"I think I understand." Tadrose stepped up beside Teresa. "I am glad you have this. It is not always easy to find serenity and place to belong. I know life was hard for you, being an orphan on the streets, and looking so much like an Arimer."

Oh, how fun to get even a hint of this. Hopefully Teresa will allow Tadrose to be her ally whenever she gets to facing that uncomfortable part of herself.


"No matter how alone I felt, I knew that she could understand what I was feeling." Tadrose said softly. Her head leaned to one side, touching Teresa's. "She was the one thing in the world I could count on, and she got me through it all."

It’s great to see part of why Tadrose might be drawn to Teresa. They do have some common ground in their pasts, as far as feeling alone and out of place.


Tadrose nodded. "When you are noble, you do not have the same freedoms as others. Everyone thinks we are so lucky, to live in palaces, wear silk and jewels, and be waited on hand and foot. But the truth is those manors are prisons. To be a noble, is to be a sacrifice. Stretched out upon the altar of duty, and disemboweled by the dagger of authority. Our own children are our first victims."

This is beautifully put. Of course Teresa doesn’t know that Tadrose is talking about her own child (I think), but she should still gain some insight here.

And a nice hug! Yay.

Fighter’s guild is definitely different from the image I have of a typical mercenary group. It’s rather nice though. I suppose the other guild halls might not have such a good reputation either.

I’m enjoying Teresa and Tadrose’s discussion of beliefs. They are both wonderfully open minded. Oh and snuggle!

Tadrose left everything she knew for a powerful reason. I can’t wait to learn more about this forbidden love. Possibly a child involved as well. Yikes.

Teresa being the one to over-think things, she's probably now trying to decide if Tadrose's past has turned her against men, against getting emotionally involved with anyone else, or if she's pining for a lost love. Plenty of opportunity for getting the wrong answer, maybe more than once.

I'm just wondering what interesting plot twist will ensue from the book gift to Ancondil. And how it will tie in to this in the end.

I'm not saying that Tadrose is straight, just that Teresa will take it as such. And yes, she should know better from Nerussa, but our girl here seems quite determined to find reasons against being happy.

Weird...The song I'm listening to says to reach out and touch faith...I'm loving the whole thing about worship and faith in this story...I don't and I have little, but it's always fascinating to read...

Absolutely brilliant...

I know I try to hide my lesser descriptive abilities behind jokes and a Nice One...But I was really moved by these last two parts...I shall refrain from my usual...

I'm just loving this story...

Olen: Teresa is indeed just as much a mystery to Tadrose as the other way around. De-mystifying their relationship is one of the things this chapter, and especially these first five episodes, have been all about. By the time this chapter and the next are over with, T&T are going to know one another very well, including itemization.


liliandra nadiar: Expect to see a lot of misconceptions blown away this trip, this episode especially. I do love the fact that so many people are instantly seeing how Teresa will turn the things she learns into excuses for Tadrose not wanting her. It is all so like her! It is good to see that I have conveyed that part of her nature well.


Acadian: Teresa's worries about Tadrose only being interested in men will be resolved this episode.


haute ecole rider: I did not find out I was a lesbian after sleeping with man, I always knew. OTOH, I certainly had it confirmed when I finally did try one out!

And as you noted, Teresa has yet to shed the low self-esteem she has spent a lifetime learning.


Grits: I am not sure when the story will roll around to Teresa facing (and learning) the truth behind her parentage. I do have the broad strokes planned out, and every Arimer ruin she explores contributes to it. Her mother was clearly a wood elf, as that is definitely her race. She has their body type, their ears, their special powers, etc... But her father on the OTOH, is a different story. He may be where that ghost white Arimer skin comes from. Just as the Grey Prince inherited his skin tone from his dear old dad.

We will also find more about Tadrose's daughter at the very end of this chapter and especially at the end of the next.


King Coin: You are right, in that the TF FG (can I put more acronyms in here? ) is different from the common idea of a band of mercenaries. The latter is more like the Blackwood Company. The FG is different from most merc groups because it has an Imperial Charter, which provides it with a legal framework it has to abide by, or else. Such as not hiring criminal scum. Even their origin was as a law-enforcement force, to replace the private armies that the Potentate had abolished. While they are not the police anymore, they still retain much of those trappings in their rules of engagement (which is another example of the effect of their charter with the Empire. Other merc bands would not have clearly defined rules of what jobs they can or cannot take, etc...). We will actually hear more about the FG's rules of engagement later this chapter.


ghastley: Teresa over-think things? Naaaw! I really did not have anything extra planned for Teresa's gift. My expectation is that she will take it back to Nilawen and trade it for another, less racy, book. Maybe I can work that in the next chapter.


McBadgere: Thank you McB. You do not have lesser descriptive abilities. I think you conveyed exactly what you meant to. I look forward to seeing more of that *gentle nudge*.

By the by, I do not worship, and have no faith. That does not stop me from being deeply religious however. Look here and here if you are interested.

My religious background is where I bring most of the "flavor" I write into the religious aspects of this story, whether it is the theories and viewpoints that Teresa and Tadrose are discussing in this chapter, or the ceremonies depicted in previous chapters, like Olava's harvest blessing, or Aela's Witches Festival. It is also where I get my descriptions of the inner workings of magic from, as that is all taken from IRL magical traditions.


Previously On Teresa of the Faint Smile: In our last episode, Teresa explained to Tadrose that she was a Witch, and what that meant. Tadrose also related that she had followed Azura in Morrowind, but not the Tribunal. But when she came to Bravil, she left all that behind, and found a powerful relationship with Mara. She confessed that she left Morrowind because she fell in love with a man from the wrong House. She also admitted to being noble, but expressed how much she hated the sacrifices that being so entailed. Next, we find the two women spending time together on a dark and stormy night.


Chapter 41.6 – Nothing is Trivial

Teresa followed Tadrose into the stable. The open area near the door was lined with shovels, pitchforks, and other tools. Saddles and tack were stacked up on sawhorses and hung from pegs on the other wall. Stalls stretched down either side of the remainder of the long building, leaving a single, open lane between them. The heads of sturdy draft horses loomed from above the walls of the enclosures, as well as smaller donkeys and mules.

As soon as Teresa entered the livery, the pungent smell of the animals and their droppings invaded her nostrils. The wind whipped past her willowy frame, sending a sheet of rain into the structure. A flash of lightning filled the building with light, followed by the crashing of thunder a moment later.

"I'm sorry we don't have room anywhere else. Our homes are small, and we don't get many visitors staying the night." A short Nibenean entered the stable behind the two women and shut the double doors, but did not latch them. The amber light of his lantern bathed the chamber in its warm glow, and he gestured to a ladder leading to a loft above the stalls. "Best you sleep up there. Don't you worry, the roof don't leak, and the hay's just as good as any bed. Believe me, with a wife like mine, I know."

Teresa wondered if that was supposed to be a joke about being kicked out of the house? Or that he was an adulterer?

"This will do fine," Tadrose filled the silence between the three. She threw back the hood of her cloak and gazed up at the loft overhead. "It is very kind of your village to give us shelter."

"Let it not be said that Clearwater is no friend of the Fighters Guild. It's not fit for man or beast out there tonight. Mark my words, we'll find more than one tree turned over in the morning, and I'll probably be re-thatching the roof all damned day." The dark-haired man handed Teresa his lantern. "Here, you'll need this to see by. Just be careful with it around the hay."

"That is alright," Teresa waved his hand away, and produced a glowing white crystal from her Thieves Bag. "We have plenty of light."

"Well then, we'll be seeing ye in the mornin' then," the Nibenean nodded. "Akatosh keep you safe and sound."

"Aye, and you and your family." Tadrose drew the cloak from her shoulders and shook the water from its folds. Teresa noticed that except for her boots, her armor was dry underneath.

The farmer vanished into the night a moment later, shutting the door behind him with a clacking of wood. Another peal of thunder reverberated through Teresa's ears, and a chorus of whinnies rose from the stalls. Teresa walked to the line of enclosures, and spoke softly to the horses. "Shhh, it's just Kynareth redecorating."

"In Morrowind, we used to say it was the Dwemer playing ninepins." Tadrose smiled and hung her cloak from an empty peg in the wall, beside the rows of tack.

"I'm sorry it had to rain on our first day out." Teresa bit her lip as she looked back to the Dunmer. "I didn't realize it would."

"Rain I am used to," Tadrose remarked as she ascended the ladder. "It rains from Second Seed all the way through the end of Midyear in Morrowind. Besides, my cloak keeps most of me dry."

"I noticed," Teresa said as she followed the dark elf up into the loft. "Is it enchanted?"

The beams of the roof rose up into an inverted 'V' just inches above their heads, causing Teresa to reflexively duck. Bales of hay were stacked against either wall, and filled the far end of the loft as well. Loose fibers were scatted everywhere between, and Teresa found the dark elf gathering these into a large pile against one wall of the bales. The wood elf joined her, and in moments the two sat down together in the soft bed of hay.

"Aye," Tadrose said. "Henantier did it for me years ago. The inside is always dry, and it resists the cold. I am not sure if I could survive the winters here without it."

"I wish I had something like that when I was growing up," Teresa said as she pulled her gauntlets off. "We used old crates, trash, whatever we could find to start fires in the alleys to keep warm. When it got really cold, we'd have to go down in the sewers."

"That sounds terrible," Tadrose said as she followed Teresa's lead, and began taking off her armor. A moment later the wood elf moved to help with the numerous plates and pieces of the elvish armor.

"I never knew anything different," Teresa shrugged.

"Tell me more about it," the dark elf asked as they worked on the vambraces sheathing her arms.

Teresa felt her cheeks grow warm. "Oh, there is nothing much to say," she dissembled. "Nothing interesting."

"Sure there is," Tadrose insisted. "I would like to know. One of the reasons I came out here was so we could spend time together. You told me that Simplicia raised you. Who were your friends when you were growing up?"

"Oh well, that was Methredhel and Adanrel I suppose." Teresa stared intently at the golden plates of light - but extremely durable - metal that covered the Dunmer's body. She hoped that she was not blushing as deeply as she thought she was. "We met in an alley, when they were being chased by a shopkeeper."

"Now that sounds like a story!" Tadrose exclaimed. "Even when you were little, you were getting into adventures."

With more coaxing from Tadrose, Teresa related how she met the other two wood elves, ran afoul of Valen Dreth, and eventually defeated him with the unwitting help of Raminus Polus. She continued on long after both of the women had stripped off their armor, and sat in nothing but their tunics. She told the armorer about her life as a beggar with Simplicia, her fumbling attempts at thievery, moving to the Chamber Pot when she was fifteen, and of course how Emperor Uriel Septim changed everything. Through it all the older elf sat in rapt attention, her red eyes practically glowing in the soft illumination of the lightstone at their feet.

"I am surprised that Ancondil did not come with us," Tadrose said as she poured apple cider from her waterskin into a pair of redware cups that Teresa had removed from her bag.

"I didn't ask him," Teresa said. She lifted one of the cups to her lips and took a sip of the tangy drink. "He may be built like a minotaur, but he's a big baby inside. I remember the first time we had dinner together, he said he barely survived the ride down here from Cheydinhal, and he was stopping at inns every night along the way! By his own admission, he'd probably walk into more trees than around them."

"You must miss him on these trips in the wilderness," Tadrose said. Her eyes were veiled as she sipped from her own cup.

"No more than anyone else." Teresa wondered why the dark elf would ask such an odd question? "I do miss his playing. The only music I ever heard before I met him was from street corner musicians. Let me tell you, most of them are on the street corner for a reason! But I can sit and listen to his lute all day. And then his voice. It's so deep and strong, it just runs through me when he reads poetry."

"Aye, he plays very well," Tadrose agreed. Teresa wondered if she detected a note of sourness in the other elf's voice? "And recites poetry well too. I often think he was made for better things than the guild."

"I think he's shy." Teresa shrugged. "Sure he's fine at going up and talking to people, even if they're complete strangers. I wish I could be more like that. But when it comes to his lute, or his writing, well he just turns into a little boy then."

They sat together in silence for long moments, until Tadrose finally spoke again. "I know you miss Simplicia," she said. "But you never mention any men. Is there anyone you left behind in the Imperial City?"

