Author's note:
My dear readers, here I am with the usual "one chapter every two weeks" update. This is a fill-in instalment, but I hope you will enjoy it anyway. Before I begin, however, let me thank all those of you who have recently taken the time to comment on my work.
The first thank you of the day goes to my dear ShpperofTrashyShips for their continuous support. Agda and Stein (or "Agdstein", as Elspeth once called them) are back together, but someone may try to tear them apart already in this chapter...
Speaking of Elspeth, don't worry for reading chapter 71 weeks after it got posted. To me, the important thing is to know that I'm not boring you ahah! Yeah, I must admit I'm a rather evil writer. Just think that at the beginning I meant this final part of the story to be even sadder and angstier...
As for the other reviews, I must thank BarricadesDemon216 for their interesting comments on the first arc of my fanfic. Hopefully you will continue reading it!
As usual, MeanE's review got me laughing and thinking. Yes, Agda did mention selling her soul to a Daedra in order to retrieve the memories of just one night - and yes, the girl has been making quite a lot of silly decisions as of late. The consequences of her actions are definitely making her pay for that!
The last huge thank you of the day goes to Valtieri. I swear that in the future I will try and be nicer to my characters - first, however, I must finish this story. Also, thank you for your comments about my writing. Speaking of which: if some of you have some general advice for me, I'd be very glad to hear it. I enjoy writing and I'd like to get better at it, so constructive criticism is always welcomed.
As I already mentioned, this new chapter will build a bridge between the angst of the previous instalments and the future development of the story. Also, it introduces a rather important character. So read, enjoy and let me know what you think.
Have a nice week!
5th of Hearthfire, 4E 204
Agda looked at the motionless body of the Dragonborn. It had been three days since Steinarius had been found on the road between Whiterun and Valtheim - and since then the Imperial had been laying consciousless in his small room inside the Temple of Kynareth.
Sighing, Agda tenderly ran her hand up and down Steinarius' arm. It was early morning and all the other healers were enjoying a few hours of rest. Agda, however, couldn't sleep with the awareness that her loved one was still fighting for his life. Also, the discoveries from the previous hours were making it impossible for her to relax.
Upon seeing Steinarius' battered body for the first time, Agda had fainted because of the shock. The mage still felt embarassed by that reaction and she felt even more embarassed every time the other healers treated her like a weak porcelain doll that needed to be protected at all costs.
"I'm a healer too, for Shor's beard!", she had shouted to Colette no less than thirty minutes earlier. "And even if it's my husband who needs to be cured, I will do my job without problems!"
The other mage had been surprised by Agda's reaction - and she had been rather surprised by the improper use of the word 'husband'. For that reason she had taken the unwise decision to ask Agda whether she and the Dragonborn had got married during her long absence from Winterhold. That question had been enough for Agda to snap once again.
"Do you really think that I would elope to Riften without telling anyone? For Oblivion's sake, who do you take me for?", she had screamed in disbelief.
Surprised by that reaction, Colette had blamed Agda's use of the word 'husband' on a slip of the tongue - Agda, instead, had blamed it on the discoveries the Companions had made while exploring the cave where Steinarius had been tortured. The warriors of Jorrvaskr had been surprised to find the corpses of warriors dressed as Legionnaires and Stormcloaks - and they had been even more surprised to find the corpses of a few Thalmor too. Agda, however, had remained completely speechless only when confronted with the jewels Farkas had found in Steinarius' blood-marred clothes.
"I think they were meant for you", the bulky warrior had shyly stated - and upon seeing the Amulet of Mara and the beautiful ring Steinarius had smithed for her, Agda had been forced to flee to the most hidden room of the Temple of Kynareth and burst into a desperate cry. She didn't deserve a man like the Dragonborn - not after all he'd been through because of her.
Unfortunately for Agda, things had got even worse when she'd found a small document hidden in Steinarius' ragged shirt. The parchment was full of confused sentences, most of which had been clumsily deleted - yet, their aim was perfectly clear. Steinarius meant to ask Agda to marry him - and in that small piece of parchment he had tried to outline a sentence that could help him pop the question in an original way.
