Chapter 9
After the attack on the inn, Helgrim stayed close to home more and more. He would still work on his house, and it was getting there, but it was slow going and he tended to take more breaks. He would go to the inn, check on Iddra, have a bit of bread and cheese, then head back to the house site and work some more. Ganna and Gemma would stop and eat in the inn occasionally and chat him up, but for the most part, his life was centered around Iddra and building his house. He did leave to check on Aeri, Kodrir and Leifur, but he hadn't been back there since. Not only did he have to get over the shock of learning he was going to be a father, he also had to deal with the attack on Iddra and threats to Aeri. He hadn't even had much time to spend on going to the Talos shrine regularly. He made sure to play with Matilda and spend time just grooming her. She had saved his life, pretty much, and he wanted to make sure she knew how much that meant to him.
Each day he would get more of the stonework finished on the house and it actually started to look like a house. He felt proud of himself that he had done all of this by his own hands and even though it wasn't finished yet, he could see it starting to take shape and he realized that it was going to be large. With four bedrooms on the first floor and four bedrooms on the second floor, along with a sitting room on the second floor and the kitchen and dining area on the first floor, it would surely be the grandest house around. Perhaps none would be greater besides those that stood in Windhelm. He would be able to have Iddra stay with him as well as his parents and his brother and three sisters in Hammerfell. And Eir. With everything that had happened he had been thinking about her even more. The fact that he had almost died hadn't been missed and he wrote a letter to Eir and his family giving them updates as to his life in Skyrim. He left out the baby information and the attack on the inn. There was little need to worry everyone since they couldn't come and help him or give comfort.
He wasn't only working on his house during this time. He was also building the stable that would house Matilda. It was about as big as the kitchen and dining area was in the house, but he was certain that it would be comfortable to the mare. She deserved to have a nice place to live just as much as he did. They had been through so much together already and it hadn't even been a year yet. The thought that she was so excited about taking out bandits made him smile and he shook his head, getting back to work. Now that Kjeld and his son had left Kynesgrove, Ganna and Gemma were agitated a lot of the time since they had to do all the mining. Helgrim helped when he could, but between building the house, the stable and helping Iddra, there wasn't much time for anything else. He told the sisters that he would go to Windhelm tomorrow and see if there was anyone looking for work. It was the least he could do after he sent their two miners packing.
In the morning, he said goodbye to Iddra and went outside to Matilda's pen and grinned as she came over to him and whuffed his hair. He patted her neck and then opened the gate. She walked out and stood while he groomed her with a handful of straw, then placed the saddle on her back and buckled the straps. Once that was finished, he put the bridle on her and stroked her neck softly.
"We're going to Windhelm today, Tilly. Nothing too exciting, but it beats standing here all day, doesn't it?" He laughed and then mounted up after making sure his pouch of gold was secured at his waist.
The mare shifted from side to side beneath him and he urged her forward with his heels, pointing her down the road toward Windhelm. He waved to his cousin and trotted the mare down the road. His mind began to wander, as it often did when he was riding alone, to Hammerfell. He had learned to ride here in Skyrim at the age of one and a half or so, but it was in Hammerfell that he perfected it. The horses there were slimmer and faster versions of Skyrim's horses. They also tended to be a bit on the crazy side and more than once Helgrim ended up in the dirt because he'd tried to do something with the horse and it decided it didn't like whatever he was trying to do. It had given him a great appreciation for the horse, however, and admiration, too. Before Matilda he had never seen one actually go after a person, but he gathered that Tilly wasn't like other horses, not even other Skyrim horses. She was special. He was brought back to reality when the stables came into view and he slowed the mare, then stopped her. He dismounted and led her to Ulundil, handing her off.
"Ah, nice to see you again, Helgrim." Ulundil smiled and took Matilda's reins. "Visiting long?"
"You as well, Ulundil. Nay, not long. Just picking up a few supplies for Iddra. Tell me, do you know of anyone looking for work? Ganna and Gemma are in need of miners."
"Hmmm. You may want to check at Candlehearth. I think a caravan came through a few days ago and unloaded a few passengers. There might be one or two that need a job." He shrugged, then left Helgrim so he could take care of Matilda.
Helgrim thanked him and then walked into the city. He decided he would do his shopping first, then he would go to the inn and ask around for workers. His first stop? The blacksmith of course. He spent an hour talking to Oengul and Hermir, but it was well spent. When he left them he had more knowledge of how to get his forge built and started. He also had an assurance that they would help him set up a stall in the marketplace to sell his wares. He wasn't quite sure if he was going to set up in Windhelm since he didn't want to take business away from Oengul, but he thanked them for the help. Next he went to Sadri's Used Wares and picked up a few things for his cousin. He also happened to find a doll for sale and the whimsical side of him bought it. He wasn't even sure what Aeri was having, but for some reason he was hoping it was a girl and he would give her the doll.
