Chapter 30

Ragnthor

After a week of rest they said goodbye to their friends and started back home to Skyrim. As they drove home Ragnthor started growing concerned for Lydia. While she seemed like she was the same person he had known for years, he had a nagging suspicion that something was slightly off.

He wrapped his arm her sleeping form and played with her hair he thought to himself. I swear she seems slightly slower around the fire and just a hair out of breath when it's her turn to bring water. But maybe I'm wrong. I have been away a fair while. And we are on the tail end of our prime. He smiled as she shifted in her sleep, snuggling into him.

He spoke as he cracked the reins, causing the horses to pick up their pace. "These horses of his though, I'm glad I was able to get my hands on them. We've been on the trail almost a week and they have yet to sag. Might have to bring up a few mares and maybe a stallion."

He sighed in contentment as he drove off into the night.

When they stopped for a rest it was Lydia's turn to cook. After he finished hauling water he drug over a log and sat on it, looking at her and off into the darkness while thinking.

He was so focused that he didn't notice when Lydia walked over. He jumped when she put a plate in his hands.

She laughed as she sat next to him. "And what are you thinking about?"

He balanced his plate on his knee and took her hand in his. "About what has happened and is going to happen."

She kissed his cheek. "You worry too much love."

He kissed her brow. "Sometimes I don't worry enough little one. There is so much going on and I am centered in it far too often. But enough of my wandering thoughts. How did you enjoy Cyrodiil?"

She leaned on him. "Apart from the fighting, I loved it. Thank you for taking me."

He rubbed her hand with his thumb. "I'm glad you liked it. What would you think about coming back in 2 or 3 years? And maybe bringing the whole family?"

She smiled up at him mischievously. "That would make Lucia 18 or 19. What are you planning Ragnthor?"

He laughed. "You know me so well Lydia. I'm thinking Caius. He's a good young man, with strong hands and a good mind, thinks things through. And he has learned the true cost of fighting. I think he would be a good temper for our little fire brand."

"I thought you were going to let her chose."

Ragnthor smiled. "And I am. I would have to break her will, her spirit to make her follow my choice and I will break the man that does that. I'm just saying we go down there in a few years with her, and what little ones we have of our own, and see if they like each other. And if they do then I will bring him up to the 'northern ranch' and see if they really take off. Because like hell am I going to let her stay down here where I can't keep an eye on them."

She smiled up at him. "Scared they might do something like we did when we were younger?"

He slid his hand up her leg. "Interesting thought coming from a woman who got flustered her first time. I just want them to have a more normal courtship than us."

"Mighty words from a man who didn't quite know how to sheathe his sword." She kissed him and he could feel the desire on her lips. "Maybe he needs some practice."

He started kissing he back then managed to pull away. "Lydia, I'd love to but this food smells so good and its getting cold." She pulled back and slid away.

She huffed. "I see how it is. You just married me so I can cook for you." He shook his head and took a bite of food before letting it slid to the ground, deciding that Lydia's lips tasted better.

He stood and let his plate slide to the ground. Lydia gave a small start at the sound of it hitting the ground. He held out a hand and, with a small smile, she grabbed it. He pulled her up into a kiss, feeling her lips break into a wide smile.

"Decide you didn't want the food?"

"No. You taste better."

She bit his lip. "You talk too much." And she started dragging him to the tent.

The next morning Ragnthor untangled himself from Lydia's arms and stood. He pulled his clothes on and walked outside. The sun was just breaking over the horizon and there was a slight bite to the air, telling him he was both home and that winter close on his heels. He shook his head and pulled some cold meat out of the wagon and started chewing on it as he walked back to the tent.

He smiled at Lydia's still sleeping form, regretting he had to wake her. "It's time to wake up little one."

He dodged the fist she threw at him. "Little longer."

He pulled the blanket off her still naked body, watching as the cold bumps spread across it. "Feel that Lydia?" He laughed as he dodged another fist. "That means winter isn't far. I hope to get home soon. For a multitude of reasons."

