Heroes of Old
By Kaimaler
Riiiiight, so here we are at chapter two. I've written a few chapters out at the same time to promote readers! I've seen that a lot of stories don't get attention 'till later in their lives so I'm patient and waiting for any and all readers!
Now this is, if I need remind you, the Hero of Kvatch and Savior/Champion of Cyrodill traveling to Thedas. Her first destination is Denerim, the very beating heart of Ferelden. Soon though, we will meet our Hero of Ferelden and the new King Alistair. The Hero of Ferelden is female, she's the Queen, but after meeting them we'll be going straight to Kirkwall and meet M!Hawk. :)
Enjoy!
She was woken with a start. Sounds brought her out of sleep and they were just outside the door. Squeaking boards gave away their positions.
Momentarily, the Hero of Kvatch rested her hand on the hilt of her sword, ready to strike out at the possible assassin. Who could it have been? Thugs hired to slay the Champion? She had put an end to many criminals and slavers; perhaps this was just one particularly angry slave trader.
It took her a minute to remember she was no longer even inside the Empire's land anymore.
When she thought of this, her arrival in Ferelden and Denerim, then her taking shelter in the abandoned building, she claimed herself. Sighing, she rose from her seated spot on the floor, against the wall.
She went to see who was outside her door and confirm that it wasn't just a wild animal scurrying around for food crumbs.
Reaching the door, she could see light coming from outside. The cracks and holes shimmered with sunlight and after noticing the light, the Hero watched as a shadow interrupting the bright orange glow.
It was no animal, it was too tall and, from what she could see using the shadows as guidance; it walked on two legs. It was a person standing outside her door.
Hoping the person wasn't hostile, she didn't really want to fight the locals here, she gripped and twisted the door handle. Refusing to budge, the Hero knew she alerted the person outside. With a hard push, the door freed itself and swung open, scraping against the floor.
Searching for the body of the intruder, the Hero turned to face a short being with pointed ears. Well, almost, the small person was notably shorter then her.
Scared and shaking, the young boy glanced behind her to the open door. He planned to run, but the imposing figure of the mysterious body in front of him frightened him so, he was frozen to the spot, begging to find a way out.
This cloaked figure was as tall as a human but showed nothing.
If she stood there any longer she would be feeding this boy's fear. Instead, she bowed politely, surprising him. "Greetings, child." She rose; the boy stopped shaking and simply stood there, as firmly rooted to the spot as the tree in the center of the alienage was.
"H-hello." He was nervous still; his voice conveyed a deeper fear then just her though. "Who are you?"
"I'm S'jirra; I have traveled a long ways to reach Thedas." She was careful to not show herself, to stop her voice from letting out her race's signature growl as she spoke. It was natural to Khajiit, but it was not the case with others. "I hail from Cyrodiil, the heart of a land called Tamriel."
"You're new here?" He was a young child, no more then ten. Letting his guard down, she knew that if she was actually an enemy, he'd be long gone. Innocence never lost its charm though. "I never heard of Cyrodiil."
"And you won't from anyone but sailors. My land is across the great sea, a very long way from here." She smiled, aware he could not see it. "Do not fear me child, I mean you no harm. Come; let us leave this dark place."
She turned away and led the child to the door, moving away to let him exit first.
His appearance struck her as an Altmer, was this what the alienage held? High Elves?
Once outside, the sun beat down on her. Only now realizing her cloak was soaked and her armor dripping water still. She stretched with a great yawn, her chest releasing a low rumble before silencing it.
"Run along child, return to your family." She and the boy walked around front, with an encouraging pat, the boy smiled and chased after his friends. More Altmer clearly, it affirmed her suspicions.
She was spotted by the locals now leading the child out of the abandoned building, she was sure this worried them. Without a word, she did not desire to put them on edge anymore then they already were. It seemed though, that they would not let her go just like that.
A red haired Altmer approached her head on; she expressed certain dominance above the others. Maybe they were not Altmer? Instead, they could be Bosmer. The country cousins of the Altmer and Dunmer, they were shorter, but not that short like the red haired elf walking to her now. Was it different here in Ferelden? It certainly seemed such.
"What are you doing here, shem?" She crossed her arms defensively. S'jirra must've already touched a nerve by interacting with the elven child.
"Visiting, ma'am." She did the same with this fiery haired elf as she did with the boy. A low bow showed her as an ally, that she held no ill will against her people. "I am S'jirra and I hail from Cyrodiil, part of Tamriel as I had told the child. I apologize if I have broken an unknown rule."
A little stunned by the polite speech, she didn't let herself falter. "I'm Shianni, Elder of this Elven Alienage." She never heard of Cyrodiil or Tamriel, yet it interested her. To say the least.
