Skyrim V: Shadow over Markarth

Chapter Fourteen: New Decisions

Serana & Arodil.

     When Arodil woke up, he was surprised to find himself in a dark tent, his torso bare and laid on his stomach with healing salve on his back. He tried to sit up when a soft voice said, "Hey, hey, easy. I just finished treating your back." 
  He turned to his side as Serana sat on a chair besides him. Her dark hair was unbound around her face, and her bright blue eyes were solemn. 
 "Serana...." Arodil said softly as Serana held up her palm. 
"Let me speak first...." She leaned forward and swallowed. "I'm sorry, I got you into this mess..." 
 Arodil sits up and winces in pain, "Wait-"
"I'm not finished yet." she says. "If I had never beckoned to the call of the demonic Daedra in that house, then you would of never went out to search of me...or have been beaten by the Thalmor." 
  Arodil reached over and cupped Serana's cheek in his hand. She closed her eyes as she kissed his palm. "I was so worried for you, I was worried about Tanii and Sinding too....but you, I feel like they would of punished you more because you abandoned the Thalmor...." Angry tears streamed down her face and Arodil wrapped her in his arms and against his bare torso. "I'm sorry I got you in trouble." Serana said, "I'm so sorry."
"You don't ever need to be sorry. I don't regret any of it..." Arodil said softly, "No matter the pain they inflicted on me, because you were safe." Serana closed her eyes. She listened to his beating heart against her ear. "I'm so happy you are safe....." She murmurs as she tilts her tearstained face towards his.  He looks down at her, his yellow eyes taking her in. He leans forward and she tilts her chin up as their lips met and they shared a kiss.  Serana sucks in a breath, she had never felt this way before. She never thought she would either, especially after the darkness of the crypt for hundreds of years when she was a vampire. But here she was, with someone she generally wanted to be with. 
   She dipped her head away from Arodil's mouth and rested her head in the crook of his neck. "I realized while you were locked up, that I don't think I could be happy with anyone but you.... I was so afraid...." Arodil held her tighter. "It's alright, I'm here now." 
 Before Serana could answer, the tent flap flew open. "Hey, I just wanted to check on you----OhmyTalos! I'm so sorry!!" Tanii ripped the tent curtain back to give Serana and Arodil some privacy. Serana's face blushed red and Arodil kept back from chuckling as Serana said, "Hey, we are decent if that's what you are worried about. And weren't doing anything." she stands up and tears the current to see a reddened Taniiaae. Her hand is over her mouth and her cheeks were so red they were coloring up to her ears. Serana saw her and started to laugh hysterically.  She gestures for her to come into the tent and sits her down on a stool.  "We weren't doing anything, yet the look on your face says otherwise." Serana said, her tears now ones of joy from laughing too much. "You and Sinding had a baby together, I didn't think you would get all this bashful-"
Taniiaae blinks. "True, but I never walked in on anyone." She looked at her brother and then back at Serana. "Forgive me for intruding." 
Arodil gets up and pulls his sister into a hug. "No apologizing, if anything, I should be thanking you for helping me back in prison. You saved my life several times back there." 
 Tanii smiles. "It's what family does." 
"No, you always have gone above all else to help those in need." Serana says, "And it doesn't go unnoticed."  
  Taniiaae looks at Serana and repeats, "It's what family does....at least, what I do for my family because you are all worth it."  She turns to Arodil. "You are worth it, Arodil." 
 He leaned down and kissed the top of his younger sister's head. "Thank you."  As he stands up, he winces in pain. 
Serana smirks. "Ok, you need to sit down now, Arodil. You are still healing. And those stitches will pull if you keep getting up and moving too fast." 
 She helped Arodil back towards a cushioned chair. "Stitches?" he asks. 
  Taniiaae nods. "The camp's healer came in and checked on you when you were unconscious and stitched up your whip lacerations. It was much worse than we thought." 
 Serana nodded. "You are probably going to be hurting for a few more weeks til a couple of months, but once we are home, you will have time to rest."
"And work on your whittling." Taniiaae adds. 
 The tent opened again, and Sinding walked in with Lucia by his side and Aaiden in his arms. 
"What are we missing?" he smiled as Taniiaae gently pulled Lucia to her lap. 
"Making sure, Arodil here, rests." Serana says. "Oh! I wanted to ask...... in regards to the war with Ulfric and Tullius...." Her voice breaks off as Vilkas enters the room with Uaile behind him. He notices Serana sitting near Arodil, who he notices is shirtless. Vilkas clears his throat and turns to Taniiaae. 
  "I was hearing you all speaking, and thought it was alright if we joined..." He motioned to Uaile. "I was talking to her, and she said that if possible, she would like to come back to Whiterun with us." 
   Uaile nodded as Tanii tilted her head. "You are welcomed to join us, but what prompted you?"
Uaile smirked. "Maybe it's as simple is wanted to get out of Markarth. Or maybe, I just want to find out what path I'm supposed to walk without men telling me what to do." 
 Taniiaae smiles. "Then you are more then welcomed to join us."
................................................................................................................................................................