"Slaughterfish have teeth, I have thee, I'll be as happy as a man can be if you decide to marry me" was the result of the man's attempts at poetry - and after coming up with that masterpiece, the Dragonborn had written a few ideas to make his proposal simply unforgettable.
HOW TO ASK AGDA TO MARRY ME, he had written in capital letters on the back of the parchment.
Step 1: ask Balgruuf to lend me the terrace of Dragonsreach for one night.
Step 2: ask Hulda to prepare dinner for two. Agda hates cabbages, keep that in mind.
Step 3: learn the slaughterfish line by heart, make sure not to forget the ring home; put on best clothes, ask Adrianne if women like the parfume Belethor sells in his shop. If not, think of an alternative.
Step 4: try to act as though everything was normal until the sun begins to set.
Step 5: pretend Balgruuf has summoned us to Dragonsreach, lead Agda to the terrace and have a romantic dinner together. Note to self: Better ask Lydia to make sure no one lurks around while we're there.
Step 6: drink wine. Lots of it. It will help find the guts to pop the question.
Step 7: take Agda's hand, lead her to the roof of Dragonsreach. Note 1: Might have to review step 6 in order to be able to face the staircase. Note 2: Find a way to sneak up there in the afternoon and prepare a bedroll in the likely event things go particularly well.
Step 8: admire the landscape until we get bored. Avoid any mention of Alduin. Drink more wine.
Step 9: act as though you had just taken an arrow to the knee (might have to ask a guard for advice). Pop the question and show the ring.
Step 10: Option 1 = if she says yes, make love to your soon-to-be-wife and book the Temple of Mara for the wedding (yay!). Option 2 = if she says no, take it like a man and go crying in the Underforge.
Under other circumstances, that goofy plan would have caused Agda to burst into laughter. Unfortunately, with Steinarius fighting for his life because of her, that list had caused the young Nord to feel even worse than before.
There was a low whimper and Agda was immediately snapped out of her sad thoughts. The girl immediately approached Steinarius and laid a hand on his forehead. Under the bandages his skin was cold and sweaty as an effect of the fight between the poison used by the torturers and the potions prepared by Danica and the other healers; yet, the mage was pleased to notice that the Dragonborn's complexion and temperature seemed slightly better than before.
As an effect of Agda's proximity, Steinarius apparently calmed down. Confronted with his seemingly peaceful expression, the girl thought of the letter she had sent to him a few days before he was tortured. Had the courier reached the Dragonborn on time...
Agda was forced to abandon those thoughts when the door to the room slowly creaked open. When she turned around, the young mage was surprised to find herself face-to-face with the leader of the Companions.
"It's six in the morning, you should be sleeping", Kodlak Whitemane told her as a greeting. Despite that direct approach, in the silver eyes of that wise man Agda could see a mixture of tenderness and sadness. "I can watch over him for you, if you want".
Confronted with that offer, Agda shook her head. She knew she needed rest and she also knew that she probably looked like a ghost. Yet, there was no way she could abandon Steinarius' bedside.
"We can watch over him together", she told Kodlak, a determined look in her brown eyes.
Knowing that the girl wouldn't take no for an answer, the old warrior smiled and sat down beside her.
"Farkas and Vilkas will be here soon, and so will Aela, Skjor and the others", he said. "We haven't forgotten that Steinarius was once part of our pack".
As Kodlak said those words, his eyes found Agda's. The girl hadn't missed the use of the word 'pack' - and now, confronted with the stern gaze of that wise warrior, she suddenly felt unease.
"You know what we are, Agda", Kodlak continued, his eyes never leaving the mage's face. "Steinarius never admitted it, but I think it's obvious that he told you of our secret. Had he not, he would have never thought of you as a possible life companion".
Surprised by the way Kodlak had faced that topic without any preamble, Agda frowned. She had no idea what to do: deny the truth or admit that she knew that the Companions were werewolves?
Eventually, the girl went for the first option.
