Hunter Chapter 11: It Feels Like an Eternity

This is a Skyrim/Alan Wake 2 fic. All rights belong to the copyright holders.

This chapter has been edited due to content. If you want to see the unedited version GO HERE.

JASH

The last remnants of the Skooma fell from the bottle onto my tongue. I closed my eyes, or maybe they remained open, and focused on the pure joy the drug gave me. It tended to be ours to only drink Skooma while on the road to keep our blood warm and our senses sharp. But since Alex had died, I had forsaken that restraint.

It took a lot of the drug to dull my senses and even when the world around me became a strange place, fragments of reality still came to me. So even though I couldn’t tell exactly where I was, the floor was extremely familiar.

I laughed as the floor came into focus. No longer was I on the bed but on the floor by a fireplace. The scent of food faint in the air. For a moment I thought I was in the kitchen but nothing around me suggested that room.

A blurry figure transformed into Eola. Eola…I had asked her to be my steward of Windstad Manor. Since that day she had left the mountainous Reach and come to live outside of Morthal and in view of Solitude. I hadn’t gone anywhere since arriving in the manor and so I must still be in Windstad Manor.

Eola’s gaze went from me to somewhere beyond. The other voice suddenly came into focus and I identified Valdimar’s familiar tone. He was my housecarl of Windstad Manor which further confirmed where I was. I had never left any of my properties unguarded. Even places like Hendraheim had people visiting regularly to both guard and work on the upkeep of the property.

“Is Namira’s Champion willing to receive company?” Eola asked and the Ring of Namira on my right hand seemed to grow colder.

When I attempted to speak only a loud groan left my lips. I groaned again at my inability to speak. But at least my friend and steward would know I was in no state to receive anyone. Maybe if I was given a good week to recover I could have a guest or two over.

“So I should tell the High Queen to leave?” Eola asked with a slight teasing tone to her voice.

Elisif the Fair was here? I quickly tried to stand up and was greeted by the floor once again. With Eola’s help I managed to stumble to the table and take a seat. I took a few deep breaths and Windstad Manor fully came into view.

Sonir, my personal bard, must have noticed that the moment called for music. So she started a simple tune on the flute. With the house full of music, Valdimar walked Elisif to the opposite side of the table from me. He sat her down and then left to guard the estate.

Elisif’s guards were most likely already guarding the estate but Valdimar was wise enough to know that now the house was even more of a target than usual.

“You must be tired from the journey, High Queen.” Eola said. “And the Dragonborn has yet to eat today. Do you have preferences for a plate?”

“As long as it’s fresh.” Elisif replied. “Do you raise clams here?”

“We do.”

With that Eola left for the kitchen. Except for Sonir, I was now alone with Elisif. What would she order me to do? Could I resist her? No. Whatever she wanted I would do.

“Skyrim is now independent.” I said. “Such a feat will be remembered long into eternity.”

“If not for your guidance, Skyrim would still fall fully under the Empire. It was with your help that Skyrim stands on its own once again. Once the Thalmor are defeated then we will finally stand apart from it.”

“You are stronger than you realize, Elisif. If not for such a strong ruler as yourself, my own help would mean kaoc.”

There was a deafening silence and I didn’t want it to break. I would prefer to be unnerved over her demanding something from me. She wouldn’t have traveled here unless she needed something from me.

“Why are you here, Elisif?” I asked bluntly as the silence became too much for me. “Why now?”

“You’ve been silent for a month.” Elisif said. “Ever since you left the palace after Alex Casey’s death, there has been no word from you.”

“You’re acting as if I have never taken time away from my duties. Do you expect me to always be working?”

“Usually there is at least word you’re alive, Jash. A traveler that hears you singing, soldiers reporting you passing by, or dragon bones that show you killed another of the beasts. But this past month there has been nothing.”

“And if there hasn’t been any sign how did you know to come here?”

Elisif’s face turned stern which made me recoil due to the emotion’s foreign place on her face. I shouldn’t have taken so much Skooma so that I could better control myself. When I recoiled her stern look only strengthened.

“There were an unusually high number of Skooma dealers reported near Morthal.” Elisif said as her features began to soften. “The dealers that were arrested had been paid a very high price for each bottle of Skooma. Whoever was paying them had a lot of gold to spare. I know that you own two properties near Morthal.”

“And why do you care if I remain on Mundus?” I snapped.

“You know as well as I that Skyrim will suffer if you leave without warning. You are the Harbinger of the Companions, the Arch-Mage of the College of Winterhold, Listener of the Dark Brotherhood, and you have so many more titles. Your power and reach is greater than my own. If I died then Skyrim would falter for only a moment. If you left for Oblivion without any preparations then Skyrim would fade into ashes.”

“Can I be trusted if I let both my husbands die?”

I wanted to find more Skooma to wash away the painful memories for just a little longer. I wanted to escape the pain that now brought tears crashing down my cheeks. As the first tear left Elisif’s eye, I managed to stop my own tears.

Even though I wanted to be weak, I couldn’t stand to see Elisif in the same state.

“I bit Alex and claimed his soul.” I continued. “That should have tied him to the Mountain where we would have spent eternity together. Yet now he is gone forever from me. I will suffer forever without him by my side.”

“You found him that first time.” Elisif said.

“This time is different. Before his soul was shown to me and there was a trail to follow. He doesn’t exist anymore and hence there is no scent calling out to me. It would be impossible to find him.”

“The first time was impossible. A lesser man would have decided on marriage prospects closer to home.”

“It is ours to know what I speak of. You have the knowledge and experience to rule this province, but you lack the knowledge to understand why Alex can never be found.”

Sonir’s steady music suddenly sped up as if a dragon were attacking. She was supposed to not listen too closely to any conversation and only focus on playing. But she was mortal and so it took a few minutes for her music to return to normal.

“If you don’t search for Alex Casey then you’re never going to recover, Jash.” Elisif said. “You’re right that finding Alex is impossible, but I can’t risk losing the heart of Skyrim at this time. So I command you to search for Alex Casey and not stop until you find him.”

I wanted to yell at Elisif. I wanted to demand she leave me alone and allow me to mourn in peace. But it was ours to follow any command uttered by her lips. My decision to fight against the Stormcloaks was purely from having looked at her all those years ago. Ever since then she had claimed my utter devotion.

Only to Hircine did I devote myself to more.

“Sonir!” Eola yelled from the kitchen.

Sonir put down her flute and rushed to the kitchen. A moment later both women came out of the kitchen with food and drink. Eola placed a plate of venison and potato bread with a goblet of wine in front of me. Sonir placed a bowl of clam chowder with Nord mead in front of Elisif.

“I think a search will be utter foolishness, Elisif.” I replied. “But since you command me to I will set out for the College of Winterhold with utmost haste.”

“Thank you.” Elisif said and then we began to eat.