Chip crept along the side of the road, his senses tingling with excitement. The sky was blue and clear, the air filled with the scent of conifers freshly washed by rain. The ground smelled rich and fertile. Everything smelled good. And there was game about. So much game. He could barely contain himself.
Hircine hasn’t had many animal souls or pelt offerings from me of late, and it’s about time I remedied that.
He grinned as he heard, and then scented, and then saw a pair of fat elk snuffling about in the undergrowth, far enough ahead that they wouldn’t spook at his presence and yet would present a fitting challenge. He turned to look at Qara, holding one finger up before his mouth to silence her. She nodded, and he smiled again. Qara couldn’t see, hear, or smell as far as he could, but she was no fool and she knew about silence even better than he did.
His arrow flew straight and strong, burying itself in the first elk’s side and dropping it like a stone. Even better, the second elk didn’t even seem to notice. Chip fired again, killing the elk before it had a chance to spot them.
Chip straightened and held his arms up to the sky in a moment of silent celebration and thanks to Hircine. He hadn’t lost his touch.
“You’re getting to be a regular wizard with that bow, Chip,” Qara said as she reached his side. “But we can’t linger. I’m not so sure why this is so important, really. Kalevi said Pinevale was all burned out. And we need to get back to talk to Daddy. I swear, if something happens to our grandparents before we get him back here to see them…”
Chip stowed his bow and sighed in resignation. “Yeah, I know. But as to why we want to see Pinevale all I can say is that I have this dim recollection of Da talking about a town that sounds like it might have been the same place. Maybe if we can tell him what it’s like now he’ll have even more reason to come back. Besides, we promised Kalevi.”
Qara snorted, glaring at her brother. “And he is more important than our family because…?”
Chip made a sour face. He knew better than to argue with her at a moment like this. But he’d lost count of how many times she had reminded him of Brynjolf’s teachings. If you gave your word, you kept it. She’d see the error of her ways quickly enough; she always did. And just as he’d expected, her glare faded and she shrugged her shoulders, sighing.
“Ok, ok. You’re right. But let’s save the hunting for later, huh?”
Chip nodded. “Just let me skin these boys and we’ll be on our way.”
As he knelt over the gorgeous elk, Kalevi’s words ran through his mind again. They’d been in the Amber Mead Inn, awash in people’s congratulations for defeating Yngvarr, when the young Bosmer had beckoned to him. Grateful for an excuse to step away from the crowd, he’d approached.
“Hi there. What can I do for you?”
“Hi. I’m Kalevi, and I overheard you calling Brunulvr ‘Grandda’ so I figured maybe since you have family here, you’d understand my problem.”
“I’m listening.”
“Well, um…” The young Bosmer seemed very uncomfortable. “I recently obtained some information about where I was born. You see, I don’t think Kunnari is my real father. We’re both Bosmer, but I think I was born in another village and brought here when it was burned down. Please – go to Pinevale. Try to find some evidence that I was born there. Just don’t bring this up with Kunnari. I’d go myself, but if I do he’ll be suspicious right away.”
No problem there. I’m not even sure I know who Kunnari is, truthfully. We’ve been pretty busy with Yngvarr.
“It would just crush him if he knew I was looking into this,” Kalevi continued. “I still care for him very much as my father, but I just have to know. I know it’s a simple request but it’s very important, and it would mean a lot to me if you could help. The two of you,” he said, looking across the room at Qaralana, “you’re family. And you’ve done big things. I know you can do this too.”
He and Qara had been raised hearing about the importance of family, just as if theirs – blood family and extended family alike – was any more than a rough amalgam of half-relatives, close friends, and business associates of one kind or another. He could just hear Brynjolf saying “we take care of our own.” Chip looked at the anxious face before him and smiled. Just that, all by itself, was enough reason to help the poor boy out. Even if, being Bosmer, Kalevi could easily be twice his age, he looked like a wistful teenager.
“Sure, we can do that for you. I really want to look around Falskaar some more anyway, now that the battles are over. But tell me, what makes you think Kunnari isn’t your father?”
