@mALX: The green coloring is the enchantment infused in the hide armor Teresa is wearing.

When I put on Matius's cuirass, it gives a white edge to my PC for the same reason. Any enchanted clothing will do that, and the color depends on the type of spell (white for restoration, and I think green is alteration).

SubRosa, this is great! I don't remember it being this good the first time around. I was chewing my thumb the whole time Teresa was fighting those guys. Usually I just hide in the tunnel and whale away at which ever one is standing in the entrance trying to get at me (the tunnel's too small for these guys to get into - kind of like the cat and the mousehole).

Good part, as ever.

As mALX said, you really have brought this quest alive. The dreamlike feel of it is excellent and enhanced by little things all the time.


I loved this, it helps with the whole dream thing and I sense a little dig at the game physics...

I suspect there will be one more part to this, and in many ways it's the one I really look forward to, I'm interested to see how you show Henantier once he's together again. You're characters are so strong I can't help but want to see them speak...

@mALX, rider: Actually, I believe Rosa already explained that the green glow is from the amulet allowing Teresa access to Henantier's dreamworld.

That was a fun battle to read (though probably not for Teresa to fight). It was great to see her thinking creatively, using the environment to her advantage, and exercising her natural Bosmeri climbing abilities. Also a clever way to snip away at the fact that only the player is able to jump in game.

I have to admit, this is my fighting style for my on Bosmer ranger in-game. Hop up on a large rock where the enemy can't reach me and peck away at them with my bow (which thanks to mods, I have doing about 4 times the vanilla damage, with the drawbacks being they degrade faster, require more time to bring to full draw, and I can only have 20 arrows quivered at a time).

In Close quarters, I rely on my newly enchanted Lightbound Sabre, which is a beautiful custom model that I recently enchanted with Fire damage 10pts 3sec and a 1 second soul trap to keep my gems (and a certain star) filled.

And it also seems Teresa id going to be disrobed once she gets back to Henantier, so... I'm sure you will not disappoint is with their reactions, and subsequently what they take with them back to Bravil. I sure do hope Kud-Ei will be forgiving of his naughty.

And another thread I'm caught up on.

SubRosa, what can I say? Your work is brilliant. Teresa comes off as a very strong-willed, creative and bright character.

I'd like to go of into detail about everything that I've recently caught up on, but I'm rather afraid that will take a great deal out of my time, time I don't have (unless Akatosh decides to help me out on that one. Unlikely, though, as I find his Alduin aspect more...imminent).

These chapters on the "Through a Nightmare, Darkly" are extraordinarily well-written. Henantier is just as I remember him, and the Dreamworld just as foreign as I recall.

My only question is regarding the fight with the minotaurs. Were you able to kill them both with the just the lightning staff in-game?

I ask because I always played through that quest at level 20+, so I ended up having to don a full suit of Daedric armor, run around targeting one with the lightning staff, and then closing with the second in straight up melee. Trying to simply fry them both left me with an uncharged staff, and two angry and only halfway-to-dead Minotaur Lords.

I am so relieved! I had no idea how Teresa was going to kill the minotaurs. Whew!

This whole chapter has been riveting! I though the swimming was pretty nerve-wracking too, not knowing how far it would be. Should I turn back? Yikes!

I can see why you left this one for last! Wow! Talk about the stuff of nightmares for stringy wood elves! I was so glad that Teresa could get up to a safe perch. Her use, and your description of the staff was great!

I loved how Teresa paused for a moment to think about kissing the Lucky Lady.

What a wondeful end of the four tests. Delicious screenshots!

mALX: I am not positive what is causing the green glow. It is in every pic of Teresa. I think it is the amulet that does it. I said it was in the story because I needed something to explain it in.


haute ecole rider: I did not know they could not reach you back there! I will have to try that sometime. I usually fight them out in the open, dancing around to keep from getting hit.


Olen: You are right, I could not resist the dig at how you can get a six foot staff out of a tiny container. Or how you can put twenty suits of armor in a clamshell.

There will be two more posts in the epilogue of this chapter. One focusing on Teresa, and the other on Henantier.


Thomas Kaira: I typically just keep shooting with my bow when people come into melee range There is nothing stopping you from doing so in the game. Although the rate of fire is a little slower than most melee weapons.

Funny you should mention that about Teresa's clothing!


Captain Hammer: Hi Cap'n, welcome to the TF. Thank you for the kind comments. I assure you that our stringy wood elf has turned beet red from the praise.

I typically do this quest at low levels, around 1-6. So the minotaurs have fewer hit points, and I always have leftover charges in the staff. That is also why I always get fur armor to wear.


Grits: I actually got the idea from reading peoples tactics in this quest on the Beth forums. I am glad the tension works throughout the dreamworld. I normally would not to into so much detail on a single quest. But because this is essentially Teresa's final entrance examination for the Fighters Guild, I wanted to really show it off. Hopefully the variety between tests is enough to keep it from becoming dull.


Acadian: The minotaur battle is the most visceral, so I left it for the climax. I am glad someone noted the Lucky Lady reference. I put that in to bring across the unique personality of Bravil. No other city has anything like it. Plus, I want to continue using it as a landmark.


Next: Teresa has completed the tests and reassembled Henantier's mind. Next, we go back to reality


Chapter 28.8 –Through A Nightmare Darkly

"You did it!" the Altmer magician cried after the orb had flown into his body as the others did. Now Teresa found that he was completely solid, and the shaking of his limbs and stutter in his voice was finally gone. "You have restored me!"

"Can you get us out of here now?" Teresa asked. That was when she realized that the staff she had been carrying was gone, as was the armor she had been wearing. Once more, she was completely naked, but for the dreamworld amulet she wore.

She quickly moved to cover her exposed body parts with her hands, and felt a familiar warmth spreading through her cheeks. She had not really minded the wizard seeing her before, when his mind was in more pieces than Lorkhan's body. But now that he was fully rational it was another thing entirely…

"Where did your clothes go?" the Altmer asked, one eyebrow lifting in a curious stare. Then both his eyes suddenly widened, perhaps when he realized what he was seeing. He quickly turned his head and held up one hand over the side of his face.

"I…I am sorry," Henantier stammered once more. "I did not mean to stare, I…"

"Just get us out of here already please," Teresa sighed. Now that the excitement of battle was draining away from her, her trembling limbs were beginning to feel leaden with exhaustion. She just wanted to lie down and rest for a bit. The irony of feeling that while in a dreamworld did not escape her…

"Yes, of course," Henantier said. He stepped closer to her, but with his head still turned so not to see her. Reaching out with one hand, he nearly punched her in the face by accident.

"It's alright Henantier," Teresa breathed. "You can look, just do what you have to."

"You are sure?" the high elf said, turning his head a bit to peek. When Teresa nodded, he turned completely to face her. Looking down, his hands reached out to take the amulet from between her breasts. Teresa saw his face turn a bright shade of crimson then, and he seemed to pause for several moments, just staring down at her chest.

"Umm, Henantier?" Teresa cleared her throat.

The mage jerked his head upward, but his eyes could not meet the wood elf's. "Sorry about that…" he murmured. Staring at the amulet now, he continued to hold it in his left hand, while he raised his right high into the air. Opening his fingers, a bright point of purple light formed between them and fell down around Teresa.

Then she found herself back in Henantier's house, his real house. Kud-Ei was standing over her, and when the Argonian saw her eyes open she nearly jumped for joy. Teresa could not stifle a yawn as she sat up on the floor. Stretching her arms out over her chest, she was glad to see that she was once again wearing her leather armor.

"Thank the Nine you are both alright!" Kud-Ei exclaimed, now moving to Henantier, who Teresa saw was sitting up as well, and like her, stretching and yawning. "How do you feel?"

"Hungry," the Altmer mage said, and his stomach growled loudly to underscore his statement. "I feel as if I have not eaten for days!"

* * *

With a faint smile on her lips, Teresa looked down at the new amulet she wore. Hanging from its silver chain was a large red pendant in the likeness of a triangular shield with a white sword running point down across its face. She had seen them before. It was the official badge of the Fighters Guild. What she had not known before however, and what Pappy had told her when he set it around her neck, was that it also contained a mild Shield enchantment.

She had really done it! Teresa smiled faintly as she carried her bags down the second floor hallway in the guild house. Doors passed by on either side, and the wood elf was amazed at how many rooms they had just for living space. Tadrose had told her that they offered room and board to all members, but the hall seemed to have more bedchambers than an inn!

The muted sound of a lute came to the forester's ears as she made her way toward the room that the dark elf had assigned to her. It grew louder as she continued, and the wood elf realized it was coming from the room across the hall from her own chamber. Setting down her things in the hallway, she gave the door a gentle push and gazed inside with curious eyes.

