When Brie finally woke up later the next morning she was alone in the bed. It didn't really register with her for a good ten seconds that she was in Skingrad until she cracked open her eyes and was met with the sight of their spacious and lavishly decorated suite. Sunlight spilled through the windows and she heard the door open as Lex stepped back inside.
"You're awake," he called out lightly as he walked over to the bed.
"Why are you shouting?" Brie groaned as she pushed her tangled hair away from her face and slowly rolled onto her back.
"I'm surprised you're still alive."
"That was nothing," Brie grumbled as she squinted up at Lex with bloodshot eyes. "You should have seen me when I was younger."
"I really don't think I should have," Lex joked as he sat down on the edge of the bed.
Brie groaned again and reached out for the vial as Lex popped the cork off and handed it to her. He chuckled softly as he watched the hungover Elf knock the potion back in one gulp and she let out a sigh of relief as the pain in her head started subside.
"Ahh, thank you."
"You're welcome."
"Did you eat already?" Brie inquired after a few minutes when she was feeling more alert.
Lex stood near his pack and he inspected a dark blue tunic.
"Yeah, It's almost noon silly."
"Is it? Oh."
Brie knew that Lex was waiting to hear of her plan for the day. He finished picking out his outfit and turned back towards Brie as she slid her legs out from the bed and slowly stood up.
"Do you want to bathe first?"
"Probably should," Brie yawned as she rubbed at her cheek.
"Okay..."
"And then," Brie continued quietly as she walked towards him. "I guess we'll drop by and see if they're home."
"Okay, I'll go find a servant," Lex replied lightly and he squeezed Brie's shoulder before leaving the room so she could have some privacy.
When he was gone Brie let out a loud sigh and rubbed at her temples as she waited for a servant to fetch her hot water. She stood near the tub while massaging her sore neck and a part of her wished she hadn't drunk so much the night before. She didn't care about how it affected her and was more concerned with whether or not she had done or said anything embarrassing in front of Lex. She couldn't for the life of her remember all the details of the night. She knew she had cried over a broken glass but the rest was a blur as she stared thoughtfully at the floor as the same Bosmer from last night began filling the large silver tub with hot water. When she was finished Brie gave up trying to remember and whipped her clothes off before slipping into the tub with a sight of content.
He didn't seem uncomfortable with me today so I guess it didn't go too poorly...
Brie sank further into the hot water, enjoying the warmth that spread through her body as she soaked for a long time. Her thoughts were filled with nothing but her upcoming family reunion and it once again filled her with dread but she was determined to follow through for the sake of her mother. Eventually the temperature turned lukewarm and so she forced herself to finish washing and get dressed. When she was ready she slipped her boots on and left the room to find Lex who was waiting patiently downstairs.
The pair enjoyed a light lunch and the whole time Brie ate Lex sent her small glances, watching for any sign of distress. Her expression remained quite neutral but when she looked up at him her eyes betrayed her true feelings. He couldn't help but try and comfort her and so towards the end of their meal when Brie was mostly picking at her food he shuffled his chair a little closer and reached out under the table to grab her hand.
Brie jumped as she felt his hand on hers and she looked up at him with furrowed brows and for a moment Lex almost regretted his decision as it looked like she was going to cry again. However, Brie hastily blinked her eyes and sucked in a shaky breath and she squeezed his hand and gave him the tiniest smile.
"Are you ready?" Lex asked softly.
"No," Brie replied sadly, but she shrugged her shoulders. "But that doesn't matter. Let's go."
Lex nodded and they got up from the table and left West Weald Inn. They continued to hold hands as Brie guided him down the narrow cobblestone street towards her family home. The buildings rose a couple stories high up on either side of them as they walked and it was a clear, sunny day but there was a storm brewing inside Brie as she forced herself to move one foot after the other. They passed several citizens along the way but nobody seemed to recognize Brie, which she was grateful for.
Eventually they arrived outside the double doors of a very large manor that was three stories tall. A large balcony from the second floor cloaked them in a cool shadow as Brie paused near the long stone steps leading up to the main doors, which were closed. She gazed up at the building for a moment as her heart pounded painfully in her chest. She felt nauseous as she struggled to move forward and Lex clenched her hand re-assumingly.