She pulled the blanket over herself and growled at him. "If you want me to leave, close the tent flap and hand me some clothes."

He laughed and as he handed her the clothes he bent down and whispered in her ear. "If you're not out in 10 minutes, I'm tearing the tent down around you." He never even saw the fist that left his ears ringing.

15 minutes later Lydia walked out of the tent right as Ragnthor pulled the first pole out. She turned and glared at him as he smiled.

"Really? Trying to tear the tent down around my head." She turned and sighed. "And where's the fire? I would like one."

Ragnthor laughed. "I told you what would happen and I gave you 5 more minutes than I said. And no fire today. I'm ready to be home and relax a little, haul some hay, sit around the fire with my family. And the sooner we leave the sooner we are home."

She sighed again. "But it's cold and I want some warm food."

Ragnthor finished folding up the tent and put his coat around her. "That better little one?"

She nodded. "Yes. But what about you? I know you don't own another coat."

Ragnthor chuckled. "You know I run hot. And if I get cold, which will happen as we climb back in Skyrim, I can run alongside the horses. It'll help me get back into shape and regain some…stamina."

Lydia smiled and leaned on him. "Some more endurance would be nice."

He broke out laughing. "Oh, you're a cruel, cruel woman wife."

She laughed. "And you love me for it."

He nodded. "Aye. I wouldn't have you any other way."

Lydia

A week later they were driving up the lane to the house. Lydia smiled as she looked at the land. The hay field had been cut and was drying in even rows, meaning Lucia had gotten bored. The horse herd at the house was smaller, meaning Ralof had found buyers for the geldings and uncut colts, but the young mares had dropped their foals 2 months ago. The rest of the herd was still out on the plain.

The few leafy trees around the house had changed color and the snowberry bushes she had planted around the house had changed as well, causing the bright red berries to shine and the dull red leaves. The mountain peaks behind the house were heavy with snow that seemed to be creeping down toward the flat. All these told her that winter was less than 3 weeks away.

She felt his arm wrapped around her. She leaned into him and sighed. "Home."

He tightened his arm. "Aye, home. It feels like it's been ages since I've been here."

She nodded. "It will feel good to rest in our bed again."

He nodded and pulled up in front of the stable. "You want to put our horses in the field? I need to keep these 2 in the stable a few days while the herd gets to know them."

Lydia nodded and led to 2 horses into the field. She leaned and fence and watched the dance that happens when horses have been kept apart meet. She smiled at the sight then turned and walked back to the wagon.

Ragnthor had put the horses in the stall but left them unbrushed. She heard noises coming from the horse shed and knew he was getting some grain for them. She went into the stall and started brushing the horses, not quite wanting to leave Ragnthor yet.

Suddenly she heard the sound of the grain being poured in the trough in the stall. Suddenly the smell hit her noise. It was something called sweet feed, a few types of grains and corn mixed with dark sugar. Normally she loved the smell and had tried it few times.

This time, the moment she smelled it, she felt sick to her stomach. As the horses started to shove each other to get more her hand shot to her mouth and she covered her stomach.

As she started to walk to the gate she heard Ragnthor. "Lydia?! Are you alright?"

She shook her head when suddenly the smell of the feed mixed with the normally nice smell of a horse's mouth. She lost the fight with her stomach and bent over and heaved.

"Lydia!" Was all she heard before one of the horses gave a small squeal.

Suddenly arms grabbed her, mid heave, and threw her over the small wall. "Up And Over!"

She hit the ground and over the heaves heard something slam into the wall hard then Ragnthor curse. "SHITE!"

Suddenly there was a hand rubbing her back and another gathered her vomit soaked hair out of her face. "I'm sorry Lydia. I had to get you out of there."

"I know…how are…you?"

"He is a damn big horse. Cracked a few ribs when he slammed into the wall with me. Now just finish little one."

As quickly as it started it was over and she knelt there on her hands and knees, shaking.