Sitting on the bed was Ancondil, dressed in an outfit of black velvet embroidered with gold. In his large, green hands was the lute she heard, and Teresa watched and listened with amazement as he played. He was rather good, she thought, although all she had to compare him to were the street-corner musicians of the Market District.

The room was simply furnished, as all of the bedchambers seemed to be at the guild hall. However, the sheets on the bed were clean, as were the plain tapestries on the plastered walls. A suit of Dwemer armor hung from an arming rack in one corner of the room, its bronze plates brightly reflecting the afternoon sun that slanted through the window. Propped up against the wall beside it was a war hammer, whose long handle was made of golden sila wood. The wide head of the weapon was made of grey and gold elvish steel, decorated with the likeness of an eagle's head upon its side, and filled with delicate patterns of feathers and leaves.

"Greetings Ancondil," Teresa said in a subdued voice, "it's good to see you again." She bit her lip, hoping the Orsimer was not mad at her for what had happened the other night. Well, she thought, there was no time like the present for her to try to set things right.

"Teresa, do come in!" the orc looked up with a smile and set his eyes upon the wood elf. Laying down his lute, his gaze fell to the amulet she wore. "I see I am no longer the newest member of the Fighters Guild, congratulations!"

The Orsimer's grin dispelled the worry that had been nesting in Teresa's stomach since the other night. She felt a faint smile creep to her lips in response as she opened the door all the way. "So you really are a musician, as well as a poet."

"Yes indeed, although I am still learning the lute," he said, patting a muscular hand on the stringed instrument. Then he jerked a thumb at the gleaming hammer that stood beside his armor. "I have a natural talent for percussion instruments as well…"

The willowy elf could not stifle a modest chuckle at his quip. "I have something for you," she said a moment later. She stepped back into the hallway and took a moment to rummage through the sacks she had been carrying. Finally she produced a bottle of brandy and a book of poetry.

Turning back to Ancondil's room, she found the man standing in the open doorway with a quizzical look on his face. "I wanted to say I was sorry for the other night." Teresa placed the bottle and book into his hands. "I thought you might like these."

"My stars Teresa!" the Orsimer gasped as he looked over both of the gifts. "I…I do not know what to say, except thank you. You do realize this is entirely unnecessary?"

"I wanted to," Teresa said, biting her lip. "I was hoping we could still be friends?"

"Well of course!" the much larger man exclaimed. "Shall we open the brandy and celebrate your new position?"

"I can't," Teresa shook her head, looking down at her bags and thinking about her last experience with alcohol that she was unused to. "I have to unpack, and get out of this damned armor and put some real clothes on."

"It would be my honor to assist, my lady," Ancondil said formally, and Teresa was reminded of the knight at The Faregyl Inn who had kissed her hand. "I am highly skilled at lifting heavy objects."

"That's ok, I have been dressing myself for some time now," Teresa said with a faint smile. She glanced down at her chest. "Besides, they're not that heavy…"

"Teresa!" the Orsimer's face lit up in a combination of shock and amusement, and he began to sputter with laughter. "That is not fair!"

The wood elf could not restrain a brief giggle herself as she lifted her bags from the hallway floor. "I'll see you at dinner, Tadrose said that Pappy was going to make something for all of us. From what she says, he's a pretty good chef."

"Then I shall see you there, you rapscallion!" the orc smiled and shook his head, then went back into his own room.

Teresa did likewise, and began unpacking her bags and putting her things away in the spacious room. She wondered what Simplicia would think when she told her in the next letter, or Volsinius. Just two weeks ago she never would have imagined herself being in the Fighters Guild. Oblivion! just a few months ago she had been in prison!

Oblivion! is right! Just a few short months and she has come such a long way!

Seeing Ancondil again is a real treat - especially as he doesn't seem to hold a grudge against Teresa for the other night. His offer to help with the heavy lifting was right in character, but Teresa's response shows a new side to her, an increase in her self-confidence that allows her to show some humor as she did here. I like it! A lot!

To your comment: Considering I love to mod the living daylights out of my game, there is something stopping me. My bow gets force-denocked if an enemy gets too close to me, so I really do need to keep my distance. It's one of those realism things, if someone got within sword distance of your character, wouldn't the first thing they would do be to strike your bow aside if it were drawn, or perhaps charge you and knock you over if they had a heavy shield? I take my immersive combat rather seriously.

Now, back to the story...





Where's Foxy? I'm sure he's dying to give this some Dhertee Innu-Enndo treatment!

The second scene with Ancodil was quite charming.

A fitting end to an excellent chapter!

Poor Teresa finally gets Henantier all put back together, then I'm sure was tempted to say this:

The Bosmer tapped two fingers angrily against her forehead and admonished, "Henantier, my eyes are up here!"

Congratulations, Teresa! Getting into the Fighters Guild in the world SubRosa has made for you is tough! Well done!

I also was pleased to see Ancondil again. You really bring him across as delightful! I loved the jokes about being skilled with percussion instruments and lifting heavy things like bags or Teresa's clothes from her.

'The wood elf could not restrain a brief giggle'
Nor could I.

"Then I shall see you there, you rapscallion!"
This line fits our marvelous orc to a tee!

"Yes, of course," Henantier said. He stepped closer to her, but with his head still turned so not to see her. Reaching out with one hand, he nearly punched her in the face by accident.

Groping for something on her bare chest with his eyes averted is a recipe for disaster! Henantier really demonstrates the kind of distracted genius that could lead him to trap himself in his own dreamworld.


"Besides, they're not that heavy…"

Teresa is joking around!! Woo hoo! That got more than a faint smile out of me. I find myself looking forward to dinner.

Specifically, would that be the gong? I'd imagine with a warhammer, you only need one or two hits, and at a minimum the 'target audience' would have a huge ringing in their ears.

I'm glad Ancondil seems to be taking the rejection rather well. Still, he can't seem to avoid inserting his foot into his own mouth, but experience has taught me that is rather the rule than the exception for my half of the world's population...

Well other people have got to the funny line before me, but it was a very good one. The exchange between Teresa and Ancondil was excellent, there was a bit of humour on both sides and clearly no resentment, and Teresa's teasing certainly shows a new confidence of a completely different sort from joining the Fighters Guild. I look forward to her meeting the rest of them.

Henantier continued to be entertaining, very much the absorbed and slightly distanced academic...

A nit?
on the daub and wattle walls - it might have been deliberate or just be an accent thing but 'wattle and daub' feels a lot more normal, especially when used as a modifier.

I'd think daub and wattle was deliberate, as the passage is about the plain decor, making the daub the more important (you can't see the wattle if they daubed right). Wattle and daub is basically chronological order of construction, so it's like post and beam in becoming the conventional order.

My lesser nit is that Henantier, despite his obvious embarassment, reaches for the amulet and risks making it even worse, rather than asking Teresa to put it in his hand. OK, so he's flustered, but...

Not that one, not that one, that one.

Poor Henantier! You can't blame him, though!



BAHAHA!!!

That was hilarious! Maybe red headed women aren't just short tempered, but incredibly naughty as well

Take it from me - right on both counts!

naughty red rider: Indeed, you hit the nail on the head about Teresa's growing self-confidence. Expect to slowly see more of that in the future.


Thomas Kaira: Unlike my writing , I don't want realism in my games. I want to have fun instead. That is why I take a break from reality in the first place!

Poor Henantier, what is a geek to do when faced with a nekkid woman? Even one as stringy as Teresa!


Acadian: Ancondil is always fun to write, thanks to his stereotype-breaking behaviour, and his good nature.


Grits: Groping someone's bare chest is not a good idea? Sadly, Henantier does not have much experience in that!


Captain Hammer: If they are wearing a helmet, then Ancondil is indeed playing a gong! Thankfully for Teresa, he is not the sort to hold a grudge. Else she might find herself becoming a musical instrument!


Olen: Your comment on the wattle and daub got me thinking, and I went back and took it out completely and replaced it with just plain plaster, as I recalled from several chapters earlier I described the building as being stone and wood.


ghastley: Welcome to the TF ghast! I have to admit that whenever I see your name, force of habit makes me insert a (Sir Graves) in front of it. As Sir Graves Ghastly was a tv show host I used to love back when I was little.

Unfortunately for Henantier, he is a magic geek. Talking with girls is not something he is used to doing, let alone seeing them naked! Poor guy needs to get some practice at the whole thing.


Jacki Dice: That red hair is just sign of the hot blood underneath!


Next: Teresa has returned to reality and become a probationary member of the Fighters Guild. Next we wrap up this chapter when she receives a visit from the man responsible for it all.


Chapter 28.9 –Through A Nightmare Darkly

A knock on the frame of her door snapped her from her musings. Standing in the open doorway was the tall, slender form of Henantier, still clad in his plain blue mage's robe. He was standing sideways, holding a massive crate in his thin arms and looking within.

