Cearbhail:
Ok, everyone. I have the new chapter done. I won't lie... it gets pretty dark. But either way, I can also guarantee that you WILL figure out what I have planned, but at the same time ... you will NOT know even half of what I have planned. I'm sure it's confusing, but at the same time, when it happens, you WILL figure out which parts you weren't supposed to know, and which ones you were supposed to. It's all tied into the plot... the stuff you can't possibly know yet. And...well... you'll see after a few chapters, like five or something. Five really stupid long chapters about one quest. :P yes, you know who you are.
Oh...and enjoy. ^^
Dear diary of shadows,
Wow… Just wow. Things have happened today. I thought it was just going to be another day of practicing my Fire, or Air, or Frost, Ash, Earth. One of those elements. The original premise was that Father and Mother were going to increase my instinctual use of all those elements before moving on to new ones. Things took a different turn though. Father and Mother introduced a new type of magicka: Compatibility. It's when two mages combine their magicka together to create a stronger force. I wanted to try this Compatibility out with Seth but Father dragged me away to teach me Shock instead. He thinks I'm not capable of learning it yet, but he seems to think I'll need it soon. I hope he's not right, because that would mean that I will have to use a form of magicka I'm not familiar with… a situation where no other magicka that I know could possibly come in handy. In what way could that be possible? I don't know, but I hope that when that time comes… I know how to use Shock.
Anyway, we're on our way to Raven Rock now. Second Councilor wants to speak to Father and me. Father brought Mother, and I brought Seth and Zera. We're totally going to do something, I'm sure. Captain Neloth hasn't said what this emergency meeting pertains too, but we have a full escort of Redoran guards. They look stronger than they did last year, and it's not like I've had reason to go to Raven Rock except to buy the occasional set of candles or something. Anyway, we're coming to the bulwark now.
Veselle Tenvanni.
…
I know it's been a few weeks since I've set foot in Raven Rock, and I know that when living in a small town it's easy to be overwhelmed by the fact that I'm always around the same people. It easy to think that a normal day is being surrounded by the same amount of people. And it's because of this…whenever I step foot into Raven Rock, I expect there to be a lot of people around. So, it's a natural feeling for me to step into this larger town and expect there to more people than I can imagine walking around the marketplace, even though I know that there aren't a lot of people living here. Even so, even though I know this fact ... this town felt like a ghost town today. The marketplace was filled with only guards. I didn't see any open market stall, no miners dragging carts of ebony around. It was eerie.
The Redoran guards stopped escorting us once we came up to the Second Councilor's home. They started forming up around a circle formation around the door to the house. I looked up at Dad. "So… do we just go inside or…?"
He sighed as he looked at Captain Veleth. "I have noticed the excess amount of Redoran guarding the house. May I ask why?"
Captain Veleth looked away from us as he answered. "You will find out inside, Neloth."
Dad grunted. He looked at Mom, who nodded to him like she understood something I was missing. I didn't really understand what was going on, but I knew it wasn't good. This town seemed to be under a spell, and it felt like it was revolving around us. I didn't like it one bit, but I was afraid to say something. I thought if I brought it up, it would suddenly become real. Like it would know that I knew about it and then take a tangible shape, maybe try to kill me too. I tried to calm my nerves as Dad looked down at me. "Apprentice, do you remember your bracelet I gave you for your birthday?"
I thought about the bracelet on my arm. I remember it alright. He made sure I understood what it was when he gave it to me. If you ever find yourself in an ambush and need to get away, activate this bracelet. It will teleport you to the College in Winterhold. You will be safe there. Brelyna or myself will come to collect you later. If he was saying that… did he expect trouble here in Raven Rock? I looked around at the Redoran guards. There were a lot of them, maybe 15. And there were more throughout the town. I didn't doubt that we could fight them if we really needed to, but… why was I thinking this? I knew Captain Veleth! He was a really cool guy! And I knew some of these guards. I saw the red arm bands that identified them as the 'cute girl squad', the squad that looked out for me the days when Mother was trying to kill me. They were pretty cool too. I couldn't just see some of them turning on me now and killing me. Not after all the wonderful times we chatted.
