Chapter 14

Ragnthor

Ragnthor woke early the next morning. He was feeling lazy so he grabbed a potato on his way outside. The air was warm on his face and the snow was melting off the roof.

Ragnthor smiled and whistled as he walked over to the stable. He led the horses and cow over to the field and let them loose. He laughed as Ahearn walked carefully through the mud.

"Why you crazy horse. You spend 6 months standing in your own shite but get worried over a little mud." Ahearn shook his mane and ran off after Black Moon.

As Ragnthor walked back to the house he chuckled. "You have got quite a surprise coming this summer. At least you fight as well as you look."

He shook his head and walked back to the house. When he walked through the door he saw Lydia standing there staring at him.

"So what have you been up to? You didn't pop any stitches, did you?"

Ragnthor shook his head as he walked over to the potato bag. "No Ma'am. Was just out letting the animals into the field. The snow will be gone today, by the way."

She nodded and grabbed her knife and some potatoes. Ragnthor smiled at her as he sat and starting cutting potatoes.

A few hours, and a massive pile of potatoes, later Slasher barked and then there was a knock at the door. Ragnthor stood and walked over and opened the door. It was Jon.

They shook hands. "When I invited you to come over I didn't expect you to visit so soon."

Jon laughed. "Well you are the Dragonborn. So I wanted to stop by before you are gone again."

Ragnthor laughed. "Well come in, come in. Me and Lydia are spending the day getting potatoes ready to plant and could use someone else to talk to. And you are welcome to help if you want." Jon laughed as he sat and pulled out a knife and grabbed some potatoes.

As Ragnthor sat he asked "So you and Ysolda are done, huh?"

Jon smile faded for a moment as he nodded. "Aye. Though I must say that I was a little surprised that she waited for me while I was in Solitude, 3 years is a long time to wait for someone." Ragnthor nodded and flashed a quick smile at Lydia, making her blush.

Jon laughed. "So it's true what the mother hens around town are saying. Well I guess you two are the exception rather than the rule."

Ragnthor looked at Jon. "Well its half true. We have decided to start anew. 8 years is a little hard on things of this nature. So what happened between you and Ysolda? You didn't sleep with someone else did you?"

Jon held up his hands and shook his head. "Gods no! It was that day. While you were having your spat with Mikael, I was singing a ballad for the folk outside. Well when I finished I may have smiled at Olfina Grey-Mane."

Ragnthor looked over at Lydia and saw her shaking her head. "Well it turns out the Ysolda saw that and didn't take it so well."

Lydia laughed. "Of course she didn't take it well. If I caught Ragnthor looking at some slattern why I would make her face look like Mikael's and maybe his as well."

Ragnthor laughed. "My sweet darling snowflower."

Lydia sent an exasperated look his way. "Quiet you. And not that Olfina is a slattern. In fact she is one of the most up right an honorable women in town. Not to mention she is rather lovely." Ragnthor smiled and got kicked in the shin.

He rubbed his leg and asked. "Well what happened next?"

Jon gave a tired smiled and shook his head. "She aired our dirty laundry in the town square. And not just the old stuff. She even pulled out things that hadn't happened but might. May have to recommend her to the College for she was very detailed. But some of the things that were said I can't forgive so we are through."

Ragnthor nodded and he rolled Jon another potato. "Well that's a tough break. But hard work makes you forget."

Jon laughed. "Maybe. Or maybe you are just lazy and want someone else to do all the hard work?"

Ragnthor laughed. "That might be true as well." They all started laughing.

They passed the next few hours in laughter. They were through all the potatoes they would need when Ragnthor suddenly remembered something.

"Jon, as you know, 3 maybe 4 years, years ago my brother and his wife were killed but they never did find my niece. I heard, about a half year ago, that she might be the little beggar girl in town. You always keep an ear to the ground, what do you think?"

Jon rubbed his chin. "That would make her 12 or 13 wouldn't it?" Ragnthor nodded. "And what was her name again?"

Ragnthor thought for a moment. "If memory serves her name was Lucia."

Jon's eyes widened. "That's an Imperial name."

Ragnthor nodded. "Sister in law was from Cyrodiil."

Jon nodded and kept rubbing his chin. "Lucia, Lucia, Lucia… you know I think the little girl is named Lucia."

Jon turned and looked Ragnthor up and down. "I would have to say that she is your niece. She looks more like you than any child not yours has a right to. But I would ask her to find out."

Ragnthor nodded and they shook hands. "Well feel free to stop by anytime you see smoke coming out the chimney." Jon nodded and went out the door.