"Men?" Teresa could not prevent her eyes from goggling at what Tadrose was suggesting. "Me? Not hardly. I am not what men are looking for. Even before…" Teresa's eyes dropped to her shoulder, where her tunic hid the web of scar tissue that marred her skin.

"Surely there was someone," Tadrose suggested, staring intently at the wood elf.

"Well, there is Nerussa," Teresa squirmed in the hay, and stared down at her hands.

"Nerussa?"

"She's an innkeeper," Teresa explained. "Well, she is now at least. Ever since I met her. Which wasn't that long ago really."

The Dunmer laid a comforting hand on her leg, and Teresa felt her heart slow its pace. Without really thinking about it, she found her own hand sliding atop Tadrose's. "I have never met anyone like her. She was a courtesan, and it still shows in everything she does. She was like being with Dibella herself."

"Oh my," Tadrose breathed. She turned her hand, so that her fingers could interlace with Teresa's and gently squeeze. "So she was special then?"

"She was my first," Teresa said, knowing that she was red as a beet. Still, she forced herself to turn and look Tadrose in the eye. The dark elf looked surprised, and Teresa wondered if like so many Imperials, she did not approve of women being with one another. "I thought I was trying to seduce her. I was such an idiot! But she saw something in me in spite of it all."

"I can imagine why," Tadrose said softly. Teresa felt herself blushing even worse, and found herself looking down at her lap once more. "You have so much beauty in you Teresa. Anyone would be lucky to be with you."

"So what about yourself." With a supreme effort of will, Teresa forced herself to look back at Tadrose. "Who was your first?"

Tadrose leaned back into the hay. A soft smile crept across her features, and she rolled her cup this way and that under her fingers. "That was Sondryn Girith. Her family was one of those in my House, and we knew each other from childhood. We were sixteen, and it was Azura's Summoning Day. We spent the evening under the mushroom trees on the banks of the Odai river, drinking shein, singing, and dancing." Tadrose sighed. "One thing led to another, as it often does. The next thing I knew we were in each other's arms. To be so young and carefree…"

"So you're sapphic too then?" Teresa asked, feeling her heart beat like a drum in her chest.

"Well of course!" Tadrose laughed. "Dibellic at least. Are not most of us elves attracted to both genders? Especially when we are young, and exploring our passions?"

"I had no idea," Teresa admitted. "I'm not good at being an elf."

"You are just fine at being an elf," Tadrose insisted. She leaned forward, and tapped a playful finger against Teresa's nose. "You grew up around Imperials is all, and in the Imperial capital no less. No one can fault you for not being taught elven culture. But your heart is the same as any other elf's."

Ha! Love that saying.

Funny, I don't remember Tadrose packing a crowbar and dynamite. Didn't think anything else would get Teresa to talk about herself. To be fair though, Tadrose does have an inside track on getting Teresa talking.



Aw, what about the men? Though I suppose they wouldn't want to be called sapphic.

And that's the major mutual misconception cleared, hopefully. They both know the other has slept with women in the past, now they both just need to get it through those lumps of ebony on their shoulders that the other really is interested in them.

Dangitall I've caught up again.

You enjoy hanging Cliff don't you... He is going to start haunting you very soon.

S.G.M.

Hands on legs, each discussing their history with women - I'm not sure I want to know what's going to happen in that hayloft...


I liked this line, it's ambiguity made me smile.

Well that's the main barrier broken and they both must know the other is interested:
"Anyone would be lucky to be with you."
The Dunmer laid a comforting hand on her leg, and Teresa felt her heart slow its pace. Without really thinking about it, she found her own hand sliding atop Tadrose's.
"But your heart is the same as any other elf's."

I suspect their tme might be spent cementing a relationship rather than initiating it.

liliandra - I'm sure if all the women are sapphic the men will find something to do

Teresa wondered if that was supposed to be a joke about being kicked out of the house? Or that he was an adulterer?
Did you mention she over thinks things?

I was smiling when they finally figured each other out. I was going to be very frustrated if this chapter ended with Tadrose thinking Teresa was with Ancondil!

So, we have moved from an Almost Kiss to an Almost Roll in the Hay. Seriously, this was lovely! And a perfectly wonderful setting up in the loft of a stable on a stormy night. You painted the entire atmosphere inside the stable perfectly. I’m so glad they were using a glow stone to see by instead of a flaming lantern!

It was fun to hear Teresa review her past and learn more of Tadrose’s.

I like the Nibenean farmer. It was a nice touch that Teresa didn’t get what he was talking about.

T & T learned a lot about each other in the hayloft, and the storm isn’t over yet. Hopefully no one from the village will have a hay emergency and spoil the mood. Teresa has summoned her courage, and it's going so well!

Well that made my dinner interesting... ...

*Applauds*...

Damn good job they don't have...Hay-fever...Allergies do you call it over there?...I'd be sneezing like a git... ...

Back to the...Nice one!!... ...

... ...

liliandra nadiar: When I was little my parents used to always say thunder was God redecorating, or the angels bowling. So I just ESized those sayings for T&T.

You had me rolling with the crowbar and dynamite! So correctly put. In some ways Teresa can be just as close-mouthed about her life as Tadrose.

I am not sure what to call gay men in ES. Since I went with sapphic for the women, it would be nice to name them after a male homoerotic poet. But I am afraid I cannot think of any (man on man just is not high on my reading list). Maybe Walt Whitman? He did Sing the Body Electric. Maybe I could elfinate his name?


Doommeister: Hey, I am not as bad as treydog! He has stretched out poor Cliff's neck by at least a mile.


Olen: I went back and edited that a bit, since I did not want it to seem that all young elven women were sapphic, but rather bisexual, or at least willing to experiment with both sexes.


King Coin: Unfortunately, Teresa talking about having dinner with Ancondil, and what a great musician and poet he is, did not help her cause for being unattached. But that will be dealt with directly before this chapter is done.


Acadian: Maybe this means they will be Almost Girlfriends soon? These past 5 episodes were a lot of fun to write, because of how much ground it allowed the T&T to cover in their relationship. To the point of being on the verge of really having one, if not already.


Grits: The Nibenean was mainly there to provide a link to the village that they were staying at. His comment about the hay being comfortable was also primarily meant to show that it was not going to be a miserable place to spend the night. But I could not resist throwing some married humor in there.

One emergency coming up! Although not a hay one.


McBadgere: Most of the elven races have resistances to diseases. Hopefully this will make lunch entertaining as well.


Previously On Teresa of the Faint Smile: In our last episode, the rain turned to a raging thunderstorm, and Teresa and Tadrose took refuge for the night in a village's stable. At Tadrose's prompting, Teresa related the events of her childhood, including how she outwitted Valen Dreth with the help of Methredhel, Adanrel, and Raminus Polus. Then talk went to their first lovers, and Tadrose revealed that her first was another girl in her House, when she was sixteen. She also confirmed for Teresa that most elven women are open to sex with both genders, at least when they are young and exploring their sexuality.

The next episode is a little long, but if I had spit it up into two, the first half would be been just too dull.


Chapter 41.7 – Nothing is Trivial

"It's a ship, a ship!"

The cry of a young girl's voice pulled the forester from her dreams. She felt Tadrose's arm stretched out across her waist, underneath the blanket they both shared. Teresa sighed. If only they had done more than just lay next to one another… Yet she knew it was a start, and a good one at that. For it appeared that so long as she did not push, Tadrose was willing to share her past with her, as well as her present. In the end, that was all that she could hope for. She only wished that girl's voice would go away and leave the two of them alone.

The dark elf's eyes opened an instant later, and she rose to a sitting position along with Teresa. Drawing her arm back, she rewarded Teresa with a shy smile, and rubbed the sleep from her eyes.

"It's wrecked on the shore!" The voice rang out from beneath them. "Come quick!"

Tadrose pulled on her boots and gathered up her longsword. Then she slid down the ladder with a flash of blue skin and raven-black hair. Teresa followed after pulling on her boots, gorytos, and Thieves Bag. Now she was thankful that nothing had happened after all. At least now they still had their tunics on. Sparing only a glance at the pieces of their armor - stacked neatly against the hay - she made her way down the ladder. If it really was an emergency, there would be no time for donning the gear.

They found a dark-haired Imperial child waiting for them on the floor of the stable. She pointed out the open doors, toward the coast beyond. "It's out past the fields, on the rocks!"

"Tell the others," Tadrose patted the girl on the shoulder. "If your village has a healer, tell them to hurry."

Teresa sprinted out the open doors of the stable with Tadrose in hot pursuit. Magnus had yet to appear in the east, but the sky was clear, and the pre-dawn light was bright enough to see by without goggles or glowstones. Her boots flew across the muddy village streets, taking her to the gate in moments. She passed a few other villagers on the way, stepping from their homes with bleary eyes and confused expressions. The wooden gates of the settlement were open, and a young boy stood beside them, pointing the way to the shores of Niben Bay.

Teresa raced past him, and sped across the fields. Avoiding the gentle mounds of the Three Sisters, she kept her feet on the firmer ground that snaked between them. She heard Tadrose's steps behind her, and the dark elf's strong, regular breaths. Neither said a word, saving their breath for the run.

The fields went on for at least half a mile, then turned to scattered trees and brush for another half mile. That ended with a rocky cliff, as if some god had simply plunked down a gigantic shovel and carved out a chunk of Nirn there. Teresa stopped at the rim as the sun rose into the morning sky. She did not pause to take in the beauty of the moment however. Instead she stared down the precipice to the pebble beach, at least a hundred feet below. She instantly saw the ship, pointed nose-first toward the shore. The strand ended just beyond it, and the cliff-face jutted out sharply into the sea like a great hook of tall rock.

"There!" Tadrose gasped. She pointed in the other direction, to a path that led down the bluff. Teresa led the way without a word, and in moments the two women scrambled down onto the stones of the beach. Making their way across the strand, they finally came to a halt before the wreck.

It was not a galleon, Teresa noted, but a holk - one of the flat-bottomed river craft that made runs between the cities along the Niben. The ship's high prow and forecastle had collapsed into a shambles of broken timbers. Its single mast had snapped at its base, and stretched out across the water to the beach. Most of the overlapping boards of his hull were hidden by the waves, which washed across the top deck. Only the sterncastle remained free of water. There Teresa saw a lone figure, standing with head down, as if forlornly pondering the scene of destruction before him.

"There's a survivor!" Teresa pointed, and fought to regain her breath. Once again she thanked Pappy for his idea that she run laps around city. She never would have made a mile-long run before she had come to Bravil. Let alone had the breath to speak afterward.

With that in mind, she reached into her Thieves Bag and withdrew a pair of potions. Handing one to Tadrose, she guzzled the other. Instantly she felt refreshed. Her heart slowed, and her breathing returned to normal. It felt as if she had but leisurely walked the distance, instead of ran flat out.

She waded into the surf and grabbed hold of the mast. She could use it to climb up onto the deck of the ship. From there she could get to the survivor.

But Tadrose's hand stopped her. "Wait," the armorer said, pointing to the lone figure on the ship. "Look again."

Teresa followed the other woman's hand, and studied the man on the back of the ship. That is when she realized that she could also see the rocks of the cliff through his body. He was not a man at all, but a ghost!

"Damn," Teresa cursed. "Undead. Do you think he killed the crew?"

"Or perhaps he is the crew," Tadrose suggested.

"I'll need to string my bow then," Teresa said, turning back to shore. That is when a voice came to her ears.

"Help!" It was the voice of an ordinary man, with the soft, sing-song tones of a Breton. It came from the direction of the ship. The forester turned back, and saw that the ghost was now standing at the edge of the sterncastle's rail. He was looking directly at her and Tadrose, and reached out one hand in supplication. "By the Nine please!"

Teresa bit her lip. What kind of ghost cried for help, or swore by the Nine? She remembered the one time she had previously encountered such a creature. It has been at Castle Magia, and had nearly killed her. That creature had floated in the air, missing its lower body entirely, and seemed to be almost composed of mist. Yet this specter was clearly a man. Teresa could see every detail on his face, and every fold of his simple clothing. If it not for the fact that she could see through him, she never would have imagined that anything was unusual about him at all.