"Are you feeling better?"

She nodded and replied in a weak voice. "Yes. Can you help me up?"

She felt an arm wrap around her and lift her up with he still held her hair. "Let's go over to the well. I'll try to get as much of the vomit out of your hair as I can and you can wash out your mouth."

She nodded, voice still weak and tears in her eyes. "Thank you."

He helped her sit on the edge of the well. She thought he would let of her hair and braced herself for wet, chunky hair to hit the back out her neck. Instead she heard him softly grunt as he worked the crank one handed, slowly pulling the 5 gallon bucket out.

Suddenly the bucket was in front of her face. "Rinse your mouth now. It will be easier now than when your teeth are chattering with cold. Then slip the coat off. I'm going to dump the bucket on your head to rinse it. Get as much out as I can."

"Ok."

She took a few sips and rinsed her mouth and right after she slipped of the coat she gasped as he dumped the frigid water on her head. She felt him soft run his hands through her hair a few times then she felt the hair soft against her neck.

"Brace yourself, I'd like to get some more out. Then you can sit by the fire as I heat up a bath."

She nodded as he doused her. She felt him wring her hair out as gently as he could then he put the coat over her shoulders.

She stood face down, shame burning on her face. "Thank you."

Ragnthor put a hand on her shoulder and lifted her face with the other. "No need for shame Lydia. No person is a mountain. I would hope you would do the same for me."

She nodded, tears forming in her eyes. "Still, thank you."

He wrapped an arm around her. "Let's get inside to the fire."

As soon as they got in the house Lucia screamed "Ragnthor! Lydia!" as she slammed into them.

Ragnthor picked her up and spun her around. "Little lass, I've missed you."

He let her down and she hugged Lydia. "I've missed you both. What took you so long to get inside?"

Ralof stood. "I was wondering that myself."

Ragnthor looked over at her. "Well I knew you were here and we didn't want to have our together time sundered by you."

Brasella snorted from by the fire, Bryta on her lap. "Then why is your hair wet?"

She looked over at Ragnthor and he slightly shrugged his shoulders and mouthed 'Your choice'.

She shrugged her shoulders. "I was…sick outside."

As she looked at Brasella she saw a twinkle in her eyes accompanied by a small smile on her face. "Come over and sit by the fire. That well water mixed with the cold air must be freezing your head."

Ragnthor put a hand on her shoulder. "Go. I'll draw up that bath."

As Lydia walked over Brasella motioned at the chair closest to her. As soon as she sat she was asking questions.

"How long has it been?"

Lydia started mentally scrambling. "Wha…what do you meaning?"

She smiled. "How long since has it been since your last cycle?"

Lydia looked at her, slightly confused. "It's a month la…" Her hands flew to her mouth.

"Ralof, go help Ragnthor with the water! Lydia, let's go in your old room."

Lucia put a hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong, Lydia?"

Brasella looked over at her. "Why don't you go and help with the water."

Lucia huffed. "But I want to know what's going on."

"Lucia! Go check the hay while you're out there."

She hunch her shoulders and stomped toward the door. "I never get to know anything."

As soon as they got in there Lydia started to pace. She saw Brasella lay Bryta on the bed and sat down herself, motioning for Lydia to sit.

She shook her head and kept pacing. "I'm…how can I be…am I really?"

Brasella nodded. "When you got sick, it happened fast right? To a scent you were used to or even liked."

Lydia nodded, shocked with tears forming. "It was the horse feed. How did you know?"

Brasella smiled. "Because the same thing happened to me."

Lydia sat on the bed and put her hands on her stomach, looking down in shock while smiling. "I'm…I'm going to be a mother." Fear gripped her. "How am I going to tell Ragnthor?"

"Do what I did, just tell him."

She felt a different kind of tears in her eyes. "But what if he doesn't want it? Or me now? Or is almost as scared as I am? He has been worry so much lately."