"Why are you here then, hiding in that old house?"
S'jirra looked to the side, seeing the building on its last limbs made her wonder what possessed her to step inside that building. "I was sleeping. I arrived late at night and I have no taste for inns. The smell is offensive."
Chuckling, Shianni nodded her agreement. "Yeah, I know what you mean." She shook her head at S'jirra, "If you want to stay, that's okay, just don't get in the way of the workers and you'll be fine."
Nodding, S'jirra watched many an elf pass by. Bosmer? Perhaps. Altmer? Too short. She wanted to know, what kind of elf they are. "I do not mean to sound... inconsiderate, but I have not seen your kind in my home land. What, pray tell, are you?"
If Shianni thought the politeness of this cloaked stranger was shocking, she hadn't a clue what she was in for. "You don't know what an elf is?"
"I know of elves, but not your kind of elf. There are Altmer, Dunmer, Bosmer, and the ancient elves who are long gone called Ayleids. You are too short to be Altmer or Bosmer, too light skinned to be Dunmer, and the Ayleid's are extinct."
Other elves? Shianni thought, how far away from Thedas was Tamriel? "We're just... elves. They call us City Elves and those outside of the cities are called Dalish Elves. I don't know what else to say about... the elves you mentioned though."
With a shrug, S'jirra dismissed it. "I shall simply greet you as elves then, as that is what you are. My thanks, Shianni, though I do not wish to impose on your people and your home. I will leave shortly."
"No, don't worry about it." Shianni groaned at herself, she was always bad at manners. She knew, out of her entire family, that she was the worst at playing nice with others. "By Andraste, you'd think as Elder I'd be used to people walking around the alienage, never mind their race. Stay as long as you want, I can even give you a tour. Show you the shops, the inn; it's my responsibility after all."
S'jirra grinned, at first Shianni was apprehensive, now she calmed herself and was smiling at her. "I would appreciate that."
"First of all, it's early, have you eaten anything yet?" S'jirra shook her head and Shianni continued, "Then follow me, we'll get some food before we start because I haven't had anything either."
After their meeting Shianni and S'jirra exchanged peaceful discussions, mostly on Denerim and the races that reside within Ferelden. Shianni wasn't the least bit worried about her visitor (what S'jirra claimed to be) anymore. She made it perfectly clear that City Elves and Dalish Elves to not exist within Tamriel, instead, they have an abundance of cousin races that are much more numerous.
"Is Cyrodiil their homeland?" Shianni asked, setting down a cup of water for her guest. Even when eating the food and drinking, S'jirra did not show her face and her hands were gloved.
"Not originally. The Altmer hail from the Northwestern region called Skyrim, it is their home and their country, but is one main part of the Empire." S'jirra replied easily, talking about basic knowledge of her home was no challenge. She merely repeated what she studied in books. "Cyrodiil was once land to the elven people known as Ayleid's. When tragedy befell their kind, the Ayleid's were wiped out. Now, we only see ruins."
"So, Altmer are really tall elves?" Shianni smiled, the idea was entertaining. To be taller then a shemlen? She wouldn't mind that at all.
"People individually range from tall to short, but generally yes. From what I can tell you are more like the Altmer then the Bosmer and from your appearance, definitely not near Dunmer." S'jirra sipped her water generously. It had specks of dirt in it, yet what did she expect from such a poor place? These were peasants; not the nobility S'jirra normally dealt with.
And strangely, she was happy about that.
"Wow, I dreamed when I was little that my people lived freely, I knew it was false, but I was young." Shianni remembered her life before the new King and Queen stepped up and defended the elves in the alienage. "Now, to learn that I was right, it's... liberating." She giggled at herself, such giddiness all of a sudden.
Why wouldn't she be though? Humans and elves living in peace was a wondrous thing, a land where the enslavement of her ancestors never happened, the judgment and separation was more offensive then an elf being in the same room as a human in Ferelden.
"Some people dislike other races, but that is an unaccepted social behavior. Such things in public are considered an offense. Usually they are warned and if they continue, like some have, they spend a night in a prison." This was all very common in Cyrodiil. Racial based hatred was despicable and to think that these races in Ferelden couldn't stand one another confounded S'jirra.
Such a strange land.
She supposed the racial tension in Ferelden didn't concern her, but when she noted how she could see her own furred snout when she focused; it did concern her. All she had to do is hide her race and nothing would come of it, though she wondered how Shianni might respond to her as a Khajiit.
Would she act the same as the Orlesian traveler that arrived in Cyrodiil or would she contemplate the situation that S'jirra found herself in and how it relates to her people.
