Two Weeks Later
Lucia and Sofie, now becoming closer as sisters in the short time they'd known each other, sat on their bed playing with some small wooden action figures. As the girls played together in their bedroom, Camilla sat by the fire in the living room, when Dovahkiin had returned home, carrying his bag.
"Hello, love." He grunted as he plopped his sack down.
"Well, I can tell that you've been busy. Been up to anything interesting?" Camilla asked with a curious smirk, just before her husband pulled out a jade-sapphire circlet, a small gold-diamond necklace, and a silver-amethyst ring, making her eyebrows rise.
"I thought I'd just get you a random present, sweetheart." Dovahkiin told his wife with a small, modest smirk.
"Oh my... but you didn't have to spend your gold on these shiny accessories, darling..." Camilla protested.
"Tsk, come on. A divine creature such as yourself deserves to feel divine, right? Now turn around, love." Dovahkiin said as he took the necklace into his hands, before fastening it around Camilla. Camilla then turned back to face her husband, took the pendant in one hand, and looked at its glory for a few seconds, before she gave it a gentle kiss.
"It's just wonderful..." She said.
Dovahkiin then put his hands on Camilla's shoulders. "Not half as beautiful as you."
Camilla smirked and rolled her eyes slightly. "Oh, that's so bloody cheesy." She said, though knowing he meant it.
Dovahkiin then sighed. "My love, I need to tell you something."
"Yes, love?" Camilla said with anticipation.
"I've decided to retire. From... everything." He said bluntly.
"Retire? But, you're not even out of your twenties, love!" Camilla pointed out.
"I'm getting tired of all the action now, if I'm honest." Dovahkiin then took Camilla's hands and looked into her beautiful brown eyes. "I need to spend more time with my family."
Camilla gazed into her husband's glowing eyes for a few seconds, until she leaned forward and gently - but swiftly - pressed her beautiful red lips against his, taking him aback slightly. They kissed deeply for several seconds, until Camilla pulled back and stared back into her husband's eyes; before too long, she climbed on him and sat facing him. "I love you." She whispered. She didn't even let her husband respond before she pressed their lips together once more. They made-out passionately for some time, until the kiss broke due to lack of air. "All I ever wanted was to find a good husband, and start a family of my own... I can't express how happy I am that you've given me just that. Divines, I must be the luckiest woman in Skyrim - in Tamriel!" Camilla poured her heart out as she panted.
Dovahkiin gave a genuinely warm smile as he looked up at the beautiful woman on his lap, before his face gradually fell, and he looked down at himself with a guilty expression. "I... I don't deserve you, Camilla. I'm sorry." He said weakly, not looking at her.
Camilla's eyes softened as she looked down at her husband with apprehension of sorts. "Dovahkiin, look at me." She said, making him look up at her almost immediately, since she rarely called him by his name - usually when she was angry or anxious. Camilla then gently cupped Dovahkiin's cheeks. "Honey, it's not your fault that your mixed blood makes you infertile. I've told you this - I do not care that you can't give me a child in the traditional manner. You've done so much for me already; do you really think I'd be even slightly upset by the fact that our gorgeous daughters aren't ours by blood?... They are our daughters as much as I am your wife. Don't ever forget that, love."
Dovahkiin gazed at his infinitely compassionate wife with damp eyes for a few seconds, before he swiftly locked their lips together once more. After this deep kiss continued for some time, they hadn't realised that Lucia and Sofie had emerged from their bedroom.
"Eww, Mom, Dad!" Sofie bellowed, making her parents snap their heads in her direction with shocked expressions.
"Oh! We were just..." Camilla began to explain as she got up, when Dovahkiin began to chuckle at himself and his flustered wife.
Lucia rolled her eyes at Sofie. "Tsk. Can't you see they're in love, Sofie? It's so sweet!"
Sofie rolled her eyes at Lucia as she began to walk to the front door. "Blegh, I'm going outside."
Lucia then followed her. "Why? So you can see Laaaars?" She teased. Sofie's face lit up bright red almost instantly, and her eyes widened with embarassment, making her parents stifle a chuckle. Sofie then turned around to face Lucia, but couldn't think of anything to say.
"What! No, I- I... Shut up!" Sofie blurted out, before going for the door.
"Admit it; you have a crush on Lars, don't you!" Lucia teased further as she chased her sister out of the house. Dovahkiin and Camilla stood and watched as their two daughters ran out of the house with that childlike energy, before Camilla sighed blissfully.
