BTW, I apologize if the mental and verbal statements seem hard to separate. I used formatting on my word processor that didn't come across.
That, and I like writing third person, but with a slant that makes it personal, like its coming from the characters persona. So if some of the sentence fragments seem catchy, that's why. feedback is welcome and awesome!
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It was a Strange time, one of endings and beginnings, A time of the fall of a great empire, the birth of a new, and the unfolding of a prophecy from a small, scattered nation that would affect all. Little did the king of this empire suspect as he gazed upon a small letter he had received, that the growing awareness, this small concern, would escalate into the biggest danger ever to face his kingdom. But it is not right for us to start this epic from so high a position. Better to begin as the story unfolds, in the trenches with those who lived and died and breathed this adventure…
Smack!
“Are ye havin fun yet’ missus?”
If it wasn’t for the man’s fetid breath, she might have missed the dark gaps in his mouth. Rotten teeth. Why is mouth disease so prevalent among imperials? Or do they just like bad smelling mouths?
A metallic taste seeped warm into her mouth, leaked past her lip.
“Aw, jeez, Morrig, were not supposed to hurt er’.” The whimperimng came from behind, the one holding her. It was about even with her head. Good, he was a shortie. Mental note.
She shook her head. Fuzzy, what did they force down her? Tasted like bad grog. Drugged? Couldn’t quite focus.
“We didn’t though, did we? She tried to escape, we grabbed her, she fell, wham.”
Morrig smiled again, like he had just formulated the master plan of the century. What an idiot. She wondered how he would like the feeling of burning slowly from the inside out. The thought made her smile, which made her mouth hurt more.
Ohh, yeah, don’t smile, bad thing.
Morrig didn’t like it either. He scowled.
“Moorig, don’t…”
“Alright, fine. Wait.” He lowered his hand from its previous striking position. “We could always do something else…” His hand traveled lower…
honoured user. Let go.
“Morrig, I don’t know…”
“Shut up, Jebby. You talk too much. Always did. Besides, there’s two of ‘em, enough for both of us, and then there’s… and guess what? Those wounds don’t show.”
She was trying to focus. If he would just lift his hand a little higher, she could bite… Woah, really woozy now. Her head spun. Light , dark, light, dark. The bastards hand was a cold fire on her breast. Was that her jerkin string? Why couldn’t she focus? How could this happen?
“Lieutenant?” the voice was cold and harsh.
“Ser?!”
Yeah, you filth. You sure changed your tune quick. Who was the new voice? Man, this stuff was worse than Hackle-lo dust. Did she still have her jerkin on? Hard to tell, she really didn’t care too much at that point, although she would’ve liked to flame that Morrig.
“I trust that you are seeing properly to the prisoners safety?” his words penetrated even through her mind numbing fuzz. This guy was not happy.
“Er…yes, ser, captain ser. I, uh…she tried to escape, see. We barely got a hold of ‘er…”
“Yes, I can see that she is quite a handful right now. More than a match for two of the Emperors finest.” The last had a drawn note of sarcasm. “Is she drugged?” He sounded surprised.
feet shuffling. “well, ser, orders from korim hisself, see?” Her hearing was sure keen. What was it, essence of bittergreen? Wild stuff.
“Hm.” The captain paused. “I will, of course, check on that. I certainly hope you also remember that he said no damage to this one. And I would hate to disappoint Korim, wouldn’t you? He does that, you know…” Was that his hands wiggling in the air? She caught herself in a giggle.
That was funny. I like you, captain whatever. Morrig, you I hate. I will have to come back here once I escape and kill you. And this other guy, what’s his name, cause he’s really dumb. Dumber than you.
The captain sighed. “Well, let’s get her into a cell. And be careful. She’s in bad enough shape already. Lets... Here, never mind. You, give her to me. Lieutenant, bring the keys.
She felt herself shift, a new body under her, stronger, taller, hoisting her up. Not like she cared at that point. Whatever this stuff was, they gave her too much. Drifting away, like the waves on the sea… falling in love… the words of the song coming back to her, her mothers voice drifting across the void of time…no, wait, that wasn’t her mother. Well, at least the mother she knew. Whoa… whoops, drifting again.