She pushed against the beating surf and grabbed the mast once more. Using it to pull herself against the waves, she slowly drew closer to the ship.

"Teresa, what are you doing!" Tadrose's hand clapped down on her shoulder, and held her tight.

"I have to help him!" Teresa cried, and shook herself loose.

"He's dead!" Tadrose replied, pulling herself after the wood elf.

"So is Cassius Longinus." Teresa said resolutely. She paused to turn back to face Tadrose. "But he was still there for me. I won't leave this man. I just won't."

"Teresa, look at him!" Tadrose insisted. "It's probably a trick."

"Maybe it is," Teresa admitted. "But I can't just stand by safe and sound when someone else needs me."

Teresa turned back to the holk, and pulled herself closer. The water rose high around her, first to her breasts, then past her shoulders, and finally the stones under her feet fell away. She was thankful for the Jewel of the Rumare - which allowed her to breathe the water - for the tide continued to crash over her in a steady rhythm.

Hooking her legs around the thick pine, she climbed up onto the mast and crawled her way along the rest of its surface. Then she was on the deck of the ship, and rose to her feet. The water swirled around her ankles, and she could see that many of the boards under her feet were warped upward, or completely missing. It was as if some great hand and twisted the ship this way and that, until the planks had burst loose.

A glance back revealed that Tadrose was following her, but still laboring in the surf. She was strong, but could not breathe water. Biting her lip, Teresa stared from the Dunmer to the ladder leading up to the top of the sterncastle. Should she wait for Tadrose, or go up to face the ghost?

She looked back to Tadrose. The dark elf was coming after her. Even though it was obvious she thought it was a fool's errand. Teresa was not going to betray that loyalty by rushing even further into possible danger alone. Instead she untied the flap that covered the top of her gorytos and slid it aside. Drawing Ravenfeeder from its depths, she pulled forth a string of Argonian spidersilk and set it to the sihas at either end of the recurved shaft. She followed with an elven swallotwail, and set the arrow to the nock of her bow.

By then Tadrose was clambering onto the edge of the hull. Holding her ready bow with her left hand, Teresa reached out with her right to help her. She was thankful for the strength enchantment on her thumb ring as she pulled the larger Dunmer aboard. Tadrose did not say a word as Teresa helped her to her feet. She merely shook her head, and drew her sword.

Teresa reached into her bag with her free hand, and drew forth another potion. This had a triangular shield etched upon its surface. She handed it to Tadrose, who drank it down as Teresa pulled out its twin and guzzled it as well. Tadrose held up one hand and signaled that she would go first. Teresa nodded, and followed the woman to the ladder.

Tadrose rose awkwardly, still holding her sword in one hand. Teresa found it no easier with Ravenfeeder, and was obliged to unock her arrow and hold it in her teeth as she rose. Once upon the sterncastle, Tadrose stepped forward with her two-handed sword ready. Teresa was right behind her, and set her arrow to the string the moment her feet were on the deck.

The ghost stood before them. From his features, Teresa guessed he might be a Breton. Now that she was closer, she could see that he had gone bald down the center of his head, leaving only a tuft of hair that went from his temples to the back of his head. His skin was lined and worn, and the clothing he wore was equally frayed and threadbare.

"Please help me!" he exclaimed. He took a step toward the two women. Tadrose shifted her grip on her sword, drawing the hilt up over her head and pointing the blade directly forward. The edge was neither vertical nor horizontal to the deck, but rather at a diagonal. She led with her left foot, and kept her right behind her.

The Ox, Teresa thought, one of the basic stances in longswording. She had seen Pappy and the others practicing it often enough. She knew that from that position, Tadrose could thrust forward, turn to make a diagonal cut, or draw back to cut up from underneath. She only hoped that the Dunmer would not have to do so. Just in case she did, Teresa moved to one side, where she could get a better shot at the ghost. If the specter came at her, Tadrose would have a clear opening at his side. If he approached the armorer, she would have the same.

"Hold on there friend." Teresa took her hand off the string and held it up, palm out, toward the ghost. "Why don't you just tell us who you are, and what you are doing here first."

The Breton stopped, and stared from Teresa to Tadrose, and finally back to the wood elf. "My name is Grantham Blakely," he said. "I am the captain of this vessel. Or at least I was until last night."

"What happened last night?" Teresa asked.

"I was murdered," Grantham spat onto the deck beneath his feet. The saliva was just as ghostly as he was, and simply faded into nothingness as Teresa stared. "Please, friends, lower your weapons. I mean you no harm. You are my only hope for salvation."

Neither Teresa nor Tadrose lowered their weapons.

"Salvation from what?" Teresa asked.

"Look at me," he said. "I am trapped here. We are all trapped here. We cannot escape and go on to… whatever is next."

"How are you trapped," Tadrose finally spoke. "Was it a curse?"

"Yes," Grantham replied. "A curse. Even now, I can feel its chains pulling down upon me, binding me to this place, to him."

"Why don't you just tell us the whole story," Teresa said. Now she did lower her weapon, and gestured for Tadrose to the same. The Dunmer had a sour look, but did drop the blade of her longsword. However, Teresa noted that the casual way in which she held the blade was actually the stance known as The Fool. With both hands on the grip, she let the point of the sword hover just above the deck. Yet Teresa knew that from that position, Tadrose could quickly counter in many directions.

"Well then, where to start," the Breton stared down at his hands. "Yesterday morning, we left Leyawiin bound for the Imperial City. We make the run every week. Two days there, two back, and one in between to load and unload. Sometimes we make side trips to Pell's Gate, or Sideways, and sometimes we stop in Bravil. I don't like to do that though, because I usually lose half the crew in the taverns."

"Usually we only run freight, like rice and cotton from Leyawiin. Sometimes we haul Akaviri silk instead, or Morrowind shein, or carpets from Hammerfell… Then we bring back wine and olive oil from the Imperial City, or clothing, or metals. You name it, and I've hauled it at some time or another. I can even change the hold over to stalls, so I can transport horses and other-"

"Just get to the part about the curse," Teresa interjected. She hated to be rude, but while he could literally stand there forever and talk, she and Tadrose would eventually die of old age. If not hunger or thirst. The thought almost made her chuckle. Who ever thought the undead would bore someone to death?

"Ahh, yes. I am sorry, my mind wanders. I keep remembering things. Things I had thought I had forgotten. I remember my wife Aodrena. She used to always care so much about the little things. Trivial things, that I was always too busy for. Like sitting together and watching the sunset. 'It'll be there every day' I'd say. But how many times did I ever actually just sit and watch with her? Half a dozen times? A dozen? Now I will never share another sunset with her again. Believe me friend, nothing is trivial."

Now even Tadrose lowered her guard for real. Teresa wondered if the dead man had struck a chord somewhere deep within the armorer? Perhaps something related to the secret of her past, that she could not tell anyone?

"There I go again," the ghost shook his head. "It started yesterday in Leyawiin. We took on a passenger. A Nord from the Mages Guild, by his robe and staff. His only baggage was a satchel that he kept with him at all times. He said he was in a hurry to get to Urasek, and paid us extra to take him there before our stop at the Imperial City. He paid a lot extra. I should have known better. I should have realized he was trouble. But all I could think of was what that money could buy for my sons."

"Everything was fine until last night, on the bay. We got rain on the river coming up here, but we'd been through worse before. But that storm that came up on the bay was a bad one. Really bad. Our passenger, Kalthar was his name, insisted we push on. I knew that was folly. Once we neared the mouth of the Upper Niben, we'd be throwing the hard six against the chance of crashing on either shore. Safer to just ride it out in the open water. The Emma May, she's a tough old bitty. May not look like much, but she's put together like a brick dreck house. At least she was."

"What happened?" Teresa asked.

"Kalthar bribed the crew to mutiny," Grantham explained. "Promised them a fortune. I knew right then that he was on the run from something. I'd never seen a man so desperate. But I couldn't make the men see reason. All they could see was the gold. Just like me when I first took his cursed self on board."

"But why would they mutiny, even for money?" Teresa wondered. "Surely they knew they'd be caught once they reached port?"

"These crews of mine, they come and go," the Breton explained. "I get to port and they scatter to spend their pay. Then I have to take on a new complement for the trip back. It's different men every time. A few of them I recognize sometimes. But I never know what I am going to get from one voyage to another. Most of them have no families, nothing to tie them down. They just go from one ship to the next. They can put aboard one for High Rock, Skyrim, or Morrowind, and vanish."

"Well, these dogs took me down to my cabin and tied me up, then tried to push on in the dark. They rolled the dice alright, and came up dragon eyes. We crashed on the rocks here sometime last night. I could hear the whole side of the hull just tear out, and knew we were all doomed. We foundered, and the water started coming in, even up here."

"I always kept a little knife in my boot. Just in case of emergencies you know. Well I managed to get it out, and cut myself free. Then Kalthar came in. He was wearin' some kind of strange helmet, like some animal's head. Well I didn't stop to stare, I just buried my knife in the fetcher's chest. But as he keeled over, he damned me, damned us all. This cold light came out of his helmet as he died. It liked to freeze me to the bone. It went out over all the ship as far as I could tell. Then the water came in, and that was the end for me too."

"But it wasn't, not really," the Breton looked down at his transparent body. "I found myself looking down at myself. I'm still down there in the cabin. At first I thought it was normal. I thought I'd be off to meet my ancestors. I thought it was all over."

"But it's not normal. I know I'm supposed to be going somewhere, but I can't. I'm trapped here, in this cold darkness between life and death. He did something with that helmet. Something to all of us."

"Fetching necromancer," Tadrose growled.

"Can't you just take the helmet and destroy it?" Teresa asked. "That might break the spell."

"I can't," Grantham shook his head. "He won't let me. He's a nightmare. If I wasn't dead, I'd fill my britches with dreck just to look at him. I guess whatever he did to us, he did to himself as well. But even worse."

"You said us?" Tadrose asked. "How many others are there?"

"We set sail from Leyawiin with fifteen souls," the Breton said. "Those who were on deck were doubtlessly swept away when we hit the rocks. But the carcasses of the dogs who were below are still floating down there. How many are cursed, I know not. But I did see some of them in the hold with axes and boat pins. They're ghosts, but can hold things somehow. I can't do that. I couldn't pick up a thimble now."

"Wraiths," Tadrose murmured. "That will be trouble."

"Are they as friendly as you?" Teresa asked.

"I think not," Grantham shook his head. "They are his thralls. I don't know why I am free of his will. Perhaps because I was the only one to defy him in life?"

And so begins another twist on a familiar quest!

I loved how Teresa went from wishing something had happened to being glad it didn't when she heard that little girl shouting about a wreck. Made me laugh!

Loved how you began it with a shipwreck on the coast. Wonder if it is a ghost shipwreck? Or did things really just happen last night? As I recall from the game, the Emma May wrecked long before the game's timeline.

Not that I'm criticizing your planning of the quest, just trying to make sense of it. I have heard stories of ghost shipwrecks that keep appearing at certain spots along the coasts, and am wondering if this is one of them.

I did see one nit:
You used stretched out twice in close proximity. I think sprawled may work better in the second instance. Just sayin'.

Nice, tieing the Layawin recommendation and aspects of the Forlorn Watchman, should be interesting trip. Hope T&T are equiped enough for wraiths, as opposed to the trolls they were expecting. To say nothing that they're unarmored.

And the two Almost Girlfriends embark on the interesting start of what seems to touch several quests, ranging from the Emma May to a treacherous Kalthar to even a cursed helm. This is going be great fun!

"So is Cassius Longinus." Teresa said resolutely. She paused to turn back to face Tadrose. "But he was still there for me. I won't leave this man. I just won't."
. . .
'Teresa was not going to betray that loyalty by rushing even further into possible danger alone.'
These two passages brilliantly show Teresa’s willingness to help a stranger, but reluctance to endanger a friend. Well done!

’Believe me friend, nothing is trivial.’
Quite a full and fun personality you give dear Grantham in a very short amount of time and space. And we finally get a glimpse into the chapter’s title.

We have an enemy of unknown power, (but at least able to take over the crew of the vessel). We have our protagonists unarmored, except by shield spells. And a nicely confined space for the upcoming conflict.

We still need the reason they can't go fetch their armor, which will probably be the same one that says they have to do something about the threat now. Looking forward to that in the next installment.

