4E year 211

Three months after the Thalmor incident in Winterhold

The last three months had taken some adjustments for everyone in the Thane's household but everyone had been settled into their new lifestyle.

With the large sum they received from the Penitis Oculatus everyone was able to enjoy the summer and welcome the short period of nice weather they get every year.

Less than a week after the engagement Travius and Anaelle had gotten married in a small ceremony in the college. Much to Kraldar's dismay who wanted to make a large event out of it. They made a habit almost every night to go on a walk outside the city gates and talk. Each night learning more and more about eachother that brought them closer. She found his upbringing and how different it was from her own and the fact that he made so much of himself despite it, completely endearing. He was fascinated with how much she had seen and done in her over two hundred years in Tamriel.

Travius had spent a lot of time in the college working on various research projects with Yarwil, most of which was spent trying to unravel exactly what the Thalmor were up to with the narcotics and the alcohol.

Anaelle was still working occasionally at the tavern but it was more just for fun and social aspects than it was for money. She had lots of time to spend on her alchemical endeavors and her potions and drinks were becoming the most sought after not just in Winterhold but all over Skyrim. She had even caved to Yarwil's persistent requests that she become a professor and was teaching alchemy classes at the college.

Aratore had been able to spend his days hunting, fishing and meeting people around the city. He spent his evenings with Trish, despite everyone thinking he was crazy for courting the Dragonborn's niece. The two of them knew they had a good thing going and didn't care what the rest thought.

He shined, polished and proudly wore his pendant everywhere he went. None of them really knew what a steward was suppose to do truthfully and since they had no need to collect bounties right now he been able to make himself a helpful force around the city. He was even meeting with Yarwil three times a week to learn how to read, not to mention he even had a canine companion now. A friendly grey mutt he met while out hunting. The dog was stuck in a mud out viciously fending off crabs. Aratore helped the dog and gave it a snack and the dog just followed him home and made himself comfortable, making the girls especially happy.

He was trying his best to follow the example of Travius and Vhornyak. He missed his family and Valenwood of course but he knew he was living a better life now than he ever thought possible. He knew his parents, his uncle and sisters would be proud of him though. Wherever they were.

Vhornyak had some self reflection after what happened in Whiterun and was spending much less time in the taverns and brothels and had taken a more fatherly role with the girls, so much so that the constant stream of new comers to the city thought Astrid was his daughter and he saw no reason to correct him. With the growth of the college he was able to keep his days very busy as their main security escort.

Astrid and Deena were having the hardest time adjusting but seemed to be settling in great overall. Astrid was so young that although she was much more wary of strangers than in the past it didn't seem like she had fully processed what had happened, she was soon to start school for the first time and that mostly occupied her young mind.

Deena was having a little more difficulty with her new life. She was barely a teenager and halfway through a pregnancy with no known father. She was afraid people judged her without knowing what really happened and made her afraid to put herself out there to meet people. She spent alot of her time at home and took on a homemaker role on her own accord. To her credit she did a great job of cleaning and making meals and everyone made sure she they expressed their gratitude to her in the form of gifts and compliments.

She was plagued with nightmares and unwarranted guilt about what she had been through and would often have bouts of crying and would miss her father and her old village.

Overall though she was slowly starting to come around. She had a good older sister type figure in Anaelle and found she a good confidant as Anaelle understands better than most what it's like to have life altering decisions made for her. She was even starting to befriend Trish and learning a little about alchemy and enchanting from both of them.

She was slowly realizing that this new group she was with, this new family, all had sordid pasts but in a way it brought them all closer. They all refused to let the pain from the past define their futures. It made them a unique and inspiring group of people in her mind.

………………………………..

As with most mornings, Deena was up before everyone else. She had already tended to the chicken coop and made everyone breakfast as she headed upstairs to the long hallways where all five of the rooms were located.

She woke up Astrid and Just as she had finally dressed her they heard a two loud thuds and large belching sounds. Vhornyak was awake.

Astrid giggled and then rubbed her hands on Deena's stomach and said,

"Good morning belly"

A little routine she had started in the morning once Deena really began showing.

