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Dragonheart: Of Black Wings Unfurled	By : Lady_Kae Category: +A through F > Elder Scrolls - Skyrim Views: 15040 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own any characters used from the game TES: Skyrim. All characters and game related material, save for original content, is property of their respective owners and no money is being made from this fiction.

Chapter List
- 10
- 11
- 12
A/N: This chapter has been a long, long time coming and I am ecstatic to finally share it with all of you. Five months of writing, editing, and even more editing finally coming to culmination. I hope you all love this chapter as much as I loved writing it and I can't wait to get the next half of this out to you.
~Kae

Chapter 11: Resurgence Part 1

“ You’re being bull headed about this!”
Tarrowlyn stopped slowly as she entered her quarters at Jorrvaskr, and she was surprised to see both Vilkas as Serana going back and forth. About what, she wasn’t entirely sure, but the red haired woman was positive that she only needed to pull Serana to the side to find out.
“ Bull headed or not, I…” Vilkas began, only to realize that they weren’t alone any longer. His ice blue gaze settled on Tarrowlyn a moment. “ Harbinger, it is good to see you back to yourself. We managed to save that Moth Priest you needed and he’s currently resting in the safest room here in the mead hall.”
Tarrowlyn nodded, instantly understanding what Vilkas was getting at. “ Good job, both of you. Serana, go wake him and the three of us will get moving. I’ll drop him off personally with the Dawnguard and meet you back at Lakeview. Vilkas, keep everyone in line for now. You are to take some down time, as I’m going to need you here at Jorrvaskr as opposed to being out in the field.” Tarrowlyn took a tentative sniff even as she checked all directions. “ Keep an eye on Aela. I want to trust that she’ll follow my directive but…”
Vilkas groaned in the back of his this throat at that decree. That certainly shot his plans for serving as liaison to the Dawnguard down the shitter. Maybe Tarrowlyn wanted to keep the two factions as separate as possible? A safety issue perhaps? As for the issue with Aela, Tarrowlyn was right to worry considering that the Huntress of Jorrvaskr had brought her into the fold with underhanded means. “ Understood, Harbinger. Serana, a moment before the two of you leave please.” Vilkas replied, keeping his tone sure and steady.
Serana’s jaw squared defiantely, leaving Tarrowlyn to smirk. Something had definitely happened between the two, of that much she was certain. Whether they bickered pettily or slept together, Tarrowlyn was unsure. She’d get the nitty gritty out of Serana while they were at Lakeview soon enough.
“ Forget what I said a minute ago. I’ll get the old man, Ser. It’s obvious that it’s important. Vilkas doesn’t waste his words or breath like this.” Tarrowlyn said kindly. She crossed the room to her quarters and she disappeared inside.
“ She can hear every word you know.” Serana said with a smirk.
“ Trust me, I’m aware of that. She’s going to find out sooner or later for that matter.” Vilkas grumbled. He was out of sorts. He was not the kind of man to kiss a woman as spontaneously as he had Serana yesterday and it was eating at him. His ice blue gaze rose from the stone floor to meet her rust colored one and he sighed heavily. “ Serana, I’m not budging on this issue. The only chance of something like that happening is…”
“ Right now.” Serana finished as she closed the distance. She hauled Vilkas in at his collar and she felt her knees buckle a little when their lips met heatedly. The sensation that just kissing him gave the vampiress was intense. At to think that she had fancied herself smitten with someone else years ago. That was a mere fading ember compared to the fire Vilkas had started within her. “ Quit warning me off, wolf. As far as I’m concerned, this is reaching the next level, and I am not averse to it at all. Court me if you like, but I don’t think I can wait too long for you to make up your mind.” she whispered against his lips. Serana’s fingers smoothed over Vilkas’ stubbled jaw as he stood speechless before her and slowly his lips caressed hers in one last parting embrace.
Vilkas allowed his gloved digits to bury themselves in her tresses, if only to absorb every sensation possible. The smell of her skin, the feel and taste of her lips, the sound of her heart thundering excitedly in the confines of her breast. “ This discussion is far from over, Serana.” he whispered promisingly. Ice blue eyes met garnet colored ones in the candlelight and Vilkas swallowed hard at the sight she made. She was breathtaking beyond compare, though Tarrowlyn wasn’t far behind if he were honest. Vilkas had thought himself to be in love with her at a time after all. His sudden and intense attraction to her could be Serana’s vampiric allure at work, but Vilkas didn’t give a damn if it was.
“ I’m counting on that. I’ll return safely, I promise.” Serana replied.
Tarrowlyn was just stepping out of her quarters, though the knowing smile on her face spoke volumes. Dexion wasn’t far behind the young harbinger as she looked over everything on her desk and she sighed a little. “ Farkas, Sinding, and I are going to be hollowing out a space in the mountain near my steading for her to stay safely. I won’t leave her with a band of vampire killers if I can help it. I’ll be away from Jorrvaskr for nearly two months getting her settled in, but I’ll send Farkas on a daily basis to keep all of us caught up.” Tarrowlyn decreed. “ I’ve already sent Farkas ahead to Lakeview to get started. I need you to be my eyes and ears here Vilkas.”
Vilkas nodded in agreement. “ Jorrvaskr will be in good hands, Tarrowlyn. I promise you this. You be safe if you’re traveling alone. I don’t like the thought of you doing so, not after what happened last time.” The Black Wolf of Jorrvaskr’s brow furrowed tightly as he thought back to the trauma Tarrowlyn had lived through. He was proud to see that she had come out on top in the end of it all.
Tarrowlyn gave Vilkas a sisterly kiss on his cheek. “ I’ll be as safe as I can all things considered. I doubt I’ll find myself outnumbered to that great a disadvantage ever again. Besides, it’ll be a straight shot through the Rift to Falkreath. I’ll be home in less than a fortnight. If it makes you feel better, I’ll send Farkas out the following morning. I need a break from all this damnable traveling.” she groused at the end.
Vilkas snorted in his amusement before returning the gesture. “ That will make me feel better. Enjoy the time off, Tarrowlyn. I daresay you deserve it. Be safe and I’ll see you soon.” he said kindly.
