Hey Everyone! Here's another chapter, I must admit, I had some writer's block on the last one but hopefully this will be better. Anyway, I don't own Morrowind or Taka, but I do own my characters and the changes that I've mad to the story! Enjoy!
Chapter 9
The next time Larka awoke she found Taka and Krillan beside her.
"Oh good! You're awake! We've been waiting all morning." Taka exclaimed. Larka sat up and Krillan abandoned all pretenses and gave her a big hug.
"Watch the shoulder." Larka warned as she returned it.
"I'm sorry, I was just so worried." Krillan said.
"Yes, so was the chief apparently." Larka said wryly.
"The chief? He was here? He never told us." Taka said, clearly perturbed.
"Well, if either of you heard the explosion of angry Ashlander language the other day it was probably right after he came to see me." Larka said.
"Really? What happened, we heard it." Krillan asked.
"Their magnificent War Leader Jey caught The Chief and I in a rather inappropriate position and got quite mad." Larka said, smirking at the thought.
"But you weren't...you didn't..." Krillan said flabbergasted.
"We didn't." Larka said firmly. "But it seems Jey believes we did. I must say it gives me an evil satisfaction to make her miserable." Larka said with a grin.
"You have every right to! The way she treated us." Taka said angrily.
"Wait. Shouldn't we all be dead now anyway? What exactly is going on in this tribe?" Larka asked standing and walking over to the table where there was another meal for her to eat.
"Well, we haven't gotten many answers; on account that not many can speak our language." Krillan said sitting beside her. "But what we do know is that by all rights we should all be dead, however, the Chief seems to have taken a special interest in us...in you." Krillan said. "We were afraid that the families of the dead soldiers would try and take revenge on you, but it turns out life out here's pretty hard, if they aren't killed by the elements they're killed in training sessions or combat." he finished.
"We've been confined to the camp, but we're aloud to roam where we want within village. We've been waiting 5 days for you to get better. How's your shoulder?" Taka asked.
"Better, it got a bit worse when I had my fall with Liam-The Chief. But WhisperWing mended it again. –Krillan! Stop eating my breakfast!" Larka said swatting his hand away as he reached for a piece of her food.
"Sorry." mumbled Krillan.
"He does it to me too." Taka said with a smile at Krillan.
"How else will I become a big and strong warrior?" He said with a fake pout and a grin to Taka who giggled and flipped her midnight blue hair over one shoulder coyly.
Are they flirting? No! Not Krillan... They are! Larka thought, surprised, as the two grinned at one another.
"Ahem!" Larka cleared her throat loudly, startling the pair out of their own little world. "Would someone like to help me see the camp? Krillan?" she asked. He nodded and stood.
"Larka, we're glad you're better." Taka said.
"Thank you for your concern, I would probably be dead if it wasn't for your help." Larka replied with a sincere smile at the Bosmer, who smiled back. They'll make a good pair of friends, I just hope I never find myself facing the two of them angry, he thought with a smile.
"All right." He said, "Follow me."
After Larka had washed up and combed her hair, letting her silver tresses flow down around her elbows, she and Krillan left the hut. He carried no weapons and advised Larka to do so as well but she stood firm, saying she trusted these people only as far as she could throw them. To that statement Krillan said that she must trust them a lot because she could throw them pretty far. Larka grimaced in annoyance and attached her wakazashi and tanto to her belt.
Upon leaving the hut Larka took a moment to get adjusted to the late afternoon sunlight. Once the sunspots cleared she surveyed the camp. It looked much the same as when she'd seen it at night and during the day, although it was nice to not have to run for her life while enjoying the scenery. Krillan chattered along at her side, explaining whose hut was whose and other details of the tribe. Larka was only half-paying attention. She wished she's taken her hood and veil with her, she was drawing many stares and whispers from the people around her. Some were curious and interested others hateful and angry. Larka put on her assassin's glare and continued walking. Krillan noticed what was happening, "They gave us the same stares when we first began walking through the village." Krillan said referring to Taka and himself. "They'll stop after a while...well, some will stop and be friendly, others will continue being mean. You get used to it." He said.
"We shouldn't have to. Krill we're just here to find out what happened to our wayward mage." Larka said.
"Well, it seems that there's a lot going on besides a dead magician, yes he's dead. A Blight storm got him." Krillan said to Larka's questioning gaze. "We should at least stay to see what the big deal is with you anyway. Taka and I are comfortable here, and you're still healing." Krillan continued.
"So, Taka is staying?" Larka asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes, she says she wants to see you get better." Krillan said blushing.
"And maybe for other reasons as well." Larka said slyly, making Krillan blush even more.