And it's Kalthar? Hmmm..

Urgency could pretty easily be covered by the Emma May going under or being pulled out into the Nibiney River. Teresa could keep going with the aid of the Jewel, but you can't use a bow underwater, she could give it to Tadrose but then would have to let her face the whole thing alone. (Yeah, that'll happen.)

An enjoyable part, even if there was another interuption and the start of a new quest. I wonder if this might resurrect into the necromancer theme which has been dormant for a while. We have a mysterious helmet, a known necromancer and a boat which was wreaked maybe the night before but maybe not.


That the timbers are 'crumbled' suggests they are rotten and old. Makes me wonder if this might be more than expected, and whether it will result in a trip to Leyawin. But first there are some wraiths to squash, I wonder if they have the nessecaries.

I also wonder about what chord this has struck in Tadrose, and whether when she has time to think Teresa might realise she's been wasting time she might regret...


I like the phrase, and his use of it shapes his character quite effectivly.

-I am not sure what to call gay men in ES. Since I went with sapphic for the women, it would be nice to name them after a male homoerotic poet. But I am afraid I cannot think of any (man on man just is not high on my reading list).
For your naming gay men after male poets if you're staying with the Greek theme Straton of Sardis springs to mind as fairly explicit. Adaeus falls into a similarly direct bracket though I'm only aware of one verse by him.

Sapphic for lesbians and stratonic for gay? That sounds pretty good, I know I'm planning on using the phrase dibellic for bisexuals in the MF as well as sapphic, so now we have one for every one. Well, except straight, but that would probably be 'normal'.

Stratonic and Dibellic? I love them both! I should like to use the latter term for the TF as well, as it sums up Tadrose.

"It's wrecked on the shore!" The voice rang out from beneath them. "Come quick!"
Sigh. No real vacation for Fighters Guild members, as long as there are folk about who might need rescuing! Tadrose responded exactly as I would have hoped and Teresa was right… sprinting out in front of her? Go Teresa!! I love that it was she who had the right potions and took the lead helping the ghost. She did a little uncertain lip-biting, but she made up her own mind instead of turning to Tadrose for guidance.

"Maybe it is," Teresa admitted. "But I can't just stand by safe and sound when someone else needs me."
The Teresa Doctrine! Yay.

Tadrose did not say a word as Teresa helped her to her feet. She merely shook her head, and drew her sword.
I thought this was even more heroic than riding to the rescue at Castle Grief.

"Just get to the part about the curse," Teresa interjected. She hated to be rude, but while he could literally stand there forever and talk, she and Tadrose would eventually die of old age. If not hunger or thirst. The thought almost made her chuckle. Who ever thought the undead would bore someone to death?
I always enjoy Teresa’s little flashes of humor or whimsy. This time it brought out Grantham’s thought-provoking remark and the title of the chapter, but more importantly for me these are the moments that keep me interested in and rooting for Teresa.

Kalthar, Grantham, and the Emma May are familiar from the game, but by now I know better than to make any assumptions about them. It will be fun to see where the TF takes them. I’m most interested in how things play out between Teresa and Tadrose. Teresa seems willing to take some risks here, and Tadrose clearly does not approve. I’m wondering if she will put on her vice-commander hat, and if she does, how Teresa will react. I’m glad you let this longer episode stay as one, it is very interesting!!

Kalthar!!...Never liked him...Trouble I tell ya!... ...

So the Miss Wet Tunic, Bravil contest takes on the Forlorn Watchmen...D'yknow I've only ever done that one once...The Watchman I mean, not the Miss Wet Tunic contest... ...

Aaamywho...Nice set up...Excellent job...

Nice one... ...

The Forlorn Watchman! Less of a local legend and more of an immediate problem this time around.

I agree with Teresa that the ghost is probably no threat, but I’m glad Tadrose is still being prudent. I wonder if this is going to be an argument later.

I laughed at the chatty ghost! Poor guy still feels like he needs to make his pitch for business still.

Karlthar!

Awesome twist on this familiar quest!

Hey, 'Rosa! I'm back and I'm reading. I'll get caught up as soon as I can.

I've just started reading this and have alot to catch up on, so I won't leave any out of sync comments

But from what i've read so far Teresa is such a unique character! Shes very quirky and extremley likeable, and her reactions to certain situations are priceless! Also, she likes the ladies, which is always a good thing

Even though I might not write comments untill I'm up to date (unless there is a chapter I REALLY have to congratulate you on), I just wan't you to know that you've got another very eager reader here.

Incredible

haute ecole rider: I never really thought of a ghost shipwreck. That would have been an excellent idea! I guess you will have to save that for the JF.

Like Caught in the Hunt, I had to throw a lot of what is in the game right out the window in order to make this make sense. Like the Emma May being wrecked for months, if not longer, just a few feet away from a main road and easily visible from the bay. Yet no one else in the world has ever noticed it there. Let alone why in the world is Grantham's ghost appearing on the other side of the bay and walking around? It is pretty standard ghost lore that when a ghost is trapped somewhere (as he is chained up in the hold of the ship), that they are bound to the area of their death. Hence Grantham being seen on the deck of the ship in the TF.

Good call on the stretchyness. I suppose it was my cat's fault. She loves to stretch out as far as she can when she lays on the floor acting cute. Until she rolls over and lays on her back like a pR0n star of course!


liliandra nadiar: I needed a reason for the crew to turn into undead. Apparently the devs believe that when someone commits mutiny, they automatically turn into a wraith (I am sure they based this on RL incidents of mutiny...). So I needed a necromancer, and I also needed a reason for them to be in enough of a hurry to risk the rocks in the storm. The latter will be revealed in a few episodes.

I also went back a few episodes ago, and had Tadrose describe herself and most young elves as dibellic when she and Teresa talked about their first lusts.


Acadian: And next an Almost Battle, against Almost Undead. Erm I mean a real battle, with real wraiths. That section you noted was one I worked on to show the two sides of Teresa in action here. On one hand she wants to help Grantham, on the other she is a professional, and does not want to jeopardize either the mission or her comrades by rushing off alone.


ghastley: I think we all know that Kalthar has the power of the unibrow on his side! And as we will see, there is no reason that they cannot go get the rest of the gear. Now that they know Grantham is in no immediate danger.


Olen: This is indeed part of that overall necromancer arc, which I am reanimating. Once we get the business between Teresa and Tadrose finished, I will be concentrating upon the necs until they are finished.

I worked on that crumbled part to make it more evident that it was recent, not destroyed by age.

Like I said in my last post, Stratonic works wonderfully. I am going to go back to the chapter were Ardaline talks about her brother in Kvatch, and use it there. I have also had ideas for the Altmer having the equivalent of the Sacred Band of Thebes - perhaps the Sacred Band of Alinor instead?


Grits: There is no rest for the weary. At least the ghosts did not walk in on them! That is indeed the second half of the Teresa Doctrine, along with what she told Morandil when she threw down on him last chapter: "I don't kill for gold, or for pleasure. I do it to protect myself and others."

That whole Grantham boring Teresa to death was one of those things that was not planned on. It just rolled out of Teresa's lips as I was typing. Like you said, it is those little quirks of humor that make her such an adorable character to me.

We will also indeed see Tadrose take charge, but perhaps so gently as not be too obvious. This episode in fact. Teresa is not an alpha male, so it is not like she is going to make a big confrontation over who has the larger genitals. Nor does Tadrose feel the need to hose down the deck with testosterone. That is one of the joys of writing the scenes between them.


McBadgere: So you have done the Miss Wet Tunic contest more then once? Teresa has in fact. This is her second time. Her first was way back in Chapter 5, when she went slaughterfish catching for Aelwin.


King Coin: I had fun with Grantham being a chatty ghost too! I wanted to show that he was not a threat, and try to make him sympathetic. I also used it as an opportunity to gently reveal some of the details about trade up and down the Niben.


Destri Melarg: It is my favorite trumpet-playing Redguard historian! I was hoping you might make an appearance now that the Fall Semester is over (or near to it).


Tábrasa: Good to see you enjoying the cute and often amusing antics of my faintly smiling Teresa. Her being a lesbian comes natural, as I am as well. You write what you know and all that. Given that you have found that out, I take it you have at least gotten to Chapter 5, when Teresa first meets Nerussa, and falls victim to her feminine wiles.


Previously On Teresa of the Faint Smile: Our last episode found T&T rudely awakened by the news of a shipwreck near the village. They raced to the shore, to find a ghost standing on the rear deck of the ruined ship, pleading for help. Speaking to him at Teresa's insistence, they learned that his name was Grantham Blakely, and that his crew had mutinied at the prodding of a necromancer they had unwittingly taken aboard in Leyawiin. Named Kalthar, this necromancer carried a magical helmet, and has animated the remainder of the crew. Next, Teresa must protect the villagers from the threat of Kalthar and his minions.


Chapter 41.8 – Nothing is Trivial

After promising they would return, the two elves made their way back to the shore. There a crowd of villagers had already gathered. The news that the shipwreck was infested with undead cooled the curiosity of the farmers. Especially when Tadrose told them that ordinary steel could not harm them. After they were assured that no one would approach the wreck until they returned, Teresa and Tadrose made their way back to the stable in Clearwater.

"Wraiths are more dangerous than the ghost you encountered in Castle Magia," Tadrose said as Teresa helped her into her armor. "They are tougher, have a more powerful frost bolt, can use physical weapons, and can silence your magicka. They can only be harmed by magic weapons, but at least we have no problems there. Like all undead, they are also completely immune to poison and frost attacks as well."

"I will make us some potions to resist their frost," Teresa said as she strapped a greave to Tadrose's leg. "And some others to dispel magic, that should counter their silence."

"Your bow's weakness enchantment should be strong enough to overcome their resistance to poison," Tadrose said. "I remember Hirtuleius could poison even Argonians with it. Just remember it will not be as effective as it would against others."

"How can it work at all, if they are ethereal?" Teresa's eyebrows beetled together.

"An ordinary poison would not," Tadrose said. "But yours are not ordinary, nor that of Ravenfeeder. When alchemists like yourself create a potion, you are really just placing a spell in a bottle. When someone drinks it, the magic takes effect upon them. That is what makes your poisons act so quickly, and so lethally. That magic is just as effective against a creature that is not of flesh and blood. Can you create fire poisons? All undead are vulnerable to it."

"I have some entomola cap." Teresa rubbed her chin with one hand. "I should be able to make some fire poisons with that. I've never done it before though."

"There is a first time for everything," Tadrose smiled.

They returned to the beach fully armed and armored. By then it seemed that most of the village had gathered at the edge of the cliffs and the beach itself to watch. Teresa was relieved to see that none of them had strayed too near the shipwreck. Instead they all stared and pointed at the wreck with a mixture of excitement and apprehension.

Still, she saw that many of them carried wooden shields, and had armed themselves with long spears bearing wide, leaf-shaped heads. Others had nothing but pitchforks, sickles, or knives. So far they continued to stay away from the shipwreck, which the forester was thankful for. Teresa did not doubt that they could hold their own against bandits or goblins that threatened their village wall. But in an open battle against professionals - or the undead that Grantham said infested the ship - she knew they would be lambs for the slaughter.

She produced her mortar and pestle and went to the work of creating potions. That attracted the attention of many of the peasants, who turned away from the wreck to watch Teresa instead. She imagined that they did not often see alchemists at work, and tried to ignore them as best she could. The last thing she wanted was to become distracted, and make a mistake with a potion that she might just need to save her life.

She had created magicka restoration potions enough times with steel blue entomola that she was familiar with both the energy and alchemical symbols that lay within the mushroom. Coaxing forth its desire to flare and burn was not too difficult. It was even easier to do likewise for the dispel potions she distilled from her bergamot seeds, and those to resist frost from her supply of sacred lotus.

A burst of inspiration came over her as she stared at the freshly-made potions arrayed before her. Drawing forth Grognak's Bravil Guide from her bag, she flipped through its colorful pages until she came to the entry for morning glory.

"Have an idea?" Tadrose squatted down on her haunches beside Teresa.

"Something that might help tip the odds." Teresa smiled faintly in return. "If I can make some frost shields, then I think they will work in concert with the resist frost, and the regular shield potions as well."