Serana smiled softly as the two embraced tightly and she couldn’t help but sigh a little for it. Just being around Tarrowlyn gave her a feeling of belonging to a family. Serana truly felt as if the other woman were her sister despite the lack of blood ties between them. Even then, those circumstances didn’t matter, not to Serana at least.
What mattered was what she felt deep in her heart.
Tarrowlyn cupped Vilkas’ cheek one last time before she started making her way for the door. A sly smirk traveled across her face as she stopped short in the doorjamb before she turned back to face Vilkas. “ I’ll make sure to get Serana back here so that you can continue this discussion at a later date. Maybe the two of you will need to borrow Breezehome for a day or two.”
Vilkas and Serana both colored brightly, much to Tarrowlyn’s amusement. She was surprised to see the rouge coloring the vampiress’ cheeks for that matter, but she filed it away for later. Right now, she had a grandmaster to harass and her children to see.

It took a week and a half, but Dexion was settled in snugly with the Dawnguard and Tarrowlyn made a mad dash for home while she could. No sooner than had she walked into her door, all anyone saw was a blur hurriedly removing their armor before Tarrowlyn exited her room tying off a bodice.
Lucia was ecstatic to see her mother home for a prolonged period of time. The two could often be seen out on Tarrowlyn’s property as she trained her daughter to wield a bow as well as she could. Lucia caught on lightning quick for that matter, as if she were a natural shot with it.
Alesan and Farkas were often either hunting or training together as well, though the two parents did try to even put the amount of time spent with either of their children. Alesan was a fast study with his sword play, and Farkas was more than happy to tutor his son in the proper handling and technique of his blade.
It took roughly five weeks for Sinding and Farkas to hollow out Serana’s space, but by the time they were done, Tarrowlyn and Rayya already had a good chunk of the furniture prepared for her. Serana fit in well with the six residents of Lakeview Manor and she tended to serve as a nighttime sentry for the property. It worked out well in the end, as it kept her fed and everyone safe.

Farkas rubbed his arm a bit even as he dressed down for bed and Tarrowlyn chortled softly. “ Don’t say it…” he warned mirthfully. Their daughter had shot him through the arm during their training earlier that day. While the pain was gone, Farkas couldn’t help but be reminded of Tarrowlyn in that instance.
His lover had done the same thing to him during her trial after all.
“ I told you so. Lucia’s a force to be reckoned with when it comes to a bow, Farkas. Just be glad I healed it for you.” the dragonborn teased affectionately. She had a quill and some parchment in her lap and she was happily writing out something, though Farkas was unsure what it was.
He couldn’t hold back his curiosity as he sat on the bed beside her and Farkas leaned over a little to read what it said.
You are cordially invited to bear witness to the marriage of Tarrowlyn Dragonheart, Harbinger of the Companions, and Farkas…
Ah, the invitations. They had tentatively agreed that the spring of next year would be as good a time as any, Alduin’s scaly ass notwithstanding, though Farkas secretly hoped they could bury this problem with the dragons by that time. It gave them just over half a year to do it, but Farkas was sure that if anyone could, it was his betrothed. “ I know you said you wanted this whole dragon mess done before we got married, Tarrowlyn…”
The redhead turned to her future husband with a small smile on her face. “ Farkas, if being flung back into this time has taught me anything valuable, it’s to not constantly put things off to the side because the current events aren’t desirable. We’ve got a decent window to work in. I think we might be able to pull it off in time. If not, then that particular hunt can serve as our honeymoon.”
Farkas smirked at that and he leaned in to kiss her. “ I can’t lie, I like the sound of that.” he purred against her lips.

Tarrowlyn smiled brightly as she looked at her children, all the while relishing in the downtime she had found herself with. Serana had received word from Dexion at Fort Dawnguard and had left the night before to take care of the errand. Jorrvaskr was running fairly smoothly under Vilkas’ watchful eye in her absence. What more was there to worry about? Thankfully not Lucia and Alesan. They were both sitting on either side of the table, working dutifully on their reading, writing, and numbers. They had come quite a long ways since when Tarrowlyn had first adopted them. Lucia had caught on faster to reading while Alesan was better with his math. Tarrowlyn couldn’t get that boy to sit still with a book for more than fifteen minutes. Farkas was in Falkreath proper at that moment, more than likely getting a few things that they needed from Solaf. Along with the linens we need for the cradle we’re surprising Rayya and Sinding with. she thought with a soft smile. In fact, Tarrowlyn had been hard pressed to sew the blanket she was currently working on for her steward's son or daughter in all the time that she had been home. Rayya was very close to having her baby and the dragonborn was exceedingly eager to have it done by then. She had done the same for another of her dear friends; Camilla and Faendal, when their daughter had been born earlier that year. It seemed as if everyone Tarrowlyn knew on a very personal level was having their own children while she could not.
Tarrowlyn couldn’t stop the hurt she felt flow through her at that paralyzing realization and she paused her efforts as she gripped her midsection tightly. Tarrowlyn loved Lucia and Alesan dearly, she truly did. But she had wanted to experience motherhood from the first rocky, nauseated months of pregnancy, through the tumultuous and hormonal second trimester, only to have it culminate with the her bringing her child into the world.
And because of the Silver Hand, she and Farkas would never know that joy.
Tarrowlyn placed the blanket to the side and she stood quietly, walking up the stairs to her bedroom as calmly as she could. She had wanted to run and lock herself behind the door, but that would alert Alesan and Lucia and Tarrowlyn didn't want to have them worry about her. Her heart literally ached the longer she thought of how she would never get to hold a squalling infant that had Farkas’ jet black hair and her piercing green eyes. One with his smile and her laugh. Her nose, and his ears. The little boy that was his father’s spitting image, or the little girl that would have her gentle giant of a daddy wrapped around her finger at first sight.