Screenshot

"Good evening Teresa," the high elf said. His voice showed not the slightest bit of strain, in spite of the heavy burden he carried. "I hope I am not interrupting. I just thought I might bring you something."

"By the Nine Henantier, come in and put that thing down!" Teresa exclaimed, her eyes widening at the size of the crate. It looked bigger than he was, and had to be far heavier than the slender elf. "That must weigh a ton!"

"Oh no," the high elf smiled as he walked into the bedroom and easily set the crate near the doorway. "A simple Feather spell and it weighs next to nothing. I would have conjured something to carry it, but the last time I did that the City Guard was upset. I suppose they are not used to seeing archaens carrying luggage very often."

Teresa felt a faint smile creep across her lips as she tried to imagine the skinny high elf walking down the main street of Bravil with an Aedric manservant in tow. Even in a cosmopolitan place like the Imperial City that would have caused an uproar, let alone in a sleepy little community like Bravil.

"What is in there?" Teresa wondered, stepping forward to look more closely at the crate.

"Potion bottles," the Altmer explained, prying open the lid with his finger and producing a small glass container. "Before you left my house you mentioned that you had forgotten to acquire some when you were previously at the guild house."

"You remembered that?" Teresa said in amazement, staring down at the crate. "There must be hundreds of them in there!"

"One hundred and forty two actually," Henantier said dryly. "It is the least I can do for the woman who saved my life."

"Oh, you don't have to do this for me," Teresa mumbled, feeling her face flush with warmth as she looked down at her feet. "I don't really need anything…"

"You saved my life Teresa," the Altmer said, "I would just like to show my gratitude in a meaningful way. Consider this a down payment. I hold my life to be worth more than a few bottles after all!"

"Really Henantier, you do not have to do anything." Teresa lifted her eyes and stepped closer to the high elf, putting her hands on his arms. "You don't owe me anything."

"Why of course I do," the magician replied, looked back her with a smile on his face. "How can I not?"

"Let me put it this way," Teresa said, biting her lower lip. "When I came down here from the Imperial City I was attacked by bandits. If a legionary had not come along and saved me, I don't know what might have happened. Before that, during the Oblivion Crisis, I would have died if not for another soldier. He lost half of his face to save me, my mother, and the owner of the shop we were in. They didn't do it for a reward. They did it because sometimes helping other people is just the right thing to do. If you really want to make it up to me, then the next time you see someone in trouble, step in and do something for them."

"That is very noble of you Teresa," Henantier blinked, stepping away from her and sitting on the narrow bed. "That is one of the reasons I came here though, sort of." He stared down at his hands, and Teresa had the distinct feeling that he wanted to say something, but could not find the words. It was a circumstance she was all too familiar with, the wood elf thought wryly as she stepped to the door and shut it.

"I did not tell you and Kud-Ei the real reason I created that dreamworld." The high elf stared down at his hands and nervously wrung them together. "Well, not the full reason at least. But considering what you risked, I think you have the right to know the truth. People say that I am a great magician, but they are wrong. I am just an ivory tower wizard, a hollow sham."

"What do you mean?" Teresa sat down beside him, laying a hand on his shoulder. Whatever he had to say, it was clear to her that it disturbed him.

"I grew up to tales of dashing battlemages facing Daedra with a laugh and saving the day," the Altmer said glumly. "That was all I ever wanted to be. But when I tried out for the battlemage program at the University, I found that I just did not have the… nerve. There, I said it. I am a coward! Damn me to Oblivion for it."

"How?" Teresa wondered out loud, biting her lower lip once more. "I mean, did something happen?"

"No, that is the problem, nothing happened at all," the high elf spat. The sarcasm in his voice was sharp enough to cut through steel. "Whenever I thought about having to fight, I mean really fight, I just could not do it. I was so frightened that I could not put myself in danger in the first place. Not even on the training field."

"So you created the dreamworld to face your fears." Teresa said, feeling as if a light had suddenly dawned within her.

"Yes," Henantier breathed, "after all these years, and made a total hash of it too. To the point I had to be rescued from myself!"

"Oh Henantier, do not say that!" Teresa exclaimed. She could not stop herself from putting her arm around the forlorn elf. She only hoped that he would not take it as a sign of anything more than compassion. The last thing she needed was another scene like the one she had with Ancondil the other night! "That was not your fault. The same thing would have happened to anyone who entered that dreamworld, even the Arch-Mage himself!"

The high elf swallowed hard. He opened his mouth to say something, then shut it again. Instead he continued staring at the floor.

"Henantier, look at me," Teresa said. With her other hand she reached out to gently cup his cheek, and turned his face to meet hers. "For all of my life, I have run from every danger I ever faced. I was a mouse. Whenever there was trouble I literally ran and hid. It wasn't until a few months ago that I changed, and it was only because I had no place left to run."

"So what happened?" the high elf asked.

"I stood my ground and I fought," Teresa said, feeling a quiver begin to run through her voice. She remembered the Emperor, and how he died, as clearly as if it had happened yesterday. She remembered how she had went insane afterward, and hacked his assassin to pieces. "I didn't want to, and I never would have done it if I had a choice. I would have fled if I could, believe me, I'm no hero!"

"I guess what I am trying to say is that just because you feel afraid does not make you a coward. Believe me, I feel like shaking like a leaf every time, and afterwards I do! Volsinius - he's a centurion - told me there was one man in his tent group who pissed himself before every fight he was in. They didn't want to stand downwind of him afterward, but they never hesitated to stand beside him. It's ok to be afraid, everyone is."

"You created that dreamworld to face the things that terrified you. That's not something a coward would do. Especially since it could really kill you! The guild commander here would say that took balls. Sure you screwed up, but so do all of us sometimes. If I told you all the things I fetched up in my life we would be here until we both died of old age!"

"Do you really think so?" Teresa saw that Henantier's eyes now glittered with something new, hope perhaps?

"Oh yes," she said with a faint smile. "I've fetched up a lot of things in my time!"

That brought a chuckle from the high elf, just as Teresa had hoped it would. She squeezed him tightly with her arm and continued to speak.

"We have the power to make ourselves whatever we want to be. It is our choices in life that define us. Everything we do, or do not do, makes us what we are. You chose to face your fears once already Henantier. You can do it again. You are better than them."

"Perhaps you are right," the high elf admitted, sitting up straight. "I never thought about it that way."

"Of course I'm right," Teresa said, wrapping both of her arms around him now and holding him close. "I am a woman!"

Don't remind him - he was severely embarassed last time he noticed that/those.

Wonderful conversation between Teresa and Henantier. She is turning into quite the den mother here! As if she isn't in need of one herself from time to time!

Yes, I had always wondered why Henantier created that Dreamworld. It's something the game never really explained to my satisfaction. Your version of it works much better for me - it's like 'a-ha, I see!'

And I see Teresa is getting bolder about small gestures of touch that convey compassion, but could easily be mistaken for compassion. Another marker of her growing self-confidence, I see.

I loved the scene when Henantier has his senses back ... but why did he not notice he was also naked? Seems like something like that would have ... come up. (shameless Foxy plug)

This had me rolling, and I hope you don't mind if I post it in the "Funny Moments in Fanfics" thread:





In my mind, this next quote is a tribute to Teresa's growth. She is becoming confident in awkward situations now, able to smoothly handle embarrassing moments like these when they come up...has the assurance in her own mind that she can handle it. It is an awesome to follow her blossoming, to see the skittish foal she once was becoming this self-assured woman - and through it all remain the Teresa that we love !!

Chapter 28.9

This is one of the places that brings out the inner Teresa that we have seen since that moment beside the Emperor when he died. One of her most endearing traits:





Why is it when I see this:




I think this:

Excellent . It points out a use for summons which had never occured to me but is obvious really, and it fits so well with Henantier's character. I can just imagine him not getting why everyone's upset that he's summoned a monster to carry his bags. Seeing more of him after really helps to flesh out this quest.

His unhappiness at his own weaknesses worked well against the change in Teresa, that she's saying those things really does show how far it's gone, indeed this journey south seems to mark a transition in her. She's not going to be quite the same on her return.

Firstly, let me not bore you with an excuse for being late to comment here, and simply apologize.

This was a magnificent conclusion to your dark nightmare chapter. By sharing Henantier's motivation, you brought a clear meaning into the quest as well as a chance to share some wonderful insights.

My goodness, Teresa has learned so much. Starting with these two passages:

"Let me put it this way," Teresa said, biting her lower lip. "When I came down here from the Imperial City I was attacked by bandits. If a legionary had not come along and saved me, I don't know what might have happened. Before that, during the Oblivion Crisis, I would have died if not for another soldier. He lost half of his face to save me, my mother, and the owner of the shop we were in. They didn't do it for a reward. They did it because sometimes helping other people is just the right thing to do. If you really want to make it up to me, then the next time you see someone in trouble, step in and do something for them."
This powerfully showcases Teresa's essential goodness and empathy.

