Weaver

by The Lucky Lady

Mahrig, a woman who suffered a life of imprisonment in Cyrodiil due to the mysterious nature of her birth, has fled to Skryim to begin a new life. After a series of events that leads to her near execution and destruction of a town, she is joined by A Paladin named Gareth. Gareth soon finds himself battling self doubt and regret as Mahrig struggles to find a place in the world.

23. Celestial

Chapter 23: Celestial

Mahrig

My mind was bathed in memories that were not my own. I could see through my mother's eyes, the reflection in the portal was of her. I raised my hand to touch the reflection, sending ripples across the portal where I touched. The image was only momentarily distorted before it returned. It was as if the image was drawing me in, closer, and closer until I became one with her and the portal. At first the light had seemed blinding, but the longer my eyes adjusted I realized that it was not at all what my senses had feared. The light seemed almost tangible, a bright color rather than actual beams. I could feel the essence of the place surrounding me, and playing softly against my skin. A soft voice filled my head not so unlike my own. Weaver… Weaver…

The voice became a sort of chant that was almost mesmerizing, relaxing even the most confused areas of my mind. I couldn't recall what had caused such a lapse in time, or my sanity. I remember the sound of paper ripping, and the smell of parchment as it burned, and the white light over took my senses. Whatever had happened was now just a memory that would be forgotten for the moment. I was recalling less and less as the voice continued to chant. Looking around I realized the color becoming transparent, and figures appeared in my vision. Not solid, but as ghost's or ethereal to my own existence. I looked down at my hands, solid as I had presumed. The bright strands continued to swirl around me, soothing me, as if it were protecting me from something, something I couldn't remember or didn't want to.

The chanting stopped and the figures forming in the mist froze. I moved forward slowly attempting to gain some kind of understanding of my surroundings. The closer I came to the figures, the more actual features began to materialize. My mother was one of them. I stopped in my tracks halting my own breath to take in the sight before me. I was frozen in my place. This was the first time I had seen her other than in a drawing, or a reflection. She had a material form that could almost be tangible. I took a step closer, wanting to touch her, but afraid she would disperse like the mist that surrounded us. The other figure was tall and clad in armor that I recognized instantly. The closer I came to the figures the more time seemed to speed up allowing them to move. Krahmer took my mother in his arms and soft words echoed around me.

"Please rethink this Adriahnna." Krahmer's voice almost sounded unrecognizable as he spoke to her. There was a softness to him that almost seemed like a dream as he gazed down at her.

"I have to do this. It's my life's work." My mother's voice seemed more like an echo than Krahmer's had, and for some reason this caused a bit of panic to enter my conscience. The white tendrils swirling around me seemed to sense my change in mood, and gently caressed my skin, strangely calming me once more. A light became visible from behind my mother, much like the portal I had seen her reflection in before entering this strange dream state.

My mother slipped from Krahmer's embrace, and touched the portal. She looked back once more before stepping through. The light disappeared as she did. I watched as Krahmer's frame shook, and panic overtook him as he stared where the portal had once been. My own panic level began to rise, but the tendrils continued their rhythmic soothing manners. The vision began to change as Krahmer collapsed onto his knees. Everything went instantly dark, bright flashes of light could be seen at what seemed like the end of a tunnel. I tried to run, but the tendrils held me at a calm pace. The lights came closer, until I could hear the screeching sound each one of them made, almost deafening to the point I needed to cover my ears. Visions of a battle unfolded before me, creatures of the likes I had never seen before materialized from the crashing orbs of light engaging in battle with one another.

Something grabbed my arm and pulled me farther into the darkness away from the battle. I turned to see that the tendrils no longer spiraled around my outstretched arm, and that the spirals of energy were now surrounding the being that pulled me deeper into what could have been called an abyss. I felt no emotions at this point, I couldn't even form my own thoughts at the time. I could only see the being before me. The scene changed, we were now in what I could only describe as a different world. Not a world within Mundus, but a world where everything seemed to be tangible one moment, and ethereal the next. It was as if the existence of such a place was simply an illusion. The flashing images around me were too fast to catch a glimpse of anything I could recognize.

I felt the pressure on my hand release. I turned my attention back to the being that stood clad in a white phosphorus like armor. The glow around her became brighter as she turned to look at me. Her eyes were as black as the darkness she had pulled me into. An energy of the likes I had never felt penetrated my chest. As I looked down, her hand withdrew from within me, but there was no noticeable hole where her hand had been. Confusion set in instantly, but before I could form any kind of words the figure in front of me turned to vapor, and my vision blurred. I felt the pulling sensation before Krahmer's ,now bearded, tired face appeared in my vision. His young features were riddled with worry as he gazed down at me. He grabbed my hand and brought it to his face. I noticed the ring that sat on my finger, and the matching one that adorned his own.

I quickly realized that I was not Mahrig. I was seeing through the eyes of Adriahnna once more. The shock as I realized their true bond hit me, almost causing me to lose focus, almost like I was about to wake up from a dream. He placed his hand on the small bump of my belly, and questioningly gazed into my eyes. He however was actually gazing into my mother's eyes. When Adriahnna had went into the portal she had not appeared to be pregnant, and the time within the portal only seemed as if it had all happened so quickly, but returning from wherever she had been proved that she had lost a significant amount of time. Krahmer's beard was now in full growth, her belly now slightly protruding.

"How much time has passed?" My voice came out as an echo, but it wasn't my own. It was my mother's. I slowly felt as if I was slipping from her body like a mist, and found myself gazing down at them again.

"You were nearing a four month absence." Krahmer kissed her lightly on the forehead after he spoke. The shock on my mother's face probably mirrored my own. I could feel the tugging sensation again, but I didn't want to leave just yet. I wanted to stay, I wanted to see more. I felt the chill, and the pain return.

My eyes opened to a world that almost seemed foreign to my mind. It was a reality I had left behind for my dreams that had promised me visions of my mother. I felt the searing hot pain of the knife cut into my upper thigh, and smelled the burning flesh. My eyes scanned the room hysterically looking for any explanation as to what was happening. A blonde woman, stood at one side hovering over me, while an old man continued his adventure with the searing hot knife down my leg.

