The inspiration for this story came to me last week. As will probably be evident to many, this is an homage to the masterpiece by Akira Kurosawa. It is my humble attempt to translate that great story to the Elder Scrolls Universe. Following the old adage of striking while the iron is hot, I decided to put the TF on hold while I write this instead. Once I am done, I will get back to the TF, and wrap it up with one more chapter.

This is also a prequel, taking place eight years before the events of the TF, shortly after Aela and Ungarion graduated from the Arcane University.


Seven

Prologue

25th Second Seed, 3E425

Vishta-Zaw slithered through the mud with ease. In fact, he had to take care not to move too quickly, lest he overtake Dark-Eye. The other Naga would look upon that as a challenge for leadership of the company. A challenge that Vishta-Zaw was not ready to make, yet. For while his one-eyed leader's age was beginning to show in the fading color of his once dark green scales, his killing power had not subsided. The way he had dealt with the hackwing the day before had made that clear...

Soon the land began to rise, and the mud turned to drier, hard-packed dirt. That made the going slower for the pack of Nagas. Where folk with two legs had an easy time on such ground, it was more difficult for his race to propel themselves upon their serpentine lower halves. Unlike ordinary snakes, they had a torso, head, and arms to balance aloft above their thick tails. It was much easier moving through the swamp's water and muck, where their tails could whip them forward at speed. Yet still they managed without complaint. The latter was a sign of weakness, and weakness was not tolerated in Dark-Eye's company.

In time they topped a ridge and Dark-Eye came to a halt. Vishta-Zaw slithered up beside his leader and followed his one-eyed gaze down into the valley below. Stretched out there in the small, oval-shaped bowl of land stood the settlement of Agrigento, a collection of simple timber and reed homes raised up on stilts in the traditional Argonian fashion. At the center of the village rose a tall structure of the Imperial style. It's walls were entirely of stone, pierced by numerous windows filled in with hinged glass panes, and topped by a roof of glazed red tiles. A fence of simple woven reeds bordered the settlement, and beyond that water-logged rice paddies stretched in all directions. Dykes of hard-packed dirt spread out in a grid through the fields, dividing them up into numerous flooded squares.

Imperials, they just loved to impose their straight lines, squares, and rectangles upon everything. They seemed to think that their geometry would somehow bring them closer to the gods. Any Naga could have told them that nothing on Nirn was straight and neat. All their efforts did was separate them from nature. The Naga wizard knew that would only doom them to extinction. It was only a matter of time.

His eyes fell upon the Imperials laboring in the rice paddies. They went barefoot through the water, wearing simple dark tunics and conical reed hats to ward off the sun. Alongside them toiled their tamed Argonians. Once the Saxhleel had been a strong, proud people, Vishta-Zaw mused. But like so many of them now, these had abandoned the ancient ways of the deep swamp, and now what had they become? They were little more than slaves for the smoothskins. The Naga race would never fall so low.

"They are bringing in their crop," Dark-Eye observed. "Good, I grow thirsty."

"It will take them time to dry and husk the rice," Vishta-Zaw leaned against his staff, which was tipped with a large chunk of flame-red crystal. "Then they will need more time to brew their soju."

"To brew our soju," the chieftain corrected him. The side of his head that faced the wizard was gouged with deep scars leading through the ruin of his eye socket, which was covered with a jeweled eye-patch.

Dark-Eye turned to level his remaining indigo eye upon his lieutenant, and then the gang of other Nagas behind them. "We will give them six weeks," he cried. "Then we will return to wet our throats, and have some sport!"

That brought a chorus of assenting hisses from the other bandits. Some banged their spears against the rims of the small, bone shields. Others simply stabbed their weapons skyward in expectation of the revelry.

* * *

Hathei held his breath until the Nagas had gone. Even then he still waited, just in case any of them returned, or were still lurking in the shadows of the trees. Magnus crawled through the sky, and several lesser creatures crawled across the Argonian's washed out yellow-brown scales. Still he waited, not moving an inch, in the way that only his race could do.

Finally Hathei rose up from his belly and stood straight. His gaze darted through the trees that lined the top of the ridge, seeking anything out of place. Yet there came no hisses or croaks of discovery, no spears came flying out to pierce his scales, and no magicka crackled to snuff out his life.

The aging Argonian was thankful for the bundle of reeds that was slung over his back. If not for them, surely the Nagas would have seen him. He had been lying on his stomach, just inches from their bellies, with only the camouflage of those reeds between him and certain death. Now that bundle of reeds slowed him down as he turned and ran for the village below. He was tempted to throw them aside so that he might run faster. But he knew he would only have to return for them later. At his age, he did not have the energy to do the same thing twice. So he labored on, as farmers always do.

His mind whirled as he made his way down the slope of the valley to the settlement below. They were coming back, again! They would take all of the soju, just like the last time, and the time before. Worse, the Nagas might take another of the women again, just as they had Rullianus' wife. What had been left of her after they had finished would have made a butcher sick. Who would they take next? His own daughter Meen-Sa?

No, not Meen-Sa. He could not let that happen to her. They had to do something this time. They just had to.

So I finally get to be part of SubRosa's epic story as it begins. A prequel, no less. This is good, as I can read this and begin the other stories you've created

Instantly I knew I had a glimpse of Black Marsh here. The names seem very Argonian-like, and sure enough we find Dark-Eye and Vishta spying on an Imperial settlement. From what I can tell, you took the Imperials from the First Edition Pocket Guide with their rice plantations and manner of building. This I like, too. It's very much part of the lore anyways and I rarely ever read stories depicting the humans in this light.



I liked this part. It stood out and painted a vivid picture of the Saxhleel tribesmen performing their war dance. You mentioned racism once, and I already see we're going to have a lock-of-horns between the smoothskins and the argonians.

Ah. Sneaky Hathai! Warn the villagers, save the soju! Protect the women! The Bandits are coming!

When I saw this, I couldn't resist! As D.E. said, it will be great to follow one as it is posted, since at least one Christmas will pass before I catch up in the TF saga.

What I love about this so far is that it is not "game related" at all, other than the setting. I am in awe of the creativity involved. I am not "lore wise", so I had to look up what a hackwing was on the ES Wiki. They don't even have an entry for soju, but from the context, I will assume it is something like saki.

Anyway, a very interesting start and I can't wait for more.

GAAAAAH!!!! Aela and Ungarion !!! Missed my Birthday and Christmas, but this is just what I've been asking/wishing for!

I am hugely excited about getting some more detailed background on Aela and Ungarion's history, using the movie as a basis won't change what I know of them so far, will it? (Hint hint, thinking Freddie Mercury and Mary Austin here) ...

I will most definitely be back here to read, just can't this morning. <333

Nice adaptation so far. Your Tamriel just works properly, as a self-consistent setting where the magic makes sense, and people behave the way you expect with magic around them. The choice of races here is interesting, and again fits the lore well. It will be interesting to see how things transpose, especially after it's already been done in a different context.

(And what other movies with numbers in their titles are on your list? 2001?)

As The Magnificent Seven is one of my all time favourite films, I'm looking forward to seeing how you play it out...

I'm loving the Black Marsh setting already...And Dark-Eye sounds like a most worthy Eli Wallach... ...



I bet that was a scary sentence to write... ...It was scary enough to read, I tell ya!... ...

Aaamywho, as ever, an amazingly brilliant write...Looking forward to seeing who you have to support Aela and Ungarion...(I'm assuming they'll be the two getting out the other side... )...But definitely looking forward to more of those two...

Isn't it based on the Seven Samurai movie?

I wanted to comment yesterday but I was at work and had only my iPad. For some reason this forum's reply screen doesn't look good on an iPad. Anyway, enough with the excuses.

Now that I have time to sit down at my laptop and visit Chorrol, let me say this.

I've seen both versions of The Magnificent Seven and loved both versions. I grew up on the same one as McB, of course, but finally tracked down the original version just a couple of years ago. I really enjoyed matching the different characters and comparing their styles.

Likewise, I look forward to seeing how this stacks up to the movies. If your recent escapade in the TF is any indication, we are in for a wild ride!

Already I'm liking how Dark-Eye is being developed. These two lines stand out as a succinct summation of his character:

And this:


You are showing mastery in developing a character I know will be the villian through the perspective of others.

ThatSkyrimGuy: Soju is a lot like sake, but stronger and more potent. It is the traditional rice liquor (not wine, but likker worthy of Pappy) brewed in Korea and served at their bazillion streetside bars.

mALX: McB is right in a way. The Magnificent Seven is a Western remake of The Seven Samurai. As someone who has watched both movies, I would have to say they are very similar, and both very well done.

Sorry to butt in again, and yes H.E.R. did already answer (cheers! )...

But yeah, The Maginficent Seven is a remake of the Seven Samurai, down to the fact that all the actors were hired with very little script, but as they were all fans of the S.S. they were told which of the Samurai they'd be versions of and agreed most heartily to it...

Hey, it could have been worse...I could have said Battle Beyond the Stars!!...(Roger Corman's take on the S.S.)...

Many apologies Subrosa, I shall not pollute further this fair eve... ...

GAAAAAH! I never knew that! Thank you both for clearing that up! *mALX unscrews head, dusts cobwebs, screws head back on*

Heh, I confess the title conjured nary an image of Yul Brynner nor Steve McQueen; rather, I was hoping to see a braying reappearance of Mad Jack's Number Seven. Or. . . perhaps a buxomly Nordic entrance by Seven of Nine.

‘At his age, he did not have the energy to do the same thing twice.’ - - Ah, but hopefully he’s as good once as he ever was.

Ahem. Okay. What a wonderfully rich, mysterious and interesting setting! And very quickly, you introduce some of your cast and create a real sense of drama over the frightening prospect of the Nagas’ returning to drink the farmers’ soju and eat their women.

Yet, you leave plenty of details still to be revealed – leaving us hungry for more. Hathei seems as if he cares not only about his family, but the village as well. This makes me wonder if the Naga description of the relationship as slavery is an inaccurate assessment delivered via what is perhaps a jaded view held by the Nagas.

*


I felt a little lost and out of my element in the beginning section, especially trying to drum up an image of the Naga (my mind kept going to Tsaesci). Overall my biggest confusion was brought on by this huge nit:

Nit:

Wait, I saw Aela and Ungarion's names on your intro! I thought this was going to be their background history! ARGH! It was a trick! I was reading the first section, the whole time trying to correlate how those Naga were going to fit into Aela and Ungarion's history! GAAAAAAH!

"Okay, I'm back."

The second section in Hathei's POV pulled me in a little better, and I had the same thought Acadian did - the Naga viewpoint may be jaded, or even deliberately discounting those they intend to victimize later, especially in light of the memories Hathei had of their previous attacks on the women of his village.

I don't have a handle yet on the players (or background/history/plot/etc, not having seen either movie), but if you are writing it I know I am in for an excellent and well written story - looking forward to more!