She felt a slight sinking feeling, could’ve been dropped on the floor but it was hard to tell, her body felt like mush. She heard a click as the door was closed, and she faded away into lights and sounds and a constant spin…
There were moments of consciousness, like brief breaks in the surface of a turbulent water. But then she would submerge, with only the briefest of memories of voices, faint and hollow.
“Is she ready?”
“Yes, as planned. Are you sure this is the one?”
“According to the Emperors resources… must be…ironic, isn’t it?
“…going home, to a home…never been…
and it all fading away to a strange voice, a woman’s voice, strange and deep.
“do not be afraid, child, for I am watching…”
and then nothing.
Dim memories, sand and dust. Ages pass by, lives come and go. But somehow I remain the same. Flashes of strange figures, black as the night, with glowing evil eyes and souls of death. Evil creatures roaming the lands, decay and rot and hunger. All this, and I am frozen, frozen in time and death. Cannot move, cannot speak…
“Are you okay?” odd voice cuts through the fog and horrors. Slowly she feels life slipping back into her as she wakes. The darkness that was dimming the edges of her vision receeds to a more normal shadow, flickering in the light of a sealed lamp. It slowly swings back and forth, a rhythmic sight that echoes in her stomach. As she wakes she realizes that it isn’t the light that swings, but the room around it, slowly in time with the light sound of waves slapping against an old hull. Smells of tar, old hemp, and wet wood. Sight, sounds, and smells were coming back to her at an amazing rate, along with a splitting headache. She moaned softly
“are you okay? Do you need help?” the voice came from the corner, where a figure reflected dimly in the lamplight. Gray, dusky skin, Sharp ears. But how’s that poss…
He nodded towards her. “ You were shaking there for awhile, I was about to call the guards. Not easy shaking either, the bad stuff like you had too much moon sugar.” There was something odd about his face, she couldn’t see in the light. Could she sit up? Yeah, slowly, pins and needles running amok through her legs like fire in her veins. she hissed her breath as she slowly rose to a sitting position.
“Are you sure you don’t need any help?”
“Fine… be Fine…Don’t need any help.”
“Okay, suit yourself.” He didn’t sound like he believed her, but he at least left her alone, and the saints be praised, he didn’t say anything more for a while. The tingling took its own sweet time to work its way out of her system. She must have been cramped up down here for hours
“Days. Two to be precise. And you were out the entire time. They must have drugged ya or some’n. You looked near dead when they brought you in. Not even last nights storm couldn’t wake ya.”
“Who…” She gathered her strength to try again, but the figure nodded. “some imperial guards, and two others. Some official guy, probably an officer, by the gold and silver on his vest, and some other guy in a scarlet robe, sorta hidden and spooky, if you know what I mean.”
She nodded. Sound like the captain, and possibly the other was this Koree, Korma…whatever. Good riddance from her point of view. Her muscles ached like never before, and the headache was not going away, though it was receding to a painful throb in the back of her head somewhere.
She shook her head slightly. Her hair was all matted and sticky, it was driving her crazy. At least they could’ve cleaned her up. She started a little when her memory came back. Wait..
A quick body check and she relaxed. At least nothing felt violated. Not that it ever happened to her before, but she figured she would know the difference. She was still going to kill the idiot, if she could ever find him.
The figure was looking at her. He seemed to have a grin on his face, but his eyes studied her. No, eye. He was missing one. That was it. A scar ran down his face, across the damage eye socket. The hollow was producing odd shadows.
Her strength was coming back, if at least just a little. “Where are we going?”
“You don’t know? Morrowind.” The sound of her native homeland brought on strange feelings and sensations. She shoved them aside. “Why are they bringing me to Morrowind?”