"She's regained consciousness." Astrid said. Her name came to my memory with malice. She opened a leather journal and tore out the remaining page.

"Last page Mahrig, give me an answer. Will you join us? Will you submit to us?" My mother's journal? What had happened to all the other pages? I looked down painfully aware of my bare skin, and saw the ash covered flesh. No, that...that can't be.

I looked back up in horror as astrid brought the last page of my mother's journal dangerously close to the flame of the candle she held.

"Stop!" I screamed. An icy feeling spread through my veins, and hatred fueled my strength as I pulled against my restraints. I had taken the journal for granted, and now it was all but destroyed. The final piece of my mother's life dangled dangerously over the open flame. Festus, the old man who readied his next round of torture brought a set of clamps down between my legs, prying them open. Fear, and anger had never been something I could taste. I had felt them before, but never tasted such emotion. I spit in his face, and pulled harder against my restraints. I could feel the leather slightly start to give around my right wrist. The cold feeling in my body was not making me weaker, but only stronger. I could feel something as sharp and cold as ice trying to break free of me. The feeling was centering around my chest, It was so cold it started to burn, a much greater burn than the searing feeling Festus' tools had imprinted in my mind and flesh.

"All it takes is one word, and we will stop." Astrid's voice only spiked the fury I felt. I could feel the collar around my neck weakening, my shout's were still bound, but whatever was trying to break free was siphoning the power the collar had over me. I heard the crack as the collar broke. Festus' eyes went wide, and Astrid quickly backed away. The leather restraint around my wrist snapped, and I grabbed the person nearest to me.

Festus had a look of pure horror on his face that brought an unimaginable amount of satisfaction to me. I could taste his fear, and I would drink every last bit of evil this man was made up of. My vision blurred, as a surge of renewed power entered my body. I felt cold, but a peace, no, a serenity filled me as I let myself go. I no longer controlled my actions. I was oblivious to my actions. I'm not sure how much time passed, or if any had passed at all. In my mind I was drifting as If my soul was being carried down a stream. I could hear echoes of screams, screams that didn't concern me any longer. I wanted to sleep, and so I did. The tendrils returned, accompanied by white orbs of light. They pulled me into consciousness once more. As I opened my eyes, I realized I was in the real world once more, but the lights around me did not disappear as they had before. They stayed, chilling me to the bone. In my blood soaked hands rested the hull of my mother's journal, all that was left. I felt a cold tear fall onto the leather cover. I couldn't recall how I ended up here. I remembered the torcher, the pain, and fear. I remember the screams, but I wasn't sure who they belonged to. Had I done something? Was I being held here still?

I heard the heavy footsteps approach me. My body reacted with lightning speed as I instinctively found the culprit. My vision was still blurred, but I could make out the figure of a man standing across the room from me. I heard a voice carried through the wind that rushed around me.

"She's not herself right now, we need to give her some space." The familiar voice only caused more panic within me. Was it my captors? Had they returned? I clenched my eyes shut and tried to think through the panic, the wind around me only continued to pick up. Things started crashing around the room, only heightening my fear. I needed to open my eyes, I needed to be brave enough to face whatever was happening. I opened my eyes once more to see a face that stirred emotions within me, a deeper understanding of my feelings were forming. The green eyes that pleaded with me sliced through the cold and gave me warmth. Gareth… my mind seemingly cooed.

I saw the flash of silver from the hallway behind him. From the darkness sprung a figure as nimble as a cat, and reared its hideous claw into the back of the man that stood before me with his pleading gaze.

"Noooo!" The scream that escaped me pierced every fiber that existed within the area. It far surpassed the ear shattering wail of a Banshee, and I felt my body move without effort past Gareth. I dug my nails into the skin of the woman who had plunged her dagger into Gareth's back. I grabbed her face and forced her to look into my eyes. The fear she displayed burned itself into my memory as an image before my vision faded once more. The force that escaped my body collided with the flesh that seemed to disintegrate under my touch.

I collapsed as my vision returned, nothing was left but a pile of ash beneath me. My senses were returning as my panic started to take over again. The fury that had fueled me before faded as I gazed at the steaming ash around me.

"Help me, please." Was all that I could manage. I didn't know who was supposed to help me, but whatever was happening to me was out of my control. I could only pray that the God's would have mercy on me and reign in whatever power was controlling me. I felt arms around me. Cold steel touched my skin causing me to flinch and try to pull away.

"Mahrig please, calm down!" I knew who the voice belonged to. Krahmer held his tight grip around me. I tried my voice once again.

"Please… back away, I'm not sure what I will do anymore. I can't control..." My words were cut short as Krahmer's voice boomed.

"Yes you can Mahrig! My daughter will not, and cannot fall victim. You will not leave me the way Adriahnna did!" I had suspected such a thing, but hearing it out loud caused a new feeling of cold to blanket the freezing flow of power through my veins. It was shock. Krahmer had voiced aloud his place as my father.

"Gareth needs attention immediately, you have to calm down or we will lose him." Krahmer's voice was not pleading, it was more demanding. I took a deep breath and pushed the surge of power as far away from my mind as I could. The feeling of power that coursed through me was almost addicting, and I needed to kick it quickly for Gareth's sake. I tried my best to pull away from Krahmer's grasp so that I could make my way to Gareth.

"No Mahrig. You will only hurt him more in this state!" I let out a cry of frustration. My tears were no longer cold, they were warm, and blanketed my face with heat that felt almost heavenly. I continued to breath as the warmth started to return to my body. I could feel Krahmer's frame shaking as he continued to hold onto me. The wind slowly died down, and the halls were quickly dimming. I felt as if I would pass out, but I wouldn't allow myself to with Gareth needing attention.