*

Darkness Eternal: Glad to have you aboard DE! It is indeed set in Black Marsh. Well, some of it at least. We will be in Bravil County for a while first, as the samurai gunmen adventurers are recruited.

I am not really basing the Imperials on the First Edition Pocket Guide jungle dwellers though. Not specifically at least. I was just thinking about living in a hot, humid environment like Argonia, and it struck me that the humans living there would probably end up dressing and looking like people in places like South-East Asia.


ThatSkyrimGuy: I understand just how intimidating those huge, older stories can be. It is hard to get into, let alone finish, something with over a hundred thousand words. It is even more intimidating when you put it that way!

I had to look up Hackwing too! I did a lot of reading on the UESP Wiki beforehand, especially The Lore Article on Black Marsh. I read the Argonian Account too, and some of the other things linked in that page. It helped me get a better idea of how to present the place. Though I am still creating many things whole cloth. The idea for soju is one. As H.E.R. pointed out already, it is a sweet-tasting rice liquor made in Korea, with a real kick to it (45% alcohol and up). It was one twist I wanted to put on the original tale of bandits who just wanted rice.


mALX: You have not seen the Seven Samurai, or the Magnificent Seven?!? Get thee to Netflix immediately! Both are outstanding movies, with Seven Samurai being the original, and Mag Seven a Western adaptation of it (which goes to show that Hollywood has been copying Asian movies for over fifty years). My prologue is actually a nearly identical recreation of that from the Seven Samurai, only translated to Tamriel. The entire story will not be that literal a copy of course, but I wanted to start it out with a clear nod to Kurosawa.

We won't be seeing that part of A&U's past though, that has was even earlier, back when they were both students at the Arcane U. Unless there are places where I can work flashbacks in.

The Nagas are only vaguely described in the ES gamebooks. They seem to be Argonians that are just more snake-like than the usual ones we see in the game. That sounds kind of boring to me, so I am going to use the more common Naga description of the human-like upper half, and snake bottom. So they will be like the Tsaesci, only not vampires. I will give a more detailed description when the Seven get to the village and actually see them face to face. I did not want to bog down the prologue with a lot of description.


ghastley: Maybe I'll do the Three Argonians? Two And A Half Imperials? Ten Little Bosmer?

I wound up going for Black Marsh because I needed a setting where the local authorities would not just move in and deal with the Nagas. It had to be somewhere out in the sticks, and Argonia is about the most remote place in Tamriel. Even at its height, the Empire never controlled the interior, and only barely hung on to the outer regions. Plus I wanted my version of this tale to have its own unique flavor. Argonia is one of the more exotic places in Tamriel, and Argonians one of the most exotic races.


McBadgere: I wanted Dark-Eye to really stick out in that scene, since he is the boss bad guy, and because after that scene we are not going to see him again for some time. He is really more based upon the chief bandit in Seven Samurai (down to the eyepatch). But that character never really did much. We will be seeing some Eli Wallach inspired scenes later in the story though, when we meet Dark-Eye again.


haute ecole rider: Both versions? I guess you mean Seven Samurai and Magnificent Seven from 1960? Not the original Mag Seven with Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen, and the tv remake with Michael Bein and Ron Perlman from 1998? I think it interesting comparing those two as well. I find I prefer the tv show better. The characters feel more interesting and fleshed out, and have more variety to them. The addition of the somewhat crazy holy man was especially a good touch IMHO, as well as the African-American medic. But I thought that even the characters directly ported from the 60's version felt more alive to me. Vin's background of the buffalo hunter turned bounty hunter with a price on his head was much better than the original Vin. Likewise, Michael Bien's version of Chris had more history to him as well, as a man turned bad after the murder of his wife. I especially liked how the newspaper woman inflated the story of the gunfight in the city at the start of the movie, and gave all the credit to Chris to try to scare off other outlaw types. It made me wonder just how much of Chris' reputation was real, and how much made up by other people for their own benefit?


Acadian: Oh noes, not Seven of Nine!

As you have already thought aloud, I would not put too much stock in the view of the Naga wizard. Like you said, he has his own agenda, and worldview, which is more about serving himself and justifying his actions (and arrogance) than anything else.


Previously On Seven: Our last episode found a group of Naga bandits led by Dark-Eye observing a farming village in Black Marsh that was bringing in its rice crop. Dark-Eye declared that they would return in six weeks, after they had distilled the rice into soju, and take it for themselves, and anyone else they wanted. Unknown to them, a villager named Hathei was hiding in the brush just inches away. He sped back to the village to warn them of the impending doom.


Chapter 1.1

"This would be much easier to carry if you would just summon up one of those archaeans again." Ungarion hefted a sack bulging with goods over one shoulder, and struggled with a second canvas bag with his other hand. "We did not graduate from the Arcane University just to drag heavy objects around the countryside."

"No, we graduated so you could learn to use feather spells," Aela shot back as she hefted her own bags of loot. She was thankful for her knowledge of Restoration, which among other things allowed her to fortify her strength. "Perhaps you should have majored in Alteration?"

"I found it more expedient to major in financial transactions," Ungarion winked. He set down each of his sacks in turn, then filled his hands with yellow light. Aela recognized the feather spell he cast upon each bag. She also noted that the high elf made no move to cast the same spell to lighten her own sacks of loot. Instead he now raised each over-stuffed bag with ease and nodded down the street before them. "I thought you majored in Conjuration though."

"I did," Aela said, "as well as Restoration. But you know how summoning spirits gets the hayseeds out here in the country excited. They're the next best thing to Alessia Ottus. They'd be coming at us with pitchforks and torches before you could say 'Nirn Spirit'"

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"Aye," Ungarion smiled, "and then we'd have to kill them all. With nary a gold coin or gemstone to loot off their bodies. Best to let them live instead."

Aela could not suppress a wry smile at her friend's joke, and continued on down Telamon's main street. It was a simple affair of hard-packed dirt, kicking up small clouds of dust about their ankles with each step. One and two story buildings of stone painted with whitewash lined the avenue, roofed with red-glazed tiles that fairly blazed in the light from Magnus overhead. Horses and carts clattered to and fro around them, as did other pedestrians, and the pair of magicians had to watch their steps to avoid collisions.

Most of the people around them were Imperials clad in the threadbare flax or wool of peasants. A few wore the linen of the artisan class, and her eyes spotted a single patrician clad in velvet riding in the back of a carriage. Here and there she saw one of the tailed folk, and even more rarely an elf.

Most paid little attention to her and Ungarion, but once in a while an Imperial stopped to stare at Aela. She knew that look all too well. She had been receiving it ever since she had transitioned to living female at University. It was partly a gape of shock, and partly a sneer of disgust, as if she was something unnatural and revolting they had the misfortune of discovering upon the bottom of their shoe.

Each time Aela felt a tiny dagger prick into her heart. It was not the hate that bothered her. Every race in Tamriel hated every other one, or so it seemed. Rather it was the fact that they had seen through her female presentation. After everything she had done to change herself, and all of the study and hard work to get there, some people still saw the maleness within her. It made it feel like it had all been for naught, and she would never be able to live as the person she truly was within.

Aela sighed, and tried to ignore the people around her, and the disquieting feelings they conjured up. She wished they were back in the forest again. At least the animals and the trees saw her for who she really was, rather than simply as the body she had been born into. Even Imperials often said that animals were good judges of character. It was too bad they did not find a lesson in that…

"Maybe we should sell some of this here?" Aela stopped and nodded to a shop whose sign depicted a shield and pair of crossed swords. "We could unload some of the larger pieces."

"I suppose we could." Ungarion dropped one sack with a clanking of metal, and thoughtfully rubbed his chin with one hand. "We might find a better price out here in the backwoods for some of this than we will in Bravil. They probably don't see mithril or dwarven gear very often. Then again, they probably won't have as much coin to buy with as the merchants of Bravil..."

"Well then, let's dazzle them with your sparkling personality my dear, and part them from those few coins they do possess." Aela set down her bags and filled her hands with power. In her mind's eye the Altmer became taller, handsomer, and more distinguished than he already was. Laying her hands upon the black silk of his robe, she poured her magicka through that image and into the high elf.

Ungarion cleared his throat, and took a moment to straighten up his attire. Even dusty and travel-worn, he seemed to almost glow with magnetism. Aela could swear that light glittered from his teeth as he smiled, and Magnus himself seemed to bend his rays to bathe him in a radiant shine. More than one person walking past actually paused to stare with admiration as he hefted his bags of loot and strode to the door of the weapon shop.

The proprietor within seemed less moved by Ungarion and his magically enhanced personality however. Yet he did buy several daggers from them, as well as a Dwemer arming sword that had once been the property of a marauder chief. In the end they walked out with lighter bags and heavier coin purses.

"Well that is a start," Ungarion said as he blinked his eyes against the sudden glare of the sun. "By the time we sell all of this off, we should be able to pay off Fathis Ules for several months in advance."

Aela wrinkled her nose at the thought of the Imperial City usurer. She owed him more money than she cared to think about. But without his loans, she never could have paid for the Arcane University. Especially after all of her scholarship applications had been turned down. It was ironic that even though she had graduated at the top of her Restoration and Conjuration classes, she was not academically gifted enough to earn a financial deferment from the school.

She gripped the necks of her bags with her enhanced strength, and pretended they belonged to Irlav Jarol and Martina Floria. There had been many at the University who had taunted and teased her, but those two had done their best to have her thrown out entirely. She was thankful for the more open-minded staff members like Raminus Polus and Selene Duronia. Aela knew that they had championed her right to study there. Neither one ever spoke much about it, but she could tell from what little they did say, that the Mage Council Chambers had been a battlefield.

The screeching of gulls came to Aela's ears, and a turn of the road brought them into full view of Telamon's harbor. The muddy brown waters of the Panther River flowed by from the left, emptying out into the deep blue expanse of Niben Bay in the west. Between the two lay a small semicircle of calm water cut into the coastline at the mouth of the river. Two stone quays ran out into the inlet. Flat-bottomed barges and horse-powered riverboats were tied up to the one on the east. Heavier sailing craft were docked at the western pier, and it was to these deep-water hulks that Aela and Ungarion made their way.

The docks were small, but busy with people and animals making their way to and from the vessels. Given that the port was the main reason for Telamon's existence, that did not surprise Aela. They got in line behind many others waiting to board a packet ship bound for Bravil, and dropped their bags with a clatter of steel.

Aela took the time to produce a hand mirror and comb, and went to work straightening her long, sandy brown hair. Once she was finished she proceeded to check the light dusting of makeup around her eyes, and the soft shade of rouge on her lips.

As she had a thousand times, she sighed as the plain features that stared back at her in the silvered glass. She looked convincingly female enough for most people to never give her a second glance. But there was always one person in every crowd who noticed her adam's apple. While her magic had given her an hourglass frame, her shoulders were still a bit too broad, and her hips too narrow, and her breasts too small. Never mind her man-hands. Some things even seven years of Restoration magic could not repair. At least not yet. If only she had been born a normal woman…

She put the mirror away and tried not to look at the women around her. There was no point reminding herself how she did not look after all.

