Board Thread:Roleplaying/@comment-3293219-20140308235607/@comment-3293219-20140313122046

(Well, today is a Red Letter day...

It is officially six months since I joined The Legend of Nirn and to celebrate, I wrote a big ass pie! :D

Thanks for putting up with me for this long guys, hopefully there should be something for everyone here... :P)

Nepht entered the Bee and Barb, immediately greeted by the beautiful sound of lute strings that filled the whole tavern with music. She smiled as she took in the atmosphere, the smell of the honeyed mead, the laughing and rumblings of conversation.

She was so absorbed in the atmosphere, that she hadn’t noticed that Lucian was calling her over. She shook the distraction off and approached him, to see what he wanted.

“What drink do you take?” He asked, shouting over a party of drunken Nords who were cheering as one of their members knocked a pint glass over, the mead treacled across the table and rolled off the edge, causing one of them to jump out of his chair and back away from the table.

“Erm… Whatever it is that I can smell!” Nepht replied, enthusiastically. It smelled so sweet… she just hoped that it wasn’t coming from the lavatory.

“A honeyed mead.”

So that’s what it is… Nepht thought, nodding as she turned around and checked out the other patrons.

''Wait… isn’t mead made of honey? That’s like a salty salt pie or… something. ''

The bartender walked away, to brew the drinks, leaving Lucian alone with his companion.

“I fear that I must leave you for a bit…” He began, catching Nepht’s attention. “I have an errand to run and I won’t be back for a few hours I’m afraid.”

“What!? Why? What are you…” She stopped herself, remembering what he said. As curious as she was, she didn’t want to die yet, not without trying honeyed mead.

“How long will I have to wait?”

“Only an hour or two…” Lucian mumbled, suddenly feeling guilty. “I’ll pay for your drinks, provided that you don’t overdo it.”

Nepht giggled at the thought of it, “Yeah, I don’t drink much… I haven’t acquired a taste for it yet.”

“Ah, you’re like me then.” Lucian replied, suddenly noticing that he was smiling.

Nepht kept her smile as the innkeeper returned with her mead, she gave it to Lucian, who gave it to Nepht.

“I’ll try to be back within the hour.” The Vampire shrugged as he headed towards the door.

''Great… all alone in a foreign city… ''

''Thanks Lucy… ''

Nepht sighed and went over to the bar, pulling up a stool and resting her glass on the counter top, folding her arms and leaning over it.

She was already lonely and bored…

-

She had been there for some time, listening to the chattering and laughing, longing to be part of it but she was too nervous to get up and speak to anyone. She just stayed quiet, listening into conversations, most of which either went over her head and infuriated her.

“Nah, she’s totally a six…”

“What are we going to do without ale?”

“Ha, she thought that I was at a ballet concert!”

She sighed and buried her face into her hands, wishing that she had brought ear plugs.

So much noise…

So many awful people…

So dull…

She sighed and took a sip of her mead, cringing and pulling away.

''Urgh! Too sweet!'' She shuddered as the alcohol kicked in, immediately noticing it as it graced her tongue.

I wish I had grape juice now…

Suddenly, she was pushed forward by a large Breton man, with a large grin on his face.

“Oof!” She lunged forward, into her glass, knocking it over and watching the froth spill all over the counter.

“Dammit!” The argonian, behind the counter hissed, picking up a cloth and wiping the counter down.

“I’m sorry, he pushed me!” She gasped, terrified of being yelled at by a stranger. The argonian looked up and rolled her eyes, almost as if she expected it…

“Urgh… This is going on your tab!” She snapped at the Breton as he sat down.

The Breton just shrugged as he pulled up a stool; he didn’t seem bothered by it. “I’ll have the usual!”

“One sweet mead and one honeyed mead, coming right up…” The Argonian mumbled, slumping her head forward and sounding incredibly depressed as she shuffled over to the ale taps.