The dragonborn sat heavily on her bed and she buried her face in her hands as she burst into soft sobs. She had almost everything she wanted; considering that she and Farkas were knee deep in planning their nuptials at this point, but Tarrowlyn was happy. It was things like this, knowing she would never know that kind of joy, that cut the young woman deep into her heart and soul. She heard the front door open and then Farkas asked the children where she was. Damn it. She had hoped to calm down before he came home.
His footsteps were coming all the more closer, and Tarrowlyn couldn’t stop her tears if she tried. The hurt was too much to bear, she needed to work it out. Tarrowlyn turned away from the door as Farkas walked in silently and he scowled when he saw her hunched over with her head in her hands. Tarrowlyn rarely cried about anything, so it had to be something severe for her to break down about it. Farkas padded over to the bed and he sat beside her, smoothing a gentle hand over her back to the opposite shoulder. He pulled her gently into his embrace and Tarrowlyn followed it willingly, burying her face against his chest as she continued to weep.
“ What’s wrong?” he whispered sweetly against her ear. Farkas tenderly nuzzled her neck, and he placed a gentle kiss against the skin there.
“ I don’t know how to explain it.” Tarrowlyn whimpered. She felt Farkas lean them back against the mattress and she curled up tightly to him.
“ Just talk to me, it’ll come.” Farkas replied.
“ I don’t know what happened.” she croaked despondently. “ I was working on the baby blanket for Rayya, and then it hit me. I’ll never get to make one or two for myself...For our children…” Tarrowlyn curled up tighter against Farkas as she tried to fight back the tears. “ I’ll never get to know how that feels, having our child grow inside of me...Feeling every kick, every movement…” Tarrowlyn stopped short as she began crying in earnest again and Farkas wrapped both arms around her tightly.
His eyes were a bit wet as well and Farkas’ eyes shut tightly as he tried to blink the tears back. Well, that would definitely make someone break down like she had. Farkas felt a few tears lick his own cheeks, and he felt his chest clench at the obvious pain Tarrowlyn was in. He wanted to take away that hurt, diffuse it with the love he felt for her and turn it into something else. Anything but this. While she wasn’t physically hurt, Farkas didn’t like seeing the woman he loved in any kind of pain. He tilted her chin up towards his own and Farkas claimed her lips with all the tenderness he could muster. Tarrowlyn inhaled sharply at the current that seemed to pass between them when they connected, but she soon melted against him with a soft sigh of contentment.
“ I know it hurts, but even if we never have our own children, we still have Lucia and Alesan. Two beautiful, healthy, and absolutely maddening children that we love and protect. While we may not have any ties by blood, we’re all bound where it counts most.” Farkas whispered when they finally broke apart. His hand came to a rest over Tarrowlyn’s heart, right over the scar she had sustained nearly two and a half years ago. “ Don’t forget that.”
Tarrowlyn smiled tearfully and she kissed Farkas deeply once more. “ Thank you.” she sniffled. “ I needed that.”
Farkas smiled as Tarrowlyn climbed over top of him in an effort to leave their room and he pinned her in place. “ Lucia! Alesan! Why don’t you two go catch some fish for dinner tonight!” Farkas called out.
“ WOOHOO! Yes Farkas!” Lucia answered joyfully. Alesan gave a similar reply and within seconds, the front door opened and shut hastily.
“ You need to stop interrupting their studies like that. I was getting ready to head down there to see how they were doing.” Tarrowlyn remarked with a scowl as she slapped the expanse of his chest irately.
“ You’re not leaving this room for the next hour or two.” Farkas purred and he couldn’t keep himself from chuckling as Tarrowlyn flushed prettily. Farkas had better stamina than that and she knew it. He sat up, pinning Tarrowlyn against his chest and his hands began deftly untying the laces of her bodice. “ I’m not done cheering you up yet.”
When the kids returned a few hours later with five large salmon in tow, Tarrowlyn was in a much happier disposition indeed.

A pair of cold, brown eyes looked over the manor. She had been watching, waiting, planning for so long now. She needed a chance to strike.
Farkas had left that morning for Whiterun, as he needed to return to Jorrvaskr to pass on Tarrowlyn’s messages to the Circle and the rest of the whelps. With her completely caught up with trying to help Serana, and dealing with this whole dragonborn issue, Farkas had become her voice at Jorrvaskr while she was out in the field. By Ysmir, it was a miracle Tarrowlyn had made some much needed time for herself over the last two months.
The children were playing outside, messing around with some wooden swords that Sinding had given them. Tarrowlyn was hard at work at her forge at the moment.
The woman’s eyes narrowed. She wouldn’t strike right now, not with the woman surrounded by the swords she had expertly crafted. But tonight was the night. The housecarl was completely indisposed with her nearing her child’s birth, the baby’s father was more than likely a helpless farmer, and the Harbinger?
There was no way she could take twenty five on by herself.
Vadresa smirked horribly as she looked down on the dragonborn with unrestrained hatred. That moonborn bitch was going to pay in spades for what she had done to the Silver Hand.
The Silver Hand had barely survived the decimation at the hands of Vilkas and Tarrowlyn after the previous Harbinger’s death. With a little less than fifty left, about half of which would be here tonight, Vadresa had been carefully planning on when they would decimate the Companions in turn. The remaining twenty four would be attacking Jorrvaskr in the dead of night.
Vadresa had learned the lesson the other Masters had not. It was easier to kill a warrior who was unarmored and half asleep then it was to kill one who was still wide awake even after a few mugs of ale. She had planned for every contingency. While she would allow the housecarl and her husband to live, Vadresa would not allow Tarrowlyn’s two whelps to sleep through another night. For all she knew, they would go the same path their mother had when they got older. They had to know what she was by now. If the children somehow managed to escape, they would be killed the moment they got to Whiterun. They had no other place to go to after all.
They would go to Farkas, and they would die before they reached him.

Tarrowlyn was humming happily as she washed the dishes from supper. Lucia was drying everything while Alesan was putting the dishes away. He was taller than his sister anyways, and at having just turned fourteen in Second Seed, he was having little trouble reaching anything any more. Alesan was almost as tall as Tarrowlyn now.
“ Is that Ragnar the Red, mama?” Lucia asked with a smile.
