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Chapter Text

The ten gold room fee was quickly dismissed as two Ivarstead guards placed him onto the spare bed. His body was badly bruised and slashed from what they presumed to be dragon’s claws.

“By the Nine.” Wilhelm slowly breathed out as he brought his quill rapidly across a torn sheet of paper.  If none of the healer’s from the College of Winterhold could be reached, Danica Pure-Spring in Whiterun was the Dragonborn’s next best hope.  He looked up from his brief letter and met the eyes of a spare guard. “You.” He waited until the shorter Nord approached the bar, “Find a courier. Tell him to deliver this to Danica in Whiterun quickly with the utmost care.”

“Yes Sir.”  Wilhelm did not wait for the guard to leave. He turned to the open door way and watched the Dovahkiin struggle to catch a breath.  Blood slowly seeped through his torn tunic onto the bedfurs while other small streams trickled down his left arm and across his fingers. Tiny drops fell to the ground into a rapidly growing pool of sweat and blood. 

The innkeeper turned to the guards and dismissed them. They had not carried the Dragonborn down the 7000 steps. The Dragonborn had made it more than half way down on his own before the Breton thief standing before him brought him to the mouth of the path in Ivarstead.  Wilhelm took in the man’s armor before noticing his gaze on the Dragonborn.

“Does he know?” The Breton at the foot of the bed jumped slightly and stepped to the side.

“I don’t know what you-”

“I may not be a priest of Mara but I know that look when I see it.” The thief grunted as he replaced the bloodstained cloth atop the Dragonborn’s head. 

“The feeling’s not mutual.” Wilhelm hadn’t bothered asking the man his name. He didn’t care and only allowed the thief in the room because he had saved the man who risked his life for Skyrim, for all of Tamriel. “He’s got a whole pack of kids, you know.” He smirked briefly before his face returned to its constant frown. “Back in Whiterun. He loves them more than life itself.”

“Does he have anyone watching them?” Wilhelm placed a tankard of water on the bedside table and returned to the foot of the bed.

“The Companions.” Wilhelm nodded his relief. “The Harbinger views him as a son and his former lover is a member of the Circle.” The Breton winced as the word ‘lover’ passed his lips. “He will most likely be watching them. With his brother.”

“The twins?”  Wilhelm pushed and took notice of the other man’s clenched fist. “Should I write to them as well?”

The other man curtly nodded. “I will write to another former lover in Riften. He deserves to know as well.”  The ‘just in case he doesn’t make it’ was left in the air between them. “He is one of the kid’s father.” 

Only a nod of acknowledgment passed between Vilkas and Brynjolf as they stepped into the inn.  Vilkas had seethed as both sides in the civil war waited less than a week to send Aiden letters requesting him for their respective side after the dragon shouts. Even if he had returned home the elder twin knew he would be in no shape to fight in a long, drawn out war. 

The uneasiness between the two sides dissipated at the sight of Danica as she knelt in the pool of the Dragonborn’s blood on the floor. Her hands remained aglow with healing magic for more than twenty minutes before either one made a move.

Vilkas noted the open anguish in the Guild Master’s eyes as he continued to stare at the scene before them. It would have made his wolf stir angrily if the Dragonborn had not cleansed him of the blood before he left. Once the deed was done, Vilkas could see the notable change Aiden. His wolf mourned the loss of its mate and he could no longer consider Vilkas his lover.  They both knew it was going to happen and it was something Vilkas still deeply regretted.  He had not kept his affair with Lydia from the Dragonborn, not with the housecarl’s rapidly growing stomach.   He could still recall the other man’s face as Lydia broke the news to him through massive amounts of tears.  Lydia could see the look of respect that Aiden had given her slowly cool into one of resentment and then devoid of any expression at all. 

Unlike Vilkas, Aiden had feelings for him beyond the blood and brought Vilkas on countless adventures including to the Thieves Guild in Riften. That happened shortly after Brynjolf had discovered Thiemo’s existence three months after his birth.  Vilkas discovered their deep connection after the betrayal of Mercer Frey that nearly took both of their lives.  He tried not to think back on the two decisive arguments he’d had with Aiden that led to their eventual spilt.