"It was an accident", she said, her voice low but firm. "Steinarius had to turn into a werewolf to save my life. That's how I found out".
"And he obviously told you that all the Companions are werewolves", Kodlak commented with a low chuckle. "The boy has never been good at hiding the truth from people. You know, it's difficult for werewolves to find partners that do not share this... gift with them. Actually, I'd say it is almost impossible".
Agda didn't miss the way Kodlak said the word 'gift' - yet, in that moment she had other matters on her mind.
"If you are implying that we and Steinarius cannot be happy together just because..."
Kodlak was quick to stop Agda with a gesture.
"I'd never say anything like that, Agda. Actually, I think you and Steinarius may become the happiest couple of Skyrim. You know his strengths, you know his secrets, you know his weaknesses - and I'm pretty sure he knows you very well too. The boy brightens up when he speaks of you and is ready to settle down and be a loving husband and a protective father. That is, if he survives his injuries".
Before Agda could say anything, Kodlak started speaking once again.
"There is one thing you need to know about the day he was tortured, Agda", the old man frowned. "One thing I'm telling you just because you are a trustworthy person who already knows our secret. Vilkas and Farkas were the ones to investigate the place where Steinarius had been tortured - and once there, they noticed the traces left by a werewolf. Also, a farmer claims he's seen a huge black wolf shortly before finding Steinarius in the middle of the road. I thought you might like to know it".
As she listened to these words, Agda realized that her heart had just skipped a beat. She only knew one black werewolf - one black werewolf who deeply cared about Steinarius, used special potions to prevent other creatures from smelling her scent and perfectly knew that the Dragonborn was about to be tortured.
Sighing, Agda understood the truth.
She owed Vigdis the life of her man.
During the following days the news of the Dragonborn's injury spread throughout Tamriel. Agda had never really thought about all the people Steinarius had helped over the course of his life, just like she had never really thought about the love the people of Skyrim nourished for their prophesized savior; when dozens and dozens of strangers came to Whiterun to see Steinarius and pray for his quick recovery, however, the girl realized that her man was probably the most respected person in the whole country.
As predictable, the first ones to visit the poor Imperial were the people of Whiterun. Adrianne and her husband had insisted on seeing Steinarius right after his arrival in the city, just like Kodlak Whitemane and Jarl Balgruuf. Yet, Agda had never expected to meet people like Amren, Carlotta or Fralia Greymane at her man's bedside.
"He helped me when my son got kidnapped by the Thalmor", the old woman revealed when confronted with her surprise.
"He retrieved an old sword for me", Amren added.
"And he made it clear to Mikael that I wasn't going to marry him", Carlotta concluded.
Soon enough, also the people of Riverwood came to pay their respects - and so did the inhabitants of more distant cities. Agda was particularly shocked when entire groups of legionnaires came to visit their former Captain - and she was even more shocked when Elisif and Ulfric decided to reach Whiterun together just in order to show how much they cared for the Dragonborn. Agda knew that their decision was a political one - after all, the Legion claimed that Steinarius had been harmed by the rebels, whereas the rebels stated the contrary. Yet, she was sincerely surprised to see Elisif break into tears at Steinarius' bedside and Ulfric mutter a curse under his breathe after seeing the injuries on the Imperial's body.
Even Eorlund Graymane and the Companions often visited Steinarius - and on a glorious day even Erik, J'zhargo, Esbern and Faendal from the Blades decided to show up. For Agda, however, the most important visit was Adaeze and Hadvar's.
The two soldiers reached Whiterun at the end of a tiring and rainy day. Hadvar's beard had got even longer and his complexion even paler, whereas Adaeze looked particularly worn out and weak; yet, despite their long journey from Dawnstar, the two immediately decided to visit the Temple of Kynareth and offer Agda some solace - and reunited with her best friend, the Archmage of Winterhold couldn't help but break into a desperate cry and reveal her many of the secrets behind Steinarius' injury. Agda told Adaeze of Delphine's warning, she told her of the Thalmor and their fake Dragonborn, she even told her of her deal with Hermaeus Mora - but most of all, Agda told Adaeze about her meeting with Vigdis and her feelings of guilt.