Krahmer released me slowly. I didn't even dare glimpse at his expression, I immediately scrambled across the floor to where Theo was already removing the plate armor from Gareth's limp form. The sight brought a sick feeling to my stomach, and a heat to my palms that needed release. I pulled the dagger slowly from his back, feeling a flow of energy pass from it to me. Quickly realizing what was happening I released the knife. The knife had been enchanted, and a portion of Gareth's life force was trapped within it waiting to be transferred to the wielder.

"Dammit!" My frustration was taking over, but I tried my best to stay focused. I looked around quickly for anything that could have aided us. Krahmer knelt down, I couldn't meet his gaze in that moment. I saw his hand reach for one of Gareth's. He pulled the arm as far back as he could so that Gareth's hand was on the knife that was now halfway out of his back. I shouldn't have been so foolish. Dislodging the knife caused the flow of blood to pool around the area quickly. The rate of bleeding was dangerously high.

I alted to lay on the floor and and stroke Gareth's cheek slowly, wishing that by sure will I could make him open his eyes. I tried my best to stay out of the way as Krahmer and Theo worked on Gareth.

I didn't want to risk acting rashly and harming him even further. I moved my face closer to his so that I could feel and hear his breathing. It was still strong, but I was dreadfully waiting for it slow or even worse stop. I couldn't risk slipping back into whatever had possessed me before. I focused all of my attention on Gareth's closed eyes, waiting to see even the slightest flutter. I could feel his breath, unchanging on my face. All I could do was focus the entirety of myself on him. His smell, the scruff that now lined his unkempt features. The beautiful face beneath my gaze was all that was holding my sanity in place.

Gareth

Mahrig's eyes haunted my dreams, my visions, my very core. I couldn't erase the sight I had seen. I had never felt such fear before. Her own combined with mine. It was drowning me. It wasn't those glowing eyes I woke up to though, it was the aqua pools that I cherished so deeply. Seeing her blue eyes once again was like a breath of air that my starved lungs needed. Tears swelled in her already puffy eyes. She Pressed her forehead against mine and took a deep breath. We were no longer in the sanctuary. The sounds and smells of the forest overwhelmed my senses, but my focus was on the blue eyes that I feared could change at any moment. It was still unclear to me what had happened. The force I sensed from Mahrig was unlike anything I had ever felt before, and now it was just seemingly gone. I couldn't detect a single hint of it within her.

Her scent was the same I instantly noticed. You would think a few days with the dark brotherhood could change such things, especially with the conditions they lived in, but no. Mahrig's floral smell wafted generously and tingled my senses. I noticed Mahrig's hand rested on my bare chest. I was laying on my side I noticed as my mind began registering everything around us.

I tested my limbs one at a time by making small movements that didn't seem to register any pain. Mahrig kept her forehead pressed lightly to mine as she took a steadying breath.

"You are alright now." I saw the hint of a smile across her lips as she slightly pulled back to look at me. I took in a deep breath, expecting to feel pain below my shoulder blades, but nothing came. I wiggled free of Mahrig's loose grasp and sat up in disbelief. The familiar searing pain was still so fresh in my mind, but not present within my body. I looked down toward the bandages that dressed my mid torso, wrapping all the way around. If bandages were present then there must have been a wound of some kind.

I turned back toward Mahrig who propped herself up on one of her elbows watching me with curiosity. She smiled a small tight lipped grin.

"The bandages are merely for precaution." Precaution? What could she have meant by that?

"I remember seeing you…" My words trailed off as I forbade my mind to revisit the memories that boiled below the surface.

"Then I felt the pain." I motioned with my hand over my shoulder. Mahrig slowly nodded and sat up facing her body toward mine.

"Astrid, the leader of the Dark Brotherhood stabbed you. Krahmer said that if the knife had struck any higher, you would probably have bled out on that floor." Mahrig's voice slightly faltered as processed the situation in her mind.

"Krahmer healed me?" I asked, gaining her attention back toward my own questioning gaze. Mahrig cleared her throat.

"Yes, I suppose he did, and Theo helped as well." Mahrig's features were slightly quizzical as she answered. It was almost as if she was unsure of the situation she tried to describe.

"The wound is healed, but there was some scarring. I hope you don't feel any pain. The bandages were merely for precaution considering the scar looks as if it could bust open at any moment. It's a rather nasty looking scar." Mahrig slightly cringed.

"Krahmer identified the dagger as The Blade of Woe. He claimed it to be a sacred artifact among those who worship Sithis and serve the Night Mother. It was a rather nasty looking weapon that Krahmer disposed of." Mahrig's form went still as she finished speaking. I wanted to reach out and comfort her in any way that I could, but I wasn't sure about anything considering how muddled my mind was with everything that had happened before losing consciousness.

"I was terrified of losing you Gareth." A hint of the frantic Mahrig I witnessed earlier returned. The power that had accompanied it however was not there. Mahrig's form began to tremble slightly.

"Seeing you so close to death was the only thing that grounded me and kept me from losing myself entirely again." She began to shiver as her franticized eyes gained a ghostly hint of hollow terror. I stopped myself from grabbing her in that instant. It had been my sudden impulse of emotions that had gotten us into this situation. Or had it been my sudden distance? I felt completely responsible for everything that had occurred, though I was still not able to explain what had happened to Mahrig in those frightening moments before I had lost consciousness.

"There is no need to worry my lady. Everything is fine now." Mahrig slightly nodded, and stared down at her trembling hands.

I had been initially wrong about the absence of pain within my body. It wasn't until much later in the evening when I felt the first jolts of pain spike through my back. Mahrig was of course the first to notice my discomfort. Theo had agreed to accompany Mahrig to the closest town which was Falkreath. I had apparently been under the medicinal effects of one of Theo's small concoctions to ward off my pain, but as it faded the pain took its place. Theo was out of the more rare ingredients needed to make more, and Mahrig had insisted they go to Falkreath and try to stock up on anything that they could substitute for certain rare ingredients the brew needed. The trip would be a good half an hour there and back on horseback, and a little more considering the time it would take to wake up a shopkeeper and bribe them to sell their goods past closing time.

