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R.I.P. neildarkstar. Haven will miss you dearly.
| Ankeddi Alf'agar: Anki's Search | |
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| Topic Started: Sep 24 2016, 07:41 PM (646 Views) | |
| Serethil | Sep 24 2016, 07:41 PM Post #1 |
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Et'Ada
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[Last post regarding Anki, for reference]: So Anki took the sword up to the Skyforge. She handed it to the old man blowing up the forge’s heat. “So you’re going to try your luck with the Companions.” At her nod, he smiled grimly. “Well, don’t just always do what you’re told. Nobody rules anyone in the Companions.” “But.... someone must need to be in charge....” “Eh, I don’t know how they manage it - but they have.” He started beating on the steel. Then he turned back to Anki. “I have a favor to ask. I’ve been working on a shield for Aela. I have family things I need to do - a mourning situation. If you could take the shield to Aela for me?” She cocked an eyebrow at that, but nodded, and took the shield. Eorlund nodded shortly in return. Running down the steps with the shield, she entered the back doors of Jorrvaskr, and seeing the old woman still sweeping, asked “Where can I find Aela? I have her shield, from Eorlund Gray-Mane.” She sent me back downstairs, and to the left before reaching Kodlak’s chambers. Anki tapped on the door, and then entered. A woman - Aela she supposed - stood in chat with an older man, nearly bald and blind in one eye. She waited until they turned toward her. “Eorlund sent me with your shield.” “My thanks. Are you new here?” The man said “I told you, this is the whelp that Vilkas mentioned.” “Ah! Yes, I heard you gave him quite a thrashing!” The man muttered “Don’t let Vilkas catch you saying that....” Ankeddi replied with a small feral grin “Well, I suppose he hasn’t seen many Redguards?” Aela laughed. The man just looked sour. They called another man to show Ankeddi to the quarters. Farkas was his name. Well, she could hardly stay here, with Deni to look out for. So she thanked him, and said she’d see him later. Anki left the mead hall, and headed back for the inn. So - she’d have to think about the whole situation. They expected, it seemed, a sort of “presence” at Jorrvaskr from recruits. And that meant.... what? Well, for a start, that Denira would need to be taken home. She couldn’t be allowed to run wild in Whiterun while Anki was dealing with the Companions.... |
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| Andra Hawksdaughter | Sep 24 2016, 07:44 PM Post #2 |
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Jarl
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Works now! :D |
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| Serethil | Sep 24 2016, 07:49 PM Post #3 |
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Et'Ada
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Eh. I didn't post the right link, too many tabs open, sorry! Okay, I'll repost the rest of them. Thanks for being guinea pig! |
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| Serethil | Sep 24 2016, 07:50 PM Post #4 |
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Et'Ada
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Ankeddi 1: I almost immediately ran into (or was run into - literally!) by Deni and her friend. “Here now, just the girl I wanted to see! I need to talk to you....” “Lucia, wait for me here, I’ll be back, see you!” The other girl nodded, and settled onto a bench - as if she spent a lot of time there.... Somehow that bothered me.... Deni and I walked toward the market circle. “So, these Companions seem to think I should stay there - in Jorrvaskr. And.... that means I’ll have to take you back to the Ridge - you can’t stay in the inn alone, and we know no one here....” Her forehead wrinkled in thought. “Aye. It’s something I thought might happen. But there was no way to know....” She seemed - distracted. “Anki.... Lucia - she has no one. No parents, no friends. She... lives in the streets here. She - sleeps - at the inn.... but not in a bed.... She sleeps out back of the inn on the ground. Her mother died, she never knew her da - her aunt and uncle own her mother’s farm now - and they.... threw her out....” Deni’s eyes filled with tears which then made tracks down her cheeks. “I - know - how it is. Only too well....” Ah. “So? What think you? Would she be willing to make a home with a Redguard clan in exile? Living in an ex-bandit hideout no less....” She grinned. “Well. It would likely be better than begging - and taking that Brenuin (the town drunkard in case you hadn’t heard) as example!” Minx. But.... I did empathize. “Well then. Let’s talk to her, shall we?” Deni ran back to the bench where Lucia sat, not far from the door of Kyne’s temple. “Lucia. We have something to discuss with you.” I sat next to the girl, only now realizing that while her body was covered, the clothes were - rags really. After Deni’s tale, and this, my heart hurt for her. “Lucia.... I have an offer for you. We - that is, Deni and I - will take you to our home with us. We must go, and go now - Deni can’t stay here in Whiterun alone, and I have - things - to do with the Companions. She can’t be included in that either. “We can give you a better home than this - though most of us are Redguards. Well, Deni’s not, except by adoption.... Our whole clan - the Alf’agars - has a holding in Falkreath. Deni’s adoptive parents are out upon business just now, but the rest of us will welcome you, if you choose to make a home with us.” As I spoke, I saw hope rise in the girl’s eyes. But then, as I finished, she said hesitantly “You.... don’t mean to give me to some man, do you?” I wanted to kill someone. I PRAYED that whoever had - put that thought in her head - would appear before me, so I could send him to the hells in the most painful way I could devise! “No, child. No! We send no woman to a man who has not accepted his suit. Ask Deni. You two, talk it over while I get our stuff out of the room.” I smiled at both girls, no matter that I was ready to rend someone over that question from Lucia.... I hauled the baggage out of our room and out onto the inn’s steps. Deni and Lucia were waiting. “Well, then?” “I will - take your offer. Deni explained. I trust her - and you.” I heard the unspoken.... ‘if you lie, if you let me down, I will haunt you....’ “You have no need to worry, little sister. We will love you, and you will have a home.” And I knew that for truth. Hmm. What to do about the Companions.... Ah. There was a courier, just running past. “Sirrah! Wait a bit, I need to send a message.” “Well, good. Don’t dally though!” I scribbled a note to Vilkas on a scrap of paper and paid the fee to have it delivered all of a furlong away. And then I took the girls out of Whiterun to the stables, and paid for a carriage to Falkreath, with the mare tied behind. |
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| Serethil | Sep 24 2016, 07:53 PM Post #5 |
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Et'Ada
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Ankeddi 2: The girls chattered incessantly - and I was quite happy to think I could leave them at the Ridge! Oh aye - I know I was like that myself at that age - but that was a fair bit in the past, and now it just made my head ache with the natter. But I wouldn’t say anything. Bjorlam did though. As we settled under the carriage for the night, he said gruffly, “Time for yon girls to sleep, not talk.” I agreed. “It’s a long day tomorrow once we reach the city. So, enough chat now.” Small grumbles answered me, but by the time I’d finished my coffee (bad though it was), they were blessedly silent - except for Deni’s snores. I grinned at Bjorlam, and turned in myself. The nights I was “normal” I tried to sleep as deeply as I could - because when the moons rose full.... well, sleep wasn’t something I got. By midday, we were nearing the Ridge. I’d walked, and put the girls on the mare. It was faster that way. Lucia had been frightened at first, so far off the ground; I put her behind, so she could keep her arms about Deni’s waist. And Deni began to instruct her about riding, moving with the horse, and so on. The girl bid fair to become a schoolmistress! I chuckled under my breath. As little time as she’d had with Siara and my mother, still she was already so like them! Termoru set up a yell, and opened the gate. Arnem turned up to take Benica, and Selalla with the other women clustered around. “Mama. I have brought another child home. This is Lucia. She’s about Deni’s age. She has no family at all now. She thought that living among us would be better than begging, and sleeping on bare earth behind the inn....” Lucia, without prompting, approached Selalla and curtsied. “Please, Lady. I will do whatever needs doing here - work for whoever needs help.... A home, though, a home....” Tears tracked down her cheeks. “Ah, child. You will not need to work. At least, not any more than Deni does! Come dear - it seems you could do with some better clothing, and then Deni will show you where we bathe.” She motioned to the girls, and I grinned. I wondered which woman would become Lucia’s mother.... I followed my mother and the girls. I’d have to explain a bit about what I was going to be doing.... |
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| Serethil | Sep 24 2016, 07:54 PM Post #6 |
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Et'Ada
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Ankeddi 3: Selalla, while understanding, was also not happy. I knew it would be like that.... “Mama - I want.... I NEED.... to be me again, not some ‘thing’. So. I have to do this. And... I think I won’t be able to send you chapter and verse while I’m dealing with it.” I waited while my mother thought over everything. She was long about it..... “Ankeddi.... there are things you’ve never been told. About your father. About.... his.... curse.” Ah. Finally. How long I had known that difference! How long - it had caused me pain.... and how long - I had been..... the.... unacknowledged - and the feared..... And - because of that - unknown - issue.... I had likely been more apt to the infection.... “Tell me Mama. PLEASE. Pull the darkness back. Let me seek... show me how to choose the Light.” |
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| Serethil | Sep 24 2016, 07:55 PM Post #7 |
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Et'Ada
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And btw, this is just the posts up to date - none of the commentary. Once Kane figures out the issue, we can go back to the originals. Or if there's a perm problem with them then I'll copy the commentary over. |
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| Andra Hawksdaughter | Sep 24 2016, 08:11 PM Post #8 |
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Jarl
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Ooh, what has her Mother been hiding?! VERY good Sere!! |
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| Serethil | Sep 24 2016, 08:15 PM Post #9 |
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Et'Ada
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Eh. I don't know what she's been hiding yet.... and - today wasn't a good day for writing for any number of reasons.... |
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| Areial | Sep 24 2016, 08:58 PM Post #10 |
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Et'Ada
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Very nice! secret's...we all have them! |
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| Serethil | Sep 25 2016, 07:21 PM Post #11 |
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Et'Ada