"Double the protection," Tadrose grinned, and clapped a hand on the wood elf's back. "Have I ever told you that you are brilliant? Get to it then."

Teresa shook some powdered morning glory into her mortar and pestle and went to work. Within minutes she had produced a soft blue liquid that she poured into her potion bottles. Using her Mark Potion spell, she etched their surfaces with the standard symbol for a frost shield - a triangular shield with a snowflake in its center - and set them with her other potions.

"All set," Teresa said. She rose to her feet, and looked down the beach to the ship. The water had receded, and now she could see half of the hull rising above the waves. The clinker-built boards were broken and warped, creating numerous cracks and outright holes in the side of the vessel. Teresa wondered if those were caused by rocks, or if the hull broke up after it was holed elsewhere, and the stresses tore the ship apart?

"The villagers tell me that it will be low tide soon," Tadrose said, following Teresa's gaze. "We will wait until then. It will be easier to fight in the hold after all the water has drained away."

"I was thinking we might go straight for the cabin in the sterncastle," Teresa said. "It sounds like that is where the necromancer is."

"Perhaps, perhaps not," Tadrose said. "I suspect he can move about the ship more freely than Grantham. We had best be prepared for anything."

So they waited, and watched, as the tide slowly crept away from the shore. Soon women from the village appeared with wicker baskets tied to their backs. Staying well clear of the wreck, they combed the strand for shellfish left behind by the water, throwing all they found into their hampers.

"It looks like now is as good a time as any," Tadrose said. Without another word, she bent down to the potions Teresa had arrayed before them and started drinking them one at a time. Teresa followed suit, and felt the magicka buzzing within her from the combined shield, frost shield, frost resistance, and magicka restoration effects. The remaining potions were split between the women's belt pouches, and then they were off.

Tadrose led the way down the beach, and the villagers let out a ragged cheer as Teresa followed. She wondered if this was what felt like to fight in the Arena? But she knew the farmers were not ecstatic over the chance to see one of them die. Rather they doubtlessly looked forward to seeing the safety of their homes assured against the threat of the undead that lurked within the wreckage. Now she fully understood why settlements far from the cities were always so happy to see a guild member. They were their best defense against the worst dangers of the world.

"Let us try that sterncastle first." Tadrose stared up at the deck of the ship high above. "Like you said, it might save us the trouble of dealing with the others."

The dark elf grabbed hold of the mast, and pulled herself up. Teresa followed, scooting herself up with hands and feet as before. Once on deck, they carefully stepped across the groaning boards to the rear of the ship. There Teresa produced a broad head and prepared it with fire poison. Nocking the arrow, she drew her bow back to full extension and stood directly opposite the door. Tadrose stepped beside it with her sword out, and flung it open. The dark elf then moved back, taking care to insure that Teresa had a clear line of fire into the cabin.

Teresa was ready to loose, or jump aside, depending on what she saw within. But nothing moved in the dim recess of the cabin. She nodded to Tadrose, and the dark elf moved into the chamber with sword ready. Teresa followed, and lowered her bow when the armorer called out that all was clear.

The room was a disaster, filled with splintered boards and scattered flotsam and jetsam. Laying on the floor was the body of Grantham Blakely. His hands were clutched around his throat, and his eyes betrayed a look of terror. So that was what it was like to drown, Teresa thought. Thanks to the Jewel of the Rumare, she never needed to fear such an end. Unless she lost the ring. The idea of suffocating on a lake-full of water sent shivers crawling up her spine. That was almost as bad as burning to death.

Teresa led the way out of the cabin. She found the nearest hatch and pulled it open with one hand. Tadrose waited beside her, two-handed sword ready. Again, Teresa pulled Ravenfeeder to full tension and scanned the hold beneath for any sign of movement. Yet the inky blackness was silent and still.

Teresa sidestepped her way around the hatch so that she could get a look from all sides. She was rewarded when a soft green light came into view. She knelt down to get a better angle, and was able to make out a glowing form hovering above the lower deck. It was mer-shaped, but missing its feet, and its legs seemed fused together into a single wide mass. Its upper body was proportioned normally however. She saw an axe in one hand of the creature, and wasted no more time.

The forester loosed, and watched her arrow spiral through the space between them. It struck the transparent back of the wraith and erupted in fire. A spine-tingling scream erupted from the creature, and it doubled over in what appeared to be genuine pain. It turned as Teresa readied another arrow, and moved to the hatch. Flames still licked its ethereal form, and Teresa smiled faintly at the sight. Tadrose had been correct about her poison, as she always was.

The wood elf rose to her feet and fired another elven swallowtail at point blank range. It skewered the monster as it hovered over the steps leading up. Again it cried in pain, and shrank away this time. She knelt down once more to get a clearer shot, and drove a third arrow into its back. Its arms shot up, and the axe fell from its grip. Like the ghost in Castle Magia, its body collapsed in upon itself, as if it was melting. A moment later all that remained of it was a puddle of softly glowing ectoplasm on the deck.

"Watch out Teresa!" Before the wood elf could react, she felt a hand grab hold of one of her dagger belts and pull her away. She tumbled back. Out of the corner of her eye she saw a bolt of frost sprout from the depths of the hold and flash by overhead. She scrambled to her feet in time to see Tadrose spring to the hatch and drive her sword point down into the darkness. Fire sprouted along the blade, illuminating the name Anganar in the steel near the hilt. Another scream rent the late morning air.

With a rush of green light, the wraith burst from the hold and swept over the dark elf. Fire wreathed its transparent form, yet still it raised a large wooden boat pin, and brought it down toward the Dunmer's head. Teresa leapt forward, and grabbed hold of the club as it fell. She was not able to stop it, but at least pulled it off course enough that it merely glanced harmlessly off one of the elf's pauldrons.

Tadrose tried to push the creature off of her, but her hands simply passed through the body of the wraith, as if it was made of thin air. Teresa let go of the boat pin and called up the magicka within her. Concentrating upon her Burning Hand spell, she loosed the energy into the form of the wraith.

It screamed again as even more fire licked across its ghostly features, and lurched away. Tadrose pulled free, and Anganar swept out in a glowing arc. For an instant the wraith's head could be seen to cleanly separate from its body. Then like the first wraith, it dissolved into a puddle on the deck.

"I should have remembered, trips and throws won't work against these." Tadrose shook her head. "That is what happens when you get too accustomed to fighting flesh and blood enemies."

Teresa poisoned another arrow, and crept up to the edge of the hatch. It was silent as a grave within. Poking her head down for a quick look, she pulled back sharply as a swirling bolt of green energy sped her way. She was not quick enough however, and it washed across her features. Teresa felt for the magicka within her, but found that the power that so normally bubbled and simmered below her skin had gone silent and still.

"You've been silenced," Tadrose hissed. "Quick, drink this!"

Teresa took the potion the dark elf pressed into her had, and quaffed it down. She felt her magicka once again roar to life within her bones. Yet at the same time, she felt the enchantments of her potions wash away, as if carried off by the morning tide.

"It's coming up!" Teresa cried. Drawing her bow back to full extension, she drove the elven broad head into the body of the third wraith.

It cried out as the fire poison did its work. Tadrose circled around the other side of the hatch, just out of reach of the wraith's axe. It turned to keep her in view, and Teresa quickly loaded another arrow. Before she could loose however, the wraith gestured to the dark elf with its free hand. A bolt of scintillating white frost blossomed forth, and swept across Tadrose. The armorer shivered under the assault, but it appeared that her potions saved her from the worst of the attack.

Then Teresa's arrow was in its back, and it arched its body in agony. In spite of whatever pain she must have felt, Tadrose stepped forward. With one hand halfway down her blade, she buried the point of her sword into the creature's chest. Like the others, it found its final resting place in a puddle on the deck.

Teresa poisoned another arrow and drew her bow to full extension. She trained it upon the open hatchway. When nothing emerged for long minutes, she circled around to Tadrose and lowered her weapon.

"How bad is it?" she asked.

"Just a little chill," the Dunmer winked jauntily. But Teresa could see that she gritted her teeth, and tightened up her torso to one side.

The forester breathed deeply and closed her eyes. She called up Bear, and felt the mighty spirit guide enfold her in his soft fur. Reaching out to Tadrose, she set her hand on the long, leaf-like plates of her cuirass. Drawing her magicka from within her, she let it slowly flow into the other woman. With it she sent all of her love and compassion, willing it to restore Tadrose's frostbitten flesh to its previous vigor.

When the world swam back into view, Tadrose was staring back at her in amazement. "Teresa, did you just turn into a…"

"That was one of my spirit guides," the wood elf smiled. She felt tired, as if she had just run a lap around the city. Yet at the same time she was elated. Tadrose had actually seen Bear within her! "Most people never seem to see them."

"That was amazing!" the armorer said. "But you need to rest a moment. Sit down, and I'll keep an eye out for more."

Teresa did as her vice-commander bid, and plopped down on the deck with her back against the rail. Reaching into her Thieves Bag, she pulled out a bottle of Tamika's. Taking out the cork with her teeth, she took a swig straight from the bottle. The sweet liquid delighted her tongue, and settled into a warm glow in her belly.

A little Tamika's always went a long way, Teresa mused. That brought to mind her first journey inside a guard tower, just after the Oblivion Crisis. She had seen Calindil - from the Mystic Emporium - healing wounded legionaries there. He also drank wine with a shaking hand to help relieve the tiring effort of healing others. Did wine have a restorative effect, like one of her fatigue potions? Or was that just her elven imagination?

Either way, she took another drink. Only sipping it this time, she did as Nerussa had shown her, and savored the drink as it gently rolled around her mouth. Only then did she allow it to seep down her throat and rest in her belly.

"You could probably use some of this too." Teresa proffered the bottle to Tadrose.

"You come prepared for everything." The dark elf looked down with a smile and accepted the bottle. After taking a sip herself, she handed it back to Teresa. "Do you have any steamed crab in that bag of yours? Or tempura with noodles?"

"No, but if we go up to the Faregyl, I can stock up on S'jirra's potato bread."

"I do not think we would have time to get back for your Orisimer's birthday," Tadrose winked. Teresa wondered what that was about as she clambered back to her feet and re-corked her bottle? Tucking it away into her Thieves Bag, she nodded to the Dunmer that she was ready once more.

Be very careful not to slip in the ecto-goop.

I loved the interaction between T&T. A wonderful give and take. Tadrose’s experience, wisdom and caution play well against Teresa’s youthful enthusiasm. It all works very well and they make a good pair.

Clever use of field alchemy throughout.

A silence magicka attack! Surely one of the most terrifyingly helpless feelings for a mage to experience. I’m so glad that a dispel potion was the quick and ready treatment. Losing one’s other potion enchantments is not great, but beats the alternative.

And Teresa produces a bottle of Tamika’s from her magical Thieves Bag! An elf after my own heart!

Teresa poisoned another arrow, and crept up to the edge of the hatch. It was silent as a grave within.

Nice.

The two women make a wonderful team, calm and smooth despite the difficulties. Pappy would be proud.

The unexpected bottle of Tamika’s brought a smile! And Tadrose saw Bear when Teresa healed her, that sounds very promising. Hopefully she’ll see past her idea about Teresa’s Orsimer boyfriend. I enjoyed their teamwork in this episode very much.

Well, T&T are certainly moving through the mutinous crew. Hmm.. if Ancondil joins in on the next run does that mean we can say AT&T has more coverage in Tamriel then the competition? *hides from retaliation strikes*

Teresa's getting good at on the fly potioning. My own games never really use dispel potions because of the buff-striping. (No, not Buffy-striping, though there's enough water for that) Since silence doesn't effect enchantments, it's usually enough to let the curse run it's course and go Princess Stabitty-Stab until then.

I honestly can say that Teresa pulling a wineskin out was not expected right up until she she did, then it was a 'of course' moment.

Nits
Tadrose tried to push the creature off of her, but her hands simply passed through the body of the wraith, is if it was made of thin air.

Pretty sure you wanted 'as' there. Only error I noticed.

...

Well, I haven't always been this paragon of Gentlemanly virtue you see before you... ...

Oh, wait... ...

Aaaamywho...

Excellent write...Really felt like I was on the shoreline with them...Loved it...