After Jon had left Ragnthor looked over at Lydia. "So what do you say about going to town to see if the small lass really is my niece. And maybe giving her back a home if she wants it."

Lydia gave a small smile. "I think that's a good idea. You and I both know what living without a home is like. The girl has lived on her own for long enough."

Ragnthor smiled and walked over, picked her, and spun her around in a circle before pulling her into a hug. He held her for a moment then he quickly let her go. When he looked down at her she looked flushed and was smiling. He ran his hand through his hair.

"Sorry if that was forward."

Lydia was still flushed as she replied. "It was a little forward but understandable. It's not every day that one learns family they thought was dead could still be alive," She blushed deeper and lowered her head "and it wasn't totally unpleasant."

Ragnthor gave an awkward half laughed and started putting the sliced potatoes in sacks. "Would you like to help? We need to get these in sacks so I can climb up to the roof of the stable and spread them out."

He heard a huff and braced himself for an assault, verbal or physical. He felt her fist slam into his back, a few inches to the side of his spine, so hard it took all he had not to wince.

"You will do no such thing! Do you think I spent a half hour of my time stitching you back together just to have you pop them all out climbing?!"

Ragnthor turned and smiled at her. "And hitting me is better how?" He regretted as he saw her body shift.

In the split second before he stopped her fist he thought She is a woman to ride the river with, thats for sure. Most lasses have to swing long to get that force. She fires straight from the shoulder.

Then her fist slammed into his hand with the same force that had wrecked his nose. Talos' powder had only fixed his sense of smell.

"Alright, I need not have said that. You can climb up the stable and I will hand you the sacks," she glared at him, "as gently as I can."

She nodded and turned toward the door. "Besides, this gives me a chance to look at your lovely…"

She stopped. "If you finish that sentence I will break your nose again." He softly chuckled and he hoisted 2 bags over his shoulder and followed her outside.

Lydia

When she woke the next morning her room was warm so she knew that Ragnthor was up and cooking. As she combed out her hair she wondered if she would ever wake up before him.

She shook her head as she pulled her best shirt. "Maybe someday."

She pulled on her cleanest pair of pants and walked out of her room. Ragnthor looked stunning. He had combed his hair for the first time since she had been his Housecarl. He had even redone the braid on the side of his head. When he looked up at her she saw that he had shaved off the beginnings of a beard he had since he came home from the war. His mustache looked smooth and he had trimmed the ends so they were level with his jaw-line. When he stood he was wearing the cleanest shirt she had seen him in. It was a simple green shirt but was elegantly designed.

She suddenly realized that he was staring at her and she blushed. "Lydia, you look beautiful."

She shook her head. "Not half as good as you." She saw his face flush and heard him grunt and slide some food on her plate.

She sat down as he put some on his plate. They ate in silence for a while until Ragnthor spoke.

"I would like you wear your sword today. Yours is a little less noticeable than the massive hunk of metal I pack on my back. And don't worry, I always pack my dagger."

Lydia nodded. "I will. And I don't worry. You forget that I saw you take one 3 heavily armed men with your bare hands." He nodded and they went on eating.

Soon they were on their way to town. Ragnthor hadn't felt like readying the wagon so they rode into town.

As they walked through the square they waved at all their friends. Jon was talking to Olfina and Ragnthor laughed.

"Well he sure moved on fast."

Lydia swung her elbow into him. "Be nice, Ysolda is kind of a friend."

Ragnthor turned and looked at her. "And Olfina and Jon aren't?"

She hit him again. "That doesn't matter. Now are we going to stand here and bicker or did we come to town to do something."

Ragnthor gave a smile. "You are right as always, my dear" and offered his arm to her.

She chose to ignore it and walked on. Soon they were up outside of the temple where a young girl ran up to them.

"You do have a coin to spare?" She looked down and drug her foot in a circle on the ground. "It would help me buy supper tonight."

Lydia looked over at Ragnthor and saw him hunker down in front of the girl and hold out a handful of coins. "I will do you one better. This will buy you food for a month." The girl's face lit up.

"Mind if I ask why you are out here begging?"

The girl's face grew dark. "It's all I have done to eat in the 3 years since mama and papa… since mama and papa died." Lydia saw tears fill the girl's eyes.

Ragnthor put his hands on her shoulders. "I'm sorry for bringing it up but if I am can I ask one more question?" The girl nodded.

"What were your parents' names?"

The girl looked up at him. "Mama's name was Alexssia and papa was Falknir."

Lydia looked at Ragnthor and saw his eyes widen and his face soften. "Think back little lass. You would have been only 4 or 5 at the time but do you remember anyone else?"

The girl looked at him and her eyes widen. "There was someone who looked kind of like you."