"I guess what I am trying to say is that just because you feel afraid does not make you a coward. Believe me, I feel like shaking like a leaf every time, and afterwards I do! Volsinius - he's a centurion - told me there was one man in his tent group who pissed himself before every fight he was in. They didn't want to stand downwind of him afterward, but they never hesitated to stand beside him. It's ok to be afraid, everyone is."
So much wisdom from the young elf! Courage is not the lack of fear but rather, action in its very presence.

I'm also impressed that Teresa is learning the difference between leading a man on and the almost magical nurturing that can be found in a woman's touch. I'm so glad that her experience with dear Ancondil has not dissuaded her from the empathy of touch.

Ah, the Feather effect. "Helping turn wimpy mages into loot-hauling dungeon divers everywhere! Also good for moving companies, warehouses, and necromancers too fond of using Burden Rings! Inquire at a Mages Guild Chapter near You! Prices are reasonable!"

Great conversation between Henantier and Teresa. You get into one of the few things that I always find enjoyable in writing, albeit often lacking for various reasons: a character with a philosophy. It's great to see it occur in dialogue without it coming off as preachy.

One comment:

Must...Resist...Making...Corrective...Remark. Too...Difficult. Too...Difficult. Women...Not Always...Right. Example...Awour.

I'm glad to see the frugal Feather spell is at least not lost one one Altmer looking to ease a burden.



It is purpose that created us. Purpose that pulls us. Purpose that connects us, that guides us, that drives us. It is purpose that defines... purpose that binds us. (Hugo Weaving, The Matrix Reloaded)

Furthermore, it is our choices that give us purpose, and it is purpose that gives us a desire to exist. Until the Emperor's intervention, Teresa was simply a frightened girl trying to run away from a meaningful life, and now look how far she's come. She has come to grips with herself, and found a solid reason to continue living... she has certainly come far.

(Sir Graves) ghastley: He needs to get some experience with those sometime!


haute ecole kitty: Teresa definitely needs a den mother! I always wondered why Henantier would go to such great length to create that dreamworld. For some reason when I was going over the possibilities, The Red Badge of Courage came to mind. So I rolled with the idea that he was trying to overcome his own (real or imagined) cowardice.


mALX: Henantier still had his clothes. His dream, so he doesn't have to be in the buff. Besides, he's not Vigge!

You and your hamsters. Don't tell Richard Gere, he might get jealous...


Olen: Yep, that is so Henantier, summon up a Skeleton Champion to carry his bags, or a Flame Atronach to get the fireplace going. It just does not occur to him that other people freak out over that sort of thing.

One of the reasons I liked Teresa's little speech at the end was exactly what you noted. It shows just how far she has come since the beginning of the story, and even just as you said, when she left the Imperial City.


Acadian: Teresa cannot help that nurturing side, even though she now knows it might get her into trouble. As you also noted, she has that essential empathy and basic goodness of character, and sometimes it just takes over. Hopefully that is one of her most endearing traits.


Captain Hammer: I figure the Feather spell is one of the Mages Guild's biggest money-makers. Imagine chests with Feather enchantments? Or backpacks? I have already established that the legion and knight's horses all have Feather's on their saddles to reduce the weight of their riders. I can see mages with feather spells being an integral part of the shipping industry, be it tagging along on horse-drawn carts to move freight, working the docks with stevedores, being a part of ship's crews, etc...

I usually do not think of Teresa as having a philosophy, but I believe you are right. That was it. It is something she has never really consciously acknowledged. Perhaps I should consider that happening in a future chapter?


Thomas Kaira: Teresa does indeed have a purpose. More than one really, although she had not quite realized some of them. She will one day though.


Next: Our previous chapter showed Teresa's final entrance exam for the Fighters Guild. Next we move forward a week to see how she is settling in there.


Chapter 29.1 - A Day In The Life

1st Hearthfire, 3E433

Teresa tied her scarlet tresses back from her face and pulled a pair of loose drawstring trousers up around her waist. Next came a grey legion tunic emblazoned with a black Imperial dragon across its chest. To say the latter fit her loosely was an understatement of Bretonish proportions. She practically swam in the long cotton garment. Finally lifting the Fighters Guild amulet from where it hung atop her mirror, the wood elf settled it around her neck and was out the door of her room.

The guild hall was silent and dark as the forester padded down the stairs and through the back door. She jogged lightly around the edges of the practice field behind the towering building, making two complete circuits of the long enclosure. Rather than use the wooden gate to make her exit, she hopped over the low stone fence, and made her way down the alley between the guild hall and the building next door.

The tolling of the chapel bell greeted her as she stepped out onto Silver Avenue, as did the first rays of the morning sun. The wood elf leapt to the front porch of the guild hall to stretch her limbs in the crisp morning air, going through a routine of exercises that Pappy had taught her to warm up her muscles. Finally, when her body felt loose and limber, she sprang to her feet once more and began a steady trot along Bravil's main street.

She did not race as fast as she could, rather she fell into a steady pace instead. She reminded herself to breathe in deeply, through her nose rather than her mouth. That was something else Pappy had harped on her to always do as well. Considering that he was twice her age, but clearly in better shape, she was not going to disagree with the guild commander.

Trotting north to the main gate, she found the city guardsman on watch in the tower above staring down at her and shaking his head. Well, at least he was not sounding the alarm, she thought, or giving chase. That was how the city guard had reacted the first time she went jogging through the streets. Why did soldiers always think that when someone was running it had to be because they had just stolen something?

At least the guild amulet seemed to help keep them from being over-zealous, she mused. She had taken to wearing it after her first encounter with the Bravil guard, and was surprised at the difference in how they - and others - treated her afterward. In fact, whenever she wore the medallion, people acted as if she was nearly a legionary or city guardsman herself. Then again, the guild charter did require members to not just obey, but also uphold the laws of the Empire. So in a way, she was almost a legionary or guardsman after all!

The wood elf smiled faintly at the irony as she turned west from the gate and continued her steady jog down Larsius Street. The northern wall of the city rose over her right shoulder, and block after block of stone and wooden homes passed by on her left. Glancing up, she saw that the sky overhead was stained a palette of soft colors ranging from purple to yellow as Magnus roused from his slumber and began his daily circuit across the firmament.

This was her favorite time in the city; early in the morning when most people were still asleep. It was almost as good as being out in the forest, she thought. The only sounds were the chirping of the birds in the trees and rush of the rivers, while the air was edged with a crisp bite that invigorated her lungs.

By Mara, how had she become a morning person! Back in the Imperial City she would have been just going to sleep at this time. But the capital did not have sunrises like this, or quiet times when there was nothing but her and the beauty of Nirn.

Teresa continued on, turning left at Chapel Way and following it south along the west wall of the city. Soon the great basilica of the Benevolence of Mara came into view, flanked to left and right by stone-walled graveyards. By now she found that her heart was beating faster in her chest, and her breath was becoming more strained. Sweat dampened her brow as she circled the Mages Guild and took South Street over the bridge that spanned the central river to the southern island.

The city was coming alive by that time. People scurried around to the bakeries for fresh bread, and carts trundled through the streets to make their morning deliveries of milk, cheese, eggs, and other perishables. In the river below fishermen were already rowing their small boats out from the docks and into Niben Bay.

Teresa waved to Aia as she trotted by the southwest corner of the city wall, where the old Imperial kept her bedroll under the eaves of a laundry. The beggar was still waking up and took a moment to respond with a welcome cry. Teresa could not stop however, and turned east onto Bay Street with the rising sun in her face.

She followed the southern edge of the island until she came to the Niben gate. Not a regular gate like the one on the north side of the city, this instead opened the southern branch of the interior river to the bay. Here the great blocks of the city wall came to a stop at the edge of the water, forming a large gap for the river to flow through. The wall began again at the far side of the river, where the stone manors of the wealthy and the brooding mass of the castle took up the smallest of the three islands that made up the city of Bravil. A massive chain was spooled up on the castle side of the river, and the wood elf imagined that it might be stretched across the river entrance to block ships from entering. Although given the rust that caked its metal links, she doubted that it had been used in a long time.

Sparing a glance through the gate, Teresa saw the blue waves of Niben Bay stretching out to the horizon. One fishing boat was already in the open water there. A dory, Teresa thought, the same little boat that the fishermen from the Waterfront of the Imperial City used. As she watched, its two-man crew unfurled the small boat's oddly-shaped sprit-rig sail. Mostly triangular, the canvas had uneven sides, with the front running straight nearly to the top of the sail before angling back, while the bottom curving gently upward to meet the long, downward slope of the trailing end.

Screenshot

Turning back, Teresa continued on her jog around the inner edge of the southern isle, passing the many homes and occasional shops that filled it. Then she was back to South Street and made her way across the center bridge to the northern isle. There she turned east on Riverwalk and followed the river back toward the Fighters Guild.