The Breton turned to Nepht with a big cheesy grin, reaching into his pocket and placing something on the table. His large hands covered it up but it looked like some sort of dessert or sweet…

“I’m terribly sorry about the drink young lady, I seem to have my head in the clouds today…” He said to her, keeping his grin and baring his guilt inducingly white teeth. He slid the dessert across the table and placed it in front of her. “Sweetroll?”

Nepht looked baffled at the sweetroll as he offered it to her.

''Why would a middle aged man would be carrying sweet rolls in his pockets and just randomly giving them away? ''

''Unless they’re… like that wizard’s tea! ''

“Erm… No thanks…”

The Breton just shrugged and took it back, biting into it and humming with delight, filling Nepht with jealousy and making her resent herself for being so paranoid.

The sweetroll looked delicious…

“Here… Here are your meads.” The Argonian informed them, placing them down on the table, in front of them. She sounded as if their soul had been seeped out of their body…

“Oh, thank you…” The Breton reached into his pockets, fumbling around to try and find his coin purse. “I swear that I…”

Nepht noticed that the argonian was growing impatient, so she offered her coin purse instead, saving the poor woman from this fool.

“Ah, thank you.” She emptied the purse out on the table and counted it, there was far too much, she placed seven of the coins under her fingers and sliding them across the table.

“Keep the change.” Nepht insisted, knowing that Lucian was paying the for the drinks. “It’s the least I can do, after all of the trouble I caused.”

“Trouble that you caused?!” The old argonian almost laughed, “Bah, don’t you go taking the blame for the trouble caused by that clumsy Breton, you hear!?” She turned to the man with a look of disgust, though you could tell that there was some mutual respect…

“Hah, you love it really.

I mean, without me spilling drinks, you’d only have half of your monthly income.” The man’s grin hadn’t faded, it was like it was invincible and no amount of put downs could stop him from smiling.

The Argonian broke out of her depressed slump and chuckled at the Breton’s joke, he could be funny when he wanted to be. Nepht simply smiled, glad to see that he had made her laugh, she looked like she needed it.

The Argonian walked away, back to her ale tap, leaving the two of them at the counter.

“So… What’s your name?” He asked her, in an effort to make small talk.

“N-Nepht… Nepht Adlis.” She muttered, nervously. She wasn’t afraid of him but she was often like this when she met new people.

“You?” She asked, remembering her manors.

“Daniel Howe, pleased to meet you. Adventure, swordsman, and Sweetroll supplier at your serve.” He said, offering his hand.

Nepht froze, her spine shot up…

Had she failed to recognise him? N-No… this man was nothing like her friend, he had darker hair and it was longer to. He was a lot… Jollier and energetic and he still had all five of his fingers on his right hand.

She glanced up at him, confused…

Maybe they just have the same name? She thought as she smiled and shook his hand.

“So… Daniel… Where are you from?”

“Me?” He mumbled as he tried to remember that far back…

It was only thirteen years ago but he liked to pretend that he was older than he was.

“I was born in Highrock, a small village that you wouldn’t even find on a map. ‘Owl Stone.”

Nepht shrugged and sipped her mead, cringing as the alcohol kicked in. “Never heard of it…” She said, hoarsely.

“A small backwater community, somewhere near Wayrest…”

Never heard of that either… Nepht thought, too embarrassed to say it.

“What about you?” Daniel asked her, hoping to steer the topic of conversation away from his past and his family, especially his embarrassment of a grandfather.

“I…” Nepht paused, was she really talking to the same guy? No… couldn’t be, he’d recognise her name, surely… “I’m from Cheydinhal, or at least I’ve lived there most of my life.”

“Cheydinhal?” Daniel had never been before, “Thirteen years of adventuring and I’ve never been to there…”

Nepht smiled and took another sip of her drink, grimacing again and turning back to him.

“You aren’t missing much.”

“I’m sure I am. I heard that it’s one of the few cities in Tamriel that hasn’t been industrialised.”

“Y-Yeah… That’s true...”

Daniel looked up, outside the front door to the inn and leant forward, giving a slight chuckle as he leaned closer to her, his breath smelled of sweetroles.