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Ankeddi 4: Now, I’d always known that my father was not my siblings’ father. Their father had died young, and Selalla had married again, having the children and the horses to care for - she had needed a man. But what she told me now.... “See you. I married your father because he pressed his suit, saying that a woman who’d already proven she could bear and rear children was exactly what he had been looking for. He said he knew I couldn’t love him the way I had Bregan, but wanted a chance to prove himself. So I hired him for the horses - and told him I’d think about it. “I thought about it a long time - near three years. Finally, I accepted him - and a year later you were born. About that time, I realized there were things I didn’t understand.... but having been pregnant, I hadn’t paid so much attention. “Eventually, I asked him outright why he was always gone at the full moon. And he told me. Instead of being ashamed, of looking to be cured, he laughed and said he would follow Hircine forever....” Selalla seemed - somewhere else for a bit. Then she said, “So. He had accepted the wereblood and meant not to lose it. I - couldn’t be married to him after that. So we separated. And you grew apace. And until you met the wolf, I didn’t - worry. “Anki, child. That wolf was your father. They found him lying in his own blood. And told me it seemed as if he’d been killed by a bear perhaps, so many wounds. But after you had told what happened.... I knew. But I hoped - he hadn’t infected you. I think he stayed close about, because he wanted to take you from me.” She shuddered and then fell silent. “Mama.” I held her close. “You are not to blame. If anyone is, it’s my father. And I DO wish to lose this curse - as soon as may be done! So - now I know all the truth. It is better - knowing. I have the knowledge to be cured thanks to Deni. I will become a Companion for as long as it takes to rid myself of the wereblood. I will write when I can. I don’t know how long this may take....” We shed a few tears together. “I will leave on the morrow, early. And when I return, I will tell the story to all, so all know that I no longer have the blood.” Edited by Serethil, Sep 26 2016, 08:19 PM.
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| Areial | Sep 25 2016, 07:30 PM Post #12 |
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Et'Ada
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very good read...sad, the thing's people do without thinking how other's would feel about them. |
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| Andra Hawksdaughter | Sep 25 2016, 08:23 PM Post #13 |
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Jarl
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I agree with Areial. It seems as if her father had it planned all along, and that's even more despicable. Truth had to come out though. Very well done!! |
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| Serethil | Sep 25 2016, 08:51 PM Post #14 |
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Et'Ada
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Yep. I'm pretty sure that's not the end of it though.... Well, you know how it is - I never know what's going to happen until it does.... |
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| Serethil | Sep 26 2016, 08:33 PM Post #15 |
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Et'Ada
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Ankeddi 5: I walked back into Jorrvaskr the next morning, seeing Farkas immediately. “I could use some work. I had to take my niece home, since I’m to live here, but now....” “Oh. We have work. We just got notified that Broken Fang Cave is infested with vampires. Bloodsuckers. Take every precaution - one bite and you could end up as one of them! Don’t dally - this could be a problem if you don’t take care of it fast.” “All right. It’s early, I’ll head out now - if you can give me a map location?” I pulled my copy of Siara’s sketch-map out of my belt pouch, and handed it to him. He looked it over a while, then made a mark on it. “About there I think. There’s two crags, and an old path between them - it’s just off the road to Rorikstead." “Thanks. I’ll see you when it’s done.” He nodded, then said “Take care.” Well, I would. I didn’t need reminding. Vampirism, on top of the wereblood - I was positive I didn’t want to know what that cocktail would be like.... Edited by Serethil, Sep 26 2016, 08:48 PM.
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| neildarkstar | Sep 26 2016, 08:39 PM Post #16 |
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Overlord
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Oh yeah, that'd be a combination to draw to, wouldn't it? that particular den of vamps CAN be tough on occasion. |
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| Serethil | Sep 26 2016, 08:47 PM Post #17 |
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Et'Ada
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True. And since she's not one of Hircine's brood, she can't change when it would be advantageous. But - hey - she's Redguard, and pretty accomplished.... |
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| Areial | Sep 26 2016, 11:58 PM Post #18 |
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Et'Ada
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Very nice... gotta love that they give you a cave full of vampires as a first job... |
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| Serethil | Sep 27 2016, 12:02 AM Post #19 |
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Et'Ada
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EVERY time I've actually run a girl through the Companions, I've wound up with vamps. It's seriously funny now. Hey - at least this time it's relatively CLOSE.... And truthfully.... I'd rather have vamps than beat up Elrindir, or whoever. |
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| Areial | Sep 27 2016, 12:15 AM Post #20 |
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Et'Ada
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true that... I hate having the 'teach a lesson" ones... |
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