Experiments and Dragon Tongue

29th of Last Seed, 4E 205.

"… but that just can't be it, can it? I mean if it was that simple then someone would have come up with it already."

"Not necessarily," Rhavaniel said. "It could be that it's so simple people have discarded it because of its simplicity. Sometimes scholars and other learned people tend to completely ignore the simple solutions just because they are simple."

"Yeah, sure. They most likely discard the simple solution because it doesn't work," Brelyna said.

"If you have that opinion about it, then I doubt we'll ever come to an agreement. Personally, I believe that scholars tend to forget that the 'simple' people know far more about certain things than they do." Rhavaniel said. "Take a farmer for example. The scholar might know more about how to make plants grow and flourish. He might have more knowledge about what can be added to the soil to increase the crop, but he could still be completely incapable of growing anything on his land while the farmer who doesn't know all that advanced stuff is doing just fine with his crops because he has lived there all his life and knows what works. He has learned how to read the signs and when to start planting because it is the circle of life where he lives."

"And why wouldn't the scholar know these things, huh?" Brelyna asked. "It stands to reason that he would have researched all of those things before he started trying to grow anything in the first place."

"Research won't give you everything you need. Sometimes the only way to learn is through hard work. The only way the scholar would know is if he actually toiled. I'm just saying you need to work for what you want to know. Reading books and doing secluded experiments won't give you everything you need to know," Rhavaniel said.

Kato smiled. It was one of those rare days when everyone just seemed to be able to talk civilly to each other. He was really enjoying it.

Of course, the civil tone couldn't last. Kato wasn't sure who insulted Rhavaniel, but whoever it was he was sure they regretted it. Rhavaniel could have quite the temper when angered. Not even Kato had been safe. He hadn't cared to do anything but leave so he hadn't been hurt. It wasn't his problem. If someone wanted to anger Rhavaniel they could go ahead and deal with it themselves. He would just go take care of his charge stones.

29th of Last Seed, 4E 205.

An explosion tore through the College. Kato turned around where he stood in the courtyard. He had decided to go for a walk to get some thinking done. Now it looked like he might have to head back to check on this. He could hear Rhavaniel as she started chewing someone out. He got closer to her room and saw the broken door frame and the destroyed room. Rhavaniel was standing outside her door. Her face was covered in something dark red and putrid green. Nirya was standing next to her and she looked both shocked and angry. She couldn't get a word in edgewise.

Kato walked up to Rhavaniel and placed a hand on her shoulder. "So, want some help to clean this mess," he asked calmly.

The furious elf turned towards him and Nirya scurried off as quickly as she could. "Clean! Clean! This is several years of work wasted because some stupid turnip couldn't keep out of my room. All of it. Ruined!" she screamed.

Kato nodded patiently. He knew it was nothing personal. "We still need to clean this up," he said as Rhavaniel drew in a breath. "Then I will help you gather new ingredients, and we can go to Lakeview Manor so you can have a lab to yourself without interruptions," he said.

Rhavaniel stopped herself. Why hadn't she thought of that herself? She could go to Lakeview and make her potions there. She nodded. "Yes," she said. "Let's get this mess cleaned up."

Kato took a good look at Rhavaniel's room. They had a lot of work to do.

"Let's just flush it out," Rhavaniel said. "I'll get new furniture."

Kato nodded. "I guess we could do that," he said.

That decided, they didn't say much else. They got buckets with water in them and rags. Rhavaniel's whole room was covered in goo. Before they started on the room Kato sent Rhavaniel to clean off. Neither of them knew what her potion might do to her so the fact that she had worn it on her skin for so long maybe wasn't the best. While Rhavaniel cleaned off Kato got started on her room.

Eventually, she joined him and they worked through everything. Apparently, the potion ate wood and fabric because Rhavaniel didn't have that many clothes that were whole. She would have to make new ones.

By the time the sun set, they had finally cleaned everything. Rhavaniel slept in Kato's room that night since they had to throw her bed out.

30th of Last Seed, 4E 205.

As the sun rose in the morning Kato and Rhavaniel left Winterhold behind. They were on horseback. Rhavaniel's steed was a beautiful tan with a long golden mane and Kahzii seemed to really like him. His name was Tuiwon.

To collect the ingredients that Rhavaniel needed they would have to travel over most of Skyrim. Just going down to Whindhelm they stopped every half hour or so. "Why don't I start teaching you Dragon Tongue while we ride?" Kato asked. They had settled down to have some lunch. The view was fantastic and the weather had turned out to be perfect. It was a lovely autumn day.

"That would be very much appreciated," Rhavaniel said.