"This is Rosethorn Hall," Brie mumbled quietly as she glanced up at him. "I was born and raised here."
"Do you want me to wait outside or come in?"
"No," Brie replied quickly and she tugged his arm towards her. "You have to come in. I won't face him alone."
Lex assumed Brie was referring to the person she called Father as she slowly walked up the steps and paused just as she reached the door.
Should I... knock? Her mind whirled as she struggled to make a decision. I guess I should... it's not my home anymore...
Brie sucked in a deep breath and loudly rapped her knuckles on the wooden surface. A long moment passed but it felt like an eternity as they waited for it to open. Finally, one of the doors creaked open and a small female Bosmer peered out at them with a confused expression.
"Can I help you... By the Nine!"
The woman hastily whipped opened the door and waved them inside.
"Miss Brienne! You have come back home!"
"Hello Calina," Brie replied stiffly as the pair shuffled inside. "I'm just visiting."
The entrance to Rosethorn Hall was impressive. Lex openly stared as he stood behind Brie and his eyes roamed around the hallway with great interest. A warm fire burned in the hearth at the end of the hall and several large stone archways led into various rooms on the first floor. Something about the dark grey stone made the manor appear rather depressing despite the inviting fire and warm furnishings. Most of the walls were either decorated luscious tapestries or expensive looking oil paintings. The carpet beneath their feet felt like a cloud and Lex was stunned as he eyed their surroundings for a few moments.
"If only you had come sooner," Calina lamented softly and she clutched her hands to her chest with a saddened expression.
"Yes, yes I know. Is Annalise home?"
"Calina?"
A female voice called out to them as it ascended the stairs nearby.
"Is that voices I hear- oh!"
A tall female Elf strode into the hallway and she gasped when she spotted Brie.
"Brie! Is that really you?" Annalise exclaimed as she stood rooted to the spot and stared at her sister with widened eyes.
"Yes... who else would I be?"
"Oh my goodness, I just... we didn't know... it doesn't matter," Annalise stammered and then she waved her hands. "You're here, that's all that matters."
Lex watched the sister's interaction with great curiosity but said nothing. He noticed the way neither one of the women made to approach each other and embrace. He couldn't help but wonder why Annalise was so much taller than Brie and why her hair was a brilliant shade of gold instead of brown like her sisters. The more he studied Annalise the more he realized they only shared a few of the same features but it still didn't dawn on him that the two did not share both parents until later on.
Annalise glanced over at Lex and she gave him a small smile before looking back at Brie.
"Do you have time to stay for dinner?"
"I might," Brie replied with a small shrug. "It depends on how things go."
"You mean with Father."
"Yes, with Father."
Brie suddenly realized that Lex was standing beside her and so she cleared her throat and looked up at him.
"Sorry. I guess I should introduce you two. Lex, this is my younger sister, Annalise. Anna... this is Hieronymus Lex."
"Pleasure to meet you," Annalise replied warmly and she smiled as Lex stepped forward to shake her hand.
"You as well."
"So," Brie continued briskly and she glanced around. "Is he able to see me now? I'd like to get this over with."
"Let me go see if Father is up for it. His health has declined lately and he's been sleeping more often now."
"Alright."
When Annalise disappeared back upstairs Brie wandered into the room to their left and took a seat on one of the benches with a loud sigh. She rested her elbows on her thighs and stared down at the carpeted floor as Lex took a seat beside her and gently rubbed her back.
"You're doing good so far," he told her quietly as Brie made a small noise of frustration. "We're here. It'll be over soon."
"Not soon enough," Brie replied and didn't look up until she heard Annalise return.
"He's awake but feeling under the weather so why don't we go upstairs where it's more comfortable?"
"Okay."
There was an obvious tension in the air as Annalise turned back around and they followed her up two sets of stairs to the third floor. Her long black dress floated softly behind her as she walked. It complimented her golden colored hair and tanned skin nicely and she glanced back at Brie every so often. She was even prettier than Brie remembered as she clomped noisily up the stairs several paces behind her. Annalise had always been considered the prettier daughter, Brie knew, and she had always been jealous of her beautiful golden hair.
She's all grown up, Brie thought quietly as they entered into a large bedroom that held a table for them to sit.
It's kind of unsettling... she's not a little girl anymore...