The Redguard needed a few moments to recover from all those news; then, however, she quickly took Agda's defense. The two girls were in the calmness of Breezehome, where Agda had just been forced to take a warm bath. Since the building was empty, Adaeze was free to shout as loud as she wished.
"Agda of Anvil, it is not your fault if Steinarius got tortured!", she veehemently told her best friend. "If Vigdis really knew that he was about to get hurt, she should have warned him, not you! Also, she should have tried to kill his torturers before they could harm him, not afterwards!"
Regardless of Adaeze's words, Agda shook her head.
"Adaeze, it was Vigdis who saved Steinarius after he was tortured", she revealed.
Confronted with that discovery, Adaeze blinked in confusion.
"How can you be sure?"
"Kodlak Whitemane visited me the other day and gave me a few clues regarding a warrior that was seen with Steinarius shortly before a farmer found him on the road between Whiterun and Valtheim", Agda said. " He didn't mention Vigdis openly, but I think he wanted me to understand that she's still alive".
Adaeze welcomed those words with a shrug.
"I don't see why the fact Vigdis is still alive should influence your existence".
"Had it not been for Vigdis, I would have died in the Sea of Ghosts", Agda replied with a tragic sigh. "And had it not been for her, Steinarius would be dead too. How can I live a quiet life while knowing that all my happiness depends on that woman?"
Surprisingly for Agda, Adaeze didn't share her tragic opinion of those events.
"Agda, Vigdis saved your life and your man's because she was in the mood to protect you. Actually, I think she feels guilty for the way she dumped Steinarius all those years ago. Maybe she's trying to make it up for it by looking after you both. I don't see what's wrong with it".
Irritated by her friend's lack of understanding, Agda nervously shook her head.
"Before Steinarius was tortured, he wanted to marry me", she confessed. "The thing is, he fell in love with me just because he thinks that Vigdis is dead and that he can no longer have her. Unfortunately, this is not the case. So tell me, Adaeze: how can I be happy and marry Steinarius all while knowing that our relationship is based on a lie?"
"Agda, Steinarius is in love with you!", the Redguard protested. "Vigdis might have saved his life, fine, but this doesn't change anything!"
"Well, to me it does, especially if you consider that it's all my fault if he got tortured. I knew it was about to happen, I damn well knew it, and what did I do? I simply wrote him a letter and went on doing my duty up in Winterhold. What kind of person behaves like that?"
Confronted with that revelation, Adaeze was speechless for a second. Then, however, the Redguard was quick to reassure her friend.
"Agda, you were simply unlucky", she said while laying a hand on her friend's knee. "Had that letter reached Steinarius, he wouldn't have been tortured at all. You simply had a lot of bad luck, girl - don't be too hard for yourself just because a courier didn't do his job. Also, now you have more urgent matters to take care of".
Agda tried to protest, but Adaeze stopped her with a gesture.
"You can spend a lifetime criticizing yourself for what you did or what you didn't, Agda of Anvil, but that won't change anything", she sternly said. "You cannot change the past: the only thing you can change is the future - which is why you should stop crying over yourself, leave this bloody room and go stand by your man until he finally opens his eyes again. Oh, and when he does, make sure to plant a passionate kiss on his lips and not to mention Vigdis for the next hundred years. That woman is Steinarius' past, sure, but you are his present and his future; also, you are the best healer of the land - and if we want the Dragonborn to survive his injuries, we need you to be there for him. Until he regains consciousness, all of your troubles mean nothing at all".
For a moment Agda felt the urge to deny the truth in Adaeze's words; then, however, she realized that her friend was right. There was no use in feeling sorry for herself and for Steinarius - if she wanted her dreams to come true, Agda needed to forget about Vigdis and do the best she could to save her man.
A week after being tortured, Steinarius was still fighting for his life. His overall condition had got slightly better, sure, but the healers were still skeptical about his recovery - and for that reason two very important people decided to travel to Whiterun in order to stand by his side.