Not many would see the similarity when faced with a new sentient specie, much less, a beast race.
Considering Shianni's attitude towards S'jirra's homeland, she probably wouldn't mind all too much and if she did, S'jirra could always use her magicka to make it seem like a dream.
Always possible with you train in everything from restoration magic's to conjurations; it was all little tricks of the trade.
"Shianni," She addressed her in a deeper tone, "Some time ago an Orlesian man came to Cyrodiil and had seen the races living together and found it repulsive. I do not know why, but when he saw the beast races, he left immediately; claiming that we allow animals at our tables." S'jirra scoffed, she heard of the Orlesians lack of social grace.
"Animals?" Shianni smiled, "You like the shems, you hold animals close in your social circles?"
"What?" S'jirra blinked, staring blankly at Shianni like she just grew a second head.
"The humans here, the Ferelden's? They love their dogs like they're blood. Granted, a Mabari is a very intelligent creature, but it's still a dog." Shianni laughed the thought of a Mabari war hound joining a shemlen family for dinner at the table was beyond amusing.
"I don't mean pets, Shianni. There are beast races along side the Altmer, Imperials, and the others." S'jirra didn't know what a Mabari was nor did she care to ask. "They are a feline race called Khajiit and an amphibian lizard race called Argonians. They are just as intelligent as the other races."
"Beast races?" Not that she'd say anything, but that sounded odd. "What- No, you answered that. Cats and lizard people?"
"Yes and I feel that if I do not mention the existence of these races that I would be betraying your kind hospitality."
With a firm shake of her head, Shianni denied the idea. "I'm not a good hostess, but thanks anyways." She jested, "I'm... open minded. Somewhat." Thinking of her life in the alienage, the humans oppressing her people. "Do humans dislike these beast races?"
"No, it is nothing like here in Ferelden." S'jirra was glad Shianni showed no distaste in the though. Not yet. "All races live side by side, as equals though some believe themselves superior. Our Emperor was a, as you call them, a human and we all served him and our Empire for the same reason as you Ferelden's serve your King and Queen."
"That must be nice."
"It is," Comparatively. "I did not mean by not mentioning these beast races existence. I meant the fact that I am one of these races."
Shianni sat silently, staring wide eyed at her guest. Sure elves were hated by humans because of what they are, but beast races living peacefully with humans made her madly jealous of S'jirra and the elves that live in Tamriel.
"Oh." She squeaked out, watching with curious eyes as the hood of this mysterious figure dropped to reveal a cat-like face complete with dusty colored fur, whiskers, snout, long pointed ears, and slit pupils.
At a loss for words, Shianni could only mutter a repeat of the previous statement. "Oooh."
"I hope you do not... fear me like the Orlesian man. I am no different then the Altmer of Skyrim or the Imperial's of Cyrodiil." S'jirra's voice resumed its natural growling depth. "I assure you, I am no threat and no creature of questionable history."
"I..." Shianni gulped, this beast race was... dramatic. S'jirra looked like a ferocious hunter. When her mouth opened to speak, Shianni couldn't hear what she said, but caught sight of S'jirra's massive fangs. Sharp, white, sculpted for a large predator. "I... believe you."
Releasing a sigh of relief, S'jirra continued in hopes to sooth Shianni's instinctual concerns. "My people hail from the southern region of Tamriel. It is called Elsweyr and is mostly forest or jungle land. We come from all over as most of the other races though, no different then any other." She emphasized, taking heed of Shianni as she relaxed a bit more.
"So... do you stalk things like big cats?"
Struck with the words, S'jirra burst into heavy laughter, barking with joy as Shianni blushed at her query. It probably did sound foolish now that she thought about it. Nothing S'jirra did before worried her until she saw her furry features. Thinking back on the Dales and the humans; her behavior was reminiscent of the humans that Andraste and Shartan sought to defeat.
The very idea of her becoming like one of those shemlen (or at least alike in thought) disgusted her. She'd be better then that, she'd show those shems and the elves that she would be gracious even to those very... foreign to her.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to stare." Shianni apologized, finding it very hard not to explore the sentient cat's features with her eyes.
"It's quite alright Shianni, I do not mind. I understand that my kind has not yet reached this land. I must look very strange to you, alien in fact." S'jirra tamed her wild laughter into fits of giggles. Wiping her eyes, S'jirra settled back into her chair. "Is there anything you'd like to ask about my people? I felt like an intruder wearing this garb and hiding my face within your welcoming home when you're offering aid to a stranger."
"No, don't think like that. You're not exactly... like the races I've seen." S'jirra smirked, "You are toning down your astonishment."