Kalevi grimaced. “Well, for starters, when I ask anyone about my mom, they either avoid answering or change the subject. I figure if my mom died when I was young they would at least ramble on fondly about her or something. Recently I found a book that talked about the attack on Pinevale. It says that the merchant who found the town in ruins was given an infant. He brought that infant here, to Amber Creek. I think I was that child. The dates line up, more or less, and it would explain a lot. I just want to know.”
Chip rubbed his chin. He’d already made up his mind, but something about Kalevi’s tone bothered him.
“So what will you do if you find out he isn’t really your father? I mean…” he sighed. “I didn’t meet my father until I was more than two winters old, according to everyone else. There’s no question that I’m his son, because I look just like him; but even if I didn’t he raised me. Don’t get me wrong. I’d want to know too. But it’s worth thinking about, ahead of time.”
Kalevi nodded. “I know. And like I said, he’s my father whether he’s my real father or not. I’m not really sure what I’ll do. He’s lied to me about this all my life. But he’s also done so much for me. I’ll confront him, and finally get the truth; but then? I just don’t know.”
It was obvious that this problem was eating away at the Bosmer. Chip could see that as clearly as if the young mer had been wearing a hand-painted sign reading “I don’t know who I am.” And that, Chip thought, is something I can definitely appreciate. I may know who my kin are but I’ve still got no idea why or how I became a werewolf and it’s just bothering me to no end.
“Ok, let me go get Qara and we’ll head out. But maybe,” he paused, trying to imagine what Kodlak might have said in a similar situation, “maybe you should think about it as him trying to protect you, not to lie to you. Maybe the truth would have been painful to hear.” Gods know Da didn’t want me to know that he’d been a vampire until I was old enough to hear it.
“Thank you so much,” Kalevi said. “And I’ll think about what you said. I hadn’t looked at it that way before.”
Chip had grabbed his sister, whispering “let’s get out of this noise” in her ear. She’d seemed happy to follow him out into the beautiful, quiet day. She’d listened to Chip and agreed that they should do something to help Kalevi.
Chip cut the last strip of juicy meat from the elk, in response to his inner wolf’s clamoring for it. He finished rolling the pelts up into a package he could carry easily and rose to his feet, grinning at Qara.
“Don’t judge me for this,” he said. “Someone is hungry.” He set to on the raw elk meat, groaning in happy satisfaction at its fresh, gamey flavor. “Man, that’s good,” he mumbled around a mouthful of meat.
Qara wrinkled up her nose. “That is disgusting. You know that, don’t you?”
He nodded, snickering. “Yup. I do. But it’s what my body wants, so… Oh!” he exclaimed, holding out another piece. “You want some?”
“Eww, no. Come on, Chip. Finish gnawing on the elk and let’s go. I know this is important, but so is getting back to Mama and Daddy. And I really want to…” She trailed off, and Chip thought he saw the hint of a blush on her cheeks.
“Want to what? See Harald?”
I can’t help it. It’s so funny to see the two of them try to deny it when everyone knows they’re meant for each other.
She stomped her foot on the forest floor. It didn’t have nearly the same effect as a boot on a hard surface. Chip snickered.
“Yes, damn it all, Chip, I want to see Harald. I haven’t seen him in forever and I want to tell him about the Dwemer ruin I came through on my way here! He’d be excited to come look at it!”
Chip nodded sagely, just as though he wasn’t still teasing her. “Mmm-hmm. Makes sense. I’m sure that’s why you want to see him.”
Qara smacked his arm and stomped away. “We have a long run still. Let’s go, already.”
Chip laughed, wiped his hands on some leaves, and followed her. It didn’t matter where they were headed, he thought. This was one of the most beautiful places he’d ever seen. Something about it made him feel more alive than he’d felt in a long while. But she was right; they needed to get back to their father, and he personally needed to get back to Jorrvaskr.
