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R.I.P. neildarkstar. Haven will miss you dearly.
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Man and Dragon, Dragon and Man; ....with a side-excursion into vampires and so on
Topic Started: Jun 15 2017, 08:41 PM (1,210 Views)
neildarkstar
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Overlord
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:pop:
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Serethil
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Et'Ada
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Thanks neil!
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Serethil
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Twenty-one: Now to figure out how to unstick Durnehviir

To that end, I took Var’s advice. First I took myself off to Frykte Peak on Solstheim, and was once more thankful we’d bought a ship. We tied up at an old dock north of Raven Rock instead of in the town, so that the trip would be shorter. I unloaded Vigilant and set up camp. I’d leave in the morning, starting at first light.

By midday I was nearly to Edilla’s house. I would have time to climb up the peak yet today. Edilla seemed happy, and pleased to see me. She said there had been a number of pilgrims; word was getting out. I smiled, thinking that this project had made various people - and daedric princes! - happier.

By the time I’d climbed up to the shrines, I was enchanted with the view around the island. I’d forgotten how the height dissipated the sight of the ugly ash to the south, and brought into sharp focus the many islets and headlands to the north. As I settled on a stone bench placed central to the shrines, I quieted my soul, and waited.

Shortly enough, I felt both princes in my mind. “Oh, Tiercel. That’s two very kind things you’re thinking to do. We aren’t - sure - about the vampire.... but still, it’s kind of you to try to help her.”

They went on - and I found it interesting that they spoke to me in unison, as if both souls had only one voice - “Now, as for the dragon. We think that perhaps Talos would be more appropriate than we are for that. After all, only one of the princes is limned as a dragon - and he’s rather a stranger to us....

“But with Serana - in order to ‘un-vampire’ her, you will probably have to discuss it with Bal. That’s not going to be easy. And he will likely expect you to replace her with someone. Yes, we see that to be repugnant to you - and we would not expect you to acquiesce. We - will think on this. Return when you can, perhaps after you deal with the dragon.”

Their blessings flowed over me like liquid light, and I floated dreamily back down to the glade where Edilla’s house stood.

She fed me and gave me a bed for the night. As I was leaving in the morning, I asked if there was anything she needed from home - perhaps things she couldn’t get here. She just smiled and shook her head. “I lack for nothing, my Jarl. Fear not for me.”

The trip home was a little more eventful than the sail out - we had to bear far to the north into the ice to avoid a monstrous storm. When the seas to the south finally quieted a bit, we were farther north than any of us had ever been, and there was a bit of fear showing on the faces of the crew, though the Captain was stoic. I just tried not to worry, and spent the two days as we wended our way back to known waters doing my best to appear serene. I was very happy to dock at home though, and so was poor Vigilant, who didn’t even wait for me to loose him in the paddock to drop and roll!

Var was waiting at the house, and I gave him the whole story. “Yes, we had a bad blow here with that storm. Trees are down in many places from here to north of Solitude. No one seriously injured - I’d have been frantic if I’d realized it went far enough to threaten you and the Mistress!”

“It wasn’t comfortable - but the Mistress rode out the ice and storm winds just fine. She’s definitely worth what we paid for her! But - she’s getting on in age, maybe we should have a new one built.”

“That’s an idea. Let’s talk it over with Ten-Hooks and see what he thinks about a shipwright. So when are you off for High Hrothgar?”

“Oh, not for a few days. I need to sit on something that’s not moving for a while, and I want to catch up with Serana, g’ma and Arngeir. Not to mention you....” And that was all the talking we did for quite some time.

After night-meal, we walked to the Hall to see if there was anything needing doing. All was quiet though, so then we went on to g’ma’s. She and Serana were sitting at the table, g’ma and Arngeir finishing a meal, and Serana toying with a goblet of wine. Or maybe her synthesized blood - I didn’t ask, didn’t want to know.

I reported on my journey to the princes’ shrines, and the trip back around the storm to get home. Serana stared down into the goblet.

Finally she looked up and said, “I’ve been doing some research. Technically, as far as anyone knows - the only difference between me and a ‘normal’ vampire was the sexual component introduced by Molag Bal.” Everyone winced a bit, but she went right on, so we had time to get past the bald statement (I mean, I knew what had happened.... but to hear it stated so blatantly - well, it was a bit shocking.)

“So probably the only necessity is to do whatever a normal vampire does to be cured. Now, I haven’t found anything about that. Do any of you know?”

We all shook our heads. Var said, “Well, I’ll be back up in Solitude in a few days; I’ll talk to whoever I think might know. “

“No, love. It’s bad enough that everyone knows Serana’s here. If you go asking stuff like that, they’re going to instantly believe that you’re infected by her!”

“Oh. Right. Hmm. Well, we’ll have to think about it then. Maybe once you get the dragon taken care of, the princes will help with more information?”