Tarrowlyn paused for a moment, as she hadn’t realized that she had even been humming, and she chuckled brightly at the realization that she had. It had been a long, long time since she had felt this happy, this at ease about anything. “ Yes, Luce. It is. Farkas was humming it this morning as we got breakfast ready and he got it stuck in my head.” she replied. He had gotten the song stuck in her head too for that matter.
Lucia smiled and then she looked to Alesan. “ Have you agreed on a date yet?” she asked hopefully.
“ Sometime next spring , Luce.” Tarrowlyn smiled widely even as she admitted this with an exasperated sigh. She would have rather married him the minute he had asked for her hand in marriage than wait so long. Not only did she have the dragons to worry about, but there was the war Harkon was trying to start with all the rest of Tamriel. She needed to broach the topic sooner or later with them before Alesan got sneaky enough to eavesdrop. “ You two do realize that Serana’s not human right?”
Both her children nodded in the affirmative and Tarrowlyn sighed. She found it was easier to be upfront with them than trying to hide anything. They always managed to find out one way or another in the end. “ Serana is a vampire. But, she’s not evil, and none of us have anything to fear from here being here with us. In fact, her and I are working to stop her father from taking over all of Tamriel. In fact, Serana’s probably having her elder scroll read by the moth priest we saved two months ago.” Dexion had told them that he had needed time to prepare and it made sense that he had only requested Serana for that. Not only that, Tarrowlyn hadn’t been present for his rescue and he wasn’t sure about her still. Tarrowlyn paused as she handed the last glass to Lucia. “ We’re not going to let that happen, but we need more information about what Harkon may be after. I’d rather find something about the prophecy that Serana said he found if possible, but mine and Vilkas’ research has been turning up short.”
Alesan shook his head, his face pensive as he set another dish into its cupboard. “ Sounds like you guys are having a rough go of it.” he deadpanned. “ Have you thought about going over to the college? They might have some insight for you.” he asked her.
Tarrowlyn looked thoughtful for a moment. Leave it to her son to think outside the box. The only downside was that she had no desire to look at the college after her last experiment. Certainly, Tarrowlyn used her magicka on a daily basis, but not for anything major the way she had before. She had only ever fought with her magicka during her college days, had used it for every little thing. Her magicka had been a shortcut.
In real life, there were no shortcuts.
“ I’ll talk to Serana about it when I head back to Fort Dawnguard next week.” Tarrowlyn finally said after a moment.
“ Ma, what about the dragons?” Alesan asked her, his tone nervous.
Tarrowlyn sighed. “ I’ve been fighting them as you well know, but Alduin has proven to be very elusive. I’ve only come across him three times since Helgan, and that’s when I’ve found him resurrecting his fellow dhovs during some of my travels. I need to return that horn to Master Arngeir soon however, and that’ll probably be when I leave for the Rift sometime next week.” She paused a moment as she picked up the bucket with the wash water, grunting a bit at the weight as she tried to even it out. “ Both of you finish your chores and start getting ready for bed. We’ve got an early morning tomorrow. I’m taking you two back to Whiterun so that Rayya and Sinding can concentrate on their little one without having to worry over the two of you.”
Lucia rolled her eyes. “ As if I wanted to see Braith again. She’s a bully, Mama.”
Tarrowlyn smirked as she set the bucket down and her hand slightly ruffled Lucia’s long brown locks. They had only been at the top of her shoulders when she had adopted her and now they sat at the small of her back. It was amazing how much time had passed them all by. “ And you’re my daughter.” she retorted proudly, her emerald eyes shining mirthfully as she met her daughter’s honey brown gaze. “ You’ve been away from Whiterun for how long now? If she tries to intimidate you, deck her. You have my permission. Besides, it’s about time someone put that brat in her place.” Tarrowlyn began to pick the bucket back up when Tala growled in her mind. She listened intently, though all she could hear at that moment was Lucia and Alesan as they grabbed their brooms to finish sweeping the floors. “ Quiet, both of you!” she snapped hurriedly. Tala didn’t growl for no reason. She was more like an early warning system that something was about to go down! Within seconds, Tarrowlyn could hear everything clearly. An untainted human could hear a nail hit the stone it had gone that silent.
Tarrowlyn’s eyes went wide and she hauled the bucket back to the kitchen. “ Get your daggers Lucia! Alesan! Catch!” Tarrowlyn tossed him her steel blade as she came back into the entrance hall. It was the one Eorlund had given her when she passed her trial. “ Now you two listen to me...Get to Riverwood, get Hadvar, and then ride like oblivion for Whiterun! I know I told both of you not to approach the other Companions, but we don’t have a choice. I think there’s nearly twenty men and women out there and you’ll be safe in Jorrvaskr.” Tarrowlyn looked between Lucia’s fearful golden brown eyes to Alesan’s determined sapphire blue ones. “ They’re waiting for me to open the door, more than likely because of our routine every night...Listen to me, keep each other safe. I’ll get the two of you to Tanaris and clear the way for you to escape. Don’t look back no matter what you hear.”
Alesan nodded. “ I’ve still got the dagger you gave to me, Ma.” he said. “ Do you need it?”
Tarrowlyn shook her head as she pulled an ebony blade off of the weapon rack near the main hall. She had yet to enchant it, but she had finally managed to make her blade. In fact, she had finished sharpening it that afternoon. “ I know I got that from Vilkas as a birthday gift, but it’s your dagger now, Alesan. Use it only if you have to. Don’t let them know you have it.” She pulled her bow and quiver from another rack. “ Lucia, you’ll need these too. Alesan’s going to be too busy directing Tanaris. You’ve been doing well since you asked me to start teaching you how to shoot one. Remember what I said.”
“ Head, chest, and joints.” Lucia repeated. She looked absolutely terrified that she might actually have to shoot or stab someone. She was still feeling the guilt from when she had shot Farkas by accident.
Tarrowlyn nodded grimly as she checked both of them over one last time. “ Come here…” she ordered. She gave both kids a quick hug and kiss. “ Lucia, Alesan...When I count to three, I need you to open the doors as wide as you can. Both of you need to hold on to me as tight as possible with your other hands.” Her arms looped strongly around their waists and she evened their combined weight a bit. This was nothing compared to the weight she was used to bearing on a daily basis. “ One, two...Three!”
