Chapter 8
The plans for Helgrim's house had gone off schedule, but after he got everything running at the mill again for Aeri and she and Kodrir were feeling better, he returned to Kynesgrove with the first shipment of wood that he would need for building. Technically it was the second shipment, but since the first shipment had been ruined by the bandits' attack. With the arrival of the shipment of wood, he was able to begin shaping the foundation of his home with wood and stone. He had an obstacle since returning from Anga's Mill, however, in the form of his cousin-in-law, Kjeld. The man thought he 'owned' the village and therefore felt that everything had to go through him. He didn't like Helgrim's house plan, nor did he like the way the man had gotten so close to Iddra. Due to this personal feeling against him, Kjeld refused to grant Helgrim permission to build his house. Iddra assured him that no one owned the village, the least of all her husband, but he just wasn't sure about it. The more and more Kjeld did to step in his way, the more and more Helgrim grew to despise the man.
One day, two months after he'd had the wood arriving as scheduled and he had been forming stone blocks for the foundation of the house, Kjeld came to the building site. Helgrim knew that things had finally gotten to the point of no return. Here was where he would take a stand against Kjeld and his disapproval. He looked up from the pile of stone he was working with and looked at Kjeld, who'd crossed his arms in front of his chest and was staring at him with a grimace on his face.
"I thought I told you that you couldn't build here?" he asked sharply.
"I thought I told you that I just don't care?" Helgrim shot back just as sharply.
"This is my village, boy and I won't have you ruining it with your ugly impression of a house."
"Oh, that's a pretty big word, Kjeld. Are you sure you know what it means?"
"Shut up and get this shit outta here. Why don't you go find some place far from here to build? Maybe over near your slutty bitch?"
Helgrim snapped his head up and stared at Kjeld with anger in his eyes. How dare the man speak of Aeri that way? He rose to his feet and wiped his hands on his pants before curling them into fists.
"You had best take that back, Kjeld," he warned.
"Or what? You'll have the guards lock me up? Good luck getting them to come out here. They don't care about us."
"What in Oblivion is your problem anyway? What has crawled up your ass and made you lash out at Aeri like that?"
"Oh come off it. Don't think for one second that you were that bitch's first trick. Before you'd come around there'd been others. Others that were better looking than you, I might add."
"Is that so? You're saying that she was a loose moraled woman before I met her?"
"Aye, that's exactly what I'm saying. I tasted her fruit and found her too damaged to settle on, so I went with Iddra."
Helgrim couldn't hold it back any further. He pulled his arm back and let it fly at the other man's face with the full force of an angered man, which he was. He knew for a fact that Kjeld was lying because he was the only man Aeri had ever lain with. It was satisfying to watch Kjeld fall to the ground from the strike to his face and he didn't feel the least bit sorry as he watched the blood start pouring out of his nose.
"Struck a chord eh?"
"Damn right you did, you fool! I'm inclined to believe that she rebuffed your attentions and you felt the need to make up this lie about her, however, if you ever talk that way about her again I swear I'll do more than just knock your head about."
Kjeld picked himself up from the ground and wiped his nose with his sleeve, staring hard at Helgrim. He had his suspicions confirmed now, the fact that Helgrim had been with Aeri.
"One more thing," Helgrim said to Kjeld, keeping the man from going anywhere. "Actually two things. First, I'm building here and there's nothing you can do about it. Second, you will divorce yourself from my cousin. She doesn't need you mooching off her anymore. You don't make her happy and she deserves that."
"What makes you think I'm going to listen to you?" Kjeld asked, taking a step back in case Helgrim decided to hit him again.
"I know you're going to listen to me because you understand what I'm saying. Even if you don't, you know that I can make you disappear and tell everyone you ran away. Like a dog with his tail between his legs." Helgrim saw Kjeld thinking and waited, letting the man work it all out in his head.
"If I divorce myself from her and leave, then you'll leave me alone?"
"Aye. As long as she is free to find someone she loves and you take your sorry ass away from here, things will be just fine."
"Alright then. I'll get everything started on the procedure then. Just... Just stay away from me." Kjeld stepped back one more time and looked around, searching for an escape route.
"Whatever little man. Go and let me get back to work." Helgrim shook his head and went back to working on the stone pile. He heard Kjeld take off and thought nothing of it. There, he'd put his foot down and protected his cousin and perhaps given her a chance at happiness with the ever flighty Fjolnar. He hadn't seen his friend in over two months time, but he knew he would see him again. Perhaps after the war was finished they could all settle down in Kynesgrove and be happy. Helgrim spent the rest of the day working on the stonework and getting the first round of stones on the ground, leaving spaces where the logs would have to go for supports. By the time it got dark, he was more than ready to stop and have something to eat before washing up and going to bed. He walked the short distance back to the inn from where he was building and went up the stairs, then inside.
