Harbinger Ch. 16

As Alduin's corpse started to glow and disintegrate, Lyara was struggling to comprehend what was happening. How can Farkas be dead? He can't be dead! She needed him.

All the pain, heartache and grief she had ever experienced in her life all rose to the surface. All the frustration of being given a destiny instead of choosing one, anger at being ignored by her grandparents, sorrow of never knowing her father, and now losing her husband -- the whirlpool of emotion loosed itself in an almighty wail. A blast of energy left her body, as if her dragon soul had transformed her grief into a Word of Power.

Time seemed to slow down, then freeze. She noticed that none of her comrades were moving. The slight breeze that stirred the grass of Sovngarde was still, and not a living thing moved, except her. A slight mist appeared in the periphery of her vision, out of which walked a golden dragon. Alduin had been larger than any other dragon she had seen, but this one was far greater still.

She knew instinctively this was no ordinary dragon. This had to be Akatosh, the Dragon God of Time, the highest amongst the Nine Divines, father to Alduin, and the creator of all things.

"Your destiny is fulfilled, Dovakiin," said the golden god, in a slow deep rumble. "Alduin has been banished to the ends of time to fulfill his destiny, just as you have fulfilled yours."

"Then send me there too, for my world has already ended," she cried, irreverent in her grief.

"I grieve too, Dovakiin. Alduin was a child of my blood, as are you. I cannot grant you this boon, but you may ask one of the other Divines."

Lyara sniffed back her tears, and tried to remember the lore she had read from Kodlak's office, regarding the Nine.

"I ask then for Arkay, the god of birth and death."

A middle aged man with long flowing hair and a great grey beard walked out of the mist to stand next to Akatosh. He leant on a tall staff, and wore robes that flowed down to the floor. He was almost as tall as the dragon, and towered over Lyara.

"What boon would you request from the Mortal's God, Mer?"

"I beg of you to stay death's hand and return my love to me," she implored him. She looked down at Farkas's still body, a tear running down her face to land on his cheek.

The stern god looked down at her. "Why should I do this? I am he that brings every man and woman, Nede, Mer, Khajit and Argonian into the world, and only when I deem the time is right, I end their circle of life and death."

"If you cannot grant me this wish, then take my life so that I may join him in his honoured position in the Hall of Valor, for he was the most valiant of men," she sobbed. Her grief slowly turned to anger. Reckless and uncaring of the consequences, she stood and faced the god, and stared at him defiantly.

"You owe me this favour. I have played my part, I have done the gods' work, and because of that my husband is dead."

A third figure appeared out of the mist. Through her tear stained vision, Lyara recognised her face as that of the effigy she saw at the Temple of Mara, where she and Farkas were married.

The goddess Mara looked young, and more beautiful than anyone Lyara had ever seen. She laid a hand gently on the older man's shoulder.

"My dear son," the goddess addressed Arkay. "For the love you have for your mother, grant the request of this mortal whose heart swelled with joy and love as she married the man who now lies broken at her feet."

Lyara held her breath, awaiting a response. Arkay nodded, and with a bang of his staff on the ground, he turned and headed back into the mists, along with Mara. Before they faded from her vision, the goddess looked back and smiled at her.

Akatosh too turned his colossal form, and walked towards the mist.

"We will meet again Dovakiin, when you return to Sovngarde."

He faded from her sight, and time seemed to start moving again. She gasped in shock as a small moan escaped Farkas. He lifted his arm to wipe her tears from his cheek, before looking up at Lyara's face.

"Why are you crying?" he asked.

Lyara once again cried out, but this time in joy. Vilkas too was thanking the Divines, and looked at her gratefully.

"I don't know what you did, but thank you," his voice hoarse with emotion.

Lyara clutched at Farkas, who winced in pain. She realised then that the gods had brought him back, but not healed him. She could do something about that.

She wasn't trained in the restoration arts, but had enough knowledge and innate magic to heal, although it was costly in energy. It had to be enough, she told herself. She placed her hands gently on his chest, and concentrated. Warmth ran through her and a slight golden glow emanated from her fingers. Once she was confident he was healed, she tried to stand so that she could help the others.

Exhaustion caught up with her, and the effort of healing was putting further physical strain on her already depleted resources. Vilkas told his brother to lie still, and gently helped Lyara to her feet. He supported her as she walked towards Aela and Ria.

