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Jacelyn Michel: Tales of a Freelance Larcenist
Topic Started: Jun 26 2016, 12:47 PM (4,073 Views)
Kane
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Serethil
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Et'Ada
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Yeah, Kane. That about covers it!
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Kane
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I definitely lost my appetite for hot dogs.
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monkeyemoness
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There's no way she's getting those back completely intact. :V
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Andra Hawksdaughter
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Jarl
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:scared: :rofl:
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Grits
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Thane
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Oh my gosh, you guys are hysterical! I promise no mention of unmentionables in this update, lol. :D



Jace: page 8

Jacelyn arrived at the party with her furs on fire. Vigilance the war dog soon followed her. Vorstag did not.

There was no sign of the portal through which she had entered, nor even a clue if she was still in Skyrim. Jace patted out the flames and strode forward, sick with worry.

Back at the ruin she had emptied the most promising-looking chest in search of Sam’s staff, but then one of the mages had spotted her. Mayhem had ensued. She saved herself by means that she did not understand, escaping through a doorway that magically opened right beside her. Vorstag’s battle scream still echoed in her ears. Perhaps he did not need saving. The thought was as close as Jacelyn could come to a prayer.

Sam had another surprise up his sleeve. Vorstag did not get a chance to brawl him on Jacelyn’s behalf, but she did not leave disappointed. She also did not leave at a time of her choosing. ‘Sam’ sent her away while questions still bubbled from her lips.

Jace found herself back at the Bannered Mare, the Sanguine Rose clutched in one sweaty fist. She leaned against it for support, searching the crowd for Vorstag.

Not here either. Jace’s knees felt weak, but Vigilance’s cold nose in her palm helped her pull herself together.

She dragged herself up the stairs and collapsed into their rented bed where she stayed for the rest of the day and the night, her sleep helped along by the consumption of their entire stash of Alto wine. In the morning she dressed in one of her mage costumes and filled her bag with alchemy ingredients. She was still too upset over the loss of Vorstag to concentrate on thieving, so she might as well keep up appearances and make some gold in the process. The tavern was full of mercenaries. Eventually she would have to hire another one.

On her way out the Mare’s front door she met Vorstag on his way in. He looked like he’d been sleeping in the rain and smelled like a singed wolf. Jacelyn wanted to jump up and hug his neck, throw a leg over him and ride like she was late for a festival, and also strangle him for the worry. She attempted to play it cool instead.

“Hey there,” she said, nearly falling off the side of the stairs.

“Hey,” said Vorstag, yanking her back by the sleeve. And that was all the explanation she got.

That day she learned that she could sell her potions and poisons to any merchant, regardless of their usual type of inventory. She was almost tempted to settle down as an alchemist and keep her mercenary out of danger. But after consideration that sounded like a whole lot of work.


A picture:

I want you to meet my little friend.


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Brambleberry
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Love the dead pan between Jace and Vorstag. Isn't that Sam such a toad stool! As Bugs would say, "What a maroon!" Loving each read of this story! :D
Edited by Brambleberry, Jul 14 2016, 08:13 PM.
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Andra Hawksdaughter
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Love it!! Glad she got, or hopefully, shut of that weasel Sam! And Vostag made it, even pissed, LOL. But now he really really needs that bath!!
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Serethil
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Et'Ada
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GREAT update, Grits! Oh lordy I love Jace!
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Areial
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:clap: See now Jace just need's to find a decently fast river...Pull Vorstag in.. and strip him bare, have a wee bit of fun and by the time that's over... icky smelly armor is in the next county being eaten by mud crab's. :hubba: He may not appreciate the naked walk to town, so having an extra pair of pant's in a picnic basket...

< look's all innocent> I have never lost clothing that way... :lmao:
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Rick
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Just caught up
Oh...yes......this is devolving very nicely into my Sanguinian terratory....Muhahahaha

"Ride like she was late for a festival huh" Took me a while to calm down after reading that one (phew). Sounds like she 'takes' what she wants....just like her thieving habits.
The Contessa is likewise always 'in charge' as you might expect. Perhaps young Erik might get lucky again! Or unlucky...depending upon his "preferences" and um' "Resilience".....