“I bet coming here was a bit of a shock then.”

“You can say that again…”

Nepht nodded, looking troubled as she remembered her way into the city…

Something that she did, managed to wipe the smile off of Daniel’s face and a look of concern replaced it. “Are you alright? You… You look a little put out.”

The Dunmer chuckled in response, looking back to him. “I’m fine, it’s just…”

She glanced down at her drink before looking back to him; this was going to sound crazy.

“I had a friend, with the same name as you…” She explained, “He got me through some tough times…”

“Hmm… Well as far as I’m… or at least was aware, I’m the only ‘Daniel Howe’ in Tamriel.” The Breton assured her, he seemed certain that this was a fact.

Nepht sighed and glanced away, looking defeated as she cursed her luck, she manages to find the only man in Tamriel who shares his name with somebody else…

-

There were a few minutes of silence as Nepht and Daniel made their way through their drinks, it took Nepht 120 sips to reach quarter way stage and she had already had enough.

“So…” Nepht began, pushing the revolting drink across the table. “You said that you’ve been adventuring for 13 years?”

“Yep!” Daniel replied, enthusiastically, taking a swig of his ale.

How does he do that? The girl thought, eyeing her glass and looking back to him, the froth of the beverage clung to the wispy hairs on his chin.

“Any good stories?” Nepht replied, ever so curious as to hear   the tales of a traveller.

Daniel lowered his drink; it had been a long time since he had lured a young girl in with his wild tales…

“What would you like to hear about?” He began, dragging his arm through the air as if he was opening a book.

“Erm… I dunno, what’s the most impressive fight that you’ve ever won?” Nepht shrugged, these stories were usually good as they often ended up as tall tales, with lots of boasting.

Howe shrugged and leant back, trying to think of a good tale to spin…

“Hmm…

Well… It’s debatable as to whether or not I truly ‘won’ the fight but I once took on a bandit chief, in his own camp.”

“Really?” Nepht replied, her childish enthusiasm returning as she eagerly spun around to face him. “Please, do tell!”

Daniel smiled, “Well… It was a long time ago now, I was a lot younger and the mead I drank wasn’t all in my belly.” He poked his pudgy gut with his finger, to prove his point.

“I had just arrived in Skyrim, itching for some action as I had spent several months trapped in a hold on board a ship, that was bound for Dawnstar.”

Nepht remembered the boat from Morrowind… it was dark, crowded and smelly and it rocked like crazy. She was sick, several times along the way…

She vowed that she’d never step on another boat as long as she lived.

“I had been travelling across the cold lands of Skyrim, longing for the warmer air of my homeland…”

Nepht looked sympathetic… she was going through that now. Cyrodiil was always much warmer than this cold, barren place.

“Just outside Whiterun, at a tower by the river, I discovered an encampment, set up by a Tsaesci…”

“Tsaesci?” Nepht interrupted, confused as she’d heard of them before, from the other Daniel, but never found out what they were.

“Y-N… They’re like serpents, snake people, from the Akaviri lands. I’ve only ever met one in thirteen years of travelling; they’re incredibly rare as they don’t often make it to our shores.

Anyway, I was in the Tsaesci’s camp…”

==Thirteen years earlier==

I had been walking through the cold, barren, lands of Skyrim for several days and I didn’t think I’d see food or a warm bed again, until I saw a party of people on the horizon. There, just ahead of me, I saw a small camp, with two blips circling around the fire pit at its heart.

“Hello?” I called to them, it’s always a good idea announce yourself before approaching somebody’s camp, it’s a good way of avoiding arrows, spears, swear words and other projectiles.

To my surprise, the camp was owned by a Tsaesci, one of the serpent men of the akavari lands. He got up to greet me with a sword and a Clannfear, which ran up to me and jumped up in my face…

I swear that it was taunting me…

“Who are you?!” The serpent asked me, his pet died down, giving me some room to think. He kept a tight grip of his sword, as if he planned to use it as soon as I had done explaining myself.