Brie's thoughts were immediately interrupted as she spotted the tall form of Cirion Direnni sitting in a high-backed reading chair near the window. He wore a fitted black velvet tunic and matching pants and a pair of soft leather boots to finish the look. His golden hair had faded with age and was now mostly silver as it hung down straight just past his small bony shoulders. He was an Altmer in every sense of the word right down to the disdainful look on his face as he regarded his departed wife's daughter for the first time in several years. It was a look that left a hollow feeling in the pit of Brie's stomach as she watched Annalise float over to Cirion and she gently helped the aging Elf to his feet.
"Brienne," Cirion greeted with a deep voice that was void of any warmth. "Nice of you to show your face."
"Cirion," Brie replied stiffly as she watched the pair slowly make their way towards the table.
"You will address me as Father in this house," Cirion spat back as he reached out and grasped the table with a bony tan hand. "I don't care how you feel about me but I will not be disrespected in my own home."
"Alright, Father," Brie replied, her voice dripping with venom.
"Who is this stranger? We do not involve ourselves with strangers in family matters-"
"I knew you'd say that," Brie cut in as she strode towards the table while tugging on Lex's hand to follow. "I'm not here for you, I'm here to deal with Mother's will and if he doesn't stay then neither do I."
"Brienne..."
"Father," Brie insisted firmly. "There is no sense in arguing with me. You're clearly unwell. I don't want to make this more difficult than it already is."
"Father," Annalise murmured softly as she took a seat beside Cirion. "It's alright, he can stay if she wants."
Cirion's scowl lessened only slightly as Annalise gently rubbed his arm and he finally shook his head. Lex was silent as a mouse and he almost held his breath as he waited to see what would happen.
"Whatever, so be it. I don't know where you got your strange manners. It must be from his side."
"You're the only Father I've known," Brie replied as she plopped down on the chair. "Unfortunately."
"Brie!"
It was Annalise who spoke up this time. She glared at her sister from across the table and Brie gave her a meek glance in return. Lex noticed that they shared the same green orbs and he knew the trait was from their mother as Cirion's eyes were narrower and the color of burnt umber as they glared at Brie with complete contempt.
"Can we not be civil with one another? Father... Brie is here, after all these years. Doesn't that count for something? And Brie... please, you know how much I hate it when you speak like that to Father."
"Okay, okay... Can we please get to the point?"
"The point?" Cirion replied coldly, and he stared at Brie with open disgust.
"Where were you when your mother took her last breath? I was here. Annalise was here. Even when we laid her to rest in family the vault you were nowhere to be found."
"You know why I left, it's unnecessary to go over this again. Had I anticipated, in any sense, that Mother was going to pass you know I would have been here."
"Do we?"
"Father," Annalise mumbled as Brie's expression grew furious.
"Of course!"
Lex gently squeezed Brie's thigh underneath the table and she quickly bit her tongue to stop herself from yelling. She sat back in her seat and pinched the bridge of her nose for a moment as Cirion continued to scowl at her.
"How did she..." Brie started and her voice cracked. "What... what happened..."
"It was very quick," Annalise replied softly, and her brows furrowed together as she glanced between everybody. "She fell ill one evening and by morning had passed."
"I see."
"Get the papers," Cirion mumbled and he waved his hand.
Annalise shot Brie a sympathetic look as she stood up from the table and walked over to a nearby dresser. A moment later she came back with a small stack of parchment in her hand she set it down on the table.
"Find the section. Read it to her."
Annalise quickly took a seat and began flipping through the papers with slender fingers. Lex continued to be Brie's silent support as he gently rubbed her thigh and sent her glances every so often. Brie let out a shaky breath and snatched his hand up with both of hers and he could feel them trembling as she nervously ran her palm along his hand and chewed on her bottom lip while waiting for Annalise to find the part about her in their Mother's will.
"Here it is," Annalise finally stopped flipping and started to read.
"Regarding Brienne Direnni, my eldest and estranged daughter. Her Father is Baenlin who has since long passed away. It is my desire that she should come back to her family and contribute to the lineage. She is to inherit Rosethorn Hall upon my husband's death and a large sum of gold has been set aside in her name."
Annalise paused to look over at Brie who remained silent while she read but she was frowning as she listened and could practically hear her Mother's voice.