I laid back against the bedroll that Mahrig had prepared for me near the fire before her departure. The petite little woman hand scurried to ready things before the sun set and had messily threw fur over fur to try and build my bedroll for the utmost comfort. I sighed as I caught glimpses of the stars above appear and disappear as the slight breeze danced through the leaves in the canopy of trees above me. I could hear Krahmer flipping through pages and scribbling things momentarily before the sound of a closing journal caught my attention. I turned my head to slightly glance in his direction across the small fire he had built. Krahmer took a deep breath in and then released. As he released though I could see many lines form on his face that had not painted his features before. The amount of stress he carried was now visible.

"Something bothering you Krahmer?" Krahmer didn't even look up as I spoke my inquiry. He simply placed the leather journal in his pack and clasped his hands beneath his jaw, leaning the weight of his upper body onto his legs. He peered into the flames for a while before making eye contact.

"Yes, but I won't trouble you with it just yet. You need to focus on recuperating before we discuss anything." I felt my brow crease at his vague answer.

"Is it about my wounds?" Krahmer shook his head and eyed me wearily.

"No, I think it will heal nicely if you rest." I could take a hint, but in that moment I didn't want to. Krahmer had been the mysterious type since the moment I met him. He only ever shared bits and pieces of information with us as he saw fit, and it was honestly kind of tiring.

"If it involves Mahrig, I'm on a need to know basis Krahmer." My words came out a little more harsh than I had anticipated, gaining a slight scowl from Krahmer in the process. I needed answers, and if Krahmer had any, I wanted them.

"I wasn't the only one who witnessed what was happening to Mahrig, and I get the sneaking suspicion that you know a little something about that." I sat up slowly, gaining eye level with Krahmer across the fire. Mahrig was gone and so was Theo who often made these interrogative situations a little tense.

"I want answers Krahmer. I won't sit by in absolute bliss and watch the unexpected happen to Mahrig. Give me the answers I seek so that I can help her." Krahmer closed his eyes as I watched his jaw tense up in response to his next reply.

"Rest first. We will talk of this when you are back to full health." His patronizing tone only furthered my darkened mood toward his actions of withholding information.

"No, we talk while Mahrig is not here. My health is the least of my worries in this moment. I need to know what's happening to Mahrig, and I need to know now." Krahmer settled for silence as his reply furthering my irritation into anger.

I stood up, ignoring the instant pain that accompanied my hastened movements.

"I'm well past the point of dealing with this like honorable men. If I have to knock you unconscious to read your journal I will." I could feel the pain in my back even more so in the awkward standing position I was in. It wasn't a crippling pain, but it was certainly stealing the fire from my proposed threat. At most I probably looked like a wounded stable boy making his last stand against a group of bandits. Krahmer must have saw my miserable threats as a plea and last resort to gain the information I needed. He waved his hand in dismissal.

"Fine, I guess since you are so foolhardy against rest, you can rest when you're dead. Now sit, I'm in pain just watching you." I awkwardly plopped down onto the furs a little harder than I had meant to. I did my best to conceal the discomfort from Krahmer.

"I'm not sure how far you and Mahrig read into her mother's journal, but it would seem now I'll be left to explain everything to Mahrig as well." Krahmer sighed.

"The dark brotherhood used the journal as leverage and destroyed the content within. All Mahrig has left is the empty shell of what used to be Adriahnna's story to her daughter. I'm not sure why they took an interest in her, Mahrig hasn't talked much about what happened. She only gave me the journal and apologized." Krahmer tipped his head backwards and inhaled a deep breath.

"I'll start on the day Adriahnna and I returned to Kvatch." He brought a level headed gaze back down toward me.

"What does this have to do with what happened to Mahrig? You saw the unexplainable force that we were greeted with upon finding her." Krahmer nodded as I spoke.

"If you want to understand something not even I can fully comprehend then you need to hear the story from the beginning. They've been gone for quite some time now and I would hate for their arrival to bring the story to a halt before I can tell you what I know." His words halted my impatience.

"The day we returned to Kvatch wasn't like the formal studies Adriahnna had been accustomed to. There was a portal left behind, presumably from the oblivion crisis, but it was not an oblivion portal. It had been left void of any type of energy. Adriahnna and I had been summoned back to Kvatch because the portal awoke. At first they described it to her as low levels of our own worldly magicka colliding with something ethereal they could not describe. Being in a room full of scholar's, mages, priests, and any other knowledge seeking individual who could not explain what was happening was fascinating to Adriahnna. When the portal opened completely, Adriahnna could feel the pull. She described it as a calling, something was calling to her. She took her chance to explore the unknown without anyone else's approval. I begged her not to go, and if I could go back I would stop her. I would stop her without regret. I would keep her from stepping through into an unknown world. I don't care the outcome, it would have kept her safe. Even if she had left my side because of it." Krahmer clenched his jaw and his right fist mirrored the action.

"As soon as she stepped through the portal the energy in the room disappeared, along with the gate she had stepped through. The gate to wherever she had gone was now as void as it had been before. I had never felt such fear in all of my years as a Paladin or as a man. I instantly panicked and regretted ever following through with Adriahnna's plans. I didn't know if I would ever see her again. I informed other officials of what had happened. Certain individuals that felt the change in the atmosphere of the place had already begun lining the halls with panicked and curious questions. They wanted to banish me for my actions in that moment, but my knowledge was the only thing that kept me safe, and allowed me to stay and wait for any sign of activity with the portal." Krahmer cleared his throat and opened his water skin, taking a quick sip before continuing.

"I was sleeping in a room near the portal when I felt the familiar vibrations of energy sweep across my skin. It had been nearly four months since Adriahnna's disappearance. I wasted no time. I had dreamt countless nights of her return, many different scenarios played out in my dreams, but none of them had prepared me for the real thing. I burst into the room to find Adriahnna lying unconscious on the floor where the portal was disappearing into a mist of some sort." Krahmer licked his lips and began fidgeting with the worn blue cotton sleeve of his shirt.