I think things are gonna start warming up around here...cough

Aside from the...erm' colourful "carrying ons" Jace continues to hold one's attention with clever twists.

It is quite telling that reading Jace is one of those tales where you completely lose track of the real world as you sink into hers.
Marvelous
:clap:
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Grits
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Bram, thanks! Poor Jace was so worried about Vorstag, she didn’t even get a chance to yell at Sam. :D

Andra, I’m sure if Jace could pick she’d have the tavern bathing rooms mod above all others! Poor girl, I may have to write in what my laptop won’t let me add for her.

Sere, thanks! She keeps me entertained.

Areial, I am rolling over your river-assisted armor disposal plan! How funny!

Rick, thanks! Yeah, Jace has a lot of energy. I’m guessing that the next time young Erik sees the Contessa, he will either hide or hold onto something depending on whether he feels lucky or unlucky! :D



Jace: page 9

“Wait… I know you.”

Jacelyn ducked her chin and kept walking. “You’re making a mistake.”

“There’s no mistake.” The guard caught her shoulder. “You’re a wanted woman, and it’s time to pay for your crimes.”

Jace’s purse was too light for bribery and this was no time for a prison stay. She decided to pay the fine and hand over her stolen goods. After all, she could always sneak back and get them.

Moments later she found herself shivering in the snow, bare from collarbone to ankle. Godsdammit! I forgot that robe was stolen. Thankfully a mask still hid her face and a hood concealed her distinctive red hair. How the guard had recognized her under the disguise remained a mystery. Jacelyn headed back to the Candlehearth at a trot, one hand over her exposed identifying feature. Tomorrow I’m getting a Bravilian wax, she resolved. And I’m taking my panties back from Vorstag.

She managed to slip into their room without notice. A rummage through the dresser produced a stack of stolen gowns and a single plain one that she legitimately owned.

“Screw it,” Jacelyn muttered, lacing up a stolen one. “Life is too short to wear ugly dresses.”

The remainder of their time in Windhelm passed without incident. Jacelyn found her horse waiting outside the city gate, which was always a surprise. She and Vorstag mounted up.

“Where to next?” Jacelyn asked him. Her breath began to ice her fur collar. “It’s your turn to pick.”

Vorstag’s reply sounded like sneezing through a mouthful of taffy.

“Is that the name of a Nordic ruin?” she guessed. Great.

The last time they had passed through Kynesgrove, Vorstag had befriended a local miner while Jace checked everyone’s cupboards and pockets. Jace’s haul had not covered their bar bill. When she delivered the news, Vorstag had not seemed bothered.

“I got us a job,” he had announced, his arm around the neck of a grinning miner.

Unfortunately the two Nords remembered their agreement even after they had sobered up. Jacelyn had promised that they would get to Roggi’s errand ‘next,’ meaning never. But to Vorstag ‘next’ was now.

Jacelyn doubted that her thieving skills would help her much against Skyrim’s restless dead. She was not anxious to add her bones to some barrow’s collection. I could leave him once he gets inside, she considered. Most of what I need is already in my saddlebags. I bet Vigilance would come with me.

Her stomach dropped at the thought. Then her chest felt tight, as if squeezed in a trap.

I can leave him, she told herself. I won’t even hesitate if I have to run. I am not c… c… committed to this man!

She shot a glare at him over her shoulder. When she turned back around, she saw a dragon far off in the sky.

Maybe it won’t come to that, she sighed, making sure she had put on her archery-enhancing jewelry. By tonight my bones could rest in a pile of dragon droppings.

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Brambleberry
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Jace really should listen to the rumor about the face sculptor and get her hair dyed at the very least! I was :rofl: at just a mask and a prayer out in the cold. :teehee: Isn't it rather ominous how destiny keeps nipping at her heels? A fun read, her mixed feelings about Vorstag....poor girl so many decisions and none of them about shoes! :lmao: Another great read! :book:
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Serethil
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Whew.... out of the frying pan into the fire.... Good luck Jace, I have a feeling you're going to need it this time!
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Andra Hawksdaughter
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Serethil
Jul 17 2016, 08:22 PM
Whew.... out of the frying pan into the fire.... Good luck Jace, I have a feeling you're going to need it this time!
No, into the snow! :rofl: Poor Jace! And she's gotten attached too. I bet the guard had fun, the jerk!
Wonderful fun read! :D
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Areial
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:lmao: Bravilian wax... :hubba: and Vorstag is totally clueless...
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Kane
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Yikes, Windhelm is exactly the city you don't want that to happen in! :rofl:
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monkeyemoness
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Somehow, "Bravilian Wax" sounds even less pleasant than our counterpart term.