Lydia looked down at Ragnthor and saw tears forming. "That is around the time I left. That man is me, little lass. I'm your uncle, Lucia. Falknir was my brother."

There were tears streaming down the girl's face as she hugged him. Despite the tears running down his face, it was the happiest the Lydia had seen Ragnthor.

They held each other for a moment then Ragnthor asked "So how would you like to come live with me. I may be a gruff old man and I might be gone more than I am home for a while but you will have a warm house, soft bed, and as much food as you care to eat. And a dog to play with to boot."

Lucia still had tears on her face as she nodded. "Yes, yes! I would love to live there. Just wait here for a moment while I get my things." Ragnthor smiled and nodded and Lucia ran off.

Ragnthor sat down on a bench and Lydia joined him. "It has been a good day. And if we are lucky we might have time to plant the grain before nightfall."

Lydia laughed. "So you just found the last part of your family most likely left on this earth and all you care about is getting your crops in the ground."

She felt him slide closer and put his arm around her. "Well I have a feeling that we will need it this winter and one day I hope to start my own family. Maybe you will still be around to share it with me."

She laid her head on him. "I just might be."

Ragnthor

Soon they were on their way home. Ragnthor walk as Lucia rode Ahearn. As they turned down the lane toward the house Ragnthor heard Lucia gasp.

"This is my old house!"

Ragnthor patted her on the back. "Actually it was your great great great grandfather's house. It passed from him to my great grandfather to my grandfather to my father to your father then finally to me. Me and your father grew up here. It's only fair that you do the same. She was in pretty bad shape when I got here but I fixed her up. There is even a room just for you."

She bounced up and down and Ahearn looked back and snorted at her. She got this strange look on her face and stopped.

Ragnthor laughed. "I forgot to mention that you are riding Ahearn. He is by far the smartest horse I have met. He is right through. Don't get too happy. You live on a farm now and we have to get a field of grain planted before nightfall."

As Ragnthor turned to walk to get the planting tools he heard Lucia. "Nice to meet you Ahearn. You are a lovely horse." And then he heard the thuds of Ahearn's hooves hitting the ground as he pranced like a show pony and Lucia laughing.

After he laid the tools and grain by the fence he walked over and got Lucia off Ahearn. "Now before we get started you need to put your stuff away. Across from the fireplace there is a hallway. Your room will be the first room on the right. Put your stuff away and make it feel like home and then come out and join me and Lydia. I have an easy job for you." He handed her a small bag and she nodded and tore off into the house.

As he let Ahearn out into the field Lydia came up behind him. "That little girl acts a lot like you. In the happy way. Not so much the beat the hell out of people way. At least I hope not. But are you going to be able to take care of her?"

Ragnthor laughed. "I don't need to take care of her. She did a good job on her own for 3 years." Lydia just looked at him.

He lost his smile and shrugged his shoulders. "I don't know Lydia. I just don't know. I am good with my hands. Give me a sword and I will find my way to riches. Give me a hammer and I will build a castle. Give me a plow and dark rich soil and I can grow the best crops you have ever tasted. But give me a child and I don't know. My father didn't have any daughters so I don't truly know what they even need and mother died when I was young enough that her influence is next to none."

He squared his shoulders and looked at the house. "But gods be damned I will try. She is family and it's the least I can do. I have only hurt someone I thought of as family once. You."

Lydia looked shocked when he looked at her. "6 months. I was 6 months away from dropping on one knee for you. Father had promised me the farm if I could keep it afloat by myself for 6 months. Things would have been so much different. But then he died. And that in and of its self didn't change much. But then the courier found my brother and his family. They were halfway to Cyrodiil. When he got back he claimed right as firstborn and I didn't dispute it even though Balgruuf knew what my father had said. My brother had a wife and child. So I left. In the stupidity of youth I though you would move on to green pastures. I have never been so wrong in my life." He looked at her to see what would happen but her face was an unfathomable mask.

The next thing he said made her jerk. "I still have the ring." He pulled a metal chain from under his shirt.

On it was a simple gold band, rough and crude. "Why didn't I see this after you almost died?"

Ragnthor thought for a moment. "I guess Ralof took it off then slipped it back on while you weren't looking. He was the only person I told. This ring has been with me through thick and thin. A reminder of you. Not that I need it now." He tapped his nose.

She didn't laugh.

Ragnthor pulled it off and walked over to Lydia and put it around her neck.

She looked up at him. "Why?"

Ragnthor smiled and pulled her into a hug. "As I said, I don't need it. And it is yours, always has been."

They stood there for a moment then the door opened and Lucia walked out. Ragnthor walked over to her.