Brynjolf ignored everyone but Aiden and Cynric. The jailbreaker’s letter was something he had hoped would never reach his desk.  He had known the man now known as Dragonborn for over a decade.  The boy had followed him and the other members around until he had become an excellent thief. At this rate, his skill now surpassed Brynjolf’s. 

The ginger haired man knelt down across from Danica and gently grasped Aiden’s sweaty right palm.  Cynric stood behind his Guild Master as he waited on Sapphire and Vex to make the trip from Riften.  Delvin offered to keep an eye on things while they were gone.  They all knew what would happen to Brynjolf if the Dragonborn died.

Farkas was the first to move to the foot of the bed. He suppressed his enhanced senses the best he could as he watched Danica continue her work. Even without his senses, he could tell the priestess was beginning to tire out. She had switched to one hand with healing magic while the other rested on a spare portion of the bed.  Vilkas placed his hand on his brother’s arm to calm the wolf as it roared to be released. He had stopped speaking to his brother after his infidelity with Aiden and supported the Dragonborn the best he could. He spent more time with his nephew than Vilkas did which was the most contentious issue between the two brothers and they both knew would be for a long time. 

He found it hard to believe that his sensible brother, of all people, blamed little Emmerich for his twin sister’s death.  The survival rate amongst the twins of Skyrim had remained low since their birth thirty three years ago.  Farkas had also walked in on the last fight between Aiden and Vilkas and nearly beaten his brother senseless once they left Breezehome.

“This is just like them.”  Brynjolf’s surprisingly shaky voice broke over the sound of Aiden’s labored breathing. “The Gods gave him what he wanted only to take it away.” He shook his head as Cynric’s hand gripped his shoulder. “The Lad won’t be able to enjoy it.”

“He’s not going to die.”  Farkas rumbled since Vilkas had not said a word. “He has his family.”

“Even the Gods and Daedra are not that cruel.” Vilkas swallowed as moved to hand Danica several healing and magicka potions.

“We both know that is not necessarily true.” Brynjolf’s voice lacked any of its usual humor. Although it caught her attention, Danica let the reference drop between the two groups as she drank the magicka potions. “How is Helgi?”

Neither of the former lovers knew for sure who the girl’s father was but, they had their shared suspicion. She did not look like Aiden’s traveling companion, Teldryn Sero, who he constantly hired from the Retching Netch even though she was born shortly after his trip to Solstheim. There had been a period of time where no one had heard from him after the Cultists had tried to take the boys.  Helgi was also the only child not to have heterochromic eyes.  She had slowly gone from green to black eyes on her first birthday and her hair had progressively started to darken over the last few months. The only thing both lovers were sure of was the girl’s father had to be a Nord.

“He sustained many more injuries than you can see.” Danica said as she pulled her healing magic away.  Everyone in the room tensed as she washed her hands in the small wash bin in the corner of the room.  “I managed to fix most of it, however, he lost a lot of blood on the trip down the mountain. I believe the Greybeards tended to him before he left or else he would not have made it.”

The man in question grunted softly and tried to move. Brynjolf and Cyndric held him still to prevent his gashes from reopening. “Almost all of his ribs were broken, his right lung had completely collapsed, and his heart has recently been healed.” Danica frowned as the man tried to move again. “He should be alright as long as he stays put for, at a minimum, a month.” 

Brynjolf pressed his forehead into Aiden’s palm while Farkas disregarded his brother who had moved to follow Danica out of the room.  He knew his older brother would return to Whiterun to relieve Aela of her position guarding Aiden’s children.  

Chapter Text

The children filed into Ivarstead around a month later full of mixed emotions.  Of all the children, Helgi remained the most stoic.  She comforted Lucia and Sofie by standing guard with her brothers as they picked flowers outside of the Vielmyr Inn.  None of the children spoke about their father’s new appearance until two visitors calmly walked into town and requested to see him.