Once he had gotten everything he had come for, he went to Candlehearth Hall and sat down at a table, ordering an ale from a serving girl. He gave the place a look around and picked out the travelers immediately. It helped that he knew the regulars and even the residents of the city who rarely went to the inn. This group wore dusty garments and he noticed they stuck together. They must be a bunch traveling together. The serving girl brought his ale and he handed her a gold, then stood up and walked over to the small group.
"Good day to you all. Name's Helgrim."
"Uh, hello. I'm Kayl. That's my brother Sareth." Helgrim nodded to them both and looked at the other two.
"Right. My name's Vleryn."
"I'm uh, Toryk."
"I couldn't help but notice that you guys aren't from around here," Helgrim inquired and sipped his ale.
"Aye, that we're not. We just arrived from Markarth. Place is crawling with Forsworn."
"Ah, I heard about that fanatical group." Helgrim mentioned, leaning back against the wall. These guys were easy to talk to, certainly a positive note after everything he'd been through lately.
"So my brother and I decided to leave and Vleryn and Toryk came with us. We've been friends since we were toddlers," Sareth said.
"You aren't by any chance looking for some work, are you?" Helgrim asked them, casually, sipping his ale.
"Work? We were discussing that this morning actually. Right, Toryk?"
"Uh, yeah. That's right Vleryn."
"What kind of work are you talking about?" asked Kayl.
"I live in Kynesgrove. About an hour ride south of here and we've got a malachite mine that just lost it's miners. The owners are looking for replacements and I said I would ask around today."
"Mining? Not something we're strangers to, but is it really what we want to do?" Sareth asked Kayl.
"Can we really afford to be picky right now, brother? My pouch is nearly empty. How's yours?" Kayl returned, giving Sareth a knowing look.
"Point taken, Kayl."
"What is the kickback for mining at this mine, Helgrim?" Vleryn asked, standing tall with arms crossed in front of him.
"Thirty gold for each malachite ore you bring up. The owners only take five gold for themselves." The four men talked amongst themselves and then finally looked at Helgrim.
"Very well. It sounds as good as any job we could find. We'll try it out."
"Are you ready to leave now? I was getting ready to head back before it got dark. I could wait a few minutes if you needed to pack up."
"Oh, uh, Kayl?" They all seemed to look at Kayl as their leader and Helgrim deduced that he probably was the "ringleader" of any trouble the four of them might have gotten into. He remembered being that way with Koli.
"Aye. We can pack up and meet you outside in fifteen minutes?"
"That works for me. I'll be at the stables and I'll wait for you." He said goodbye to them so they could go pack and he left the inn, walking out of the city with his purchases and the happiness of having found Ganna and Gemma a crew of new miners. Roggi was a good guy and all, but he couldn't keep up with the load that the sisters wanted to be brought out of the mine by himself. It would go much faster with five miners than it would with just one. Helgrim met up with Ulundil and smiled, resting his hand on Matilda's rump.
"Thanks for the tip about those caravan passengers, Ulundil. Got them coming with me to Kynesgrove to work in the mine."
"You're welcome, Helgrim. I heard about what happened. Glad to see that you made it through unscathed. Wolf." He grinned and leaned against one of the support beams. "Fella came through here looking pretty beat up, said a man with the instincts of a wolf killed his entire party and left him for dead. I finagled more information out of him and discovered that he'd come from Kynesgrove. I figured he was talking about you." He nodded to the mare. "And perhaps that one." He smiled.
"Aye. Tilly had a field day, but they held a dagger to Iddra's throat, Ulundil. I couldn't have that. I let the man live, he should have been grateful." Helgrim shrugged and then shook Ulundil's hand, looking up to see the four men approaching. "Ah, there you are! Come, there's still plenty of daylight left and we should be able to reach Kynesgrove before darkness falls." He turned and mounted up on Matilda, turned her, then walked away on the road, making sure the men were following.
"Nice horse," Vleryn stated as they walked alongside Helgrim and the mare.
"Thanks. Her name's Matilda, but I call her Tilly."
"Uh, she's staring at me," Toryk said a bit nervously.
"Aye, she takes protecting me very seriously. Why just a couple weeks ago she took out three bandits all by herself and would have killed the last one had I not called her off him."