"I hope you are ready for work?" Lucia nodded.

"Well today you have the easy job. Lydia might kill me but today I am going to hoe a row in the ground, Lydia will then follow placing seeds in said row and then you will cover the seeds. Hopefully this lets us get done before nightfall. Does that sound alright to you?" Lucia nodded.

As Ragnthor bent over to pick up the hoe Lydia whispered to him "If you pop any stitches I will only make you wish you were dead. I have picked up some good torture techniques over the years."

Ragnthor smiled. "And here I thought you were all bark and no bite."

Lydia hit him as he stood and he laughed. "All right crew. Let's get to work."

And then they tore into their work. They started at just before noon and finished just before nightfall. Ragnthor had managed not to pop a single stitch but the work had caused the scabs to crack and let the blood ooze. So rather than face Lydia's wrath he took a short walk around the fields. When he got back near the house he saw Lucia was watching the horses.

He walked over to her. "So you like horses, do you lassie?"

Lucia looked up and him and nodded, smiling. "They are so pretty. I have a toy horse that mama gave me. It's almost all I have left."

Ragnthor stood close and put his arm around her. "Do you want to know a secret the even Lydia doesn't know?"

Lucia smiled and nodded. "Well I have a whole herd of horses, just not here. Would you like to see them?"

Lucia nodded even harder. "Well they are down in Cyrodiil with a friend. But I have sent him a letter telling him to bring them all up here by the end of the summer. There might even be a few babies running around in the herd."

Lucia beamed up at him and he smiled. "But with these horses comes hard work. We need to have the grain we planted today grow tall and thick and that's going to have be your job because me and Lydia will have to spend a lot of time away from the farm but we will leave a friend to guard you."

Lucia looked deep in thought for a moment. "Is Lydia my aunt?"

Ragnthor laughed and lifted her off of the fence. "Maybe someday, little lass, but not today. But you should listen to what she says, I trust her with my life. But don't call her auntie. I think she would skin us both for that."

They laughed as they walked to the house. Suddenly there was a shuffling sound and a dark shape moving toward them. Lucia clung to his arm.

He whistled as Slashed bounced out of the night. "Lucia, this is the dog I told you about. His name is Slasher and he is a fearsome wardog. Go and say hello."

Lucia held out her hand and Slasher sniffed it then bowled her over and started licking her face while she screamed in laughter. Ragnthor looked and saw Slasher had brought in yet another deer. He told Lucia and Slasher to go in the house while he packed the deer around back and cleaned it.

When he walked up out if the cellar he saw Lydia sending Lucia off to bed. Slasher followed her. He quietly walked over to his spot on the table where someone had left him food. As he started eating Lydia came and sat by him.

"So what did you tell Lucia that made her so happy?"

Ragnthor smiled. "Why that's a secret between me and her." Lydia glared at him. "What kind of Thane keeps secrets from his Housecarl?"

Ragnthor laughed. "Don't worry, it's nothing that could get me or anyone killed. And you will find out about it by the end of the summer, there is no doubt about that."

Ragnthor finished his food and put his hand on her shoulder. "I have a favor to ask of you. As a friend, not a Thane. I need you to go to Riverwood and see if Ralof and Brasella have made it back yet. I need someone here to watch over Lucia while we go to Riverwood to meet the person who left me the note. As much as I trust Slasher he is not a person and she has been alone for long enough."

Lydia nodded. "I can do that. Should I leave tonight?"

Ragnthor shook his head. "No. Wait until after breakfast in the morning. I don't want Lucia worried about where you are. We have given her something kind of normal and I would like to keep it that way as long as possible. And I don't want anything happening to you in the dark."

Lydia looked at him and smiled. "Ok. I will leave after breakfast. And thank you for caring, about both of us. You are going to make a great parent. Both to Lucia and any children you have. Good night Ragnthor."

Ragnthor nodded. "Goodnight Lydia." He watched her walk to his room then walked up the stairs to bed.

He sat on his bed he thought about the day. "Well this is going to be a fun winter. At least 15 head of horses and a child on the farm to boot. Which means I need to talk to Balgruuf to see if I can get another 10 or so acres for the hay field. Live sure has a way of kicking you right where it hurts."

Soon sleep took over and he drifted off into the place where worries fade away.

-Author's note: Round 14! And here it is. Hope that small bit of farming didn't upset anyone. And Ragnthor has a niece! I wasn't planning on this happening this chapter but everything came to together in a way that I felt made it work and I don't know if I can pull it together again. And we have made the first step into Ragnthor being a horse rancher. Hope you lads and lassies like this one.