"Excuse us good folk," Aela turned at the sound of a husky Argonian voice. "But these ones could not help but notice from your staves and your baggage, that the two of you are adventuring mages?"

Aela and Ungarion found a pair of Argonians and a pair of Nibeneans standing behind them. The Argonian speaking was dressed in good, cream-colored linen edged with red embroidery. The scales of his skin were deep green, and each side of his long head was crowned by a row of horns. Beside him stood a much older lizardine with washed out yellow-brown scales, wearing the worn and dirty clothing of a peasant.

One of the humans with them was a young man with dark hair and eyes. He too was dressed in rough attire, and bore the calluses and tanned skin of a farmer. Finally there was a middle-aged woman with similar black hair and eyes. She wore a dress of good green linen, and Aela imagined from the worn skin of her hands and paler skin that she was an artisan, or someone else who worked indoors with her hands.

The Breton Witch glanced down at her bags, whose tops had fallen open to reveal the hilts of swords and other looted weapons, along with helmets, breastplates, and bits and pieces of armor. It was easy to see how the newcomers had discerned their profession. As if Ungarion's black silk robe with its silver-stitched diamond patterns was not a dead giveaway, or his dark staff and its blood-hued crystal. Her own white, vine-entwined staff was the only real clue to her profession. Otherwise her simple white chemise, brown bodice, and sturdy pants were hardly noteworthy. Except of course for the pads of hardened leather that protected her knees and a few other vital areas.

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"Why indeed we are!" Ungarion declared. "I am Ungarion, the finest warlock of the west! And allow me to introduce you to my partner Aela, the most brilliant Witch of Niben Bay."

Aela could not help but to roll her eyes at the Altmer's theatrics. He always did like to put on a show. She would think that a black marketeer would want to keep a low profile. It was just her luck to befriend the only smuggler in Cyrodiil who wanted everyone to look at him.

"If you will allow us to introduce ourselves, my name is Ulpia," the human woman began. She gestured to the linen-clad Argonian, then the older lizardine, and finally the Nibenean man in turn. "This is Stalks-The-Marshes, Hathei, and Rullianus. We are from the village of Agrigento, and are in need of fighters such as yourselves."

"I am afraid I have never heard of your settlement," Aela said. "Is it here on the Niben?"

"No, not quite," Stalks-The-Marshes said. "Our village lies beyond the headwaters of the Panther, across the border in the Black Marsh."

"You have come a long way then," Ungarion whistled.

"This one comes here often in fact," Stalks-The-Marshes said, "to sell our soju in Bravil. Or at least this one used to. So it is not an unfamiliar journey."

"So what is it that you need mages for?" Aela asked.

"Naga bandits," Ulpia said plainly. "For years now they've been preying upon us. They come twice a year, every time after we have distilled our soju. They take it, and anything else they want, and kill anyone who tries to stop them. Or just anyone at all."

"This sounds like something for the Imperial authorities?" Ungarion raised an eyebrow.

"The Imperial Legion has better things to do," Rullianus practically spat upon the quay beneath them. "We tried appealing to the Imperial Governor in Soulrest. He couldn't give two shats from a crocodile's tail about us."

"The Empire's authority does not extend as deeply into the hinterland as these one's settlement lies," Stalks-The-Marshes smoothly continued. "It never has. That was one reason these built there. To avoid… Imperial entanglements."

"Such as taxes and duties," Ungarion nodded his approval.

"But now your strategy has backfired," Aela said dryly, "and you lack the protection those taxes and duties pay for."

"Unfortunately, yes," Ulpia agreed sourly. "That is what we need people like yourselves for."

"What is the opposition?" Ungarion asked.

"Thirty or forty Nagas," Rullianus frowned, "give or take a few."

Aela coughed. "It will take more than a pair of mages for that. You'd need at least, oh a dozen good mercenaries. People with experience, who aren't afraid of long odds. Or perhaps half that many, if they are really good."

"What is the pay?" Ungarion asked, his eyes taking on that crafty look they always possessed when the subject of gold came up.

"These ones can feed you," the aging Argonian Hathei finally spoke. "Three meals a day, and offer some soju as well."

"Feed us!" Ungarion sputtered. "That's it? Good luck finding anyone that hungry!"

"Wait!" Rullianus held up his hands before Ungarion could turn away. "I once heard the Naga leader say that there was a price on his head. You could take it to Soulrest to collect the bounty. Or any other Imperial fortress."

"The Nagas have loot as well," Ulpia added. "They are highwaymen, preying upon those who travel from Gideon to Stormhold. They have many stolen goods, gold, jewels, you name it. All would be yours if you can defeat them."

Aela noted the sharp look that Stalks-The-Marshes shot the Nibenean woman. The Witch imagined that he would prefer to keep that loot for himself and the village. Aela could not blame the Argonian for his greed. Some of the treasure was doubtlessly their own to begin with.

"Well, we just finished with a band of marauders in Morahame," Aela declared. "We have to sell off our own loot, and have accounts to settle. So we cannot go anywhere with you. I suggest you try the Fighters Guild in Bravil. They might take your contract."

"These ones are indeed headed for Bravil," Stalks-The-Marshes declared. "These ones expect that shall be the best place to raise a force from. Perhaps when your business is concluded you will come find us?"

"Perhaps we shall indeed," Ungarion said. Aela noted that the high elf had that thoughtful expression again. She knew that he was thinking about that bounty, and imagining what kind of loot a band of Naga robbers might accumulate. The marauders in Morahame had collected quite a haul of goods, especially in the form of their armor and weapons. The Breton had to admit that she was thinking about it herself. But first things first. She owed Fathis Ules money, and needed to make a deposit at the Temple of Zenithar to keep the money-lender off her back.

A richly detailed quaint port village along the east bank of the Niben. A&U’s business there was clearly presented while handily introducing them to this story. As was the proposed task – enough of a potential reward to draw interest from the roguish pair of arcane adventurers. I loved how our oily but lovable black marketeer scoffed over the prospect of payment in the form of room and board!

In trying to place this within the general timeline of Teresa’s world, do these events take place before or after the Oblivion Crisis? Your reference to the Bravil FG is what cues me to ask. Or perhaps I should simply allow future interactions with the FG to speak for themselves in upcoming episodes?


Nit? ’Aela noted the sharp look at that Stalks-The-Marshes shot the Nibenean woman.’ - - The word ‘at’ seems out of place. I think the sentence might be better to lose it?

Edit: Oops. Although your description was as sharp and memorable as the teeth at the mouth of the Panther, I somehow typed 'west' bank of the Niben when, of course, Telamon is the east bank. Fixed.

Actually I was referring to the original Mag 7 from the '60s with Yul Brynner and Steve McQueen. I will have to watch the remake of the remake, especially as it stars, according to you, two actors whom I like very, very much. I always liked the air of mystery about Chris in the original, how he seldom spoke of himself. He let his actions speak for himself, and that always pushes my buttons.

On to this story. I loved the significant amount of world building you are doing here. The settlement, is that anywhere near the Teeth of the Panther? Just wondered how far back does this story go before the Oblivion Crisis? A couple of years? A couple of decades?

Loved Aela's primping on the docks. She may have a man's body, but definitely has the heart of a woman! And loved the details of financial woes and how costly her education was. These are issues I will have to address soon! So it's always good to see how other writers tackle this question.

S.G.M!

Well, I have never seen The Seven Samurai, and I was a child when I saw the original The Magnificent Seven that H.E.R. mentioned, so I am in the dark as to comparing the stories. I think I am going to keep it that way. After finishing the story, I'll rent the movies and compare afterward.

SubRosa, reading this is like mana from the Gods. Your ability to build a scene, and in this case, a world, is enviable. The details, the wit, and the insight all flow together seamlessly. KUDOS!

I am confused about one thing though. The prologue placed this story before the TF...a prequel. And it is, from the context, well after Aela graduates from from the A.U. Ok, here is what I'm trying to get at...How do the street peasants of Telamon know she is trans-gendered? Especially from the screenshot, she looks very female to me. Is it just self-consciousness that Aela feels, and the looks are precieved rather then actual? Or did the people of Telamon know her/his former self?

Still, this doesn't detract from the quality of this installment. Great stuff and ready for more!

We watched the tv remake...Thoroughly loved all of the characters in it...

Aaamywho...Brilliant episode...Excellent imparting of a huge amount of history without it dragging...Massively impressed I am!...



Holy Obi-Wan!!... ...

A brilliant start, masterfully told...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds heartily*...

Prologue
This story has an interesting beginning. I definitely like this Blackmarsh setting. I do not know what a Naga is however; UESP didn’t have anything on them either. Looking at the other comments, it seems like I’m the only one that doesn’t know what they are… Where did I miss this info? Whoever they are, I think they will find the community a little more difficult to destroy and slaughter due to the good fortune of one elderly Argonian. The description of how he hid was very exciting. And then his reasons on not dropping his reeds gave him a nice touch of character.


I have not seen any of these movies people are talking about (nor do I want to, I am not a movie buff) but similar to Acadian, the title made me think of Seven of Nine.


Ok I see what a Naga is now, looking at your replies. Weird that a search in UESP didn’t bring up anything.


1
Aela noticed Ungarion didn’t feather her bags, I noticed that Aela didn’t fortify Ungarion’s strength…


So the gender changes in Tamriel aren’t more successful than they are in real life. I just assumed that Aela looked just like a woman due to magic.


Good plan! Get rid of some of that heavy crap! Even if you don’t get as good of a price, you still have the added benefit of not having to lug it all around. That’s what Aravi does.


Nice illusion spell! Now don’t let Ungarion get used to it! He’ll become unbearable!


Ah, the dreaded student loans…


Hathei! Out to hire mercenaries to protect from the coming raid no doubt.

Since more than one person has expressed confusion over the Nagas and Aela's appearance, I have gone back and added more description to each. That is my fault as a writer, not anyone's as a reader. I should have gone into more detail to start with.

For those who are curious, Nagas are serpentine spirits found in both Hinduism and Buddhism. They have been part of the fantasy genre since as far back as the original D&D books. Maybe farther for all I know.

On the subject of Aela, her magic and self- performed surgery has mostly changed to her body to being female. But only mostly. As Teresa noted in Chapter 36 of the TF, there are a few clues to her male origins, such as an adam's apple, "man-hands", etc... Enough for perceptive people to notice, but not enough for most everyone else. That is not something I can accurately portray with screenshots, because every character in the game has exactly the same body, whether they are 80 years old or 20. It would just be too easy if no one ever noticed at all. That would take all of the conflict out of her decision to change her gender presentation, the struggle against which has made her into the person she is today, for good and ill.