The children wrenched the doors all the way open as fast as they could, and Tarrowlyn used her thu’um for the whirlwind sprint to get them past the opposition. She hurriedly put Lucia into the saddle as Alesan climbed in front of her. Tarrowlyn hurriedly raised her blade to block as slash that would have killed her and her son, and she snarled viciously as she fended them off once she got a good look at the metal.
The blades were made of silver! After all this time, the Silver Hand had survived! “ Warn the Circle the Silver Hand has surfaced again!” She then turned to the men and women attempting to box them in and she took a deep breath in. “ FOS ROH DAH!” she intoned, sending a good chunk of them flying and then crashing into the animal pen. She could already hear her hens raising a ruckus and probably scratching the ever loving oblivion out of the saps that had landed near their nests. Her cow was unhappy about this as well, if the disgruntled moos Tarrowlyn heard were anything to go by. “ Ride! NOW!” she bellowed, giving Tanaris a hard slap to get the horse moving.
Tanaris whinnied in protest, but she flew from the stable like a bolt of black lightning down the hill. Alesan pulled her reins to make her turn right and he looked over his shoulder for a brief moment. He could see Tarrowlyn fighting in the midst of the throng now. Just as quick she was out of sight and Alesan looked to the road ahead. Riverwood, Hadvar, Whiterun...he thought to himself. He needed to keep that list in mind.

Hadvar was drinking merrily when the doors to the inn slammed open. His uncle was striding briskly for him with a grim look on his face. That was odd, Alvor had just announced not even a moment ago that he needed to head off as he had a delivery to make in the morning. “ Come back in to join me for another pint or two? You just stepped outside.” Hadvar chuckled teasingly.
“ No, nephew. There’s no time. Alesan and Lucia are looking for you outside.” Alvor said worriedly.
Hadvar sobered immediately. Only a select handful of people knew whose children those two were and it was not a secret kept lightly. Tarrowlyn had stressed that she didn’t want her children in danger because of her affiliations and both Alvor and Hadvar had respected that.The village had been much safer because she had gone to Dragonsreach on their behalf. Hadvar himself had spent quite a few nights just drinking and laughing with Tarrowlyn and Farkas, either here or at Lakeview Manor ever since he had come back to Riverwood. But the children were here alone? He rushed outside and his worst fears almost came to light the minute he saw his friend’s children sitting on the back of her horse. They were armed, which did not bode well at all. “ Ride on, I’m heading there now. Send as many of the Companions as you can!” he ordered hastily.
“ Hurry! She’s vastly outnumbered and Rayya can’t fight! Sinding is more than likely protecting her if they broke into their cabin.” Alesan said quickly. He then spurred Tanaris onward, and the mare once more sped off.
Hadvar didn’t wait to see them disappear. He was already climbing onto his own steed to go to Tarrowlyn’s aid. He just hoped he wasn’t going to be too late.

Vilkas was looking over Fralia’s trinkets, hoping to find one to surprise Serana with when he saw her again, when a terrified scream met his ears and broke the monotony of the early evening. He groaned in his ire, thinking it to be another vampire attack. They had been happening at least once every few weeks. Thankfully, the companions had been ready for it.
“ LUCE! RUN FOR IT!” came a young boy’s voice. He grunted as he deflected a couple of blows and he swept in, keeping the blade level as Farkas had taught him to. His sword dug deeply into the flesh of the bastard attempting to kill them and the man went to his knees the next second. Alesan swung his steel, slitting the man’s throat. A punch to the side of his head sent him sprawling across the cobblestone and Alesan blinked to get the stars out of his vision.
“ Alesan!” Lucia screamed in terror. She pulled back her bow and loosed her shot, catching the other man right in the neck. She had sent that shot right through his windpipe. “ Get up hurry!”
Vilkas was running faster now. There were at least two, no, three men encroaching on two children and his ice blue eyes went golden in his rage. The door to Breezehome had been bashed in, though Lydia was nowhere in sight. What had happened to the housecarl? A bellow from the back of the house told Vilkas she was also fighting someone off. So there were four, maybe five men altogether? How dare these bastards attack children! He drew his blade as he got closer. “ Girl, keep running! Get to Jorrvaskr and get my shield siblings!”
Lucia stopped dead in her tracks a moment. While he looked like Farkas, it wasn’t him. This had to be his brother. “ Vilkas! It’s the Silver Hand!” she called out to him. “ Alesan, c’mon!”
“ JUST RUN LUCIA!” Alesan bellowed commandingly. He was currently deadlocked with his back against the ground. A sickening thunk was heard and Alesan kicked the now dead man off him. There was an arrow protruding from his temple. Ma wasn’t kidding when she said Luce’s been doing damn good with her bow… he thought for a brief moment.
Vilkas hauled Alesan to his feet and he shoved the boy towards his sister. “ Run!” I’ll take care of them here.”
Alesan’s eyes went wide and he kicked Vilkas in the back of the knee to make him drop to the ground. Within that same instant, an all too familiar dagger was pulled from his boot when he brought his foot up and Alesan plunged the dagger into the man’s chest.
Vilkas watched the display with very keen interest. Not only did he know that fighting style, he knew damn well whose dagger that was. Better yet, he knew the sword in the boy’s hand as well. He pulled Alesan in by his collar and Vilkas got nose to nose with the boy. “ Where did you get that dagger?!” he demanded quickly.
Alesan shoved Vilkas off, not realizing who the other man was at first. He needed to get his sister to safety damn it! “ My ma gave it to me.” he retorted. “ We don’t have time for this!”
“ Behind you!” Lucia shouted. She fired another arrow, and this one seated itself between the eyes of a huge orc that had been preparing to bash Vilkas in the back of the head with his warhammer.