Deena quickly brushed Astrid's hair and then they heard a knock on the door.

"Everyone decent?" Vhornyak asked through the door.

Astrid ran and opened the door and jumped into Vhornyak's arms.

"Someone is excited for their first day of school I see!" He said to her as he carried her down the steps.

Just as they got to the bottom Travius stepped out of his room yawning.

"Good morning Deena, breakfast smells great."

He then reached down as he passed her and lightly tapped her belly.

"Good morning to you as well little one"

The next person out was Aratore.

"Morning Dee" he said and just as Travius did he gave her belly a small pat on her belly as he passed.

"And to you little bugger"

Trish followed closely behind Aratore and did the same.

Deena finally went down stairs behind Trish. She had a big smile on her face, not just from the greetings and the gratitude but she was becoming fond of seeing her hard work being appreciated every morning. She would sometimes feel insignificant in the presence of such powerful and well known people but she was slowing realizing she served a valuable role

In this home.

"She's staying the night now?" Travius asked Aratore in response to seeing Trish walk down the stairs.

Neither of them responded but held innocent grins on their faces.

Travius was already running behind and began to leave. He tossed a coin purse on the table for Deena. "Go to the healer and get checked up today. You're also growing a bit, head to the tailor and get you some new blouses. My wife can come with you when she wakes up."

Just as he was about to head out the door he stopped and looked at Aratore and Trish.

"One pregnant teenager is sufficient you two."

And then he headed out the door.

Vhornyak put a couple sausages in his pocket and he headed out the door with Astrid to walk her to school.

"Her uncle can breathe fire, remember that."

He said to Aratore as he headed out of the door himself.

"Such concerned fathers you have." Trish said after he left and they both began to laugh.

They both finished their own breakfast and headed out the door themselves. Once they stepped outside Aratore whistled.

"Let's Go boy!" He yelled and from behind the house next to the chicken coop in a small wooden dog house with the name "Mud" painted on it, his Grey mutt came happily running around to the front and was greeted with pets and scratches from both of them and then followed them as they began to walk.

"I still can't believe you named him Mud." Trish said.

"It's where I found him. Besides, he likes it, don't you Mud?!" He said as Mud excitedly wagged his tail and licked Aratore's hands.

"Fair enough." She responded as she smiled at the dog's excitement.

"I never had a chance to ask, what is the purpose of your visit with the Jarl today?"

"He wants to build an archery range and training circle in the arena so it has use when it's not hosting an event. He wants my input on the design and equipment." He said very proudly.

"Look at you! Helping the Jarl make decisions. You're still having lessons with Yarwil today as well right?" She asked him.

"Of course. Don't want to halt my progress." He said as they stopped in front of the College Gates.

She handed him a piece of paper with a short message on it, "Let's see that progress"

He read it back to himself in his head and then to read it out loud.

" I….am…..ve…very…pr" he blushed before he started all over again.

"I am very proud of you" he read out loud.

She kissed him on his cheek before she headed into the gates.

"Some friends from the college went to have dinner and some drinks at the tavern tonight, I told them we'd be there."

"Sounds perfect. I'll see you tonight."

………………………….

"Can I go up?" Astrid asked Vhornyak

"Of course you can." He said as he lifted her in the air and sat her on his shoulders, her legs dangling in front of him.

Her new favorite place was on top of the Orcs shoulders. He was easily the tallest person she had ever met and as far as she was concerned, he was the tallest person who ever lived and in her child mind logic if she was atop his shoulders then she was herself the the tallest person to ever live.

"What do we do at school, I've never been." She asked

"All kinds of fun things. You'll learn to read and do math and play games with other kids. You'll get to make lots of new friends." He said to her.

"What is math?" She asked him.

"You know, numbers, counting and things like that." He said

"You mean like the song we sing?" She then excitedly began singing.

"One bandit,

two bandit,

all smashed in their heads,

I don't get money unless all

Of them are dead! Yaaaaaaaay'"

"I'm going to teach my new friends that song too." She stated excitedly.

"I don't see any problem with that." He responded. They would later found that the teachers would not agree.