Dad grunted as he turned to the door. He gently pushed it open, ushering me, Seth, and Zera inside before coming in. Mother followed after him, sticking close to the doorway the entire time. There, sitting in a chair, was a tall Dunmer wearing rich robes and a chest plate made of ebony. He sat back in his chair, looking up at us, his eyes glaring and judging. I had a knot forming in my stomach as I suspected that we were on the verge of some war. I remember from my history lessons that the Great Houses were never the greatest of allies, but still worked together unless invading in another House's territory, which our expanding House was beginning to do.
Dad bowed to the Second Councilor. "Second Councilor Adril Arano." He held the bow for a second before saying, "May I inquire as to the reason for your summons?"
Second Councilor nodded as he shifted in his chair. "There are a number of concerns that have been plaguing my mind of late. The very first concern is your House living on this island." Oh crap! I looked around as Dad clenched his fist. His eyes spoke volumes of knowledge that said that he expected this. I hope this didn't lead to some sort of fight. I really didn't want to fight. I looked over at Seth and Zera. They looked just as lost as I did, but Seth seemed eerily calm about this whole situation. Almost like he was following it. Zera looked focused as well. She and Seth both looked like they understood what was going on. Why was I the only one lost here?
Dad looked back at me, nodding his head towards my bracelet. So… it might come to using it after all. I couldn't believe that this was happening. Why now? Seth and Zera didn't have bracelets. What were they going to do if this broke out into a fight? Would they run off on their own, or be captured? Killed? I couldn't just leave them behind. If I grabbed someone, it should take them with me. That would be one way of making sure they got out of here, I guess.
Dad looked back at Second Councilor, nodding his head apologetically. "I understand your trepidation with the strength House Telvanni has acquired, what with our borders stemming so close to each other on this small rock, but I would like to remind you of the promise I gave to House Redoran the moment I settled in Raven Rock."
"You promised to provide any assistance to our town in the hopes of fostering a new alliance between our two Houses." Second Councilor stated, never taking his eyes off of Dad. I felt a small twinge of dark intent surrounding Second Councilor. And there was this…image? I think image was a good word. This sense of something behind him, watching him, directing his actions. "And to thank me for letting you live on this island you bring that…" He looked at Mom, sneering. "witch here. You let her live and grow stronger as she begins producing the massive army that nearly destroyed our two towns a year ago. And worst off, you let her continue to live inside your protected town under House Telvanni rule while under full knowledge that she had committed atrocities against House Redoran."
"With all due respect, Second Councilor, there haven't been any Ash Spawn since I healed Ildari. She was a great help with my experiments involving the heart stones. So much that I have been able to successfully integrate the heart stones into my staves, making our magicka capabilities so much more than they used to be. Soon, I hope that I can use heart stones to help create barriers capable of protecting Raven Rock and Tel Mithryn from future Red Mountain attacks, in case the Ash Spawn ever return."
The Second Councilor nodded to that statement. "Be that as it may, I believe we both know the real reason I've called you in today."
Father nodded. He looked back at Mother, saying, "I do indeed. Ildari and I have wondered when this day would come." What day? What was coming? I looked around the room as I felt a pressure surrounding me, almost pushing me to the floor. The room started to spin and I started to feel a chill over my back. Something was about to happen, and I knew that I couldn't stop it.
Second Councilor snapped his fingers and the door burst open with several guards that formed the perimeter around the doorway stormed into the house. They rushed into the room, grabbing onto Mother's arms, and locking them behind her back with slave cuffs. I was standing too close to her at the time and one of the guards actually shoved me to the floor, kicking me away from Mother as they started locking the cuffs down onto her. "Get back, girl!" He screamed at me as he kicked me back, slamming his boot in my face as he did so.