She passed the chapel of Kynareth and The Warlock's Luck, and continued on. Turning at the bridge leading to the castle, Teresa found herself back on Silver Avenue and headed north. She passed Tavian on the street as she neared her own guild hall and waved to him. He would be going to get fresh bread for breakfast, she knew. But even though her stomach rumbled at the idea of warm bread dipped in olive oil, she sped past the hall to make another circuit of the city, and did not stop running until she had crossed back over the central bridge a second time.

Whew! I'm tired just reading that workout!

But honestly, it's a great way to describe the layout and environment of Bravil. Calling out the landmarks as Teresa jogs past them helps to firm the mental map of the place and expand on the rather sketchy in-game version.

Teresa's musings about the guards chasing her that first morning was funny! "Stop! You broke the law! (*but what law?*) Oh, you're with the Fighter's Guild? Carry on!"

Excellent chapter, I must say. Reminds me of a story a friend on the local force told me. He and his partner see one guy running down another, and they rush over to stop it by trying to arrest the one doing the chasing. Only when they get him down they find out he's DEA, and the original 'victim' is a dealer. Nearly let the real perp go by accidentally stopping the wrong guy.

The remarks about Pappy's continued level of awesomeness are excellent. Probably one of my favorite characters in the TF story, not the least of which includes his appreciation for fine whiskey

I like the way you've managed to make the town feel bigger than the one in the game without actually changing anything. There's a couple of references to things that aren't there in-game, subtle plurals for shops that only exist once etc. but I still match up the landmarks in the right order, so it all still fits.

Nit:
"Then again, since the guild charter did require members to not just obey, but also uphold the laws of the Empire. " - I'd just lose that. I suspect you'd started off with the next sentence as the missing clause and didn't finish the edit.

A nice, brisk jog to start the morning right. Nothing better.

Teresa is certainly living the good life. She is a model if the very freedom so many people strive for now; that you are in total control of your destiny and nothing can change that.

Quite a fun read.

I agree with Rider, a great tour of the city!

I was delighted that you added a Chapel of Kynereth to Bravil. Is that because Kynereth does not have a chapel in the game or does Kynereth hold a special significance for Teresa? Speaking of the Nine, I'm delighted to see that perhaps our Lady of Love known as Mara has encouraged Teresa to invoke her name on ocassion.

Oh noes! Don't let Methie find out that all this fresh air and country living is turning Red into a morning elf!

I also appreciated your focus on the rivergoing nature of the city, with its boat traffic.

Chapter 28.9
Teresa felt a faint smile creep across her lips as she tried to imagine the skinny high elf walking down the main street of Bravil with an Aedric manservant in tow.
Me too. Henantier charms again. It’s nice to see Teresa’s cuddly side. We know she can stomp and yell, but there’s so much more to her!

Chapter 29.1
What an enjoyable running tour of Bravil. I love the glimpse of the Niben with a sailboat on the water. Warm bread dipped in olive oil has my stomach rumbling!

Brings me back to my cross-country meets -bleh-

The jog was a great way to -show- Bravil without -telling- about it.

Slightly odd... not one I've ever heard of. Still as people have said, inspired choice with the jog, it manages to do so much. Yes it shows the city well, but it also shows how Teresa is training and I suspect will explain her running further and recovering faster later... and it shows a genuine change in her having joined the fighters guild.


Black magic and necromancy are the only possible explainations for getting up before noon.

I'm interested to see where this chapter goes, one thing I would say is that it might have been worth mentioning that it happens 5 days after the previous as, although there are dates, I can't remember them and had to look. If it is just a day in the life it should be quite a fun read.

haute ecole rider: The workout has only begun! Cue the Rocky soundtrack, because Teresa is getting strong now. Teresa being chased by the city guard just seemed so likely to me that I had to put it in. It also gave me a subtle way of showing the stature of the FG in people's minds. That unlike the Blackwood Company, they really are not just a gang of hired thugs.


Captain Hammer: Now that is a great story! and not at all surprising.

Pappy is a fun character to write. In many ways because he is so larger than life. Or at least he has the appearance of being so from someone else's point of view.


ghastley: I know I have done a lot in the last few chapters to show off Bravil. So this will be my last post that really digs into things like its layout.

Good call on the nit. I did a lot of editing and reediting and rereediting on that paragraph. That was a leftover from an earlier version.


Thomas Kaira: Teresa is living the good life at the moment, but even she has unwanted commitments that she cannot avoid, as we will discover later in the this chapter.


Acadian: A morning elf, a MELF? You actually commented on the reason for the chapel of Kynareth: the port of the city. As well as being a goddess of wild animals, kynareth is also the weather goddess, and as such the patron of sailors. Being that fishing is a major industry in and around Bravil, it was only natural that she be represented here, as well as at the Waterfront of the IC.


Grits: I try to make sure I show Teresa's warts as well as her good side. I am glad that a balance of both is coming across.


Jacki Dice: you too? I never was a very good runner. I always hated P.E.


Olen: Or in Teresa's case I guess that would be necrowomancy. There will be several points later in the chapter where we see that a week has gone by since the last chapter. We just have not gotten there yet. This will indeed be a day in Teresa's life. My goal with this chapter was to show how being the fighters guild has changed her life, for better and worse.

You have not heard about breathing through the nose rather than mouth? It was drilled in my head in school. There are a whole slew of reasons for it, not the least of which being that the nose is made for breathing through and it filters out things like dust. But while you get less volume of air in through the nose, you actually get a better oxygen transfer ratio by doing it. It takes a while to get used to if you were a mouth-breather though.


Next: Teresa has returned to the guild hall from her morning run. Next, more exercise, and breakfast.


Chapter 29.2 - A Day In The Life

Dripping with sweat, she walked the rest of the way back through the streets to the guild. Her heart was returning to normal by the time she came to the back of the three-story building. There in the practice field she found the other members of her guild lined up before Pappy and doing stretching exercises. All were dressed in simple loose clothing like she wore.

Among them was their newest member, a Redguard she had only seen briefly the day before. His black hair was cropped closely to his skull, and the fuzzy shadow of a beard clung to his unshaven jaw. Like Pappy, he went bare-chested, revealing a chest that rippled with lean muscles. The dark green ink of a tattoo covered his left shoulder, in the form of a flame atronach's head. It faced his back, with fiery hair fanning out behind her, as if she watched any who might sneak up behind him.

Screenshot

Teresa joined the others in the morning routine of push-ups, sit-ups, and a host of other calisthenics. Rounding it all off were several laps around the inner wall of the yard. By the time they finished, her body felt drained, yet at the same time she was strangely exhilarated. As if while taxing her muscles, the exercises had somehow imparted her with more mental energy.

She followed the others inside, where they tramped upstairs to their rooms to change into their armor. Teresa paused to cast her Bloom spell after taking off her sweaty legion tunic and baggy pants. Once more she was thankful for meeting Nerussa, as the perspiration vanished from her body and her hair became dry and clean. Even her teeth gleamed as she stared at her naked body in the mirror on her simple dresser.

She was losing her softness, she thought as she studied her wiry frame. Even now she could see that her arms and legs were leaner and more solid that before. Would Nerussa still like her this way? Would other women? She had to admit she liked how her body was becoming toned and strong, but did not want to stop being feminine in the bargain.

She sighed, and went to the work of putting on her leather armor. Is this how the women in the legion felt? she wondered. Valfreya had certainly seemed rock solid under her armor, but Teresa had no trouble identifying her as a woman once she had seen her face.

When she was finished, Teresa found the rest of her guild mates in the dining hall enjoying a simple meal of fresh bread and tea. Pappy wore a legionary breastplate adorned with a laurel of gold set into the chest, and a legion helm sat on the table next to his breakfast. His arms and legs were sheathed in small, interlocking scales of orcish steel however. His Dwemer sword rode his hip, and a round orcish shield was propped against the wall behind him.

Next to him at the round table sat Tavian, the young porter wearing simple wool and flax clothing. Then there was Ancondil, clad in his gleaming bronze Dwemer armor. The golden handle of his elven war hammer rose from the edge of the table beside him, and he smiled at Teresa as she entered. Beside him was the new Redguard, now wearing a simple dark tunic and trousers, contrasting sharply to the armor of the other adults.

Screenshot

As ever, what really caught Teresa's eye was Tadrose. The dark elf stood to the left of Pappy and munched on a piece of bread. She was clad from head to toe in golden-hued elven steel. Brilliant rings of mail sheathed her body, and was in turn covered with slender bands of solid metal that wrapped around her torso like leaves. Tiny plates of armor shaped like feathers descended from her hips and ankles, and her legs between were encased by solid plates decorated with scrollwork of gentle vines. A helmet decorated with more feathered scrollwork hung from her waist belt, dangling by its chin strap. Propped against the wall behind her was the double-edged blade of a longsword, the golden sila wood of its hilt again decorated with twisting vines of elvish fashion.