"They're such sweet girls, aren't they." She said in a contented tone. They both then looked at each other with growing smiles, before Camilla jumped into Dovahkiin's arms as she giggled in happiness. As Dovahkiin held her buttocks for support, Camilla giggled as she and her husband traded kisses to each other's lips.
They both made out for several minutes, until Dovahkiin realised that he'd not visited the Brotherhood in some time, but if he didn't want to seem suspicious to them, he would have to see them at some point. "Camilla, I need to go. I just remembered that I left something unfinished." Dovahkiin told his wife.
Camilla raised an eyebrow and smirked slightly. "Oh? And what about your retirement?"
Dovahkiin chuckled. "No, I..." He sighed. "Embarassingly, I left some of my things in a chest in The Reach. They weren't too important, so I forgot about them for a while... but I can't just leave them forever." He explained vaguely.
Camilla rolled her eyes in amusement. "You dope. How'd you forget an entire chest worth of goods? I should call you Dope-ahkiin."
Dovahkiin then equipped his armour, kissed Camilla goodbye, and rode Shadowmere towards Dawnstar. A while later, it was dusk, and he neared Dawnstar, when he saw a little girl crouched beside a corpse in the snowy forest. He got off the horse and walked carefully towards the child.
"Little girl?" Dovahkiin called out, making the girl turn to face him, revealing her red eyes.
"Listener! Fancy seeing you out here!" She said pleasently.
"Babette? What're you doing?" Dovahkiin asked as he recognised the girl as his colleague from the Brotherhood - the 300-year-old vampire who was bitten at age ten.
"I'm sure Nazir's cooking is great an' all, but my appetites are a little more... discerning." Babette answered vaguely.
"You were hunting?" Dovahkiin asked further.
Babette put a hand on her hip in a nonchalant manner. "You could call it that. Didn't put up much of a fight, but made for a tasty snack. A rich bouquet of flavours. I would definitely recommend it. I must head back to the Sanctuary before dawn. I will see you there, Listener."
"I could give you a ride back, if you want?" Dovahkiin offered.
Babette gave a small smile. "I see that Shadowmere's still as good as ever - I know you've treated the beast well. But I must politely decline; I'll make my own way back home, thank you."
With that, Dovahkiin waved goodbye and got back on his way to Dawnstar. Once there, he continued on foot towards the Dawnstar Sanctuary.
Next Morning
Dovahkiin walked back towards the edge of town, but on his way through the snowy streets, he saw a tired Redguard boy, who seemed a year or two older than his own children and the other children of Whiterun. He was carrying a pot of food to the mine so it seemed. "Whew! I'm worn out. I'm so tired..." Said the boy.
"What's the hurry, boy?" Dovahkiin asked.
The boy looked up at the muscular man. "I'm running food and supplies to the miners. It don't pay much, but they let me sleep by the fire in the inn most nights." He answered.
"Where are your parents, kid?"
"They're... dead. My pa was a sailor. Took me with him on his last trip. After he got sick, they... put us off here and left without us. He... died a few days later. I've tried to make do since then but... it's been hard. Real hard."
Dovahkiin thought for a moment, pondering on his fate of meeting so many homeless children as of late. "I could... take you in, if you want?" He offered.
"Really?! Do you... do you have a place I could live?" The boy asked.
"Sure, I'll take you there on my horse." Dovahkiin responded.
"Are you... are you sure? You really wouldn't mind?" The boy asked.
"Of course not, son!" Dovahkiin concluded.
The boy's eyes lit up. "Really? You mean it? I promise, I won't be any trouble at all! Just... just let me get my things and say goodbye to everyone. Oh! I'm Alesan, by the way." He said before running off. Not two minutes later, Alesan came running towards Dovahkiin, who was waiting right by Shadowmere.
"All set, kid? Here, put this on." Dovahkiin said as he pulled out a cloak and wrapped it around the boy's shoulders for warmth. Then, he lifted the boy up onto the horse, before climbing up and sitting behind him on the saddle. "Let's go!"
As they rode to Whiterun, the two discussed the new arrangements. "I live in a city called Whiterun. It's one of the finest cities in Skyrim. It even has a wall." Dovahkiin informed the child.
"Man, that sounds much safer than Dawnstar." Alesan said with some relief.