"I thought that seeing Adriahnna's face would settle the worries and cull the many nightmares and dreams that had haunted my sleep and even my hours of being awake. I couldn't focus on her face though, because the sight of her swollen stomach showed promise of life. I was struck with fear for the most part. I was trying to understand what was happening." Krahmer trailed off as his demeanor became slightly nervous.

"Are you saying Adriahnna became pregnant wherever she went?" Krahmer furrowed his brow and shook his head.

"No, She was pregnant before she went through the portal, and we didn't know." A sudden jolt that wasn't pain from my back caused the hair on my arms to stand.

"You… Are you Mahrig's father?" Krahmer paused for a moment before nodding his head.

"Yes, Adriahnna and I had been intimate with each other. After the healers tended to her and accessed her condition, the timeline added up. She had been pregnant before she went into the portal." I could see Krahmer shift uncomfortably under my realization stricken stare.

"She didn't show any signs of pregnancy other than the few times she had been fatigued, and she lost her appetite for clams, but I had never thought anything of it. Most women don't show signs of pregnancy until they are well into the first month or the second month. Adriahnna would have only been pregnant for a short amount of weeks at most, but the healers were certain she was in her fourth month of pregnancy. She had only been within the portal nearing four months, she was shy six days. Mahrig is my daughter." He shifted once more and brought his eyes up to meet mine.

"I even proved that by saving her life. The restoration art I used on her could only be performed by someone who shared blood with her. It wouldn't have worked if she was not my daughter." I was in awe as he spoke. This mysterious man, this Paladin had sired Mahrig and thought to keep that little bit of information from us. I was no doubt indebted to the man for saving Mahrig, but so many different questions surfaced. He was a paladin, yet had sired a child with a woman. That was looked down upon in the order, and if he were to be found out he would have lost his rank, and been stripped of his title.

"But, you're a Paladin…" Krahmer chuckled at my words as if he had heard a joke.

"Yes, I am, as are you. You can't tell me you don't harbor such feelings for Mahrig. You look at her often the way I would admire Adriahnna. If you were any other man I would probably knock you down to size for ogling her, but I know you love her and that is different. I'm not going to try to play the role as her father, especially after such a long absence, but there is a reason I wasn't there." Krahmer took out his journal and waved it about swiftly.

"I've spent years of my life trying to find a way to save her from the same fate her mother suffered. In doing that I've been trying to track down any knowledge I can that still exists on the Celestial wars." Krahmer sat the journal back down.

"What does any of this have to do with the Celestial wars?" I asked, my curiosity peaked. Krahmer shrugged.

"It could have something to do with it considering Adriahnna was certain she had been in a celestial realm. Celestials aren't like the God's. There are many different theories and myths surrounding them. The Divine's are actual Gods that can exist within any realm, and possibly even outside in their own realms if they decide to create them at will. The celestials however exist in the Celestial Realm, they have Godlike powers, but are mortal. The many stars you see above us, the constellations that paint the night sky are where they are said to exist. Many accounts claimed the celestials have been in existence since the heavens were created, other's believe by documented accounts that celestials were created by men and women who harnessed the powers of the constellations binding them to a physical form. While most of it is just hearsay I can't deny that there could be truth to both accounts, especially since Adriahnna and now Mahrig are tied into it."

Krahmer's explanation caught me off guard. I had studied little about the Celestial wars, or anything celestial for that fact. My life had been dedicated to more worldly matters, and the only outside influence I had were the divines guiding me.

"How did Adriahnna become involved?" I asked cautiously hoping that I would not offend him for being so forthright with my questions.

"She brought back some kind of power with her. When she described her experience to me she explained that little time had passed wherever it was that she had been. She explained the best to her knowledge a battle she had witnessed, and many other images that had crossed her vision as a figure had guided her to safety. She said that the person or being had pulled her away from the obvious battle. The being inserted something inside of her without her knowledge until it was too late. She described the figure removing its hand from within her chest with no pain whatsoever. Before Adriahnna could even try to get answers the being turned to nothingness in front of her. She described the scenario as the the person becoming a glittering dust that fell to the infinite darkness beneath her." I tried to imagine such a scene playing out in my mind. It was no doubt nothing compared to what Adriahnna had actually experienced, but I tried to make sense of it anyways.

"What happened after the being vanished?" I asked curiously.

"Adriahnna said she could feel the power grow within her, and it terrified her. She said the pain caused her to lose consciousness, and when she awoke she was back with me at Kvatch on the floor in the room that held the portal. She was absolutely confused and so was I. We spent the following months trying to figure out what was happening to her. She would sleep and have dreams that would cause little bouts of disturbances with whatever was inside of her. Certain people wanted to distance her from the portal, me included. I wanted to take her as far away from that place as possible, but others would not allow her to leave and she agreed to stay without a fight. Toward the end of her pregnancy she couldn't even approach the portal room without collapsing. Many seals were put into place. They didn't stop the connection Adriahnna had with the portal, but it dampened the effects." Krahmer's eyes took on a new guise in the fire light. A sad melancholy that soon mirrored his slumping shoulders and defeated form.

"Adriahnna surmised that her collapsing episodes happened because all of her Magicka was being tapped into at once. Whatever power that had been given to her was consumining the Magicka before she could replenish it, leaving her slightly delirious and disoriented. It would replace what she lost with something foreign, a new type of power that was much harder to control. She eventually stopped using magic, which slowed down her research quite a bit. It did help her regain her strength though, but she noticed the power in her trying to reach out and harness the magicka that flowed too freely in a place full of magic users."

Krahmer went silent for a moment as if he were lost in thought. I shifted on the many furs that sat beneath me. My mind raced through all of the information Krahmer had shared. He had been right. I could barely comprehend any of it.