Kato tried to order his thoughts. He didn't actually know how to teach Dragon Tongue, but he figured that with Rhavaniel's input, he would manage. Dragon Tongue had very few grammatical rules as far as Kato could tell. There was a way to create plural but temps didn't seem to exist in writing. He knew you pronounced words differently depending on when they happened but that was about it. Teaching that to someone who didn't just instinctively understand it turned out to be hard.

Kato did his best and Rhavaniel was a good student so they did better than the Greybeards would have expected.

"To actually shout you need more than just the word though," Kato said. "The Greybeards meditate for a very long time to learn how to do that, but there must be some other way that goes faster."

"Considering you are Dragonborn I would be inclined to agree," Rhavaniel said.

"Maybe something along the lines of a Dragon Priest could be done?" Kato said.

"I guess we'll have to find one and see," Rhavaniel said.

Kato nodded slowly. "I guess we should set camp for the night," he said.

Rhavaniel agreed and they jumped down from their horses.

14th of Heartfire, 4E 205.

Days later and many leagues travelled, Rhavaniel and Kato finally stood in front of Lakeview Manor. Kato opened the door. "Naya I'm home," he called in as he entered. "She was here last I was home and someone is home now since the door was unlocked," he told Rhavaniel.

Naya came downstairs. "Rhavaniel-dra how nice to see you," she said. Then she turned to Kato. "Who is this one?" she asked. She thought she had heard Harry's voice, but he wasn't there.

"Katla's little brother," Rhavaniel said somewhat confused. "Your apprentice?"

Naya gave Rhavaniel a disbelieving look. "This one is not Harry-do," she said. "If he says he is my apprentice he is a filthy liar."

Rhavaniel looked between Kato and Naya. She was inclined to believe her friend, but she was also fairly certain that Kato was actually Katla's brother.

"I think I can solve this," Kato said. He reached up and pulled out his earrings. He turned back to Harry.

"Wait!" Rhavaniel exclaimed. "You have been using full change glamorous this entire time." She walked up to him and grabbed his chin. She moved his face around. "I made this glamour."

"You did," Harry agreed. "I just adapted it a bit and enchanted it onto the earrings."

"You enchanted it?" Rhavaniel said. She grabbed the earrings and felt the magic in them. "Oh this is just amazing," she said. "I had no idea this was possible. You know this glamour is master level right?"

Harry shrugged. "No, I did not know that," he said.

Rhavaniel studied the glamour earrings as she sat down by the table.

"Why did Harry-do make these?" Naya asked.

"I'll need a disguise when I go back to Earth," Harry said. "I don't know what will be going on over there so I don't want to rush in blind when I get back."

"Naya understands," Naya said.

"That's the second time someone says something that makes me think there is something fishy going on with you, Kato," Rhavaniel said.

Harry chuckled. He sat down by the table with her and looked over at Naya. "We trust her right?" he said.

"This one trusts Rhavaniel-dra and she is an Eye of the Queen so Katla-do trusts her," Naya said.

"Then how about I tell you my story," Harry told Rhavaniel. He started at the beginning and worked his way into Skyrim.

Rhavaniel sat quietly and listened. She found this fascinating. Another world that was just amazing. So there was human life on other planets out there somewhere. She loved that idea. To her, it made perfect sense that he would want a glamour with him when he left. She loved that he had somehow managed to enchant it. He was probably a Master Enchanter already as well as a Master Illusionist. The fact that the College was holding him back sort of annoyed her.

"Rhavaniel could use some undisturbed time in a potion's lab," Harry said.

"Rashall-dar isn't here," Naya said. "He went to check on the Guild."

"Then I'm guessing Rhavaniel can just get started," Harry said.

Naya shrugged. "If that is what Rhavaniel-dra wants," she said.

"It is," Rhavaniel said. She got up from the table and headed upstairs to the lab. She loved Lakeview. It was so calm and relaxing. She loved Rashall's lab. It was well-ordered and clean. Then there was the greenhouse. He had so many plants growing in there that she could use.

15th of Heartfire, 4E 205.

"I'll go meet up with Rashall-dar," Naya told Harry the next day. "He wants to do something else for a bit."

Harry nodded. "We'll be fine. I'll lock the place up when we leave if you haven't returned by then," he said. "Have fun. Do you want some food to go?"

"Yes please," Naya said.

Harry walked into the kitchen and picked together some pies that he had made that morning. Then he packed some stew from the night before. He took pirogues out of the oven and wrapped them in linen cloth so they could still breathe. He placed that at the top of the pack with some vegetables and fruits. He carried the bag out to Naya. "I hope you meet Rashall soon. There is enough food in there for the both of you for a bit at least," he said.

"Thank you Harry-do," Naya said.

"See you soon," Harry said.

"Let's hope so, yes," Naya said. She walked out the door and disappeared between the trees.

Harry went back to the kitchen. He loved cooking, and he hadn't done it in a long time. Maybe he was going a little overboard, but their neighbours really appreciated not having to worry about food for a bit.