Maybe. Time would tell. Serana finally said, “Well, I will of course keep researching.” And there we left it.
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Areial
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Et'Ada
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:clap: lot's to do... and to have to maybe deal with Bal ...again... ick...
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Serethil
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Yep. Really ick! Thanks sis!
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Andra Hawksdaughter
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:thumb: Good one Sis! I try not to, but I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop when she's dealing with the princes, lol. As for Serana, I wonder if Falion had anyone that he passed his knowledge on to?

Yeah, ick to the Bal thing....




typos edited.
Edited by Andra Hawksdaughter, Jul 7 2017, 12:31 PM.
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neildarkstar
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:thumb:
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Serethil
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Thank you both! I'm sure something will turn up....
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Serethil
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Twenty-two: High Hrothgar is open, empty, dusty, dead

That makes me sad, but then I’d be sadder if Arngeir was still here alone. The thing is of course, that life does go on - and if you sit in a cold dead hall, where before there was life (of a sort), then you are not really living, are you? To say truth, Arngeir seems younger and more full of life every day. So getting him out of here, and into the overworld, well, it was a good thing.

I slept on one of the old stone beds, spreading my bedroll to give me a little more comfort. In the morning, I headed for Talos Stormcrown’s shrine, watching the beauty of the day overtake me. It gave me a chill not of the wind and snow and the heights - because no matter how things turned out with so much in the world today, there would always be that beauty of a day rising over Paarthurnax’s Aerie, where his very bones are part of Talos’s shrine. And I was humbled that I had anything to do with it - who was I to so presume?

‘You are Tiercel Ravenwing, the High Queen of Skyrim, the Jarl of Morthal, and my very much loved daughter. Do not denigrate yourself. You are greater than you know.’

And that chill spread over me even deeper - because Talos spoke to me directly. Of course, so did the princes - but Talos was my forefather.... So I was again humbled. But I turned my attention outward rather than inward, and saw the day-star rise in glory over the very tip of the Throat of the World. There is nothing that I could say that would make this moment real to others so I just stood and watched - and my throat closed. I let the tears flow freely.

Eventually, I walked on up the path. Something had changed in - my inner self, changed for the better. I accepted that I was different, that the difference was not a bad thing, and that those who knew me well would know it, and wonder. And might ask for explanations. Eh, I’d deal with that when it happened.

As I knelt within the center of the shrine, I did nothing but be. This was not mine to beg for. This was Talos’s to offer if appropriate. I don’t know how long I knelt, my arms spread, my hands palm up to the burgeoning light. For all I knew, it was days....

“Not days daughter! After all, had it been so long, your knees would be crying mercy, would they not?”

I laughed. “Oh aye, fore-father. Perhaps thirty years gone, they’d last a few days, but not now!”

“We all age. I was - glad to go to Sovngarde before I got too creaky to get up out of bed mornings. And - I am glad to be able to come here - for a taste of life outside of that.... overblown paradise. At least it is now that Verinne got rid of Alduin....” He was present, if a bit - misty. But I could see him stare off into the light for a bit.

Finally he returned to my present. “So you have seen the problem with offering Alduin’s soul.”

“Aye. It is not ours to offer. We’ve all acknowledged that. We shouldn’t have - said that - to begin with. But once we talked it over.... well, it’s obvious that we’ve no right to it, to trade for Durnehviir’s release. But... poor dragon - he’s paid and paid and paid. Five thousand years or more of slavery, or worse.... It’s not right.”

“Oh, I won’t argue with you! You saw the problem before you made a mistake. And somehow, we will find a way - because you have the right of it: what was done to Durnehviir is - unconscionable. He is no different than your vampire friend, who’s left the path of necromancy forced by her parent. In fact, the dragon gave it over as soon as he realized how it had tricked him and trapped him forever.”

I found it extremely interesting that Talos knew about Serana and her situation.

“How should I not? Are you not my daughter, flesh of my flesh, blood of my blood?”

That chill flowed over me a dozen-fold. “Why.... do you say that.... that way?”

Talos stared at the Akatosh sculpture for some while, and I’d just decided he wasn’t going to answer me. But then he turned his eyes to mine, and said calmly “Well, you know - I can see every bit of blood that went into you. And a very great deal of it is mine.... through the Ravens, and through the clans that were willing to intermarry with them. Your many times great grandsire was my son - with a Raven of the time. You and yours carry much of me.” He laughed suddenly. “And Verinne thought Idgrod was just being a bitch when she said ‘I will not be best pleased if you sully our Clan Name....’"

I was shivering now with more than just a little chill. “Longfather - what is it - you see for me?”

His voice was a caress. “I see you living to great age, enjoying your husband and family, setting much that is wrong to rights. Beginning with Durnehviir.... let me think on this a bit. There may be a way. Return here in a moon. We will talk it over then.”