"These inheritances are available for her on the following conditions-"
"I knew it," Brie cut in, and she laughed.
"The conditions," Annalise continued, "are that she must find and marry a man of either middle of upper-class stature and sire a child within three years of marriage. If she can fulfill both of those conditions then the Manor in Skingrad and gold sum is hers. Should she fail to do either of those things or refuses then it will go to Annalise, my youngest daughter.
"Hilarious."
Brie started to laugh again but there was no humour in her voice.
"What is so funny?" Cirion sneered. "Do you really find your family's generosity so amusing?"
"Generosity! Are you kidding me?"
Brie stared at her family with an incredulous expression.
"Did you actually think that I'd ever in a million years agree to something as ridiculous as that?
"You are not a young woman anymore, when are you going to grow up and realize that you are throwing your life away, and for what? Independence?"
It was Cirion's turn to laugh.
"You are nothing without your family, Brienne. Without us you're just a thief bumming around from town to town like a common beggar. Don't act like we haven't heard of your little adventures around Cyrodiil."
Brie pursed her lips together as she stared at Cirion with silent fury. What she really wanted to do was leap across the table and strangle the arrogant Elf until he was blue in the face.
He's not worth it, Brie told herself repeatedly as she struggled to calm down. It looks like he's got one foot in the grave already. Good.
"Is there somewhere for me to sign everything over to Annalise?" Brie finally spoke, her voice tight.
"Um," Annalise replied quietly as she scanned the rest of the paper. "Yes."
"Give it to me."
"Brie..."
"I said give it to me, Anna. Give me the paper and a writing utensil."
"So that's it then? You're giving up."
"That's exactly it, Father," Brie replied thickly as she was handed the parchment.
A moment later Annalise recovered a small pot of black ink and a quill which she also set down in front of her sister.
"You don't have to do this, Brie," Annalise pleaded quietly. "It's rightfully yours."
Brie quickly waved her off and snatched up the quill. Lex watched, his brows furrowed together as she dipped the quill in the ink with a shaking hand and quickly scrawled her name across the bottom of the page.
"It's done. I'm sure it's what you wanted anyways, it's best to just pretend I don't exist."
"You're a disgrace," Cirion hissed, "An absolute disgrace. Your Mother should have been stricter with you. She was always too soft."
"Well you more than made up for that, now didn't you?"
Brie abruptly stood up from the chair and the scraping noise startled Lex as he stared up her.
"Let's go," she mumbled while tugging on his arm. "We're leaving."
"That's right," Cirion sneered as he struggled to stand up. "Leave, run away. Like you always do."
"I don't need this house, or the money," Annalise pleaded softly with tears in her eyes. "I have a house in High Rock waiting for me for when I marry."
"That's great, really..."
Brie began walking towards the doorway while tightly gripping Lex's hand and they quickly exited the room. Cirion struggled to follow with Annalise helping him and he continued to verbally abuse Brie as she made her way downstairs.
"I mean it, Brienne," Cirion huffed as he struggled several feet behind them. "If you leave this house don't ever come back."
"I wasn't planning on it."
"You disappointed your Mother when she was alive and you continue to do so after she's gone-"
"Fine by me," Brie shot back as she reached the first floor.
"Brienne!"
Brie finally turned around. Cirion's chest heaved as he leaned against the stone wall a couple feet up the stairs and Annalise stared down at her as she lightly gripped one of his arms.
"Why are you doing this?"
"I'm not doing anything, Anna. I'm giving you all what you want-"
"I didn't want this! We wanted you to be happy-"
"I am happy!" Brie shouted, and her hands bunched into fists as she glared up at her sister. "Did it ever occur to you to ask your only sister what she's been up to all these years or do you just believe every rumour Cirion feeds to you!"
Annalise opened her mouth to speak but Brie wasn't finished. She was done trying to be civil as every wall she had spent so long building up around her broken heart smashed into a million pieces and over fifteen years of anguish spilled out from her.
"If you had even bothered to ask how I was doing then you'd know I have job, and it's not thieving! But that's completely beside the point!"
Brie's throat constricted tightly as she blinked back tears and continued to speak.