"Oh Grim!" Helgrim turned his head to see his cousin, Iddra, walking quickly toward him and it appeared as if she'd been crying. He opened his arms to her and held her.
"What's wrong, Iddra?"
"Oh Grim, it's Kjeld. Both of them. They say they're leaving and taking everything with them. All the money I've earned and everything that I have put away. I'll be penniless."
"Nonsense, Iddra. I had a talk with your husband and told him it would be best to divorce himself from you and move on. He will take just enough to get him to Windhelm and rent a room for a week or so. I'm sure he'll find work quick enough. If your son is going with him then that is two bodies that can find work suitable for them to survive on."
"You talked to him? Oh dear, what have you done?"
"I thought you were unhappy. I merely told him that and suggested that he let you have the opportunity to find happiness."
"I appreciate your concern, Grim, but I wish you had just left things alone."
"I am sorry, cousin. I wanted you to be happy."
"I know, Grim. I do, but not like this. He's angry and I'm afraid he's taking it out on me, not you."
"That'll stop right now, Iddra. Where is he?"
"They're in their room right now packing. Please, Grim, don't hurt him."
"I'll do what is necessary, Iddra. He will not take all of your money. I swear that to you."
Helgrim kissed her forehead and walked toward the room he knew Kjeld shared with his son and pushed the door open. The two men stopped packing and stared at Helgrim, then fear crept into their eyes and he had to admit it was a good feeling to know that they both feared him. He shook his head and stepped into the room, shutting the door behind him so they weren't bothered.
"What's this I hear about you taking everything Iddra has earned working here?"
"It's not your business any longer, Helgrim. Leave it alone," the elder Kjeld said, going back to his packing.
"Ah, but you are wrong, Kjeld. It is my business because Iddra is my cousin and you are hurting her." He cracked his knuckles and saw the elder Kjeld jump visibly.
"I ain't hurting her. I just need money if I'm to leave her here. She'll make more. My son and I ain't gonna be able to."
"Oh? Are your backs broken? Perhaps you have a disease that is inhibiting your ability to work?"
"Nothing like that, Helgrim. It's just that... You know, it'll take us time to get settled somewhere and look for work."
"Aye, I know how long it'll take. You don't need all the money. You will take a portion of it, but the majority will remain here, with Iddra, because she was the one who earned it. Not you."
Kjeld the Younger had been watching the exchange for a while and now had enough bluster to feel that he could stand up to Helgrim. He stepped forward and held his fists up in preparation to fight.
"You ain't stoppin us, you fool! We're takin all of it and ain't no one gonna stop us."
"Really?" Helgrim asked, turning to look at the young man that was about his age. He saw the fists and sighed, but put his own up. "Are you sure this is what you want, kid?"
"Why, are you scared? Come on, you coward!" Kjeld the Younger made to hit Helgrim who dodged and lashed out with a fist of his own, connecting with the youngster's cheek and sending him backward.
"I'm not a coward, kid. I just happen to know when to fight and when to back off. You should have backed off." He dodged another of Kjeld the Younger's fists and thrust his own forward into the kid's stomach, causing him to bend forward and groan in pain.
"Kjeld, I suggest you take just a thousand gold and leave the rest and get out of here before your son gets himself into more trouble."
Kjeld the elder, seeing the way Helgrim fought and the fact that his son was getting the worst end of it, nodded and took just a thousand gold and left the rest of the money. He finished packing and stood in front of his son.
"Come on, son. Let's get our things and leave this place. Your mother has made her choice and it's not with me. Let's leave before anything else happens to us."
Kjeld the Younger sneered at Helgrim as he stood upright again, holding his gut as it now hurt. He said nothing more, just grabbed his knapsack and left the room behind his father. Helgrim leaned back and let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding in to begin with. Why couldn't anything be easy in his life? Well, that wasn't a nice thought because for the first part of his life he realized it had been easy. Living in Hammerfell hadn't been a cakewalk, but it hadn't been as hard as coming back to Skyrim and starting a new life. He loved his cousin and would do whatever it took to keep her happy, even if that meant throwing out her useless husband and pathetic son. After a few minutes to calm himself, Helgrim finally left the room and brought the pouches of money over to Iddra, handing them to her.
"He left with just a thousand gold. The rest of it is there." He nodded to the pouches. "Are you alright?"
"I will be." She sighed and then leaned against Helgrim. "You are like a big brother instead of a younger cousin. Thank you."
"Of course, Iddra. You're family. That means everything to me." He gave her a smile and then kissed her forehead. "Now I think I'll take a bath before supper. You'll eat with me, aye?"
"Aye, Grim. I'll have it ready for you. If you give me a few minutes I can heat up the water for you."