"Seriously? I've never heard of a horse being so aggressive," said Sareth.
"Neither had I. Not until I met her. She reminded me of the shieldmaiden Matilda in the song of Ragnar the Red that I just had to choose that for her name. It definitely fits her."
"Aye, it does."
They were silent for the rest of the trip to Kynesgrove and that was just fine with Helgrim. He had a lot of thinking to do, not the least of which was how he was going to feel about Iddra being alone with all these men while he was working on his house. After what happened he was leery, but he decided they would be working in the mines while he was building, so Iddra should be safe. Matilda perked her ears up and flared her nostrils as they got nearer to home and he stroked her mane as they trotted up the road and turned into the village. He rode up to the inn and dismounted, then turned to the guys.
"This is Kynesgrove. It's small, but it's home. Here is Braidwood Inn, my cousin Iddra runs it. If you go around the side and up the hill, you'll find the path to the mine and down there are the tents where the miners sleep."
"Nice little place. Where should we put our stuff?" Kayl asked.
"You'll be staying in the tents, so you can just go bring your stuff down there. I've got to put Matilda up, then I can take you to the mine to talk to the owners."
"Alright. Thank you, Helgrim." The four men turned away and walked down to the tents. Helgrim turned back to Matilda and started to unsaddle her, then took her bridle off and brushed her with a handful of straw.
"What do you think, Tilly?" The mare snorted and stamped a hoof and Helgrim chuckled. "Aye. I'll keep an eye on them as well. You do so when I can't and we'll be good."
Helgrim finished grooming her and put her back into the pen and then closed the gate. She pranced and bucked and then settled to eat her hay. Helgrim turned and met up with the guys, walking up to the mine with them. When they entered the dimly lit tunnels, he led them to Ganna Uriel and pointed at them.
"Ganna, I said I would see about getting you some new miners. Here they are."
"Yes, well, we'll see." She looked them up and down, each one, and then shrugged. "Get a pickaxe and start mining. I need miners and I suppose you'll do."
Helgrim watched her walk away and then looked over at the men. They seemed to be surprised they didn't get more of an "interview" than that and he laughed.
"Don't feel bad, guys. That's just Ganna. Her sister, Gemma, is worse. If you need to deal with them, make sure you deal with Ganna. Gemma regrets ever coming here and she'll draw you into a tirade about it."
"Thanks Helgrim," Vleryn said and then shook his hand. The others clapped him on the back, took their pickaxes and started to get to work. Helgrim told them they were welcome and then left them to it. He left the mine and made his way to the inn, where he was greeted by a familiar and welcome face.
"Fjolnar, you scoundrel!" He laughed as he gave his friend a hug and then smiled at Iddra who was beaming at the arrival of Fjolnar. "How have you been?"
"I've been well, Grim, though I hear that you've had a bit of a rough time eh? We'll have to talk more of this attack that Iddra was speaking of, but tell me... Are you seriously going to be a father?"
"Aye, should be a few more months away, but I am. Aeri's taking it well, the fact that I am not offering to wed her. She knows I have Eir back home in Hammerfell. We agreed that it would be best to let things lie where they are instead of stirring the pot."
"Good idea. I still can't believe that you're gonna have a kid. What a strange world, eh?"
"Aye. I'm going to get cleaned up before supper. Iddra, I got what you needed from Windhelm." He reached into the bag to get her items and his hand touched the doll. He sighed as the thought of holding his child in his arms came into his head. It was a scary thought, but a fascinating one as well. He was sure he would be a good father. He had a great role model to look up to, his own father.
"Thank you, Grim. Fjolnar, you must stay a while."
"Yes, Fjolnar. Don't disappear on me again. I could use your help with my house." He smiled and then disappeared. He would give the man something to do to keep him around while he and Iddra fell in love and decided to stay together. He wasn't usually a romantic, but this idea was something else. His cousin deserved to be happy and that happiness involved Fjolnar. He left them there and went into his room to clean up.
For a while everything seemed to work out just fine. Iddra and Fjolnar spent a lot of time together and Helgrim sensed they were growing closer together, which was a very good thing in his mind. The miners were giving Ganna and Gemma a profit for once, something that hadn't happened in a while. Even things with Aeri were moving along well. As she grew in size, Helgrim found that he had an urge to spend time with her when he wasn't working on his house. That was another thing, the first floor was finished, including the inner walls, and he had started working on the second floor. His hope was that he would be finished with the house before Aeri gave birth to their child, but he wasn't sure if he would be. It definitely moved faster with Fjolnar helping him build it and now that he was working on the second floor, he'd brought Hermir over to help him as well. So there were three of them working on the massive house, which made the work progress easier. That was all about to change, though, as he received a letter one day. In it, he was told to leave the inn and not tell anyone what was happening. If he told then bad things would happen to Aeri. Helgrim had come to care for Aeri, so he didn't want anything to happen to her. He left, simply saying that he would be back later, then saddled Matilda and left Kynesgrove. The letter had given him directions of where to meet and if he was going to meet up with someone who had Aeri captive, he wanted Matilda with him.