"I always tried to keep you safe, Anna. I never wanted to ruin the perfect image of your dear Father," Brie sneered as she glared up at Cirion with a look of disgust. "But I'm done staying silent."
Annalise looked utterly confused as she glanced between Brie and her Father, who remained leaning against the wall and he said nothing but stared down at Brie with an equally sour expression.
"You see, as much as Mother drove me insane with trying to force me to be something I wasn't, she never laid a hand on me. I can't say the same for your Father."
Lex stood right behind Brie and his eyes widened in surprise as he listened to Brie's confession but he forced himself to remain silent. Anger washed over him the more Brie spoke about what had transpired when she was growing up.
"I still have the scars from his punishments, Annalise. He did not spare any wasted opportunity to... to strike me."
Brie's voice shook as she spoke and she struggled not to cry.
I will not cry in front of Cirion! Never again!
"I... I remember the sound," Brie continued thickly and she squeezed her eyes shut for a moment. "I'll n-never forget it."
It was all too much. Annalise released her grip from Cirion's arm and stared at him with a confused and surprised expression. It pained Brie that she had to hurt Anna in the process but she was tired of remaining quiet. She had not only run away to escape her mother's attempts to change her but the real reason had been because of the physical abuse she had endured at the hands of Cirion. Her rebellion had been her only way to cope with everything that was going on at home and eventually it had made her snap. But Annalise had no idea as she grew up in a happy little bubble next to Brie. But now, as Anna stared at her Father in utter shock, her naïve little world had come crashing all around her.
The Altmer wasn't even phased as he continued to glare down at Brie with a cold look in his eyes. She knew he didn't regret anything he had done to her because he was just that terrible of a person.
"Is that it then?" He sneered. "You've come and ruined everything, so just leave."
"Gladly," Brie replied quickly. "It looks you're dying, by the way. I hope it happens soon."
Brie quickly spun around on her heel and dashed towards the door with Lex following right behind her. She didn't stop once she stumbled down the stairs away from the manor and continued to run down the street towards the main gates. Lex hastily followed her as she ran, and as they reached the gates Brie hurried through them and continued off the main road through a field of tall golden grass. She didn't have a particular place she was going and after a while her strides slowed to a stop and then she plopped down onto her knees and gasped for air as tears silently dripped down her face.
Lex stood a couple paces back and he watched as Brie stared up at the sky with her hands resting lightly on her thighs. The wind blew strands of her wavy brown hair around her face but she paid them no attention as she simply sat there in the field, silently staring up at the fluffy white clouds that floated above their heads.
Eventually Lex shuffled forward and he sat down on the ground in front of Brie with crossed legs. Brie's head was bowed and she stared down at her hands in silence for a long moment before she finally spoke.
"I'm sorry," Brie whispered quietly. "I wish I could have told you sooner. It must have been uncomfortable."
She saw Lex's pale hands as he reached forward and grasped both of hers. Brie lifted her head up and she was surprised to see Lex smiling at her with an undeniably sad look in his eyes.
"You don't have to be sorry, Brie... I'm... I'm so sorry you went through something like that."
"I-I just wasted so much time feeling sorry for myself," Brie replied quietly and she shrugged. "And what was it for? Nothing."
Lex gently squeezed her hands as Brie glanced around the open field with a faraway expression.
"I wasted away so many years being bitter and doing nothing of importance. I feel so angry with myself. I have nothing to show for all these years spent away from my family..."
"That's not true," Lex argued softly. "You are an Imperial Guard now. That counts for something."
He watched as Brie's face softened and a smile spread across her lips. She turned her head back to Lex and her bright green orbs pierced into his as they stared at one another.
"You're absolutely right."
It was like a massive weight had been lifted off her shoulders. Brie didn't realize just how much she had needed to come back home until she was there and everything had come to light. More importantly, she knew that everything had happened because she had Lex by her side. As they quietly sat together in the grass for a little while with the sun warming their heads, Brie knew that she had fallen in love with caring and compassionate Captain. It was a revelation that she embraced completely as Lex continued to sit with her, content to just listen to the sound of the whistling wind as it moved through the tall grass while Brie contemplated everything that had occurred back at Rosethorn Hall.
"May I ask you something?"
Brie tore her gaze away from the landscape and she once again looked into Lex's bright blue eyes as she nodded. She shivered as Lex reached up and brushed his thumb along her cheeks, wiping her tears away.