Agda had never really thought about Steinarius' parents. Sure, she knew that his father was a former Legate of the Legion and that his mother was a former priestess of Stendarr, but she'd never really felt any interest towards them. When Aburius and Lucretia Crepusculus turned up at the gates of Whiterun on a sunny morning, however, the girl realized something she'd never really been aware of. Not only was Steinarius the son of two very rich parents - he was also the son of a woman whose personality definitely resembled a Hargraven's. Sadly enough, for some reason Agda felt the innate need to please said Hargraven.
To tell the truth, Lucretia Galantis was one of the most beautiful women Agda had ever seen. Although she was in her early sixties, her skin was as perfect as teenager's. She had long, white hair that cascaded all over her back, whereas her complexion was incredibly pale, thus giving her a somewhat noble and distant appearance. Lucretia's eyes were as blue as the sky of Solitude on a summer day, whereas her figure was tall and agile. She wore beautiful clothes made of expensive silk and she seemed completely disgusted by Whiterun, by its inhabitants and by everything connected to it.
Unlike his wife, Aburius Crepusculus looked like a kind and friendly man. He was short and bulky, yet Agda immediately noticed that Steinarius and his father shared the same hooked nose, the same singsong accent, the same messy hair - but most of all, the two of them shared the same placid grey eyes.
Agda was by Steinarius' side when she first came across the two people who might become her parents-in-law - and she was completely shocked by the way Lucretia and Aburius reacted to their son's injuries. The former soldier murmured something under his breath and softly stroked his son's hair; the woman instead covered her mouth with her hands and stood still for a second; then, to everyone's dismay, she began shouting orders like an obsessed.
"This is my son, MY SON, you dirty peasant!", she screamed at Danica. "How dare you leave him in this room with just two windows? And you, you bulky barbarian!", she added while turning to a healer of Nordic origins. "What are you looking at? Go get my boy some decent silk blankets, not these woolen horrors! And you..."
Within a couple of minutes, Lucretia had managed to insult every single person who was inside the Temple of Kynareth with her. While looking at her, Agda was torn by mixed feelings.
A part of her couldn't help but think that Steinarius' mother was the most hateful creature she'd ever met; another part, however, tried to explain the reasons behind the woman's behavior.
It must be hard to devote your whole life to the Divines just to get at the age of 60 and receive the news that your only son has been tortured by some fanatics and may die because of his injuries, that part of Agda's mind whispered - and for a moment, the mage believed the feeble voice in her head to be right. Then, however, Lucretia turned towards her.
"And you! I don't need to ask who you are, Nord", the woman said while pointing her finger at Agda. Sensing that tragedy was about to strike, her husband tried to intervene, but to no avail.
"Leave me alone, Aburius!", Lucretia screamed when her man made to shush her. A moment later, the former priestess spoke to Agda once again. "I know my son well enough to know that his taste in women is absolutely trivial and irrational - and you clearly are one of those Nordic, brainless peasants he enjoys seducing so much, girl. Dark eyes, messy hair, baggy robes... Yes, you must be Agda Seafarer. The best healer of the land, isn't it? Well, do me a favor, girl: you've been around Steinarius for more than a week and he still hasn't recovered. I guess it's high time you left and allowed me to call a professionist".
Agda made to reply, but Lucretia resumed screaming once again.
"I'm not used to repeating the same words twice! You have no right on my son, so get out of this room and never show your face again!"
As anger boiled inside her, Agda opened her mouth to insult the woman who was treating her so poorly. Adrianne, however, was quick to grab her by the elbow and lead her outside the room. The blacksmith had heard of Lucretia's arrival in Whiterun and, being well acquainted with the woman's personality, she'd immediately run to the Temply of Kynareth in order to save Agda from her future mother-in-law.
"There's no point in arguing with a maniac, isn't it?", Adrianne asked after Lucretia had slammed closed the door to her son's chamber.
Agda didn't even find the strength to reply. She was shocked, she was angry, she was outraged; but most of all, she was fully aware of one thing.
Lucretia Galantis was the most hateful creature of Nirn.