They do indeed, make a good team...

Nice one!... ...

Excellent mixture of fight scene and interaction there. Tadrose has very much taken charge now they're fighting, it speaks for her experiance and Teresa's good sense that they have a clear organisation when needed. They managed a bit more chemistry too I think, there was some definite adoration at a couple of points there.

I liked the expaination of how potions worked too. Another bit of TF lore.

I'm glad Stratonic works. I had to look up Sacred Band of Thebes (or Alinor), must say I sort of wonder if it would work in reality...

Nit (sort of): you had a series of paragraphs all starting with 'Teresa' from "Teresa was ready to loose..." to "Teresa rose..."

Aravi doesn’t rely on potions as much as Teresa does, but she had a good recipe for one that gave her frost shield and shield at the same time. That one was her favorite even though she couldn’t make it very often.

I liked the explanation on potions and poisons: A spell in a bottle! How else would any of that work anyways?

Yikes! I thought Tadrose was going to get a concussion! At least I think Teresa could have healed that, but then the rest of the ghosts would have to wait for another day while they rest.

Acadian: It was a lot of fun to write T&T in action together for the first time. Ecto goo and all. At least they did not get slimed!

A bottle of Tamika's is one of Teresa's necessaries whenever she travels, or goes dungeon diving. You never know when you will need a good strong glass of wine.


Grits: Teresa's imaginary boyfriend will be put to bed by the end of this chapter. Just a few more episodes now. Tadrose seeing Teresa's transformation into Bear was a little thing I included to show the growing closeness between the two. Of course it is also shortly after Teresa telling Tadrose about her spirituality, and her spirit guides as well. That is not something Teresa is usually very forthcoming with yet.


liliandra nadiar: Oww! You should write some of Vincent's jokes, they are all like that!

I usually do not bother with dispel magic in the game, becuase it is so nerfed. It only works against spells, not magic items or creature powers. When someone silences you in the game, it is always one of the latter two. So all you do is remove whatever buffs you have. Thankfully Teresa lives in a world where that mistake has been fixed.


McBadgere: More of that good teamwork coming up next.


Olen: As you noted, the shipwreck and the undead are really not a distraction, at least not for me and my plotting (Teresa would disagree of course). Just as the earlier scenes with the two talking and sharing confidences, these scenes are also a bonding experience, just in a different manner.

The Sacred Band worked pretty good IRL. Along with a brilliant leader like Epaminondas, they broke the Spartan Hegemony and made Thebes the greatest power in Greece. Until Al and his big daddy P came along and slaughtered them all. To a lesser extent lovers fighting side by side worked very well for the Spartans, and Alexander and Hephaestion for that matter


King Coin: I do not rely on potions very much in the game either. Usually only restore health and restore magicka, and sometimes shield. Although I will whip up special potions on the fly if I know I am going to need something specific, like a resist frost if I know there are dark welkynd stones in the next room spitting out frost, etc...


Previously on Teresa of the Faint Smile: Out last episode saw T&T armor up and make up a slew of potions to help in their assault upon the undead. Waiting for the tide to go out, they ventured back to the ship and began working their way through the wraiths as a well oiled machine. When Teresa healed Tadrose from a Wraith's frost attack, Tadrose even saw her transform into Bear. Next, the pair venture into the hold of the ship, for the final showdown with the undead and their master.


Chapter 41.9 – Nothing is Trivial

After Teresa drank another round of potions, the armorer led the way down the wooden stair and into the hold. The open chamber was strewn with barrels and crates. Many had broken open to reveal smashed crockery within bearing a distinctive rust color. Teresa recognized it as the same redware from Morrowind that she carried in her Thieves Bag.

Splintered boards and other debris were everywhere. Crabs scuttled to and fro, grabbing for dead fish that had been trapped by the receding tide. The side of the vessel that faced the cliff was a ruin. Rent open with huge gashes, in some places rocks even protruded into the hold. Teresa drew her night eye goggles down over her eyes to better see in the gloom, and Tadrose drank a potion for the same effect.

The pair moved slowly in the tight maze, making their way first to the rear of the ship. They found the bodies of the crew scattered here and there, all drowned as Grantham had been. They also found more wraiths as well.

The first sprang from ambush behind a crate. It would have split Tadrose in two if Teresa had not returned the dark elf's earlier favor, and grabbed hold of her gorget and pulled her back out of the way. The Dunmer replied by reversing her grip on her longsword, and sweeping it overhead like a hammer. The wraith lifted its axe with one hand on the haft, and the other at the head, to block her attack. Tadrose hooked Anganar's crossbar around the handle of the wraith's axe, and yanked down sharply. The axe was torn from the wraith's grip, and fell to the deck between them. The disarmed monster recoiled, and Teresa stepped up beside the dark elf. Loosing a poisoned arrow, she sent it lurching back in a wreath of flames. Tadrose followed and reversed her hold on her sword. A moment later she buried its point in the wraith's heart.

The remainder of the wraiths fell in similar fashion as they cleared the aft, and then turned back to move through the forward holds. When they finally came to what they assumed was the final hold, the elves paused to refresh their potions. Teresa drew a magicka gem from her Thieves Bag and moved to use it on Ravenfeeder. But Tadrose stopped her with one hand.

"Wait," the vice-commander said. "Save those for emergencies. I can recharge your bow."

Teresa stared in amazement as the Dunmer took Ravenfeeder in her hands. Tadrose closed her eyes, and a purple glow rose from her hands. The light traveled down into the bow, seeming to drain from the elf like water. Tadrose stood there channeling her energy into Ravenfeeder for long moments. Then finally the light died from her hands, and she opened her eyes.

"Here." Tadrose handed the golden-hued Valenwood bow back to Teresa. "That will replace the magicka Ravenfeeder spent against those wraiths."

The armorer did the same for Anganar next. When she was finished, she guzzled down a potion to restore her magicka.

"That requires a great deal of energy," she explained.

"I didn't know you could recharge magic weapons," Teresa said. "How do you do it?"

"It is simply a matter of transferring your magicka into the item," Tadrose said. "It takes some skill with mysticism to get it right though. Otherwise your energy just ends up pouring away for naught. I can teach you later, if you like."

"I would very much!" Teresa said. That would probably save her a fortune in magicka gems. Although granted, Henantier had promised to recharge Ravenfeeder for her whenever she wanted, at no charge.

Then they were back to the work of clearing the ship. Tadrose went in first once more. Teresa followed close behind. Her bow was ready with a poisoned missile, held pointed at the deck so she did not shoot the Dunmer in the back by accident.

Within they found what had to be Kalthar. Unlike the others, his flesh still stood of its own accord. But his skin had turned bone white, and was already rotting off in many places. It appeared as if he had been dead for weeks rather than hours. Teresa saw small things wiggling within his chest, and realized that they were maggots when one fell out and crawled across the deck.

The Nord's head was encased in a full helmet that appeared to be made from some sort of brown metal. Teresa would have wanted to say it was bronze, but it lacked the fiery luster of that alloy. This was drab and dull, like dirt or cacat. It was shaped like the skull of some strange beast, with its jaws yawning open to reveal Kalthar's face underneath. The mage's skin drooped and sagged, like water-logged cloth. His eye-sockets were empty, and glowed with a deep crimson light. Around his neck hung a simple rawhide cord, supporting a disc of what looked like wood, except that it gleamed as brightly as polished marble.

Screenshot

"Lich!" Tadrose hissed, and Teresa felt a shiver crawl along the nape of her neck. Of all the undead, Teresa knew of nothing more deadly. Save perhaps the infamous King of Worms Mannimarco himself.

The lich mumbled something incomprehensible in a deep, inhuman voice. His body rose from the deck, and floated in mid-air before the two elves. Gesturing forward with his staff, a bolt of green energy swirled through the space between them. It struck Tadrose before she could dodge aside, and she fell to the deck a moment later, body motionless.

It was a paralysis effect, Teresa thought as she aimed Ravenfeeder and loosed. Her arrow drove into the center of the monster's chest, and he was pushed back by the force of the blow. Flames burst around him, and a sound issued from his rotting throat that made Teresa's teeth ache. She dove forward, and hooked one hand around Tadrose's armpit. Mustering up all the strength in her body, she dragged the motionless woman back to the entrance of the room.

It was just in time to get her out of the way of the skeleton that took shape in the center of the room. It held a bronze longsword of Dwemer make in both hands, and stepped forward. Still kneeling, Teresa nocked an arrow and loosed. The elven swallowtail buried itself into the creature's breastbone, and sent it staggering back.

She needed to get a dispel potion into Tadrose, and fast. Reaching down into one of her belt pouches, she pulled forth a bottle with an image of two diagonal crescents linked around one another, with bubbles filling the space within them. The skeleton rattled closer, sword raised for a killing blow. Teresa knew there would be no time to get the potion to the dark elf's lips.

She dropped her bow and drew forth a mithril dagger. She met the two-handed sword of the skeleton with its blade, and deftly turned it aside. Dropping the potion, she reached out with her free hand and grabbed hold of the monster's shin. Yanking it back, the skeleton fell to the deck in a clatter of bones.

Teresa scrambled for the bottle, and scuttled back to Tadrose. The dark elf's eyes stared into space, as motionless as the rest of her body. Teresa pulled the cork from her potion bottle and upended it over her mouth.

The room filled with dazzling light, and Teresa felt her hair stand on end as lightning slammed into her back. She was thrown to the deck as pain tore through her body. She knew that Aldariel had a shock shield enchantment, and wondered how much worse it would have been if she had been unprotected?

The sound of bones rattling came to her ears. A cold, bony hand clamped down on her ankle and pulled her away. She reached for her bow, but it lay on the floor just out of reach, along with her dagger. She tried to dig her fingers into the deck, so that she could pull back against the skeleton's grip. But she found no purchase on the slick planks.

"Get your fetching hands off her!" Tadrose's voice rang in the hold. A roar of flame filled the wood elf's ears, along with a loud chunk! Teresa turned back to the see the dark elf leaning over her feet. Her sword was down on the deck, having completely severed the arm which the skeleton had been clutching her with.

Behind the Dunmer loomed Kalthar however. As Teresa watched in horror, the lich raised a hand and gestured toward the dark elf. Lightning sprang from his fingertips, and flashed out at Tadrose. But its forks did not bury themselves in her flesh. Instead they washed across the transparent form of Grantham, who now stood between Kalthar and the two women.

"I killed you once dog," the captain winced under the assault. "I'll see it done again."

Tadrose took advantage of the respite to follow up her assault upon the prone skeleton, severing its head with a quick swipe. At the same time Teresa reached into another belt pouch, and drew froth a small scroll. Ripping off the silken cord that tied it shut, she shook the parchment open and read the single word that was printed upon it.

"Salamander!"

A serpent of fire sprouted to life in the air before Teresa. With a flick of its powerful tail, it swam through the air toward the lich. Effortlessly snaking its way around both Tadrose and Grantham, it hurtled down upon Kalthar with flaming jaws opened wide. The lich lifted his staff in self defense, and the salamander's teeth clamped down hard upon it. Shaking its head like a dog with a ragdoll, the salamander snapped the staff in two.

Yet a moment later a purple glow erupted from the lich's hand, and ground down into the blazing form of the salamander. With a dazzle of bright sparks, the summoned Aedra dissolved into nothingness before Teresa's eyes.

Damn! she silently cursed. He could dispel magic as well!

But that had given Tadrose all the time she needed to cross the room with Anganar in hand. Her flaming blade roared, and a moment later one of Kalthar's hands fell onto the deck. Her hilt jabbed up into the lich's face, staggering him back. Passing her left foot over the right, she stepped forward and swung her sword around with one hand clutched halfway down the blade. Now it cut through the monster's body in a diagonal, slicing his flesh open from shoulder to opposite hip.

Maggots and rotting intestines spilled out on the deck as Tadrose pushed forward still. Following her previous motion, she stabbed forward and buried Anganar's point into Kalthar's face. Fire erupted like a bursting volcano, and the necromancer's decrepit body fell motionless to the deck. Tadrose reached down into the flames with one hand, and heedless of the blaze, pulled the helm from the lich's head.

