Chapter 122 - Firemane (1)

Extra LARGE THANKS to @Paulo Partezani. The cult has a new member!

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Part of me always really wanted to have all that.

A Family!

There are many things I did realize about myself that changed a lot throughout the years. For example; in my past life, I was never a brave person, I would never care about many things other than how to pass the day by the day, I was only thinking how to make money and find a girl to marry then get old and becoming a boring old man, I was never this 'Dare' even though I always hated it when the word was said to me.

However, part of me is still the same old rascal who like pranks, the super nerd part also stuck around.

At first, one may think that those were nothing but changes in personality because of getting the experience of doing new things in a new world. But I feel it is a bit different, too different from my old way of life. It made me afraid at first because the old me hated change but I decided to give up a little on trying to contain a certain part of me and to let it have its ways more often. That part of me gave me a lot of opportunities and helped me make a lot of friends. That part of me is felt a lot of happiness when it saw all those people who look exactly like the current me.

I neglected thinking about that part many times but I realized it always had a share in control, always had a hand on the wheel, the one I can never refuse, the one who wants to hug Hilda and tell her how much it love her and how it missed her, the one that wants to get along with everyone in this room around me. It can't go out of my control but it had an influence on me. The influence that pushes me to be a proud Nord, to be a bit racist, to love doing the right things, and to be a wolf that likes to have a lot of beauties around.

This is the original Jon. The one whose Hilda gave birth to sixteen years ago.

I, as a whole person, am not the one from my past life anymore, and also not the original Jon himself. I am but a new person who got to have the both characters in his system. I can be a foolhardy Nord and a tactful otherworlder in the same time because of the two inside my head. Let's think of it as I am 'the best of both worlds'.

Anyway, that is nothing to be scared of as it is my strongest point. I managed to make a lot of things only thanks to the mentality I inherited from both of the Otherworlder Lawyer and Jonhild Firemane.

But still, I need to see to this situation around me. It looks I have kept silent in my head long enough and that old man is looking at me like a predator that found its prey trying to scare me.

Hehe!

As if I care though...

***

[Back to the present]

"Jonhild, put down your hood when you walk into the town, your red hair is what you should show off the most. The town has a some houses that serve our clan so make sure to get along with them. The people inside the fort are your family, your brothers and sisters, they won't resist the idea of testing your metal but you can always beat them up. Also, when you meet with your Grandpa, don't let him intimidate you, you can try to beat him too but I doubt you can..."

Hilda started reading the 'Firemane Manual Book' on me.

I was listening and nodding feeling not bothered at all of being instructed like that. I truly just wanted to listen to these words forever. Every fiber of my being would just obey them.

Still... "I am more interested in the things I shouldn't do among the Firemanes! You know, that part which is always written in the last page which everyone neglects reading and always gets into trouble."

I was a bit bothered by that...

"Haha! I guess you are right. Listen, your case is special for more than one reason that I will explain later so the clan will treat you with care no matter what you do. The most important thing is not to harm your fellow clansmen or the townsfolk and never cause harm any member of the beast tribes that live in the glade with us."

"I get it, but 'Beast Tribes'?"

"There are six of them! Seven if you count the Ancestor Moth Glade!"

"HOLY SHIT! You have an Ancestor Moth Glade!" I freaked out. This is seriously unexpected but still possible. The Ancestor Moth bears a close resemblance to the Atlas Moth, the largest moth in the silk-moth family. These insects has a cult dedicated to them and it is known as the Ancestor Moth Cult. They raise the moth and use their silk. Also due to a certain characteristic in the Ancestor Moth, being around them helps with reading the Elder Scrolls.

"They were here before our clan finds this place. The original natives of the area if you want to call them that way. You know that there are several Ancestor Moth Glades throughout Skyrim and it is not that unusual, right?"

"I know, but I have never been to any!" I said.

