to the list eventually," she quips with a smile. Inigo returns it before they get back on track with their original goal.
Jarl Igmund thanks them profusely for the gift and asks that they pass on his compliments. They bow slightly and take their leave, but not before Almithara decides to approach the Thalmor officer. "What are you doing?" Inigo hisses. She just places her hand on his arm in a calming gesture and moves to stand directly in front of the man. He stops and looks down at her.
"Good afternoon, sir," she begins. "I'm Almithara."
Inigo can only watch in dismay. Almithara may be the Dragonborn, and a powerful mage in her own right, but she is still just a young woman. Being a Breton, she is only about five feet and two inches tall. Her dark hair falls midway down her back in straight, supple strands, and she has long, thick eyelashes in the same dark shade. The strands around her face have been swept back into a loose half ponytail and held in place with a ruby circlet to keep it out of her face while fighting. Her full lips are molded into a soft and welcoming smile. Her gold eyes shine brightly with the spirit and intelligence that have been missing in the last few months of her life. The minor amount of red makeup that surrounds her eyes matches the red and gold of her mage robes. She had insisted that the College purchase the newly introduced Opulent robes as soon as they had been announced. It had been a huge hit with both the students and staff. The full effect of her standing there with an open smile and a beautiful appearance would have been enough to make most people cave. However, Thalmor agents are not most people. Unfortunately, Inigo notices that there happens to be an identical spark of interest and attraction in the man's eyes. He may be with the Thalmor, but it would seem he is still a red-blooded man.
"Hello," he answers in a velvety voice that has Almithara almost swooning on the spot. "I am Ondolemar, Head of the Justiciars of Skyrim, and stationed in Markarth to further the Thalmor interests in this region." He gives a slight bow in her direction with the introduction. Not necessarily a formal bow that one would give to a superior but one given to a lady to show respect. Even with his bow, he does not reach her diminished height.
Almithara gives him the warmest of her smiles. Inigo has seen it many times before but not so much recently. "That sounds like a very big job. The Thalmor must value you very much to place you in such a high position." He visibly preens at the praise, and Almithara is able to offer him an appreciative glance over. He is tall—impossibly tall compared to her. He has to be at least a foot taller than she is. His eyes are green, like a beautiful forest after it rains. His high cheekbones and chiseled face give him a distinguished look. There are some lines on his face, but he is still a youngish man. His full mouth is currently quirked up in one corner in a barely-there smile. Almithara can make anyone break their countenance.
"Yes. You have the honor of addressing a member of the Thalmor. Bask in it," he declares proudly.
"Oh, I intend to," she answers playfully. "You're not from Markarth, I take it?"
His face contorts in disgust, and he sniffs haughtily. "As if this craggy, wretch of a city could give birth to a superiorly bred Mer such as myself. No, I'm not from Markarth. I was sent here to lead the Thalmor's interests in this corner of Skyrim. It's my mission to root out all Talos worship in this city. I, of course, come from the Summerset Isles."
"Of course," Almithara answers, clearly interested. "I, myself, come from Cyrodiil, but I also spent some time in High Rock. I came here after my parents died. I find this city to be rather confining." Her gaze is kind and empathetic.
"I am sorry for your loss," he responds, as etiquette requires.
"Oh, don't be. They were happy with their lot in life. Sometimes, people just get sick," she says, her eyes slightly gazing over in memories of happier times. She shakes her head minutely to clear it. "So, why are you after Talos worshipers?"
"It's a religious matter," he explains with his head held high. "The Thalmor do not recognize Talos as a god. He was only a man and does not deserve a place in our pantheon. The Empire has agreed to accept our beliefs, and its citizens have a responsibility to cease their heretical worship." He stops and looks her over once more. "You're inquisitive, aren't you?" She smirks up at him. "I like that. Perhaps you'd care to solve a little problem I'm having?"
She once again graces him with her beautiful smile. "I'm interested. What is it that you need help with, Ondolemar?"
He barely manages to conceal the shiver that passes through him when she utters his name. His two soldiers exchange a wary look, and Inigo grants a similar one to Almithara, but neither of them take notice. "Ogmund the Skald. He's old, respected, and I know for a fact that he worships Talos in his home. But the Jarl has been hesitant to call for his arrest. I want you to break into his home and find evidence."
"Breaking and entering?" she questions with a raised eyebrow.
"You will be compensated," he clarifies.
"I suppose we can delay our plans for a little while," she breathes with another smile. "I will be back shortly. Will I be able to find you here?"
He nods. "I will either be here or in my chambers through there." He gestures toward one end of the corridor. "If you cannot find me, simply ask a guard. They will be able to direct you."
She waves at him and practically bounces down the stairs. Inigo nods in farewell and follows her. Ondolemar stands as frozen as a statue for a few moments, staring at her retreating form before clearing his throat and continuing with his patrol.