They were walking through the camp and soon came to the chief's hut.
"Are we going in?" Larka asked.
"I think the chief wants to talk to you. He said when you were ready for me to take you here. And you seem ready to me." He said.
"Humph." Larka mumbled and threw her silvery hair over her shoulders, straightened her weapon belt and put on a frosty glare. She still disliked this man, no matter that her life was in his hands.
Upon entering the hut Larka found Liam, Jey and the Wise Woman WhisperWing talking. Jey seemed to be arguing with the pair but stopped when Larka and Krillan entered. She looked at Larka with a glare that clearly said she didn't believe Liam's story and stormed out of the tent. WhisperWing walked over to Larka with her arms wide open and gave her a hug. "I'm so glad you're on your feet again. No thanks to this one." She said looking at Liam.
"It was an accident; you people should learn to believe your chief." He said with feigned hurt, sitting down on a thick mat of made some kind of reed that was on the floor, WhisperWing followed suit and Larka did as well, pausing to resituate her weapons.
"I would think you'd go weaponless in a tribe that has just barely freed you of death." Liam said.
"'Just Barely' is the reason I am carrying weapons Chief." Larka said meeting his gaze.
"Please call me Liam." He said breaking the stare.
"You may call me WinterStar, Chief." Larka said.
"Such formality...but if you wish it WinterStar." He said with a shrug.
"I'll leave now; Taka wants to go for a walk with me when I get back." Krillan said blushing furiously and leaving the hut.
"Now that you're well I suppose you want some answers." WhisperWing said.
"Yes." Larka replied, "And I'd like the whole story."
"The whole story is not clear, even to us." Liam said. "But we will tell it as best we can."
"Firstly, why are we alive at all?" Larka asked.
"You are alive because it is my wish for you, though not all the tribe agrees. You are alive because in my dreams a figure clad in black and bringing a tempest at her heals came to me and asked me, 'What will be done? The time of decision and sacrifice is near, what will become of your people?' And when I saw you, clad in black, taking our people by storm, fighting back when no one else has, I knew you were the one in my dreams." Liam finished.
"So because of a dream I'm alive?" asked Larka skeptically.
"In Ashlander culture dreams are very important and significant." WhisperWing said.
"You are a great and proud warrior WinterStar, as are your friends. I saw something in you that made me stay Jey's hand. Do not question it, all will be revealed in time." Liam said.
"So what now?" Larka asked.
"It would honor us if you and your friends would accept our favor, and let us make you a Clan Friend of the Anazimabrah tribe. Usually there is a task that would determine whether you are worthy but I feel that in your case it has already been proven that you, and your friends, are worthy." Liam said. "There will be those who oppose me, and will say that my lack of experience and youth make me unwise to be a Chief. Yet I stand firm, will you accept?" he asked imploringly. Larka thought over her answer, to have a home at last, even if it was a slightly foreign and strange one to her.
"My friends and I would be honored to accept." She said with a small smile.
"Very good. I will have a celebration feast prepared. You and your friends will be welcomed into the clan tonight." WhisperWing said with a smile, getting up and leaving the tent, leaving Larka and Liam alone.
"I have given thought to my dreams WinterStar." He said. "And I do not know what part you will have to play in our lives but it is true that the legion is pressing our people to move from our settlement, and is trying to put restrictions on what we can and cannot do. I do not know how it will end, yet I am glad that you've come to us. I feel that we will need all the help we can get." He said, looking suddenly tired.
"I will try to aid you and the tribe as best I can Chief." Larka said bowing her head.
"Thank you Larka WinterStar. I'm sure the tribe will come to except you, some may take a while longer but I feel your coming is a blessing." He said with such warmth that Larka blushed and stood up.
"Goodbye. I'll see you at the ceremony." She said shortly and walked out. He should not look at her like that when he's with the War Leader she thought.
No sooner had she left the hut and was walking through a gap in between two huts was she grabbed from behind and pushed up against the wall, pain shooting from her shoulder and from the hand clamped over her windpipe. Looking at her with malevolent red eyes was Jey.
"You think you can just come here and take away everything from me?" she hissed tightening her grip on Larka's windpipe making her gasp. "I'm War Leader to the tribe and mistress to the chief! If I kill you now no one can fault me. I won't let some whore get in my way!" She said. Larka had had enough! She pulled her arm back and rammed her fist into the woman's stomach, making her let go with a gasp.