He rode out with a purpose, he wanted to get to Aeri before the bastard that had her caused her any harm. Matilda seemed to sense it and didn't argue with him as he pushed her on into a canter toward Windhelm, then took the turn to the stone bridge. They rode across it loudly and he didn't stop. They rode as if they were heading to Anga's Mill, but continued past the bridge that would take him to her as instructed. He rode onward and slowed the mare only when the path on the left side came into view. He turned her onto it and trotted up the hill. However, before he would have come into sight, he stopped the mare and dismounted.
"Alright, Tilly. Now, these guys have Aeri. They've threatened her. You know what that means? They've threatened my child. What sort of punishment do you think they deserve?" he whispered to the horse who tossed her head, flared her nostrils and shifted in place. She was eager to go take them out. She didn't really understand what Helgrim was saying, but she could gather he was upset and that whomever was over the knoll deserved to die. She could do that. Helgrim smiled and patted the mare, then took off her saddle and bridle, letting her go after the person or people responsible. The mare took off without anymore encouragement and Helgrim crouched to stay out of sight. He heard screams and a call to arms, but after a few minutes, he heard nothing else and grinned, moving forward to see Matilda stomping a lifeless body then backing up. There was one other dead body a short distance away, a sword still in the bandit's hand.
"Good girl, Tilly. Relax." The mare nudged him with her bloody muzzle and then went to grab some grass that was growing up out of the snow.
Helgrim shook his head and crouched once more. He would check their bodies after he found Aeri and killed every last one of them. He left Matilda outside and made his way into the cave. After stopping to let his eyes adjust to the dimmer light, he stepped further down the tunnel. These bastards picked the wrong man to screw with and they would learn that. He had to wonder what it was about Aeri, though, that made everyone want to take her hostage or threaten her life in some other way. Was it him? Did her association with him put her in danger? If so, he would have to cut ties with her to keep her protected. Another thought came to him as he stalked silently down the tunnel. If they would use Aeri to get to him, what would stop them from using Eir as well? He couldn't bring her here if she would just be in danger like that. Seeing a guard patrolling ahead, he sneaked up behind him and covered his mouth as he dragged him backward into the tunnel and slit his throat. He wasn't about to waste any time talking to these idiots. They took the mother of his child and threatened her life. They would pay.
He lowered the man to the ground and kept his mouth covered until he died. Then he walked stealthily forward once again. Now he saw two bandits sitting near a fire, seemingly warming themselves, and took out his bow. He pulled an arrow from his quiver and drew the bow back, aimed, and let the arrow fly at the first bandit. It hit squarely in the back of the man's head and he watched him fall forward with a grunt. The other bandit beside him stood up and drew her sword, looking around for where the arrow came from. He stayed out of sight until she turned her back and drew the bow once more. He loosed the arrow and struck her in the back. She spun around and spotted him, then started limping toward him. He laughed a little and fired another arrow, this time hitting her chest. She dropped to the ground. He made sure she was dead before continuing on. He found a door and opened it, carefully. He saw a man walking away and pulled his bow back, letting the arrow fly and hit him.
With deadly precision, Helgrim made it through the cave without stopping. He went up the stairs and saw another man sitting at the far end of the tunnel. He wasn't spotted, so he shot an arrow at the man and was rewarded with a head shot. The guy dropped immediately, twitching. He smiled and moved on. There were two doors off the tunnel he was in. One on the left and one on the right. Unsure of which to go into first, he put his ear to the one on the left to see if he could hear anything on the other side. He heard snoring and figured that was a good sign. He now pulled out his sword for the coup de grace and opened the door. Unfortunately, he hadn't anticipated the woman that was still awake. Before he could reach her to silence her, she had awakened the man who was sleeping. He now had to take care of two at once. He swung his sword out at the woman and caught her blade instead of her. He grit his teeth and used the hilt of his sword to slam into her head, causing her to stumble backwards, stunned. He then turned to the man that had grabbed a sword and come after him.