He was gone, I was gasping. I could not - could not! - begin to take in what he had just told me. I staggered back down to High Hrothgar, where I made a bit of food - just a sandwich and an ale, and then all but fell into the hard stone bed. I remembered nothing of whatever dreams I might have had that night - and considering, that was probably a good thing.
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Andra Hawksdaughter
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Damn woman, that gave me a shiver too, and goosebumped my arms! :clap: Bravo!
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Andra Hawksdaughter
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LOL, and I liked that he understood what comes with age, even if he didn't make it that far!
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Areial
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That is a cold water bath... sometimes needed, but never the most pleasant of thing's at the time... really great read!!
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Serethil
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Well - he's sort of omniscient by now (in my world-view). So it made sense that he would have seen his progeny age, and be unable to manage, and die.... And so he'd have been happy that didn't happen to him....

I remember my FIL (this husband's father) saying "it's hell to get old". This was a man who worked so hard all his life that his heart wore out before he did. At 55 or thereabouts he had to have a pacemaker. And then of course, as they developed new better versions he had to "upgrade". He truly hated hospitals - he was convinced they'd do something "wrong" and he'd die.

Fortunately, he died at home.... he was 84. He lived through the depression, buried one wife, left with three small girls. He married husband's mother when his youngest girl was about 2. They had a farm, some orchards - they got through the depression okay. Husband was born in '34.... so things weren't great when he was young.

It was a hard life. Dad - weathered it with grace and love for his family and his community. I didn't (and don't) have much to do with the religion, but I loved him as much as I did my first FIL.
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Serethil
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Et'Ada
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Thanks sis! Think you must have posted while I was being maudlin....
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Areial
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I was just thinking that...

Your FIL.. sound's kinda like my Great Aunt Elizabeth.. She never drove a car, had a horse and buggy that she drove to church and the general store, grew almost everything that she needed and traded Jam's, jellies, egg's, soap ( lye soap), did tatting, lace and made shaws and wedding veils.

Anywho.. when I was in 2nd grade I got sick, very very sick.. skin peeled like a lizard, temp's running as high as 106f ( cause / effect ) I was in and out of the hospital for almost a month.. ( Doctor's had no clue what I had)... G-Aunt 'Beth came down to care for me, cause Mom was on the way to loose her job ( she had just left my Brother's Father).. she took one look at me, snorted and told my Mom that I had Scarlet Fever..

Sure nough, got to the Children's Hospital.. she told the Doc's that, they looked.. took blood, checked books and said she was right.. gave me the proper med's.. and sent me home.. cleared up in a week.. she went back home... Called up to Claremont and got her friend to come get her.. He had an old Hudson.. She said car's had their uses, but she wasn't going to learn to drive... 1st case of Scarlet Fever in Florida since the 30's... two cases that year, the other person ( older lady in her 30's) died.
Edited by Areial, Jul 7 2017, 09:51 PM.
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Serethil
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Heh. Those olders.... they KNEW some stuff. Too bad it's not all common medical knowledge today too!
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Areial
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True.. some of the diagnoses tools Doctor's use are really nice...but.. if you don't give all your symptom's.. they can't always get the right answer.. and wecan't ever think of everything that we need to say.. and on the way home go... should I have told the doctor....xxxxx... and by the time we get home, we are thinking how miserable we are.. and just want to crawl into be.

G'Aunt 'Beth was ... interesting.. she taught all us "kids" all the "old fashion" house wifey things.. That woman walked with a cane.. didn't need it to walk.. but it was a great beat-stick when one of us kid's got to rambunctious!
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Serethil
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Et'Ada
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ROFL! Oh, I LOVE your aunt Beth! "Git off ma lawn ye blasted brats!"
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Areial
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You would, Seriously would have loved her.. Unless a case of two people with too close a personality.. got in the way.. she was direct, outspoken.. and didn't take crap from anyone.. never married, cause she said never met a man whose faults she could live with.. ( I think they Gentleman with the Hudson was as close as it got..and he never married either) In my Teen's ( 80's) she was in her late 70's early 80's ( Lady never tell's her age). She was 102 when she passed...

Edit: I should say.. that this relative remember's that she was "this old" when so and so's daughter married so and so back in 19xx... so it's really a guess.. some of the guess's put her at about 114.. Her name is in the Family Bible, but not the year of her birth.. which if I read the family right back then.. meant she was born on the wrong side of wedding vows.
Edited by Areial, Jul 7 2017, 10:15 PM.
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Serethil
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Gotta love those persistent genes in your background. Yep, got some of my own: dad's mother - 105; mom's dad and mother 100 and 99; three of four great-grandparents 105, 103, 102. The fourth great-grand was my mother's grandmother - she was 99.... she died out in her garden miles outside of Little Rock, in the summer. She.... was... like a burnt spriggan.... when they found her. I was forced (by my dad's mother) to look at her in her open casket - I was 4 at the time. I had.... nightmares for years.

I don't do funerals.
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