He’d truthfully been dreading that. Being Harbinger hung over him like a dark cloud. His home was the forest, in the Rift, not in the city. Now that Vilkas and Farkas were no longer werewolves, all that was left for him in Whiterun was the memory of Skjor and Kodlak, and the presence of Aela. And that made him shake his head. Aela was beautiful, no question about it. She was fierce, and strong, and he would love to run and hunt with her: but he couldn’t envision any kind of future with her.
And that leaves me alone, still, and confused still, and stifled in a place I don’t want to be. Still. I don’t have someone waiting for me the way Harald is waiting for Qara. I can’t do it anymore. But I don’t know how to get out of it.
He had worried at the problem as they ran along, crossing the river and beginning the trek down the switchbacks. Vilkas should be the Harbinger, he thought. He’d be much better at it than I am. I should go and tell him that. I wonder if he’d listen to me. I’m just not right for the job, and I feel as though he would have been named Harbinger if I hadn’t been there.
But the farther they ran the more Falskaar’s exceptional beauty distracted him from his worries. By the time they had reached the pine forest at the base of the mountains, Chip was completely involved in observing the wildlife, watching for game, and enjoying being a hunter once more.
They passed a road sign; one of the arrows pointed to Pinevale. Chip pointed at it and nodded to Qara.
“Here we go.”
“Finally,” Qara snickered. They ran on for a bit longer before she spoke again. “So we’re facing a ruin, mostly.”
“Yup.”
“And we know that Yngvarr was hiring bandits. And we both know where bandits like to make themselves at home.”
“Yup. That’s what I’m listening for. Not all of Yngvarr’s people were in that last couple of battles. I’m betting this out-of-the-way spot has some of the others.”
Not long afterward, they neared the foot of the sheer mountain range. The cobbles on the road they’d been following were increasingly full of needles and dirt, but not overgrown with grass and shrubs. That meant there was still foot traffic in the area. Chip saw the rooflines before he heard the rhythmic clanking of hammer on anvil. He dropped off the side of the road and turned to whisper to Qara.
“This must be it. Looks like they’ve done some work on the roof of at least one building, but the rest are all ruined.”
“There’s likely a mine up there, too, this close to the mountains.”
“I wouldn’t be surprised. I can hear someone smithing. Can’t smell anything yet.”
“Ok, lead the way.”
Movement caught his attention just as he was ducking behind a moss-covered tree. He grabbed for his bow and readied an arrow, only to realize that it hadn’t been a person he’d seen moving, but another beautiful elk, standing between them and the first of several burned-out buildings. He grinned and let the arrow fly. No sense in wasting an opportunity. The elk fell where it stood, not even a squeal of surprise marring the quiet of the day.
By the gods I love this place.
Behind him, Qara sighed. He looked back to see her shaking her head in mock disapproval before a smile took her face in spite of her attempts to look stern. Chip dropped back into a crouch and beckoned for her to follow, using the shadows and the massive trees themselves as cover as he made a path into Pinevale itself. He intended to move behind one of the ruined homes to take stock of the place.
It wasn’t a very large town. Perhaps there had been more to it when their father had been born, but now it consisted of three or four ruined buildings and one with a partially-repaired roof and incomplete walls. It was just enough shelter for a small group of men. Slipping behind the nearest structure, Chip took note of the still-solid foundation and chimney.
It could be rebuilt, with a little time and effort. I wonder why nobody has.
He saw the entrance to the mine once they’d moved past the building and some of the larger trees behind it. So that’s it, he thought. The bandits are working the mine and nobody else has wanted to take them on, this close to Staalgarde.
A cough caught his attention. The man standing on the ruined porch was wearing dark clothing just as Chip was, and blended into the background so perfectly that only his own noise gave away his position. Chip took aim on him and fired.
The shot caught the bandit in the shoulder; he staggered backward, grunting, but didn’t fall. Instead, he reached for a pole weapon and attacked.
“FUS- RO DAH!”
