Rise of House Sigeweald Book One (Skyrim Fanfiction)

Chapter Thirty Two: There is a deeper wave than this tugging at your hand

"Elspeth!" She opened her eyes slowly and lifted her head, peeling her face from the bottom of the carriage where she saw two blurry guards peering at her from the end of the cart. She groaned and tried to sit up but she was spent. Every muscle in her body ached and she flopped her head back down.

The walk from Northwatch Keep had been exhausting and made even worse by her incredibly misguided attempt to drag Benor's body all the way back to Morthal using a makeshift sled fashioned out of old boards and rope. First she hit a storm, which turned out to be a boon as it covered the path leading between Northwatch and Elspeth being formed in the snow by the sled. On the second day, it became clear that bringing Benor home was going to be impossible. The journey was too long and the path too difficult. At the rate she was moving, it would take more than a week just to get to Solitude.

The ground was too frozen for any sort of proper burial, so she took his body into a thick cluster of trees and did her best to cover it with branches she cut with his axe. It was, woefully inadequate, but it was something. In Morthal, Alsfur, the Jarl's steward and husband, thanked Elspeth for her efforts when she returned Benor's axe. He seemed almost moved by her gesture but by then she was so sick with exhaustion that she barely noticed and the last thing she remembered was answering "Whiterun" when he asked where she was heading.

"Toki," said Bjorlam. "Get her out of here, I need to take these nice people to Markarth."

"Come on Elspeth," he said as he crawled in and helped her out. "Can you walk?"

"Maybe," she mumbled as she righted herself on her feet, holding herself against Toki and looking up at the familiar walls surrounding Whiterun. Not since the very first night she arrived in Whiterun had she been so relieved anywhere. She hobbled slowly up the path, helped by Toki who saw her just inside the main gate. It was late and the market stalls were closed so she took the first turn and walked up the path to House Gray Mane.

Fralia clutched the handkerchief she was holding to her chest when she saw Elspeth standing in the door and brought her inside, her face drawn with terrified anticipation.

Elspeth didn't waste a moment. "Thorald is alive," she said as soon as Fralia closed the door behind her. "I got him out of the dungeon where he was being held prisoner."

She gasped loudly. "You did? Where is he? I must see my son at once!"

"I'm afraid he's not here. He didn't think it was safe to return," she explained, feeling her chest tighten as Fralia's face fell in disappointment.

"What? After all this, I can't even see him?" She pursed her lips and furrowed her brow. "Then...how...how do I know you're not just telling me what I want to hear?"

"He said to tell you..." Elspeth paused, wanting to be certain to repeat Thorald's adage correctly. "Suffer the winter's cold winds—"

"For it bears aloft next summer's seeds! That's my boy! That's my Thorald." She stepped forward and took Elspeth's hands in hers. "For now, it's enough to know that he's alive. I can find peace in that." The touch of the old woman's hands eased the weight that had settled into her chest, but before she could say anything, Fralia was hurrying around the house. When she came back she presented Elspeth with a beautiful axe. "I had Eorlund forge this for Thorald. I suppose he can't have it now." She held it out, "Why don't you take it. We can always forge another for the day this war ends and Thorald can come home."

Elspeth took the weapon. Unlike most axes, this one felt comfortable in her grip. Familiar. "It's beautiful. Thank you," she said quietly. "I have to go home now and let Lydia know I'm back."

"Of course." Fralila placed her arm around Elspeth's shoulder as she walked her back toward the door. "Thank you, dear friend." Before she left, Fralia pulled her close and said. "Runa would be so proud of you," which almost brought tears to her eyes.