Upon seeing this, I decided that the best thing that I could do was to stay calm and pleasant and do everything possible to avoid provoking them.

“Hello there friend!” I called to them, in an effort to put forward my peaceful intentions.

To my surprise, the Tseasci’s companion, a Breton, emerged. He drew his bow and aimed it at me; he was obviously on edge and ready for anything.

“Are you from that bandit camp, up river?” He asked, in his Riften accent.

The Breton was in sack clothes, almost like he had recently been released from prison, his hair was incredibly short, most likely shaved back to save money on cutting it.

I glanced down at his feet; they were bloody and blistered and the cloth that was wrapped around them was soaked in blood. It looked like the poor sod had been running, or walking, a great distance, in his foot wraps.

“I’m merely a fellow adventurer.” I stated, hoping to avoid conflict by not going into too much detail.

The Riften Breton lowered his bow, realising that I had come to them with good intentions.

“He seems alright…” He wisely deduced.

“So... What are you doing out here?” I decided to ask, it seemed like a reasonable question.

“Fishing.” The sack cloth Breton replied, sarcastically.

“As you can see, these parts don’t yield much fruit.” He had a smirk on his face; this was obviously his failed attempt at humour.

The Tsaesci then whispered something to his companion, which I was okay with. I was a stranger to them and an intruder in their camp but, I must admit; I was a little on edge.

The serpent gathered a pile of wood in his arms and began to craft something; I’m not sure what it was as I never saw him finish it.

“I’m trying to build a house on this plot of land but I need a lot of things to make a house that is my style…”

“I hope that you got the land owner’s permission first or at least have a plan to make your house fireproof.” The Breton pointed out, much to the Tsaesci’s annoyance.

“This land is no one’s property.” The serpent got up and started to search for materials, so that he could build his house. The other Breton was right though; there was no way that the Jarl of Whiterun would let him.

“Hey, can you give me a hand, Breton?” The Tseasci said, to his companion, “I need to find more materials…”

It was then, that I deduced that they weren’t on a first name basis…

Or any name basis for that matter.

Perhaps their alliance was a little more fragile than I originally thought…

The Breton went over to help the snake as he began to collect some more materials.

“Name’s Nish by the way, forgot to introduce myself in all of the confusion and whilst popping my foot blisters.”

“Er… I can give you hand if you want, I don’t see why I shouldn’t.” I offered, going over to help the people with their little project. As I gathered up a small pile of wood, I heard a twig snap behind us, prompting everyone to turn around.

The Tsaesci was the first to act; perhaps a little rashly, he drew his sword and he ran off, eventually coming back with a terrified argonian woman. Before I could ask her any questions, the serpent went in for the kill, attempting to run her through with his sword. Luckily for the both of us, Nish intervened, pushing the Tsaesci’s sword away from the Argonian.

They recognised each other, almost immediately; apparently they were both from the same city, this city.

After knowing, for definite, that she was safe I leant in and shook her hand.

“You know her?” The serpent stammered, sheathing his sword and apologising for the confusion and his attempts to murder the poor girl on the hillside.

However, Nish’s reunion with his friend didn’t last long as we were interrupted by the infamous bandit leader…

'''Garvut Stone-Hand '''

“They’re not bandits!” We heard him yell, charging in with his hammer raised and his hazy eyes, ready for the kill.

I… was a bit more timid back then, so I placed myself on the far side of the camp and allowed Nish to take over. It wasn’t my fight…

Or camp…

“That’s far enough!” The Breton threatened, holding Garvut in his sights. He then paused and asked a very good question, “What did you do, invite half the province?”

I don’t know what brought us together that day… it was as if our paths were destined to meet there, as if something magical would come of it…

But alas, it only lasted a few days and after we dispatched of Garvut, things got quiet, fast…

Anyway, I digress…

Nish’s threats didn’t seem to dissuade Garvut as he continued charging, however, it seems that the nine were on our side that day as the clumsy oaf tripped over a rock and fell on his face.

It was at that point, that we used the blessing to our advantage; we tied the Nord up and placed him on the far side of the camp.

