Then they laughed some more. Outside, the children played exhilaratingly
with the flamboyant netch. They hopped and jumped to pull on the netchs'
tendrils, while the netch teased them willingly.
The weeks passed and the summer became fall. The rain has rarely ever been so frequent, Arcata remembered several times in her childhood when it had. Back in Vivec, though. They went to catch some fish sometimes, because the unusual rain made unusually good fishing. A week after the first snowfall on the plains, Uncle Gul took Kenil and her hunting since any work on the crops that could be done was done. Arcata accompanied first, weary that she might fall at one point like a remnant of the distant night not so long ago.
The snow fell even more that year than it usually had. When it became spring again, the family had already grown warmhearted of the newcomer, to the point of where they took her as their own child.
Then, one time when Master Omani came for a call, and brought his netch along, and Kenil and Sierra were with the netch with Uncle Gul alongside, Arcata spoke to Master Omani about the very unusual weather. Master Omani was complaining about his netch being denied of sunlight. It was agitating his herds, now most were skinnier than usual.
Suddenly, a shriek came from the door, then Uncle Gul's voice with a large bang. The door opened, and in came Uncle Gul carrying Sierra once more, as before. Sierra's arms were wrought with what appeared as whip wounds. Tendrils, the netch. Kenil tailed behind them with a horrifying face. He, too, had wounds but less serious. Uncle Gul on the other hand, had slash marks on his back, and one very close to his neck.
"Oh Alymsivi!" Cried Arcata, "The netch! I had been watching!"
Granther noticed the netch, now looking like little dots on the far plain. His attention returned to Sierra and Kenil and Uncle Gul. Sierra was moaning, and Kenil was shouting, "I never want to see the netch, again! Never!"
The adults examined the cuts, and out came a cry from Arcata. Sierra's neck had been slashed, and blood was gathering all over.
For the next few days, the weather poured. Arcata began to truly think something about the clouds was connected with Sierra, perhaps she was a daedra, or an aedra, then she shook her head. It was all a coincidence. But how did the netch become violent? She knew that animals could sense things that no being, Men or Mer, could. What if they sensed something horrible in Sierra? And were afraid? This she had gone all over with Granther and Muthera Omani. Omani was bedazzled, stating that never had the netch reacted this badly.
Years later, when Kenil remembered those days when they prayed to the gods for they then thought she might die, he also remembered the rain as it poured more than ever before. Like a flood. It was as if the gods themselves were angry at such an injury. But amazingly, the neck wound healed, and her cheeks were full of flush a week later. Of course, later his mother on her deathbed told him of the entire story, about his father. His father had once been one of those outlaws who happened to sneak near the regions around Pelagiad and Balmora at the right time and place. His profession, as it was called, was to commit crime. He was a bandit. He stole things from adventurers, who trespassed his brigand's 'territory', sometimes even resorting to killing, or kidnapping if it was deemed more profitable. One time, his band had found a caravan sending Hiaalu servants and treasury from Balmora to Vivec. Arcata had been on that trip, for she had just recently finished her learning with a well-known mistress in a manor at Balmora. At that time, the Band had planned for months for the caravan to pass. When it finally did, the band attacked. The guards were decapitated, and as it turned out, there were no treasure, no rare weapons, no valued ornaments, no diamonds or rubies or gems, nothing. Nothing except a young woman dressed up pretty as if marriage was planned out for her. It turned out it was, because the woman wouldn't stop repeating to herself her dumb luck and the disgrace it all would look on her family especially her house if her marriage were halted because of this, which she pleaded for them to led her go.
Frustrated for the lack of everything except the woman, the bandleader noticed the potential value of the situation. Considering how the woman were to be a bride and certainly that was of some significant value. Thus, the idea of ransom entered the brigand's mindset. Over the following days, Granther was told to guard her at all costs, while the rest of the band went on the search for other unfortunate travelers. Several times, she was nearly raped, but due to Granther she was not. Granther, too, was not just protective, but was also kind to her. He had sympathy for her, who was dressed in the prettiest of all gowns.
As the days passed and Granther 'the thug' as she initially referred to him became Granther the Guard, to Granther's bewilderment, and to her fortune, he had sudden fallen in love (or in lust which eventually turned into love) with her. It was ironic then, here she was, fully clad up for an honorable wedding, prepared as the best mistress by the very best, yet suddenly, too, falling in love with the dirtiest of all men, an outlaw, not a smuggler but a thug. It was a most romantic thing, and the most advantageous thing that could have occurred for Arcata.
One day as the two spoke to each in that daring way all new lovers spoke, a crash was heard from the bandit's camp, and at last, Hiaalu guards encircled Arcata and Granther. Granther was put up for beheading, but Arcata pleaded for his release, and eventually that was so. But all her title and lands and prospect of a decent marriage within high society were lost. And that is why, even today, Granther and Arcata live together on a poor farm out of society's eye.
Kenil watched the netch being gathered again by Master Omani. "The netch are peaceful animals," master Omani had said, "it's very rare to see it do anything worth attention. You simply watch it graze, and when the time comes for mating, make sure you get the bull netch over and let them mate. There's nothing to it. Just don't poke them hard and they won't hurt you."