Oh, and for those who missed it, the story is set eight years before the TF/Oblivion Crisis (between the events of the Daggerfall and Morrowind games).

Acadian: Good eye on Stalk's out of place "at". Never trust those shifty Argonians...

I picture little port towns along all the mouths of the rivers that flow into eastern Niben Bay. I believe its all part of Bravil County, so I would expect there to be a lot of travel going through them to little farming villages all along the east bank of the Bay. The rivers themselves make excellent avenues for trade and transport of course. So they would probably be spines around which civilization would grow.

Arcane Adventurers, I have to remember that one!


haute ecole rider: Telamon is on the north side of the mouth of the Panther River. Unlike in the game, my Panther river is large enough for boat traffic, like the Ohio or Tennessee. I see large ships traveling from Telamon across the Bay to Bravil and other cities, while barges and other flat bottomed boats go up the river itself.

Of course Aela is primping! A girl always has to be conscious of how she looks. And Aela is more self-conscious than most.

The cost of tuition is a big part of what drives both Aela and Ungarion in this early tale. It made them become adventurers in fact. I expect the Arcane University is no different than any modern top tier university, like Harvard, Yale, Cambridge, etc... So it would not be cheap! I look forward to seeing how you handle that with Julian in "The White-Haired Redguard goes to School."


ThatSkyrimGuy: I actually find it easier to invent things than to go according to what Bethesda sets down. It lets me follow a consistent vision. While Bethesda created a wonderful playground for us to play our characters in, they did not really put a lot of thought into building a culture.


McBadgere: I was originally going to write something like "Imperial red tape" but I just could not resist the nod to Obi-Wan there.


King Coin: Aela and Ungarion are fun to write. There little discussion at the beginning gave me the opportunity to show how different they are as magicians. Not to mention the fun in their relationship. That was actually a Restoration spell to fortify Ungarion's Personality. I was not sure how else to describe making someone seem more magnetic and charismatic.


Previously On Seven: Out last episode introduced us to Aela and Ungarion, who were returning from a successful bandit-slaying expedition Morahame. They met four of the villagers from Agrigento, who tried to hire them to defend their village from the Naga bandits. A&U turned them down however, as they were busy selling off their loot and headed for Bravil. The Agrigentans were going the same way however, and Ungarion implied that they might help them once their business was finished.


Chapter 1.2

Aela munched on a hot piada filled with grilled chicken, diced tomatoes, cheese strips, and bursting with extra flavor thanks to a sprinkling of basil. It was far too good for street fare, and she vowed to return to this hot food stand whenever she was in Bravil.

The rumble of laughter from a deep throat caused Aela to turn her head. Across the street from the table where she and Ungarion sat were their acquaintances from Agrigento. Towering above them was the largest Nord she had ever seen, wearing mail armor and sporting a battle-axe nearly as long as he was tall.

"You scalebacks make me laugh!" the blond giant guffawed. He slapped Stalks-The-Marshes on the back with enough force to send the poor Argonian stumbling away. Then the Nord lumbered off down Silver Avenue while the other Agrigentans stared in shock and dismay.

"It seems our friends from Agrigento are not doing so well with their plan to hire mercenaries," Ungarion dryly observed through a bite of his own flatbread sandwich. "Perhaps we should lend our assistance?"

"Are you planning to pay off Fathis Ules with rice?" Aela shook her head and took a sip of wine from the worn cup the food stand had provided. It was far from Tamika's, but at least it was not water or stale beer. "In case you have forgotten, our education did not come for free."

"Thanks to the bandits at Morahame, we have enough gold in the temple to keep Fathis off our backs for months," Ungarion insisted. "Besides, given how those bandits paid out, I expect we will be making more than rice and soju from this quest."

"There are forty of them," Aela pointed out. "Don't you think that's a bit much for even us?"

"All the more for us to loot afterward," Ungarion grinned. "Besides, we can conjure up a few mules to even up the odds."

Aela shook her head. She knew there was nothing she could say to sway the Altmer's mind. She had the feeling that it was not even the promise of loot that had set the hook in the wizard's mouth. Rather it was his sense of adventure. She had known him long enough to realize that he would do this sort of thing just for the fun of it alone. The money was only an added incentive.

The next thing the Breton Witch knew, her friend was waving the four Agrigentans over to the table where they sat. Aela ate the last of her piada in silence as they crowded around, drawing stares from many of the other patrons of the food stand.

"How goes your recruitment efforts?" Ungarion asked.

"I am afraid you just saw how well," Ulpia frowned. "We even had an audience with Count Domitianus, but he will not send troops across the border into another province. We tried the Fighters Guild this morning. With an orc for a guild commander, I thought they would be eager to fight. But they turned us down as well."

"These ones have done no better at hiring individual mercenaries either," Hathei lamented with a down-turned head. "No one will help us."

"Fear not," Ungarion declared. "Aela and I have discussed it, and we are with you."

Aela just shook her head again as she chewed the last bite of her basil-flavored chicken sandwich.

"Good!" Rullianus practically boomed. "It's about time we found someone around here with stones."

"Oh, it's not the stones that are the problem," Ungarion rose to his feet. "It's a matter of finding the right people, at the right time, in the right way."

"And with the right amount of hunger," Aela added.

Ungarion ignored the quip, and continued. "First, you need to stop asking people off the street. That is never going to work. They are either going to laugh at you like that Nord, or you're going to end up with some cutthroat who will kill you in your sleep at the first opportunity."

"So where do we find these people?" Ulpia asked. "I thought surely the Fighters Guild or the castle would conjure up any number of warriors."

"The Fighters Guild has their bottom line to think of," Aela said, standing up beside Ungarion. "This is a contract that is going to tie up their resources for a long time. So it has to pay their expenses for that entire period. You just don't have the money for that, and they cannot gamble on the loot from the bandits making up the difference."

"What we need are people who are footloose," Ungarion said, "not tied down with families to support, rent to pay, that sort of thing. That is why old Ghabruz at the Fighters Guild turned you down. Our prospects will be folk who can just pick up and wander to another province at the drop of a hat."

"So where can they be found?" Rullianus asked.

"Why at the tavern of course!" Ungarion smiled.

With that the high elf led the Agrigentans across the city, not to an aleshop, but rather to every swordsmith, armorer, bowyer, and weapons trader. There they left word that they were looking for experienced fighters. After making the tour around the city, they finally did go to a tavern, and naturally not the one Aela would have preferred.

The Lonely Suitor Lodge was a wooden scar rising three stories into Bravil's skyline. The paint was peeling from its ramshackle walls, and in many places shutters were missing from its windows. The inside was little better. The common room was divided into front and back sections by a 'U'-shaped bar that ran out from a stairway on the left. Surrounding it was a sea of tables and chairs of stained and chipped wood. Even at mid-day, there were plenty of seedy-looking individuals hunched over tankards. The smell of it, and their unwashed bodies, made Aela's nose wrinkle in disgust. She was tempted to cast a Bloom spell upon everyone in the place, but had no doubt that would start a brawl.

"These ones will find warriors in this place?" Stalks-The-Marshes was evidently less impressed with the inn than Aela.

"This is where all of Bravil's toughs, thugs, mercenaries, killers, and generally unfriendly people congregate." Ungarion found them a table and motioned for them all to sit. Aela made sure that she had a chair with a wall at her back. Just in case.

"So how do these ones separate the good rice from the husks?" Hathei asked.

"Well now, that's the trick isn't it?" Ungarion smiled as an orc waitress came by with a pitcher of ale and another of what he imagined was wine. She set them down upon the table and handed a mug to each of them.

"Ale or wine?" she asked. Given her expression, Aela imagined that she must be the most bored person in all of Tamriel.

"Don't you have any flin?" Ulpia asked.

"We don't serve that here anymore," the orc said sourly. "Starts too many fights. So you get ale, or you get wine."

Aela chose the cheap wine, as did Ungarion and the Imperial woman. The others chanced the ale. Given their winces after taking their first sips, the Witch imagined that they were all equally disappointed with their choices.

"Who serves wine in a mug?" Ungarion shook his head as he started down at his drink. "Anyway, as I was saying, we need to be choosy…"

"Good thing we came here," Aela said dryly.

"…about the people we hire," Ungarion continued as if she had not spoken. "Most of those in here belong to one of the three gangs that run Bravil's underworld. The Suitor is neutral ground, the only place they can meet without killing one another. Take that orc back there in the corner, that's Kurdan gro-Dragol, the enforcer for the Damodar gang. He'd kill us all if he saw a septim in it."

"If everyone knows these ones are criminals, why does not the city guard come and arrest them all?" Hathei stared wide-eyed around them.

"Count Domitianus tries," Aela said. "But every time the guard squashes one gang, it creates an opening for another one. Before you know it, that one moves in and takes over, or a brand new one sprouts up in its place."

"Like roaches," Rullianus frowned. "No matter how many you step on, there's always one more."

"So what do we do now?" Ulpia asked.

"I don't see anyone here I trust, so we wait to see who comes to take our bait." Ungarion pulled out a deck of cards from one pocket. "Who wants to try a game of whist?"

Aela sat out of the card game, as did Ulpia. If they had been in better circumstances, she would have meditated. Communing with Nirn Spirits always made her feel better. Not to mention that as a conjurer, she always needed to nurture her relationships with the spirits. The Aedra did not serve because they were forced to, but rather because they wanted to. But The Lonely Suitor was not a place that she dared to let down her guard. She had already gotten more unpleasant stares than she would like.

So she was surprised when a friendly face came through the door. A Pahmar Khajiit, the newcomer bore the orange fur and black stripes of his breed. Also like the others of his birth-moons, his eyes were yellow and bore round irises. He wore the traditional lamellar armor of his race: a cuirass of small black lacquered plates sewn together with blue cord, with similar pieces covering his shoulders, arms and hips. A composite bow made of tan-colored bone and black minotaur horn was slung in a gorytos at one hip, along with a forest of reed arrowshafts. A Dwemer war axe hung from his other hip. So too did, a small, round buckler of Dwemer steel, emblazoned with a black scorpion.

screenshot

"Do'Sakhar!" Aela waved to the newcomer, and his golden eyes lit up with pleasant surprise as he met her gaze. The feline glided to the table where they all sat, and Aela motioned for the others to make room for him. Taking an empty chair from another table, the Khajiit spun it around and hunkered down beside the Breton Witch, with his forearms resting upon the backrest.

"This one is most pleased to see you Aela!" the tiger-striped Khajiit declared. "How has that goldenrod been treating you?"

"Oh, he's a handful, as always," Aela smiled with genuine delight.

"The goldenrod is sitting right here you know…" Ungarion rolled his eyes.

"Oh, this one had thought it was a tall stick of butter," Do'Sakhar grinned, revealing a set of long fangs. "And how are you this fine summer day Ungarion? Still smuggling banned books?"

"Oh no, not since we graduated," Aela smiled.