"There are just a few things you've forgotten though." She said as she spun around with a kick and knocked Jey to the ground. "I'm stronger." She lifted her up and threw her against the wall. "Faster." She said as Jey started to react but Larka had her Wakazashi to her throat. "And unlike all your little underlings, I fight back!" She finished as Jey stared at her wide-eyed. "Don't for one minute think I won't kill you, I've fought a whole host of your warriors and the only way you could stop me was be putting an arrow through me. You're pitiful and it shows." Larka spat forcefully, staring right into Jey's eyes with a fierce gaze. "I'm letting you go now, but if you or anyone else in this tribe tries to hurt me again I'll see to it that you and everyone else who follows you are taken care of. Understand." The last part wasn't a question, it was an order. Jey nodded and Larka took her blade from the woman's throat. "Good day." Larka said turning and walking off.
The fight with Jey had some drawbacks; her shoulder and stab wound to the back were bleeding again. But those were it, and WhisperWing took care of those easily. "Would you like a dress or a new outfit to wear to the feast tonight?" she asked Larka as she bandaged her wounds.
"No, I'll wear my black clothing, it fits me better and I'm at home in it, though it is starting to become rather ragged." Larka replied.
"I'll see what can be done about clothing, I trust you like dark colors?" WhisperWing said with a smile.
"That would be correct, and I think Krillan and Taka will need some new things as well." She said.
"I'll see what can be done." WhisperWing said finishing the bandage and leaving the tent to let Larka get ready.
She set about combing her hair and pulling it half back securing it in the center. An elegant hairstyle that kept all but a few of her tresses out of her eyes letting two short locks out to frame her face. Then after putting her black boots and leather bodice on she secured her Wakazashi and tanto to her belt. Here I go, she thought, stepping out of the tent to the center of the camp where the feast would be held.
Making her way to the center she found that most of the angry stares were gone, and a few people even came up to her and introduced themselves in choppy language of the empire. Larka smiled and introduced herself as well, trying to be sociable, even though she hadn't had much practice in interacting with people. 'An assassin's job is to be invisible, to stay out of sight and out of mind.' Her old friend had said. Larka was having trouble doing that lately.
She was glad when they reached the center and she broke away from the crowd to go to Taka and Krillan.
They were standing together talking adamantly and smiling, they did make a good match, Larka thought. They both looked elegant tonight as well. Taka still wore her ninja suit and fingerless glove, though her midnight blue hair was pulled back in a many strand braid, looking very beautiful. She was without weapons and stood relaxed. Krillan as well looked special, his armor and weapons gone he wore tan pants and a burgundy tunic, his hair looking as neat as it ever could. They both turned to her as she approached.
"Don't we all look special tonight?" Taka said cheerfully.
"Well a certain two females I see look quite the same as usual to me." Krillan said, Larka and Taka laughed, both aware that they hadn't budged an inch in their attire.
"Your hair looks beautiful though." Taka said to Larka.
"And yours." Larka said.
"It took some time, and I had WhisperWing's help." Taka replied.
"Ahem. You both look fabulous, but if we could turn the conversation away from hair you might notice that we're all gathering." Krillan said. The tribe was indeed gathering and the three followed suit. Liam stood in the center, giving an opening speech in Ashlander language. The three made their way to the front of the crowd, where WhisperWing and Jey stood. Jey grimaced at Larka but held her tongue, not forgetting their 'talk'. After the speech was over WhisperWing went up and gave her prayer to the Ancestors for health and prosperity, so Liam said, coming to stand beside her. Larka jumped at his smooth voice in her ear. A shiver went up her spine, and it had nothing to do with the cold. She made a pretense of resituating her weapons and moved away to Taka, who gave a very pointed took of, 'hmm, what do we have here?' Larka gave her a warning glare and stood at attention, listening to the alien language flow over her. I'll have to learn it, she thought, but it won't be so bad, maybe Liam could teach me. No! She thought, why should he teach me? I'll get help from WhisperWing.
WhisperWing's speech was done and Liam went up beckoning Larka, Taka, and Krillan up. He said more in Ashlander, a short speech that WhisperWing said told of their deeds and of their worthiness of becoming Clan Friends. Then, going up to each of them in turn Liam held a hand to each of their chests, just above the heart, blue magic flowing from his hand and down the body. On each of their upper left arms and just above the heart were black markings, made painlessly and permanently. With many flourishes and twists the markings wound around their upper arms and onto the back of her shoulder blades, showing them as Clan Friends and a flourished half moon with a raven silhouette above the heart, the symbol of the tribe. None of them saw the marks, for they all wore cloths, yet they could feel them, and the magic coursing through their bodies and staying there. The magic of the Ashlanders. They were now Clan Friends of the Anazimabrah tribe, and Larka felt that things were definitely going to get interesting from there on out.