By now, the clouds were up high again and the sun was nowhere to be seen. The netch were at their usual temper now, no longer startling with their tendrils whipping every which way. Kenil was scared then. But now that he saw the netch, again, he feared them no more. How did it happen? He would never know. Sierra hadn't done anything wrong and Uncle Gul was standing not far away, and he had been jumping up to grab one of their vines, which Kenil did all the time and nothing happened then.
Kenil looked sideways at the bed on the far side where Sierra was laid out half asleep. The Omani doctor had come and stayed with them for most of the day, then he just said, "There's nothing I can do here." And he returned back to the manor, which he came. The blood was no longer flowing in rivulets, and Sierra, for the moment seemed peaceful with his mother by her side. The sun, if one could see it, by now would be near the horizon, over the vast plains and trees. They lived mostly inland. The beach was very far and it took a long time walking to get there. But when they did it was fun to play in the sand with someone other than himself. He worried that they might never do such things again. Over the year he and Sierra shared much fun together, and upon much doubt, he truly wished, pondered even, that when he grew up.
Sierra began to moan, again. Kenil lost all track of thought and ran towards Sierra lying on the bed. Granther came, and stayed a while, but nevertheless he went back outside to work in the fields, tending the crops. Granther didn't want to show much weakness, which is probably why he went away. Kenil remained by her bedside, hoping against all signs.
Long into the night, she moaned. Her occasional shrieks frightened Kenil much, but he nevertheless held her hand tighter with each. It was happening all over again, except this time Kenil cared a deeper care. It began raining again outside. A great thunderstorm then followed. The thunder rocked the little farmhouse and the lightening probably split trees in half. If it were not for the rain, too, there might have been a fire somewhere out there.
Kenil didn't sleep at all that night. He kept near Sierra and thought about those days when she was beside him. He remembered last season, when they had ran into the river nearby the farmhouse. Then they made a branch from the trees and stood by each other while they fished. Uncle Gul didn't like to supervise that much, he called it a dumb duty, and passed away the time instead by managing the crops. On that fall day, the trees were ready for the winter, shown by the leaves beginning to color. As little as Sierra would like to admit, she was a dark elf, and dark elves were lustful creatures, boys and girls alike. That day when they were fishing, she had smiled at him curiously. Kenil couldn't help wondering her small ears that bent upwards and pug nose, and a head full of that dark brown hair. Her chest, which had just recently begun to grow into that full feminine blossom, was just beginning to tip. In short, she was beautiful. "No wonder she's giving me a smile," smiled Kenil. He'd been groveling at her for a long time and hadn't noticed himself in the midst of her.
The weeks passed and the summer became fall. The rain has rarely ever been so frequent, Arcata remembered several times in her childhood when it had. Back in Vivec, though. They went to catch some fish sometimes, because the unusual rain made unusually good fishing. A week after the first snowfall on the plains, Uncle Gul took Kenil and her hunting since any work on the crops that could be done was done. Arcata accompanied first, weary that she might fall at one point like a remnant of the distant night not so long ago.
The snow fell even more that year than it usually had. When it became spring again, the family had already grown warmhearted of the newcomer, to the point of where they took her as their own child.
Then, one time when Master Omani came for a call, and brought his netch along, and Kenil and Sierra were with the netch with Uncle Gul alongside, Arcata spoke to Master Omani about the very unusual weather. Master Omani was complaining about his netch being denied of sunlight. It was agitating his herds, now most were skinnier than usual.
Suddenly, a shriek came from the door, then Uncle Gul's voice with a large bang. The door opened, and in came Uncle Gul carrying Sierra once more, as before. Sierra's arms were wrought with what appeared as whip wounds. Tendrils, the netch. Kenil tailed behind them with a horrifying face. He, too, had wounds but less serious. Uncle Gul on the other hand, had slash marks on his back, and one very close to his neck.
"Oh Alymsivi!" Cried Arcata, "The netch! I had been watching!"
Granther noticed the netch, now looking like little dots on the far plain. His attention returned to Sierra and Kenil and Uncle Gul. Sierra was moaning, and Kenil was shouting, "I never want to see the netch, again! Never!"
The adults examined the cuts, and out came a cry from Arcata. Sierra's neck had been slashed, and blood was gathering all over.
For the next few days, the weather poured. Arcata began to truly think something about the clouds was connected with Sierra, perhaps she was a daedra, or an aedra, then she shook her head. It was all a coincidence. But how did the netch become violent? She knew that animals could sense things that no being, Men or Mer, could. What if they sensed something horrible in Sierra? And were afraid? This she had gone all over with Granther and Muthera Omani. Omani was bedazzled, stating that never had the netch reacted this badly.