"Well, I still have my contacts," Ungarion insisted. He straightened up his collar, and did his best to make himself look distinguished.

"So you did graduate!" the feline's eyes lit up with delight. "Congratulations! There was never one so deserving of it as yourself. Especially after all of the trials and tribulations placed in your way."

"Hey, it wasn't a walk in the Arboretum for me either…" Ungarion said dryly.

"And who are your new friends?" Do'Sakhar asked, looking around the table.

"These are our employers," Aela said. "In fact, there's room for more, if you're interested."

"Oh I am sure he is far too busy," Ungarion waved one hand in dismissal. "Coughing up hairballs, treating mange, a cat's work is never done."

"This one should be glad to accompany you upon any quest Aela," Do'Sakhar smiled. "If only for the pleasure of civilized company."

Having taken a look back at the "source material" I see that you've set yourself a problem by having the recruitment start with two, so you can't just translate the action into Tamriel terms. So it's going to be difficult for us to match up your adventurers to the samurai or gunslingers from the movies. Which is good, because you have more freedom to create characters of your own in the context of the set-piece scenario.

Ungarion and Do'Sakhar have clearly met before, and agreed to differ. They should make for interesting dialog later, too.

Another great installment. The world building is excellent. You gave Bravil some real personality, from the street food stand to The Lonely Suitor. Aela and Ungarion are quite the pair. The quips back and forth flow so naturally.

I like Ungarion's "take charge" style, first agreeing to take the work, then showing their new employers how to recruit help.

Enter Do'Sakhar with an excellent description of the Khajiit. You made it very easy to visualize him. On a side note, where is that screenie of the armor from?

"Oh I am sure he is far too busy," Ungarion waved one hand in dismissal. "Coughing up hairballs, treating mange, a cat's work is never done."
This was priceless! And it spoke volumes about the relationship between the Ungarion and Do'Sakhar.

Great write!

I’m so hungry now. Gah. First line.

Ungarion thinks he can take on forty? "Aela and I have discussed it, and we are with you."
He uses the term discuss loosely.

I’m really enjoying Ungarion. He’s made the rounds to all the shops and now he’s settling into a nasty bar. As a smuggler, this is probably all familiar territory and he’s got the street smarts to hang around in such a place and the charm to negotiate with a well-to-do buyer.

Do'Sakhar’s teasing was enjoyable. Holy crap he agreed to go without knowing any details! He’ll be reconsidering when he heard the odds and the pay!

Nice logic as to why the FG would turn down the villagers, though it was a good idea for them to look into. Hoping a provincial count would send forces cross border was clearly a nonstarter – but the mud farmers of course wouldn’t know that. Ungarion’s ideas to garner assistance were wiser and grounded in experience. His shady dealings no doubt will serve him well here.

I see Aela knows the Bloom spell!

"So how do these ones separate the good rice from the husks?" Hathei asked.’ - - What a perfectly delightful metaphor for a rice farmer!

"Who serves wine in a mug?" Ungarion shook his head as he started down at his drink. "Anyway, as I was saying, we need to be choosy…" - - I love the irony you quietly snuck in here - and I see Aela noticed this also. We can only hope that the tavern’s selection of cutthroats surpasses its beverages.

Wise to avoid Kurdan, methinks. I figure his. . . negotiating style is very different than Ungarion's. Oh, a cat from Aela’s past joins them! Looks like they have the first of their gang! So it seems we may be up to the Magnificent Three!

OMG it's Aela it's a story with Aela!! *sits down eagerly and waits for more AELA!!*

Ahem.


...I just gorged myself on fresh home-made bread and now you have made me hungry again! How do you do that!

I love the way Aela and Ungarion interact! And it seems like despite Aela's best attempts at providing common sense, she gets drawn into his plans anyway. (Forty bandits? No problem!) I also really enjoy the discussion about who to/not to hire, why the Fighter's Guild wouldn't go for it, etc.


This is a beautiful piece of description - er, beautiful in the writing-technical sense, not in the mental image it invokes! And then contrast the run-down nature of the tavern with Ungarion's comments about needing to be choosy!


I look forward to seeing more of the Do'Sakhar and Ungarion show, because their interactions promise to be a thing of beauty!

I see that Bravil has not - uhm - deteriorated that much between this story and the time of the Crisis.

But I recognize a different Count, not our dear former Arena Champion. Makes me wonder how he got there (and when!).

Loved meeting Do'sakhar. Ironic, but I wrote a Khajiit into my story months ago with almost the exact same name. Great minds think alike, huh?

Like others have said, I really enjoyed the interchange between Ungarion and Do'sakhar. It really goes a long way to show the nature of their relationship and their attitudes toward each other.

ghastley: Most of the Seven do not translate directly to the characters from Seven Samurai or Magnificent Seven. Something which I am glad for, since it gives Seven a bit of uinqueness. Only two characters really copy over, one of whom we will meet this installment. My primary motivation for the others comes from Aela's background, which she spoke of in The Witch of Bawnwatch Island in the TF. If you reread that, you will find that the most of the Seven were mentioned.


ThatSkyrimGuy: I think that armor pic came from Wikipedia. I did a lot of searching for Japanese armor. That pic was the best one showing lamellar armor with numerous small pieces, rather than fewer large pieces.

Aela feels most comfortable around Ungarion, so it is around him that she can feel free to be the most herself. Hence all the little jokes between them. I have always liked writing the two of them together. They each complement the other very well.


King Coin: Ungarion does use discuss pretty liberally! That is part of what makes him such a fun character. He is liable to do just about anything.

Do'Sakhar is an old friend, so he is in it just because of his friendship. Besides, no one is going to do it for the pay!


Acadian:Ungarion and Aela have definitely done this sort of thing before. Since Ungy is the wheeler and dealer of the pair, naturally he would step up and take charge of the recruitment drive.

I could not resist the wine in the mug and choosy comments. They added so much color to not only the scene, but AUs relationship. Kurdan was also one I was glad to insert into this story, it being a prequel. He is a well-known quantity to those who have read the TF, and tells us a lot about what kind of place the Suitor is.


Kazaera: That is funny, because when you wrote that, I was making home-made calzones!

Sometimes when it comes to Ungarion, no amount of common sense can make a dent! That is one of the things I like about him. You never know what he might do next!

I was not planning Ungarion and Do'Sakhar to be sniping at one another all the time. It just came that way the moment Do'Sakhar walked into the tavern, so I rolled with it. I enjoyed it just as much as everyone else has, so I kept it that way.


haute ecole rider: Remember, in the TF the counts/countesses are not hereditary monarchs, but patricians appointed to their roles by the Elder Council for set terms, like Roman propraetors or proconsuls were appointed to Roman provinces. Domitianus is just the guy who had the job before Terentius is all. It is one of the things I tried to use to show that this is set in a different time than the TF.

Wow, that is a coincidence with the name! I got the name Do'Sakhar from the UESP Wiki's page on Khajiit names. I think I picked the prefix 'Do' because it said that meant a warrior. The suffix was just from a name I picked out of the list. It just sounded good together.

Like I said to Kaz, I was not really planning on Do'Sakhar and Ungarion snipping at one another constantly, but I do love how it adds color to their relationship. Like you said, it shows us a lot about them both.


Previously On Seven: Our last episode found Aela and Ungarion back in Bravil, where they ran into the four Agrigentans once more, failing miserably at hiring mercenaries. Ungarion took pity upon them, and not only volunteered himself and Aela for the job, but he also took over the task of recruiting more fighters. Soon his efforts bore fruit, as an old Khajiit friend of AUs named Do'Sakhar joined up.


Chapter 1.3

"Are you sure it was Nashira you saw?" Ungarion did not conceal the doubt in his voice. "I know everyone without fur looks alike to you cats."

"Perhaps if one stopped looking down his long Altmer nose at everyone else, he might see what is plainly in front of his eyes," Do'Sakhar replied coolly.

"So how long have those two been married?" Ulpia whispered into Aela's ear.

Aela barely resisted the urge to giggle. "Almost two years now," she managed to get out with a nearly straight face. "We first ran into Do'Sakhar while exploring the Arimer ruins beneath the Imperial City. Our paths have crossed off and on since. He's a good friend."

"Who is this one Nashira?" Hathei asked. Like the rest, they followed Do'Sakhar and Ungarion down Riverwalk. Shops and warehouses lined the streets to either side of them, with more of the latter to their right, where Bravil's interior river and its docks lay just beyond the buildings.

"Who is Nashira?" Ungarion repeated aloud. "Why only one of the finest swordswomen alive. They say she has killed at least sixty people in duels, perhaps more."

"Aye, for once this one speaks faultless. Truly an event worthy of remark," Do'Sakhar said. "Nashira is a sword-saint. Some say that one can even create the spirit sword of her race's ancestors."

"And shoot lightning bolts from her rear no doubt," Aela said dryly.

They paused as the road came to an end. To their right a bridge led across the city's internal river to Castle Isle beyond. But they turned left instead, and made their way north along Silver Avenue.

"Do not scoff until you see that one in action," Do'Sakhar admonished. "This one has never witnessed a finer swordfighter."

"I'm just saying don't build your expectations up so high that no one can live up to them," Aela explained. "I'm sure she still puts her hose on one leg at a time, like the rest of us."

"Perhaps we shall see just that," Ungarion said as they passed the Fighters Guild. "Silverhome On The Water is just ahead. If the cat is right - for once - she will be within."

"Or perhaps without?" Ulpia said as they approached the elegant inn. "What is that crowd up there?"

Led by Ungarion and Do'Sakhar, the group moved through the crowd that had gathered outside the inn, almost completely blocking the traffic on the thoroughfare. Aela squirmed her way through with the others, and finally got a look at what was going on.

Standing in the street was a Redguard woman wearing red and brown. She was in her middle-years, and wore her raven-black hair back in a braid behind her head. A long, gently curved scimitar of Dwemer steel hung from her hip. However, it was a stick that she held in one hand, rather than a weapon.

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Standing before her was an Imperial clad in mail. He towered at least a head higher than the Redguard, and likewise gripped a length of wood in his fist. Aela imagined it might have been a limb from a small tree, which had been cut off and denuded of its leaves.

"That is Nashira indeed," Ungarion said. "I saw her in the Arena once."

The crowd was silent as the two stared at one another. The Imperial took up his stick with both hands, and held it over his head so that the tip pointed up and away behind him. Even though she knew little of longswording, Aela recognized that stance as the Roof. Given that the Imperial knew enough to use it, it was plain that he was a formally trained fighter.

The Redguard calmly swept her stick back behind one hip, its tip low to the ground. While it made her appear to be undefended, Aela likewise knew that as the Near Ward stance. Clearly, both of them were experienced swordfighters.

The Imperial bellowed like a bull, and crossed the distance between them in a flash. He brought his stick down at Nashira's head. But the Redguard was not idle. Her weapon swept forward and whacked against the Imperial's thick neck muscles. Perhaps at the same moment, his stick smacked down upon her head. It was all so quick, that Aela had trouble telling just who struck first.