Chip cringed as Qara’s Voice shattered the quiet. Not only would that Shout bring out every foe in the area, but the force of it seemed to have completely missed its mark. Dust flew, grass bent over and then sprang back up, but the man kept coming for Chip. Chip loosed another arrow, striking the man’s other shoulder; but he was stubborn and refused to die. Qara dashed forward shooting flames. That, and a third arrow, finally took their opponent down.
As expected, the Shout had alerted the rest of the bandits. Qara darted back across the road toward the lone mostly-intact house, yelling “Now you’ll pay!” Chip tsk’d and started that way himself, but an arrow buried itself into an ore cart just in front of him, stopping him cold. He looked for the archer, but was interrupted by another swordsman dashing toward him.
Chip managed to fire one arrow but barely slowed him down. There was no time for another bowshot; so he pulled out his blades instead. Even so, he wasn’t able to avoid the bandit’s strike. While his armor deflected the worst of the damage the blade penetrated deep enough to slice across his belly. Chip gasped in pain, but forced himself forward to attack.
It took him two or three sets of strikes to kill the man. In between each he staggered away, panting, wishing he could attend to his wound; but there was no time. Finally, his last attack caught the man’s throat, taking him down. Chip took a deep breath, prepared his healing spell, and had just cast it when a shout had him swiveling back to his left.
“Take your best shot!” The man was barreling toward him with an enormous maul, its head nearly as broad as the man’s shoulders, readied for a blow. One hit from that – just one – would be all it would take to end Chip. He turned and fled toward the trees that had hidden their approach to the town.
Damn! Qara, where are you?
“Hey! HEY!” Chip heard Qara yelling, running through the tall grass as she tried to get the bandit’s attention. But the man’s maul was already in its downward arc. Chip summoned all the strength he had and jumped forward as the massive weapon struck the ground behind him, just clipping his cape and tugging him backward, almost off his feet. It had been a near thing.
He had a few of Hircine’s arrows left in his quiver. Grabbing for one as he pulled his cape free and struggled forward, he fitted it to the string sloppily and turned back, firing in the general direction of his foe. It didn’t matter that he couldn’t aim; the fierce wolf that emerged from the ball of conjuration magic attacked the bandit instantly. And a good thing it did, too: his wound wasn’t properly healed and another arrow zipped by perilously close, from the direction of the partially-restored house. This time he was able to see the archer.
Now you, I can handle. Bring it on.
He lobbed an arrow into the other archer’s right shoulder and then cast healing on himself once more. As he did so he heard a huge metallic sound. Qara was Shouting. He didn’t recognize the words, but he saw the archer’s bow fly out of his hands and land on the ground a number of paces away.
Holy smokes. She disarmed him!
By the time Chip reached her side, Qara and the conjured wolf had finished the man off. The wolf howled, and dissipated. They checked the building, but found only food and firewood and evidence that the bandits had been working on repairing the place bit by bit. Chip sighed. He could smell the bodies scattered around near the mine entrance, and was beginning to get a bit agitated. He either needed to leave the area, or transform and consume them.
“I think if we’re going to find anything from years ago it’s going to be stored in the mine. What do you say?”
Qara nodded. “That makes sense to me. Lead on.”
The mine wasn’t anything unusual, inside; but the sounds of pickaxes striking stone told Chip that it was indeed a working mine. They eased into the first intersection, Chip drawing back his bowstring to take aim on the miner standing next to a wall-mounted torch.
“I’ve got a bad feeling about this,” Qara whispered behind him, startling him.
Chip flinched as he released the arrow, just enough for it to fly wide of the mark. But before he could even growl at himself for missing, Qara dashed past him, casting flames at the bandit. As the man raised his weapon, she calmly drove one of her blades into his chest.
“Why?” he groaned as he sank to the floor. Chip shook his head.
“Nice work,” he told his sister as she returned to his side.
“Thanks. I saw that arrow go wide and figured you wouldn’t have time to take a second shot.”
Down the sloping tunnel and around the corner to the left, someone had set up a table and single chair, where one of the mine’s occupants was relaxing. Chip had no trouble this time, ending the man with a single shot. They took their time searching the barrels and crates near the table for any kind of information. All they found was a thin coin purse and a dwarven knife.