“ Go!” Vilkas ordered. The children were distracting him and there were more members of the Silver Hand coming out of the shadows. He swung his sword a bit, preparing for the next altercation and the Black Wolf of Jorrvaskr smirked. So the Silver Hand had been laying low then? Hopefully, these were the final dregs that had crawled from their pits.
This would be the final battle between their two factions. Vilkas was certain of that.

Farkas was talking with Torvar and Athis when the doors to the mead hall slammed open.
“ FARKAS!”
Farkas looked to the door immediately, and he felt his heart plummet right into his stomach. Lucia had just run in from the streets, and she was holding her right arm tightly to her. The sight and smell of blood were apparent on the pretty blue sleeve and Farkas tamped down his rage a little. An arrow had pierced her arm straight through. “ Lucia?! What in oblivion are you doing here?! Aela! Get Ria and take her to Breez…” he began even as he began making his way to her.
“ Breezehome has been sacked Farkas, and Vilkas is fighting by himself!” Lucia cried out. “ You need to go help Alesan! Hurry! He’s going to die if you don’t! The Silver Hand attacked us as soon as we got here and they...”
“ Get her downstairs and have Tilma tend to that wound. Torvar, Athis, Hjommar! Get to Breezehome now!” he ordered, cutting Lucia off. He settled both of his hands on her shoulder to have her look him in the eye and he smoothed her mussed locks from her face. “ I’ll be right back once I’m sure everything is safe Luce.” he told her. “ We’ll talk then, okay?”
Lucia nodded tearfully as Ria began pulling her towards the living quarters. Aela was already shouting orders to let none near or through the doors.
Farkas bolted outside and his silvery blue eyes scanned the chaos. There were people running all around, but he spotted the boy who would soon be his son in name without fail. Alesan was darting around the Gildergreen in an effort to keep alive and two huge brutes were trying to pin him down or corner him against the broad trunk. He was holding tight to a wound in his side, and there was a nasty gash on his brow that was bleeding profusely.
Alesan jumped up, catching the first branch and he swung his legs forward as fast as he could. His feet hit the closest assailant hard in the throat and Alesan let go of the branch to let his momentum take them both to the ground. Without missing a beat, Alesan plunged his dagger into the man’s throat. He saw the shadow all too late, and he turned his wide, blue eyes upwards on the man that was preparing to kill him.
“ Oh no you don’t!” came an enraged bellow. A meaty fist knocked the second attacker to the ground and Alesan sighed in relief when he saw Farkas.
“ Where’s Luce?” he asked quickly. Alesan winced in pain as both hands flew to his side again and Farkas eased the boy to his feet.
“ Inside, get up the stairs now.” Farkas ordered.
Alesan nodded. “ Thanks pa.” he whispered sincerely. Alesan didn’t wait for Farkas to respond, and he hurriedly ran up the steps to safety. Aela was watching from the door, as Lucia had told her that her brother had needed help. He was ushered inside and not even a moment later, the door was shut.
Farkas felt his chest swell with pride. That was the first time he had ever been called that by either of the kids. A pained groan met his ears and two more sets of footsteps came up behind him. “ I thought you bastards learned your lesson the first time you attacked Jorrvaskr.” he growled out dangerously. These men had tried to kill his children, his and Tarrowlyn’s children. She may have adopted them first, but Farkas had welcomed them into his heart without reservation the moment he learned they were hers. Even before he and Tarrowlyn had finally reconciled their relationship, Farkas had been the father that Alesan and Lucia had needed. “ I don’t know which one of you shot my daughter, or stabbed my son, but all of you are going to die for even trying to end their young lives.” he snarled out savagely. His golden eyes were leveled on the members of the Silver Hand before him. He was going to kill anyone that posed a threat to his family.
“ You’re outnumbered here, Companion.” one said snidely. All three of them, two men and a woman were circling around Farkas waiting to attack.
“ Three of you? It’ll take more than that. I’ve bested six on my own.” Farkas retorted dangerously. His eyes were boring into all three of them with an intensity that made each one sweat a little. They honestly had only heard of the battle prowess of the warriors of Jorrvaskr, very few ever lived to tell the tale.
Faster than any of them could blink, Farkas swung his blade into the closest of them, the woman, and she screamed in terror and agony as her sword arm was suddenly cleaved from her shoulder. That scream was short lived as the next slash slit her throat. He spun and closed quarters with the man he had punched for attacking Alesan, and Farkas shoved his sword up through his ribcage. He could see the bloodied tip sticking out through the space near his left collarbone.
Farkas turned to the last attacker, parrying a moment before grabbing the man by his shoulder and he drove his steel up through his mouth and out of the top of his head. He let the bastard drop to the ground as if he were discarding trash and Farkas looked around to see if any more were coming out of the woodwork. He could hear the guards fighting with someone in the Wind district. He turned on his heel and Farkas began making strides for Breezehome. He needed to check on his brother now that the kids were safe and now that this area was in the clear.

Vilkas panted a bit as he healed himself, as he had been stabbed through his thigh with a silver dagger. The wound was steadily closing, but it burned worse than a dragon’s flame. The bodies of sixteen lay before himself, Torvar and Hjommar; one of Jorrvaskr’s newest whelps. Athis was getting a body count. He knew there were at least two more behind Breezehome, one inside, and maybe two up in the Wind District. If Vilkas didn’t know any better, he was sure he had heard Eorlund join the fray at the last moment up there.
“ Twenty accounted for?” he asked Athis.
“ Twenty two between the plains and wind districts. I didn’t have a chance to see if any made it through the marketplace yet.” the dunmer replied with a scowl. “ Twenty were the Silver Hand, Vilkas. One other was one of the gate guards. I don’t even think the poor sap had a chance to protect himself.”
Vilkas looked puzzled a moment. “ Who was the twenty second then?” he asked.
Athis’ head fell. “ It was Tarrowlyn’s friend, Lydia.” he whispered, his voice full of sorrow. Vilkas looked up at him in shock. Athis knew better than to refer to Lydia as just Tarrowlyn’s housecarl. “ She succumbed to her injuries not too long ago, but she still managed to defeat the two that attacked her."
