Three Days Later
At Breezehome, Dovahkiin and Camilla were by the fire. "Hey sweetheart, why don't I take Alesan out camping? Maybe catch some game?" He suggested out of the blue.
"Um... well, okay. I mean, if he wants to?" Camilla responded, sounding indifferent.
"Tsk. Don't worry, he'll be fine. Besides, it'll give you some quality time with the girls, wouldn't you agree?" Dovahkiin said as he stood up and walked out the front door.
"Okie dokie!" Camilla responded casually.
Dovahkiin walked around the streets to find Alesan, which didn't take long, as he and his new friends were running about playing tag. "Hey, Alesan!" Dovahkiin called over.
Alesan stopped and looked over. "Yeah?" He said as he approached.
Dovahkiin then crouched to his level. "You wanna go out somewhere? Outta the city? Like, go camping or something?" He asked rather quietly.
"Really? Oh cool, yeah!" Alesan answered happily. "Could we catch something as well?"
"Heh, maybe." Dovahkiin said as he walked back to Breezehome.
Alesan turned to the other four kids. "Later!" He said, before following his father back home to gear-up.
The four kids then regrouped. "Where're they goin'?" Lars asked, to which Lucia and Sofie just shrugged their shoulders. Lars then turned his head to Mila, who just stared off as Alesan walked away. "You like Alesan, don't you." Lars said in a monotone. This made Mila blush, prompting the other three to smirk.
Meanwhile, Dovahkiin and Alesan had entered Breezehome. "All good, sweetheart? How do you like Skyrim?" Camilla asked Alesan, as Dovahkiin gathered his things.
"It's amazing! Skyrim's actually a lot friendlier and nicer looking than I pictured. And there's a lot more non-Nords than I expected as well. I mean... I miss my dad, but... I know he'd want me to move on and find something better, right?" Alesan answered.
Camilla's eyes softened as she smiled. "Aw, that's very grown-up of you, sweetheart." She said as she got up, making Alesan blush a bit. "And I know that we're not your parents by blood, but I promise that we'll do everything we can for you." She added as she bent over and rested her hands on Alesan's shoulders, before kissing him on the forehead.
Dovahkiin then came back over. "And whaddya think about Whiterun, eh boy?" He asked.
"Dragonsreach is so cool! All the kids there are mean, though." Alesan answered.
"And your friends, sweetheart?" Camilla asked as she sat back down.
"Lars is such a milk-drinker. He can't even stand up to a girl." Alesan commented.
"Ugh, so you've met the little angel that is Braith?" Dovahkiin asked with sarcasm.
Alesan let out a brief sigh. "Yeah. She didn't really pay us much attention, though. She just terrorised Lars. He's a real friendly kid, but... yeah."
"Well, we'd best be off, love." Dovahkiin said to Camilla, bending down and giving her a quick kiss.
Ten minutes after Dovahkiin and Alesan left, Lucia and Sofie came home for a quick drink. "Where's Papa? And Alesan?" Lucia asked.
"The boys went camping. Hunting, fishing, all that." Camilla answered.
"Mommy, could I have a snack?" Sofie asked.
"Yeah, me too!" Lucia perked up. Camilla rolled her eyes as she smiled.
An Hour Later
Dovahkiin and Alesan had set off about an hour ago, and whilst Sofie was playing with her toys in her bedroom, Camilla was reading a book by the fire, when Lucia came home and shut the door quite loudly, startling Camilla. "Sweetheart, don't slam the door! What's gotten you in such a fuss?" Camilla boomed.
"Braith is a big meanie. She keeps telling Lars 'n me what to do. I don't wanna play with her anymore." Lucia explained rather casually.
Camilla closed her book. "Well, have you ever thought about WHY exactly she's so 'mean' all the time?" She asked sincerely.
Two Days Later
After two days away, Dovahkiin and Alesan had re-entered Whiterun late at night, and were walking down the street with a torch. Once home, Dovahkiin quietly opened the door to Breezehome, and they both walked inside, before Dovahkiin creeked the door shut.
"Straight to bed now, son." Dovahkiin whispered to Alesan, who nodded and silently walked to his room.
