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R.I.P. neildarkstar. Haven will miss you dearly.
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Siara N'Gola: Siara's Song
Topic Started: Jun 27 2016, 09:43 PM (4,201 Views)
Grits
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Thane
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That’s great to hear, I’m glad you’re recovering so well! Especially the eating almost normally part. Having to fix special food adds insult to injury. Also great to not have to be on pain meds, though it worked out great for Siara’s bandit fight!
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Serethil
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Et'Ada
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*laughing* Yeah, in a way! Now if the stupid bone-graft bits would just quit winding up between my teeth.... Heh. Really, I'm pretty indestructible. I'm likely to live to be 120 or so....
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Andra Hawksdaughter
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Jarl
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Serethil
Aug 6 2016, 10:43 PM
*laughing* Yeah, in a way! Now if the stupid bone-graft bits would just quit winding up between my teeth.... Heh. Really, I'm pretty indestructible. I'm likely to live to be 120 or so....
Ack, I think I'm having sympathy tooth pain...I'm glad it's better! I used to have the same problem with the local anesthetics, until a dental student, of all people, found that the nerve that was supposed to be used was buried deeper than most. Something he'd just learned and I was the first example he'd found. :blink: But ever since, now when I tell the dentist, I get numb right quick, lol.
Eww, never had stitches in the mouth, yep, I'm really glad you're better!
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Areial
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Et'Ada
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Very nice read... love the reactions when they found out they all owned the place!!

Glad to hear that part of the dental work is going good.... bone bit's gotta be a errr pain... I'm the opposite, I have no tolerance for narcotic's at all. Dr gave me a script Hydrocodones... one pill and I was out for two days. Went back and asked for some thing a bit more mild... yeah,. He had a hiss fit thinking I had over dosed, until I showed him their was only one pill missing.
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Serethil
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Et'Ada
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Eh, they aren't really "bone" bits, it's whatever gritty stuff they use for grafting. Hey, could have been a lot worse, could have had to get bone from somewhere else in my body for the graft! Ick....
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Grits
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Thane
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I’ve had to tough it through a few no-anesthesia situations, but tooth things make me lose my mind. Not the pain, but that it’s teeth. Freaks me right the heck out. Sere, I hope the filler migration is over!!
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Serethil
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Et'Ada
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Siara N'Gola 41:

Sometimes things work out the way they’re supposed to. And sometimes - well, they don’t, and that can seriously bite you where it hurts.

I had headed into Falkreath - we needed some building materials, iron ore to smelt into ingots (we’d used everything we had to begin with; the mine wasn’t full of iron - wouldn’t be until we could dig some new stopes - and we’d already used the little that was there). Deni rode pillion behind me - time for her to learn how helpful a good horse could be - while also keeping toes out of the way! We chattered a bit, and then I taught her a song or two from my childhood, and she taught me one or two from Bruma. Then she fell asleep against my back, though her arms still clutched me close. I was suddenly reminded that the one thing Amark and I had talked over was children - we both wanted a few....

And just that fast, I lost my composure completely. I sobbed, harsh horrible sounds unaccompanied by the relief of tears. Deni didn’t wake, thankfully. I got myself back together - just in time to have a woman in strange leathers leap into the road in front of Bat, and when he shied - dumping both of us off his rear - she came at me with daggers that shone evil green in the sunlight.

Deni had been limp, so wasn’t hurt, and I’d ridden all my life so tumbling off a horse landing on my feet with scimitar out was second nature - I AM a warrior after all. I think the woman was startled - she waited just too long to try to reach me with her poisoned blades.... and just that fast, her head was no longer attached to her neck.

I was searching her when Deni crept up beside me. “Wha - what happened? Who is she?”

As I had just removed her hood, and looked down at Deni’s face, though older - and dead - I really didn’t have to say anything....

Deni’s eyes got as round as Masser at the full. “Ma.”

“Aye. I thought so as soon as I saw her face.” I dropped to kneel beside the girl. “I’m sorry. I would have tried to talk first - but her daggers carry poison, and one was headed for my face.”

She sobbed, once. Then she turned away. “Deni. I wouldn’t have just killed her without a thought if she hadn’t threatened us. I know - it’s hard to understand....”

She turned back to me, tears streaking her cheeks. “It’s.... fine. I knew what she was - I told you. She left me and never sent much coin though she promised Arnem. I - I’m glad she didn’t get you with the poison....”

I opened my arms to her, and she threw herself against me. We both cried a while. Finally I said “Let’s dig a grave.” She nodded solemnly. So we did, though it wasn’t easy since we hadn’t shovels. We wound up using the poisoned daggers.

She stripped her mother, taking anything of potential value. She handed over to me a note from the woman’s pouch. I put it away to look at later. Then we put the woman in the shallow grave, added what dirt we’d removed, then added stones as large as we could carry or roll over the top.

