"Autumn is probably the best time for travel." She thought aloud, as she often did when alone - or near-alone. Her words reached only her reliable mount as his woolly ears flicked backwards to hear them. She patted his powerful neck a good three times before kicking her bare heels into his flanks, encouraging the great Shire horse to move. His large hooves glided across bare earth and stone, creating that recognizable clopping sound. It was only interrupted on occasion with the crisp sound of crushed leaves. Even now, so early into the season, the small, scale-shaped fliers, painted their royal reds and proper purples, were quitting the trees for their ending days upon the forest floor. She smiled then, enjoying the familiar sight of them. These trees were not unlike those found in her home country of Alpinloche, which Loneychen Fellwind suddenly found herself reminiscing on.
Known in her tongue as "The Treasured Land", Alpinloche was the capital city of her kind. Floating just above the Abecean Sea, It's inhabitants often guided travelers safely to their destinations. They called themselves the Drae, a race of dragon and dragon-like beings who had long perfected the arts of shape-shifting and transformation. From the time they hit puberty a Drae is often able to quickly and painlessly morph into the form of dragon specific to their breed. Most enjoyed living in their prized city, though some adventurous types, and those with the gift of flight, often enjoyed a trip to Tamriel in their spare time.
And this was exactly what the young Drae had planned to do. Though her journey to Cyrodiil wasn't entirely that of a vacation, she still could not help but feel, at least a bit, at home. Here, just inland of the shore between the boarder of Hammerfall and city Anvil, as a cool wind from the sea blew through the few trees about her, atop this tall slope overlooking the waterfront below. This place felt most homely. And she was sad to leave it. For she knew once she entered the port city of Anvil that this pleasant feeling would change.
It was not the largest settlement, nor was it in any manner small. It's residents were known to be quite hardworking and typically fond of foreign cultures. In fact, for any other dragon, Anvil would seem the most appropriate place to begin a journey, so much so that the adventure may be permanently put on hold before it even began, as many Drae found it enjoyable to live there. However for Lo, it's beautiful stone buildings and normally peaceful breeze brought only the promise of hard work.
She had come there, not long before her twenty first birthday, in search of a great teacher. She would search for someone in that city who would take Loney as his apprentice. A Master Swordsman, known to the Drae as Gui, was her mark. He had since changed his name to Marcus Marinus in an attempt to seem more natural to Cyrodiil, and due to his love of this new country, he had dropped or lost all his ties to the Treasured Land. Lo knew not where about in Anvil he lived, just that he was last known to dwell there.
Her mount came to a sudden stop outside the large city doors, though it was not at his master's bidding he did this, as she was still quite lost in thought. He had become aware of strangers, guards who watched each opening to the Port, and was eying them warily as they stood at attention. It took a moment for Lo to realize her horse had stopped, and with her gentle native words she whispered for him to continue. The stallion obliged, though at his own, slowed pace, ears slanted as far forward as his muscles would allow.
"Well met!" greeted a guard, causing the careful mount to stop yet again. Loney smiled and gave a slight wave to the men before sliding out of the saddle she had been seated in. She took her friend tight by the reins and led him gently toward the great gates. "Good morning." Loney replied, bowing slightly. The opposite guard now spoke, "Pardon me, but it has been quite some time since I have greeted new Drae in this city. And at such a sad time as well." Lo's head tilted, sending some of her lose hair into her face. "Has something happened?"
The two guardsman exchanged sidelong glances. "You've not heard?" One began, "A great fire has taken the life of Marcus Marinus.", the other finished. A silence hung over the group for a moment. All that was heard was a slight metallic call, possibly from a departing ship beyond the port wall.
Ding - Ding.
"A fire...?" Loney finally spoke. She still could not believe what she had heard and wondered if maybe this might just be a trick being played to her. Unfortunately, the dour expressions the men now wore on their faces confirmed that they indeed told the truth. "Aboard a ship in the bay. When word of the accident reached Marcus, he sprinted in to help. Unfortunately, as he saved the sailors aboard, he was hit by a falling beam and plunged into the sea. He did not resurface."