-

The bandit leader was out for some time but eventually the kraken awoke!

“What the… Let me go, I’m warning you!” Garvut blustered and threatened, once again, I decided to let Nish handle this one…

It looked like he had the expertise to deal with this type of situation…

He drew his knife and approached the Nord, towering over him and looking down.

“Okay, who are you and what’s your game?”

“I don’t have to answer to you.”

The bandit was defiant, he may not have been the brightest spark but he was smart enough to keep his mouth shut, when asked a question, by his captors.

Despite the fact that we tied him down, pretty well, the rope we used wasn’t strong enough to keep him forever, he knew this and he began to break his way out of captivity, using his brute strength alone.

Now, I had no wish to see any more violence as I wasn’t really all that used to it at the time, besides, I was pretty new to all of this.

“Let’s not resort to violence…

Sweet roll anyone?”

It was then that Nish could see what Garvut was up to, of course, by this point it was too late to do anything and the beast was soon to be unleashed on our group.

“Everyone pin him down!” He went over to the nord anyway, desperate to stop him from freeing himself and wreaking havoc, once more. His efforts were in vain as Garvut broke free and immediately attacked the Breton, swinging at him with his rock-like fists.

“Let’s just please keep it on the level here…”

My plea for calm had gone unheeded as Garvut wasn’t paying attention to anything but the Breton in front of him and Nish was too busy dodging his punches. He eventually managed to get a sweeping kick in, that knocked the bandit off of his feet and to the ground.

Eventually the Argonian stepped in, demanding to know what happening as the fight raged on. They ignored her to and continued to beat lumps off each other. The Breton, using his small frame to dodge Garvut’s punches and land a few in himself, though I’m sure that given Garvut’s size and stature, that they just angered him.

I was beginning to get, ever so slightly, annoyed at the fact that my attempts to resolve the conflict in a peaceful way were being flat out ignored…

“Will everyone just calm down? I am talking!”

At least one of them had the decency to respond…

“Look, I admire the pacifistic attitude that you have, really, it's inspiring." Nish said, stopping every few seconds to dodge or throw in a punch.

"But I don't think that he's willing to liste- OOF!" Sadly, despite my best intentions I had distracted my friend and got him struck in the ribs.

So much for ‘peace’ and ‘calm…’

The Breton staggered around for a bit and he eventually fell to the floor and began coughing as the Nord’s heavy punch seemed to have winded him. As if I didn’t have enough to regret, the towering Nord turned to me and marched over, I thought he was going to punch my lights out but he said…

“Would you please, STOP YELLING AT ME!”

Well, at that point, my patience was at an end, I drew my sword and got ready for a fight.

“If you think that you can take me, then go ahead! Give me an excuse…”

The bandit then reached for his hammer, hoping that it would meet with my sword on this battlefield but then he remembered that we confiscated it…

Normally, this would come as some comfort but when you’re dealing with someone as strong and crazy as Garvut Stone-Hand, sometimes it’s just best to give him what he wants…

He proceeded to take one of Tseasci’s crafts and swung it at me, with his brute force. However, what the lack witted fool didn’t realise was that I was a lot quicker than him and my blade was like a needle and so, I struck him in the chest, with a seemingly fatal strike.

Unfortunately, I was too caught up in the moment to notice that he hadn’t stopped swinging and took the full force of the table…

To the face…

It was a hefty blow, to the head, and I wasn’t expecting it. I don’t remember what happened after that but I remember blacking out.

-

“And that, dear Nepht, is my great tale of conquest, my first fight that I… debatably, won.”

Nepht didn’t appear to react, it was as if she zoned out but it wasn’t out of boredom, like normally, more… shock.

“Nepht?” Daniel asked again, placing his drink down as a tear came to her eyes. “Nepht!?”

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She was unresponsive… as if she was processing something; it wasn’t that complex of an epic surely.

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“C’mon now girl, you’re scaring me.” Daniel whispered, placing his hand on her shoulder and getting her to flinch and snap back into it.