Late that evening Harry went to fetch Rhavaniel. He hadn't seen her all day and she needed to eat something. He knocked on the door but did not open it. "Rhavaniel you need to eat," he called.

"Two minutes," Rhavaniel called back.

Harry moved back downstairs and set the table. Thankfully he didn't have to go back up and force Rhavaniel down. She walked down the stairs and attacked what was on her plate. "You guys have a bath don't you?" she asked.

"We do," Harry said. "It is downstairs."

"Then I think that would be nice," Rhavaniel said. "My shoulders are all knotted up." She focused back on the food for a bit until she had cleaned it all off. "You are a good cook," she said.

"Thank you," Harry said.

Once they had eaten they cleaned everything up. "I love how you pulled the water into the house," Rhavaniel said. "I wish we could do that to more places."

"I know there are plans to pull water throughout all of Whiterun. We did it to some houses when we added the Flower District," Harry said. "Naya and Katla know how to do all of it. I created the heating and cooling system, but Katla knows how to make it."

Rhavaniel nodded as he spoke. She liked the sound of that. Some convenience could be nice for everyone. "Will you join me?" she asked as she headed downstairs. "We could continue the Dragon Tongue lessons."

"Sure, I'll get us some towels," Harry said.

Rhavaniel was pouring water into the tub as Harry got downstairs. She pulled her clothes off and jumped into the tub.

Harry placed the towels on a bench before he took his own clothes off. "Should I clean your clothes too?" he asked.

"Yes, please," Rhavaniel said.

Harry went and picked her clothes up too and added them to the barrel they used to clean their clothes in. He poured in some soap and he filled it with really hot water. Then he grabbed a ladle and stirred. While he got their clothes clean they started talking in dragon tongue. It was slow and Harry corrected Rhavaniel a lot, but it was probably the best way he knew to teach her. They needed to use the language for her to learn.

Harry eventually joined Rhavaniel in the warm tub. They talked late into the night.

18th of Frostfall, 4E 205.

Rhavaniel looked disappointed as she came down the stairs that evening.

"Didn't work out?" Harry asked as he saw her.

Rhavaniel shook her head. "But at least now I know it wasn't right," she said. "So I can go ahead and figure something else out now." She sat down by the dining table.

"Are we going back to the College?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, I think that is best," Rhavaniel said. "I might need the library. This was a good idea though. Thank you. This has been way calmer than trying to keep my experiments safe in the College. You are a good friend Kato."

Harry shrugged. "You're nice. I like talking to you and then on top of that you are a friend of Naya's and an Eye of the Queen," he said. "I enjoy our time together."

Rhavaniel smiled.

The front door opened. Naya and Rahshall walked inside. Harry smiled at them. "Supper?" he asked.

"Oh, yes please," Rashall said, his voice full of relief. He hadn't felt like cooking tonight. They had to eat, but he didn't want to cook. Coming home to an already-prepared meal was a blessing.

"Take a seat," Harry said. "I've made plenty." He got up and fetched two more plates of food for them. He placed the plates down, and the two Khajiit ate vigorously.

"Good hunting?" Rhavaniel asked.

"Quite," Rashall answered. "Some tricky ones but I like those." He leaned back in the chair and sighed contently. He was full. Now all he needed was a nice hot bath and everything would be perfect. He got up and helped Harry with the dishes while the ladies headed downstairs to fill up the tub.

"So Naya tells me ya have a disguise. Ya will show me before ya leave," Rashall said.

"Sure thing," Harry said. "We are going tomorrow I think. I can put it on before we go."

"Good," Rashall said. "How're things at the Seat of Fantastical Learning?"

Harry snorted. "Alright, they are holding me back a bit, but It doesn't really bother me," he said. "There is a Khajiit that hates me. Rhavaniel thinks that might be because I remind him of Khajiit without being one."

Rashall laughed. "That's certainly possible," he said. "Both Katla and you have taken on some Khajiit ways of acting. Mostly it isn't obvious, but there are a few things you do that scream Khajiit."

Harry smiled and chuckled. He didn't mind acting a bit like a Khajiit as long as Khajiit didn't find it offensive overall.

19th of Frostfall, 4E 205.

Harry and Rhavaniel were ready to go. Rashall was leaning against the door frame of the dining room and Naya was sitting by the dining table. Harry reached up and put the earrings in. He changed into Kato, and Rashall tilted his head to the side as he studied the young man in front of him. "I get why Naya couldn' see it was ya, but I can definitely see why Rhavaniel was convinced ya're Katla's brother. The resemblance is uncanny. I would like somethin' like that if ya could make it," he said.

Kato nodded. "I'll see what I can do," he said.

"See ya come spring," Rashall said.

"Bye."

"Bye Naya."

"Goodbye."