The crowd gasped, and let out a collective sigh before beginning to chatter in many voices. Aela easily heard the rumbling of the Imperial over them all however.

"A tie then," he said, almost ruefully. "We will never know."

"No," Nashira said plainly. "You lost."

The crowd grew silent once more as the two stared at one another. The Imperial's face grew red, and his lip curled up in a snarl.

"I did not!" he insisted.

The Redguard stared impassively back at him. "You did," was all she said. Then she tossed her stick aside and turned to leave.

"Don't you walk away from me!" the Imperial growled. His hand went to the arming sword at his hip, and bared its blade in the late afternoon sun.

Nashira stopped and turned back to him. She eyed him intently, then filled her hand with steel as well.

Like the others in the crowd, Aela held her breath as she looked on. They were really going to do it! She never once thought of trying to step in to stop the pair. She had no idea what the history between them might be. Or what either of them would be willing to do. She was certainly not going to get a blade stuck in her back by some stranger in the street.

As before, the Imperial brought his sword up above his head, tip pointed backward. Nashira swept hers back behind her, point low to the ground. Again he charged, and again she countered. The entire scene took only the blink of an eye to play out. This time however, the Imperial's head flew from his body, even as his skin frosted over with ice. A moment later his partly frozen corpse fell to the cobblestones.

The Redguard stood by impassively, and wiped her scimitar clean with a small cloth. Even as far away as she stood, Aela could now feel the magicka pulsing within the enchanted sword. Barafu was the name it announced itself as. 'Ice' if Aela recalled her Yoku correctly. The feeling of power gradually subsided as the warrior slid the weapon back into its sheath, and its frost enchantment grew quiescent once more.

The crowd roared in excitement, and Aela remembered to breathe. She lost track of the others in the bustle around her, and for once she wished for the height of an Altmer. She pushed and squirmed through the mass of humanity, looking for Ungarion's dark red locks above the heads of the others around her.

After several minutes of being pushed and jostled, finally the crowd began to break up. Aela soon found the reason why. The Bravil City Guard had arrived, and was shoving everyone back with their kite-shaped shields. Aela caught a glimpse of the soldiers encircling Nashira. Rather than fight them, the Redguard woman calmly accompanied the guardsmen toward the castle.

"Well, that was exciting, if fruitless," Do'Sakhar's raspy voice nearly made Aela jump. Turning, she found the Khajiit warrior standing right beside her.

"Do'Sakhar!" she cried, holding one hand to her heart. "One of these days you're going to scare me to death."

"Apologies goodwoman," the tiger-striped feline bowed his head. Then he looked up and smiled. "But you know what they say: Khajiit like to sneak."

"I thought they liked to sleep?"

Ungarion appeared from the thinning crowd, with the four Agrigentans in tow.

"Thinking is not an activity this one associates with certain butter elves," Do'Sakhar replied dryly.

"So did you talk with Nashira before the guard took her away?" Aela asked, before Ungarion could sling a verbal fireball back at the Khajiit.

"I did," the high elf shook his head. "But to no avail. She is not interested in questing, or fame, or coin. The only thing she cares about is perfecting her art. I imagine that the City Guard will keep her for questioning for a while before they release her. One thing the law always loves to do is talk. If they were smart, they would take lessons instead."

"That was horrible," Ulpia said. "How can people just casually slay one another in the middle of the street! What kind of city is this?"

"As opposed to the finely cultured capital of Tamriel, where they do it in an Arena instead?" Aela observed. "Or in the alleys, where they stab one another in the back for scraps?"

"Or on rice farms, where they do it for sport," Rullianus spat. His eyes glowed with a fervor that Aela had seen all too often. He had lost someone dear to him. To the Nagas no doubt.

"Not if we have anything to say about it." Ungarion declared.

"And shoot lightning bolts from her rear no doubt," Aela said dryly.’ - - Just like William Wallace!

A tame street display unexpectedly turns deadly as Nashira is provoked into fully demonstrating her icy blade skill. Quite an introduction! She looks fabulous in the screenshot.

"But you know what they say: Khajiit like to sneak." - - Curses! Now I can’t get that song out of my head! Following it with the ‘like to sleep’ retort was priceless.

Hmm, seems like it’s going to take some talking to recruit the sword saint. But if anyone can do it, that would be the tongue saint himself, Ungarion. We like to tease the butter elf but, as he clearly displays at the end of this scene, he does have a noble streak. I well and truly believe that he has bought into the cause of these rice farmers - at least to a degree.


Nits?

- "Do not scoff until you see that one action," Do'Sakhar admonished.’ - - I know this is dialogue, but would Do’Sakhar prefer to insert the word ‘in’ before ‘action’?

- Even though she little of longswording, ...' - - I suspect you want to add the word ‘knew’ right after ‘she’.

Nashira is certainly my kind of heroine! She certainly made her point there. Yup, bad pun intended.

I knew she was going to be Redguard as soon as I read this: That's something Julian never got to learn!

As for Do'sakhar's name, that's exactly how I came by mine! We were definitely looking at the same wiki page there!

I did remember that count/tesses did not come by their roles by inheritance in your fiction. I just wondered how Terentius ended up in Bravil. I love these kinds of breadcrumbs that hint at more stories beyond the one you're telling. It makes the world seem more real. IRL, we never get to know all the stories of all the people around us, and we never will. So dropping little hints and pieces like Count Domitianus just adds to the depth of this story.

I am totally new to the Aela stories but I'd love to learn more. I hope this story puts me in the right path.

I see why your stories are loved. You're a great writer, and much of this is shown in the descriptions and world building you put in.

I see Aela does have certain odd things about her, such as the adam's apple(I'm not sure if this can be added in ES universe. She certainly must feel a bit self-conscious, no? She looks good to me still.

Ungarion and Aela are certainly quite the pair! I would love to see them in action together. They certainly seem like the mages that can pack a punch.

Of course, they had to turn the loot in for coin before even thinking of taking on another task. I understand their decision here.

The flow of the conversation between the two is excellent and I love the description of that big-ass Nord that nearly slapped Stalks-The-Marshes. Speaking of the Argonian, I do feel bad his search was to the lows of Bravil where there are nothing but murderers, thieves and deadbeats and skooma addicts. Though among them, who knows there might be someone who's up for the task? Certainly the expenses would be too much though and I love that you covered that here.

Do'Sakhar! Clever fellow with a bit of friendly-offensive banther against High Elves. The stick of butter comment had me chuckling.

OK, I've done the homework you set, (36.2 on page 73 if anyone else wants to go back there) and I'll wait patiently for the other three to come in.

Liked the "kendo" turning into swordplay. And the ice enchantment would stop the blood splashing everywhere, which is a thoughtful nicety.

So we find the group in pursuit of another recruit. The relationship between Ungarion and Do'Sakhar continues to be entertaining. I love the way he keeps interjecting examples of the way house cats behave to poke jibes at the Khajiit. Last time it was furballs and preening, and this time the quip about always sleeping. Being a cat owner, these comments just tickle me.

We encounter Rashira, a Redguard Sword-Saint, as a possible recruit. I was amazed at how much Bravil looks like Whiterun in the screenshot. But seriously, she looks like a tough little cookie. Too bad the Imperial was such a sore loser at swinging brands, which led to his demise when actual steel was swung. Your description of the effects of a frost enchanted weapon were nicely done.

Loving this story so far and looking forward to more.

Heh, I do not think the Imperial in the street lost the stick duel. Being dead is not a ‘win’ in anyone’s book. I’d have to say tie as well. The real duel on the other hand… Wonder if she wanted to goad him into drawing his steel.

Khajiit like to sleep!

Now all they have to do is convince Nashira that 40 bandits is just what she needs to perfect her sword skill.

You won't believe this, Seven Samurai is on TV tonight! It just started (3 am). I hope to be able to stay up and watch it. I promise I am getting back here, did have a bit of extra free time the last two days that I should have, and got tied up on the RP.

This story is a treat to read, SubRosa. I settled in for a nice evening with Aela and Ungarion so I could enjoy the whole story so far. The dialog delights, and I couldn’t pick a favorite setting from what we’ve seen so far because I like each one so much.

I just love Aela and Ungarion together. Aela’s wry thoughts about Ungarion keep me smiling. Their history and affection for one another doesn’t have to be spelled out to show.

Btw, now I’m starving. Gaah, I need Bravilian street food!

Acadian: Someone caught my Braveheart reference!

Every time I hear that Khajiit song I think "Likes to sleep", thanks to my own Alfiq.

I think it is safe to say that Ungarion has indeed bought into the cause of the Agrigentans. Given his flair for the dramatic, how can Ungarion resist fighting the good fight, against impossible odds?


haute ecole rider: When I was working on the kensai's race, Redguard just naturally rose to the top of the list given their reputation as warriors, and especially their race's ancient power of creating the spirit sword. But that is not to say that Nashira can actually create one. That is just what some people say. Like the lightning bolts from the rear end, it might be a good idea to take that with a grain of salt.


Darkness Eternal: There really is no Aela Fic. Until now at least. She appears in the Teresa fic as a supporting character in several chapters. Her first sighting was during the Tournament of Archers, but that was so brief that I do not think she even had any dialogue. She had a big spotlight in The Witch of Bawnwatch Island, and then finally reappeared again as a member of Methredhel's Eleven in the most recent chapter of the TF.

I have really enjoyed writing the characters in this story. They are a lot of fun, especially Aela and Ungarion when they are together. Do'Sakhar and Ungarion are also a treat to write. I actually got the 'butter elf' term from the Bethesda forum, where it seems to be pretty popular.


ghastley: Yay, someone did the assigned homework! You get an A. We will be seeing another one of Aela's old/new gang turning up this episode. In fact, anyone who wants to do more homework can find her in the Battle of Bruma chapter of the TF.


ThatSkyrimGuy: I have a cat too, so Ungarion's feline-centric jibes come very easily!

I am amazed at the similarities between Bravil and Whiterun too! Who would have guessed that Whiterun was built by Bravilians. Nashira is indeed a tough cookie. The most deadly member of the Seven in fact. She is in a completely different league from everyone else.


King Coin: The Imperial lost the stick duel. It was all just too fast for Aela to tell who really won. She might know a little bit about longswording from being around sword fighters for years, but at the end of the day she is a mage, and she is not used to watching movements that fast.

That is not to say that Nashira was diplomatic about it. She could certainly have just shrugged her shoulders and walked away. She did not have to rub the guys loss into his face. But that is the kind of person Nashira is, blunt to the point of it being goading.

That scene was actually taken directly from the Seven Samurai, right down to the stances and attacks by each. Which is really interesting, because those are two of the standard stances of Medieval longswording. So either Akira Kurosawa was a guru of Western longswording in the 1950's (long before longswording had been rediscovered in the West by recreationists), or Japanese sword fighting mirrors Western, at least in some respects. I expect the latter, since you face the same issues in attack and defense no matter where you are.


mALX: At 3am! That is a long movie to be watching at that time of night. Did you make it through without falling asleep? I do not think I could have stayed awake.