"Forget it, cousin. I can heat up my own water. I'm not a guest at the inn. I've become part of it and I will help you in the evenings if you need it." He gave her another hug before walking away so she couldn't stop him. He started the water to heat and pulled the tub into his room. As he filled the tub with the water, he thought of Aeri and the reaction he'd had to what Kjeld had said about her. It was obvious that he cared about her more than just a friend, though he felt a friend would have stuck up for her in the same manner if they'd heard something like that. Since he'd had intimate contact with Aeri, he assumed it went beyond the friend defending a friend situation. He wasn't taking it further and saying that he loved her, because he didn't feel he did. He loved Eir and wouldn't abandon her. However, he did care a lot about Aeri and wanted to make sure no one slandered her or hurt her in other ways. When the tub was filled, he undressed and got in, washing himself up after a hard day of working on the house and two fights with the Kjelds.
He hadn't meant to fight with them, but he had been wanting to say something to Kjeld the elder for a while concerning Iddra and today he'd just gone too far and Helgrim had needed to put him in his place. At least now if Fjolnar came around again he would be able to spend time with Iddra without fear of stepping on Kjeld's toes. For that Helgrim felt pride because he had made that happen. Something told him that Iddra and Fjolnar would be happy together. Funny how life puts people in your orbit and they might not always be there, but when they are, you know them so completely that it makes you complete. Helgrim felt like that when he thought of the friends he'd made since arriving in Skyrim. Not only those around Kynesgrove, but those in Windhelm and even Dawnstar. He would eventually need to get back there and visit with Rustleif and Seren again. They'd had their baby by now, surely.
After the bath, he dragged the tub outside to empty it. Then he sat down in the common room and Iddra sat beside him and they ate their supper together. Chatting of mundane things during their meal, each stayed away from the major event of the day. The fact that Kjeld had left and taken their son with him. Sure, the boy was a young man, but he did feel a little guilty about Iddra losing her only child. Perhaps she wasn't too old to have another with Fjolnar. Even so, he'd heard through his travels that there was an orphanage somewhere in Riften that had children in need of new homes and she could always adopt. When they had finished supper, Helgrim excused himself and went to bed. His thoughts were split in a bunch of different ways. One was on Aeri and how she was doing since he helped her a couple months ago. He hadn't gone to the mill, just accepted the wood that arrived on schedule. Another was on Eir and how she was doing, as well, and if she was thinking of him at all. He missed her deeply, but he supposed that absence could make his heart grow fonder of her. Perhaps. Finally, he thought about Iddra and Fjolnar and whether he'd done the right thing for both of them. He'd seen how happy they'd been together for the brief time they'd had, but would it be enough? He wasn't sure, but he'd find out in the coming months. He fell asleep and dreamed of home. Of his family and friends. Of Eir and Aeri. In his dream they kept changing from one to the other and back again. He wasn't certain why, but chalked it up to it being a dream and the fact that it didn't matter because it was a dream. Unknown to him, things were about to be shaken up in Helgrim's world.
For a while things went well for Helgrim, but of course life decided it couldn't stay that way forever. A few days after Kjeld and his son had left the inn, in fact left Kynesgrove altogether, he received a visit from someone he hadn't expected one from. As he was laying stone around the house he heard a wagon and lifted his head. He was surprised to see Aeri sitting in the driver seat and pulling the horse to a stop. She waved and so Helgrim did, too, even if he was confused as to the visit. Was she out of wood? Surely that wasn't the case. He'd never thought he would run a mill out of wood. He wiped his hands on a rag and stood up, meeting Aeri halfway between the wagon and the house.
"What a pleasant surprise, Aeri. You are looking very well today."
"Thank you, Grim. The house is coming along nicely. You have done all of this yourself?"
"Aye. When I finish the first floor I'll be having Hermir from Windhelm come and help me with the second floor and roof."
"I've seen her a few times when I went to Windhelm, though I must admit I haven't had a chance to talk to her." Helgrim noticed the barely concealed look of jealousy on Aeri's face, though it was a brief feeling.
"She's a nice person. A skilled blacksmith that will soon be a master herself if she keeps at it." He smiled and then led Aeri to a bench and sat down with her. "What's going on? Not that I mind the visit, but I didn't think you would leave the mill in anyone's hands but your own."
"That's true, I had a hard time leaving it with Kodrir and Leifur, but I had to come today to see you, Grim." She swallowed and then lifted her eyes to gaze at his own, letting out a soft breath. "I came here today to tell you..." She paused here, not really sure how to proceed, other than just spit it out. "I'm with child, Grim. Your child." She clasped her hands in front of her and bit her bottom lip, nervously.