A deep sigh fell from Grantham's transparent lips, as if he had finally found rest after some great labor. His head leaned back, and he stretched out his arms to either side. As Teresa stared, a brilliant point of light formed in his breast. The soft glow that suffused his body fled into that bright spot, drawing his transparent flesh with it. In just a moment all that remained of the Breton was that brilliant star glowing in the hold. Then it burst in an explosion of light, forcing both Teresa and Tadrose to cover their eyes from the glare.

The wood elf rose to her feet and blinked the spots from her eyes. Her heart raced like lightning, and she felt her limbs tremble with the familiar excitement of post-battle euphoria. Doing her best to calm her nerves, she picked up her dagger and returned it to its sheath, hanging upside-down upon her breast. Ravenfeeder followed, and she turned to face Tadrose when she was finished.

"We did good, didn't we?" she breathed.

"Aye, we did. It looks like Grantham will rest easy now." The dark elf's eyes were aglow in Teresa's night eye lit world. "We were lucky though. I thought Kalthar would be just a necromancer, or perhaps have turned himself into a wraith like the others. I had no idea we would be facing a lich. He must not have been one for very long. He did not know how to use his powers to their fullest. Nor did he appear to have learned to exert his control over his minions. Otherwise we would have faced an organized defense."

"You're saying that was a runt?" Teresa stared at the necromancer's decomposing corpse. His flesh had not been dead for even a full day, yet it looked more decayed then a week-old corpse left out in the sun. Had the same magic that had given him his powers, done that to his body as well? "We barely made it through."

"This was easy," Tadrose said. She walked to Teresa with the necromancer's helmet clutched in one hand, and his amulet in the other. "The last time I faced a lich, it took our entire chapter to defeat him, with assistance from the Mages Guild. But I have never heard of anyone turning into a lich so quickly. Overnight if Grantham was right."

"It must be that helm that made him that way." Teresa nodded to the skull-shaped helmet. "I saw Grantham was released as soon you took it from that fetcher's head."

"Well, whatever it is, we had best get rid of this cursed thing as soon as we can," Tadrose said, gesturing with the helmet in hand. "It makes me feel sick just to touch it. Henantier might know what to make of it."

Teresa took the curious helm from the other woman, and instantly understood what Tadrose meant. Her stomach churned, as if it was filled with squirming maggots. The thought made her want to retch, and she had to clamp her teeth together in a hard line to ensure that she did not. She could not tuck it into her Thieves Bag quickly enough, and instantly felt relieved when her bare skin no longer touched the vile artifact.

She took the lich's necklace from Tadrose next. She instantly felt the pulse of magicka within it, deep and strong. Unlike the helmet, it felt clean and pure. In fact, simply touching it made Teresa think of deep green forests and crystal clear waterfalls. Turning the stone over in her fingers, she realized it was wood when she saw the distinctive grain of color that flowed across its surface. Yet it was hard as stone, as if it had somehow petrified. This too Teresa tucked into her bag, wondering what enchantment it might possess? It seemed to be one that brought peace and serenity. Such an odd thing to find alongside the plainly cursed headgear.

Ohh... NICE!

Great job with the fight. Poor Teresa, all her expensive summons barely last more then two actions before someone dispels them.

Do I see a trip to Layawiin for a stringy wood elf soon? That amulet sounds like it would be Dagal's.

Ooh you've tangled a lot of stories together here! Not just mixing Kalthar into the Grantham Blakeley story, but the Bloodworm Helm too. And is that Dagail's original amulet that he stole? So no trip to Fort Blueblood required unless he's "broken" it.

Nit: and she had to clamp her teeth together in a hard line {to} insure that she did not - lost a word here, and shouldn't it be "ensure"? Common usage makes the latter debatable, but that's my preference when I can't avoid the word.

Oh neat, Tadrose can recharge their weapons! I enjoyed the description of how she did it as well as her explanation.

Kalthar, gross. His rotting depiction here reflects my opinion of the game’s Kalthar.

What an exciting fight, with dazzling teamwork from the elves and friendly ghost. The salamander is my favorite TF Aedra, even if it only got to stick around for a few seconds this time.

I wonder where their magical finds will take them after Henantier gets a look.

An edge-of-the-seat tense fight indeed, loaded with creative magic.

"Get your fetching hands off her!"
Yay! Tadrose to the rescue!

"We did good, didn't we?" she breathed.’
We surely did, Teresa!

"You're saying that was a runt?"
By the Nine! Not what she wants to hear!

’Unlike the helmet, it felt clean and pure. In fact, simply touching it made Teresa think of deep green forests and crystal clear waterfalls. Turning the stone over in her fingers, she realized it was wood’
How wonderful to describe what I presume to be Dagail's amulet as something that would so very much belong to an old wood elf!

I keep forgetting to mention this. I have been watching Farscape again now that I have it on blu-ray. I found the perfect person to play Tadrose in the live action TF movie. Claudia Black. Talk about it staring me in the face. All she needs in blue skin and a point to her ears, and she would be perfect. Not just in looks, but in attitude (at least the later seasons Aeryn Sun, not the first season version of her)

Claudia Black

In full Peacekeeper gear

Introspective

Adrenaline

The crabs are probably feeding on more than just dead fish.

Good moves by Tadrose, pulling the weapon right out of the wrath’s hand!

A LICH? They are in for a hell of a fight!!

The captain! I didn’t anticipate him at all!

I can see why Bethesda didn’t opt to allow dispel to work on summons. Makes them kind of useless.

Awesome ending! Loved how the captain disappeared and the description of the two artifacts. I wonder what the amulet is?

Mmm...Claudia Black...Oh hell I had such a thing for her when she was in Stargate SG-1...*Thinks about Tadrose and Theresa*...Yes, yes indeedie...Good choice *Nods vigourously*...

Excellent chapter m'dear...Loved it muchly...Blimey I got well into that...When Grantham stood in front of them...Brilliant...

I punched the air when I read this...



Yes!!!...Did it again...I love that bit...Messing about with magicks...Love it...

Oh, and that Salamander scroll...Brilliant...

Right, that's breakfast excited too!!...Any other mealtimes you want to sort for me?... ...

Quite the battle, and against a tough enemy. I like how they are well balanced and that the tougher enemies are a match for them and are rare. They won't go charging in some places because they will lose - that makes the world all the more real and, when they do accidentally go in over their heads, the story very exciting.

Your description of the enhanced rate of decay for the lich worked very well. That he couldn't speak makes me wonder how much of the original mage remains, do they become something different than they were or is it just rotting vocal chords?

I too like the way you have woven many quests together here. The bloodworm helm is the perfect (and convincingly forceful) opener for a reanimated necromancer arc and mixing it with a fairly run of the mill side quest and the Leyawin go-fetch makes them new and interesting. I find such quests sometimes seem to bend the story to them, but here they just slot in.

Now I want to know what a certain altmer will make of that creepy headgear.

EDIT: Agreed on Claudia Black. There's another good example of a strong female character, the attitude is there too. Out of interest who else do you have people in mind for?

Kalthar. Man I hate that guy.

Okay, you've officially blown me out of the water. Hopefully I recover better than the ship.

You take two quests, throw them into the blender, then carefully measure and add ingredients to reveal something completely new and exciting.

You handle your characters with a skill akin to Tadrose's swordsmanship. You reveal things about them without forcing it.

And you kick some major Necro-butt. I just hope those mages don't lose track of their stuff again, after T&T went through all that trouble to deal with the new lich.

liliandra nadiar: I am glad the amulet makes so many people think of Dagail. Because as we will see this next episode, you are all correct! Although it turns out a trip to Leyawiin will not be needed...


ghastley: I needed a reason for the crew of the ship to have turned into wraiths. Plugging in a necromancer made that work. Since I knew it was a ship outbound from Leyawiin, I realized that Kalthar would fit the bill nicely. The bloodworm helm was another case of needing a reason for how Kalthar got so powerful so quickly.


Grits: Tadrose's recharging was something that came to me as I was writing the first draft. Given that she had training in magic when she was younger, and is now an armorer, it made sense to me that she would learn to recharge weapons.

I think the salamander is probably my favorite Aedra summons too. Just on pure coolness factor if nothing else. Hopefully in the future Teresa will be not be fighting such powerful enemies all the time, and so will be able to keep her summons around for longer.

Oh, and have fun with Farscape!


Acadian: That was a fun fight scene to write, it all came out of my keyboard as quickly as it reads (well almost as quickly). It was just one thing leading to the next, leading to the next, etc... I also finally got to show off what Tadrose can really do. Aside from driving wood elves crazy that is.


King Coin: That disarming move of Tadrose's is a RL longswording move. I used it before in the fight between Volsinius and the necromancer's skeleton in Unfriendly Competition. But Vols was quick enough to let go of the tip of his sword before his blade could be stripped from his hands. I try to use RL longswording wherever possible these days. Both the stances we saw Tadrose use earlier - The Ox and The Fool - are also from RL, down to the names.

The dispels being as strong as they are help balance out how overpowering mages become, especially conjuration mages. You also have to keep in mind that Teresa has been fighting top tier opponents of late. First Ra'jhera, and now a lich. So they are going to have ways to counter what she can throw out, just as Teresa can counter them (like how she un-paralyzed Tadrose). Against enemies like the trolls outside of the city, or the smugglers from Bawn, summons are still quite powerful.


McBadgere: If you have only seen Claudia in Fargate, you have not seen anything yet. Vala was mostly a comic relief role, with just a few serious parts toward the end. Check out Farscape, she has a much more intense role as Aeryn Sun there. All full of angst and pent up emotion. Which is one reason why Claudia works so well for Tadrose. There are still some funny episodes, where you get the see where she got her portrayal of Vala from. But mostly it is very serious and intense.


Olen: Yep, Tadrose would not have taken Teresa in there if she had known they were facing a lich. As it turns out, it was a very close thing. I am also glad the super-decayed Kalthar worked. I wanted to really get across the creep factor of a lich, and show that it is not your run-of-the-mill undead. But rather something beyond the pale of even other undead.

You know what, I never even realized that Kalthar never says anything. When I wrote that scene, nothing ever came to me for him to say. It all just flowed so fast and intensely, that he never had time to monologue. Perhaps I might say that it was indeed because he had not yet learned to speak in his new form? In the game liches just make really creepy noises. But I think they would have to be able to talk.

There are several actors who have jumped off the screen and said "I should be in the TF movie". There is Jared Leto as Valerius. [url=http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/subrosa_florens/kristenstewart04.jpg]Kristen Stewart[/url] is my frontrunner for Teresa. She was in a little movie called Speak where she was just fantastic, and never cracked more than a faint smile. She was also outstanding as Joan Jett in The Runaways These days I am thinking Felicia Day as Teresa, just with some skin whitening. Charles Ingram would play Chance. Ray Stevenson is Volsinius. And of course Robert Conrad is Pappy (although granted he will require a time machine to go back to the 70s).


Captain Hammer: This whole little interruption with the shipwreck and undead was meant to do just what you said: reveal more about Teresa and Tadrose. We have had plenty of time to watch them get to know one another in quiet little moments. Now it was time for them to bond in a life or death situation. Which will lead us to another revealment in the aftermath...

The Mages losing track of their stuff is what the Aela Fic will be all about, if I ever get to it!


Previously on Teresa of the Faint Smile: In our last episode, T&T found that Kalthar had turned into a lich. Apparently he had done this by using a mysterious helmet that made Teresa feel ill just from touching it. Kalthar was killed after a fierce battle, and Grantham Blakely was then able to go on to the afterlife. Next we find the two women in the hold of the ship, just moments after the battle ended.


Chapter 41.10 – Nothing is Trivial

"Let us be gone from this place Teresa," Tadrose slipped one arm around the wood elf's waist and led her from the forward hold. Teresa was keenly aware of the nearness of the other woman's body. The smell of her sweat filled her nostrils, competing with the odor of the mineral oil that protected her armor, and remnants of her primrose perfume.

Her heart doubled its pace, and Teresa licked her suddenly dry lips. Goddess, it felt so good to be alive. Especially when Tadrose was holding her. She wanted to leap up and cheer. Or better yet, to reach out and take the dark elf in her arms, and kiss her. Try as she might, she could not banish that thought from her mind, and felt her pale skin flush with excitement.