Grits: One of the reasons I put the TF on hiatus for a little while was because writing A&U together is so much fun! Like you said, that history and affection they share really makes them a joy to write.

I would love some of those piada's too! I found them in a list of ancient Roman food, so decided to throw them in. Now I need to find a place around here that makes them!


Previously On Seven: Our last episode saw the gang attempting to recruit Nashira - a Redguard swordswoman who is reputed to be one of the finest sword-fighters in the world. Before they could speak to her, they had a demonstration of her skill. She fought an Imperial in a duel in the street, first with only sticks, but then it escalated to using real swords. She killed him in a second's time. Before we went to answer the City Guard's questions about it, Ungarion did have the chance to ask her to join. She turned him down, saying that she was only interested in perfecting her skill.


Chapter 1.4

"Trump, and rubber," Ungarion crowed as he laid down his last card upon the table. Rullianus and Hathei groaned as they stared at the cards in the pot.

Stalks-The-Marshes grinned at Ungarion, revealing a mouth full of fangs. "Perhaps these ones should play some of the others in here for coin. They might earn enough to hire an entire legion before nightfall."

"Or get those one's throats slit," Do'Sakhar observed from his seat beside Aela. "Many in a place such as this take offense at losing."

"Yes, that is the problem with gambling for a living." Ungarion shocked Aela by actually agreeing with the Khajiit. "The better you are at it, the more likely you will need to be a good fighter. Rather defeats the purpose of trying to make a living without killing people."

The opened front door caught Aela's eye, as did the unusual sight that walked through it. The newcomer was an Altmer clad in the armor of her people: a panoply of amber mail overlaid with golden bands shaped like slender leaves. A strung Valenwood bow was stored in the gorytos at her hip, and the amber-hued hilt of an elven greatsword rose from over one of her shoulders.

Her hair was spun gold, and pulled back into a Daggerfall braid: a single plait beginning at the crown of her head and falling down below her shoulder-blades. Aela had always loved that look, along with the Wayrest braids: the two plaits that framed the face and ran back to join together in a single braid at the nape of the neck.

The high elf took a moment to casually slide her long, slender fingers across her locks, as if to smooth them out. Yet not a single hair from her long mane was out of place. Aela wished that she could make her hair look like that, let alone stay that way, and wondered how the other woman accomplished such an amazing feat?

The newcomer stood in the doorway and scanned the crowd. Then her eyes met Aela's. She stared for a moment, then the Breton recognized the look of discovery upon the elf's face. The Altmer had seen through her female presentation. But rather than sneering, or laughing, the elf's features seemed to glow with reverence.

The new arrival strode purposely across the room to the pair of corner tables where their group sat. The others looked up as she approached, and Ungarion set down the deck of cards before him. The archer ignored them all however, and remained focused upon Aela.

The Breton Witch felt the magic resonating within the elf's gear as she stepped near. To start with, she could tell that her composite bow was named Sercedin, or 'The Silencer Of Blood' in the Imperial tongue. Thanks to her experience with magical gear, Aela knew that its enchantment would cause harm to any living thing, not through elemental energies, but rather in the opposite manner of how healing magic would repair damage to living flesh.

The Valenwood bow was just the beginning however. The Altmer's armor was named Belthele, 'Strong Sister', and was enchanted to not only protect her wearer from all forms of elemental harm, but also to increase her strength. Finally her greatsword proclaimed itself as Canrais, or 'Sunder', and Aela could feel that its magic was woven to shatter any armor that it came against.

Aela glanced over to Ungarion. He nodded back at her. Clearly the other mage had sensed the same power in the elf's gear that she had. If that magic were not enough, the newcomer had the hard set to her frame, the swagger in her walk, and the flinty look in her golden eyes that said she was a killer.

"My name is Seridwe," the high elf declared. "I am told you are looking for fighters?"

"What makes you think that?" Ungarion raised his fingers into a steeple before his chin.

"Daenlin told me, at the Archer's Paradox," the archer said. Seridwe paused to glance at Ungarion, then turned back to Aela. "He said two mages - an Altmer and a Breton - were looking for extra hands on a long term contract."

"We are," Aela admitted. She was beginning to find the tall woman's gaze more than a little strange. What was Seridwe so intrigued by, in herself of all people?

"Then I shall join," Seridwe declared. "When do we begin?"

"This one is eager!" Do'Sakhar exclaimed. "Don't you even want to know what the opposition is, or the pay?"

"It doesn't matter," Seridwe said. "If an ardhanari is involved, I know it's going to be extraordinary."

"An ardha-what?" Rullianus scrunched his eyebrows in consternation.

"It's an elvish-" Ulpia began, only to be cut off by Aela.

"I haven't heard your name before," she said to Seridwe. "What sort of experience do you have?"

"I've been doing this for about a decade in Illiac Bay," she said. "I've fought Orisimer, Redguards, Bretons, and everything else under Magnus. I've been up and down the Wrothgarians, crossed the Alik'r Desert, seen the walking trees of Valenwood, and trod the badlands of Anequina. I came to Cyrodiil only recently, with a friend of mine. Right now I could use a job. The biggest fight I have had in the last week has been against my hair."

"Well, this one seems to have won that battle!" Do'Sakhar laughed.

Aela looked to Ungarion and nodded.

The elven wizard raised four of his fingers in affirmation."That makes four of us then."

Right away you grab me with this: As my mind is very similar to Dee Foxy's, my thoughts immediately veered to the question of how they would make *ahem* "Trojans" in a land where there are no oil wells (leading to the production of plastic)?? Then when I realize they are playing cards, I start picturing a Bicycle deck with images of prophylactics instead of the Joker!

I do suspect the furry felines that inhabit so many of our homes are themselves Alfiqs, we are just too stupid to notice. Not that they're going to help us do so!

I'm not sure what to make of those references to the Way of the Spirit Sword myself. Can they really make swords out of thin air? Kind of ironic, considering the Redguard's more mundane aversion to most types of magic. Sometimes I think it would be fun to write a story set in Yokudan times, about the time Frandic Hunding ends the civil strife that was tearing the people apart. Anyway, if Redguards can really do that, why carry metal swords? I can see the advantage of having summoned swords - you don't have to carry one all the time, yet you're never without one when you need one (as Julian found out that day in Bruma . . .).

I'm a bit leery of Seridwe. All that glitter - is there really any substance to her? I'm of the school that there is an inverse relationship between the skill level and the coolness factor of the armor. In other words, the worst fighters have the gaudiest armors, while the best ones have none. I know, I know, guilty of watching too much martial arts films!

It seems completely natural that Ungarion would be a skilled cardist – and I liked his ironical observation about the hazards if undertaken as a profession.

Another memorable entrance – this time by Magnificent Number Four – a golden clad butter elf with blade and bow. And right away, she is a mer of mystery regarding her clear interest in Aela’s gender history.

I enjoyed Aela’s observations about Nirnian hairstyles. In fact her Teresaesque envy at Seridwe’s coif gave me a faint smile.

Aela’s ability to read an item’s enchantment from range was most impressive, and effectively helped tell us quite a bit about Seridwe as well.

I’m excited to see Seridwe. She made a big impression in a few lines at Bruma. Interesting that she brings her own expectations about Aela. I look forward to finding out how that evolves between them.

The Daggerfall braid made me grin. I have struggled with describing that hairstyle!

She has enchanted gear and appreciates the presence of mages in the party. Bow and light armor go together, but then she's carrying a "greatsword' which implies a slow-swinging two-hander which seems out of place. I get the impression of someone who takes every advantage available, and has a back-up plan all the time. Potentially a good all-rounder, but maybe too much of a jack-of-all-trades.

I, too, liked the discussion of gambling as a career. Even if Bridge isn't a gambling game.

I had to look up ardhanari to find out where the term came from. The left/right division doesn't quite fit Aela's case!

In Acadian's words, Magnificent the Fourth...indeed! Seridwe seems like an excellent addition to the troop. A formidible presence and aura to be sure. Aela's feelings about her own appearance come through again with her envy of the Altmer's hair. So...four down and three to go?

On a side note, I couldn't help but think of you and this story the other night. TCM (that's Turner Classic Movies to the TV impaired) ran a bunch of movies with the word "Seven" in the title. Two of those movies were The Magnificent Seven and The Seven Samurai. I did not watch them, but I did DVR them for viewing when this story is done.

The new elf is most impressive. She certainly has a lot of magical gear about her person, more than anyone else we’ve met so far. The details on her armor were very neat and I liked it that not only could Aela sense what they do, but what they are named as well. I can’t wait to find out what her fascination with Aela is about as well. She saw through the changes Aela made to her body, but what about this interests her?

haute ecole rider: Trump and Rubber are Whist game terms. I remember the first time I heard the second one during a Horatio Hornblower episode I had to look it up. That was how I figured out they were playing whist. It was a very popular game at one time (and how a young half-pay Lieutenant like Hornblower made ends meet between wars ).

Most Yokudans/Redguards could not create the spirit sword even back in the good old days. The Lore article on Redguards was very helpful when I was working on Nashira's background. Now a days it seems only a few masters can create the sword, and even then it is only for looks, and not strong enough to actually be useful in battle. In the old days it was certainly very serviceable though! My impression is that Yokuda was destroyed due to magic, and that is where the Redguard aversion to it came from. The Spirit Sword seems to have been exempted from that use (much like certain religions today call magic evil, and yet their own mythologies are filled with their holy people and deity using magic).

We will see more about Seridwe in the upcoming chapters, and learn whether or not she really is a parade ground soldier or the real deal. I could not work in examples of every one of the Seven in action like I did with Nashira. So Ungarion and Aela are hiring based upon their impressions from people's bearing and behavior (which do speak well of Seridwe). Of course we have never seen A&U in action yet either, so we do not have any proof that they can carry their weight either!


Acadian: Ungy is a very outgoing, social person, so as you observed, him being a card-player felt very natural to me. I imagine he has whiled away many hours playing whist and other games.

The ability to assense magic items was something we first saw that in the TF when Teresa was presented with Aldariel and instantly knew its name. Being a University educated mage, Aela is naturally much better at it. One thing that is nice to be writing from Aela's perspective is that as a trained and experienced mage, she can do and sense some things that Teresa never could. It allows me to show a whole new part of the world.


Grits: I was working on how to name a French Braid and make it feel appropriate to the world. I recall calling the in-game braid that frames the face a Breton Braid at one point. So I decided to make that one a Wayrest Braid, and then make the French Braid a Daggerfall Braid. Maybe we could invent some more racial/geographical hairstyles? Like the Bosmer topknot, or the Dunmer Cliffracer?

