Skyrim IV: The Ghost of Hamvir's Rest

Chapter Eleven: My Brother

"But Thane Dragonborn, I know without your husband or Housecarl, you aren't very much protected." Lenus, the jailer stammered. I shake my head, Karliah stands behind me, her hood over her head, and Barbas stands at my feet, playing the role, of a loyal and mute dog other than barking. I needed to talk to Arodil, and I needed to without people worrying about me. Karliah wasn't the type to stop me, and Barbas was half of Vile's power, he didn't care what 'us mortals' did. He found a corner of the dungeon to lie down in as I give Lenus a smile. "Lenus, it's alright. I'll be fine. I just need you to let me into the cell, with my friend here." I gesture towards Karliah, "And if there is any trouble, we will just holler, alright?"  
I can see the fear in Lenus's eyes, but he doesn't say a word as he unlocks the cell door and I walk into it, with Karliah following me. I could swear I could hear Barbas's wheezing his corner, laughing to himself about what fools we are being but I didn't care.
  Arodil sat with his back to the floor and when he sees us, a small, smile crosses his lips.
He made no move to get up, and he looked so exhausted. "I knew one of these times your husband wouldn't keep you away from me." 
  Karliah left her hood on, and stood closer to the barred door, but she didn't seemed worried. Her hand rested near her hip where her small dagger was sheathed. I gave Arodil a little nod, "No, not many can keep me away from what I want. He should know better. I did the same for him." I see Karliah give a small smirk and Arodil chuckles. "I'd offer you a seat, but considering how 'dangerous' I am, they the only seat out of my cell." 
   I easily sit down on the ground, thinking to myself how hard that will be in a few months with my pregnancy. "I'm flexible." I say, knowing well I won't be in the near future.  
 "I'm surprised how comfortable you with me, I did give you that gouge on your throat only a few days ago."  Arodil says. I see Karliah straighten a bit and I nod. "I've gotten alot worse." I say truthfully. 
  The elf tilts his head, as he stares at my neck. "You seem to be healing from other scars other than from me."
  "Vampire Lord," I say, remembering Lord Harkon. "He nearly had me too." 
Arodil nods, and looks down at his hands and says. "Why have you come?" 
 "Does it really surprise you that I want to help you?" I ask, leaning forward. "You are my brother."
"Don't call me that." Arodil says, turning away. "We are not family."
"We share the same wretch of a father." I say, "That makes us blood."  "I'm no Nord, Dragonborn." Arodil says, "I don't believe in such things."
"I usually don't, as I am not a Nord either. But, fate brought us together, and I want to know why." I say. "I know you want the God-Cleaver." 
  "I personally do not want it. My captains do." Arodil says. "Have they ever done anything for you other than watch you get tormented by our father?" I say. 
Arodil doesn't say anything. 
 I sigh, "I thought as much." 
  Karliah takes a step forward. "That is where I step in, Dragonborn." She says in her soft voice. She turns to Arodil. "You do know what will happen to you if you go back to your Thalmor now after failing to harm the Dragonborn, don't you?"
  Arodil seemed to flinch a little. I look back at Karliah. "What....would happen to him." I slowly get to my feet, staring at her. 
 "He would be executed for insubordination and fraternizing with the enemy instead of killing them." Karliah says, her violet eyes narrowing. "Even if he wanted to betray you now, Taniiaae. He would still lose his head for it."  I look over at Arodil and I feel my chest tighten in sorrow.
  "So there really is no going back for you." I say, my voice soft.
Arodil held up his good hand, "You see this ring, Dragonborn?" 
I nod. 
"This ring was my vow to the Thalmor, that I would serve them beyond everything. In that vow, I promised that I would always give glory to them, or if not, be willing to be executed by my own kind in order to keep their name clean."
  "But you never wanted that, did you? Selling yourself to them, I mean." I say. "You were forced into it as a child, because that's how Thalmor are, how Vulono was."
  Arodil closes his eyes and says, "It seems that I'm at a dead end. Try to escape and return to my people and I face beheading, or abandon my people for your cause and risk getting captured and also beheaded."  
   I find myself inches closer to his side of the cell before I crouch down, only inches from him. He looks at me in surprise as I gently take his maimed hand. He doesn't stop me. "What if you join my cause, but I protect you from punishment and death?" I whisper.
  I see Arodil blink, his eyes watering before he steals up his expression. "How can you do that anyways?" 