Lyara looked at Vilkas, seeing a completely new side of him. Her heart went out to him when she saw the anguish on his face at the state of Ria. It seemed that the obvious feelings Ria had for her husband's twin were reciprocated.

Ria was whimpering in agony. Her breath hitched in with a horrible gasping sound. Alduin's flame had not only damaged her outside, but internally as well.

Lyara placed her hand carefully on the crisp blackened skin, and concentrated again. She gave as much as she could, and when she opened her eyes, Ria's skin was no longer charred and burnt, but clear and healthy if a little pink still.

She then reached for Aela's arm, but when her friend saw the dark circles that had appeared under the wood elf's eyes, she insisted she was fine. Lyara ignored the bravado, and with Vilkas supporting her, she used the last of her strength to heal her shield-sister's arm, before collapsing and passing out.

She awoke sometime later, unsure of how much time had passed. She was surprised to find herself lying in her own bed in Whiterun, cradled by Farkas. She later found out that Tsun had sent them back.

When Farkas saw her eyes open, he stroked her hair.

"Nice to see you, dear."

She reached up a hand to cup his cheek, as she smiled weakly. He smiled back at her, love and relief shining from his eyes so brightly that it chased away any tiredness, like the darkness fleeing the sun.

"I thought I had lost you," she croaked.

He looked at her earnestly, before placing a gentle kiss on her lips.

"You are my whole life," he said as he held her gaze. "Wherever I am, I will always find my way back to you."

~~~

Epilogue ====== Karia hit the post harder and harder with the wooden sword her father had made her. She would have liked a real one, but she was only four, and her mother had said she could not have a metal blade until she was at least eight.

She saw the familiar figure of her father come through the city gate, having finished working for the day at his carpentry workshop he had near the stables. All thoughts of being a warrior left her head, and she ran over to him as fast as her chubby little legs could carry her. Once she reached him he swooped her up and sat her on his shoulders. She squealed in delight, and held tightly onto his hair, the same jet black as her own.

Karia's father lifted her off his shoulders so that he could duck through the front door to the Inn that his wife ran. The Inn, once known as The Drunken Huntsman, was called now Stormblade having been renamed when they took over the business. It was named in honour of the nickname his wife was given by Ulfric when she helped him and his Stormcloaks defeat the Imperials some five years earlier.

He saw his wife sat in a corner by the fire restringing a bow.

"Mama!"

Lyara looked up when her daughter cried out, and smiled when she saw her husband. She stood up to greet him and he bent a little so that he could kiss her tenderly, as he ran his broad hand slowly over her swollen belly.

"Uck!" said Karia. "You two are always kissing," she moaned.

Farkas ruffled his daughter's hair and laughed at the disgust showing in her large ice blue eyes.

Lyara suddenly winced, and doubled over. Farkas was immediately worried, and went to ease her back to her chair. She shook her head, and asked him to take her upstairs.

He picked her up effortlessly, and ordered his daughter to follow them. He carried his wife up the stairs to their living quarters above the Inn, and laid her gently onto her bed.

Lyara smiled through the pain, and tried to alleviate the concern evident on her husband's face.

"I am fine Farkas, but it may be time for you to go fetch Tilma. I think your son wants to come say hello."

Farkas was shocked, and immediately thrown into a blind panic. He picked up his daughter and ran out of the Inn to their old house across the street. It was now lived in by Ria and his brother Vilkas. He knocked at the door, which was answered by Ria, holding their six month old baby boy.

"It's time Ria, I need you to look after Karia for us."

"Of course!"

Farkas kissed his daughter on the head, and placed her hand in Ria's.

"Good luck," Ria called after him as he ran towards Jorrvaskr to fetch Timla.

Lyara woke several hours later from her nap. She looked to her left where her husband sat snoring in a chair, their daughter curled asleep in his lap, her small hand wrapped around one of his large fingers. She sat up carefully and peered into the crib that was between the bed and the chair. In it, her new son lay peacefully, sleeping off the exertion of being born. She hoped that he would grow up to be as tall and as handsome as her husband, and have his black hair, and ice blue eyes.

She had decided to name him Kodlak, in honour of the man who was the closest thing her and her husband had ever known as a father.

THE END.