Chapter Text
The dinner table isn't as full as it used to be at Riverwood Keep. Inigo is off on a short solo mission, Alesan and Sofie are working, and Runa has begun training at the College of Winterhold. Even the pets are absent: Meeko succumbed to old age last year as well as Biter the year before that, and Sofie took Kit with her. Almithara can see her family dwindling, and although she is happy for them and the accomplishments they have made, she misses them being younger and depending on her. She sighs and drums her fingers along the table, lost in maudlin thoughts. "Why the long face, love?" her husband whispers in her ear.
Just as it did the first day that she met him about five years ago, his voice sends shivers down her spine. "Just missing people," she says with a shrug. She picks up her spoon and begins to pick through her vegetable soup with an air of melancholy.
"I do as well, but they are growing up. Aren't you proud of them for following their dreams?" Ondolemar asks her.
"Of course," Almithara huffs in offense. "But Sofie could have learned from Sarah instead of Arcadia, and I could have taught Runa anything she needed to know about magic. I also could have instructed Alesan in blacksmithing. I am a master smith after all."
"Almithara, Alesan is literally down the street at Alvor's house. He will be back this evening."
"Yes, but he misses dinner every night. I miss my little boy," she pouts.
"Seventeen—nearly eighteen—is hardly a little boy. And we both know why he chose to go work for Alvor and why he has dinner with them every evening," Ondolemar points out. Alesan is quite taken with Alvor's daughter, Dorthe, and hopes to marry her as soon as he is able to support himself. Luckily for him, she returns his feelings and is perfectly content to wait for him to properly learn his craft and be more stable. She has also been learning from her father alongside Alesan. "Sofie is only in Whiterun; she also comes home often enough. And while you and I are both very powerful mages, Runa is interested in Illusion magic. Neither of us is particularly skilled in that area. At least not enough to provide decent instruction to one who hopes to master it one day."
Almithara heaves a resigned sigh. "I know," she admits. "I just miss them so much."
"We could always have another," he purrs in her ear. Her gold eyes meet his green ones, and she sees sincerity in them. She can't help but smile at him.
"Maybe we should." She looks up at the rest of the table. Hroar and Samuel are now thirteen and fourteen, respectively. They're discussing the next fishing trip they'll be taking a few days from now. Blaise is fifteen and still undecided about his future. For now, he is busying himself with entertaining the three-and-a-half-year-old twins. Nelaeryn and Theodemar are both the spitting image of their father. With the exception of their nose and chin—and their mischievous nature—Almithara might not have been able to see any of herself in her sons. Their baby-fine blond hair is kept shaggy-short by their own preference, and they prefer to wear what the rest of the family likes to call "snobby clothes." Ondolemar just calls them clothes. All three of them favor robes of some sort in the finest fabrics; they are highly particular. "The boys are still small, though. Should we really have another child when they are so little? I don't want them to feel like I've abandoned them for another sibling."
"Love, you had six other children when the boys were born. None of them ever felt like they were forsaken. Besides, as long as Nelaeryn and Theodemar feel like they are helping out, they will not be concerned with the presence of another. What do you say?" His pupils dilate slightly when he looks at her, and she feels her resolve crumbling.
"I think that I would like a girl this time," she whispers before planting a lingering kiss on his full lips.
"Ew!" Twin shrieks break them out of their little bubble, and the two parents laugh at the horrified reaction of the little boys down the table.
"There's no need for that," Almithara laughs at them. She turns to her husband. "We'll continue this later." He nods at the promise in her eyes.
The last few years have been kind to Ondolemar and Almithara. She healed well after the birth of their twins with a few changes to her physical body. She now has fuller hips, fuller breasts, and a moderate number of stretch marks across her stomach. Almithara was rather self-conscious of them after the birth, but Ondolemar assured her that they made no difference. In fact, he adores them, even to this day. It reminds him of what she went through to bring their children into the world; it reminds him that he has people who are his own.