Helgrim felt as if he'd been kicked by a horse and knocked to the ground, then stomped on by said horse all in the same moment. Aeri was pregnant? With his child? Oh, this was certainly not at all what he expected to hear from her as he saw her drive up in the wagon. He swallowed to wet his suddenly dry mouth and moved his eyes from her to stare at his hands. He wasn't sure what was right to do here. He wasn't "in love" with Aeri, but he did care for her. He loved Eir, but he couldn't wed her yet. He shook his head slightly and the panic started to sink in. He was sweaty, his breathing had increased and he was searching for a way out of this. Then he felt her hands on his own and he turned his head to look at her once more. His child. She was carrying his child she had said. It brought him back to reality and he let out a steadying breath.
"Um..."
"It's alright, Grim. I don't expect you to drop everything and marry me, but I thought you should at least know what is going on."
"No, aye. I appreciate that." He swallowed and then looked into her eyes and sighed. "Thank you for telling me."
"You deserve to know." She hadn't been with anyone else, so she knew it was his and was glad he hadn't questioned it. It would have been embarrassing to admit that she hadn't been with any others.
"And you deserve much better, Aeri. You'll worry about nothing. I'll provide for you and the child." He couldn't wed her and he felt horrible about that, but he'd promised himself to Eir. He couldn't break one vow to make another, it wouldn't be right. He could, however, make sure that she and the child would never want for anything ever again. "I'll even help you hire someone to help at the mill so you don't need to do the work yourself." He didn't want her working with the logs if she was pregnant. Surely that wasn't healthy.
"Oh Grim, such a wonderful man you are. It's one of the reasons why I wanted you so much. I don't regret anything and I hope you don't either." Then she looked over his shoulder at the house in progress behind him and nodded. "I should let you get back to work."
"No, Aeri. It can wait a while." Then before he could talk himself out of it, he reached out and cupped her face with one hand and pulled her closer by the waist with the other. One look in her eyes and then his lips touched hers. It was amazing, the feeling you got from knowing a woman was carrying your child and he let it carry his actions through. He felt her hands sliding up her back and into his hair as she kissed him back and he pulled her up and sat her in his lap. He pulled back once and looked at her face, smiling, then returned to her lips and kissed her again. They were in this embrace when his cousin approached with a tray of food and cleared her throat upon seeing what was going on.
"Excuse me, Grim," she said with accusation lingering on her breath. Helgrim quickly pulled back and gazed at Iddra, though he didn't move Aeri off his lap. He was too aroused for that.
"Lunch time already, Iddra?" he asked in a rush as his breathing had increased his words.
"Aye, though it looks like you've got a dining companion already. I'll just leave this here for you." She set the tray down on the bench and made to leave.
"Where are my manners? Iddra, this is Aeri. Aeri, this is my cousin, Iddra. Aeri runs Anga's Mill, Iddra."
"So nice to meet you, Iddra." Aeri offered her hand to the other woman.
"Uh huh." Iddra glared daggers at Helgrim and then took Aeri's hand in her own for a handshake. Her eyes then went to Aeri and she had to pull her hand free lest she attempt to challenge the woman. "Now I understand why my cousin chose to get his lumber from your mill."
"Come on, Iddra. You know it's not like that. You just happened to uh, walk in on a..."
"A what, Grim? Come on, I'd love to hear this." She crossed her arms in front of her and even tapped her foot on the ground.
"Well.." Helgrim began, then realized he didn't really owe her an explanation. He sat Aeri back on the bench and stood up. "I was working on the house, you see. Aeri came here to see me." He swallowed and looked at Aeri, who nodded. "She came to tell me... To tell me that I'm to be a father." He finished and gazed at Iddra again. She was the only family he had out here and he desperately wanted her approval.
"Father? You mean..." Iddra returned her icy gaze to Aeri and now put her hands on her hips like she was accusing Aeri of some sort of bad behavior.
"Aye, so be nice to her. Stop glaring at her." Helgrim moved to step between the women. "We never expected it to happen, cousin. It just did." He reached out and took hold of Iddra's arms, getting her to look him in the eye. "Can't you just be happy for me, Iddra?"
Iddra looked at him and she had to admit that he did seem happy to hear about the news of impending fatherhood. She had expected it to have been with Eir, but apparently the Divines had other plans for her cousin. She still didn't trust Aeri and would reserve judgment. For now.
"If you're happy about it, Grim, I'll be happy for you. I'll let you two have lunch together. I can eat back at the inn. It was nice meeting you, Aeri." Iddra said and though she tried to hide the way she felt when she spoke to the woman, it was still there.
"Thank you, Iddra. I'll be down for supper, don't worry." Helgrim said and kissed his cousin's cheek before she walked away and left him and Aeri alone.
"Your cousin doesn't like me, Grim," Aeri said softly.
"Eh, she'll be fine. She'll come around. Once she gets to know you." He smiled and then pulled her close again. "We should eat lunch, then I need to get back to work." He didn't release her right off, however, and brought her in for a kiss. Knowing that he was going to be a father changed a man. He was excited, though scared at the same time. He pulled away and then sat down on the bench with her.