Vilkas slammed his fist into the ground. He should have gone to check on her when things went too quiet back there. Torvar, Athis, and Hjommar could have handled things for a moment. “ Damn it!” he screamed. “ I should have gone to check on her! I might have been able to save her then.”
Athis shook his head. “ She was impaled on two different blades, Vilkas. I doubt she would have survived any longer than she did. She died a warrior’s death, though I pity the bastard that has to give Tarrowlyn the news.” the dunmer said glumly.

Farkas strode for the Harbinger’s chambers once he had made his return to Jorrvaskr. The Silver Hand that had attacked here were completely decimated. None had lived. Right now, he was going where he knew where Lucia and Alesan were. He walked through the double doors and both children jumped when he made his entrance. Alesan had since had all of his wounds bandaged; the boy had sustained more than Farkas had thought, and he was sitting in one of the chairs in the corner without his shirt. Tilma had taken it to clean and mend it. Lucia’s right arm was in a sling for now and the entire sleeve of her favorite red dress was missing. Aela and Tilma had needed to cut it away in order to clean the wound and to keep the young girl clothed. He breathed a heavy sigh of relief when both kids bolted from their seats to him and Farkas dropped to his knees. “ Thank the eight the both of you are alright.” he whispered vulnerably. Farkas kissed the top of Alesan’s head first as the boy clung tight him and he then kissed Lucia on the forehead as she tried to bury her face in his neck. She was sobbing for all she was worth. It wasn’t hard to see how badly shaken the children were from this.
“ Pa...” Alesan finally said after a minute. “ You need to get to Lakeview as fast as you can! We were all attacked just after supper tonight and Ma was alone! I don’t know if Sinding was able to go help her or not! We stopped briefly in Riverwood to send Hadvar to her aid, but...” Alesan stopped as tears swam in his vision and his throat grew too tight to speak. He knew his mother was a strong nord woman. She was the dragonborn for Shor’s sake. The numbers were against her though, and Alesan swallowed the lump that had formed in his throat. He didn’t want to think his mother had died.
“ Was it the Silver Hand there too?” Farkas asked him gently. He was holding Alesan by the shoulder, keeping the boy in place but within reach. His other hand was slowly and comfortingly running up and down Lucia’s back in an effort to soothe her.
Vilkas, Aela, and Tilma all looked at the scene dumbfounded. They had never realized how good with children Farkas was. It was like Tarrowlyn had told him a long time ago. None of the kids around town had really given him a chance because he looked much too fierce and terrifying.
Alesan nodded. “ I’m scared.”
Farkas noddedas well, mirroring his children's worry for their mother. “ I am too. I’m going there now, okay?” He received another nod from Alesan and Farkas got to his feet while scooping his daughter up in his arms. Lucia had fallen asleep against him in that short time. The poor girl had been fraught with nothing but worry and terror for hours. “ C’mon. Let’s get you two in bed. You’ve had a rough night.”
Alesan nodded numbly as Farkas guided him gently into the Harbinger’s quarters. He laid down against the mattress and Farkas eased Lucia to the bed on the opposite side. Lucia instinctively curled up to her big brother and Alesan wrapped his arms around her tightly and protectively. She had done this quite a few times after waking up from a nightmare. He looked up to Farkas one last time as the gentle giant settled the blankets over the two of them and Farkas sat on that side of the bed. “ Sleep Alesan. You and Lucia are safe here. Aela, and the others won’t let anything happen to you.” he whispered soothingly. Farkas hadn't mentioned his brother as Vilkas was leaving with him for Lakeview in a few moments. His large hand smoothed Alesan’s hair away from his bandages and the boy closed his eyes in his exhaustion. He was much more tired than he thought he was.
“ I hope she’s okay…” Alesan whispered as he drifted off to sleep.
Farkas nodded. He did too. He smoothed Alesan's hair one more time before he stood. He shut the door behind him and the worry that had been on his face became a scowl of fury. " Vilkas, we're leaving now. No one goes in or out of Jorrvaskr until we return with the Harbinger."

Tarrowlyn groaned as she regained consciousness. Her head throbbed, her mouth was gagged, her arms felt as if they were being stretched much too far, and her wrists were burning. She struggled to open on eye against the constant stream of pain she was feeling, and she looked up at her hands when she did. She was shackled in silver, the chains were hanging from the second floor and her feet were dangling below her. She hissed as she forced herself to grab the chains attached to the shackles and Tarrowlyn attempted to pull herself up. She had a lockpick hidden in her bodice and she just needed to get herself high enough to be able to pull it out. She could feel that they had managed to find all of her hidden daggers though. The front doors slammed open, though the doors to the main hall were closed and Tarrowlyn swore as she lowered herself back down. She feigned unconsciousness once more and she listened as another voice joined into the noise.
“ When we get out of this the imperial army is going to hunt every single one of you down! I swear it!”
Okay, I remember Hadvar coming into the fray around the same time Sinding did. He and Rayya managed to take out the two of them that were in their cottage. I think I took out seven or eight before I lost consciousness, and I don’t know how many they got. I’d have to wager there are still five left by the sound of things. she thought. Tarrowlyn was calculating every move she needed to make from here. Okay, seven, maybe a few more than that...I can hear them dragging Sinding in now too, and Rayya’s following behind. They won’t harm her because she with child…
The doors to the main hall swung open and Tarrowlyn did her best to keep still as Hadvar kept cussing up a storm. He was cursing the final dregs of the Silver Hand with every breath he made and Tarrowlyn was hard put to keep herself from smirking. If Farkas thought she was bad when it came to slinging insults, he had another thing coming. It was as if Hadvar had turned it into an art after Tarrowlyn had introduced him to her pissed off practice.That had been back in Helgan.
“ Wake her up.” came a cruel voice. It was female and Tarrowlyn wanted to growl at the sound of it. There was something in that tone that was upsetting Tala to the point that the wolf was pacing agitatedly at the sound of it.
“ You leave her alone you bastards! She hasn’t done anything to you to warrant this!” Hadvar bellowed. Tarrowlyn didn’t want to know what he was seeing that was making him react like that.