"Mom!" I screamed as I pushed myself away from the thunderous Redoran guards. I didn't really know what was happening, but the Redoran were attacking my mom! Flames erupted from my body as I struggled to get up. Fear of what they would do to her, and fear of what they would do to me fueled my flames as they spread out across my body. Several guards rushed to unsheathe their swords as they turned to face me. Some in the back started to pull out their bows and arrows, which only made my fear increase the size and strength of my flames. Seth and Zera were right beside me, their flames pouring out of them as well. I glanced at them as I realized that… we were going to die!
"Sir!" One of the guards screamed. "The children are exhibiting malevolent intent!"
"Veselle!" Dad roared at me, shooting me with Shock. It hit me so hard that I flew into the wall behind me. I wasn't the only one hit either. Zera and Seth joined me against the wall. Both of them looked as dazed as I felt. The room spun around me for a few seconds and I found my eyes blurrily glancing around. There was this… dark shadow in the room. It stood in the center, just hovering there. Dark tentacles seemed to stretch out, reaching into the Redoran that gathered in the room. I was so out of it that I actually thought the creature was reaching out for me, Zera, and Seth. They had the dark shadows too, but I didn't seem to have it. Neither did Father or Mother. Everyone else seemed to have a dark aura covering them.
I shook the Shock off and my vision cleared up. The image of the dark floating monster vanished, and so did the images of the black auras. I was left lying paralyzed against the wall as the Redoran returned to forcing my mother to the ground as they bound her up like a New Life Festival present. Second Councilor looked down at me. "Young lady, another outburst like that and you will find yourself in prison along with your mother."
Dad turned to face him. "Second Councilor, I assure you that Veselle was only surprised, maybe scared of what just happened. It was not in any way, shape, or form a malevolent act. House Telvanni, of course, will continue to aid and support you. But I must beg you to release Ildari back into my care."
Second Councilor narrowed his eyes, leaning closer to him as he did so. "And why should I release this murderer to you?"
Father cleared his throat. "Ildari's treatment is ongoing. Without me to look after her, I cannot begin to imagine if she will come to a full recovery. If something goes wrong and she ends up slipping back to her old mindset, I cannot begin to fathom what she will do to this town, or the world."
Second Councilor looked from Dad over to Captain Neloth, who held my mother's head down onto the floorboard. "And do you, Captain Veleth, agree with Lord Neloth based on his conclusion? Or would you recommend a more…permanent solution?"
Veleth considered it for a second, almost like he was fighting something inside him to do it. "I would…" He closed his eyes, squinting hard as he struggled with whatever battle was going on inside him. "I would ex…execute…" he groaned the word out. "execute the witch now so that we could be spared such an event."
Second Councilor nodded his head like he expected the answer. He looked up at Dad, saying, "You heard him. Why should we release a murderer to a rival House Lord when we can simply do what we plan to do anyway? She attacked our people, she must be tried by our laws."
"She also attacked my House, for which I am the only presiding Lord!" Dad almost screamed as diplomatically as he could. "She is under my jurisdiction as such that she is a member of House Telvanni. You might not recognize it, but you have just assaulted a Telvanni Lord, an offense often viewed up by the Great Houses as a declaration of war, Second Councilor."
"A declaration of war?" Second Councilor started to stand from his chair. "This woman murdered my people! If you claim that she is a member of House Telvanni, then it could be stated that House Telvanni has already committed war against House Redoran!"
Dad held his ground fairly well. "I assure you, it was not an act of war. But she did those acts after joining House Telvanni as my apprentice. She is my responsibility, and I will see to her punishment as I see fit. If you wish to punish someone, you must punish her presiding Master, which is me, Master Neloth." Dad said, lifting his chin as he walked up to Second Councilor. "The rules are quite clear in this manner. You cannot punish the apprentice if the master takes blame for the actions given. I failed to prepare my student and it cost my student her sanity. Her momentary lapse of insight and control led to the death of many of House Redoran, an action that was only committed due to my negligence in preparing said student for the effects of the heart stone's power. If there is any blame, it would be in me, not Ildari Sarothril."