Taniiaae.

I appreciated Uaile wanted to break away and make her own life. It was similar to how I wished I could at times. I wished I could break away from being the Dragonborn and live a normal life with my family.  I shake those thoughts out of my head, "I can't say I've been controlled by anyone except for one man who tried to ruin my life...." I say as Arodil nods. He knows I am referring to our father. 
  "But I think making your own path is a wonderful idea. Thank you for all you have done to help us, Uaile." I say. "Most of us in this room have had second chances at life." I see  Sinding nods, as does Arodil and Serana. 
Uaile smiles and takes Vilkas's hand in hers as she looks at him. "I think....I think this is the best thing for me right now....I'm ready to leave The Reach and start anew." 
................................................................................................................................................................

    A couple days later,  we are back in the wagon and on the way back to Whiterun. Ronthil directed the carriage a different direction, one through Rorikstead to head back to Whiterun. While I sat in the carriage with my two children, Sinding by my side, Jarl Balgruuf and Irileth road their horses besides us. 
 "So, Taniiaae...." Balgruuf said, hiding his cough. "In regards to meeting with Tullius and Ulfric....you really think that the Greybeards will agree to meet with us?" 
  I nod as Lucia rests her head against my shoulder. I hold Aaiden to my chest, keeping him warm. The cool weather of the Winter was coming quicker than we thought. "Arngeir and I are on good terms. And I refused to kill their Leader when Delphine wanted me too. And, both Tullius and Ulfric are familiar with their territory. I think it's the most sensible option."  
  Balgruuf nodded. "We still have three weeks left until we are to meet again with Tullius and Ulfric, do you think that gives us enough time to speak to the Greybeards?" 
"Even if we do not hear back from the Greybeards before then," I say, "Ulfric and Tullius will respect the decision when they find out about the treachery in Markarth." 
  Balgruuf nods. 
I lean my head back and look at the sky, we had decided it would be safer for us all to drive at night. The stars were starting to appear in the darkening sky. "I will send a messenger to the Greybeards when we get to Rorikstead." 
  "And I will reach out to the General and Ulfric." Vilkas said, as he rode besides us, Uaile sitting behind him in the saddle. "But the deal still stands, if there is peace until we meet, then we are able to prove that the Empire and Stormcloaks can call a permanent truce in order to take the fight with the Thalmor."  
 I sigh. "The best course would of been that we would of met again in Markarth, but after the coup, I have little trust in that city and probably will never trust them again." 
  Sinding nods. "I think the Greybeards would provide a peaceful meeting." 
"As long as The Blades don't show up." I say. "I've never liked Delphine, as you know, but her leaving us when we were all imprisoned....."  I don't say anything more as I look at the Jarl. Sinding squeezes my hand and Balgruuf nods. "She definitely didn't stick around for her allies." 
"If she or Esbern appears in High Hrothgar when we have our meeting, I will have no choice but have to have them removed." I say. "She lost her loyalty to me already when she wanted me to kill Paarthunax."  The slight throb from my healing ear vibrated when I set my head back down on the wagon. "But fleeing from her comrades....that's a different type of betrayal." 
I don't say anything else on the matter, but neither does the Jarl or Vilkas. We ride in silence until we ride to Rorikstead.