The woman was still stunned and Helgrim turned to fight with the man. Lucky for him the man wasn't wearing any armor. He thrust his sword forward and buried the blade into the man's chest. He held it there until he felt the guy slump and then pulled it back out. He turned to the woman who had shaken off the hit and was now coming after him again. He met her blow for blow and pushed her back each time. When he had her pressed against the wall, he looked into her eyes.
"Where. Is. Aeri?"
"Where do you think? With Halron. He's waiting for you."
"He'll get his, too, but tell me. Has Aeri been harmed?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Helgrim rolled his eyes and placed his blade at her neck, his eyes staring deep into her own.
"Are you sure now is a good time to mess around?"
"Fine. No, she's not been harmed. I ain't sure why Halron wanted you to come running like you did. He never told us how aggressive you were."
"Aye. This wolf doesn't take any shit from anyone. Don't you forget it."
"Are you going to let me go?"
"Aye, after I've taken care of your leader and helped Aeri. Turn around and put your hands behind you." When she did so, he used a length of rope and tied her up. Then he sat her on a bed and left the room, shutting the door. He walked across the hall to the other door and listened to it. He could hear muffled voices and one of them was familiar. Aeri. He was keen enough not to just rush into the room possibly to his death. No, it would take strategy. He could tell there was only Halron left inside there with her so that was a plus. Well, unless there was another in there that wasn't saying anything like there was in the previous room with the woman. He'd not known she was there. He readied his bow with an arrow and then opened the door quickly. Before he could shoot the man, he had grabbed Aeri and put her in front of him.
"Ah, I was wondering when you would arrive, Helgrim."
"You wanted me here, Halron, let the woman go."
"I don't think so, Helgrim. She is the only thing keeping you from killing me right now. I'm not foolish."
"Fine, what was so damned important that you needed to kidnap her to lure me here? Why not just send a letter and ask me over for tea?"
"Come now, Helgrim. What assurance would I have that you would show up? With the woman here I knew for sure that you would be here."
"Alright. So tell me why."
"Sit please? And lower your weapon. We both know you're not going to shoot while I have her in front of me." Helgrim grumbled, but put his bow away. Halron was right, he wouldn't shoot when he could potentially harm Aeri. He sat down and sighed, putting his hand on his sword handle, though.
"I'm sitting. Speak."
"Good. Now I asked you here because you have certainly been doing your fair share of damage around Skyrim. There are some groups of people that have taken exception to the fact that you're allowed to just roam wherever you like."
"Clearing out ruffians and thieves. That's hardly a 'fair share of damage', Halron."
"Aye, but you also killed Imperial soldiers and Thalmor agents. Do you understand what that has done to their families?"
"Ah, I get it now. From the vein popping out of your head I'd say that one of the Imperial soldiers I killed was a relative of yours. Stop trying to cover it up by saying there are groups of people when it's clearly just you."
"You're starting to get on my nerves, Nord."
"Aha, there's that anger, Halron. I knew it was in there somewhere. Do you really want to hide behind a mere woman when the man who killed your brother, your uncle, your cousin perhaps is standing right in front of you?" He saw the man twitch a little and was afraid for a moment that his strategy would backfire and Aeri would be harmed, but then she was pushed aside and the man lunged at Helgrim.
"He was my brother!"
Helgrim, since he had been expecting something like this, pulled his sword as the man made to lunge at him. They clanged steel several times before Halron managed to cut Helgrim pretty good on the arm. He laughed, but in the next moment Helgrim was attacking with force and sliced Halron across the chest. The man stood there, holding the wound for a few moments before his lips moved wordlessly and he dropped to the ground. Helgrim panted from the exertion and held his own wound, but put his sword away so he could hold Aeri who was practically falling into his arms. He smiled and hugged her, his head buried in her hair. They stayed that way for several minutes before either spoke.
"I was so afraid when I read that letter, Aeri."
"Oh Grim, it was awful. I was scared that they would beat me or worse. I knew you would come and that made me worried because there were so many of them and only... Only one of you." She swallowed tears and pressed her face against his chest. Helgrim winced and then realized he still had a bleeding wound on his arm. He placed his hand over the wound and closed his eyes, focusing on the healing magic and it flowed through his fingers and into the wound, closing it.
"You're safe now, Aeri. Come. Tilly's waiting outside for us. You can ride while I walk." He smiled at her and then picked her up easily, carrying her out of the cave. He took it slow riding back to the mill with her, not sure how much jostling was alright for a baby and how much wasn't. By the time they reached the mill it was night time. He helped her into the house and then took care of the mare. He gave her double the oats she would have gotten and patted her rump before heading back inside himself. Aeri asked him to stay the night, so he agreed. It wasn't like he felt like leaving her right now anyway. Not after something like this. He also planned to bring up the idea of her living in Kynesgrove with him so he could keep her safe. Tonight, however, he went to sleep with her in his arms and felt very content.