Dovahkiin then sneaked upstairs and entered his bedroom, where he saw his beautiful wife asleep in bed, just as he'd predicted. After undressing, he got under the quilt, but as he did so, Camilla began to stir. Dovahkiin stopped moving for a minute until Camilla lay still once more, before gradually getting into bed fully.
Twelve Hours Later
Before he knew it, Dovahkiin had woken up, feeling very refreshed. After a minute of waking himself up, Camilla entered with a tray of food.
"Oh, my love, you're awake!" She said as she approached. "It was so nice to wake up beside you this morning." She added with a smile. "Here, love - these are fresh." She set the tray on the bed and sat on the edge.
"Ah, thank you." Dovahkiin then dipped his bread into the soup.
"What time did you both get home last night?" Camilla asked.
"About... half-past ten." Dovahkiin answered with his estimate.
"Well, since you boys went out, guess who stayed over the past couple of nights." Said Camilla.
Dovahkiin thought for a moment. "Mila?"
Camilla chuckled. "Nope - Braith."
His face dropped. "You're joking."
"Yeah, Lucia came home upset not too long after you left, and it was because of Braith. So, went out and invited Braith over for dinner. She was definitely... hesitant at first, but the day after, she was practically best friends with Lucia and Sofie - playing with their toys and whatnot." Camilla explained. "So, I let her sleep with the girls. I think they even slept on the floor, and let Braith take their bed."
Dovahkiin stared for a moment. "Braith?... Nice?" He asked, making Camilla roll her eyes as she smirked with a hint of pride. "Talos... You really are a natural with children."
Camilla looked at her hand as she rubbed her fingernails with her thumb. "I try." She boasted somewhat.
Another minute later, Dovahkiin had eaten, and once dressed, he and Camilla went downstairs to find that Alesan was now awake and seated at the dinner table. "Morning, Ma. Morning, Pa." Alesan greeted wearily.
"Morning, sweetheart." Camilla bent down and kissed him on the cheek. "I was wondering when you would finally wake up. How was the trip?"
"Good." He answered before he rubbed his eyes and yawned, whilst Camilla brought him some bread and chicken. "I went fishing at the lake. I almost caught something!" Alesan beamed as he perked up, partially due to the smell of tender meat greeting his nostrils. Alesan then inhaled his sandwich and milk as his parents sat by the fire. "Where's Lucia and Sofie?" Alesan asked after eating the last of his breakfast.
"They're in their room, with Braith." Camilla answered.
"They're friends with Braith now, apparently." Dovahkiin added.
"Wait, really?" Alesan asked.
Camilla smirked. "Yep - she even stayed over. I had a little chat with her and, before you know it, she and your sisters are best friends. Your mother can be very persuasive, you know."
Dovahkiin rolled his eyes as he smirked slyly. "Imperials..." He retorted.
"Tsk, hush." Camilla responded, making Alesan chuckle, before he went back to his bedroom.
Two minutes later, the three girls came downstairs, giggling to each other as they did so.
"Hey, Mom! Hey, Dad!" Lucia greeted cheerily.
"Can we have a snack, Momma?" Sofie asked.
"Sure, girls. Why don't you have some sweetroll - it's still fresh." Camilla pointed to the treats on the table.
"Oh, nice - thanks!" Sofie said as she walked over to the table and cut herself a slice of sweetroll, with Lucia and Braith following behind.
As the girls sat and ate, they chatted amongst themseleves. "So, how do you like Whiterun?" Braith asked the girls.
"I like living here. The tree in the park is so pretty." Lucia answered, referring to Gildergreen. Dovahkiin smiled as he heard this, knowing that it was partially his doing that the tree was restored to its glory some months ago.
"Yeah, it looks amazing nowadays. Not like before, when it was dying." Braith noted. "Then, suddenly - poof - it looked like a healthy tree again!"
"Well, I definitely prefer this place to Windhelm." Sofie piped up, mouth half-full with sweetroll.
"You've been to Windhelm?" Braith asked.
"Yeah, she lived there for a little while, selling flowers by herself!" Lucia said with pride for her sister.