They approached the school yard where several children were already there and playing outside and he took her down from his shoulders and she started to look sad.

"Are you sure you can't come with me?" She asked him.

"Oh, sweety, you'll have all this fun you won't even miss me. I visit the school house plenty though. I'll still be in the city anyway." He said as he gave her a gentle hug.

His appearance drew the attention of the other kids and he saw the little girl who had made him a doll not too long ago and waved her over.

"Hello, Mr. Vory!" She said to him with a real pep in her voice.

He lightly pushed Astrid towards her.

"This is Astrid, she's new here and doesn't know anyone, do you think who could help her today?"

"Of course!" The little girl took Astrid's hand and led her towards the other children.

"Do you like dolls? We have a lot. The boys just play chase and tackle, but they are all stinky anyway." She said as they walked away together.

…………………..

Deena and Anaelle had finished loading the last bit of the items they bought into a hand wagon and realized how heavy it was. Anaelle saw two young Khajit who appeared to have just left work constructing the arena and offered them septims to pull the cart for them.

While this was happening Deena saw some girls around her age. She sheepishly smiled at them and they all smile back at her.

"Alright, let's head home and put this nursery together" Anaelle said as she walked back to her.

Deena turned to her side and started walking with Anaelle which put her at an angle where her belly was exposed to the girls. The girls all started snickering and whispering to eachother. Deena just turned her head down and frowned.

Once they made it back to the house Anaelle paid the very grateful Khajit, grateful enough for the amount she paid them that they offered to help them unload in the house.

When the Helpers were upstairs putting things in the room Deena couldn't contain herself anymore and sat at the dining table and began to bawl her eyes out.

Anaelle was a bit startled and sat next to her and hugged her.

"What happened girl, we were having such a good time I thought." She asked her.

"We were, it's not you, it's never any of you. I hate the way everyone outside these walls looks at me. Everyone looks at me with pity or with disgust, like I'm a whore. I'm not a whore, I've never even kissed a boy. Those men never did anything like that to us." She said through her sobs.

Anaelle tried to think of something to say, Something to make her feel better but she couldn't formulate what to say that didn't just sound like a pleasantry. She just continued to hug her and just let her cry.

"Thankfully we are in these walls, you're home, let it out sweetie." Was all she said as Deena continued to cry.

…………………..

Travius was the last one home for the night and he came in with a certain excitement no one had seen from before. Even Vhornyak hadn't seen this much giddiness in him since in years.

"My coin! It was so much more than I thought!" He exclaimed to everyone and tossed a coin onto the table.

"The coin you were left with as a baby? With the X?" Vhornyak asked and picked it up. Starting to meet Travius excitement.

The origin of his coin had been a mystery for them both for so long that Vhornyak was almost as eager to find out its history as Travius was. Vhornyak then gave it to Trish to inspect herself and then pass around the table.

"Yes! The general store had an antiquity trader come in to look at some items mercenaries had brought to them from a ruin. I had them take a look at my coin. We always knew the coin had a unique thickness to it and he told me why.

This is called a crest coin. It was common practice in High Rock for each house to have their own crest, as they do most places. High Rock was unique in that they would have coin made with the crests. It wasn't meant for currency as much as it was for discrete identification.

Over time they found the etching would rub off or become damaged and would lose the design. So they started making these much thicker coins and would make a hollow design that went all the way through. Eventually the outer layers would still rub off and become filled with debris. But with this thick coin with the hollow design you could remove the outer damaged layer and cleaned out the etching to have the design visible again.

I took it to the blacksmith who was able to carefully remove the grime from the front and back and reveal the full design. It's so much more than an X. This is the most progress we've ever made in finding out who my parents were!" Travius said with a child like excitement

Astrid had no idea what was being discussed but saw the adults infectious joy and started clapping

"Yay Mr. Travius!!!"

Trish and Aratore took a good look at it.

"Quite the design this is. These are the symbols of the different schools of magic. The middle is very pretty. This doesn't look like an X in the middle either. It looks like two V's, I think this line between them is supposed to be one V reflecting in the water. This is beautiful." Trish said.