“Do you want to say a prayer for your mother?”

“Aye.” She closed her eyes, and then said softly “Ma - I hope you’ll find a better life in the next world.” Deni looked up at me, set her jaw and chin firmly, and headed for Bat. She scrambled up his side on her own, and straddled the pillion pad as if she’d been doing it forever.

I would have cheerfully gone the rest of my days without having this particular assassin find us on the road. Poor Denira. She had known she wasn’t valued. She had known her mother plied a trade in some ways even worse than the whores who sold their bodies when they had nothing else to barter. But this was a disastrous way to end the promise I’d made to look for her mother.... I had no idea what to say - if anything. So I mounted in front of her, and saying nothing at all for the time, headed on into Falkreath.

Returning to the Ridge was as silent a journey. I simply had no idea what to say, what to offer. We’d bought things from the blacksmith and the shopman, and Bat’s saddle packs were full, as was the pack of the back frame I wore. It was rising dusk when Deni slithered down to open the gate - it seemed there were no sentries.... That wouldn’t do. But that was a discussion for the morrow.

I sent her with a silent push toward the fire where the women were putting a meal together. Then I dealt with the goods I’d bought, untacked and brushed my horse, gave him a bait of grain for his efforts, and turned him into the paddock. My feet moved reluctantly toward the family - I was sure Deni would have told them the worst - she’d certainly had long enough to explain, as I’d made sure to take enough time to give it her.

But sometimes - what you expect is not as bad as you were thinking it would be. That’s to make up for things going about as wrong as they possibly could have I suppose.

Deni’s small body hurtled out of the firelight into me, all but tumbling me to the ground. She threw her arms around me and simply held on tight. I picked her up and carried her back to the fire and the family. There were smiles around, and Selalla stood, greeting me as a favored daughter. That was strange.... as had been Deni grabbing me.

I smiled as much as I could, but my heart was hurting. Of all the awful things this child had borne, today had added one that I was only hoping - not expecting - that she could forgive. If she couldn’t forgive me - well, I would burn in a hell of my own making....

Deni squirmed to get down, and I set her on her feet, giving her a little nudge toward the food. No matter if she was distressed, she had to be hungry. Instead of getting food though, she went to Selalla, standing just in front of the family’s matriarch, facing me.

“So. Denira has said what happened on the road. No blame to you, none - one must protect oneself. And had you died, who would have saved the child? The mother who chose to assassinate at the behest of others, and for money? I think not.” She paused, looking long into the fire.

I wasn’t able to utter a word. I just didn’t know what to say, or do. I shook my head, and a tear leaked from my eye - I was surprised there were any left....

“See you, Siara now of our family, as liege and leader. Denira has said to me that she wishes you for her mother, since the one of whom she was born lies now in a grave of her own devising. Will you become the mother of this child, now motherless?”

Chills ran over every inch of my flesh. The girl would take me as mother, after I’d killed her own? I nodded, unable to get my tongue working to form the words. But Selalla waited, obviously wanting to hear affirmation. I swallowed against a throat so dry I thought it must have been months since I’d had water.

“I will be mother to Denira, now and always. Whatever needs doing for her I will do. Whatever of ill I can save her, I will. She will be my heir from henceforth. I will love her and care for her.”

The family nodded and murmured approval. Deni walked toward me, and I knelt to hug her. I whispered, “I am sorry. But I am also glad to call you daughter.” She laid her cheek against mine, and our tears mingled.

Sometimes - things work out the best for everyone.
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Andra Hawksdaughter
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Jarl
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That was heartbreaking, and restoring, Sere. Darn it, you made me leak....so well done. :hugs:
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Serethil
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Et'Ada
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Thank you. I didn't know that was going to happen.... until it did.... Boy, that one got me coming and going. That Deni - she's going to be a real problem for some man someday I think.
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Rick
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Ummm......confused here.....so why did Deni's mother.....who was a DB assassin...not a thief....why DID she jump out to attack Siara. She clearly wasn't after reclaiming her kid cos she wouldn't have recognised her at the point of leaping out....and probably cared even less even if she did see her. So was there a motivation or does that reason go to her grave?
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Serethil
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Et'Ada
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Same motive as any DB assassin on the road in the game, I guess. The note (which Siara hasn't read yet) is the standard one signed by Astrid....

Though I imagine there is more to it - but I won't know until we get there....
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Rick
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Jarl
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Ahhhh.....so Siara was actually a DB mark! Oooo....peed someone off then! I didn't realise that bit was actual gameplay rather than RP...blurred lines. Ok...on track!
Edited by Rick, Aug 7 2016, 10:00 PM.
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Serethil
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Et'Ada
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Yah.... and I can think of a few reasons.... but we'll have to see.
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Kane
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:hugs: Great stuff, as always, Sere. Very moving. :rose:
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Areial
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Et'Ada
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Heart-breakingly beautiful...
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Grits
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Thane
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Oh my goodness. Just… wow. That was shocking and heartbreaking and hopeful. What a chapter!
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Serethil
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Et'Ada
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Thanks to all of you. This was one of those where I was in tears too....