"I know you have someone else, Grim, but I'm glad you are taking this well." She didn't know if that woman would taking it so well if she knew, but Aeri decided she would just be pleased with what she had. Even knowing that she wouldn't always have Helgrim, she told herself that at least she had him for now. She would take what she could and survive.
"Are you kidding? Though it is not the way things are done, I'm glad to hear that I'm to be a father." Would he have preferred that Eir be the first to carry his child? Sure, what man wouldn't, but the idea of any woman carrying his child made a man realize that he was truly a man and nothing could take that away. "I'm also trying not to think about the future too much. Eir won't be pleased to hear about this, so I shall wait as long as possible before telling her." He nodded and started to eat his lunch. They ate together in companionable silence after that. He found that he kept looking at her still flat stomach and imagined how she would look in the coming months. He couldn't see it fully yet, but he was sure that in time he would.
After they had finished eating, Helgrim helped her back up onto the wagon and cautioned her to be careful, then watched her drive away. When she was out of sight, he went back to working on the stonework of the house. He had a purpose, a reason to finish quickly. It wasn't just for him anymore. He had a child on the way and even if he wasn't marrying the mother he would take care of them both in the way he knew how. By providing shelter and support. He could feel the eyes watching him and didn't even look around. He had just come to know it was there, always. He'd stopped looking for the creature because he never saw anything but eyes and you can't effectively hunt a creature by just its eyes. You needed a body to shoot at.
"Not even you can make me worried today, creature!"
Helgrim worked on until it began to darken and then made his way back down to the inn for his supper. He expected to hear plenty from Iddra about Aeri and the baby. The way he talked about Eir and their future together was sure to conflict with what she had seen that day. He hadn't meant to kiss Aeri, it just sort of happened. He'd been pleased about hearing he was to be a father. He walked into the inn and saw his cousin moving around behind the counter, getting supper ready. He sighed and then went into his room to wash up. When he was done he walked back out and looked at Iddra.
"Aeri has no illusions about me, you know. She knows I am in love with Eir and is whom I intend to wed." He wanted to make sure that was out there so Iddra didn't think that Aeri was trying to get him to marry her.
"What? She doesn't want you to marry her?"
"Nay. She just felt that I deserved to know about the child. I'm glad she told me."
"How odd. Of course you know this will make her an outcast in social circles, right? To bear a child out of matrimony, I mean."
"She knows what she is doing, Iddra. I told her she will be cared for. I intend to acknowledge my child whether it is legitimate or not." He sat down at the table and Iddra brought the food over, then sat down as well.
"I hope you're right, Grim and she's not doing this just to drag you down."
"Whatever Kjeld told you about her is wrong. She was a virgin when we got together and I believe her when she says there has been no other since. The child is mine and will be taken care of." Iddra sighed and smiled at him, then nodded and placed her hand on his, comfortingly. She would be happy for his sake and pray that things would be just fine after all was said and done. She also hoped that Eir wouldn't take it badly.
Helgrim went to bed after supper and helping Iddra with the dishes. His dreams that night were full of scenarios concerning the baby and his future. In one of them Eir found out about the baby before he returned to Hammerfell for her and told him angrily that she hated him for deceiving her, then told him she no longer wanted anything to do with him. In another Aeri had become a clingy female and decided she wasn't going to let him wed Eir, following him to Hammerfell and stopping the wedding during the ceremony. Another had him stealing the baby from Aeri and holding her in chains to keep her from telling anyone about what he had done. That one caused him to wake up and look around, making sure it was a dream because it had felt so real. He swallowed and lay down again, his heart calming slowly.
"Damn it!" Helgrim pushed the blankets off his body and dressed in the cold air before grabbing the cloak and putting it on.
He walked out of the inn and huddled into the cloak, then stepped off the stairs and looked around. It was probably about three in the morning, but the moons were mostly full so he could see fairly well. He went to see Matilda and patted her softly, feeling her warm breath as she whuffed into his shoulder. Then he left her munching hay in the pen and grabbed his bow and quiver, heading out to the wilderness around Kynesgrove. He couldn't sleep anyway, so why not go see if he could do some hunting for Iddra. As he moved slowly through the snow, he was alert for any slumbering elk or grazing deer. Perhaps he would startle a rabbit or two. The further he walked from Kynesgrove, the more aware he was that he wasn't alone. The creature was following him. He got to thinking that maybe he could get the thing away and give it a sense of security enough to give Helgrim a shot at it. He would be happy to take it down, for not other reason but to give him peace of mind. He jumped down a gully and moved around a bush, readying his bow for the shot. The creature didn't appear, though. He stayed this way for a while, then lowered the bow and put the arrow back. He turned to keep moving and stopped. His heart raced and the sweat started. There, in front of him was the largest wolf he had ever seen. He might have thought he was still dreaming had the eyes not proved that this was the creature that had been following him throughout his journey.
