Shadows of Crimson

by Bosmer41

Taalindrel is trying to get used to life in Skyrim, and he's still grieving over the loss of his friend.

Crimson and Shadow

I

"Namira preserve me.", I prayed silently. The gurgling sound of hunger in my stomach, conjoined with the lurching of the cart made me sick, as I opened my eyes. As they adjusted to the light, before me sat a burly man with bright blonde hair and with a light yellow goatee. Looking over him, I looked at him as a Stormcloak, member of Ulfric Stormcloak's rebellion, a "true son of Skyrim". I saw him as only a traitor. Beside him sat a skimpy man, with only a ragged tunic and footwraps, like mine. When I made contact with him, he said to me,"Hey. You're waking up!" I looked around, and looked at the skimpy Breton. I sneered, as I said, "You look like that fox I saw yesterday. "Skittish and restrained". He had sort of a cross between a glare and a saddened look. He spoke in a quivering tone. "Funny, is it? That a man can no longer be with his family!?" I sneered again, saying, "But you have no family, do you? Horse thief?" He looked away. We entered a small village. The Nord spoke. "So, horse thief, where ya from? A Nord's last thoughts should be of home." The Breton looked up. "Rorikstead. I'm….I'm from Rorikstead.", He said, yet not long after he said it, he spoke again, this time in a frightened tone. "Wait! Why are we stopping!?". The Nord then glared at him, saying, "What do you think? End of the line!".

II

"Step to the block when we call your name! One at a time!", said the Captain. Beside her, stood a man with the same physique of the Nord. He carried a wood board, with most likely paper on it, and a large quill. He rattled off a few names, and then came to my section. "Ulfric Stormcloak, Jarl of Windhelm.". The Nord with the cloth over his mouth came forward. The yellow haired Nord spoke defiantly. "It has been an honor, Jarl Ulfric!". The quill-man continued. "Ralof of Riverwood.". The yellow haired Nord walked over. "Lokir, of Rorikstead.". So that was the thief's name. He ran forward, and said, "No! I'm not a rebel! You can't do this!". He started sprinting. The Captain shouted, "Halt!. Lokir responded with roaring back, "You're not gonna kill me!". As the Captain yelled the command, a soldier raised his bow, and Lokir lay dead in the middle of the road. I stepped forward, saying "Taalindral, of Valenwood." The Imperial spoke, saying" Not many wood elves would come to Skyrim alone." This made me want to sink an arrow into the soft flesh of his neck, or maybe my daggers into the base of his spine. Yet sadly, they had been confiscated and taken away when I was wrongfully captured. He continued. "Captain, what should we do? He's not on the list?". The Captain grew furious, although something about an Imperial woman's face looking angry was very funny. "Forget the list! He goes to the block!". The registrar's face grew sympathetic. He looked to me, and said, "I'm sorry. We'll make sure your remains are returned to Valenwood".

III

8 months earlier…

"Hey, Taal! Wanna go to the meadery!?", said a man. He wore simple blue hooded robes, with an Elven dagger, which seemed to glow with a flame-like aurora. In which I, wearing my hunting gear of earthy brown leather, with my hood in rough shape, and my bow in hand, had missed a rabbit which was about 500 yards in front of me. I turned to him with a disgruntled look, and said, "Yeah. Sure. Maybe I'll get ale and pour over your head and stuff your face in a damn sweet roll! You just made me miss that rabbit!, Tathinel!". The hooded Elf laughed, almost uncontrollably. "As if we don't have enough of them! We already have five! Five! As well as three deer, and don't tell me we don't have enough fish. By Auriel, we have so many, we could feed all of Whiterun!". This made me chuckle, a bit. "You sure are good with…". I stooped down in the brush, dragging Tathinel with me. "What in Oblivion is it?", he said. I shushed him, dragging him further into the brush. "Look between the trees in front of us. In that small alcove. See?". Indeed, he did. In a small space carved from the hillside, stood a beast with light brown colored fur, and massive teeth and claws, capable of turning a man, beast race, or Elf inside out. "Oh, I do see. The sabre cat?". My face gleamed with excitement. "Yeah. That will be our last kill, and then we're done." I unslung my bow from my back, and knocked the gold-tipped arrow to the string. Breathing in deeply, I counted backward from ten. I only got to seven when I heard an explosion. Noticing my friend had disappeared, I abandoned the big cat, and after slinging my bow, drew my daggers and went in search of Tahthinel. Better then shout his name and have some unknown threat approach me, I whispered loudly. Nothing at first, yet after a few steps, I heard his bloodcurdling cry. "TAALINDREL! HELP''.