They paused at the stair leading to the upper deck. Tadrose turned to look at Teresa, her hand still firmly planted on the small of the forester's back. Teresa could not stop herself from moving forward, pressing her body against Tadrose's. The dark elf pulled her even closer, and reached up with her other hand. Pulling the night eye goggles from Teresa's face, Tadrose let them fall carelessly to the floor at their feet. Then her fingers wended their way through the crimson locks of Teresa's hair.

Teresa's arms found their way across Tadrose's back and held her tightly. She leaned her head forward, and closed her eyes as Tadrose did the same. She felt the other woman's lips press firmly into her own. They were soft as the finest Akaviri silk, and filled Teresa's blood with rapture.

She did not know how long they stood there kissing. It might have been hours for all Teresa knew. She did not care. All she knew was the ecstasy of the dark elf's touch, of her lips, and her tongue against her own. Each kiss brought another, more passionate one, until Teresa found herself nearly clawing at the other woman for more. Tadrose lifted her effortlessly in her arms, and Teresa's legs wrapped themselves around her waist. She felt herself carried across the room, and laid down upon the top of a flat crate.

Tadrose leaned over her, and Teresa struggled to undo the strap of her helmet. Once she had fought the annoying piece of armor free, she gloried in the feeling of the Dunmer's jet-black hair cascading down over her. She reached up to stroke her fingers through it, and Tadrose returned the favor by pulling off the wood elf's gauntlets.

The Dunmer leaned down and began kissing Teresa once more. Not on the lips this time, but instead along the base of her neck, then up to the lobe of one of the wood elf's ears. Teresa could not contain a loud cry of delight as the dark elf's tongue danced across her skin, and ground her hips against Tadrose's body. She ran her hands over the Dunmer's frame, cursing the armor that kept them from the other woman's soft skin.

"Ahem." The sound of a female voice loudly clearing her throat cut through Teresa's ecstasy like a Daedric blade.

Teresa looked up to see an armored leg on the stair nearby. The wood creaked loud as thunder as the figure stepped away, back onto the deck above and out of sight. Tadrose pulled back. Her face was flushed with passion, her hair was disheveled, and her skin dripped with sweat. She was simply more beautiful than anything else in the world.

"Oh my," Tadrose sighed, following Teresa's gaze back to the hatchway.

Teresa stifled the urge to giggle, and knew that she was already grinning like a fool. She sat up, breathing heavily, and let her fingers fall across Tadrose's armored frame. Even though she knew they had been caught in the act, all she could think of was how the dark elf's body would feel, naked against her own.

Tadrose, however, was more composed. She reached for her helmet - and after brushing back her hair with one hand, lowered it around her features. She did not look at Teresa, or say a word. But the wood elf could see that her dusky features were flushed with deep color. Teresa imagined that she must have been embarrassed. The wood elf imagined that she would have been herself, if she had not been so filled with bliss.

Tadrose walked to the stairway, and paused there. She turned to look at Teresa, and waited as the wood elf gathered herself up. After taking a moment to smooth back her crimson tresses into something vaguely approximating order, the Bosmer took up her gauntlets and goggles and followed the other woman. They were on deck a moment later, and the forester squinted her eyes against the sudden brightness.

Standing on the deck before them was a familiar-looking wood elf. Her long hair was the color of cornsilk, and shimmered in the late morning sun. She was clad from head to toe in black. Slender leather boots rose to similar greaves, with armor plates rising from the knees. Her torso was sheathed in an ebony cuirass decorated with gold filigree, and jet black mail rings gleamed beneath its individual plates. A Valenwood bow like Teresa's own was tucked into the gorytos at her hip, and a bag similar to Teresa's own rode at the other.

Screenshot

"Well met Fighters Guild," the wood elf said in a quiet voice. "I take it that the ship is clear of undead?"

"Yes," Tadrose said. Her voice sounded different than normal. It lacked the confidence and authority that normally resonated in her every word, no matter how soft. She was definitely embarrassed, Teresa thought. Now that her heart began to slow its own pace, Teresa felt the flush of passion across her skin being replaced by one of self-consciousness. Oh goddess, what must this other woman think of them?

"My apologies for my ill-timed arrival," the wood elf said delicately. "I am Buffy, Knight of the White Stallion. I am here on an errand for the County of Leyawiin."

It was Dame Buffy! Now Teresa knew why she looked so familiar. It was Daenlin's apprentice, the knight of Leyawiin. She had taken second place in the tournament so recently, placing just a single point behind the champion: Alawen, the ranger of Anvil. Oh Dibella, what had she and Tadrose done, and so foolishly at that?

Yet the other wood elf seemed not to notice the discomfort of Teresa and Tadrose. Instead she went on as if she had not just walked in on them furiously making love. If Teresa had not known better, she would think they were all standing around chatting at one of Lady Scaurus' balls.

"It's good to see you again Tadrose," she said smoothly. Then her sea blue eyes fixed upon the forester. "And you must be Teresa. My old master Daenlin has told me much about you."

Teresa buried her head in shame. Doubtlessly he had told her what a hypocrite she was, what a failure she was at being an archer, and an elf.

"All of it good of course," the other woman went on, somewhat hastily. "He says you have deep convictions about the forest, of a kind he cannot even muster himself. Knowing my old master, that must make you quite an elf indeed."

Teresa muttered something in reply that even she could not comprehend herself. All she wanted to do was curl up into a little ball and disappear. In fact, she seriously considered reaching for an invisibility potion to hasten that image.

"So what brings you here dame knight?" Tadrose asked, and Teresa was thankful when the wood elf turned her gaze to the taller armorer.

"I am hunting a renegade mage named Kalthar," Buffy explained. "He murdered a member of the Mages Guild in Leyawiin, and stole several objects of great power from there. He fled on this very ship."

"Aye, we found him below," Tadrose said, looking somewhat relieved. Teresa had to admit that the more the conversation turned away from their personal lives, the better she felt as well. "He wore a mages robe, but he was no mage. Not anymore. He was a necromancer. He turned himself into a lich, and the crew into wraiths."

"Troll dung!" Buffy spat on the deck. "It's worse than I feared." Then her gaze shot back to Tadrose. "The fetcher is dead though, you are certain of it?"

"Aye, we left him in pieces my lady. Go below and see." Teresa amazed herself by speaking. Then she reached into her Thieves Bag, and drew forth the curious helmet. Again, her hand froze from the touch, and she was relieved when the other woman took it from her grasp. "He was wearing this."

"The Bloodworm Helm!" the knight of Leyawiin hissed. Teresa saw her flinch when she touched the helmet. That gave the forester a curious sense of relief. Perhaps because it showed that the knight was just as revolted by the dark magic as she was herself. As Teresa had done before, Buffy quickly stowed the cursed object away into the bag at her hip. "This is one of the items he stole. It is a powerful necromantic artifact. The Mages Guild has been holding it under lock and key for many years now, to keep it from the wrong hands."

"Well good riddance to it," Teresa found herself saying. "You should just destroy it. It will leave the world better place."

"If we could, we would," Buffy sighed. "But this is beyond the workings of any mortal magician. It is reputed to have been created by the Dead Lord Mannimarco himself. Some even say it has a part of his essence bound within it."

"We also found a necklace," Tadrose said, and nodded to Teresa.

"Aye," the wood elf said, and drew forth the amulet of petrified wood. "This is simply lovely. I have no idea why a creature like Kalthar had it on him."

"Manduin's Amulet," Buffy gasped. Her blue eyes glowed with happiness. "I could practically hug you both! That was stolen from the leader of the Leyawiin guild. It is an heirloom of her family, and means a great deal to her."

"Please return it with our compliments," Tadrose said with a smile.

"That I will," Buffy took the amulet from Teresa. Her fingers briefly brushed against Teresa's as she did so. Teresa felt the familiar calluses formed from years of shooting a bow. Yet her hand was warm and comforting nonetheless. She smiled shyly at Teresa, and the next thing the forester knew, the knight did indeed wrap her arms around her in a warm embrace. Teresa did not know what to do, so simply folded her arms around the shorter woman and breathed in her scent of bergamot and rosemary.

"You have done Dagail and I such a good turn Tree-Singer," she breathed. She broke free, and looked to Tadrose next. "And you as well Tadrose. I don't know how to thank you both."

"It is all in a day's work for us my lady," Tadrose said. Teresa did note that hint of a blush gracing the dark elf's cheeks. She doubted that the armorer was any more accustomed to seeing knights hug mercenaries than Teresa was to be on the receiving end of it! Not that she minded it in the least. "Our rules of engagement clearly state that we must take action when citizens are in peril, or the local authorities require assistance."

"Aye," Buffy agreed. "But this was no mere bandit captain and his thugs. Not many would have had the courage to face a lich, as you two did. Let alone the wherewithal to gain victory."

She reached back into that bag at her hip, which Teresa was now certain was bag of holding like her own Thieves Bag. From it she produced a wanted poster with the face of what Teresa imagined had been Kalthar in life.

"By Mara, that guar was ugly even before turning into a lich!" Tadrose remarked.

"The least I can do is see to it that you two receive the reward for his capture," Buffy said. "The Mages Guild placed a bounty on him, as did the County of Leyawiin. Both of them should see you well compensated. I can write you an affidavit that you can present to the Bravil Guard for the reward. Or if you would like, I can handle that back in Leyawiin myself, and have the money transferred to an account at the Temple of Zenithar."

"Umm, the temple would be fine," Tadrose murmured.

Teresa stared down at the deck plating under their feet. "The captain said he had a wife, and sons. What was her name, Aodrena? Aodrena Blakely. I think they lived in Leyawiin. Could you see that she receives my share?"

"Aye," Tadrose nodded, stepping up beside Teresa. "Mine as well. Grantham was a good man. He saved my life down there. His family deserve more than just a condolence note from the shipping company he worked for."

"I don't know what to say," the knight breathed. "Except that I will not forget what you have done today. Or that you are my friends. Whenever you have need of it, you shall have my bow. And my discretion of course."

Teresa found herself looking at Tadrose, and saw the other elf was looking back at her. Teresa was gratified that at least she was not the only one blushing.

Hmm.. Yay crossover element, but boo on her timing.

After-battle rush is a nice thing, shame I'm willing to put septiums on Tadrose thinking she was taking advantage of Teresa and trying to avoid a repeat. Which will leave Teresa thinking she wasn't good enough for Tadrose... Oy. >.<

...AAaaaaaHHHHhhhh!!!...

Damndamndamndamndamndamn...

*Sigh*...

Loved it...

Nice one... ...

...AAaaaaaHHHHH!!!!...


Mega Edit...I'm leaving that ^^ because it makes me laugh... ...

But I'd just like to say how brilliantly well written that all was...

Hot?...Blimey...*Loosens collar*... ...

Oh, yeah, right...I did work out what that amulet probably was the other day...I just forgot to post it!...

*Applauds*...

Love the cross-over too...

Nice one... ...

Well done...

So there was Teresa beginning to loudly sing the song a Bosmer makes when getting her ears kissed and – Boom! – in stumbles Buffy! Bad timing is right! Oh well, at least the microknight was able to take that disgusting helm and Dagail’s precious amulet off their hands and save T&T a trip to Leyawiin.

You did a beautiful job here of capturing the complexity of all three women, while staying firmly in Teresa’s perspective. Poor self-conscious Teresa; if only she could see herself through the eyes of others. How like Buffy to give the sister wood elf a hug and claim her as friend! And how like Teresa and Tadrose to insist their reward go to Grantham’s widow.

A lovely episode!

Oh my gosh, Buffy! What a pleasant surprise. If anyone else had interrupted T&T’s frantic session, we might be shouting for their blood.

"You have done Dagail and I such a good turn Tree-Singer," she breathed. She broke free, and looked to Tadrose next. "And you as well Tadrose. I don't know how to thank you both."

How lovely that Buffy called her sister wood elf “Tree-Singer.” I really loved seeing the three elf women together. Each one of them shone in her own way. As Acadian said, the hug and disposition of reward money was so like each of them.

Also great to have the helm and amulet off their hands. They already have some unfinished business to attend to.

Teresa and Tadrose finally make a connection and get interrupted! By BUFFY !!! Now that was a wonderful surprise ending to an already great chapter !! Awesome Write !!! (as always!)