They fell into the role of parents of newborns easily. Ondolemar learned what it really meant to have a loving family. Having been alone and independent for the majority of his life, it was certainly a welcome and humbling change. The two small beings, born of the love he and his wife shared, depended on them for absolutely everything. From the moment he held them, he was overwhelmed with love, and that only increased in intensity as they grew. He could see the people that they would become with each passing day. The role of father was an adjustment, but it was one he was happy to make. Almithara made sure that the babies—and, much of the time, Ondolemar himself as well—were cared for and well-nourished. The twins played with their older siblings, and they were never more than a few feet away from each other from the second they were born onward.
As the older children grew, it became apparent that they would need their own rooms. The family wing of the Keep went through some renovations to accommodate all the growing children. Alesan, Sofie, and Runa were given rooms in the guest quarters since they were coming and going often; Inigo was given the loft where Serana and Marcurio had stayed before, finally having been persuaded that he didn't need to go back to his cell in Riften; the bar upstairs and part of the library was removed and converted into bedrooms for Hroar and Samuel. Blaise decided to stay in the kids' old room with the twins to keep an eye on them. Alesan may have been their protector, but Blaise was their true playmate. All of that saw them up to now, and they are still one happy family, even if some members are not always present.
Dinner is nearly finished when there is a commotion at the front door of the Keep. "Am I late for dinner?" comes an accented voice.
"Uncle Inigo!" the twins cry, jumping up from the table and rushing to the front door. A muffled "oof!" is heard from the dining room, and Ondolemar chuckles at the twins' tackle of the Khajiit. A few moments later, the man in question comes sauntering into the dining room with a child hanging off each of his legs.
"Look, mother! It's Uncle Inigo!" they exclaim simultaneously.
"I see that," Almithara says with a smile. She stands up to greet her best friend, and he envelops her in a bone-crushing embrace. "How was your trip?"
"It was very productive, I think," he replies after a beat of hesitation. "Has Ondy been taking care of you all?" Ondolemar growls at the nickname. He's never been able to shake it.
"Of course, he has," she replies brightly. "I would never allow anything less." Inigo chuckles in response and sits down to have some of the dinner laid out on the table. "Did you run into any trouble?"
"There was a small skirmish between the Imperials and the Stormcloaks outside of Morthal. Other than that, it was a smooth trip." He looks like he wants to say more but decides against it at the last minute. Almithara and Ondolemar exchange a confused look, but they choose not to push him until he is ready. Inigo fills them in on the rest of his trip to take care of the bandit leader holed up in the Dainty Sload. "So, how about Ryn and Theo come with me next time?" he asks cheekily.
"I think not," Ondolemar states decisively. "They're a little young to follow in their mother's footsteps." Almithara is an adventurer at heart, and the boys have certainly inherited that trait, but they are just far too young.
"You can't go with Uncle Inigo just yet," Almithara concedes after seeing their heartbroken little faces. Their green eyes are shining with unshed tears, and she doesn't want them to cry before bed. "If you'd like, you can come with me tomorrow when I go to see Jarl Laila and Serana. It'll take a couple of days. Would you like to go with me or stay here with your father?"
They look at each other and have a hushed conversation before turning back. Nelaeryn answers, "We want to go with you."
"Is that okay?" Almithara asks her husband.
"Of course," he responds. "I have some business that needs taking care of with the running of the town. I also have a meeting with Jarl Balgruuf tomorrow. I thought I would invite Bronwyn and Nendaris to dinner after you get back. Is that acceptable?"
"Oh, yes!" she gushes. "I would love to have them over. I bet the baby is getting so big by now." Bronwyn and Nendaris had welcomed their first child, a daughter, less than a year after they got married. A few months ago, another baby was born. A boy. Celaena and Elwin are beautiful and well-behaved children—a perfect combination of both of their sweet parents.
Once Inigo finishes eating, the family decides to retire for the evening. Hroar and Samuel slink off to their rooms, and Blaise takes the twins into their room after they hug both of their parents tightly. Inigo once again looks like he wants to say something, but he just says a quick goodnight and climbs up into his loft instead. "I wonder what Inigo wants to tell us," Almithara voices as she and Ondolemar head into their room.