“I assume to let you go. At least, that’s what they're doin’ ta me.” He shifted, sniffing absentmindedly as he glanced over to the opening in the small storage compartment they were in. she noticed, glancing around, that they weren’t in the best of quarters. As a matter of fact, the ship itself didn’t seem designed to hold travelers. Livestock, maybe, small ones, but probably just a cargo ship. She furrowed her brow. Why Morrowind? If she had ever been here before, she was too young to remember.
The dunmer looked back to her. “Well, where I’m concerned, they found me free of charges.”
She snorted in her mouth. “Well, that’s an odd one. Usually doesn’t happen.”
“Yeah, tell me about it. I presume the judge was in a good mood that day. That, and my accuser did come up at the last minute ta confess she’d made it all up.” He caught her raised eyebrow. “She read too much into the relationship. Guess she was angry.”
“Someone who was actually innocent, eh?”
“Well, at least of that crime.” He smiled, and she saw a slightly different side of him. “I’m glad that’s all they caught me at. How about yourself?”
She glared at him.
He shrugged. “If you were anyone of note, you probably would have shared crew or captain quarters, at least. Your down here, that tells me the crew doesn’t care too much about ya. But were going to Morrowind, and with me on board…”
She got the point, nodded. “Same thing, got caught. I actually did it though…well, sort of. Amazed that I even survived. The guards in the Imperial prison aren’t that nice.”
“You met Leiutenant Morrig too, eh?” he smiled again. “I owe that scamp fodder one.”
She grinned, a little. He was halfway decent, at least. Still, she didn’t want to give him too much headway. Stifle the grin, shrug instead. “Yeah, so do I. At any rate, got caught, figure I would at least spend most of my life in there as Morrigs’ plaything, and bam. Some Captain came in waving some guys name around and next thing I know, I’m here.”
Captain? What would a captain want with you?” His interest sparked some caution in her. “Who was he talking about?”
“I can’t remember completely. I was pretty drugged up then. Probably some tributary or clerk or judge, who knows.”
“Hm.” He nodded, but was watching her carefully. It made her skin crawl. It always did when people paid attention to her. Especially like that. She pretended not to notice, looking around at the small cargo hold they were in.
“Oh, sorry, my apologies. Name’s Jiub.” He extended a hand. She didn’t know If she should take it. But she did. What the hell. “Annasthasia.”
He tilted his head. “Sounds like a solid Breton name. What’s your real name?”
“Why should I tell you that?” Jee, this guys a persistent prick.
He shrugged. “I told you mine. That, and we're Gonna be in Morrowind. Here’s a little tip for ya. The dunmer in Morrowind are pretty fanatical about being...well, Dunmer. The only thing they don’t like more than Breton’s or Imperials ‘re Dunmers who think they’re Imperials.”
She thought on that. “Yssendrisyl.” It sounded foreign, like it was someone else. That’s what you get for going by a Breton name for most of your life.
Juib smiled, a nice smile this time. Didn’t think he had one of those.
“Nice name. Probably from a southern tribe.” He saw the look on her face, started. “You really have never set foot on Morrowind, have ya?”
She gauged him for a moment. He was smart, that’s for sure, could figure out a lot of this stuff himself. Might as well be a little friendlier. So far, he’s the only person she’s met that might actually help her out wherever she’s going.
“No. Was raised my whole life Just south of Mournhold.”
“A Dunmer raised by Bretons. An odd combination, at least. Where ‘ya real parents?”
“Don’t know. Don’t care. Don’t’ even remember them, at any rate.”
“Yeah, I can understand that. Hay, here’s another quick tip. Lineage can mean a lot over here. Knowing what tribe your from can make a difference.”
“How?”
“Well, for one thing, It might keep you from being shot, stabbed, or otherwise made decease in many places.”
“Oh. Well, I might have to look into it sometime soon. Look,” she shifted uncomfortably, “Why are you asking all these questions?”
“Huh? Oh, Fair enough. I’m from the Urshilaku tribe myself. See the tattoos?” he motioned to his shoulders and neck, which were covered in an odd, twisting, decorative tattoo. “You can usually tell what tribe your from by the tattoos, although they’re usually covered.” He scowled at his lack of clothes. At least his essentials were covered. in her case, the tatters were pretty challenged, to say the least. He hadn’t noticed, or at least had the respect not to say anything.