"It's you!" Helgrim hurried to attempt to pull his bow up and grab an arrow, but failed.
"Aye. Stay your hands, Helgrim Frost-Blood."
"You... You... You talk?" He wasn't scared of much in his life, sure, but at this moment he was feeling that way. If you'd seen a wolf as tall on all fours as a man on two suddenly open it's mouth and talk to you, you would be feeling the same.
"Aye. Now, put your weapon away and listen."
Helgrim was dumbfounded and lowered his bow, staring at the black wolf with the yellow eyes that talked to him.
"You are a welcomed follower, Helgrim. I have shown myself now, at a time that you seemed to need it most, because you are worthy."
"Worthy?" He could hardly believe he was having this conversation right now, but he was.
"Aye. I am an Aspect of Talos and I have come to offer a gift to you."
"Talos? A gift? What is going on here?"
"All will be explained to you, but I believe you might need a bit more rest before it is. Please, return to your dwelling and sleep. Do not worry your mind over this. I will come to you again." Then the wolf faded back into the shadows and Helgrim couldn't see the eyes any longer. He swallowed and shook his head, but did as the thing had instructed. He walked back to the inn, went into his room and undressed, then slid into bed and fell asleep. He would surely think that it was all just a dream, a really messed up dream, but a dream nonetheless. Besides, who would ever believe him if he mentioned meeting in the middle of the night with a talking wolf that stood as high as he did? That's right, probably no one. He woke up in the morning with a head that felt like it was full of clouds and made him move sluggishly as he went through his ablutions.
When he tried to think about what had happened, he told himself that it was just a dream. He didn't really go out into the woods and meet up with a very huge black wolf with blazing yellow eyes. He didn't really speak to this wolf and have it speak back to him, about giving him some sort of gift. Did he? Surely that was a crazy thought, but he couldn't deny that something had happened. He was wearing clothes when he awoke this morning and his cloak had been moved, tossed haphazardly to the side instead of draped over the chair like he had left it the previous night. Then there was the matter of the dirt in the bed. He looked as if he'd run several miles barefoot, but his feet weren't dirty, so where did it all come from? He had determined one thing from his supposed adventure, he should take a ride out to the shrine and do some praying. He knew that he could pray anywhere and Talos would hear him, but it had been a while since he was last at the shrine. Apparently his subconscious was telling him he needed to visit it.
After breakfast, he helped Iddra with the dishes and then smiled at her. They had been through so much in such a short time. He'd arrived in Skyrim just about seven months ago. Already she had become such an integral part of his life, he couldn't imagine her not being in it any longer. He explained to her where he was going and said he should be gone for a few hours and not to worry. He then kissed her cheek and left the inn. He took along his backpack and weapons just in case, but didn't feel he'd have to use them. If anything he would be hunting rabbits or pheasants. He walked to the pen where Matilda grazed and grinned when he saw her reaction. She snorted as her head whipped up and she actually squealed loudly and ran up to the fence rail, sliding to a stop before hitting it. He shook his head and opened the gate, watching the mare trot her way out of it proudly. He could almost hear her saying how happy she was that they were going on the road again.
"We're going for a ride, Tilly." He patted her rump and then grabbed her tack and saddled her up. After the bridle was put in, he led her to the road and mounted up. It seemed so long since he had last been in the saddle and it felt great. He'd been working on the house so much that he realized he'd been neglecting her. He felt sorry for that and decided to rectify that now. He urged her into a canter and left Kynesgrove behind him, moving down the road in the direction of Windhelm. Of course he was going to turn off before they got to Windhelm, but first he had to get to the turn off. The horse shook her head and flicked her tail, then settled into a smooth canter, eager to just be out on the road again. Helgrim shook his own head because she was such a character. Who could have known that she would be so excited to go somewhere? Patting her neck, he looked ahead of them and for the first time since he began his trip he didn't feel the creature's presence. He told himself that it meant nothing and just to count himself lucky, but there was something in the back of his mind that was nagging him. He'd had a dream, or whatever it was, last night about meeting up with this huge black wolf with the glowing yellow eyes and today it's not following him. He thought that was odd.
He put it aside, however, as he reached the turn off and passed the Windhelm stable and kept going. They rode over the stone bridge and he slowed her to a trot now, enjoying the ride. Now that the creature wasn't following them, the mare was not nervous and so he wasn't having to soothe her. They were both at ease. It was actually rather nice, something that Helgrim could get used to, but he knew enough to know not to get his hopes up too high or they would surely come crashing down on him. He felt that finding out he was going to be a father was enough hope crashing for a while. A short distance after the bridge, they took the turn that would lead to the shrine. They had been riding along for about an hour and had only met a wagon and its driver heading toward Windhelm. He waved back to the driver and continued on his way without stopping. It wasn't that he didn't want to be sociable, he just wanted to get to the shrine so he could spend quite a bit of time there before he had to head back home. His worship of Talos was important to him. It was a big reason why he had come back to Skyrim in the first place.