Helgrim went back to Kynesgrove a few days afterward with Aeri, determined to keep her safe from any harm that may come her way again. If she was staying in Kynesgrove he wouldn't worry about her and he could get the house done easier. Perhaps he could even get it done quicker as well. If he had a reason, like moving her into it for example, he would make sure it was finished in a reasonable amount of time. She was only about four months along in the pregnancy right now, so they had time, but he couldn't just decide not to work on it. He had to finish. Not just for Aeri and the baby, but also for his family and ... Eir. He still loved her and intended to wed her, but he wasn't sure she would want to wed him after she found out about Aeri and the baby. He supposed he would face that bridge when they came to it.
Iddra had accepted Aeri into the inn with open arms. She'd had her reservations at first, but after she'd gotten to know her she had determined that Aeri could make a decent friend after all. It was all but set in stone when Helgrim arrived with Aeri and Iddra took the woman off to talk about the room she was going to be staying in. Helgrim had shaken his head and gone to take care of his mare and letting the women spend time together. During the next few months he worked hard on the house along with Fjolnar and Hermir. As Aeri grew more and more round with his child he realized that he was truly looking forward to when he could hold said child in his hands. Not that he'd admit that to anyone but himself if asked. The house was nearly finished and he had started work on the forge, with help from Hermir, while Fjolnar started work on the stable for Matilda.
He saw it all coming together and for the first time in a very long time he felt the eyes of the wolf following him. It had been months since he'd last felt the eyes, but now that he felt them again he was actually looking forward to meeting with whatever it was. At least if he met with it again he couldn't say it was a dream because it was daytime and he wasn't sleeping. After making sure Hermir and Fjolnar were alright, he made his way into the hills to search for the huge wolf again. There weren't that many trees here for it to hide behind, so he wasn't exactly sure how the creature tended to stay hidden. Just that he did. Perhaps it was magic. Maybe it was just all in his head and there really was no huge wolf. Either way, he went out to see if he could find it or if it could find him. He had to prove to himself that he wasn't crazy.
Helgrim didn't go out there unprepared, however. He took along his bow and quiver, as well as the sword that stayed belted to his waist. It never hurt to be prepared for whatever came your way. If this thing was an actual wolf, he would just kill it. If he wasn't insane and it had a gift for him, then the weapons would be unnecessary and would instead stay where they were. He also wasn't certain the wolf would show up since it was daytime, but he figured it couldn't hurt. With the pack of food slung over his shoulder, he walked further from Kynesgrove and deeper into the wilderness that was Skyrim. Now that he had finally gotten used to the weather, he didn't need to wear his cloak everywhere he went.
As he reached the top of a small hill, he looked down into an equally small valley and saw the wolf near a stand of trees. It was even more magnificent during the day than it was at night. The midnight colored fur shimmered and he knew now it was not in his imagination alone that it did so. The glowing yellow eyes that he had become so familiar with shone directly at him and beckoned him forward. He stepped slowly toward the wolf, standing only slightly taller than its own massive head. Seeing the creature like this determined that he was not in fact an insane idiot, it really did exist. He swallowed and then straightened, gazing into the wolf's eyes.
"Good day, Helgrim Frost-Blood."
"Good day to you, wolf."
"Do you understand why I have brought you out here, Helgrim?"
"You mentioned something about a gift last time, but I honestly thought I had been dreaming that night. Obviously I wasn't or you wouldn't be here again. Unless I'm dreaming again."
"Nay, you are not dreaming, Helgrim, and you speak the truth. I come to offer you a gift, given from Talos himself."
Helgrim wasn't sure about that. Why would Talos want to give him a gift? And why would his Aspect be a wolf, shouldn't that be Hircine's thing? He wasn't sure if he should take what the thing was saying as truth or as bull, yet.
"Before you say anything else, why does the Aspect of Talos come in the form of a huge wolf?"
"Ah, a good question. Perhaps you were expecting a warrior like Talos himself? Aye well, there are many Aspects of Talos and each is catered to the mortal they appear before. You have the crafty nature of a wolf and you fight like one, thus I come to you in the form of a wolf."
"Alright. That sounds plausible enough. Fine, what's this gift that is to be offered to me?"
"Talos has seen how you worship him faithfully and as I said how you act and fight like a wolf, because of this he has granted me the ability to gift you with the ability to change yourself."