“ That’s where you’re wrong, little man.” said the woman. “ She’s tainted, unclean, and we of the Silver Hand will purify this world until there are none of her kind left. Her crimes against nature are more than enough to warrant her death. As soon as we finish here with her, we are going to join the rest of our brethren in Whiterun in purging the filth from there as well. What are you waiting for?! I said wake her up!”
A snap and then a crack was heard and Tarrowlyn’s back arched high as a silver tipped whip tore through her dress and into her skin. Oh those bastards! She was going to make sure the Silver Hand was nothing but a memory after this! Tarrowlyn keened in agony against the gag in her mouth and she barely heard Hadvar demand that they stop once more.
Tarrowlyn’s eyes opened and she looked down onto a breton woman with dark, cold brown eyes. Her long hair was lank and there were three massive scars trailing across her face. Great, a bitch with a grudge against werewolves. she thought bitterly.
“ It’s about time you woke up, Harbinger.” She spat nastily. “ I’ve got to give you credit where credit is due. There were twenty five of us here. There are only eight left. You personally took out ten of our ranks before we managed to subdue you. Not only that, you managed to get your pups out of here as well. No matter. They’re going to die once they reach Whiterun.
“ I am Vadresa of Daggerfall, and I am the last remaining Master of the Silver Hand. It will be a pleasure to kill you.” The breton woman said with a sneer and she gave a slight bow of mock deference to the Harbinger of the Companions.
Tarrowlyn growled in the back of her throat as she glared daggers at the breton. How dare this bitch threaten her children like that! She knew that Alesan and Lucia would be safe once they reached Jorrvaskr. Farkas would be able to rally the Companions in decimating the force that was at Whiterun.
Vadresa looked behind Tarrowlyn and she nodded curtly. She then smiled darkly as the lash bit into Tarrowlyn’s skin once more, twice, three times. Her smile grew more and more sadistic as the whip wielding man behind her kept swinging until he reached ten. “ I’d be careful if I were you, bitch. I’m in control here.”
Tarrowlyn’s eyes narrowed and she growled again. Oh, she was going to take great pleasure in killing her. No one threatened her family and got away with it! Well, I can try to burn it away….she thought with an inward grin. She inhaled deeply and she was about to shout the first word to her flame breath when the whip wrapped around her throat. Her air supply was suddenly cut off as the cord tightened around her neck and all rational thought slipped away.
“ I took your thu’um into account already, moonborn! I wasn’t sure if you would be able to shout past a gag, so I made sure that we would choke you if you tried to use the voice.” Vadresa cackled. “ I told you. I’m in control here. And you are completely powerless.”
Tarrowlyn’s eyes went golden at that insinuation. Vadresa had to know full well what Gemaine had done to her. That meant that she was attempting to goad Tarrowlyn into snapping, and the dragonborn knew it. Well, unlucky for this bitch from the Silver Hand, Tarrowlyn had no intentions of doing such a thing.
“ You won’t be so powerful once more of the Companions come.” Sinding grunted in pain. “ You think that because of one werewolf, your crimes against others are completely justified? Take a good look at the woman you have shackled in her own home. She’s a mother, a thane of Whiterun, Morthal, and Falkreath...She’s the Harbinger of the Companions...The dragonborn for the gods sake! She doesn’t hunt humans, in fact, she’s done everything in her power to protect them.
“ She is a woman bound by honor and her honest desire to help others. She helped me when I thought there was no hope left. “ Sinding was speaking from personal experience at that point. Tarrowlyn had helped him conquer not just his own beast, but Hircine as well. His transformations had been erratic, he had killed that poor girl in Falkreath just before he had met her. In fact, there had even been a point where he was sure she was going to kill him as well, but instead Tarrowlyn had managed to save him. She had even vouched his case to the jarl and the rest of the villagers to give him a second chance. Because of her, they had. If it wasn’t for Tarrowlyn, Sinding wouldn’t have the happiness he had now. He wouldn’t have even been alive to enjoy it. “ She helped myself and so many countless others. Tarrowlyn has helped save so many lives since joining the Companions. Does that sound like a monster to you? She’s not the monster here, Vadresa…” Sinding’s eyes narrowed on the Master of the Silver Hand and he sat up tall against the chair he had been bound against. “ You are.”
Vadresa recoiled at those words and her arm flew out faster than any of them thought possible as she backhanded Sinding. His head snapped to the side violently and Rayya cried out in fear for her husband. “ I suggest that if you don’t want me to kill you here and now, that you hold your tongue.” she hissed vehemently. Her chest was heaving and her eyes were wild in her insanity.
Tarrowlyn looked at Vadresa consideringly. There was something not right here, and the Harbinger looked over to Rayya. Her housecarl was sweating heavily and she was gripping her midsection tightly. Oh by the divines! Not now! They were not ready to deal with a woman in labor! None of the water was ready, Tarrowlyn hadn’t washed all of the blankets yet, and they needed Sigrid and Gerdur’s help with this birthing! Tarrowlyn had no clue what to do!
The thoughts racing through Tarrowlyn’s mind about Rayya’s all too impending labor came to a standstill as she looked at Vadresa. By the gods, it couldn’t be possible!
Vadresa turned those untamed eyes onto Tarrowlyn and the dragonborn knew in that instant what was wrong with the woman before her. Her dark brown eyes had turned a deep golden color...
Quick update 9/22: I promise all of you that I have not forgotten about this story and that I'm sorry that my work schedule is kinda forcing me to take a little hiatus from any serious writing. This along with the fact that the school year started up in August. Needless to say that my household has gotten very busy over the last month or so. I'm hoping to make an update in a week or two, as I don't foresee myself finishing the chapter I'm working on now this week, and I'll probably go ghost for a few months to get a few chapters knocked out for all my stories in play. I do want to thank all of you who have been reading however. I love the fact that at least someone besides myself is enjoying this, and it's because of that feeling that I keep writing. Every jump in the view count, even if it may seem minimal to some, gives me joy and hope. So again everyone, thank you so much and I hope you continue to enjoy where this story is going.
~Kae
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Dragonheart: Of Black Wings Unfurled