Helgrim gave the mare her head as they went up the hill that led to the shrine so she could climb it better. When they reached the top, he could see that it had been messed with. No doubt by some Thalmor pansy who thought he was doing his order a service. He dismounted and patted Matilda, then took the bridle off and let her go. He wasn't worried about her taking off. She was a good little horse and he was glad he'd bought her when he had. They had really bonded over the months. Turning back to the shrine, he shook his head and started to clean it up. He put the candles back in their place and then fixed all the items that hadn't been taken. He noticed that a few items, some he had put here himself even, were missing and figured that whomever messed things up had taken them. Nothing but common thieves, they were. He knelt before the shrine after everything was put back and closed his eyes, bowing his head as he began to pray silently to Talos. He prayed for the health of his child and Aeri. He prayed for good weather so he could keep building his house. He also prayed that Matilda never change her ways.
As he knelt at the shrine, snow began to fall and he stared at the statue of Talos as if to say "Really?" since he'd just asked for good weather. He smiled, however, and rose to his feet. He'd been here for several hours and the sun had obviously gone behind a cloud. He could tell that it was going to get dark earlier that night because of it. He whistled and Matilda came up to him, nickering. He patted her neck with a grin and then put the bridle back on her before remounting. He took one more look around and turned the mare toward the path that led up here and urged her forward, at a walk. With the new snow on the ground he knew it would be slippery in spots and he didn't want, or need for that matter, Matilda slipping and falling and possibly hurting herself. Best to keep things slow and steady. As they rode back toward Kynesgrove, he thought again about the "dream" he'd had the previous night. If the creature was an Aspect of Talos, why then would he come in the form of a giant wolf? Why not a Nord warrior or perhaps even Talos himself? These kept his mind off the snowstorm and thus meant he wasn't micromanaging Matilda on the ride. They made it in almost two hours, nearly twice as long as it took to get there, but they made it home safe.
"Alright, Tilly, you be a good girl now. Alright?" He asked, as if the horse could answer him. He patted her shoulder and then took her bridle and saddle off, letting her loose into the pen. He didn't need to worry about her getting cold in the snow because she was built for it. He closed the gate and watched her for a while, but then he turned and went up the stairs toward the inn. He walked in, not knowing what was awaiting him there. A punch in the face. He stumbled backward and shook his head, looking at who it was that clocked him a good one. He found himself facing off against a beefy Nord man, flexing his fists in preparation for another punch. Helgrim dodged it and caught the man's arm, pinning it behind him.
"What in Oblivion is going on here?"
"We're askin' the questions 'ere," one of the others said and Helgrim realized that there were five other men making the total six men if there weren't any hiding somewhere.
"Aye, I get that. I'd just like to know what I'm getting punched for."
"Would ye look at that? He thinks we care what he wants. Ain't that funny?" Helgrim looked at the bigger of the others that were left and raised an eyebrow at this man. Funny? He saw nothing funny about this. "Ye just stay where ye are. Would ya care to tell us 'bout that fine piece o' ass ya got yerself?"
"Which one? I have so many." Helgrim grimaced as the man who was obviously the leader of the outfit leaned forward and asked about a 'fine piece o' ass' that he had. Honestly he wasn't sure what the man was talking about. He understood what he was implying, but was he talking about Aeri or did they think he was shacking up with Iddra and not know they were cousins?
"Look, we ain't got all day 'ere. Tell us what we wanna know or else."
"Or else what?" Helgrim shot back, beginning to become annoyed, he brought the beefy man's arm up a little more. It was keeping them off him at least.
"Come on Gerryk. My arm's killin' me!" the beefy man screamed at the leader.
"Buck up, Relfe. He ain't gonna be holdin' ye long," the leader said, motioning to one of the other men and they disappeared. Helgrim made sure his back was to the wall as he held Relfe. It only took the man a couple minutes before he was back again, with Iddra this time. He saw she was bound with rope and bruised, but she wasn't bleeding. That was a good thing. Otherwise Helgrim would have put the hurt on them for touching Iddra and causing her to bleed. Still, Helgrim wasn't happy about what they had done to his cousin, so he growled in Relfe's ear and stared at the leader again.
"Let. Her. Go."
"Are ye nuts? We ain't gonna be lettin' anyone go. Not for a long while." Gerryk laughed and shook his head. "Now, let Relfe go and I'll make sure yer pretty piece here lives." He reached for Iddra and held her back against him, a dagger at her throat.
Helgrim wasn't sure what to do in this situation. They obviously hadn't meant Iddra or they wouldn't have asked about a woman he had gotten himself. With his power of deduction, he figured they either meant Eir or Aeri, neither of which was a good thing. He clenched his jaw, but ultimately he released Relfe's arm and pushed him forward toward the other guys.