"Is everything all right, sir?" one of the soldiers asks.
"Of course. I would like you to find out everything you can about that woman. You are dismissed." The soldier nods and hurries off to complete his task. Hopefully, whatever information comes to light will help him to figure out what is so special about her.
Outside of the Keep, Inigo corners Almithara. "Ara, what in the world was that?"
"What do you mean?" she asks innocently.
"You are completely infatuated with that man," Inigo accuses.
She scoffs, but there is no conviction behind it. "And what if I am? It's not like I'm going to do anything about it. I might not be happy in my marriage, but I am still married. And besides, it would be beneficial to have the Head of the Justiciars in Skyrim as my friend. Who knows when I'll need to get out of a sticky situation?"
Inigo can see the logic behind her thinking, but he is still worried. What friend wouldn't be? "If you're sure, my friend," he states cautiously. "And why are we retrieving this amulet? You don't care about the civil war."
"Again, we need him on our side. It could be helpful later." Inigo sighs, but he is content with her answer. They get into enough trouble on a regular basis, and friends in high places are invaluable.
It only takes them about two hours to retrieve the amulet. With everything that they have done throughout the day, it is rather late in the evening, being almost eight o'clock. Rushing back to the Keep, Almithara tells Inigo to wait near Calcelmo's small laboratory while she goes to deliver the amulet. Ondolemar is no longer patrolling, and she asks to be directed to his quarters. When she enters, he is working at his desk on some paperwork. The hood of his robes has been pulled down. His hair falls a little past his shoulders, and the top portion is pulled back into a braid to keep it out of his eyes. It is the most magnificent shade of honey blond she has ever seen. As he shuffles through the papers and makes little marks with his quill, he periodically takes bites of a small dinner of fish and grilled vegetables. It makes her realize that she hasn't eaten since that apple at breakfast. Good thing she's going home after this.
"I found the amulet in Ogmund's house," she announces. He looks over at her in surprise. She completed it much faster than he had anticipated.
"Ah, there we have it. This will be all I need to have Ogmund taken care of. I would like to personally thank you on behalf of myself and the Thalmor for your assistance. Here," he pulls a large pouch of septims from one of his desk drawers, "for your work."
She takes the pouch, and their fingers brush. His gloves have been removed, and when their skin meets, neither can deny the electricity that passes between. Gold meets green, and they each know that the feeling is mutual. She clears her throat and looks away first. "I should go. Thank you very much for this." She turns to leave and makes it to the door before turning back around to meet his gaze. "If there is anything—anything at all—that you require, you may send me a missive, and I will do everything in my power to help you, Ondolemar."
His breath hitches at her declaration, but she is gone before he can answer. About ten minutes later, his soldier, Bronwyn, comes in the door with the information he requested. "This is everything that I could find on Almithara, sir. I hope that you find it satisfactory."
He thanks Bronwyn with a dismissive wave and pores over the documents in the dossier. She is the Thane of Whiterun and rules over the town of Riverwood. She is only twenty-five, but she has adopted a total of six orphaned children she has found around Skyrim. How generous, he thinks. She swiftly moved through the coursework at the College of Winterhold and is the current Arch-Mage due to her heroics in saving both the College and the town from Ancano's attempt at harnessing an artifact much too powerful for mortals. Granted, the Thalmor would have loved to have access to that much raw power, but Ondolemar can admit that it should have been obvious that it was far outside of Ancano's reach and needed to be left alone. After his musings, he looks down at the next piece of information. She is the Harbinger of the Companions, which is odd considering she is a mage. There is a possibility she is something called the Dragonborn. He makes a note to look into that term later. He comes to the final line of the information, and his heart stops in his chest. She was married three months ago to a man named Vilkas of the Companions.
She can't be married. No. But then he thinks that is probably for the best. A superior Mer of his stature cannot be tied to a Breton. A half-breed. From the small scrap of information on her parentage, it seems that her mother was a Nord and her father an elf. His background and family is currently unknown, but considering her magical prowess, it is believed that she may possess very strong Aldmer blood. It still would not be enough for someone in his position. No, it most certainly isn't allowed. He pushes down the twinge of pain in his chest at the thought of her being off limits and returns to his work.
Across the province, Almithara and Inigo land in the courtyard of Riverwood Keep via the teleportation spell. It is rather taxing on her magic, but it is so much faster. Going home is a two-edged sword for Almithara: she has to deal with Vilkas, but she also gets to see her children. Alesan is especially loving and protective of his mother.
"I'm home!" she calls out when the large doors are opened by her guards. She hears squeals and shrieks come from the direction of the dining room, and her children come barreling into the entryway. They all tackle her and their Uncle Inigo into a rather large dogpile, which is added to by a group of pets: their dog, Meeko; Alesan's skeever, Biter; and Sofie's red fox, Kit. Lucia recently found a stray mudcrab, that she named Pincer, but he doesn't want to be a part of the pile. After exchanging greetings, she and Inigo go into the dining room to have their dinner alongside the family. She loads up a bowl with the apple cabbage stew—her chef's personal favorite—and grabs a chunk of roast venison and a garlic braid. Vilkas is seated next to her, but he doesn't acknowledge her presence. She assumes that he is angry.