   I smile. "I'm Dragonborn, remember?"
 Arodil's face softened, "Say I do join you.....what do you need me to do?" 
I felt my heart jump in my chest as I say, "I need yourself finding the God-Cleaver. It's in the Shrine of Clavicus Vile. If we get it out of his cave, and return his other half to him, the curse of the Headless Horseman will be broken, and the Axe will return to it's full power." 
  Arodil tilts his head, "Who will you give the axe to? The Stormcloaks?"
 I shake my head, "I have good regards to Ulfric, but no. The Axe will go the Companions."
 Arodil smirks. "And what will be done with me? If I help you?" 
   "You will come with us, but you will be hand-cuffed into we can completely trust you." says a new voice. 
  I turn around as the cell door opens and Sinding walks in, Lenus behind him. My husband looks briefly as Karliah for a moment before saying to Arodil. "If that is a problem, being restraint..."
Arodil shook his head, "I accept it."  
 I whirl around to face him. "You.....what?"
Arodil smirks, "Anyway I can get out of this damned cell, I'll take it." Sinding offers me his hand and helps me up. "Alright, we will exit the cell and let the guard take care of what he needs to do. You will be coming home with us tonight." Sinding says. I look at him in surprise, but relief.  We leave the cell as Lenus steps in. Arodil holds out his wrists to be cuffed, his eyes meeting mine. Lenus hands the key to Sinding. "You do what you see fit with him."  Sinding nods and gestures for Arodil to follow. The chained Altmer steps out of the cell and stops short as Barbas bounds over. 
  Sinding jumps in surprise. "A dog?" He asks me.
 I shake my head and Karliah responds. "Not just any dog, but we  can speak of it once we are out of here." 
  I can hear Barbas wheeze, and I know he is laughing. 
Karliah flanks behind Arodil as Sinding leads him out, a hand on his shoulder. Alsfigir and Sinding's horse Uriel are waiting for us. Sinding helps Arodil sit astride Uriel as Karliah sits behind him to keep him in the saddle, Barbas barks at our feet as Sinding mounts Allie and has me wrap my hands around his stomach to hold on. "I heard what Lydia said." He whispers to me. "I let her go for three days." 
  I look at him in surprise, "Wait, you released her from her duty?" 
Sinding shakes his head, "No, only you have that authority, but I told her that for the following three days, she is not allowed to be near you. What she said to you was hurtful and out of place."
 I bite my lip, trying not to get emotional. As much as I didn't want Lydia to leave, even for a few days, what she said hurt alot. "Thank you." I whisper.
Sinding's hand grips mine over where I held out on to him. He turns towards the others. "Let's go."

     
When we got home, Barbas was panting from our journey. "You live far enough from town." He growls. 
   Sinding stops before he dismounts. "You......speak?"
 Karliah rides up besides him and jumps down and ties up Uriel's reigns to the stable. "Sinding, meet Barbas, the loyal second half of Clavicus Vile, the Daedric Prince of Deals." 
 Sinding dismounts and helps me down. "Another Daedric Prince?" 
"I didn't invite this one. He found me." I say, shooting a glance at the dog. "I personally had enough Daedric Princes in my life as is without adding him."
  Barbas scratched behind his ear. "Oh cry me a river, technically, I'm the one who is asking you for help, so consider this not one of your normal deals with the Daedric Princes."  Sinding shook his head and tries to help Arodil who says, "Give me the dignity to let me dismount on my own." Sinding holds his hands back as Arodil clumsily dismounts Uriel. 
  I nod, "Alright, Barbas." I rub my eyes, "Just keep in mind that we have had more dealings with your cohorts to last several lifetimes." 
  Barbas wheezes a laugh. "Remember that I don't really have much to say on my colleagues and that I only care about getting back to my Master." He yawns. "I'm going to go get some shuteye. When do you plan on leaving to Haemar's Shame?"
  I look over at Karliah and then Sinding, I honestly didn't know how to answer that. 
"In two nights." Karliah says, "Be back by the second night and we will confirm if we are ready or not." 
   Barbas wags his tail and says, "Not a problem, I'll be back by then if not before." Before I can say anything else, he trots off. 
  "What a strange thing." Sinding says. 
He looks at me and then back at Arodil who was still chained together. "We have a spare room correct?" I say, "I know that we are starting to run out of room with Ronthil visiting. " 
"He can be in the basement." Karliah said, looking at Sinding. "It's priority that we keep the Dragonborn safe."