"The time came and Adriahnna went into labor. She knew it had been coming the day before it happened. She somehow developed the ability to sense things that were otherwise unknown. She told me to take her journals and hide them. She left plenty of decoy journals behind in her chamber. I should have known that she knew something I didn't. I'm almost certain she knew she was going to die. I didn't know that at the time. I honestly thought we would make an escape. I was the only one that was allowed to come and go freely from Kvatch. I purchased a wagon, and loaded it up with a few things. I hid her journal's underneath my plate armor. I purchased supplies from peddlars and kept the wagon hid in the forest. I had been stocking the wagon for a few weeks here and there anticipating the birth of my child." Krahmer's voice cracked. I felt terrible for the man. It probably wasn't that he didn't want to be forthcoming with the information. I now understood it was because reliving the events caused him to feel the pain all over again.

"I didn't think they would be the kind of people to let her go willingly with all that she had experienced, more so even with the strange phenomena that happened around her." Krahmer looked down momentarily. A look of disgust crossed his features momentarily.

"I even made deals with less than dignified individuals, and paid good money to obtain things that would aid us in our escape. I knew it would be a challenge to get us out of there, and I needed all the help I could get. Fate had other plans though. Adriahnna had gone into labor as I had returned from one of my dealings. I could have been there with her sooner, and spent more time with her in the end if I hadn't been so caught up in my fantasy of us living out our lives together somewhere far away from there. My foolishness cost me precious time I could have spent with her. I didn't know she was going to die. We had only a few moments together before they made me leave the room. I could hear her pain and the deafening screams as they drug me away and locked me in a cell. They said it was for my own safety, but really it was because they didn't want me in the way of their research." Krahmer's fist clenched again.

"I never heard the cries of a baby, but the power I felt transcend on the place was almost suffocating. Everything I touched was so cold it burned, even my own skin. Then there was just silence. They probably left me in that cell for a couple of days. By the time they even checked on me I was dehydrated and severely hoarse from the lack of water and the onslaught of screaming to be released. They took me to the room where I had last seen Adriahnna, and showed me the remains of a baby." Krahmer's voice broke as tears began streaming down his stoney face.

"I hated myself for the longest time, because even looking at the corpse of that babe all I could think about was finding Adriahnna. They told me of her death, and showed me what was left of her remains as well. She had simply turned to dust, all that was left was a gown and the ring I had given her the night I asked her to marry me."

Krahmer swallowed and took a long steadying breath. He didn't look at me, only closed his eyes and focused on his breathing for a bit. I didn't dare speak to a man that had just bared his past so vividly.

"It was only later, many years after they banished me with my belongings and the remains of my child and Adriahnna, that I learned that I had been deceived. A scholar, one of Adriahnna's closest friends found me in secrecy. By that point I was a hard man to find. I sunk to the lowest levels of despair, my company were those obsessed with skooma and I shared the addiction. I lost my way as I had lost everything else that was important to me. She found me in a Skooma den, claimed she had been scrying and trying to find me for quite some time. When I listened to what she had to say it changed my outlook on things. She told me that the research at Kvatch continued. They had removed the baby after the power had transferred from Adriahnna to the baby and finally took the little girl back to Kvatch. I found out through her that my daughter still lived, and they used her as a lab rat. I don't think even the God's would have faced me those few following weeks, if anything they fueled my vengeance. I found out everything I could, I recovered everything I had sealed away from my past. I returned to the hidden marker where I had buried all of my belongings and Adriahnna's journal. I opened the chest of years preserved and began my own research. I learned many things from Adriahnna's journals. Many things I had never even thought to read in my time of despair after losing her. In all honesty I had tried my best to forget that part of my life. I returned to the Knights of the Nine and begged for forgiveness of my absence. They were not aware of my shortcomings and I was not forthcoming with them. I began whispering in listening ears, and building a distrust of Kvatch officials. Most of all though, I spent my years trying to find a way to free my daughter of that prison and of whatever power was within her." Krahmer picked his journal up and pitched it to me.

"By the time I was able to set out on my journey I learned that they were merely observing Weaver, or as she calls herself now, Mahrig. They wouldn't kill her that I was certain. I needed to find out more about her, or rather what was inside of her. Every account I could get from Adriahnna's friend that kept in contact with me was that she showed no signs of this supposed power. They tried many different ways to reveal it, but it wasn't something that could be coaxed out." Krahmer gained a lighter note to his tellings as he spoke of less sorrowful events. I could see his face light back up from the dim shell of a man that he had become before. Almost a summary of the hope that had returned to his otherwise grim world.

"The Scholar also informed me of her escape. I'm still not convinced that this very scholar didn't have anything to do with it. She feigned innocence, but something tells me it was her last attempt at redemption for her dearly departed friend Adriahnna. Freeing Adriahnna's daughter would certainly put a dying woman's soul at ease. She was also the one who set me on the path to celestial knowledge. She had a theory that the power that had been within Adriahnna had been some sort of key. It would definitely explain why being around the portal would cause disruptions and strange occurrences. What we never understood though was why a Celestial key would have been sent to Mundus, on Nirn." Krahmer pointed at the journal that I now fumbled with.

"Take your time. You can read all that I've learned within those pages about Celestial myths and so to speak documented accounts. If you can make any sense out of it that would be a great help. I've pondered many hours over the information I was able to gather, but I cut my journey short to come find my daughter, and I'm glad I did." A small smile formed on his lips as he stared into the fire, but it was soon replaced by a look of determination.

"We are going to figure this out. I'm not even sure how I'm going to explain things to Mahrig." Krahmer closed his eyes.

"You can start by introducing yourself as her father." I quipped. Krahmer let out a small whistle from between his parted lips.

"I already done that, but you wouldn't remember because you were unconscious. I was trying to bring Mahrig back to her senses, it might have helped, but it could have turned out badly as well. I took a gamble, but in the end the one thing that reigned her back into control was you. She was terrified of losing you." Krahmer's half lidded gaze settled on me.

"She loves you as well you know." I lowered my gaze and shifted uneasily under his stare.

"You know Gareth, being a Paladin is about more than just vows. Vows are human made commitments to the God's, words really. It took me too long to realize that. The real power lies within your personal relationship to the God's, your actions, not what someone trains you to believe." I looked up toward Krahmer as he spoke.