"Change myself? How so?"
"To change yourself into that of a wolf. Like myself."
Helgrim almost couldn't process what the creature just said to him. A few things were running through his head currently. First, the fact that Talos knew how dedicated he was to him. That would blow anyone's mind regardless of who they were. He was glad that his deity knew about his worship, but it was a little creepy at the same time. Second, that he knew how he was as a person. He had never thought of himself like a wolf, but now that it was pointed out he could totally see it. It was as if he were looking in someone else's eyes as he went about his life and he had to agree that it seemed very lupine-ish. Finally, the idea that Talos wanted to give him a gift and that gift being the ability to change INTO the wolf that he was so much like already. He wasn't sure how to proceed from here and so he stared at the wolf with an uncertain look on his face.
"Your hesitance is unfavorable, Helgrim. It is not as if you would always be a wolf from this point on."
"What do you mean then?"
"You would be able to change whenever you wished."
"Oh, like a werewolf? I'm not sure I want to be a werewolf."
"No, a werewolf is something different, Helgrim. Those individuals have been gifted, though some say cursed, by Hircine and have no humanity left in their minds when they are in transition. What you would be given is the chance to become a regular wolf, only...bigger."
"Alright. So I'd be like you, but not an Aspect."
"Right. You would still be you, just as a wolf. Unfortunately, you wouldn't be able to talk while you were the wolf, but then I wouldn't recommend being near people in your wolf form either. You people tend to freak out when you see something as large as myself."
"Aye, tell me about it. I was sure it was a dream when I first saw you that night."
"No dream, Helgrim. There are a few things you should know about this gift, however, should you decide to accept it."
"Alright, let's hear it."
"First, you are being offered this gift by Talos and he can take it away at any point should he feel that you are abusing it."
"That sounds reasonable enough. I would expect nothing less of Talos. Go on."
"Next, not that I understand why I have to say this other than it's part of the whole package, but you cannot reproduce with normal wolves while in this form. No matter how hard you try."
"Uhm, not a problem there. I have no interest in having sex with wolves in ANY form. What else?"
"Very well. I have to say it, you understand." At Helgrim's nod, he went on. "If you sire any children they will be normal. This gift only applies to you, not to your bloodline."
"Interesting, yet I get it. Makes sense since this is a gift."
The wolf shifted position and sniffed the breeze, then let out a small sneeze and looked at Helgrim again.
"It would also be a good idea not to tell anyone about your gift. They may think you are a monster, much like a werewolf is considered, and hunt you down."
"Aye, I wouldn't want that."
"Alright, so I ask this of you. Do you accept the gift of Talos being offered to you, Helgrim Frost-Blood?"
Helgrim thought about it for a moment and realized he wasn't so entirely sure it would be a good thing for him. Sure, it would be pretty cool to be able to turn into a wolf whenever he wanted, but there were a few more questions he had to have answered before he accepted the gift.
"I have a few questions. First, will I have my faculties intact when I am the wolf or will I just be wanting to kill everyone and everything I see? Second, will my horse know something is up with me? She was very nervous with your eyes on us while we traveled. Finally, will I be penalized if I do tell someone about it? I guess what I want to know is if it IS a secret or not."
"Very good questions all of them. Yes, while you are the wolf you will still be you. You won't be thinking like a wolf, you will be thinking like yourself. You just won't be able to talk." The creature sat down and yawned, then continued on. "I'm not sure about your horse. She seems to be very perceptive, so she may sense something is different. It might take a little extra work on your part to get her to not be nervous around you or she could be totally fine about it. Horses are such fickle creatures." He licked his lips. "And lastly, no, it is not a great hush-hush secret that something bad will happen when you tell someone about it, it's just recommended that you keep it to yourself or at least only to people you trust one hundred percent."
"Thank you. That helped clear up a few things. Alright, I will accept the gift from Talos."
"Very well, Helgrim Frost-Blood. Stand still and receive this gift."
Helgrim stayed still and shut his eyes, not really sure what was going to happen. He heard the blood rushing in his ears and his heart beat rapidly with anticipation, but he didn't move. There was no other sound from the wolf and after a few minutes, he opened his eyes and was assaulted by the way everything looked to him. No longer did he see the blue sky and the green grass and white snow. Everything was different. His nose twitched with the range of smells that were funneling into it and he looked down at his feet. Where before he had stood in clothes and boots, he now had furry paws. He swallowed and looked around, his sides heaving as the panic hit. Eventually, after lying down in the snow, he calmed down and realized this was the gift. He had been changed. He was a wolf. Now that he had accepted the idea, he looked himself over, at least what he could see of himself. He was completely white furred except for the pads on the bottom of his paws. They were black and tickled when he licked them. Licked them! For a few minutes he just sat there and licked his face. Then he realized that he was essentially licking his nose and shook his head at the thought. He stood up and wagged his tail, laughing on the inside at the near giddiness he was feeling at being the wolf.