Brasella laughed and put her arm around her. "Do you really think that? You know as well as the rest of us that Ragnthor came home 4 years ago to start a family. To start a family with you. I think he will be overjoyed about this."

Lydia looked up. "Really?"

"Do you love him?"

"Yes."

"And do you believe he loves you?"

"I do."

Brasella smiled. "Then everything will be just fine. Just tell him when you're ready. And don't make him find out on his own. It might take a while."

Suddenly there was a knock on the door. "Is everyone decent in there?"

Brasella laughed as Bryta started to coo. "Of course."

The door opened and Ragnthor brought in a steaming tub of water. "Well then here is your bath little one."

Lydia stood and put her hand on his chest and saw pain quickly flashed across his face. "How are you ribs?"

He smiled. "They will be fine in time, only one might be broke. Now enjoy your bath."

As he turned to leave she stopped him. "Ragnthor, there's something I need to tell you."

Ragnthor kissed her. "You can tell me later, little one, after dinner. Now enjoy your bath."

Lydia nodded and shut the door, turning to Brasella. "Could you help me with my hair? I don't trust that Ragnthor got it all out."

Brasella nodded and Lydia turned and started taking off her clothes.

Ragnthor

As soon as he left there was a knock at the door. He walked over and opened it and Delphine was standing there, fuming.

"And where have you been?"

Ragnthor square his shoulders. "Well after I got out of jail, I married the woman I love because thank the gods she still loved me. We got back from Cyrodiil, from our honeymoon, less than 2 hours ago."

She snorted. "So you have been taking it easy while the Blades were hard at work stopping the dragon threat."

Ragnthor's grip on his temper slipped. "Taking it easy? Where were you when the Thalmor slaughtered the rest of the Blades? Because ever since your shite brained raid on the Embassy, I have been fighting the whole of the Skyrim branch, by myself, for 3 years! Forgive me for wanting 2 and a half months of peace with my wife."

Delphine threw up her hands. "You've made your point. And thankfully we have been able to do your task for you. The Greybeards, curse their hides, told use that in order to learn the shout you need, we needed an Elder Scroll. And we managed to find one for you. But you need to take it to their master, and then kill him for the Blades."

Ragnthor stared at her. "Kill him? Why kill him? Are you trying to tick off the most powerful voice masters in Tamriel?"

She squared her shoulders. "Because he is a dragon."

Ragnthor sighed. "I know, and he has guided every Dragonborn and person to join the Greybeards since at least Jurgen Windcaller, including Talos."

Her face dropped into shock. "You knew and you did not tell us. You are a disgrace to the Blades."

His temper snapped and he slammed her against the wall. "Never call me a disgrace again. The last person, apart from my wife, who called me that lies in a shallow grave. No insult cuts deeper. Paarthurnax has hardly left the Throat of the World in an era and he renounced his path of violence to beat Alduin in the times of old."

He left go of her. "Give me the scroll."

She adjusted her armor. "Will you kill the dragon?"

"Not that one. But I will kill you. I rebuilt your order from the ground up and kept the Thalmor off of you while you recovered so I have no problem wiping the rest of your order off the face of the world. And if turning myself into the Thalmor would end you, I would do it gladly. Now give me the scroll."

She handed him the scroll and he gave her a cruel smile. "I will stop by when Alduin is no more. And if you have worked through the kink in your mind, all you worked for will be destroyed and I will hunt you down. Now get off my land before I set the dog on you." She turned and hurried to her horse.

Ragnthor turned and walked toward the stairs. Ralof stopped him.

"Where are you going?"

Ragnthor let out a sigh. "To pack and leave. I'm 8 days, 7 if I can fly, from learning what I need."

Ralof looked shocked. "But you just got back! And you are still nowhere near the shape you were in before Cidhna Mine. And what about Lydia? She would want to go."

Ragnthor sighed. "I want this done Ralof. I want to come home and sit down around the fire with Lydia, raise some crops, horses and a little family, and find the peace I came home for. I have one horse that can get me there like the wind and I am leaving as soon as I pack." He turned and walked up the stairs.