He continued. “You haven’t been here, have no tattoos, so no way to tell what clan your from. Probably a good idea to get some clothes as quickly as possible. That way people won’t know that you’re not from the motherland. I don’t know if we are both going to the same port, but whatever happens, once you get out, get some finances as soon as possible. Avoid getting in trouble with the imperials and the Locals. They both live by different rules, but both are pretty nasty when it comes to retribution. But there’s a lot of unexplored area out there, so plenty of opportunity. Oh, yeah, and if you need any assistance, You can usually find me in Gnaar Mok or Hla Oad. Ask around at the Fat Legs Drop off in Hla Oad. They’ll know me there.”
She nodded. “thanks, I guess.”
He shrugged “For whatever it’s worth. Heads up, someone’s coming.” She hear it too, a wooden hatch opening, a light grunt, then shut. Footsteps, a light, brighter than the one above her head. She squinted a little, hoping her eyes would adjust fast. They did. Above her, an Imperial, dressed in traditional Empire garb, the chink of metal under the cloth and leathers.
He glanced down at her, not even acknowledging Juib’s presence. “Come on, let’s go. Follow me.”
Juib winked at her as she stood, a mischevious smile on his face. Muscles In her thighs and legs protesting, she followed the Imperial. Not too talkative, He strode away, light bobbing in time with his steps. She followed him through the cramped hull of the ship, up a set of stair, creaking in protest to even her light weight, back through the ship In the opposite direction, and stopped at another stair, this time a ladder.
“Get up on deck. And let’s try to keep this as civil as possible.” She scowled a little, thought better, and just went up the ladder. She caught a glance from the other person in the hold, a woman who looked away when Yssendra noticed her stare. What, haven’t seen a Dunmer before? Not quite that, eh?
The hatch opened with protest, iron hinges squeaking even in their grease. The light revealed was bright, dispersed. Stepping up on deck, she smelled the first fresh air in days, Maybe even a week. It felt so good she almost stumbled from the experience. The air was fresh, but smelled strange. Growing up in a region of hills and grasslands and forests, the smell was almost enough to make her stomach twist. Odd, slightly pungent, almost like mushrooms and mold and something else altogether. As her eyes adjusted to the light, she looked around at her first experience of her original homeland. She was… Underwhelmed. It was a swamp. Odd trees, with twisted branches and leaves that were more moss than leaves, mushrooms that were as big as the trees…weird. Right in front of her, a tall man with dark skin was holding a rope in one hand, the other resting on the hilt of a wicked looking curved blade. Its presence belied his friendly smile. His odd leathers and ballooning pants gave away the sailor trade, but the wore an imperial chain vest.
“Right this way. Head on down to the dock and they’ll check you in.”
Yssendra almost got excited at this point. It was really going to happen. All her life she dreamt of being able to get away, someplace different, someplace with adventure and excitement. Growing up on a farm was not always her idea of adventure. It was ironic that she had to go to jail to get her opportunity.
At the bottom of the plank was a very bored looking guard In imperial chain. The traditional garb of the imperial guard, his tabard was slightly odd, almost a different motif, though it was obviously the emporers insignia. Older, perhaps? He glanced at her as she came down.
“About time. Let’s geta goin, dona have day.”
Odd accent, that. But he was an Imperial. She shrugged, and followed him.
“Oh, yeah. Welcome to the grande province of morrowind, home ta tha Dunmer tribes and an outpost ta tha Emporer himself…” He droned on, sounding like he didn’t want to hear what he was saying, either.
She spoke up as he stopped. “Do this a lot, eh?” He looked at her as if for the first time, and did a double start when he saw her face. She hated when they did that. Guard, one point down.
“well, no' really.” He looked ahead at the door. “first time in months, actually. A nice change from the boredom.” He nodded at the door. “Go on in, Socucius is waitin'. Good luck, welcome home.” He added the last part, as if it made any difference, trying to be nice. She ignored it and went on in.