Seridwe's fascination with Aela is a means that I am going to use to explore not only transsexuality in Tamriel, but also how different races view it. At the same time it will give me a means to help flesh out both human and elven cultures, and reveal some very major differences between them.


ghastley: You are thinking of the two-handed swords in the game that are slow and unwieldy. Like all the weapons in the TF, mine are taken from the Real World, which are anything but clumsy. The longsword (which is the correct name from a greatsword - what the game calls a longsword is actually an arming sword) is the ultimate evolution of western swordmaking. It was used in pitched battles and single duels, and armored and unarmored fighting. The soldiers who wielded them in armies received extra pay as it was an elite weapon, like the Danish War Axe was an elite weapon used by Huscarls. Every part of the greatsword is a weapon, the pommel, the ricasso, etc..., and it could be used in ways that smaller blades could not (like reversing your grip and using the ricasso to hook someone's leg and trip them). Tadrose has always used a greatsword/longsword, and I have used RL longswording fighting techniques in writing her, such as morte-striking and half-swording.


ThatSkyrimGuy: We will be seeing more about Seridwe's hair and Aela's feelings. While all women feel self-conscious to one degree or another, Aela has reasons to feel even more so than most...

I would watch the movies first. That way you will be able to notice the homages when you read them. There are a few places where I took lines word for word from the movies (this episode has one in fact). It will take months for me to post this. By then you will probably only half-remember what you read in the earlier parts. Besides, they are both good films, don't wait!


King Coin: Actually Aela and Ungarion have a lot of magical stuff too. Their respective outfits, their staves, necklaces, rings, etc... After all, they can both make the stuff whenever they want. But Aela is so used to their magic items that it is not something she normally thinks about. So it is hard to reveal it without it feeling forced. The same is true of Do'Sakhar as well. She is so used to his magic items that she does not think of them either.


Previously On Seven: Our last episode introduced Seridwe, an Altmer archer/swordswoman who joined the team solely to work with Aela, whom she had recognized as an ardhanari (or transgendered person).


Chapter 1.5

Magnus hung like a red ball over the western mountains, bleeding long shadows across the parade ground north of Bravil's main gate. Aela and Ungarion followed Seridwe through the grass of the wide field. Behind them rose the wooden buildings of Bay Roan Stables. The Larsius River gurgled past on their right, and the stone curtain walls of the city rose up beyond the watercourse. Finally to their left the Green Road vanished into a wall of darkened trees.

"You are certain your friend shall be here?" Ungarion raised a single eyebrow as they walked on. "Usually mercenaries prefer less idyllic surroundings."

"He'll be here," Seridwe insisted. "Valens always watches the eastern horizon at dawn and dusk. This is the best place in all of Bravil to get a view."

"What is he looking for?" Aela asked, genuinely curious about the unusual quirk.

"I don't know," Seridwe shrugged. "He never talks much about it. I think it's got something to do with Azura though."

"Azura?" Ungarion now cocked a second eyebrow. "Now that is just begging for a deeper explanation."

"He is her Star-Bearer." Seridwe glanced back for a moment. "He has been since I've known him. At least I think."

"You think?" Aela wondered aloud.

"Things are a little fuzzy for me around the time of the Warp in the West," Seridwe admitted. "I cannot remember much of what happened for the month beforehand, and nothing from that day."

"That is strange," Aela mused. She had still been living in Wayrest at the time, so she had experienced the Warp herself. The tenth of Frostfall had somehow slipped through the cracks of reality. No one in High Rock or Hammerfell seemed to remember it. It was as if the day before and the day after had somehow warped into one another. All anyone - herself included - could remember were storms, tidal waves, earthquakes, and terrible battles all around Illiac Bay. But no one could recall the details of any of them. Kingdoms had changed, gods had been made and unmade, and no one had been able to comprehend it all until the dust had settled the following day.

Yet Aela had never heard of anyone missing the entire month beforehand. She could recall everything from the days before the Warp with no difficulty. The same with everyone else she had known at the time. Who was Seridwe, that the Warp had eclipsed her life for the month before it had even happened?

"I count myself lucky," the Altmer said. "Valens has it much worse. The Warp took his life with it. He cannot remember anything that happened beforehand. He's not even sure if his name is really Valens."

Ungarion whistled, and a glance in his direction confirmed that he was thinking the same thing that she was. Seridwe and Valens had been a part of the Warp in the West. Not mere bystanders, but active participants.

"Here I thought the two of us made a pair," Aela said finally said, glancing back at Ungarion again.

"We do," Ungarion insisted. "Just a different kind."

They drew near to the shoreline, and the grass thinned out and gave way to a beach of soft brown sand. The wide expanse of Niben Bay spread out beyond, stretching out like an azure carpet as far as the eye could see. Now they could see a figure sitting near the water with his back to them. Aela noted that he had broad shoulders, and wore a pair of ebony arming swords across his back, just as Seridwe wore her greatsword. Unlike the high elf, he was dressed in ordinary black linen however.

Aela felt power resonating from him. Even more than a dozen paces away, it glowed from his waist like one of the moons in a clear night sky. She had never felt such energy from a magic item before, not even in the University's Chironasium. She knew instantly that it was Azura's Star, and could feel its spell-absorbing enchantment as plainly as she could feel the ground beneath her feet. But there was also another sensation coming from the artifact, beyond simply its enchantment. It was a strange thing, that made her think of roses in twilight, and Aela suspected that was the touch of the Star's creator.

"Valens," Seridwe said as they stepped nearer, "I've brought some people here to meet you."

"Leave me be elf," the man said morosely. He did not turn to face them, but instead continued to stare out into the bay. "I'm not interested."

"I see, you would prefer to brood for another week then?" Seridwe stopped and rested her hands upon her armored hips. "Well, we can just go and slay those dragons all by ourselves then."

"Your sense of humor has not improved," Valens grumbled. Finally he did turn, and Aela saw from his dark hair and olive skin that he was a Nibenean. His short hair was curly, and his features were partially hidden by a neatly trimmed beard. If she had to guess, she would put his age somewhere between thirty and forty. Not old yet, but not young anymore either.

Screenshot

His eyes were hard, and even though he was sitting, Aela noted the stiff, erect posture, and the seemingly tensed muscles. Where Seridwe's bearing had proclaimed herself as a warrior, his said that he was a soldier. He looked like a man who had stood at attention and marched in lockstep for so long that his body had forgotten how to do anything else. The Imperial Legion was Aela's first guess, or some other professional military force.

"Your disposition has not improved either," Seridwe countered dryly

"So what is it this time?" the Nibenean sighed. "Vampires? Necromancers? Or did you really dig up a dragon somewhere?"

"Nagas are threatening a village to the east." Ungarion casually balanced his black staff over one shoulder. "We're looking for a few experienced people to stop them."

"To the east you said?" Valens thoughtfully stroked his beard, and turned to glance back at Niben Bay. Aela followed his gaze, and found that the white moon Secunda was now perched above the darkened horizon. "How many Nagas?"

"Forty," Aela said.

"How many people do you have?" he turned back to face them.

"Four," the Breton said honestly.

The Nibenean's cool demeanor finally broke, if only for an instant. "I admire you sense of fair odds stranger!" he nearly laughed.

Then he turned serious again. "Now you have five. I'll do it just to go east, if nothing else."


Author's Note: Before everyone brings out the torches and pitchforks, yes, I know I changed the enchantment on Azura's Star from Soul Trap to Spell Absorption. In the TF only necromancers know or use soul trap. Since Azura is not a goddess of necromancy, her artifact would not employ it. I am portraying her as a goddess of magic, so I changed it to something I found more in alignment with that aspect of her.

Ungarion whistled, and a glance in his direction confirmed that he was thinking the same thing that she was. Seridwe and Valens had been a part of the Warp in the West. Not mere bystanders, but active participants.

I love it! I was thinking the same thing, and there it is. That’s always fun.

Oh, I much prefer spell absorbing over soul/magicka trapping. The game’s Azura’s Star always seems a bit sinister to me, especially for creatures of the “white soul” persuasion.

Oh, and you’ve explained it. Nice!

But I already grabbed my pitchfork and lit my torch.

In all seriousness, I'm enjoying this. Anybody that can do a decent adaption of the Seven Samurai story is alright in my book, and this is looking like it'll be a lot of fun. Here's to hoping I get to enjoy as much more out of each upcoming post as I have out of the story so far.

And then there were five...

"Here I thought the two of us made a pair," Aela said finally said, glancing back at Ungarion again.
"We do," Ungarion insisted. "Just a different kind." -- Aela must have read my mind! I'm going to have to make a visit to The Imperial Library and read up on The Warp in the West.

I was not as quick to arm myself as Cap'n Hammer. Personally, I completely agree with your reasoning. Even though she is Daedra, I have never connected Azura to necromancy in any of my game experiences. It seems odd that her talisman would lean that way.

I am really looking forward to the interplay of all these backstories and personalities. It promises to be a fun ride. Great write!

And now we are five! Cool!

First, the nit: Might want to rethink using however twice so close together. There was a another nit, but by the time I logged on here to reply, you had already fixed it. So I'm all good!

I agree that the Redguard aversion to magic is a) a carryover from the loss of Yokuda due to magicka gone wild, and hypocritical in that magic is okay in some circumstances. Oh well. Such is the nature of humankind. I find Valens even more intriguing than Seridwe - but then, I've always been partial to the dark, mysterious men.

No pitchforks or torches from me. I agree with the switch in the spell for Azura's Star - she always seemed one of the more benign Daedra as far as I am concerned. I actually like doing her daedric quest for the the good souls, but never really used the Star all that much.

Looking forward to more!

Huh! Now I'm really curious about Seridwe, Valens and the Warp in the West - was Valens the Hero of Daggerfall, maybe, and Seridwe a companion? Well! I'm sure we'll find out.

I think Spell Absorption on Azura's Star makes a lot of sense, especially if you've been interpreting Soul Trapping as being more sinister and necromancy-related! No pitchforks here either.

Also, jumping back to the previous update - I am quite intrigued by Seridwe, and quite interested in how she'll get on with Aela! My first thought is that they might clash because for all you've said of trans people in the TF being excellent mages and being transgender having mystical implications, and for all Seridwe seems to be viewing Aela entirely in that light, Aela strikes me as (like many real trans women) just wanting to be seen and treated as a woman like any other. I could be wrong, of course, but if so there might be interesting times ahead...

Your opening paragraph setting the scene outside the Bravil gate is a real gem – beautifully crafted and a joy to read. Especially for one so familiar with the City of Mara.

Valens seems like a good addition and, I’ll wager, has both discipline and martial experience. And a mystery regarding his link to Lady Azura. No worries on changing the artifact to suit your purpose.

Four vs forty is now five! A little unfair to the poor Nagas but, just to be safe, I hope our gang is able to recruit a couple more – like that Redguard sword saint. I hear that seven would be nice.

Doh! I forgot to add a Screenshot of Valens.