"Perhaps." Shianni chuckled, "I am shocked and you're... covered in fur after all."
Laughing, S'jirra nodded. "I am. There's not a spot on me lacking my fur pattern."
"Good, I'm sure a bald spot on a giant cat would look strange too." She mentally pictured what S'jirra's furry body must look like, then a giant bald spot on her stomach, revealing the pinkish flesh beneath. She bit her lip to stop from laughing at the image, "Never mind that though, you're a Khajiit right? Like you said."
"I am indeed, the other beast race is a lizard based race called Argonians." S'jirra was distracted at the memory of taking ill once, lost fur in small patches all along her arms. Very disgraceful. "Thank you for not screaming and running away like I was going to eat you."
The playful look (or what Shianni assumed was a playful expression) told her that she had no expectations of Shianni being so shallow. With an evil grin, Shianni joined in on the joke. "You're welcome, but you shouldn't thank me yet. I'm still wondering if I can put a collar on you and give you to my baby cousin as a pet."
S'jirra hadn't laughed like this in a long time; the pleasant pain that came from her lungs only spurred her laughter on. "Oh really? And just how do you think you can tame this wild beast?"
Adding a purr, Shianni giggled. She almost couldn't hold herself in anymore. "Well, I'd probably have to buy an entire plate of steaks just to get you to sit still. With a leash and a collar you'd be a suitable pet for anyone."
"Yeah, right up until I use eye of fear."
Shianni blinked again, "Eye of fear?"
S'jirra nodded, taking another sip of her water. "Yes, all races in Tamriel have gift given to them by the gods and goddesses. We Khajiit were gifted with two things, the ability to strike fear into the hearts of our enemies, which we called it the eye of fear. The other is the eye of night, which allows us to see in complete darkness."
"All races have this?" Another intriguing fact of this feline's home that pulled Shianni deeper into it.
"Not exactly, every race has unique skills both given to them by their specie, their birthsign, and their heritage." S'jirra set the glass down, mindlessly turning her finger in a circle around its lip. "Those are... very complicated and would take days if not months to explain. It is entwined with religion, politics, birthdates, race, class, and many other things."
"So... If I was born in Tamriel, I'd be assigned a birthsign?" Shianni couldn't understand these requirements for such things. All too much but it was everything she wanted.
"Um, yes?" S'jirra replied cautiously. "Not by mortal hands though, by gods. They are constellations that a person is born under."
"What's yours?" She stopped to consider the possibility that sign's were personal and not spoken of to other people. S'jirra was strange enough as it is, but what her people and those of Tamriel believe in are much, much deeper then S'jirra spoke about.
"My birthsign?" S'jirra copied; this moment reminded her of when she met the Emperor Uriel Septim. He and his guards all spoke of the same things, What sign were you born unto? And; What class are you? "I was born under the birthsign of the Mage or, as the books call it, Fay. The birthsign allows me to use magicka better then most of my people."
"Magic?" Shianni sounded surprised, more so then before. "You're a mage?"
This mustn't make sense to her. "In Tamriel, all races and all people can use magicka, though depending on what birthsign, your talents, and your race, those all determine how effective you will be at using magicka."
"Wait a minute." Her tone sounded offensive. "Everyone in Tamriel is a mage?" She sounds worried, scared almost.
"Truthfully, yes. Everyone can use magicka if they do so desire." S'jirra shrugged, "Khajiit were never very... good at it, to be kind. I can promise you, born under any other birthsign; I would not be able to use magicka like I can now. We're somewhat weaker then other races, but with the Mage birthsign augmenting my magicka naturally; I am different then the other Khajiit."
"Maybe it's normal in Tamriel, but here, they lock up mages in the Circle towers all around Thedas." She seemed less afraid, though still disturbed. "Our mages are dangers to all races; they possess the ability to move in and out of the Fade, attracting all kinds of demons who offer them desirables in exchange for passage to our world."
"What is this Fade you speak of?" S'jirra leaned forward, elbows resting on the table and her hands clasped together.
"The Fade? Do those in Tamriel not enter it when they wish or dream?"
Shaking her head, S'jirra scratched her snout. "I have never heard of such a thing and I know the Archmage of the Mage's Guild. He kn-" Correction. "He knew of no such thing either."
"Ah, well." Shianni prepared herself. She didn't know all about the Fade, only what she heard. "The Fade is where people go when they dream, but a normal person can't physically exist there, they cannot control their minds or bodies like they can here. A mage, on the other hand, can. They can move freely within the Fade as physical as possible."
"It is a dream realm?"