"Well! As I was saying! The rules are simple! Don't harm anyone from the clan, don't cause trouble in the outside world for our clan, and don't look down on people just because you belong to the clan."

Hmmm!

"... I am fine with the first as long as no one is bothering me! The second is a bit hard to control as I have a full influence over a hold now, the third is not a problem! I will even not reveal my identity to not be targeted by the clan enemies!"

"Well! Regarding the first rule and between you and me; you can beat Oblivion out of anyone you want, just don't get them bedridden. As long as they can walk after it!"

"What if I got bullied or got some unfavorable treatment! You know I won't be staying, right?"

"No one dares!" Hilda said in a cold tone, kinda scared me there.

"... I'll take your words for it!" I said.

***

The town looked nice but was dormant and quiet. We actually are arriving late at night which is pretty convenient to me. I don't want to interact with a lot of people.

The building style reassembled that of Whiterun hold which have triangular roofs with dragon heads on top of it. It was nice! In the end of the glade, there appeared a large stone wall with some people holding torches on top of it.

Hilda signaled to them and the gate of the fort opened. We walked past in.

I thought this was the end of the glade but it seemed there is more. As we rode in, I noticed that it we are at a place like a training yard. There were many guards around an all they were doing was staring at us. Hilda urged me to ride forward and we arrived at another gate that opened once we arrived. I could see a keep after that gate. I rode forward to it. and its gate opened.

"Oh! The third lady has arrived!" Someone announced.

The keep inside appeared to have a stable which made me know that this is where the ride ends so I jumped down from the Flame Atronach Horse and and everyone followed my pace.

"Auntie!" Two children with red hair came from the stables running at Hilda.

"Heh! You two aren't sleeping yet?" Hilda received them and carried them both up!

They seemed to be a boy and a girl. Twins!

"We heard that you will be having a child! We came to play with him!" The boy said.

"I said it will be a girl! I will play with her." The girl said.

"....." Hilda was speechless!

Alina and the rest were laughing inwardly.

Sigh! Kids! They can be merciless!

"And how did you two find out?" Hilda seemed to have spotted another problem. If I remember, my arrival to the clan was something that was supposed to have been handled quietly.

"We heard Hafthor talking about it with Vladimir." The girl said.

"They also said that Alina will be coming!" The boy said.

"Sigh! They don't just shut up, do they?" Hilda looked tired.

She then put down the kids and looked at me. "Jonhild, this is Eirik and Signi, son and daughter to your Uncle Hermod."

I looked at the two brats who seemed to be cute at the first glance but felt a bit too naughty!

They also looked towards me but they weren't focused on me at all.

Figures!

"Auntie! Is that horse on fire?" It seemed that what Alina said was true.

"Can we take to the stable?" The girl asked me.

T, Those eyes! She is making Puppy Eyes?

Who do you think I am? I have the greatest skill of them all.

'Puppy Eye Resistance' show your effect. Too bad for you! I am a cat person.

I cast 'Banish' on the Flame Atronach Horse!

Like it now, Puppy Eye Heathen?

The girl, Signi was shocked when the Atronach disappeared in the void.

"That was just magic, Signi! Big brother Jonhild can teach it to you, right Jonhild?" Hilda smiled at me but she seemed annoyed for some reason.

"Really?" The girl who was on the verge of crying became excited.

"Humph! As long as you ditch the false Puppy Eye creed and follow the teachings of the Holy Cat, then it is a yes!"

"Yay!" The girl became happy!

"Auntie! Weren't you bringing away your child! Isn't that one an adult already?" The boy Eirik seemed to have noticed at last.

"Well..." Hilda was about to explain.

"It is because I follow the teachings of the Cat Goddess, I can become an adult in not time!" I interrupted!

"Woah!" The boy was taken by awe too.

Fufufu! This clan has never recognized cats as sacred beasts before, but my arrival here will mark the day of the change. Or I found a new prank to play on kids!

Either way, the first two cousins I met were friendly enough!

Let's hope it turns out well.