"Good choice. Now we can talk," Gerryk said and walked with Iddra over to a table and sat down upon it. Helgrim didn't want to put himself in such a position, but with the other guys ready to move him if he didn't do it himself, he decided to sit down at the table as well. His eyes caught Iddra's and he hoped she was alright.
"Alright. Let's talk. Are you talking about the woman at the lumber mill?" Helgrim asked Gerryk.
"Aye. I seen ye helpin' 'er out after my men roughed 'er and those fools up a bit." Gerryk laughed as if it was great fun, never once moving his dagger from Iddra's throat.
"Fine. I know her, so what?"
"Well, we was wantin' some fun that day, we was." One of the others spoke up now and he bristled, gathering that he was one of the ones that had been about to rape Aeri.
"Not going to happen, fellas. Just let this woman go, she's done nothing to you. I have. Take me and let her go. I'll tell you anything you want to know about Aeri."
"Ah, that's 'er name eh? Not that I cared much anyway." Gerryk was silent for a moment, but then he took the dagger away from Iddra's throat and cut her ropes. He then stood her up and sent her away, watching as she scurried into a different room and shut the door after giving Helgrim a look.
"Thank you. Now, if you'll walk with me outside, I will tell you what you want to know."
"Relfe, ye'd better get yer sword ready, case he tries anythin," Gerryk said, but stood up, nodding to Helgrim to go ahead of him out the door. This is what he was hoping they would do. Once he was sure that all six men were outside the inn, he took a few extra steps ahead and whistled loudly. "Oy! What are ye doin?" Gerryk asked, but didn't have time to say anything else because suddenly a piercing squeal was heard and in a flash of chestnut and white, Matilda was there.
Helgrim rolled away from the men and pulled his own sword from his belt, glad they hadn't had the intelligence to take it from him and leaped in to attack the nearest man. He could hear the mare and knew she was having her fun attacking the men as well and then let his mind empty of all thoughts except that of survival. With each thrust of his sword, he dove in, struck whichever man was there, then leaped backward and dodging to the side. It came as an instinct, but if someone were to watch him, they would say he had learned his attack technique from the wolves that roamed around the wilderness. They would often lunge forward, bite their prey, then move back and away, only to circle around and lunge again.
Now that Helgrim had killed the first man, he was attacking another one and his blood was alive with the adrenaline of ensuring he stayed alive. It was a heady thing, this feeling. Between him and Matilda, they had killed all of the men except for Gerryk. Helgrim gave a short whistle, different than before, and Matilda backed off, snorting. Gerryk was on the ground, holding his arm that had undoubtedly gotten broken by the mare. Helgrim walked up to him and placed his sword at the man's throat.
"Gerryk, you have pissed off the absolute worst person you ever could have. If I ever hear about you saying anything about Aeri or sending anymore men to "rough her up", you'll end up with far worse than just a few broken bones. Understand?" Matilda stomped her hoof for emphasis and Helgrim thought for sure the man was going to piss himself.
"Aye! Aye! No one ever thought ye'd fight like this! Are... Are ye gonna let me go?"
"I'm prepared to let you go, Gerryk, but you see the mare behind me? She doesn't like people who attack me or anyone I care about. If I were you, I'd think real hard about coming back here. Fact is, if I were you I'd get my ass out of Skyrim and find another line of work. I can only hold the horse back so long before she goes off after you." He saw the man pale and swallow, then nod.
"Aye! I'll leave, I will! Just don't let that beast get me!"
Helgrim smiled and then backed off, though he didn't put his sword away, and patted Matilda.
"Easy Matilda. He's leaving and he's not coming back."
"Damn! Yer as mean as a wolf, ye are!" Gerryk called as he turned tail and ran like a coward away from Kynesgrove. Helgrim laughed and shook his head. Leaving Matilda out and loose in case Gerryk came back, he went to the inn and entered. He was met with a hug this time instead of a punch and he hugged Iddra back.
"I don't even care that you're covered in blood, Grim! Just the fact that you're alive and you saved us all makes me forget that! Oh I was so scared!"
"It's alright, Iddra. There was no way I was going to let anything happen to you or Aeri, or anyone here for that matter. You're my cousin. And you really make such good food it'd be a shame to let you die," he teased and the two of them laughed.
Once he made sure she was alright, he went back outside to dispose of the bodies and take any valuables. It took him a couple hours, but they were buried and he was now dirty on top of being bloody. He would surely need a bath that night before supper. Tomorrow he would ride to the mill and make sure Aeri was unharmed. Tonight, though, he was spending at the inn. After such a close call he wanted to surround himself with family and since Iddra was his only family, he wasn't leaving the inn until daylight.