Skyrim V: Shadow over Markarth

Chapter Thirteen: Family Affairs

I didn't remember falling asleep on the carriage or anything else passed us riding to Karthspire. When I opened my eyes, I was in a dark tent, but under warm blankets. I was still in my prison garb, but that was all I had from that time there. I look down in my arms as Lucia is asleep against me. Beside her, in a small crib, Aaiden is asleep. I turn slowly to see Sinding asleep beside me, his arms wrapped around my stomach. I lay back down, trying to keep the tears at bay as I hold Lucia against me, and use my other hand to reach for my son's crib.  I fell back asleep with my family all together again. 

.......................................
  "I figured you wouldn't want to dress like the other Forsworn.... so I had grabbed theses extra robes for you." Uaile held up a robe set similar to my blue and gray set. This one was a black color with orange designs. She put that down and a set of leather pants and boots.  I look up at her and nod. "Thank you, I appreciate you thinking that way of me."  
 "I got your husband, some studded armor. Vilkas said he was more comfortable in something like that. And for your brother, I also got him similar robes to yours." 
I nod. "Thank you, I appreciate that." 
  I went behind a screen and changed out of my grubby prison garb as Uaile said. "The King returned last night. All of the inmates from Cidna Mines survived and arrived last night. Madanach and Kaie were hoping to speak to you today." 
  I pull the robes over my head and use my fingers to comb through my hair before I tie it up in it's two hair buns, this time, putting all my hair up into the two buns. "I'll speak with them." 
  I walk out from behind the screen and look at Uaile. She gives me a soft smile as I say. "Have you been able to speak to your father?" Her smile fades and I suddenly feel bad. "Hey, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-" I start when Uaile shakes her head. "It's not that, it's just...what do you really say to your father who has been imprisoned for years with no contact other than letters here and there." She looks at me and then smiles. "I think you are probably in the same situation with your grandsire, King Madanach." 
  I nod, but say nothing.  Muffled voices come from the other side of the tent and Lucia barrels through. "Ma! There you are!" She hugs me as she said. "Aunt Serana said that we will be able to go home in a couple of days!" Serana comes through the tent and says, "I said we will soon, but I didn't say when. Your Ma and Pa just went through alot, and your Uncle is very sick still." Serana walks over to me and we hug for a moment. "Thank you for watching them." I whisper. 
Serana hugs me tighter.  
  The tent opens again and Irileth now steps in. She is adorned in her leather armor and clears her throat. "Sorry to interrupt such a touching moment, but the King in Rags wants to speak to you." 
 I release my grip on Serana and turn to Lucia and give her a kiss. "It's almost done, I promise you." Lucia smiles, "Ma, I know you have alot going on, and it's ok. I promise, I'll be here for you." I blink back tears and kiss her again before Irileth says, "Dragonborn."  I nod, "Alright. I'm coming." 
   I step out of the tent and follow Irileth to the big tent in the middle of the camp. She opens the flaps, "She is here." 
  I walk in to see Sinding sitting besides Vilkas, who is sat beside Balgruuf. Across from them, is the Forsworn woman Kaie, and Madanach. Borkul the Beast, ever his guardian, stands behind him. Madanach is no longer dressed as a prisoner, but now as a Forsworn King. He wore furs and bones as his armor, and he looked proud. He smiled when he saw me. "Taniiaae, please take a seat." I nod and sit beside Sinding. He takes my hand in his and Madanach clears his throat. 
 "I know I told you things that you were wondering about, in regards to your mother. I will speak to you about it in a moment." He turned to the Jarl. 
 "So we have an agreement? Whiterun will not attack us Forsworn in the Reach?"  
Balgruuf shook his head, "Your people helped me and my court escape from the betrayers that is Markarth. Whiterun will see no trouble to your cause, just as long as you don't slaughter our people." 
  Madanach smiled, "My own granddaughter is one of your people. I promise to bring no war to your city as you won't do it to mine." Both men agreed and soon, the Jarl, Irileth, Borkul and Vilkas left the tent, leaving me, Sinding, Kaie and Madanach to speak privately. 
 "You look so much like Iaera, it's like looking at her ghost." Madanach says, "You have a few of your father's features, but you look more like your mother than anything." 
  I lean forward, and swallow. "What was she like?" 
"You don't remember her?" Kaie asks.
I shrug, "As so much as I can. When you are a young girl when she dies, you tend to forget some things. I was only little more than a child when she passed." 
  Madanach nodded. "She was the delight of her people. When we had the city of Markarth in our hands, Iaera was one of the few people who went out and spoke to the people in the city. Regardless of what the Silverbloods will say, our reign in the Reach was peaceful." 
