A New Life Chapter 13: Big aspirations, stupid ideas and plans, an elder scroll series fanfic

Chapter 13:

The morning of dance had passed quickly, though some of my muscles were aching, this was the ninth day that I'd gone through this routine, one thing I had learned from the Oblivion game, that I was now seeming to forget; routines can kill you, you become too predictable, easy to track down, easy to murder.

Although I knew this quite well, I couldn't help it, I woke up at dawn, ate and got packed up came out and started dancing. At about noon I'd go somewhere, have lunch paying with my earnings go home, clean up a little and then start dancing again. Afterwards, I'd have dinner, sleep and go through it all again…

BORING!

I had a sudden urge to travel, or explore, though I would need a horse, and I had very little gold, so I had a feeling I'd have to go by foot, unless the others were willing to borrow me a horse, but even so, if I moved around I might find my brother if my reputation as a dancer grew, and return here at least once a month, that's for sure.

But for now, I needed money… and a horse…

Yup, those were the two things I'd need, and within 9 days of dancing for about 8 hours a day, I earned about 86 gold, 77 after I'd given away the amount for food, and buying stuff for the house like books and other 'important' things.

Like horse feed, they had two horses, but yeah… I could barely ask them for one… the answer would probably be no anyway.

I'd travel by foot at the beginning, but I already knew that if I wanted actual gold, I wouldn't be able to take the absolutely 'heroic' path for long, I wouldn't be able to always abide by the law, at least not while I was starting off, and I could barely join the fighters guild as my trainer was in the Waterfront, possibly highly annoyed that I simply up and left after making him think that I agreed to his tagging along.

Soon enough I'd have to face Padfoot, especially if that reputation as a dancer, which would help in finding my brother, did grow. Because let's face it, if my brother hears about it, the beggars will definitely know considering some of them watch me dance, thus being more of a reason to start moving around.

Well… only 433 more pieces of gold until I'd be able to buy myself a horse, though they were the horridly slow ones bred here in Leyawiin… the cheapest ones in all of Cyrodiil!

By now I knew that my options were going to run out soon, though I had a feeling that I'd always be welcome here because of Zar-Nas, may the nine look over that Argonian… I truly believe that she may be the only actually sane person in this house… I mean I've started drawing sketches of the horses, the sunset, the food I eat, the people I live with, different guards and areas of the city, just to do something when I was resting and when I had time to relax.

So, my lunch break had passed again, leaving me to deal with the fact that I had a crowd before I even got there, a couple of guards among the people that were there at that exact moment, so I waved, smiling at the audience as best as I could, slowly starting to dance, contemporary this time, possibly my favourite style, soft and somehow elegant at all times!

My brother could dance too, as well as sing and play instruments, though even if you asked him directly he'd always say he couldn't, that he didn't, that he simply wasn't all too interested in the performing arts.

Though he was.

Dad's favourite you could say, considering his academic and sports achievements far outmatched mine… well, he was a lot more academic, I could rival him in sports though…

If that ever really counted; though as expected it never did.

The cheers of the crowd remained my motivation as I felt myself continuing with slow pirouettes, a few leaps, turns and bends, kicking my leg out softly as I bent my back… well backwards my arms moving at the same time.

"Sing!" someone from the crowd called as I finished what would be my last routine for the day.

"I don't sing…"

"Yes you do, I heard you; you sang me a lullaby" a child said looking up at me, a child of perhaps 5 or 6 years I guess.

"I'm not good at singing though"

Despite my protests the crowd, including the guards seemed to want me to well… take the approach of suck it up princess and sing anyway. So I finally did.

"What do you want me to sing?"

"Something that describes your life…"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes" cries came from throughout the crowd and I couldn't help but spot that the people who I was living with showed up, Kalina with something all too familiar in her hands; a guitar. Smiling I took the guitar without question, before strumming a few cords. Almost immediately I placed the guitar down beside me, they asked for something about my life, and I couldn't do a song to match that with a guitar.

Instead I starts tapping my hands on my thighs, slowly to a soft rhythm before starting to sing the notes from my memory;

"The lights go all around me
One last candle to keep out the night
And then the darkness surrounds me
I know I'm alive but I feel like I've died

And all that's left is to accept that its over
My dreams ran like sand through the fists that I made
I try to keep warm
But I just grow colder
I feel like I'm slipping away

After all this has passed
I still will remain
After I've cried my last
There'll be beauty from pain
Though it won't be today
Someday I'll hope again
And there'll be beauty from pain
You will bring beauty from my pain

My whole world is the pain inside me
The best I can do is just get thorough the day
When life before is only a memory
I wonder why God let's me walk through this place
And though I can't understand why this happened
I know that I will when I look back someday
And see how you've brought beauty from ashes
And made me as gold purified through these flames

Here I am
At the end of me
Trying to hold to what I can't see
I forgot how to hope
This nights been so long
I cling to your promise
There will be a dawn

My head remained low after the end of the song, though during it I heard the clanging sound of gold hitting more gold. Looking up again, I noticed that a couple of the kids were looking at me curiously, though not grinning like they normally did. Women that I would've thought horrid people with no care for others had tears shining in their eyes, some even openly crying.

Me, well, I guess I was crying slightly, thinking of David and Padfoot, both of whom could somehow be pulled into the song, well… so much for singing about simply me and my life!

Then again, I always managed to somehow pull other people into the messes I created.

I nodded at the audience that had formed, I wouldn't bother trying to explain the song. Instead, I simply walked away again. Walking straight to the place I was calling home; for the moment anyway.

Tomorrow would be another day though, and the likely-hood was in favour that the people of Leyawiin will have forgotten about it by tomorrow though. Life would go on as usual, life in a small city. Perhaps gossip would arise, but there'd be no more than that. A worst case scenario would at most force me to leave Leyawiin for a while.

And it wasn't as if I cared all too much about it!

For once, I'd broken my routine, refusing to actually eat breakfast, instead grabbing some food for myself before going outside, sitting myself down on the ground. Instead of immediately dancing in the same area, I watched as people moved to where I normally was, before they shook their heads and walked off.

Silently, I sat and watched as they came and went, not sparing a second glance as I sat there. No wonder that the beggars quite literally had to go up and beg people for money; no one here really seemed to care that they needed money, though I couldn't exactly give them anything.

I did have one plan though; I didn't have enough money for a horse, but there was a quick cheat that I'd learnt pretty soon, especially since I could never really be bothered to spend my gold in the game on a horse, instead saving up for a house or something like that instead. But firstly, I'd need to pay a visit to the Inn of Ill Omen.

And no, my plan wasn't to join the Dark Brotherhood, though I'd be able to find out whether or not someone had killed Rufio yet… well, I could test out whether or not my acting skills are believable!

So that's when I though back, it'd take me approx. 4 hours one way, not including encounters with bandits and what not. And then, I'd be praying for the best once I got there, otherwise my life could be cut short… again…