"Oh, and, I hope it won't bother you too much, but I actually have two daughters already living with my wife and I. They're about a year or two younger than you." Dovahkiin mentioned. "But don't worry - there's a spare bedroom downstairs, though there won't be too much room because of the alchemy table. But at least it has a bed, right?"
"Oh, that's fine, thanks!" Alesan responded cheerfully. "It's much better than sleeping on a bedroll."
"Well, you won't have to worry too much about the cold now, boy - Whiterun is one of the warmer cities in this cold land."
A while later, they were back at Whiterun. Dovahkiin dismounted Shadowmere, then gave Alesan a piggy-back to the front gate. Dovahkiin took Alesan down and held his hand as they walked. "Wow! This city's WAY better than Dawnstar!" Alesan said as they walked, stunned. "So, which house is yours?"
Dovahkiin pointed to the right, just beside the blacksmith's. "Just right there - Breezehome."
"It's a nice-looking place." Alesan complimented. They then entered Breezehome, and were immediately greeted with Camilla sat by the fire as she was reading.
"Oh, my love, you're back!" Camilla greeted after looking up, immediately noticing the Redguard boy beside her husband. "Oh, and who's this handsome young man?"
"This is Alesan. Alesan, this is my wife Camilla." Dovahkiin introduced them to each other. "Camilla, where are Lucia and Sofie?"
"Oh, they're playing outside with their friends, somewhere." Camilla answered, before standing up. "Would you like me to show you to your room, Alesan?" She asked with a smile as she held out her arm invitingly. Alesan smiled slightly and nodded, before walking up to his new mother. Camilla gently put her hand down on Alesan's shoulder and walked him to the room behind the stairs. After a short time, they both re-emerged into the living room. "Here, let me get you some beef stew, Alesan." Camilla offered as she went to the fire and poured a bowl of stew.
"Well, if you don't mind." Alesan responded.
Camilla chuckled. "Of course I don't mind! Sit on the table, dear, and I'll get you some bread."
After ten minutes, Alesan had polished off two full bowls and half a loaf of bread. As he sat at the dinner table drinking another cup of milk, Dovahkiin and Camilla sat on their chairs resting by the fire, when Lucia and Sofie came through the front door. "Hey, Mama! Hey, Papa!" They greeted.
Camilla smiled warmly. "Hello, girls. Um, girls, we'd like you to meet Alesan." She said as she got up, walking over to Alesan.
Alesan the stood and faced them, with Camilla putting her hand on his back. "Um, hello." He greeted.
"Hi!" The girls greeted warmly. "Mama, can we have some water?" Sofie asked.
"Yeah, come sit next to Alesan - he's having a drink as well." Camilla said as Alesan sat back down.
As the three children sat drinking behind them, Dovahkiin and Camilla sat by the fire. "So, what happened with that chest you were talking about?" Camilla asked.
"Oh, I sold its contents. Definitely nothing that we needed." Dovahkiin answered, relieving Camilla, who then sat back in her chair and took Dovahkiin's hand into her own.
"Y'know, this whole... 'orphan' situation seems to be getting far too out-of-hand. And that's just regarding the orphans that aren't in the orphanage!" Camilla pointed out quietly. "I mean, look - we have three orphans under our roof..."
"I know. It's sad to think about. That war is a living nightmare." Dovahkiin agreed. "It reminds me - I think we may need a bigger house."
"Oh? you're thinking of moving us?" Camilla asked.
"Maybe. If it comes to it, we'll move to another city. My other house in Riften is too small, and it's too cold in Windhelm. Maybe Solitude, or Markarth?" Dovahkiin suggested.
Meanwhile, at the dinner table, the children had finished their drinks. "D'you wanna come outside 'n play with us? We can play tag with Lars 'n Mila!" Lucia suggested.
"Um, sure, okay." Alesan responded with optimism.
A few minutes later, the trio were walking about the streets trying to find Lars and Mila, when they both ran by. "Oh, hey guys!" Mila greeted, instantly noticing the slightly tall Redguard boy beside her friends.
"Hi!" Sofie greeted.
"This is Alesan." Lucia introduced.
"Man, your house must be gettin' crowded now, huh?" Lars inquired. "Well, it's nice to meet another boy for a change." Lars greeted Alesan with his hand held out.
Alesan then shook Lars' hand firmly. "Likewise. It's nice to meet another kid for change."
"This is Lars, and this is Mila." Lucia introduced her friends as she gestured towards each of them.
"Um, hi." Mila said timidly as she blushed slightly.