Screenshot

For once the wood elf was glad for being tired from her double workout. At least she had an excuse for not being able to say a word as the dark elf smiled and handed her a cup of milk. "I know you prefer this to tea," the vice-commander said quietly, so that only Teresa could hear, "so I had Tavian get some along with the bread this morning."

Teresa smiled faintly and sat next to the blue-skinned woman. By Dibella! she marveled, who had taken the grimy blacksmith she had met a week before and replaced her with this golden raven of the battlefield?

When Tadrose smiled back at Teresa, her entire face seemed to glow with a soft light that made the forester's heart begin to race once more, albeit for an entirely different reason than when she had been running…

"So is it true you got here by stowing away on a ship from Sentinel?" a wide-eyed Tavian asked the Redguard.

"Aye," the newcomer nodded, taking a swallow of tea. "I snuck on board at night. They found me the next day at sea. But it was just my luck that one of their crew hadn't shown up when we sailed. So they let me take his place in the topmasts."

"What if the sailor had been there?" Ancondil asked.

"They'd have thrown me overboard," the dark-skinned man said. "At least that's what the captain told me."

"Sounds like it was your lucky day kid," Pappy said dryly. "If the Marie Elena's an honest merchantman, then I'm an Altmer."

"I figured that out by the time we rounded Valenwood," the young man related. "I think they had a hold full of loot, and they were going to fence it in the Imperial City. By the time we got here I had the distinct impression that they were only going to keep me around for that long too, then-" The Redguard drew a line across his throat with his finger. "That's why I jumped ship and swam to shore while we were anchored in the bay overnight."

"You are lucky you did not drown." Tadrose offered.

"Lady luck has always been good to me," the Redguard smiled at the dark elf, which prompted her to roll her eyes in return.

"Is that why they call you Chance?" Tavian asked.

"No," the lean young man said, then looked up at Teresa with a wink. "My mother took one on my father."

The table broke out with a chorus of guffaws, and even Teresa could not prevent a faint smile from sneaking past her lips. She broke off a handful of bread from the loaf at the center of the table and dipped it into a bowl of olive oil beside it. The bread was still warm as she took a bite, and tasted wonderful as she slowly chewed, savoring the creamy oil that softened it.

"The real question is who is this lovely daughter of the forest? I don't believe we've been introduced." The Redguard smiled across the table at Teresa, and she wondered if Pappy was giving him lessons on how to make women melt. She was certain that smile would have turned most women's legs into butter. For once she was thankful for not being like most women.

Teresa made a show of looking behind her. "Yes, I'd like to meet her too! Where is this nymph?"

That brought another chorus of laughter from the table. Even from Tadrose, who leaned across Teresa to dip a handful of bread into the olive oil. Teresa closed her eyes for a moment and breathed in the other woman's scent, a mixture of the mineral oil that protected her armor with a slight hint of primrose beneath it.

"Our Teresa is the soul of humility," she heard Ancondil say to the others, and she opened her eyes again as he addressed her directly. "So how did your contract to bodyguard the most patrician Alessia Ottus go yesterday?"

"I'm trying to forget." Teresa frowned at the memory the Nibenean woman. "It's no wonder people make death threats against her. I wanted to strangle the harpy myself!"

"She refused to even have me as a bodyguard the last time," Tadrose declared icily, "since we Dunmer are 'wicked and profane'. Gaius had to shepherd the pompous twit around the city."

"Dealing with people like her is just part of the job," Pappy observed. "Just remember, their money is as good as anyone else's. Better actually, because I charged the Lady Ottus twice the regular rate!"

That brought another round of laughter from the others, and Teresa used the time to savor more of the breakfast. It felt so strange, not simply eating a meal with so many other people, but actually sharing it with them as well. She was used to squeezing into a place between the throngs at the food stands in the capital, but no one ever talked to her there, or paid any mind to her. She had just been one face in a crowd of strangers.

Yet it was so different here in the guild, the wood elf found herself thinking. For once she was surrounded by people who were actually a part of her life. Granted, she did not know the others very well yet, but somehow thanks to the time they spent living and training together it made her feel like she did, at least on some level.

"I want you to head over to the Benevolence of Mara and learn a healing spell after we finish up this morning." Her reverie was broken when Pappy rose to his feet and looked at Chance. "Tavian will show you the way. In fact, I want you to learn one too," the middle-aged Imperial now looked to the young porter. "If you are going to be a fighter one day, you will need it."

"A healing spell?" the dark-skinned man groused. "A Redguard warrior does not practice eastern magic!"

"He will if he wants to be in the Fighters Guild." The Colovian's voice was hard as iron. "Either come back here tonight knowing how to heal yourself, or pack your bags."

"But you never made anyone learn spells before Pappy," the young porter said, "Why do we have to now?"

"Because I am not going to plant the lot of you in shallow graves," the guild commander growled. "Only three of us came back from Bruma because we weren't prepared. That's not going to happen again. Now I want everyone out back in five for close order drill. Chance, we'll get you kitted out with armor this afternoon, for now just come as you are."

"And as for you my little legionary," the Colovian leveled a piercing gaze upon the forester as he settled his centurion's helmet around his head, "if it would not trouble you too much, how about putting your own clothes on for the morning workout for a change?"

"You said I should wear something loose and comfortable when I ran." Teresa bit her lip. "I don't have anything of my own."

"So buy something!" the Colovian grumbled. "It's not like you are poor."

"But I like the tunic!" Teresa found herself pouting. "Besides you never wear it anyhow."

"Well how can I wear it if you have it?" the Colovian shook his head and stomped out of the room after the other men. His voice carried clearly from the hallway however. "How do they always find me? Every screwball in Tamriel, it never fails…"

"Do not worry about him, you can keep the tunic. It does look better on you anyway." Tadrose had lingered behind. Now she lifted her longsword in her hands and rested the flat of the sheathed blade against her shoulder, so that the hilt rose up beside her head. "Do not mind Chance either, he tried it with me too yesterday. That one probably makes a play for every woman he meets, just like our commander. You have to get used to that when you work with men."

"So are you already seeing someone then?" Teresa asked, hoping she did not sound like she was doing the same.

"No, and I do not plan to," the dark elf said after a long moment. She headed for the door, pausing a moment to look back before stepping through. "Now let's get outside for drill."

Aww. I liked this part especially. I know I worry like that over physical changes. Though I'm sure anyone worth Teresa's time would be able to see through whatever physicality to the golden heart underneath ♥



The gold really does look good on her. It makes her glow

Really enjoyed the camaraderie that typifies the Bravil FG. Especially the trading of stories and jokes around the table.

Tadrose's answer at the end really caught my attention. I respect the sentiment myself.

I did catch one nit: The closing quote probably went AWOL when you cut and pasted your post.

A nice, crusty Ciabatta loaf with pure Extra Virgin olive oil... be still my beating heart. Now if only I had some balsamic vinegar and grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, I'd be all set.

Don't forget to give her a thank-you kiss on your way to the chapel.



A great meal-time piece! It gives us a nice window into several characters and opens the doors for a few new ones to boot. I have a feeling Tadrose and Teresa are going to become very good friends, too (no, not in that way, you naughty people! )

Ladies and Gentlemen, if you ever want a demonstration of how to respond to circular reasoning with actual logic, here is a great example. Whether Teresa will recognize this error in her own use of classical logic will remain to be seen.

Great chapter with Teresa and the rest of the Bravil Fighters' Guild at breakfast. After all, it is the most important meal of the day, particularly if that day will include things like body-guard duties for a stuck-up countess (that bint Alessia Caro!), escaping certain death, or dealing with the various lechers that make up the modern, non-politically correct work environment.

A very nice continuation in a 'day in the life'.

The bloom spell that Nerussa taught Teresa - what school of magic would you imagine that comes from. Alteration perhaps?

Nice to recall Valfreya!

'and Teresa used to time to savor more of the breakfast. It felt so strange, not simply eating a meal with so many other people, but actually sharing it with them as well'
To watch Teresa begin to see, discover and even be a part of camaraderie in action is a joy to see.

I continue to very much enjoy how you are showing Pappy. His little rant as he walked away was priceless!

And Tadrose is fascinating. You keep adding more mystery to her!

I’m sure I will not surprise you with my enthusiastic approval of the new, smokin’ hot Redguard. May he never find his shirt.

Teresa made a show of looking behind her. "Yes, I'd like to meet her too! Where is this nymph?"
Banter over breakfast, very enjoyable. These are clearly people who live and work together. The tunic exchange could come many households. The early runner gets the comfy tunic.

I noticed a long moment before Tadrose answered Teresa’s I’m-not-hitting-on-you question.

ROFL !!! That had me rolling !!!