Still, bad Jace. You go get that man's shield, and no complaints.
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Rick
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Good luck Jace!
Just send the boys in first
May shadow hide you

I can't wait to read more about Jace
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Grits
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Yeah, it was quite a shock to see her standing bare-assed and hooded in the snow. I felt sorry for her until she put on another stolen gown at the inn. Hard-headed!


Jace: page 10

Jacelyn stepped out of the ruin and fell to her knees in relief. The cold wind kissed her cheeks. She turned her face up to the sky.

A symphony of grunts and crashes announced Vorstag’s emergence. Vigilance snuffed up behind Jace and stuck his nose between her collar and hood.

“We’re alive,” said Jace. “I can’t believe it.”

Vorstag came around where she could see him. “Well done!” he told her. “I don’t know where I’d be without you.”

Jacelyn stared up at him. Was that a compliment?

“You’d be in the Silver-Blood Inn drinking mead and humping strangers,” she said. Moisture gathered in her eyes. What the hells, is it raining?

Vorstag hauled Jace to her feet. “Speaking of, I know where there’s a hot springs party. It’s on the way back to Kynesgrove.”

“Best news ever,” said Jace. “We’ll need a bath after what I’ve been thinking about. Have to keep Sanguine’s favor.”

Vorstag didn’t comment. Jacelyn knew he agreed. The dremora she could summon from Sanguine’s realm didn’t want to drink with them and couldn’t seem to get his armor off, but he was handy in a fight. If not for the dremora’s help she and Vorstag would likely both be rotting in the tomb below. Necromancers in a barrow full of dead warriors was a recipe for disaster. Jacelyn was no daedric scholar, but she knew that Sanguine had taken his staff back from some other mortal when he gave it to her. So far it hadn’t been a burden to keep him interested.

They finished loading the saddlebags and mounted up. “Don’t let me sell Roggi’s shield by accident,” Jacelyn said. “All of this iron junk looks the same to me.”

The Ghostblade strapped to her pack was the exception. She had never had a thing that she cared about keeping before. Now she had two. Jacelyn didn’t know how to wield the sword, but selling a blade gifted to you by a pair of ghosts was likely to invite some kind of curse. She was determined to hold onto it.

“Why do you suppose they gave their sword to me instead of you?” she wondered aloud.

Vorstag snorted.

Right, thought Jace. They probably saw him bleeding out and thought he was done for. Back in the tomb’s main burial chamber, Jace had briefly shared that thought. When Vorstag fell to his knees surrounded by angry undead, she had summoned Sanguine’s dremora one last time to cover her escape and sprinted for the exit.

Then her feet carried her back to Vorstag at a run without giving her a chance to think about it. Her dremora had taken out some of the cursed undead before expiring. Vorstag was still down but still alive. Jacelyn had traded arrows for ice spikes with the surviving necromancer while dodging her raised minions until Vorstag recovered enough to pick up his sword. The fear she had felt for her own life had vanished for a time under another fear that she refused to contemplate. Despite her attempts to ignore it, the thought remained that just leaving him was no longer an option.

When they reached the edge of the volcanic tundra, Jacelyn dismounted. Cave bears, sabre cats, mammoths, and giants were visible between them and their goal, plus the dragon was still circling a far mountain. And who knew what else they would encounter before they could rest?

Jacelyn knelt down and picked out a likely path through the hazards. Her stomach grumbled and bubbled, hunger at odds with nerves. The thought of Nils’s cold beef from their packs held no appeal. The memory of Vorstag kneeling in his own blood didn’t help her appetite, either. He didn’t die, so it might as well not have happened, she told herself. Just forget about it.

“Maybe when we get there they’ll have a rabbit on the spit,” she murmured.
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