Years later, when Kenil remembered those days when they prayed to the gods for they then thought she might die, he also remembered the rain as it poured more than ever before. Like a flood. It was as if the gods themselves were angry at such an injury. But amazingly, the neck wound healed, and her cheeks were full of flush a week later. Of course, later his mother on her deathbed told him of the entire story, about his father. His father had once been one of those outlaws who happened to sneak near the regions around Pelagiad and Balmora at the right time and place. His profession, as it was called, was to commit crime. He was a bandit. He stole things from adventurers, who trespassed his brigand's 'territory', sometimes even resorting to killing, or kidnapping if it was deemed more profitable. One time, his band had found a caravan sending Hiaalu servants and treasury from Balmora to Vivec. Arcata had been on that trip, for she had just recently finished her learning with a well-known mistress in a manor at Balmora. At that time, the Band had planned for months for the caravan to pass. When it finally did, the band attacked. The guards were decapitated, and as it turned out, there were no treasure, no rare weapons, no valued ornaments, no diamonds or rubies or gems, nothing. Nothing except a young woman dressed up pretty as if marriage was planned out for her. It turned out it was, because the woman wouldn't stop repeating to herself her dumb luck and the disgrace it all would look on her family especially her house if her marriage were halted because of this, which she pleaded for them to led her go.
Frustrated for the lack of everything except the woman, the bandleader noticed the potential value of the situation. Considering how the woman were to be a bride and certainly that was of some significant value. Thus, the idea of ransom entered the brigand's mindset. Over the following days, Granther was told to guard her at all costs, while the rest of the band went on the search for other unfortunate travelers. Several times, she was nearly raped, but due to Granther she was not. Granther, too, was not just protective, but was also kind to her. He had sympathy for her, who was dressed in the prettiest of all gowns.
As the days passed and Granther 'the thug' as she initially referred to him became Granther the Guard, to Granther's bewilderment, and to her fortune, he had sudden fallen in love (or in lust which eventually turned into love) with her. It was ironic then, here she was, fully clad up for an honorable wedding, prepared as the best mistress by the very best, yet suddenly, too, falling in love with the dirtiest of all men, an outlaw, not a smuggler but a thug. It was a most romantic thing, and the most advantageous thing that could have occurred for Arcata.
One day as the two spoke to each in that daring way all new lovers spoke, a crash was heard from the bandit's camp, and at last, Hiaalu guards encircled Arcata and Granther. Granther was put up for beheading, but Arcata pleaded for his release, and eventually that was so. But all her title and lands and prospect of a decent marriage within high society were lost. And that is why, even today, Granther and Arcata live together on a poor farm out of society's eye.
Kenil watched the netch being gathered again by Master Omani. "The netch are peaceful animals," master Omani had said, "it's very rare to see it do anything worth attention. You simply watch it graze, and when the time comes for mating, make sure you get the bull netch over and let them mate. There's nothing to it. Just don't poke them hard and they won't hurt you."
By now, the clouds were up high again and the sun was nowhere to be seen. The netch were at their usual temper now, no longer startling with their tendrils whipping every which way. Kenil was scared then. But now that he saw the netch, again, he feared them no more. How did it happen? He would never know. Sierra hadn't done anything wrong and Uncle Gul was standing not far away, and he had been jumping up to grab one of their vines, which Kenil did all the time and nothing happened then.
Kenil looked sideways at the bed on the far side where Sierra was laid out half asleep. The Omani doctor had come and stayed with them for most of the day, then he just said, "There's nothing I can do here." And he returned back to the manor, which he came. The blood was no longer flowing in rivulets, and Sierra, for the moment seemed peaceful with his mother by her side. The sun, if one could see it, by now would be near the horizon, over the vast plains and trees. They lived mostly inland. The beach was very far and it took a long time walking to get there. But when they did it was fun to play in the sand with someone other than himself. He worried that they might never do such things again. Over the year he and Sierra shared much fun together, and upon much doubt, he truly wished, pondered even, that when he grew up.
Sierra began to moan, again. Kenil lost all track of thought and ran towards Sierra lying on the bed. Granther came, and stayed a while, but nevertheless he went back outside to work in the fields, tending the crops. Granther didn't want to show much weakness, which is probably why he went away. Kenil remained by her bedside, hoping against all signs.
Long into the night, she moaned. Her occasional shrieks frightened Kenil much, but he nevertheless held her hand tighter with each. It was happening all over again, except this time Kenil cared a deeper care. It began raining again outside. A great thunderstorm then followed. The thunder rocked the little farmhouse and the lightening probably split trees in half. If it were not for the rain, too, there might have been a fire somewhere out there.
Kenil didn't sleep at all that night. He kept near Sierra and thought about those days when she was beside him. He remembered last season, when they had ran into the river nearby the farmhouse. Then they made a branch from the trees and stood by each other while they fished. Uncle Gul didn't like to supervise that much, he called it a dumb duty, and passed away the time instead by managing the crops. On that fall day, the trees were ready for the winter, shown by the leaves beginning to color. As little as Sierra would like to admit, she was a dark elf, and dark elves were lustful creatures, boys and girls alike. That day when they were fishing, she had smiled at him curiously. Kenil couldn't help wondering her small ears that bent upwards and pug nose, and a head full of that dark brown hair. Her chest, which had just recently begun to grow into that full feminine blossom, was just beginning to tip. In short, she was beautiful. "No wonder she's giving me a smile," smiled Kenil. He'd been groveling at her for a long time and hadn't noticed himself in the midst of her.