Seek and Find
Chapter One
When I first saw the letter on my doorstep I was still a bit tipsy from the Mazte. The lettering on the parchment was hard to make out, one reason being that I was drunk of course, but another was that the scribe had very bad handwriting. The words looked foreign to me because of my intoxication and I simply threw the parchment onto one of my tables and forgot about it, until the next day that is.
That following morning I woke with the worst hangover I had ever experienced in my forty-three years of existence, and believe me, This Imperial's had [iplenty[/i of them. When I staggered downstairs from my bedroom the first thing that caught my attention was the shiny red seal of the note I threw down last night. I'll admit that I was a bit curious as to what its contents were, but my headache told me to save it for later.
Again I threw the letter down, hoping my condition would allow me to read it later. I fixed myself a small breakfast in order to help my headache, but alas it was of no use. That's what I get for drinking so much. I've tried to cut down on the alcohol but I just can't. It's not that I drink all day long, it's just that when I [ido[/i drink it seems to always happen late at night, leading to me not getting enough sleep.
After the food didn't work I decided that a nap was the inevitable requirement that would heal my pain, at least for now anyway.
Now I am here lying on my couch attempting to fall asleep. Around ten minutes later, just as I was about to doze off, a rude knock sounded outside my front door.
"[iWho in the world would be knocking at my door eight-thirty in the morning?[/i" I thought to myself.
I got up from the sofa and angrily stomped towards the door, ready to reprimand who it was that made my headache even worse than it already was. When I opened my door there stood a sheepish looking Dunmer. He was wearing fancy clothes and the hands that were tightly clutching a piece of parchment were shaking uncontrollably.
"What do you want? It's eight-thirty in the morning!" I screamed, loud enough to wake the neighbors.
"I'm sorry to bother you sir, but I come on the behalf of Bolvyn Venom." said the Dunmer with a stutter in his voice.
"Bolvyn Venom? Who in Talos's name is that?"
"He is the House Redoran Leader sir. He resides in the city of Ald' Ruhn. My master has sent me to ask if you have yet decided on his offer."
Offer? What offer? Wait…..that's what the letter was about! Well, it seems that it is more important than I had first guessed.
"Well, I …have not yet decided on the matter. Come back tonight and I will have your answer," I lied. I hadn't yet even looked at the note, but of course I couldn't tell him that.
"Yes, I will be back at around nine in the evening. Does that sound alright with you sir?"
"Yes, I suppose that will be okay." I kind of liked being addressed as sir. It made me feel important, but of course on the other hand it made me feel old, something I [ididn't[/i quite like.
Once the Elf left my doorstep I shut the door and went straight for the letter. Headache or not I was going to read it:
[iDear Vitellus Bentien,
I come to you with a great and proposal. It is something that I wish to keep secret, thus meaning that if you want to hear my proposition you will have to travel to my home in Ald' Ruhn. I understand that you live far from my city but I beg you for your help. I have come to understand that you are [iexactly[/i what I need. Please take up on my offer and come to Ald' Ruhn. I promise you will not regret it.
Bolvyn Venom[/i
As soon as I was finished reading the letter I threw it to the ground. Some proposal that was! He wasn't even decent enough to tell me what he wanted. [i"It is something that I wish to keep secret"[/i the Venom person had said! Ha!
I decided that I would not embark on the journey, but of course I still wasn't thinking too clearly, for my headache was getting the best of me at the moment. Now it was time to finally get some rest.
Later on that night another knock sounded outside my house. I answered the door and sure enough it was the same Dunmer that knocked earlier.
"Have you deci…."
I interrupted him before he had a chance to finish his sentence. "I will NOT go to Ald' Ruhn. Your master can find someone else to help him, whatever it is that he needs help with. Besides, how do you suggest that I travel to Ald' Ruhn without even knowing what this Venom person wants?" I yelled at the Dunmer.
Unfortunately for me, the Dunmer was cleverer than I gave him credit for….
"Thank you sir, I', sorry to hear you have declined. I suppose my master can offer the ten-thousand septims to someone else that he deems worthy….."
TEN-THOUSAND SEPTIMS!?!? Those words hit me with such a force that I wasn't sure I heard them correctly.
"Did you say ten-thousand septims?"
"Why yes sir I did. That is the reward my master is offering," said the Dunmer with a slight grin. He knew that he now had me in his grasp.
"Well, maybe I'll just travel to Ald' Ruhn and see what it is this Venom person wants. Tell your master I will be there; I just have to gather my things together. You know…..traveling to Ald' Ruhn will be quite expensive. I'm not sure if I can afford the Stilt Strider's pay." I hinted. Hopefully the Dunmer would lend me some of his master's money so I wouldn't have to use my own.
"Then I guess you'll have to walk sir, I hear the scenery is beautiful this time of the year," smiled the Dunmer as if saying "I'm not that dumb".
"I think I'll just pay the Stilt Strider. Tell your master that I'll meet with him tomorrow night."
"Thank you for your time sir. I assure that you will not regret accepting my master's invitation."
The Dunmer left, this time for good, and I closed the door once more. [i"What did I get myself into?"[/i I thought out loud.
For the past five years I've lived the life of a merchant, selling armor to the people of Pelagiad. Now I find myself perhaps on the verge of an adventure, (depending on what Venom wanted), which was something I haven't been on in some time. Maybe my back round is what attracted the House Redoran Leader…..
A fine captain of the Imperial Legion………that is who I once was, before the indictment that is. I was the leader of an Imperial Legion unit of Rangers. I was respected by my friends and feared by my foes. Things were great…..until the alcohol kicked in.
Let's get one thing straight, drinking is definitely not uncommon within the ranks, but I took that special privilege a little too far.
It all started on a mission in Cyrodiil, (that's where I was stationed at the time). I was leading my unit towards a cave in the southwest that was reported as being used for illegal activities by marauders. Everything was going fine until we were ambushed right inside the cave's entrance. It was a setup, and most of my men were killed the first wave. After the battle was over only me and three other men were left. I thought we had killed all of the marauders, but alas I was sadly mistaken.
Upon exiting the cave we were ambushed yet again, and this time I was the only survivor. Although I took care of the enemy and made it back to the Imperial City, I was emotionally drained and wanted to quit my duties on the spot, but my commander's wouldn't have it. They said I was too important to them to let me quit.
So I was reassigned to a small settlement in the northeast. There I served as commander of the city fort, but it didn't last long. The memories of my fallen men haunted me night after night, until the only thing that would at least temporarily dismiss them from my mind was alcohol.
This new friend of mine [idid[/i help the pain, but like I said, it only helped for a little while. The nightmares would go away for a bit, but they would always come back, as if taunting me for my mistakes.
Soon the sweet liquid got the best of me and I was unable to control myself. I went from Commander to town-drunk. I was expelled from the Imperial Legion for good, and for a while I wasn't sure what to do.
Rather than stay in Cyrodiil I moved over to Vvardenfell and set up a small armor and weapons shop. It wasn't flashy or anything, but it gave me the chance to start a new life. Granted I do still drink, but I am now in control of myself. The memories of my fallen comrades still revisit me in my dreams from time to time, but I have moved on.
I suppose my back round as an Imperial officer [icould[/i have been a reason for Venom to have summoned me, but I highly doubt that. I don't think a leader of House Redoran would ever speak to anyone from the Empire. Oh well, I'd just have to wait and see tomorrow……