As he walked up he saw Ralof walk over to the bed room's door and knock and he cursed.

He was throwing some travel gear in his bag when he looked up and saw Lydia. She was still wet and was wrapped in a towel.

"Where are you going Ragnthor?"

"To finish this."

She sat on the bed. "Do you want me to come?"

He finished packing and sat next to her, taking her hand. "No Lydia. I want you to stay home and get well. You won't get better spending 8 days in the saddle."

She rubbed his hand. "Speaking of that, there's something I want to tell you."

"Is it extremely important?"

She nodded. "Kind of."

He smiled. "Is it going to kill someone over the next 8 days?"

She shook her head. "No, it won't."

He stood and kissed the top of her head. "Then I would like to leave now. The sooner I'm gone, the sooner I'm back. Now stand and kiss me sweet my love and I will be back before you can miss me."

She stood and kissed him. "Hurry back Ragnthor. And stay safe. I don't want to lose you." There were tears in her eyes as she finished.

He rubbed her back as he hugged her tightly. "I will. I don't want to lose you either."

He threw his bag over his shoulder and stood in the doorway. "I will be back in 8 days. And when I get back we will round up the horses and you can tell me what you have been trying to."

She smiled at him. "Ok. Now get going so I can miss you."

He bowed. "Your wish is my command." She laughed as he walked outside.

As he walked toward the horses he cursed as he remembered the Ghardh was still running with the herd out on the plain. He walked out into the field and threw a halter on Lydia's palomino stallion, hoping she wouldn't be mad.

As he threw the saddle on his back and cinched it down there was the tell tale hump under the saddle. As he slipped the bit into the horse's mouth he rubbed its head.

"Are you going to make me work for a ride today?" The horse's gaze seemed to bore into him

He laughed as he pulled the cinch one hole tighter and tied his bag down better. He adjusted his sword's position on his back the grabbed a handful of mane and swung on.

The moment he found his seat the horse seemed to explode. As he came down from the first buck Ragnthor slammed him with his heels hard, laughing. The stallion's head shot up, along with his whole body, and Ragnthor stood in the stirrups and threw himself against his neck, forcing him back to the ground. As soon as its hooves hit the ground it broke into sunfishing, with Ragnthor kicking every time he hit the ground. Suddenly the horse broke into a quick run, then slid to a stop and swapped ends so fast Ragnthor was almost flung off. The horse took off again and did the same thing, then started bucking and spinning so fast Ragnthor felt like he was being shaken to pieces.

Suddenly he stopped and looked back at Ragnthor. Ragnthor smiled and rubbed his shoulder.

"So I passed the test?" Ragnthor laughed as the horse looked forward and whished its tail, ears alert and ready to work.

"Well I hope you didn't burn through too much of your strength, I hope to make it past Riverwood tonight."

As he slammed his heels into stallion he came up in a short rear then torn down the lane, Ragnthor roaring with laughter, feeling joy in flying over the ground after a well won fight.

As they flew down the road toward Riverwood, he crouched low in the saddle and pushed every ounce of speed out of the stallion. "Come on boy, let's finish this."

Author's Note: Well here it is. Far later than it ever should have been. And I am sorry that it took so long to come out. Some friends up where I was working convinced me that I should put some time into a different project on a different site, which I was going to slowly work on. 4 chapters later I was sitting in my house, no longer out of state. And I had kind of written myself into a corner on this one and it took a while to find a way out. And let the record show that I am warning you that I will most likely be taking a largish break before starting the Dawn Guard storyline. Need to try and remember it, might have to play it, decide what side quests I want to put in, stuff like that. If there is a certain side quest you would like to me to put in, I will look at it. And no mod quests. I'm a console gamer and mods need to be played to convey it right. And Ragnthor will be following the Dawn Guard side, because I have never played the vampire side and have no want to.