"Until Papa found me and brought me in, that is." Sofie elaborated. "My... real mother had died before that, and I was alone for a while." She then put a finger and thumb on her chin, as if in thought. "I guess me 'n Lucia are kinda similar now that I think about it." She added, before smiling at Lucia, who hugged her in return.
Lucia then pulled back. "So, what actually was it like in Windhelm?" She asked.
"Snowy." Sofie answered simply.
"Did the cold bother you a great deal?" Braith asked.
"Not really. I am a Nord, after all." Sofie asked.
"Eh, good point." Said Lucia.
"The Argonians at the docks say they can breathe underwater. I wish I could do that..." Said Sofie.
"Imagine that - breathing underwater!" Lucia responded with some excitement.
"Yeah, that's actually true. Argonians have really clever anatomy!" Braith added.
"Heh, I know - they're practically immune to disease, and aren't easily poisoned." Sofie expanded. "It's a shame that Argonians aren't liked in Windhelm. Same as Dark Elves. They're separated into their own miserable corner of the city. The Gray Quarter."
"Oh yeah, I read about that!" Said Lucia. "It used to be called the Snow Quarter, but they renamed it when the Dark Elves moved to Skyrim after the Red Mountain erupted, almost two-hundred years ago."
"Huh. I didn't know that." Said Sofie. "Rolff says I shouldn't go to the Grey Quarter anymore. He said it's not safe there."
"Who's Rolff?" Lucia asked.
"Some Nord in Windhelm." Sofie answered. "He was pretty racist now that I think about it." The three girls then got up. "We're gonna play outside!" Sofie chirped.
"Thanks for having me over, Camilla!" Braith said with gratitude as she and her friends left. After they left Breezehome, the three girls went to look for Lars.
"Okay, remember what Mama said? Just go up to him and apologise." Lucia told Braith encouragingly.
"Gods, what if he doesn't want to be friends with me?" Braith asked nervously.
"Well, we forgave you, so Lars definitely will!" Sofie answered with a smile.
Braith thought as they walked. "Okay, fine."
The girls then reached the Market District and found Mila and Carlotta at their fruit stall. "Heya, Mila." Lucia greeted.
"Hi, girls." Mila greeted, before looking at Braith. "Hi, Braith." Mila greeted in a less friendly tone.
"You seen Lars?" Sofie asked, oblivious to the tension brewing between the other three.
Mila crossed her arms and huffed. "Hmph... I haven't seen him today. He must still be at home."
Meanwhile
Lars was feeling numb - not like himself. Possibly not like he'd ever felt, actually. But he didn't know what he was feeling, if he was even feeling anything. He left his house and walked around the streets of Whiterun to try and clear his head and gather himself. As he walked for a short while, he came to the Market District, where he found the four girls talking at Carlotta's stall, though none of them looked too happy. But when he saw Braith, he realised what he was feeling; uncontrollably angry. Angry at her. For making him miserable for years.
Lars walked right past Breezehome as Alesan came out. "Hey, Lars. Where you goin'?" Alesan asked, not getting a response.
"Now, if you don't mind, I have to get back to work." Mila told the girls dismissively, when she saw Lars approaching from behind them. "See, there he is."
The three girls then turned around and slowly approached Lars as he came towards them. However, as they smiled at him, he raised his fist as soon as he reached the girls, and whacked Braith right in the nose, knocking her down. "Ouch! Hey!" She yelled as she clutched her nose.
"Lars!" Lucia shouted, as everyone in the area snapped their heads in their direction. Before anything could be done, Lars then immediately bent down and grabbed Braith's hair, before smashing his fist into her face once more - this time landing on her left eye. He then punched her again in the side of the face, then another time, and he was then quickly grabbed by his shoulders and dragged upwards by his arm. Lars' maternal uncle, Jon Battle-Born, had pulled him off the poor girl.
"What in Oblivion are you doing, boy?!" Jon asked Lars, trying to hide his worry with a furious tone, whilst everybody gathered around, including a couple of guards.
"Finally standing up for myself! That's what!" Lars yelled back.
"But she didn't even touch you, boy!" Jon argued.
As the two argued, most of the townsfolk had heard the commotion, and had gathered to witness the scene that had unfolded by the market. Most people watched in shock after the nicest boy in Whiterun had savagely beaten another child - and a girl at that.