  I look over at Arodil who shares no emotion. Sinding nods, "Alright, I'll take him down there with you Karliah. Tanii, will you be ok to go inside?" 
  I nodded, "Sure." I look back at Arodil, "I'll get you some food once you are settled." He says nothing as Sinding gently leads him to our outside door to the basement and I sigh, opening the door to the house. 
   Serana was sitting at the table, reading a book "The Cabin in the Woods". She looked up when I entered and put the book face down on the table. "Are you alright?" She asked softly. 
  I shrug as I take a seat across from her. "Where's Lucia? Malborn? Ronthil?"
"All in bed." Serana says, "Aela left to go 'hunting' as she says. And Lydia-"
"Is gone for a few days." I say, rubbing at my face. I pull my hand away and frown when I see my war paint smeared on my palm.
 "Don't sugar coat it, Tanii. Sinding kicked her out for a few days." Serana said, taking a hold of my hand. 
  "I hope it wasn't bad." I murmur. 
Serana shook her head. "No, but Sinding can be.....intimidating when he takes control. He doesn't yell or anything, but his voice gets very......cold. I think Lydia nearly soiled herself." 
  I sigh.
"From what I heard, she stepped out of line, and even I, coming from royalty, know that is unacceptable, even from friends." Serana said gently. 
  I swallow back the lump in my throat. 
"Do you want to talk about it?" Serana prodded, softly.
I look up at her and said, "She told me that if I keep doing what I'm doing, I'll lose this baby I'm carrying....like I did my first." 
  Serana's eyes got large and she said, "Ohhh, you are pregnant..." She squeezed my hand. "I don't think what Lydia said was right. I think that was cruel. But please be careful, Taniiaae. I know how you push yourself. I saw it when you went against my father.....you fight like a beast."
  I look at her in surprise. 
"And I don't mean due to your past as being both werewolf and vampire. You fight like an animal, you are crazed and so brave. It's quite impressive." She smiles. "Just promise me, you will be careful. I'm coming with you on your journey, but I need you to also guard yourself."
  I'm about to speak when the door to the basement opens and Karliah and Sinding walk into the room.  Karliah sits down at the table, finally removing her dark hood. Her violet eyes study mine and she says, "Are you alright?" 
  I nod.
Sinding gets himself a bowl of stew and then hands one to Karliah and then me. He sits down besides me, his body touching mine. 
 "How did everything go after we left, Serana?" He asked.
Serana smiled, "Uneventfully. Ronthil and Malborn went to sleep early, and Lucia fell asleep waiting for you."
  I feel my heart pang, and emotion wash over me. "Am I bad mother?"
The table got silent, and Karliah looked up from her stew and Sinding set his spoon down and wrapped an arm around me and hugged me. "No, sweet one, far from it." I lean into his chest and can feel my tears soaking his shirt. "I'm never home for her." I whimper.
  "You are the Dragonborn." Karliah's voice said, "You have a role in protecting this world."
"She knows you love her. That's all that matters." Serana said.
 I just held on to Sinding, and continued to weep. 

     Later that night, I laid on my side in bed. I looked at my amulet, the one that Sinding had made for me from the scale of the first Dragon I slew. I could hear Lucia's breathing from across the room. Sinding was outside feeding the horses when I heard the door open and close. I listen as he pads into the room and removes his shirt to sleep. I slowly turn around and he looks at me in surprise. "You are still awake, my love?" 
  I nod. "I'm exhausted, but I feel so anxious about everything right now. It's hard to sleep."
He gives me a small smile. "Come here." 
I scoot over and lay my head on his bare chest. I can hear his steady, beating heart as he rests his hand on my bare shoulder. "You have been through so much in your lifetime, and now...we are expecting another babe, your long lost brother has appeared after you never knowing he existed, and we have another duty to retrieve a powerful axe. I know why you are anxious, my love." Sinding says. "And it's alright. You don't have to do this. You have done enough."
  I close my eyes, "But I don't have that choice do I?"
 "We always have a choice, Tanii." He says, murmuring into my hair. 
"I wish that was true, Sinding." I say quietly, "I really do. But it seems that Akatosh had different plans for me."
  Sinding sighs, his hand wrapping around mine that laid on his bare chest. "I know I can't stop you from what is to come, but I promise you, I will protect you, Lucia and this baby with my whole being. I promise you."
   I swallow back the lump in my throat. I clutch his hand tight.