“They are from Papa’s travels.” Lucia waved at the pair and turned to her siblings. “Do you remember Ty?”  The other children quickly formed a circle around the first adopted child. “That’s Ms. Frea and Mr. Sero.”

Thiemo shoved Lucia’s shoulder at his nickname.  “Sero helped Pa after he defeated the other Dragonborn.” He hissed lowly as Lucia pushed him into the dirt.

“Ty!” Helgi and Emmerich quickly stood between the two. “We’re not supposed to mention that! Papa said so!”

“Enough!”   Emmerich growled, much like his father, as he helped Thiemo up. “Father needs us all on our best behavior right now.” He stood back to back with Helgi.

“He has to focus on getting better.” Alsean scanned the faces of his siblings. He rarely took his role of the oldest child unless he absolutely had to. “Then we can ask him about his time in Solstheim.”

Helgi turned on her heels at the creaking hinges of the Inn door.  Britte, the only sibling allowed into the Inn, crossed the threshold and down the Inn steps to her adoptive sister. “Father has asked for you.” She did not wait for Helgi’s response and rushed back to the Inn.  

“By the All-Maker...”  Aiden winced as Frea voiced the shock of the room as she took in his new appearance.  Teldryn blocked the door frame in order to keep the Skaal shaman in the room while Brynjolf sat in his chair at Aiden’s side without comment.  

This man before them embodied the tales of the heroic Dragonborn  far more than the short, stocky Nord woman she had come to know. She,then daughter of the the Skaal Shaman, did not question the All- Maker's path for Aiden but could not come to see him as the man he truly was until this very moment.  

"That child outside," She kept the Dragonborn's gaze as she motioned to the doorway behind her, "Her aura and potential magic are.."

"Old?" Aiden sighed softly as Brynjolf stayed seated in the chair beside his bed. His hoarse, deep voice shook with the knowledge the Shaman was seeking."Other Worldly?"

"And the timing of her..." Frea's eyes grew cold as she put two and two together.   “My father called you friend of the Skaal. He died so you could defeat Miraak.” Frea turned back to the Dragonborn, the more she spoke, the more anger infused in her voice. “He died believing you would stop Miraak, not fuck him.”

It was her companion’s hand that roughly grabbed her by the neck to silence her. Teldryn Sero had traveled with the Dragonborn throughout Solstheim in all of his quests, including the one to defeat Miraak. He had agreed to travel with Frea after hearing of Alduin’s defeat.

Brynjolf sat back in his chair at Aiden’s side after Frea's outburst. He met his eyes with mixed feelings, “I thought it was Cynric.”  He dragged one of his lockpick calloused hands over his face and through his hair.

“Cynric and I have never been together, Bryn.” Aiden said this as he kept Brynjolf’s gaze. “You’re the only person from the Guild I’ve been with.”

“So she was the price for Hermaeus Mora’s help?” Teldryn asked as he stared at his helmet on the corner table.  

“Herma Mora is a Daedric Prince, you know that Teldryn.”  Aiden paused to sit himself against the head board. “I fought Miraak once before the Summit.” He accepted the small tankard of water from Brynjolf and watched as his newly formed hands dwarfed it. “One of Herma Mora’s reasons for pitting us against each other was to produce another Dragonborn heir with the First and ‘Last’. Neither of us knew the Daedra’s intention at the time.”   He tried not to acknowledge his shaking hands as water sloshed from the tankard’s brim. “Mora said I would be on my way to becoming who I’ve always wanted. He then told Miraak that he would be freed…” Aiden winced as his healing wounds burned with each breath. “And after thousands of years stuck in Apocrypha, he readily agreed.”

Brynjolf tensed slightly beside him and Aiden tried not to feel hurt by it.

 “I went into Apocrypha with the drive and intent to kill him.” His voice waivered as Teldryn slowly eased his grip on Frea. “I also went in believing I would be the last Dragonborn.  That none of my children would suffer the same fate that I have.” 