"What I'm trying to say is, it's alright to love her. I loved Adriahnna, and even turned my back on them for some time after I lost her. They didn't turn their backs on me though. They still come to my aid, and my bond with the Divines is stronger than ever." Krahmer's words played around in my mind as I considered them. I was one mortal man trying to play the hands of a God. It seemed foolish the more I thought of it. It didn't make me feel any closer to the God's, but it didn't make me feel different about my devotion to them either.

I thought back to the night Mahrig had been taken. It had been Mara's presence within the tent, the passion I felt toward Mahrig still crept around the corners of my mind like thieves darting for cover, but in that moment I opened up the emotions I had felt toward Mahrig that night. The warmth and happiness it brought washed over me. Hiding the physical and emotional attraction to her had been a burden, but it released its grasp on me so easily the more I thought about it.

Krahmer had gone silent as I sat with myself in my own thoughts. He had given me the information I wanted to know, and the things I wanted, no, the things I had needed to know about Mahrig. I wasn't sure in the moment what I was going to do with such information, but I was certain Mahrig would need to know at least some of the details as well.

"How do we tell Mahrig about this?" I finally asked.

"I was hoping I wouldn't have to. It's why I gave her Adriahnna's journal. I wanted her to come to her own conclusions." Krahmer faltered.

"I was also hoping that Mahrig would never display any signs that this power was within her, but those hopes were crushed as soon as we entered the Sanctuary. The atmosphere was all too familiar." Krahmer yawned before continuing.

"Age is starting to catch up to me I'm afraid. Just break it to her lightly." Krahmer stretched his form across his bedroll. I didn't take him for the comedian type, but I slightly chuckled at his jest.

"I'm sure at some point she will need to know something about what she experienced in the sanctuary, but I think we need to keep her focused on this Dragonborn business first. She seemed just fine before her past started unraveling. I'm afraid too much knowledge at once could hurt her more than help. I think her instincts have been telling her that this whole time. It's why she was hesitant about reading the journal. In that sense I believe things happen for a reason. That thought puts my mind about the world at ease a little more each time something like that falls into place." Krahmer's pace at which he spoke was becoming noticeably slow. I could tell that sleep was just around the corner for him.

I slid the journal he had pitched to me in my own pack. I would make a note to find some alone time to dissect the pages away from prying eyes.

Mahrig

"Wow, are you seriously just going to let her rob you blind like that?" Theo hissed as we shut the door to the small alchemist shop. Grave Concoctions was a small shop hid away in a nook of buildings in a corner of Falkreath. The small alchemist sign had caught my attention as it jutted out over the pathway. The streets were scarcely littered with people to ask for directions, and I avoided the residential district out of respect for Theo's obvious discomfort about his long lost father and abandonment issues.

"Zariah didn't rob me blind, she's trying to make a living. If you haven't noticed its after hours and we really had no business beating on her door and disturbing her dinner. We were lucky she even answered the door." I frowned as Theo sulked into his huffy mannerisms.

"Oh, so you are on a first name basis with a shopkeeper that charged you double what the going rate is for a glowing mushroom? I could have waltzed into a random cave and produced double." Theo scoffed.

"Then why didn't you just say that in the first place?" I retorted.

"I needed some booze, and for your information that Paladin could use some too. Some strong Brandy would knock him on his backside and do twice what any concoction I could make would do to ease his pain." Theo gave a huge exaggerated shrug as he answered.

"He doesn't partake in recreational drinks." I averted my gaze as Theo silently mimicked my reply.

"We'll visit the tavern and stock up on a few bottles while we are here if it will make you happy." My words brought Theo out of his otherwise pouty mood.

"Well, it's nice to know we atleast have liquor money left." He chided cheerfully. The obvious stab at our recent quarrel was all but forgotten.

"Let's hurry this up because I want to get back to Gareth and Krahmer before they think we got lost." Theo seemingly bounced to the tavern door, both of us stepping inside to be greeted with the smell of fresh food, and the laughter of the many town drunks that littered the tables.

Falkreath had a rather grim atmosphere to it. The massive graveyard did nothing but aid the air of gloom that seemed to blanket the place. The tavern on the other hand was thriving with nightlife. Women and men alike danced on tables as the group of bards played upbeat and lively tunes, women led men to rooms in the farther corners, and a few men littered the floor where they had passed out in their drunken stupor. Theo jumped over a few sleeping forms, but I did my best to maneuver around them. I doubted my limp would present a graceful jump. I would probably be mistaken as a drunkard myself. The thought embarrassed me.

The hearth was ablaze and my eyes were caught up in the beauty and the stonework. Theo was waiting for me by the bar. I could see his excited gaze as he eyed the closest, and probably only, bottle of Argonian ale. I would be paying a pretty coin tonight. A figure stepped into my path. I recognized the stench before I could even make out the person's features. He was heavily intoxicated, with greasy black hair and beedy brown eyes. The stick figure of a man before me pointed clumsily as he tried to speak.

"I know you fra sumwher…" I stayed silent as I slowly shook my head.

"I do luv, you don forgat a facsh like yers." The man stumbled toward the hearth and grabbed a blackened piece of wood, only momentarily hissing as the pain registered to his inebriated senses. He quickly let go after the hiss escaped his mouth. His clammy hands were covered in black soot. I shook my head in disbelief and walked around the man who was clearly away from his senses. I continued my walk to the bar without further interruption and began digging in my coin pouch. I knew I would be spending more gold than I had at grave concoctions, but Theo wouldn't make a fuss about this considering he would be gaining something from it. I halted my hand once I registered the look that was being exchanged between Theo and the Barkeep. A tan skinned beauty with eyes of molton brown shifted her gaze to the bottle of Argonian ale that Theo had been looking at earlier. Theo lightly chuckled as she scooted the bottle toward him.

"What'll that cost me?" He asked in his all too familiar flirty tone.