"I am unsure," Ondolemar replies. "He'll tell us when the time is right. I hope nothing untoward happened on his trip."
"Me too." Almithara sheds her casual robes. When she's not out and about on various missions, which have declined significantly since the dragon business was concluded, she chooses to wear more comfortable and casual robes or dresses rather than her full battle mage clothing. Much more practical.
She folds the garment and moves to put it away in the wardrobe. Before she can turn away from her task, she feels a warm body come up behind her. Strong arms wrap around her waist and warm breath cascades over her neck. "Now, I believe we discussed something over dinner," a husky voice whispers in her ear.
"I believe we did," she replies with a smile. "Do you really want another child?"
"I do," he answers automatically. "Did you take your potion this month?"
"Actually, I think I forgot to take it three days ago, so we should be all set," she reveals.
"Maybe this one will actually look somewhat like you," he teases with a smirk.
Almithara huffs. "Not likely. It would seem that your genes are rather dominant."
"I can be dominant if you'd like." The dark promise in his words cause her to shudder.
"I would." With those words, Ondolemar spins her around in his arms and plants his warm mouth over hers. She melts into him immediately, and they begin their practiced dance of pleasuring the other's body. It isn't long before they collapse on their bed in a tangle of limbs. He grasps her wrists in one large hand and holds them above her head. The other hand moves over the beautiful curves of her body. He pays special attention to her breasts before moving his hand lower.
She fights to keep her moans and whimpers to a minimum, but it is very difficult especially when his talented fingers find her bundle of nerves. He swallows her cry of ecstasy with his lips. He will never tire of her or her reactions to him. She proved to be his perfect match in every way. Even after all the time they've been together, the sex is never boring. "I will never get tired of hearing you," he whispers in her ear as he pulls away from her lips.
"Ondolemar," she moans quietly. "Please."
"Please what, love?" he asks with a smirk.
She gives him a small glare. "I want you in me. Now."
"Your wish is my command," he purrs. He lines himself up at her entrance and quickly pushes in. They release simultaneous groans at the sensation. His strong thrusts are practiced, and little time passes before they are coming apart together. Ondolemar collapses on top of Almithara, and she wraps her arms tightly around him. After a few minutes, he rolls to the side and pulls her with him so that they are face-to-face. He smiles at her, and her insides melt just a little bit.
"How long do you think it will take us to get pregnant again?" she breathes.
"I'm not sure. It's not like we were actively trying last time, and that only took a couple of weeks," Ondolemar points out.
Almithara blushes in embarrassment. "As concerned as I was with taking the potion before, I can't believe I forgot. I mean, I'm glad I did because I love Nelaeryn and Theodemar, but I was just not thinking straight."
"I am immensely grateful that you did not take it." He pulls her forward and presses a kiss to her forehead. "Do you have any idea how much I love you?"
"I think I can guess," Almithara sighs with a bright smile, her gold eyes glittering with joy. It's the smile that helped him fall in love with her—his favorite expression.
"You're beautiful."
"I'm glad you still think so," she laughs with a bit of disbelief in her tone.
"You know very well that I never say what I do not mean," he declares haughtily, and she has to concede that he is right. He would never do such a thing.
"Okay, I believe you. Are you sure you're okay with me taking the boys to Riften? They've never been away from you that long."
"That is true, but they will have you. You'll only be gone a few days at the most; I think I can handle things here until then."
"I wonder if they'll like travelling back via teleportation. It can be a little dizzying the first few times," Almithara muses.
Ondolemar chuckles. "They'll love it, adventurous little things that they are. They may look like me, but they act just like you. And a bit like Inigo." He pauses and a look of despair falls over his proud face. "I will never be able to stop him from calling me Ondy, will I?"
Almithara bursts into laughter. "I don't think so. Once Inigo gets a nickname in his head, it sticks. I should know."
He heaves a resigned sigh. "We should sleep now. You have a long journey ahead of you." Almithara nods in agreement and leans up to give him one last loving kiss before settling down in his arms, curled against his broad chest. They drift off to sleep, warm and content, with thoughts of the morrow far from their minds.