 “I thought you were supposed to be the last?”  Frea finally shook Teldryn’s hand from her neck and moved to lean against the closest table.

“Daedra are fickle and I’ve learned most legends are not entirely true.” Aiden coughed into his hand and wiped the blood off on a torn piece of cloth.

“But the child is like you.”  Teldryn stated bluntly as Brynjolf slowly caught on. “Was that also part of the price?”

“Mora never said outright Helgi would end up like me.” He watched as Brynjolf rested his face in both of his palms.

“That would explain Heinrich.”  He mumbled as his shoulders sagged.

“I never let myself get close to Helgi because I know how much she suffers.” Aiden shakily pushed himself back against the headboard of the bed. I'm doing the same thing to my son that happened to me. he thought with mild disgust.  “To wake up every morning wondering what you did to make the Gods punished you this way.”  Teldryn blocked the doorframe as a patron walked to the bar behind him. “ Mephala has always loved to mettle in mortal affairs.” Aiden laughed bitterly. “Defeating Alduin appeased most of the Nine. It was Zenithar that created the final deal in order to allow Hermaeus Mora to use his knowledge to change me.”

“Wouldn’t Julianos be the one to create your new body?” Brynjolf tried to scrounge through his knowledge of the Nine Divines. He took the tankard from Aiden’s hands and placed it by a burned out candle.

“He was persuaded by Mara to allow Mora to do it and then go over it himself.” Aiden laughed lowly as he stared at the ceiling for a moment. “My love for Helgi, a father’s love for his child, was what moved her to my defense.”

“Akatosh got his son back... Arkay received the ashes of my old body…”  His large palms gently grasped the bed furs as he thought back on his hazy encounter. “Dibella crafted my sex appeal.” He chuckled softly as Brynjolf mumbled something along the lines of ‘you already had it’ under his breath. “Kynareth would give me safe passage back to Skyrim.” He pulled the small bowl from the bedside table and began to pick through its contents.  “Mara and Stendarr showed compassion and mercy for my constant hatred while Talos…”   Aiden took a bite out of a red apple.  “He will be appeased once I choose a side in the Civil War.”

Every person in the room knew of Aiden’s dislike of the war. Until recently, he had refused to join on the fact that if both sides had joined together, they could’ve forced the Thalmor out of Skyrim long ago. 

“I regret pushing her… pushing him away.” Teldryn tried not to let his mixed emotions show as the Dragonborn talked about Helgi. He had sat through many conversations about his love for all of his children. Even though everytime he looked at Helgi, he saw Miraak in the boy’s face. He saw the child shortly before coming into the Inn. From Aiden’s description of the first Dragonborn, her hair and eyes were starting to look like him as well.  “I saw Miraak in him and I wasn’t… and I’m still not fully ready to face that.” 

Aiden took a deep breath wracked with pain and exhaled slowly, "Tell Britte to bring him in here." 

The child in question stood at the foot of his Father’s bed that Farkas once occupied. Aiden could tell his once long hair had been cut by Thiemo due to the unevenness of his bangs.

“Vati.” He gently rested his tiny hands on the foot frame of the bed.

“Come here, Heinrich.”  Aiden commanded softly as he glared Frea down. Her hand slowly drew away from her sword.  “I have something for you.”

Heinrich sat on the small space left near the crook of Aiden’s left arm. The small necklace Aiden held in his palm was quickly picked up and examined by his youngest child. “It is one of Alduin’s claws.” He smiled as Henrich slipped the necklace over his head and held the single talon in his hand. “I had the Greybeards enchant it to keep you safe.”

Tears slowly streamed down Heinrich's cheeks as he clutched the talon tighter in his hand. It dwarfed his tiny fingers but Aiden knew he'd grow into his gift. The first gift he'd actually given the child. 

Aiden grunted in slight pain as Heinrich wrapped his tiny arms around his neck. He bit his lip as his son cried harder into his shoulder. 

You will not suffer as I have suffered. I promise.