Skyrim V: Shadow over Markarth

Chapter Eight: Karthspire

Serana. 

  After two nights of traveling, Uaile lead us to the giant Reachman camp of Karthspire.  It was a very large camp, with many men and women. Lucia was exhausted, even from being carried by Ronthil and Vilkas back and forth, and Aaiden was becoming fussy. Serana tried to comfort him as they stood there in the large campe as many of the Bretons stared at them in surprise. They were dressed outlandishly. Their armors were made out of animal furs and chain mail, but many wore headdresses made out of antlers.  Their weapons were made of sharpened mammoth tusks and bones. And their armor showed much skin, the men were often shirtless with some having a briarheart sown into their chests. The women also were scantily clad while some of the older men and women had full armor made of elk skin.  Uaile held her hand out to Serana's group and said in a loud voice, "It is I! Uaile, daughter of Urracen, I have come to you for help!"
  A middle aged woman walks through the crowd. She was dressed in the Reachman armor, showing her muscular arms, legs and stomach. Her head was shaved except for down the middle, having her dark hair in a mohawk. Her pale eyes widened as she says, in a relieved voice. "Uaile! Thanks to the old gods, you are alive!" She took the young woman's hand in hers and brought her in for a hug. "I thought you would of been outed and killed in Markarth." She pulled away, her hand on the girl's cheek. "What is it that we can help you with, my dear?"  Uaile gestured to the party behind her, and she could see the woman's face change. "Kaie, I need your help." Uaile said, turning the others. "We need your help."
 Kaie nodded and said, "Come to my tent," she looked at the others behind Uaile, "All of you. Let's talk."
.........................................................................
 
   Lucia had fallen asleep shortly after being laid down in the cot, and Aaiden was sucking from a spare bottle of milk while Ronthil fed him as Serana, Vilkas and Uaile spoke with their hostess.
"So...." Kaie said, after they had finished telling their story. "The Dragonborn is imprison with our King, who happens to be her grandsire." 
 Uaile nods, "I'm afraid so."
Kaie looks at the flames in the fire across from them and then says, "Regardless of what will happen next, you are welcomed to stay as long as you need. Any friends to the daughter of Iaera, are friends to us." 
"So you really knew Iaera?" Vilkas leaned forward and Kaie nodded. "She was the light of the king's eye. And despite the misfortunes of what the Altmer did to her, she loved her daughter with her whole heart. That little girl was the light in the darkness of this war."  
"Did you know Taniiaae?" Serana asked and Kaie nodded. "I did when she was little. A very friendly, gentle child. But she had an unbreakable spirit." 
"She still does." Vilkas smirked. 
 "These two children, they are her offspring?" Kaie asked.
Serana nodded. "The little girl was adopted by her and her husband, Sinding. They took her in when no one else would. The boy was born only a few weeks ago." 
Kaie shook her head, "So young to be separated from his brother. And what of the father?" Vilkas looked into the flames, "Sinding was much like Iaera, a fugitive staying in Jorrvasker. He was cursed by Hircine, but Tanii saw into his heart and they became inseparable.  They took each other as lovers and soon married afterwards." 
Kaie smiled. "And where is he now? Imprisoned with her and her half brother in the Mines?" 
"Yes, with my father and the King." Uaile said. 
Kaie nodded and said, "We will help you. We have reached out through our sources to Madanach. And as we come upon the first blood moon in a decade, I believe it's time we free our king." 
Uaile looked relieved but Serana said, "And what will happen to our friends? Our Jarl and his housecarl are imprisoned as well."
Kaie nodded. "No harm will come to any of you. You are welcome to stay here for the time being.  Until we free the King, and the princess." 
Vilkas nodded. "As long as you promise safety to our friends and Jarl, we will help you. I will help you."
Kaie smiled. "Good. We will need your help."
"Vilkas has already volunteered to return to Markarth with me to help check out the territory."
Uaile said, looking at Vilkas.
"I can try to find a way to warn our people about the ambush, and then help them escape." Vilkas nodded.
Kaie looked at Uaile. "That is smart. I will send word to Dryston. And then we will get together a plan of fellow Forsworn agents in the city." Kaie turned back to Vilkas. "We are at a half Moon now, we will attack by the full Blood Moon."
Vilkas nodded and looked at Serana and Ronthil. "Let's do what we can to get our family back together."

         It was dawn when Uaile and Vilkas got ready to head back to Markarth. Two nights had passed and Vilkas felt comfortable enough to leave the others. It was chilly as he stepped out of the tent and put on his wolf armor. He earned it as a Companion, and he was going to save his friends.  "Leaving without saying goodbye is never good." Serana mused as she followed him. Vilkas turned to see the former princess watching from her tent. Her breath clouded around her from the cold and Vilkas said, "I didn't want to wake you or the children. Gods know what a bear Aaiden is when he is woken up." 
  "He needs his mother." Serana said.
"And I'm going to go get her." Vilkas responded. "Her, and Sinding."
"And Arodil as well." Serana said.
Vilkas frowned. "Do you love him?"
Shocked, Serana looked at him in surprise. "What?"
"Do you love Arodil?" Vilkas repeated, turning around. 
He got closer to Serana. So close, she could feel his heat from where he stood. She looked up and met his blue eyes. "I don't know what I feel towards him....other than wanting to be with him." 
  Vilkas turned away. "That's what I thought." 
Serana looked at him in surprise and grabbed his arm. "What are you trying to say, Vilkas? That you love me?" 
Vilkas looked at her and swallowed. "Would that be so bad?" 
Serana bit her lip, tears swimming in her blue eyes, "No. It wouldn't. But you don't know me..... not the way I want you to know me."
  Vilkas shook his head and pulled away. "How can you say that? Tanii met Sinding in prison and knew instantly-" He snapped his fingers, -"That was her mate. And look at them now." 
"Yes, look at them now. After spending time together. Getting to know each other. She was a shoulder for him to weep and regret on, and he gave back to her. Just because they fell in love fast doesn't mean I have to."  Serana said, her voice hard. Vilkas turned back and looked at her and Serana violently brushed a tear away. "Tanii is not me. And you are not Sinding. You aren't Arodil either. Your Vilkas."
"And what does Vilkas have to offer to anyone, if I can not win the heart of one." Vilkas turned away, sadly.  Serana walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder and said. "You have the world to offer, Vilkas. You are kind. You are brave. You have an amazing leader. But....I think you deserve someone who would give back to you as you give to her." 
Vilkas frowned. "And that can't be you?"
Serana squeezed his shoulder. "Because I am broken in my own way, Vilkas and need time to see who I should be in my life. Who to be and what to be." She patted him on the shoulder and moved back towards the tent. Vilkas roughly wiped tears from his eyes as Uaile walked into view. She was dressed as she was before, in her maid's clothing. "Are you read-" she stopped when Vilkas turned towards her, violently wiping his eyes. She swallowed. "Are you alright?"
Vilkas gave her a forced smile. "Never better. Now let's go get our friends out."