"How was your trip, Ma?" Alesan asks from his place on her right.
"Very eventful, sweetheart. Inigo and I removed some Forsworn from a gold mine up in the Reach, and we went into the town for a while. I fought a giant spider, retrieved the notes from a failed expedition, and talked to a wonderful wizard named Calcelmo. He was a little old and a little batty, but he was a very kind man. I also gave Jarl Igmund his gift from Whiterun. He was most grateful. I'll have to go up there tomorrow and let Jarl Balgruuf know that he sends his thanks," she tells him.
"Wow, mama! You fought the Forsworn!" Sofie gasps.
"I did," Almithara answers. "It was rather frightening."
"What is the Keep like in Markarth?" Samuel questions.
Inigo notices her hesitation, but nobody else seems to realize anything is amiss. "It was very large and magnificent, but the air was very stale. None of you would like it very much," she states simply.
The children return to their dinner and allow her time to eat. Vilkas takes this opportunity to lean over. "It is good to see you again, dear."
"Is it?" she questions. "You did not greet me when I came in."
"I thought I would give the children that honor. Besides, I am sure that we will be able to celebrate you being home later," he declares with a hungry gaze.
A feeling of dread settles in her stomach. This isn't how it's supposed to feel. "Actually, I wanted to talk to you about some things later if you don't mind."
"Of course, dear. We can talk about anything you want," he says, but his closed-off face betrays his real feelings. Her opinion won't matter in the long run.
Dinner finishes soon after, and Inigo retires to the room she has given him near the large indoor pool. The children and the animals are each tucked into their beds before Almithara retires to her comfortable master bedroom where her husband awaits her. The first thing she does upon entry is strip off her traveling gear and mage robes and then move into the bathing area to have a good, long soak in the heated water. She picks up the bar of lavender-scented soap that Aela gave her as a birthday gift and works to scrape off all of the dirt and grime from her aching body.
"Let me help," a soft voice calls from behind. She stiffens but ultimately lets her husband come in to help her wash.
"Thank you," she replies quietly.
"Now, what did you want to discuss?" he questions as he coats her body in the soap and begins to wash her with a cloth.
She sighs heavily. "I don't think now is a good time for us to have a child."
His eyes flash with anger before they return to their usual dispassionate pale blue. "And why not?" he all but snaps.
"There is too much for me to do as the Dragonborn right now. I have to defeat Alduin. I have the entire world resting on my shoulders. I can't be pregnant and fight the World Eater," she states clearly.
"I think the opposite. Say that you are injured in battle, and we are unable to have any children because of it. What would we do then? It is better to have one now before you have to go and fight."
"I don't get to decide when Alduin will attack," she points out. "And we have six children."
"They aren't really ours," he growls.
"Yes, they are. They needed me, and I took them in. They are my children," she declares vehemently.
He breathes out heavily through his nose. His teeth are clenched in anger. "They still aren't truly our children. You aren't even old enough to have borne them all yourself."
His words sting her like she has been slapped in the face. What he says is true, but they are still her children in her heart. Especially her little Alesan, who had to watch his father die and then worked in the mines to get by, or Sofie, whose dad never came back from the war and who had to sell flowers to keep herself fed and still had to sleep in a pile of snow. They are are all her children. But she can tell that he will not be persuaded. "I understand," she says quietly. "I will have to go away again the day after tomorrow. I have heard some rumors and received a summons to go to Fort Dawnguard outside of Riften. There are vampires attacking."
He nods. "Do you need me to accompany you?"
"I will be taking Inigo so that he can go back to his cell, but I will be heading to the Dawnguard alone. They requested I come without companions for some reason. I think they have someone waiting for me," she responds. Her letter had been vague, but they had said that they had a Vigilant of Stendarr to accompany her.
"In that case, we had better make the best of the next couple of days," he says in a low, sultry voice. She consoles herself with the knowledge that her potion should work to keep her out of danger until he discovers the secret. His wrath at that could prove brutal.
List of Mods Referenced:
Inigo by Smartbluecat (One of my favorite mods ever)
Riverwood Keep by Lazz
Ayleid Palace by Lazz
Opulent Outfits by Mebantiza babooncru
Cloaks and Capes by volvaga0
ApachiiSkyHair by Apachii
Handsome Ondolemar by TheMadHarridan
Hearthfire Multiple Adoptions by TMPhoenix
Frostfall and Campfire by Chesko
Amulets of Skyrim by uni_SL
Imperious – Races of Skyrim by Enai Siaion
These can all be found on NexusMods.