 "How old was she.....when Vulono...." my voice broke. Sinding squeezed my hand as Madanach said, "Your mother had only been alive for nineteen winters when the elf assaulted her." 
 I close my eyes. She was younger than I thought.  
  "When I found out, I went into a rage. How dare a Thalmor defile my daughter?" Madanach said. Kaie cleared her throat. "We were attached that day, my king. It's hardly your fault."
 "I should of been there to protect my daughter when she needed me most." Madanach said, tears in his eyes. "But, despite the evil that be felled her, we were gifted with a beautiful child." He looked at me. "Your mother adored you, and said that you were a gift from the Old Gods....and even Lady Mara."  
  I swallowed. 
"When she had to leave with you to Whiterun, it was the hardest thing she ever did. But I told her that it was no life for her or you as a prisoner. Even then, there were traces of her being weaker and more tired. But it wasn't until she wrote to me while I was in prison that I realized how sick she was.  Even though she was so ill, she talked about how kind the Companions were, and how you had made friends and were the youngest recruit there. She mentioned that you had a Reachwoman's spirit by how committed you were to prove yourself as a Companion." 
  I nodded. "I often followed Skjor, Aela and the Brothers when they were training. They were all a little older than me, and I didn't want to be left behind." 
"She wrote as much." Madanach said, smiling.
"When did you find out....about her passing?" Sinding asks, softly. 
Madanach met his gaze. "I noticed that her letters were getting less and less, and when she did write, her script was hard to read. Her last letter to me said that she had hoped that one day, I would be free and be able to see her and Taniiaae. A month later, I received a letter from a Kodlak Whitemayne, telling me that my daughter had died from a poisoning illness that had been slowly affecting her for years and that she finally succumbed to it." I close my eyes. I remember that day, no matter how hard I try to push it out. I remember feeling so confused that no one could help my mother, that no doctor or potion could save her. 
  "He also wrote and said that he promised to look after Iaera's daughter, as if she was his own, and not to worry about her." Madanach finished, looking at me. 
I give him a tearful smile. "He did that, looked after me like I was his daughter. He made good on that promise." I wipe a stray tear away from my cheek.  The tent got very quiet, and for a while no one spoke. Stray wind pushed against the tent flap and a gust of cold hair pushed through it. 
  Madanach cleared his throat. "I was always hoping that I would get to meet you in this life, and the fates seemed to want it to be so, my dear." 
 I looked up at him. "Now what would you have me do?"
Madanach meets my gaze. "Do? I want you to be happy and free, like what your mother would always want you to be." 
  "I thought you said I'm the 'Forsworn Princess' now?" I asked. 
Madanach nods. "You are, and while I would love to have you and your family stay and be part of our tribe, and be there when I reclaim the Reach, I think...you wouldn't be happy with that? Would you? You already seem so burdened by being Dragonborn." 
 I looked at him. I never spoke to him about how I felt about being the Dovakiin, until now, we only talked this deeply when we first met. "How...?"
"The cells have bars, not wooden planks, child." Madanach said, kindly, "I heard you a few nights ago weeping that you feel as if you aren't good enough for your family since you are always called to arms as Dragonborn.....I think you taking up your role as the princess of our people would only hurt you more."  
  I stammer and Madanach chuckles. "I already spoke to Sinding, about this. But I think, for the time being, you should all go back to your home, and rest. Know, that you have family here in the Reach, and who wants the best for you." 
 I swallow, "Thank you, Grandfather." 
Madanach nods. He stands, and the rest of us do likewise. He walks over and gently puts his hand behind my neck and kisses me on the forehead. "I'm very proud of you, Taniiaae. Your mother is too." I closed my eyes as the tears start to fall freely. I don't know what draws me closer, but I give him a hug. He returns it. 
  "You know, maybe I'm speaking for myself, but if you can spare leaving your people and know how to keep a low profile, you can come visit us in the outskirts of Whiterun." Sinding says, as I walk back over to him and he puts a hand on my waist. He looks at me and smiles. I nod, "Yes, if you think it would be safe for you, you can always come and stay in our homestead for a bit...if you want to of course..."
Madanach nodded. "I think I can spare being away from my people long enough to be with my family. After all, your Jarl and I have already agreed to peace." 
   I clasp my hands together. "Good, we would love to have you... and I think my children would love to know who their great grandfather is.....I would like to know more about him myself."