"It's on the house, provided you keep me company in a few minutes." The barkeep fluttered her lashes vigorously. I sighed inside realizing what this meant. I would be making a trip back to camp alone probably, but my coin purse wouldn't lose any weight.

"I'm turning the bar over to my cousin in a few minutes. There's a steamy bathhouse waiting down below if you don't mind sharing the ale with me?" The woman's voice took on a silky low purr as she finished her inquiry.

"And what lovely name does the woman I'll share with go by?" Theo asked in an equally silky voice.

"Marianne, that's what my cousin Valga calls me, but you can call me Maria." Theo clicked his lips in a seductive manner that almost made me feel a bit ill for witnessing the exchange of body language. I shook myself from my discomfort and tapped on Theo's shoulder.

"I don't mean to intrude, but if you want me to buy anything else for the road you should choose now because I need to get back to Gareth and Krahmer." I sent a small smile toward Mahria for interrupting their exchange of flirtations.

"Just leave me with a bit of gold and I'll pick some things up before I leave." Theo said without even glancing in my direction. His attention was on the raven haired Goddess that stood behind the bar.

I brought out a handful of gold pieces and dropped them into Theo's hand.

"Be careful on your way back Mahrig, watch the shadows." I turned around as I heard Theo's voice, half expecting him to still be looking at Maria. Instead I was greeted with a small smile, almost as if he held some sort of sadness behind it. I nodded slightly as I dug for the meaning behind his sudden change in demeanor.

"I will." I replied with a grin, hoping that maybe a grin of my own would wash onto him. He turned his attention back to Maria. I glanced once more around the hectic tavern scene and made my way to the door.

The night air was stagnant in these parts. The floral bushes and scenery did nothing to help the smell of graveyard dirt, and mildew that could be caught on the breeze the washed across the cemetary first. Gareth had been kind enough to let me borrow Arlow for my journey to Falkreath. He hadn't exactly been in the best condition to detest my request. I found Arlow tied to a post by the Jarl's longhouse. I had left him there and made my way down the narrow alley toward the alchemist shop previously. Thankfully the few guards that actually were present within the hold did their job to the fullest. I set out into the forest down the path to the west away from the gates. The glow from the lanterns within the city began to fade behind me as I made my way deeper into the trees.

I cast a small spell of candle light. It was enough to see what was in front of us. I slowed Arlow down to a slow trot. It was a bit difficult to travel very fast under our current conditions. I relaxed my body into a more comfortable position. Travelling quickly had caused me to hunker down and grasp Arlow with my legs a bit tighter as to not slip off of the saddle. During the trotted pace we held now I was able to relax my body and even take in a few new smells. The scent of flowers, and pine trees was indeed welcomed considering I had spent a good portion of my evening smelling what was left of the staunched dead in shallow graves. We kept at a slow trot for a while, it had almost been hypnotic. The beating of Arlows hooves were greeted with the sounds of the lively forest at night. I could hear the distant sound of wolves howling, accompanied by the many sounds of insects singing their nightly songs. It was rather peaceful and I began to realize how tired I was as I began to drift on Arlow's back.

Arlow's hoofbeats were joined by more in the distance behind me, it wasn't until they were close enough for three figures to be seen in their torch light that I had realized my dilemma as I snapped out of my sleepy haze. I calmed myself as I caught sight of Imperial armor as they neared in a hastened pace compared to Arlow's slow one. I straightened my form and looked ahead. It wasn't unheard of for Imperials to stop suspicious travelers and inquire their allegiance. I didn't want to give them any reason to harrass me if it wasn't needed. I didn't align myself with the Imperials or the stormcloaks. It wasn't that I didn't want the war to end, it was simply because I wasn't into politics. I could understand reasonings from both sides, but in all honesty I was sure that the Aldmeri Dominion had something to do with the Stormcloak uprising, and I wanted nothing to do with puppet play.

The first rider rounded Arlow and came to an abrupt stop. A His imperial armor was rather worn, like he had seen many battles or traveled many miles in the elements. My spell of candle light dwindled to nothing leaving me only the light from the travelers torches to observe my surroundings. I halted Arlow. I heard one more horse come to a stop beside me and another behind us. I kept my eyes on the Imperial soldier in front of me. His stature was a bit off, probably from lack of sleep. He kept his gaze on me though. I heard the rustling of a saddle and then the hard thud as boots landed on the ground. Footsteps made their way to my side. I halted my breath and prepared to speak.

"I don't know-" A hand grabbed my arm quickly causing Arlow to become unsettled. I felt the hand pull my arm rather roughly and found myself falling toward the ground as I clutched with my free hand towards Arlow's mane. To no avail it had been as I landed on the ground, the figure still clutching my arm.

I smelled the nasty tinge of liquor as the figure knelt down beside me. He grabbed my face and a new smell introduced itself to my senses, burned flesh. The other two rider's now accompanied the man on the ground and walked toward us with their torches. The light illuminated the beady brown eyes I had seen in the tavern earlier that night. I tried to pull away but was forced back down to the ground by his clammy palms.

"I told you it was her Derig. Covered in soot kinda fits her ya know?" The other two men chuckled.

"Last time we saw her she had a riddled ankle, now all she has is a limp." Said one of the figures behind the beady eyed man.

"Doesn't matter, that Bastard paladin Probably healed her. That brings her value back up at least." He chuckled. I could feel my hair stand at its end on my body. The man at the tavern had played me as a fool so I would let my guard down. He had exaggerated his drunken state, because now he seemed almost sober. My mind struggled with what was going on. How did these men know me, and how did they know a Paladin had accompanied me? I tried to wiggle a bit so that my arm beneath me could ready a spell. I felt a cold blade flick the skin on my neck.

"Not so fast wench, I'll break your wrists, and both of your ankles." The beady eyed man chuckled.

"Actually, that's not a half bad idea. I've had a chip on my shoulder since that Paladin refused to sell you. I was just going to use you then, I think I'll make up for lost time and use you now." The taste of booze entered my mouth as the man forced his lips onto mine.