Work Text:
Sissel patted Lars' arm comfortingly as he had a mild panic attack on their trek to her childhood home of Lakeview Manor where she would finally introduce the young man she was spending most of her time with to her parents and for him to formly ask for them for their daughter's hand in marriage. Lars knew of her parents line of profession: her Papa being the Dragonborn and her Pa being an alchemist well versed in poison making among the plethora of things he knew how to do.
With that knowledge, Lars could already picture his death at the hands of these two men. Nathaniel would just shout him into Oblivion with the ancient tongue of the Dragons while Ronthil would go for a more subtler approach and slip his ale with something tasteless, but have the most devestating affects on his body and would probably end with him choking on his own blood. He couldn't even bring himself to knock on the door of the manor once they reached it so Sissel did it for him leaving him no chance to bolt now.
The door swung open, greeting him with Sissel's elven father Ronthil who smiled in greeting which eased Lars' fears, but only slightly. The threat of poisoning still sat in the back of his mind. Ronthil mostly ignored him and swept his daughter into a loving hug, bringing her hastily inside and calling for her other father Nathaniel. Lars silently followed once he realized the door wasn't slammed in his face. He entered the small foyer, taking account of the mounted heads of various beasts like sabre cats and bears meaning that Nathaniel and Ronthil were avid hunters. Which also meant they were excellent shots and he wouldn't make the door before he had an arrow in the back.
He entered the spacious dining area to find Sissel being spun around joyously by her Nord father Nathaniel, the famous Dragonborn who was reported to have ties with the Thieves Guild and the Dark Brotherhood and was the Harbinger of the Companions. All things that meant he wasn't going to get far. If Lars was shaking before, he was uncontrollable then. He heard Sissel ask about her father's Steward and Housecarl.
Apparently the two finally eloped with Nathaniel and Ronthil pushing them and were in Cyrodiil on their honeymoon. Rayya was pregnant already from the last letter they received.
He completely froze when Nathaniel's gaze fell on him. "Who's this?" He asked, eyes narrowing at Lars.
"Papa, Pa, this is Lars Battle-Born. We've been courting and I thought it was time for him to meet the both of you."
Lars swore he could hear Nathaniel interally screaming despite the straight face and the sound of glass shattering in Ronthil's mind. "Sissel," Ronthil spoke first after a few painful moments of silence. "Why don't you come help me with dinner?" Sissel readily agreed, just to get out of the tense area.
"Beautiful, isn't she?" Nathaniel asked, glancing over at Lars for a reaction.
"Y-Yes, sir," He answered truthfully.
Sissel had grown beautifully despite her illness that barely showed its face anymore, but medicine was kept on hand just in case. Her aptitude with magic was at its full potential having learned alongside her elven father and became a prominent botonist and alchemist. She kept her hair shoulder length with a braid down he side of her face much like Uncle Ralof, her eyes a creamy brown and her body was kind to her giving her a petite figure despite her Nord lineage. Her twin possessed the more Nord female body and her parents chalked it up to her illness affecting her growth.
Britte went on to become a full member of the Companions fixing to take over Nathaniel's position as Harbinger, while Sissel settled in Whiterun as an alchemist which is where they had met and steadily received letters from the College of Winterhold to come teach in the school of Restoration after the tragic passing of the former teacher. She was quick to catch on that it was Nathaniel suckering up to the teachers under his command with the idea of her teaching. Lars also realized how protective of Sissel Britte was despite their early childhood stories when he was pinned to the wall with the edge of an ebony greatsword against his neck.
"I want to make something perfectly clear, Lars," Nathaniel said, watching him in a way that reminded him of a wolf circling its prey. "That young woman is my entire life. I won't hesitate to end whoever hurts her."
The unsettling red eyes glared him down made him realized there was something off about Sissel's parents and why they didn't look any older than their 25th year. Ronthil was a bit more understandable, being an elf, but Nathaniel was a mystery in itself. There wasn't a speck of gray in his black hair and his skin was abnormally pale for a Nord. Not that he would voice the observations since he was too busy planning his funeral should he fuck up royally with Sissel.
Dinner was served with a helping of seasoned beef and goat cheese. He ate quietly while Sissel's parents asked about Sissel's life and most of all if she was happy, blatantly ignoring his very presence again. Lars honestly could say Ronthil was an excellent cook, but he took small bites to lessen the affects of any potential poisoning he would have done. Sissel reached under the table and squeezed his knee as a reassurance that her father did not poison his food. It also pushed him to say, "I-I have something, I wish to ask of you."
Sissel looked at him surprised and curious as to what he was going to say. Nathaniel set down his utensils and crossed his arms over his chest expectantly. Lars gulped and choked out, "I-I wanted to ask you for your b-blessing to marry Sissel, the love of my l-life." There he said it - now he can find a dark cave to forever live as a hermit should these two men decide to kill him.
"Olava said great things would happen if you only stood up for youself," Nathaniel said shocking Lars. Lars barely remembered mentioning that to anyone, but it was apparent he had said to the Dragonborn of all people. "Looks like she was right."
"A-Are you... giving your blessing?"
"Yes. But if you hurt Sissel there is no place you will be able to hide and when I'm through with you, Oblivion will seem like a tea-party. Clear?"
"Crystal."
That night Lars was allowed to sleep in the guest bedroom while Sissel was made to sleep in her old room (he didn't argue much about it). He tossed and turned frantically as if expecting Nathaniel or Ronthil to appear from the shadows and slit his throat. He nearly screamed when the door to his room opened, only to calm when he saw Sissel slip through the space and silently latch the door shut behind her. Without a word, she crawled into bed beside him and curled herself into his arms sighing contently. "I told you my parents would like you," She whispered after a long period of silence.
"I'm sure they're waiting until you let your guard down to poison me."
She giggled. "Remember, I was trained by my parents with what I know. They poison you, I know exactly how to make them equally as miserable."
"You wouldn't poison your parents for me, would you?"
She shrugged. "Honestly, I don't know. They're my parents. But I know they won't poison you because they know you make me happy and that's all they want. And they want grandbabies. Pa is such a softy when it comes to babies and Papa won't admit it, but he's always loves seeing Pa with a baby in his arms."
Lars smiled at the thought of Sissel's tough parents becoming blubbering softies over children, but then again it was what brought Nathaniel to adopt Sissel and Britte in the first place. Sissel told him of the abuse she suffered from her father and Britte wanting to be 'just like papa' until Nathaniel came along and ended the abuse, adopting them in that instant.
Lars gave his fiancée a squeeze. He knew what he was getting himself into when it came to marrying Sissel, but he was... ready is the best word he could come up with.