Director: "That's funny, we have had several of those singing hamsters disappearing off the set"

Richard Gere walks by. "My kind of town...etc." (sung in a "Topo Gigio" voice)


One hamster speaking to the other as they pass the mortuary... "Hey Joe, wanna stop in for a stiff one?"



I absolutely love what you have done with Tadrose !!! She is gorgeous !!! And that armor really sets her off beautifully !!






And Teresa learns her first feminine wile ... how cute is that !!!!

Jacki Dice: Teresa will just have to hope that a certain someone else likes women who are not girly-girls.

I have always liked the elven armor, except for the bird boots, it is my favorite armor in the game.


haute ecole rider: Thank you for rounding up my AWOL parenthesis. It was not in the original either!

Teresa however, does not respect Tadrose's sentiment. Or at least Teresa's heart does not...


Thomas Kaira: Here I wanted the breakfast to look simple! Trust you to turn it into a gourmet meal! You have been watching too many of those cooking shows!

Teresa hopes that she and Tadrose become good friends in that way!


Captain Hammer: Poor Pappy, sometimes it is not easy being around Teresa!

That was not the Alessia Caro she was body-guarding though, but Alessia Ottus (the one who wrote all the city guidebooks) Still, quite a pig-headed beyotch though.


Acadian: I think the Bloom spell might be Restoration, as it is basically restoring the body to its clean state. But I can see a case for alteration as well.

Teresa is indeed learning to enjoy the closeness of a being part of a group, after having been a loner for so long. Pappy's rant was tons of fun to write! I am glad Tadrose Helas is coming across as mysterious. She is supposed to!


Grits: Since I am terrible at making male faces in Oblivion, I have found that using pics of IRL guys tends to work better for most new males I make. That is Charles Ingram. He is a military man turned actor/stuntman. He has a minor role as on eof the Navy SEALs in Tears of the Sun. He also hosted a Shark Week episode, which is where I got that picture from.

Gee, I noticed that long pause of Tadrose's too...


mALX: Remind me not to eat while reading your posts! Ewww.

The new Tadrose really is much nicer to look at than the one in the game. And Teresa is learning to act like a chick after all. Next thing you know, she will be wearing high heels and makeup! (well in the chapter I am currently working on at least).


Next: After a nice breakfast, Teresa goes to do her morning workouts, and gets herself a new toy.


Chapter 29.3 - A Day In The Life

Drill they did, practicing small unit tactics. Pappy had them forming lines, semi-circles, and circles. They changed directions at his command, went from a marching column to a fighting line, then back again. Over and over, they practiced the same movements together.

Pappy and Tadrose were flawless at it all, Teresa observed, always being in exactly the right place at any given moment. Yet even after a week she and Ancondil had problems from time to time. Chance, being completely new, spent more time stumbling into the rest of them than anything else. Teresa had to stifle to urge to laugh more than once. The memory of her own fumbling on her first day of the training stilled her tongue however.

Even so, she at least had it easy, Teresa mused. She was not expected to stand in line with the others, who were all melee fighters. Being an archer and a scout, she was always in front, behind, or beside the lines they formed. Yet she still had to be able to move between the others as they created their formations. Not always the easiest thing, especially when they were clad head-to-toe in armor.

After an hour of their stumbling and Pappy's cursing, they came to the part of training the wood elf enjoyed most, weapons practice. While the others went inside to work with wooden practice weapons, she remained outside to shoot. She had never spent so much time with her bow in her life. On the Waterfront she and Methredhel had only worked with their bows when they felt like it, using the wall of a broken down shack near the lakeshore as a target.

But Pappy insisted that she spend at least an hour every morning with her bow. She remembered how her shoulders had ached from the effort during the first few days, and how she had to drink Restore Fatigue potions to relieve the strain afterward. But the previous day she had discovered that she no longer needed the draughts, so she imagined that she must be building strength in her muscles as well as improving her aim.

Spending half the time firing directly at the mortal-shaped targets down range, the wood elf used the other half of her hour practicing zone-shooting. She had never even heard of the tactic when Pappy had shown it to her on her first official day in the guild. Yet now that a week had gone by she was starting to finally get the hang of it.

Rather than directly aiming and adjusting the height of her shot to compensate for the distance, Teresa fired in a high arc, so that her arrows came nearly straight down upon her targets. Rather than the usual butts that stood up vertically, these were circular rings laid out flat on the ground, stretching out in a single line going down the length of the field.

"You should be able to put an arrow in a circle no larger than one you can sweep out with your arms, at any distance, without seeing the target," Pappy explained. "All you need are direction and distance, which we can tell you from the line. Every Imperial Legion archer can do this. It allows them shoot from behind the ranks without hitting any of us. It also means most of your hits will be head and neck shots, because of the high angle."

When the chapel bell tolled once more, Teresa stopped by the well for a drink of water and headed inside to the dojo. Such a strange word, she thought to herself. Tadrose had told her it was Akaviri. A leftover from the days when the guild was started by the Tsaesci syffim of the Akaviri Potentate. There in the great open hall she found that the others had changed out of their armor and into simple loose clothing once more. Pappy himself went bare-chested, as he often did, and drew her aside while Tadrose worked with the others in unarmed combat.

"Alright kid," the older man said as he handed her a wooden dagger, "time to play with the big boys."

As they had done every day since she had joined, the two of them practiced together at parrying with the knife. Or that is she practiced, and he delighted in whacking her with his wooden sword whenever she was too slow. In the beginning they had moved in slow motion, so that she could learn the moves. Now that she knew them however, they worked much more quickly, and Pappy put real force behind his blows. That was one reason she always wore her leather armor when they worked out together. The other being as Pappy himself had told her, she needed to become used to taking a hit while wearing it.

"Remember, don't try to meet force with force when you parry," the Colovian reminded her as they went through the exercises he had taught her. "Move your body and deflect my blade aside, then step in and use your right hand to hit with a spell."

Teresa did just that, stepping inside the guard of his sword and standing nearly chest to chest with the larger man. The dagger in her left hand was still engaged with his sword, catching it between her blade and guard to keep it away from her. At the same time her right hand pressed against his flesh. If it had been for real she would have used her Flare spell to fry him.

"Good," Pappy smiled. "Even if I had a shield the heat of your spell would still get through and burn my arm." The older man stepped back then, raising his hands in front of him, palms outward. That signal was the first thing Teresa had learned, meaning to stop the workout, and she relaxed and lowered her practice knife.

"You learn quick Teresa," the older man said appraisingly, then motioned her to follow him as he walked to a table along one of the walls. "You still have a long way to go, but you pick it up really well. Once you master the single knife, I'll start teaching you to use a second one in your right hand. Then you can attack with that while you defend with the other. There are even some parries you can use with both hands."

Teresa nodded, drawing forth a cloth that was tucked in her belt and running it across her sweating brow. Being cornered had always terrified her, especially after her battle with the goblins in the prison sewer. She knew that it had only been blind luck that she had not been killed. If she was going to survive, she had to learn to fight hand-to-hand.

The Colovian reached down to the table and lifted a sheathed dagger whose wire-wrapped grip ended in a cylindrical pommel. A crossbar of silvery metal gently curved outward in a crescent, protecting the handle. Drawing the weapon from its sheath, Pappy revealed a foot-long blade of gleaming mithril that tapered to a point, so highly polished that Teresa could see her reflection in the metal. Effortlessly flipping the dagger around in his hand, the Imperial offered it to Teresa hilt-first.

Screenshot

"I want you start carrying this," he said as the wood elf took the weapon in her hand.

"This is mithril!" Teresa breathed, staring at the bright metal with wide eyes. It felt heavy, but she found that the weight of the blade was countered by that of the pommel, giving it a perfect balance. "It must cost a fortune!"

"Believe me, you'll need it. Because it's mithril, it can hurt things like ghosts and will-o'-the-wisps." the older man said. "Don't worry about the cost. I'll take a portion from your contracts until you have it paid off. The same with the second one, when you're ready for it. We do it for all our members. That's how our new boy Chance will be getting his armor and sword. He showed up with nothing but the shirt on his back."

Teresa nodded as the Colovian took the sheath and a pair of belts and wrapped them around her body. Rather than looping the belts around her waist, he ran them over her shoulders, like a pair of suspenders. Then he attached the actual sheath upside down, to her right breast. Only a strap of leather across the grip prevented the dagger from falling out of its scabbard.

"This will give you a quick draw, and leave your hips free for your quiver at your right and bowcase on your left, not to mention your poison and potions." The Colovian stood back and took her in. "Now you're looking like a real fighter kid. That reminds me, has Tadrose taken your measurements yet?"

"Yes," Teresa breathed, looking down at herself. She was covered in armor and weapons. Just a few months ago she never would have imagined herself this way. Yet somehow it did not feel strange at all. Rather, she felt quite natural, like a real fighter, just as Pappy had said. "She's even fitted my armor already."