Loney had not realized she had dropped her horse's reins. Though he did not move, his impatient snort brought her back to some sense of reality. She quickly collected the lead as she attempted to process all the information given to her. "How...how long ago was this?" she asked, though a target was not directly implied. In fact she likely said it mostly to herself, though an answer did come, "Roughly a week at least. He has been buried just outside the city. I can direct you there if you would like to-". Loney raised a hand to stay his offer. "No," She said, "I did not know him personally, it would not be proper to intrude on his rest."
The men each nodded to her, and the left-hand one made a motion towards the city gateway. "Come, spend tonight in our city. As I understand, your home is quite the distance from here, and you must be weary. Take some time to rest in the gentle breeze." Loney nodded, small and disappointed. She led her steed past the two men and into Anvil.
As she stepped forward solemnly, horse at her side, Lo began to wonder what the meaning of being allowed to come to Anvil was. She knew this argument with herself was pointless, none knew of Gui's death in Alpinloche, so none could tell her not to leave, still, she could not help the feeling of defeat and anger beginning to swell in her heart and mind. As she thought to herself she noticed that her stride had slowed considerably, almost to a crawl, and that members of the town's public were now beginning to stare at her.
Loney was immediately hampered with thoughts on how differently she looked to these folk. Though it was certainly not the first time many had seen Drae in their city, she knew that it was not an every day occurrence to them. She thought of her ears, long with fringed fur. A tail that was sleek and ended in a soft round ball. And feet that resembled possibly those of a daedroth. A set of splintered horns adorned her head, curled at the back, giving off the sheen of one with a healthy diet. These features that were so common among her people, so highly regarded by those that live in Alpinloche, must have been just as strange to the onlookers as their lack of these appendages were to her.
Loney smiled, weak and forced. "Ahbiddo." She spoke the greeting in her language, "Good Morning.". A few members smiled back, equally feeling the awkwardness between them. A few looked to her stallion, who, even by breed standards, was quite large, especially in comparison to the diminutive height of his owner, who stood only 5 feet from the ground. "Might I ask someone to direct me toward an inn?" Loney asked, and almost immediately a middle-aged Argonian woman stepped forward, a smile across her lizard-like lips in a kind, reassuring greeting. "Greetings friend," She said, her voice heavy and raspy, as Argonian voices are, "I am Quill-Weave. Please allow me to escort you to The Count's Arms." Loney nodded.
They walked silently the short distance to the renown inn. At the door, Quill-Weave explained that many gathered there and that rations were available for purchase, alongside the board. Loney thanked the woman, apologizing for her sour attitude. The lizard merely shook her head. "Not at all, Dear." she said, "We all feel this loss." mistaking Loney to be a relative of the deceased Marinus. She did not bother correcting her, and with that, Quill-Weave took leave of her.
Lo tethered her horse to a lamppost outside the Inn. The stallion was not happy to be in this new environment and shifted nervously in place. "Easy, Kadaar." She cooed, patting his neck a good three times before leaving. Even before she opened the large metal doors guarding the Inn, Loney could hear the loud chatter of sailors and common folk alike. Thick accents and deep voices made exact words hard to determine, and the sound reminded her of a flowing river.
As she stepped inside, the light from the rising morning sun illuminated her path, a shadow falling before her, making it easier to see the faces who had turned to look at her. Though no conversation had stopped, Loney felt that eyes were watching her as she made her way toward the bar at the opposite end of the great hall. The Redguard at the table smiled wide in greeting to her, flashing his perfect white teeth, "Good Morning! I'm Wilbur, owner and proprietor of the Count's Arms. Can I help you?"
Through a pleasant conversation with the naturally cheerful man, Loney was able to acquire some rations and a bed. She took an apple out to Kadaar, the horse happy to have some nutrition. She led him back outside the city, to the Horse Whisperer Stables. Again, she was greeted kindly, and Kadaar was untacked and given his own place to rest for the night. Returning inside the gates, free of her immediate concerns, Loney found herself at a loss. What would she do tomorrow, here on the Gold Coast? Would she accept her defeat at the hands of an unpredictable turn of events? Or would she linger here, prolonging her disappointment? Neither option seemed the better route.
Lo sat herself down on a hard bench that was positioned under a great, hanging tree, slumped over, hands on face and elbows on knees. She had a passing image of herself looking quite miserable, but did not linger on it. After a few moments she had decided that tomorrow would be the day for worrying about such things. That she would, for now, just enjoy the bustling, cool town. Soak in Anvil's friendly demeanor and let tomorrow come as it would come.