Chains of the Past VI

I dust the snow from the small snow pile off, before getting closer to Serana so I can hear her over the storm, asking, "What was that? I didn't quite hear you."

"I was saying, that it seems a little unexpected for someone who seems so young to have so many kids? Or is it an orsimer practice?" Serana asks again over the howling wind as I search for my next egg.

"Thanks for the compliment," I say with a laugh before continuing, "But, they're adopted, and it feels like I have even more with the orphanage I've opened up... Well, commandeered."

"Oh, how do you commandeer an orphanage? And how many children do you have?" Serana asks with her curiosity piqued as I find another egg.

"It's pretty easy, just build a nice, new building and then offer the newly appointed headmistress of the local orphanage a helping hand by offering the building to her along with financial support and transport for the children. As for my kids, I have my son Aventus, and my daughters Lucia and Sophia. Ah, and almost forgot my latest addition, Olette, a young girl who picked my pockets while in Riften, poor Aventus is going to be surrounded." I say with a chuckle as I grabbed the second egg before continuing. "Plus the six children from the orphanage who I try to be a good father figure for, at the very least. The boys, Alesan, Blaise, Francois, Hroar, and Samuel, with Runa being the only girl." I explain to Serana.

"Wow, that is... A lot of children, do you have a wife to take care of them while you are off being, a mercenary commander, was it?" Serana asks as I spy my third nest.

"Well, I don't have a wife, but my children have several mothers, Kasia, Sofia, and M'rissi. Along with the other women of the camp who watch over them." I explain grabbing my third egg, as I look around for my fourth egg.

"I see, I had heard that orsimer take many wives, but those names don't sound particularly... Orcish?" Serana asks before finding a fourth nest and handing me the egg.

"That's because they aren't, Kasia and Sofia are Nords, while M'rissi is a Khajiit." I tell Serana.

"Oh... That's... Different? Or perhaps times have changed since I've been away? Is it normal, that kind of relationship I mean?" Serana asks while I start climbing the cabin in search of a fifth nest.

"I wouldn't say it's, abnormal, at least for orcs, but it's not really common place... Personally, I think that the practice of wearing an amulet and then marrying the first person who has a somewhat positive impression of you is the weirder practice if you ask me." I shout, grabbing the fifth egg from the top of the house before dangling off the house's edge and dropping down.

"They still do that thing with the amulet of Mara?" Serana asks as I begin looking along the path for the sixth egg.

"Yeah, they do. I prefer something a little more... Natural, you know?" I reply, finding the sixth nest on a precarious rocky outcropping on the edge of the mountain.

"Not really, probably something to do with being an immortal vampiress. But, the 'natural' isn't really an option in my case, with mortals dying before you can even get to know them and most other vampires being preoccupied with power, control, and blood orgies." Serana says with a deadpan expression.

"Yeah, blood orgies sound just awful." I say as I crawl along the snowy rock face, careful not to slip.

"Not particularly, but the outfit is just completely ruined." Serana says, making me laugh as I get the sixth egg.

"That's number six, ready to head inside yet, this weather is terrible." Serana says, rubbing her arms as if for warmth.

"Nah, I'm sure they have more to talk about and I really want that 'precious' thing Langley was going to offer. Here." I tell her before pulling out a spare fur cloak I had in my inventory.

"Um... Thank you..." Serana accepts the cloak, lowering it slightly as I see her make a face of dissatisfaction when it gets a little close to her face, scrunching her nose, before continuing, "I know you mentioned doing your best to gather everything of value for your mercenary company, but why is it so important? Other than the providing for your family."

"I'm not really sure there's any deeper reasoning to be honest. I like being helpful, solving mysteries, and completing tasks... Heh, saying it like that reminds me of a story of a group of meddling teenagers who'd go around in a 'mystery cart'." I say with a chuckle as I remember the old show I watched as a kid.

"What's a mystery cart?" Serana asks, with her head tilted in confusion as I spit the seventh nest off on a small peak which I head towards.

"Ah, it's just the name of their cart." I explain before starting to scale the small peak.

"That's... Uncommon, correct?" Serana shouts from below as I grabbed my seventh egg and slide down the side to meet her.

"Yeah, but to each their own, I always say. As long as you don't cross me I don't care what you do... Well, save for the Thalmor, that is." I say, beginning to look around for the final nest.

"Who are the Thalmor?" Serana asks, as the snow storm starts to die down, with the sky clearing out to reveal a beautiful aurora in the sky.

"A group of elven supremacists who waged a war with the empire of Cyrodil, forcing them to a stalemate in which the empire lost land, prestige, and the right to worship Talos, a man elevated to the status of a Divine. This lead to the current civil war in Skyrim and the slow crumbling of the empire from within with the Thalmor doing everything in their power to push it over the edge." I explain to Serana as I walk circles around the cabin trying to find the final nest.

"I appreciate the update on current events, but why do you hate them so much? Aside from their superiority complex." Serana asks.

(Author's Note: Hey everyone, hope you enjoy this chapter. I'm visiting friends in Indiana this week and would be open to meeting any of you since I've got the free time. Have a good week!)