He sniffed the air and found that he could pinpoint what each scent was. That was a fir tree, that was a snowberry bush. Oh, that one was a rabbit. He licked his lips at that thought, then shook his head. He had a reason for sniffing the air. Ah, there it is. He followed that scent until he reached the small pond and walked to the edge. Slowly, he looked down at it and was surprised to see his face. His nose was black as well as the skin around his eyes, but what really shocked him was his eyes. They were a piercing ice blue and he shivered at the sight of them, and they were his own! He opened his mouth and looked at all the teeth, then the tongue. It was amazing to see it in such detail. He was exactly like the wolves that he had killed his whole time in Skyrim. The only difference, he noticed, was that he stood about five feet high at the shoulder. If he lifted his head, he was even taller. He was even more so when he stood on his hind legs. He was nearly caught up so much in his own examination that he didn't notice the footsteps approaching, but luckily his lupine ears did and he slinked into the shadows.
The figure of a woman appeared and his nose told him it was Iddra and his ears picked up her calling for him. Wondering what was going on, he almost stepped out and told her he was right there, but he remembered he was a wolf. How was he going to manage this? That creature had said it was something he could change into whenever he wanted, but he'd never told him how to change back! Curse him! He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, then focused on his human body and clothes and boots. When he opened his eyes and looked down, he was himself again. That wasn't hard and he sent an apology prayer to Talos for doubting him. Once he was sure he had come back clothed and not naked or something he stood up and waved at his cousin.
"Iddra! What's wrong?"
"Grim, it's Aeri! She's in labor! It's too early. She wasn't supposed to have the child until next month."
Helgrim shook his head and grit his teeth, but followed his cousin back to the house. He never should have left her. He should have known something would happen. Here he was enjoying the gift that Talos had granted him when the mother of his child was laboring to bring that child into a world it might not survive. He'd heard horror stories about women birthing babies and the mother, the baby or both didn't survive. He prayed that wouldn't happen. He prayed to Talos that they both be fine and healthy. If needed, he could take the gift back so that Aeri and the baby could live. It didn't take long to reach the inn again and he went immediately to Aeri's side. He ignored the insistence of Hermir that he leave the room. He would stay right by Aeri's side to make sure she was alright. Hermir shook her head and knew a losing battle when she saw one. She went back to Iddra to discuss what they needed to do for Aeri's labor. Fjolnar was conspicuously absent, but Helgrim didn't even notice. Honestly, his entire focus was on Aeri and the baby. He didn't even know that Hermir and Iddra were still there.
"You'll be fine, Aeri. Just breathe. Relax." He was sweating beads because he was worried, but he would do his best to appear confident for Aeri's sake.
She labored throughout the night and well into the next day, sleeping for an hour in between contractions at times, but near sundown on the second day Hermir announced that Aeri could start pushing. Helgrim paid little attention to what they were doing, helping Aeri breathe and push when she was told. He held her hand and smoothed her hair back from her head. He wiped the sweat off her forehead and bit his lip when she squeezed his hand so hard he thought it would break, but he said nothing. He was a solid rock for her. Finally, a half hour after she began to push, he heard it. That first little wail the baby made and he turned to see Iddra holding the child in her arms. It was bloody and wet, but it was moving its tiny hands and feet frantically and crying. It was crying up a storm!
"Oh Grim, Aeri. Say hello to your daughter," Iddra announced softly and held her up to them.
Helgrim felt his heart breaking as he looked at the baby who was still crying. She was his daughter. His little girl. He sighed and then turned his head to tell Aeri how proud of her he was. His face went pale as he realized that she wasn't breathing. He shook his head and panicked.
"NO!"
He shook her slightly, tapping her face and tried to "wake" her. Unbidden, tears began to fall from his eyes as he attempted to get her to breathe again. Hermir stepped back and stood with Iddra who held the baby girl. The cord had been tied off and snipped and the baby was now wrapped in a blanket. The women looked on as the tears fell down their own faces when they, too, realized that Aeri was no longer breathing. They watched as Helgrim shook Aeri and breathed into her mouth for her, but nothing worked. The woman had passed on. Silently, they slipped out of the room with the baby to give Helgrim a chance to say goodbye in his own way.