"Your real father... Did you ever know him?"
"Oh," Brie replied lightly. "No. He apparently passed away not long after I was born."
"Your mother mentioned him in her will."
"Yeah I heard that too. Well, it's a cute little tale."
Brie slipped her legs out from under her so she was sitting cross legged with her knees touching Lex's and she smiled as she retold the story her Mother had told her one time.
"Mother only told me because I wouldn't stop harassing her. I started to clue in that I looked nothing like Cirion and shared only a few features with Annalise. And she only told me once and then forbade me from ever asking about him again..."
Brie paused to tuck a strand of her hair behind her pointed ear and then she quickly grasped his hands again.
"Apparently, he was a very nice Bosmer, quiet and reserved. He belonged to a middle-class family but I believe they were almost so unimportant that they were practically regarded as lower class."
"Well," Brie continued as she started to play with the hem of Lex's sleeve. "My mother was a bright eyed seventeen-year-old ripe for marriage. She was the type that was very eager to get married and start a family. She met Baenlin at a small gathering one night and they fell in love. They began seeing each other in secret though, since Lara was of upper-class stature."
"I didn't think that status was important to Bosmer families," Lex replied with a thoughtful expression.
"Perhaps not back in the first Era when we still called ourselves Tree-Sap people," Brie joked and then she shrugged. "But that's all I've known here in Cyrodiil."
"Interesting."
"I suppose it is. Well, eventually Lara was given the news that she was to wed Cirion Direnni. At the time she was upset since she did love Baenlin but she agreed to marry Cirion because her desire to keep her upper-class stature was more important..."
"Did she say that herself?"
"No," Brie laughed. "But it's pretty obvious. They made one half-assed attempt to run away together but it fell through and so she gave up and went through with the marriage anyways."
Brie paused to stare down at the ground for a moment as she thought about her Mother.
"Maybe she really had loved him," Brie mumbled as she stared thoughtfully at a blade of grass. "She always had a severe look on her face but I remember as she told me this story the lines around her mouth and eyes softened ever so slightly."
"Well in any case," Brie continued and she shook her head. "It was the night before her wedding and I suppose my Father snuck into her room unnoticed to say goodbye. Of course, I suppose that would have been the night I was conceived since she never saw him again after that."
"Thank you for sharing."
Brie finished telling her story with a small sigh. Eventually she was ready to return to West Weald Inn. Lex stood up first and he helped Brie to her feet. She began to take a step towards Skingrad when he suddenly stopped her with a hand to her arm.
"Brie..."
Lex turned his back towards the Elf and bent his knees so he was crouched down.
"W-What?" Brie replied as she stared at his back with a confused expression. "You know I can walk, right?"
"I know you can walk," Lex replied smoothly and he glanced back at her. "Come on."
Brie laughed, but a moment later he felt her arms around his neck as she pressed her body up against him. Lex reached back and grasped her thighs as he hoisted her up onto his back and began walking. He could feel her soft breath against his neck as she tightened her hold and nuzzled her face against him with a small sigh.
"Thank you," Brie mumbled softly, her eyes closed. "For everything. Thank you, Lex."
"I didn't do much," Lex chuckled as he slowly made his way back towards their Inn.
"You did more than you know. I... I can't even begin to explain how much it means for you to be here with me."
"I know," Lex replied softly and he smiled when he felt Brie's lips press against his cheek. "Everything will be okay."
Brie slipped off Lex's back when they reached the front doors to the Inn and he ushered her inside. They quickly made their back up to their room and spent the rest of the evening lounging around the fire, talking about nothing in particular. Brie ate most of her dinner and only drank one bottle of ale. She was emotionally drained from her unpleasant family reunion and so by nine o'clock she was properly tired and ready for bed. They'd be leaving early the next morning, which Brie was grateful for. She was eager to leave Skingrad and hoped to never return.
When they were both finished getting ready for bed Lex laid down first and he patiently waited for Brie to join him. He watched as she finished pulling her boot off and then she quietly padded over to the bed and laid down. Without hesitation she slid forward and pressed her body against his as Lex wrapped his arms around her. He held her throughout the whole night and Brie slept soundly until early the next morning.