Fate's Games

(A/N: There will probably be five up in total today. Recently I made a plan to turn these oneshots into a few long ongoing projects, actual stories. Because of this I'm making an effort to have a bit more continuity between them so that when I blend certain ones together I won't have to pull off a bunch of miracles to explain things away. Lots of time given to NPC's, less given to Dragonborns. Yes, Dragonborns plural. The Greybeards did say that they weren't sure if there were other Dragonborns left, and the songs sung in the taverns do say 'beware, beware the Dragonborns come.' Anyway, there will probably be references to other oneshots I've made and cameos of other characters who will be involved in the projects I intend to do from here on.)

Forsworn Conspiracy

When he had left that day, she'd wanted to be able to believe with all her heart that he would be back. She'd known in her bones that he wouldn't. He had arisen early with every intention of sneaking out while she slept. His movements around the room had awakened her, and sleepily she'd asked, "Eltrys? Where are you going?"

Startled that he'd been found out, he'd turned to her. His surprised expression softened to a look of adoration as he gently grinned. He approached her and sat on the bedside next to her. Gently he placed a hand on her stomach, softly rubbing it. After a moment he bent, pressing his lips to her navel. Leisurely he'd found his way to her lips, softly taking them. "I'll be back tonight," he promised. "I have something to do."

"What is it?" she wondered, curious as to why he could possibly be leaving so early. She didn't even leave to go to her job at the treasury house for another hour.

"Don't worry about me, Rhiada," he replied. He placed his hand on her stomach and said to it, "Daddy will be back, little one. Go easy on your mother."

She smiled and placed her hand on top of his. She took it and raised it to her lips, kissing the back of his hand lightly. "Be safe, darling," she remarked, worry in her eyes. He kissed her forehead once more and left. Uncertainly she put her hand to her belly.

ES

Inside she'd understood she'd never see him again. It had been a feeling; one she had refused to acknowledge. She wondered, even now, if it would have changed anything had she acted on her intuition. She listened, lips parted and tears freely flowing from her eyes, as the Dragonborn expressed the deepest of sympathies towards her; as the heroine told her… as she told her what had happened to her husband. "Oh gods," Rhiada wept, covering her mouth and shaking her head in denial. "Oh gods, please no."

Her body racked with her silent sobs as she buried her face in her hands. The only image she could see was that of her husband's body lying broken and bloodied at the foot of the altar of Talos. "I'm sorry," the Dragonborn repeated once again, tears pricking her own eyes. "If I had known…"

"Leave me," she said brokenly. "Just… just leave me…" The Dragonborn bowed her head low and turned away.

"For what it's worth, the men who killed him lie dead," the heroine stated with voice bitter and cold.

"It won't bring my husband back," Rhiada replied hollowly, her hands going to her stomach. The Dragonborn nodded and walked away. She sank down in a chair, and now she made no effort to smother her sobs. What would she do? She was with child. She and her husband had hardly had the money to support themselves. Now she was alone with a baby on the way, and half of the income they'd made was gone. What sort of chance did she stand in this place? Would it matter? When the guards found out that Eltrys had been her husband, would they come for her and kill her as well to cover up this Forsworn Conspiracy…?

ES

She stood, now, at the foot of the altar of Talos, gazing down at her dead lover who lay there so still. "How could you?" she quietly whispered to his remains. How could he do something so foolish, so dangerous, when his family's very future depended on him…? Yet she didn't blame him… If she had known what he was doing she had no doubts she would have helped. Perhaps that was why he'd been silent as to his intentions. He wanted to protect her.

She watched as the Thalmor guards, under the command of Ondolemar, knelt by the body. She had gone to the Jarl, you see, and she had pled on hands and knees for her husband's body to be returned to her, for him to be buried as he deserved. She had told the man everything she'd known, understanding full well that it could have very well cost her, her life… Part of her still wished it had… The Jarl, though, Igmund, had been kind. He had been understanding and he had ordered the unenthusiastic Thalmor Commander to tend to the job, not even trusting his own city guards to the task. Was it any wonder? Why did he choose now, though, to open his eyes to the deceit of his men? That Igmund trusted the Thamor to do the job better, that she trusted the Thalmor to be more honest in the matter, was testament to how wretchedly sad the situation in this city had become… And she was the one paying for it… She knew she wasn't the only one to suffer loss, she would never claim as much… She'd just never thought it would happen to her.

"What am I supposed to do?" she whispered half to herself.

"This gold and these jewels, I believe, are yours, milady," Ondolemar indifferently said, suddenly approaching and handing her a large bag of gold and no small amount of precious gems. "Where a poor man obtained these items is none of my concern, so I shant be pursuing this matter. The question of whether these jewels are stolen property or not are beneath the Thalmor to investigate. You should be able to make a comfortable life for yourself off of the price they will fetch. I will ensure every measure is taken to bury the body accordingly, on the Jarl's orders."

She had no doubts Ondolemar himself couldn't care less, yet in that moment she hardly knew whether to throw her arms around him sobbing and expressing her gratitude or to simply nod, thank him, and leave. He made the choice for her, walking away with his soldiers in tow, bearing the body of her husband. She followed, as was custom.

ES

They exited the Shrine of Talos. Suddenly she was joined by the Dragonborn. "Take it," the heroine said, handing her another large bag of coins.

"Why are you doing this for me?" she asked.

"Because I respected your husband very much. I don't have a lot of time left. The guards in this city are hunting me with every intention of locking me away. I just wanted to make amends… for failing to be there for your husband, for leaving you a widow and leaving your child to grow up without his or her father," the Dragonborn replied.

"Thank you," she quietly replied. The woman nodded and quickly slipped away as one of the guards came around a corner, obviously searching for the Dragonborn. Apparently he caught sight of the girl, because he raced in the direction the young woman had gone.

Time passed in a blur to the moment she stood over her husband's coffin, gazing for the last time down upon him. "Even in death I will love you," she whispered to him. Even beyond the grave you provide for me. Oh Divines, that your child could have known its father… All at once she burst into tears and fell over his body, kissing him one last time before being gently pulled back by Brother Verulus. Though she struggled the young man held her fast, and weeping helplessly she watched the coffin being sealed and buried away…