Further into the mine, Chip picked off another man with two quick shots. The miner had been working what looked like a vein of silver.
Good to know. Amber Hold ought to be getting that wealth.
The bottom of the mineshaft was just around the next corner. The bandits had set up bedding and chests there, and a couple of them were working on something near the lights. The remnants of platforms midway down the shaft still looked fairly solidly fastened to the walls. Chip motioned to Qara and then jumped quietly across the small gap to the nearest of them, swinging his bow up in front of him as he went.
His first arrow struck solidly; but unfortunately, the man in question had spotted Qara and turned just as Chip had loosed, and the solid hit was on his arm, not in his chest. The bandit ran for Qara; but she was ready for him, disarming him with a Shout just as Chip’s second arrow struck home. Qara finished the job with a blade.
Chip heard the second bandit just beneath him. He tried to line up a shot, but the angle was too sharp; as Qara rushed across the room casting flames, Chip tsk’d, readied his blades, and dropped down from the ledge practically onto the man’s back.
“Try to hit me, I dare you!” the man blustered.
“Fine,” Chip said, slicing the bandit’s neck open. The entire battle had lasted only a moment.
“Well there,” Qara said as he wiped off his blades and sheathed them. “What are we looking for, again?”
“Anything that would prove Kalevi was born here,” he said, opening the chest to rustle around inside it. “I don’t know. Papers? A letter? A family locket or something with his name on it? I’m not sure.” He grimaced in frustration as all of the books scattered about turned out to be largely moldy or burned. There were a few valuables in the chest, but nothing with any kind of personal markings on them. He was sighing at the similarly useless things in the end table next to the chest when Qara spoke again.
“How about this?” He glanced over at her to see a journal in her hand.
“Oooh. Maybe that! What does it say?”
Qara started reading and then made a sort of choked noise. “It… it’s him, alright. His mother was very ill and his father was wounded. They gave Kalevi to a merchant headed for Amber Creek, thinking that they’d follow and reclaim him as soon as they were recovered.”
Chip frowned. “And they never did.”
“No. So it would seem.” She looked up at him and sighed. “That’s really sad, Chip. Are you sure we want to tell him about it?”
“Oh absolutely. If one of our parents had just up and disappeared, wouldn’t you want to know what happened?”
Qara nodded. “I suppose I would. Ok, let’s get going then.”
Chip was happy when they stepped out of the raging thunderstorm to find Kalevi again in the inn. He approached the Bosmer, smiling.
“We found something from your parents, left in the mine,” he said, handing Kalevi the old journal.
“You did? Let me see!”
Chip watched as the young mer scanned down the pages, the expression on his face going from excitement and anticipation to sadness. Once or twice Kalevi sighed, as if to speak, but then stopped.
“They didn’t abandon you. They expected to be coming here to retrieve you,” Chip said gently.
“They… they gave me up after the attack, to save me.”
“They knew it was the only way you’d survive,” Qara told him. “And they knew Kunnari would take good care of you.”
Kalevi looked back and forth between the siblings. “At least now I can be at peace. Thank you for finding this for me. I hope this helps make it worth your time.”
Before Chip could protest, Kalevi pressed a fat coin purse into his palm and darted for the door. He moved to follow, but Qara stopped him with a hand on his arm.
“No, Chip,” she said. “Let him go. He needs to work through this on his own time.”
“I suppose so.” Gods know I’ve had enough things of my own to work through.
“In the meantime, let’s go get Granddaddy. He wanted to come with us on our way down to the docks. I think Grandmama is worried we won’t make it all in one piece.”
“Alright.” Chip wasn’t sure why the idea made him uncomfortable, but it did. On the other hand, he did have some questions that he wanted to ask his grandfather. He just wasn’t sure he wanted to ask them with Qara present.
As it happened, Qara asked the first of the questions before he had a chance to.
“Granddaddy, I have a question,” she began.
“Do ye, now? Ask it then, lassie.”