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“G-Garvut…”

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Y-es… that’s who I was talking about, the guy who beat me up on the side of a hill and…”

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Then went back to the ‘Bannered Mare’ in Whiterun and you got drunk…”

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Yes… How did you-?”

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“The Tsaesci, Kilea-ves bit Garvut and paralyzed him… You almost broke out into a fight as soon as you got back to the tavern, except Nish stopped you.”

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Her accuracy was starting to worry the old Breton adventurer, he found himself at a loss… H''ow could she know all of this? ''

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“How do you know this?”

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nepht turned to him, her eyes shimmering with tears as her voice broke up.

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Nish…” She whispered, finally putting the pieces together, after all these years. Why Veneficus got the two of them confused, why she ended up meeting this ‘Daniel Howe,’ it wasn’t Daniel who fell into Edgar’s pit all those years ago and by extension her life…

''<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">That means… ''

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Nepht didn’t need to finish, she just burst into tears, burying her face into her folded arms and sobbed. Daniel reached up, patting her on the back, despite the fact that he had no idea what was going on, he couldn’t stand to see someone cry.

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“You… knew Nish…” He deduced, it made sense, in a way…

''<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">But why would Nish use my name? It’s possible that, that day was the most eventful day of his life but… ''<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Somehow he doubted it; perhaps there was more to it than this.

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Nepht?” He said, softly, shaking her shoulder slightly to get her attention. She looked up; her eyes shimmered as the light reflected from the torches, illuminating them.

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Would you like to talk about it?” He didn’t know what else to offer but by the looks of the girl, she was barely old enough to be travelling on her own…

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">She was him, thirteen years ago.

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“I…” The Dunmer weighed her options, perhaps it would be best if she did…

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">If Nish was the adventurer, who dropped into her life, all those years ago. Then she would like to know more about him, whether or not his stories were entirely true…

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“S-Sure…” She muttered, barely finding the strength to sit up, never mind actually standing on her own two feet.

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Alright, I’ll get us a drink and one of the rooms…” Daniel smiled, he was getting a bit teary eyed himself, like it was contagious.

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Second room on the right is mine, make yourself at home.”

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“T-Thank you…” Nepht whispered as she stood up and shuffled away, she then stopped and turned around, remembering something.

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“My friend will be coming back for me; he won’t know where I am.”

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“What does he look like? I’ll tell the owners to send him up, if they see him.”

''<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">How to describe Lucy… ''

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“He’s an Imperial, dark hair, short hair… He’s pretty awkward as well, mostly keeps to himself.”

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Right.” The old adventurer nodded with a smile, giving her leave to shuffle back to his room again.

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Poor girl… <span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";"> He thought with a sigh as he awaited the bar staff’s attention.

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">(Oh and wrote this bit before cutting it out, as I went too far into the story. XD

Anyway, it seemed a shame to delete it, so here's a sort of 'deleted scene.'

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;"><span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I woke up, sometime later, to see the Tsaesci slouched over his dead pet; Garvut had struck it during the fight and shattered every bone in its body. Though I felt for his loss, I can’t exactly say that I wasn’t glad to see the back of the little bugger…

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Ooh… By the Nine, what happened?”

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Garvut recovered, faster than any of us thought possible, despite the beating he had received and the bite that the serpent had left him with, paralyzing him.

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">He got up and staggered over to us, asking for some help… I think he thought that we were healers or at least one of us was.

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“Mage… some… help… here…?”

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">It was at this point that Nish began to stir, wheezing, coughing and spluttering as he managed to get back on his feet. Judging by the strength of that man, it should come as no surprise that he had a mean right hook. We made our way back to the fire pit before he saw it… then I saw it, the Tsaesci had been wounded.

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“We should get to Whiterun…” The Breton suggested. Not too surprisingly, he was shaken up by the whole thing… we all were.

<span lang="EN-US" style="color: black; line-height: 115%; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">We decided that we needed to get the wounded to the healers before another traveller stumbled across us and another fight broke out. )