I've got some stuff to work out before the next chapter gets posted. Might not be tonight.... gotta go dig around in the wikis....
Edited by Serethil, Aug 8 2016, 07:13 PM.
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Kane
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:book:
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Serethil
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Et'Ada
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Siara's Tale 42:

In the morning, I suddenly bethought me of the note Deni had taken from her dead mother’s pouch. What had I done with it? Ah, I’d stuffed it into the cantle pack on Bat’s saddle. I retrieved it, and opened it.

“As instructed, you are to eliminate Siara N’Gola by any means necessary. The Black Sacrament has been performed - somebody wants this poor fool dead.

We've already received payment for the contract. Failure is not an option.

- Astrid”


What? Someone had PAID to have me killed? Who? And.... why? Was there a possible link to Hammerfell’s problem with the Princes? Too many questions, with no immediate answers.... I wasn’t even sure where to start looking for those answers.

Andur came up to me just then, and sent me a look. “What troubles you, Lady?”

I handed him the note. His eyebrows flew toward his hairline. “I have no idea what this is about. I don’t think I’ve been in this province long enough to make enemies....”

He shook his head. “Would those of Hammerfell have contact here with these assassins?”

“I don’t know. But I’ve no enemies there either - except maybe for the Princes. But - they don’t know yet that I will do what I can to fix the problems they’re causing - unless they can read minds.”

“This is very odd, Lady. Somehow, it smacks of manipulation - that the assassin would have been Denira’s mother.”

I hadn’t thought of that. “You’re right. But since we don’t know why, or how to find out.... Well, I suppose you can say we’re forewarned.” I stared at the note for a few moments, then folded it and put it into my small belt pouch. “I need to talk to your mother and the other women about certain things. And then, I think we might go talk to the Jarl’s steward about bounties. We are somewhat low on coin, and before we can start digging new stopes in the mine, we need the coin for fittings and more tools.”

He nodded. “Will we want Arnem or one of the other men along?”

“Not just to talk bounties - but for the doing of it, yes.”

Early afternoon found us back in Falkreath. The steward had a bounty available - cleaning bandits out of a mine near Riverwood. We took it, and gladly returned to the Ridge.

“Andur, pick who should go with us. We’ll leave at daylight.”

For three warriors of Hammerfell, a mine with seven indolent, lazy, untaught bandits was not much of a challenge. Andur, Arnem and I mowed them down, allowing no quarter. We took what valuables were there, including some ore and ingots, and a fair amount of septims. We posted the steward’s notice on the entrance to the mine as she’d asked, before heading back to Falkreath.

“Lady. I know you are angry. But we must do what requires doing. The Jarl is parsimonious. Perhaps we would do better to go into a different hold?”

I could have chewed nails. I was supremely glad that the mine had been easy to clear - and that we’d taken anything of value, for the steward had paid us only one hundred septims. It was a good thing we were family - otherwise we’d have had to split the coin. As we rode into the Ridge, I dismounted and handed Bat’s reins to Arnem and said to Andur, “I’ll hand the packs over to Selalla. And then we’d best eat and discuss further. We won’t get enough coin doing bounties; I doubt any of the Jarls pay more. Think on this: we might need to deal with some of the large ruins instead.”

He nodded, but looked uncomfortable. So, likely they would all be leery of what amounted to grave-robbing. I sighed. I wasn’t sure what to do then. I handed over the saddle packs to Selalla, and explained the situation to her.

“Huh. I will think on it, daughter. Something needs to be done - there are too many of us, not enough garden space, and while the mine could work for us, we have much to do before it can be viable.”

“I know it. We’d best tell all at night meal; everyone should think it over.” She nodded, her eyes as worried as my own.

“On the morrow, I will go into the town and sell the goods we do not wish to keep. I will take Deni with me, and if you would drive the wagon?”

I smiled. “I will. We will see what we have when the goods are sold. Perhaps it will be enough to start with.” I didn’t think so.... but I had been wrong before.

After night meal, I sent Deni to bed, since we’d be up early and have a fairly long day. I went in before she was asleep, to say good night to her. She was drowsy, but roused to hug me. I waited until she dropped off into sleep, thinking that of all the things I wished to do, helping her to become a woman of character was the most important.

Of course, never having been a parent before, I had absolutely NO idea how to do that. I hoped Selalla could help....
Edited by Serethil, Aug 9 2016, 08:34 PM.
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Areial
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Et'Ada
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Great read, love how she is unsure about parenting, but more than willing to ask!
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