Anaelle went wide eyed and began shaking. She stared at Travius and began laughing. With her inability to cry her body instead chose to make an awkward laugh in its place. Common amongst vampires.

With out ever taking her eyes off Travius she reached her hand out and asked Trish for the coin. She took the coin and finally took her gaze away from Travius and onto the coin where her laughter became more chaotic.

"Aratore, would you be a dear and retrieve one of my daggers from the armory please?" She asked

"Of course" he said and then stood up and went to the armory and came back shortly with one of her old ebony daggers.

She signaled for Aratore to set it on the table and she flipped it on its other side to reveal the symbol on the handles. She then laid the coin next to it. An audible gasp came from everyone when they realized both this coin and her daggers had the same crest.

Anaelle could feel herself beginning to lose control, she could feel her gums aching to pop out her fangs and she knew the red in her eyes was going to start to show more, Astrid and Deena had no idea about her and this seemed like a terrible time for them to find out.

"I need a moment" she said as she stood up, covered her mouth and ran through the door outside and around to the back of the house.

"Oh no…..are you guys Kissing cousins Trav?" Vhornyak asked.

No one was sure if he was trying to break the tension with a joke or if he was legitimately asking, Often couldn't tell with him.

Travius gave Vhornyak a look that said "please shut up" and headed out the door after Anaelle.

He found her sitting door against the back wall laughing with Mud lying next to her with his head in her lap while she rubbed his head.

Just as he had expected in her emotional state she was having a hard time controlling her appearance and her eyes were glowing red and her fangs fully protruding. Travius didn't mind but he knew it was something his wife was self conscious about.

She stood up as she saw him and walked over to

Him and gave him a large kiss and then gave her self a moment to try and calm herself to control the laughing, putting no energy or focus into her appearance, something she was still trying to wrap her head around not having to do around him.

"It makes so much sense now, why I was drawn to you when I first saw you. Why I always felt so safe and comforted with you. I could always see it in your eyes. Not to mention Flame, Alteration, Conjuration. Your protective natureYou are one of them." She said still trying to hold back the bouts of laughter.

"One of who? Anaelle, what is going on? What does that symbol mean?" Travius was confused by her reaction and everything she just said added to it.

"You're half Breton Travius and your last name is not Velsala." She paused again while her mind was flooded with memories and realizations.

"How do you know that? Because of the crest? Do you know who my family is?" He asked

"You were right, the house mothers at the orphanage got your name wrong. It is Velvala, not Velsala. They were sworn protectors of my own House. Every Male born of their name was trained as a Battle Mage, specializing in the same schools as magic as you, and named to my royal Families Knight Guard. For centuries, until about fifty years ago, House Velvala watched over my family.

My personal Guard was named Tristane. He was more a father to me than my actual

Father ever cared to be. He was the most noble, patient and caring man I had ever met, until I met you. His son, Meridian was my first and only love….until you.

Tristane gave me those daggers when we evacuated the castle when the Daedra attacked. Meridian was with me when I was turned, the ancient creature who turned me made me………he….they both died in my arms….but now you…..you're one of them."

Her mind still racing with memories and feelings she had spent centuries repressing. Some gave her warmth, some made her feel like walking off a cliff.

They did not hear Aratore and Trish both coming around the side of the house, they only knew someone was there due to Mud's excitement . Anaelle was still in such a strong emotional state that she was still had very little Control over her appearance.

"We are heading to the tavern to meet some friends from the college, we wanted to make sure everyone was ok before doing so" they heard Aratore say behind them.

Anaelle quickly buried her chest in Travius chest to hide her face but it was too late and she knew there was no way Trish did not see her in this state.

"I believe we'll be fine. You guys have fun tonight." She said sheepishly with her face still

Buried in Travius chest.

Trish smiled. "Your eyes are quite beautiful lit up like that Anaelle. You can be yourself around me."

Anaelle exposed her face and looked at the young couple.

"You think my uncle sent me to travel with you without telling me?" Trish said to her.

Anaelle let out a sigh of relief. This really was a unique new family she had.