"I thought you looked a little different," the older man observed. "It feels a lot better, wearing armor that's tailored just to you doesn't it?"

"Yes," Teresa admitted. She had thought the leather from her leftover Vilverin spoils had fit her well enough. Until Tadrose had worked on it. Afterward she could not believe how much easier moving in it had become. "Tadrose is wonderful!"

"Yeah, she could have her own chapter if she wanted one," Pappy said quietly, leading the wood elf to where the others - including the porter Tavian - worked out with bare hands. "She won't leave Bravil though."

"Really?" Teresa asked, looking at Tadrose. Just that moment Ancondil charged at her, and the dark elf somehow stepped to one side and flipped him onto his back. It had all happened so quickly that the wood elf had no idea how she had done it. "What is that she's doing?"

"That is Digordorn," the Colovian said. "It means 'opened-hand'. The Bretons developed it a few thousand years ago to fight bigger, heavier enemies, like the orcs in the Wrothgarians. I have that on your training plan, after you learn the dagger."

"I have a training plan?" Teresa asked. The older man had never said anything about one before.

"Damn right you do," the former centurion replied. "Tadrose and I create one for every one of you meatheads, to hone your strengths, and make up for your weaknesses. Did you think I was just pulling all of this out of my rear?"

"Well I-" Teresa began with a faint smile, making a show of looking down at his backside.

"Don't answer that!" the Colovian laughed, holding up his hands. Then his face turned serious once more. "Speaking of your plan, your Flare is a good spell, but it lacks real punch. I want you to head over to the Mages Guild and learn a more powerful touch spell. Fire's good, especially against trolls. So is shock, it hurts most anything, including Daedra. Stay away from frost though, undead are resistant to it."

"But I won't be able to cast something like that more than a few times before I am out of magicka." Teresa said. "I can keep doing the Flare a lot longer."

"Yeah, but if you are fighting a professional, they will be able to recover from it just as fast," the Colovian explained. "Remember, you don't want to get into a drawn out battle up close. You need to hit like an ogre and get out of there. No matter how much you practice, you are not going to last in a slugfest. That is what mules like me are for."

"You're right," Teresa breathed. He was always right, she thought, at least when it came to fighting. "Until now I always ran away from that kind of thing."

"Good!" Pappy smiled, "that's exactly what I want you to keep doing too! This hand-to-hand is only to keep you alive when things go sour. Remember Pappy's Rule Number Ten?"

Teresa furrowed her brow, trying to remember which one that was. For a man who freely admitted to breaking rules, and in fact took great pride in doing so, he certainly had plenty of his own!

"Umm, never fight a battle you can't win?"

"Exactly," the Colovian said. "You retreat, and trade space for the time you need to regroup and get stronger, so that you can win. Battles are won up here," he tapped his finger against his forehead, "not with your biceps."

"Well, running is one thing I've always been good at, now more than ever that you have me doing it every day," Teresa breathed. "I don't want to be a hero."

"That's what I like about women fighters." Pappy smiled as he poured a cup of water from a pitcher and took a gulp. "You don't let pride shut your brain off. That's the hardest thing to get through the heads of those young bucks." The older man nodded, looking at Chance. "They think they are going to win every fight, and would rather die than face the shame of retreating. Or at least they think they would."

"I have been meaning to ask you something," Teresa said after a few moments. She turned to look at the bare chest of the man beside her. "Your legion armor has that golden laurel on it. Is that because of you won the Grass Crown?"

"Yeah," the older man replied. "The actual crown they give us in the ceremony is only for formal occasions. It's much too delicate to wear in the field. So they issue each of us a new breastplate with a laurel set into it, as well as a shield enchantment."

"I saw one like it at Bruma," Teresa said. "But the man in it wasn't part of the rest of the army. He was with a group of people by the really big Oblivion Gate."

"Wait a minute, you were at Bruma?" The Colovian turned to face her. "You never said that before."

"Well, I wasn't exactly there." Teresa bit her lip, remembering how she had to tell Julian the same thing. "I saw it all in a vision. There was a man in armor just like yours - legion plate on the chest with the golden laurel - but those orcish scales on the arms and legs. He almost got brained by a really big dremora with a war hammer."

"Well I'll be damned," Pappy exclaimed with a grin. "That was me alright! I still don't know what made me turn around to see that monster. Luck, the gods, or just plain old intuition. But you saw it in a vision? Are you a Witch as well as an archer?"

"I don't know." Teresa looked down at her feet. "Sometimes my spirit guide shows me things, things that matter to me."

Teresa heard a slap, and looked up to see the older man with his palm against his forehead. "Of course, you're a Bosmer," he said. "I was in Elsweyr for a while, in the Tenmar Forest. We had some wood elf mercenaries from Valenwood serving with us as archers. They had a weird way of knowing things, and said it was their spirit guides that told them. The Khajiit hated them. Which was just fine with us because we were hunting Renrijra Krin rebels."

With that Tadrose called a stop and the others walked over to join Pappy and Teresa. Ancondil instantly noticed Teresa's new dagger and congratulated her upon it, asking her to show it off for all to see. The wood elf felt awkward with all the attention on her, and found herself wishing she had been born under the Shadow like Methredhel, so that she could disappear.

"All right you meatheads," Pappy finally broke them up, "I've got paying customers coming soon, and I don't want the lot of you ruffians scaring them away. Go get cleaned up and learn your spells. Just be back for dinner, I'm making something special in honor of our new member."

"He cooks?" Chance asked as they filed out of the training room.

"Indeed," Ancondil said. "Last week he made the best roast boar I have ever had the privilege of eating."

Teresa frowned at the memory. She had not been able to eat a bite because it was meat, and just had leftover bread instead. She could tell that Pappy had been exasperated, even though the Colovian had not said anything directly. She wondered what he was planning this time, and hoped it would at least include something without dead animals.

This chapter is so filled with stuff to quote - first, the overall impression of Pappy's supervision of his fighters is outstanding! He almost acts like the "Pappy" his name implies, calling the fighter's "kid" reinforces that impression. Having worked for a boss just like this before I can say that your depiction of Pappy is the ultimate in the type of boss any women and all young boys all should have as their first work experience - tough, but you can tell he cares that you not get out there and not come back after a mission...kind of like Owyn at the Arena is. AWESOME Character Write !!!

This paragraph was really impressive in simplicity while imparting fighting tips the reader can use with ease to get the edge in a melee situation:



Really cool trick!

Third, I can never say enough how endearing it is to be on the outside watching as Teresa matures into womanhood from the skittish child that left that jail cell that day - AWESOME Character Development As Always !!!!! You absolutely ROCK when it comes to making endearing and beloved, memorable characters !!! AWESOME WRITE !!!!!

This made me laugh! I've met guys (and a few women) like that too, so it has the ring of truth to it as well.

I really enjoyed this entire segment, as Teresa learns a few more things from Pappy, and he learns something new about Teresa (her experience at Bruma). His prior experience with Bosmeri archers in the past adds a new dimension to him as well. I really like what you've done with the Bravil chapter.

Looks like Teresa's getting close to understanding that if you break them, you have to be able to replace them, just like anything else. She's definitely learning a lot quickly, so it won't be long before she can decide when a rule is broken, and needs a new one.

Oooh two parts... and both good. Meeting the other fighters is fun, and you have real personalities for them all. I sense quite a bit of thought went into putting the right people together to get the group dynamic right, from what I've read it's excellent and I look forward to more.

Teresa learning weaponry is fun to read, she's got a new weapon too. She definately seems to be getting stonger and more confident in her abilities. I liked Pappy's attempt to beef her up with meat... I predict eggs, lots of eggs for the meal (assuming she eats those).

Including magic in fighting is good too, it would change things. Especially shock, depending on how it works you could do mean things when the blades touched...

Beans are an excellent source of vegetable protein, and since she's an archer standing at the back, the side-effects may not be a problem.

Old business: Oh, on the bloom spell, I think you are right. I imagine restoration would be the best choice.

This was a very fun and illustrative episode in 'a day in the life'. The personalities of Teresa's guild mates come out nicely. More mystery regarding Tadrose in that there seems to be something holding her in Bravil. Ancondil always shines, as does the interaction between Pappy and Teresa. You packed a lot of tactics in here, but did so in a highly entertaining way.

I loved the references sprinkled in here to Bruma, spirit guides and our friend Methie. I too wonder if Pappy will have noticed Teresa's lack of boar consumption and will consider that as he prepares his next Bravilain culinary presentation.

Nit?
'It's much too delicate to wear in the field. So they issue each of us a new breastplate with a laurel set into it, as well a Shield enchantment."
It seems as if another 'as' is needed here: ',as well as a Shield enchantment.'

Rosa, this latest chapter gets the DFoxy seal of approval for both technique, training philosophy, and realism!

I wish I had more time - but believe me, I read and appreciate all that's going on around here!