I could see Second Councilor sneer as he glared at my father. He finally pounded his hand into the wall, screaming, "Dammit!" He looked from Dad, over to Mom, and then over to me. "Your claim is valid! For there to be retribution, we would have to take it out on you, not the woman that killed innocents. And for us to do that would be dishonorable for the fact that you've upheld our laws splendidly, and were a great help during our times of hardship. And if we ignored your request for transfer of punishment, it would only lead to a war against your House, for which we would not survive. There has to be some form of retribution!"
Dad nodded. "And on that, I agree. So, why don't you get to the real reason you summoned us here."
Second Councilor composed himself, walked over to his little chair, and sat himself back down as posed as a Thalmor at a dinner party. "What makes you think I had other motives for bringing you down here for?"
"You invited my daughter as well." Dad responded. "While I thought you might have invited her down here to be used as leverage for me to sit down and allow you to take advantage of our family, but I do not believe House Redoran is one for petty kidnapping and extortion. That trait belongs to House Dres and House Hlaalu, not the honorable warrior class of Redoran."
"You make a fair point." Second Councilor responded, almost chuckling at the compliment. Man, my dad was pretty good at this. He managed to stay calm most of this entire conversation, never blinking or moving out of his spot as everything around him became chaotic. In fact, the only time he moved was when he shot Shock at me. And I knew why he did it too. He did it to keep me from exploding and getting myself into trouble. He drained all my active magicka away and paralyzed me so that I couldn't make any sudden moves. And that included Seth and Zera too. He was on his own right now, and he wasn't giving an inch to the Second Councilor.
"Sir, what shall we do about this witch?" Captain Veleth asked as he continued to push her face into the floorboard.
"We have yet to reach a conclusion on that." Councilor responded, never taking his eyes off of Dad. "You are right, there was another reason I summoned you. Well, your daughter. You, Master Neloth, have been an excellent ally. You've helped this town enough times that I would offer you a membership to our House if you weren't so hell-bent on bringing your own doomed House back from the ashes." The councilor stood up from his chair and started pacing around. "Your daughter has proven her own worth to this town, and I have decided that your fate, as well as the witch's, will reside on the success of your daughter's mission."
"What?" I tried to scream but my vocal cords were still pretty shot. It came out as more of a gurgle and saliva pouring into my lap, which disgusted me with every second it continued.
Father looked back at me and then over to the councilor. "And what justification did you use to come to that conclusion?"
The Second Councilor smirked. "It's simple, really. You are right in the fact that I cannot hurt your student: Ildari Sarothril. Nor am I able to touch you because of your actions in our town. Retribution must come from somewhere, and we do have a debt system that Morrowind is quite fond of. I expected you to pull Ildari out of the hole by sacrificing yourself, and for which I cannot harm either of you without either coming to war with House Telvanni or punishing our greatest ally… both of which would be dishonorable or simply foolish. But the family debt has always existed for such events as this. Your daughter will take your guilt for you, and she will serve me as penance for your crimes. Your daughter needs to prove her loyalty to House Redoran. She seems like an honest soul, and I know she always does what is right. So…" He looked at me.
I felt him glaring through me as he started at me, then Seth, and then Zera. When he finished looking at us, he smirked and turned to face Captain Veleth.
"I will make you a deal." He spoke to me while keeping his back turned away from me. "In this town…someone is trying to murder Councilor Morvayn, the Head of House Redoran here in Raven Rock. I do not know who is behind this assassination, but I do know why." He turned around, looking down at me as I drooled on myself. Hey! It's not like I wanted to drool or anything, but when I tried to open my mouth earlier to say something to Dad, I couldn't get my mouth to shut. Isn't that always my problem? Can't keep my big mouth shut? "When you recover from your drool fest, talk to Captain Veleth. He will brief you on your assignment. You have 24 hours to find out who is trying to kill Councilor Morvayn. If you fail, I will kill both your parents. Understand?"
I tried to nod but I didn't get anywhere with it.
Cearbhail:
Ok, I lied. Maybe not five chapter. Maybe seven or eight. Not sure.