"Yup." Shianni replied happily, S'jirra seemed to catch on quicker to Thedas knowledge then Shianni had done with S'jirra. "It's a realm where demons and spirits are held in. They exist there and can only be in this world when a mage accepts their dark offers or possess a mortal."
"What kind of dark offers do we speak of? Perhaps, while I am in Thedas, I may cross a demon and I wish to know how to handle it." She felt compelled to explain herself. S'jirra thought it rude to hide her reasons from someone who opened her home up.
"I don't rightly know, I've never seen one." Shianni admitted, "There are probably some books in the market place that go into detail though."
"I will make a journey to a library then; I do not wish to confront these demons unprepared. Thank you Shianni." S'jirra stood, taking up her clean plate and empty cup, following a happy fiery haired elf back into her small kitchen, placing the dishes into the sink and leaving it be.
"I can still show you around, there's plenty of daylight." Shianni offered, "I mean, tonight, the King and Queen will be at the Gnawed Noble tavern visiting with the folk there. I always go see them."
This caught S'jirra off guard. Not only did royalty separate themselves from the poor, they most certainly did not associate with those of lesser caste and Shianni, the elf who was just mentioning how humans enslaved her people, would actually go and see them?
"Why would you visit a King and Queen that has oppressed your people since both your races met?" She pried, knowing it could be restricted information. Maybe Shianni only looked on their riches, wishing she had a wealthy life as they did.
"Well, the King and Queen saved this land, they're our heroes. When the Blight hit the city, they stood at the front lines ready for battle. The King and Queen weren't royalty at the time though they were Grey Wardens, a talk for another time I'm sure, but they came into the city overrun with Darkspawn and, if they weren't there, I'd be dead."
"Darkspawn?"
"Creatures, no, that's not a sufficient word. They are monsters that serve an Archdemon, a giant dragon that commands them." Shianni shivered, she remembered watching the massive beast swoop down to the bridge where the now-King and Queen had just crossed and destroyed it. The monster was terrifying beyond words.
"They killed so many, caused so much destruction... We're still trying to rebuild what we lost. It was a time of great hardship." Taking notice of Shianni's saddened face, S'jirra thought it best to change the subject.
How would she do so without sounding like she cared not about the loss they suffered?
By telling the same tale from Cyrodiil, showing that she understands the pain and defeat they must have felt when they saw the encroaching evil. Daedra...
"I know of what you speak. My home... we faced the same kind of threat." S'jirra wanted to relate, she wouldn't detail her story, but make sure Shianni knows she cares and was aware of the torture they endured.
"Really?"
"There are many realms beyond our own, daedra live in those realms to house their dark desires." S'jirra continued, seeing how better Shianni looked knowing she understood. "They destroyed a city, Kvatch. The walls were brought down and in the debt of night; the daedra slaughtered nearly all of the citizens as they awoke in time to see what had happened."
"I don't know what daedra are either." Shianni grinned guiltily, as if she had drifted away in mid conversation.
"They are... animalistic creatures that want nothing more then to torture mortals. They have no other goal in their lives then to control and kill." S'jirra growled, yet Shianni knew somehow it wasn't meant for her. "They... ruined the city beyond saving. All we could do was protect those that escaped the daedra. After reclaiming the city though, everything was lost. Barely one building stood with walls or a roof."
"Sounds... terrible. I'm sorry." The elven woman comforted the short tempered Khajiit, aware now that her race was far more expressive then elves.
"I merely wish to say that I know what you mean when you speak of monsters slaying people for no better reason then because they felt like it." Calming just as Shianni had done, S'jirra smiled brightly at the elf. "I believe, my elven friend, that we understand each other better. My condolences to those you lost during that battle."
"Thank you." Shianni smirked, "We should head out now, by the time we're done, the King and Queen will be at the tavern and I'll take you to meet them."
Bowing, S'jirra let the elven woman lead on. Her home, her rules. She'd just have to try and fit in.
Her cloak was drier now and her undergarments not so cold. Wrapping the cloak around her and pulling her hood up, S'jirra joined Shianni at the door.
"I feel I must express my thanks once more for not acting rashly when I told you of my race, it is... soothing to know one from such a strange land can be so accepting and gentle about these fragile matters." S'jirra walked side by side with the elf who was much shorter then herself.
"Don't worry about it; I couldn't do the same as those shemlen did to my people. The thought chills me to the bone." Shianni shook her hands, "So think nothing of it, we have a tour to complete."
With a grateful smile, S'jirra decided she liked the alienage most now. Nothing could top this wonderful first impression she received. Denerim wasn't a very large city; it was mostly built out of back alleyways and streets. Thugs and robbers were scattered across these back roads like a sickness on the city.
S'jirra would take care of them.
Hope you enjoyed! :D