Summary: Nobody really expected the Dragonborn to lead an ordinary life, have an ordinary family, or live in an ordinary home. Tags: char:F!PC, char:iona, char:alessan, char:mjoll, char:aerin, char:gregor, char:uthgerd_the_unbroken, char:erith, relationship:gen, relationship:femslash, relationship:het, kink:family
They had gone to Dawnstar to investigate some rumor that they had picked up on the road, but once they arrived at the city itself, Ki'shaal had almost immediately become sidetracked. Iona had never known her than to be so easily distracted, and they had crossed Skyrim together more times than she cared to count. Something was wrong, and Iona was determined to figure out what.
"You seem... troubled," she said as they were leaving the blacksmith's. "Is something wrong?"
"This place," said Ki'shaal, gesturing broadly at the town before them. "I do not like it."
Iona scanned the bay along with the houses and shops arranged around it. She could not readily see what about it could be so offensive. Compared to Riften or Windhelm it was a quiet town where people seemed content to lead their lives in peace. Even the war did not seem to have disrupted people's daily lives.
"Seems to me people just needed a decent night's sleep," she said.
Ki'shaal harrumphed. "All the same, I will be glad to be on our way home."
Iona crossed her arms. "I still don't understand why you built your house here, then. We could have stayed in Riften. It's much warmer, for one."
For a few moments they walked in silence, until the Dragonborn spoke again.
"The mines," she said.
"Huh?" Iona was confused. "What about the mines?"
She pointed at a narrow path that ran between two houses and disappeared behind the apothecary's shop. Iona followed her gaze and watched the workers climb the path towards the mine's cavernous entrance. A few hold guards wandered the area, keeping an eye on the smelters and iron being carted out of the mine. A young child was dashing up the path, lugging a heavy basket.
"Oh," said Iona faintly.
"Children working in mines," said Ki'shaal, shaking her head firmly.
"At least he's not inside the tunnels, digging?" said Iona.
Ki'shaal grumbled again, and said, "Wait here."
Iona watched her stalk up the path to the iron mine. She had a bad feeling about this.
She would remember that feeling later, when she was riding the southbound road, sharing her horse with a squirming, excitable foundling.
***
The ride to Heljarchen was uneventful enough, with not a bandit or even a wolf in sight. They saw nothing more exciting than a trio of Stormcloaks marching a prisoner out of camp, whom Iona steadfastly ignored. As luck would have it, though, once they reached the estate's approach, things started getting interesting. The Divines must be having a good old laugh, Iona thought as she dismounted and handed the horse's reins to the boy.
"Stay here and don't move," she said sternly to him. "I mean it."
Alessan watched in fascination as his new-found protector drew a gleaming black sword and charged down the sloping hill. A sprawling estate house dominated the valley below, surrounded by gardens and outbuildings and even a mill. More pressing than his future home, though, was the massive creature rampaging through it, waving a huge club. Alessan had never seen a giant, but he knew this had to be one.
He continued watching as the red-haired lady swung her sword at the giant's legs. He didn't really believe that a valiant knight could take down a giant alone, but as he watched he noticed someone else striking out at the creature with a huge battleaxe, and heard a whistling sound like flying arrows. He looked around for their source and spotted a man standing at the top of the estate's lone tower, and another woman by the stables. Altogether there were four of them.
His new mother had a personal army. The thought was more than a little exciting.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
timeasmymeasure
Hearth and Home (1/?) - f!DB/Mjoll and others
Date: 2015-01-31 03:50 pm (UTC)Tags: char:F!PC, char:iona, char:alessan, char:mjoll, char:aerin, char:gregor, char:uthgerd_the_unbroken, char:erith, relationship:gen, relationship:femslash, relationship:het, kink:family
They had gone to Dawnstar to investigate some rumor that they had picked up on the road, but once they arrived at the city itself, Ki'shaal had almost immediately become sidetracked. Iona had never known her than to be so easily distracted, and they had crossed Skyrim together more times than she cared to count. Something was wrong, and Iona was determined to figure out what.
"You seem... troubled," she said as they were leaving the blacksmith's. "Is something wrong?"
"This place," said Ki'shaal, gesturing broadly at the town before them. "I do not like it."
Iona scanned the bay along with the houses and shops arranged around it. She could not readily see what about it could be so offensive. Compared to Riften or Windhelm it was a quiet town where people seemed content to lead their lives in peace. Even the war did not seem to have disrupted people's daily lives.
"Seems to me people just needed a decent night's sleep," she said.
Ki'shaal harrumphed. "All the same, I will be glad to be on our way home."
Iona crossed her arms. "I still don't understand why you built your house here, then. We could have stayed in Riften. It's much warmer, for one."
For a few moments they walked in silence, until the Dragonborn spoke again.
"The mines," she said.
"Huh?" Iona was confused. "What about the mines?"
She pointed at a narrow path that ran between two houses and disappeared behind the apothecary's shop. Iona followed her gaze and watched the workers climb the path towards the mine's cavernous entrance. A few hold guards wandered the area, keeping an eye on the smelters and iron being carted out of the mine. A young child was dashing up the path, lugging a heavy basket.
"Oh," said Iona faintly.
"Children working in mines," said Ki'shaal, shaking her head firmly.
"At least he's not inside the tunnels, digging?" said Iona.
Ki'shaal grumbled again, and said, "Wait here."
Iona watched her stalk up the path to the iron mine. She had a bad feeling about this.
She would remember that feeling later, when she was riding the southbound road, sharing her horse with a squirming, excitable foundling.
***
The ride to Heljarchen was uneventful enough, with not a bandit or even a wolf in sight. They saw nothing more exciting than a trio of Stormcloaks marching a prisoner out of camp, whom Iona steadfastly ignored. As luck would have it, though, once they reached the estate's approach, things started getting interesting. The Divines must be having a good old laugh, Iona thought as she dismounted and handed the horse's reins to the boy.
"Stay here and don't move," she said sternly to him. "I mean it."
Alessan watched in fascination as his new-found protector drew a gleaming black sword and charged down the sloping hill. A sprawling estate house dominated the valley below, surrounded by gardens and outbuildings and even a mill. More pressing than his future home, though, was the massive creature rampaging through it, waving a huge club. Alessan had never seen a giant, but he knew this had to be one.
He continued watching as the red-haired lady swung her sword at the giant's legs. He didn't really believe that a valiant knight could take down a giant alone, but as he watched he noticed someone else striking out at the creature with a huge battleaxe, and heard a whistling sound like flying arrows. He looked around for their source and spotted a man standing at the top of the estate's lone tower, and another woman by the stables. Altogether there were four of them.
His new mother had a personal army. The thought was more than a little exciting.