“What do you know about Pinevale? We cleared out a bunch of bandits from the place. It’s mostly burned out, but the mine is still good, and they’d been working on the roof of one house.”
“Looked like they were splitting logs to repair the walls, too,” Chip added.
“Aye, Pinevale.” The old man nodded, frowning. “We lived there back whin yer da was born. After th’ fire yer grandma didnae hae th’ heart tae go back. An’ us with a wee bairn an’ all. We moved tae Amber Creek and hae lived there a’ these years.”
“Daddy will be glad to know he wasn’t imagining things, then,” Qara said. “He’s mentioned the little town and fire often enough, but wasn’t sure whether it was a real memory or just something he dreamed up.”
“Did he, now. I always knew th’ laddie was clever bit tae mind something from when he was so wee is impressive.”
Fire and a little town. It’s a real shame it’s in such a shape. It wouldn’t take that much to make it a place people could live again.
A person could live out there and not be bothering a soul. Nobody asking for your time, or your arm to do stupid jobs anyone else could do. All that quiet, all that peace.
“All that game,” he murmured, not quite realizing he’d spoken aloud.
“Eh?” Brunulvr asked.
Chip startled, and then felt himself blushing in embarrassment. “Uh, I was thinking about all the hunting a person could do up there. It’s just beautiful and there are so many beasts.”
Brunulvr gave him a sharp look. “Aye, that there are. ‘Tis braw hunting in th’ forest. But I need ye two bairns te fetch yer Da back. Yer Ma too, if she’s a mind to come, but mostly yer Da. It’ll mean so much te my Misty.”
They’d nearly reached the docks. Qara grinned at Brunulvr.
“I can’t wait for him to see this place. I promise I’ll get him here.” She gave him a quick hug, and then bounded down the stairs toward Wulf’s ship.
Chip was standing next to his grandfather, close enough to hear the embarrassed snort that followed Qara’s hug. He laughed. And then he came to a decision.
I think I actually decided this a good while ago. Qara won’t be happy.
Qara turned to stare back at Chip. “Are you coming, or are you going to stand there all day like a dope?”
Chip grinned. “I’m not coming, Qara. I’m going to stay here.”
Brunulvr stared at him. “What ere ye on about, laddie?”
“I’m going to stay here. I need to work some things out, and I can’t picture a better place to do it than right here. There’s half an island I haven’t seen yet.”
Qara stomped her foot on the solid boards of the dock, making a satisfying noise. “You have to come with me! Daddy will never listen to just me, and besides, what about the Companions?”
He didn’t look at Brunulvr, but heard the sharp intake of breath. “What about the Companions, laddie?”
Chip snorted. “You know of them, eh? I’m the Harbinger, Grandda. And I’m not sure I want to be. I just don’t fit in with them. I’m glad they trust me and all, but I need… something else.”
Brunulvr grunted, and crossed his arms, but said nothing further.
“Besides,” Chip continued, “Pinevale could be a really nice place to live again if someone just put some elbow grease to it. And I might as well do that while I’m sorting through things.” He smiled down at Qara, willing her to understand.
“Please, Sis,” he said earnestly. “I need this. I really do. Da will understand. Just tell him I’m working on a surprise for him. Tell him to get word to Vilkas that I’ll be gone for awhile and he’s in charge. Da knows how to do that. Then bring him home. He needs to see this place again.”
“Chip…” Qara’s expression as she looked up at them was desperate for a moment, then slowly relaxed. “OK. I guess if I could come here on my own you can stay here on your own. But don’t get yourself hurt in the meantime. I’ll bring him back.”
She darted up the stairs to give Chip a hug, and then ran down the dock, not looking back before she disappeared below deck on Wulf’s ship. Wulf gave them a wave and cast off.
“So, laddie,” Brunulvr said without turning, as they watched the ship head out into the ocean. “It seems we hae a lot tae talk about on our way back.”
Chip grinned at his grandfather, happy that they’d have a chance to do just that. “Aye,” he said in his best imitation of his father. “That we do.”