IV

"Tarthinel! Where are you!?'', I shouted. Not caring about the attraction of a wolf, or bear, I ran toward the sound of my friend's cries. I squinted my eyes, and, looking through the clearing, saw flames being thrown in a volley back and forth, and hearing an excruciating cry of pain. "TARTHINEL!'', I roared. It was at this moment that a large fireball, that not even the mages at Winterhold could accomplish, erupted from the center of the clearing. I had never sprinted so fast in my life, not even when that werewolf had chased me back in Solstheim. But that's a different story for another time. When I jumped into the clearing, I was horrified. Tarthinel lay against a fallen tree trunk, freshly charred. Uhh…the tree trunk, not Tarthinel. As I ran to him, another fireball flew past may face, so close that I could feel the hairs of my eyebrows singe, as I stared into the white hot ball of flames that now flickered in the grass. I looked to the right, and saw the most dangerous and strangely attractive creature in Oblivion. An atronach. A flame atronach to be exact. Although this one was different. In place of the original red, yellow, and orange flames, this one was blue, green, and white. I readied my bow, and drew the string, arrow knocked, to my lips. I mouthed a blessing, with then gave the arrow a frosty tint, and as I let the arrow fly, so did the ball of flame. Yet at that exact moment, a large force threw me to the ground, and I fell unconscious. When I regained my vision and my surroundings, I awoke to a terrible headache. The area around was barren in a large circle. The remains of the atronach laid at my feet, but Tarthinel, was nowhere in sight. Nothing except his Elven dagger buried in the earth. My friend was gone, never to be seen again.

V

That was the only thing that I remembered about the attack was giant wings, the same sputtering flames and balls of fire that I witnessed before and after Tarthinel's disappearance, and leaving with Hadvar. That was the Imperial who had the quill and paper, writing off names. Now….now I sit here in Jorvaskrr, mead hall of the Companions, as the Harbinger. With Kodlak dead, at the hands of the damn Silver Hands, I serve as advisor, and hold the respect of everyone throughout the nine holds. Cured of my lycanthropy, and curing everyone, except Aela, of it as well, we all are celebrating Kodlak's entrance in Sovngarde, which to my knowledge, is where all Nord's go after death. Vilkas spoke to all of us. "To Kodlak, may his soul rest forever in the hall of Shor! And to Taalidrel, may he reign supreme as Mast…..I mean, Harbinger, of us all!''. I stood up, and held my hands, in an attempt to calm them. "Thank you, my friends. I shall hold this title as nobly as I can. I have no knowledge of Nordic tradition, and what little I do is very vauge. So, I say this to you….to The Companions, may we prosper and become known throughout Tamriel!''. This I got a chant out of. As everyone resumed celebrating, I walked to the door of the bed hall. As I entered my room, I heard footsteps behind me, knowing them of Aela. "By now, my little hunter, you should know you can't sneak up on Me.'', I said. She looked sort of embarrassed. She made a shy smile. She walked closer. She stuttered a bit. "Taal…um…..I…was wondering….uh…may-…maybe….well, I-", that was all she got before our lips touched. She seemed shocked when we were done. As she stepped back, she said, "I'm so sorry! I don't know what came over me! I-!'', and again it happened. Yet this time, I brought her close, and grabbed her hips. I turned to the door, still kissing her, and shut the door.