"Very good Harry! Your a natural at alchemy."
Harry had to bite his tongue as he poured the potion of health into a glass as his teacher stood to the side overlooking his process. The hawk faced Altmer watched his ever move with her arms behind her back. Her silver hair shone in the light that danced across it as she walked around slowly, judging his every action. A bead of sweat formed on his brow as he slowly made sure that the last of the red liquid was poured properly from the flask. Once sure he took the glass and placed a cork on it and, making sure he had turned off the flame, offered the glass to his teacher who huffed.
"Three minutes. Many of your peers would be far faster than you Potter. But you passed my test in brewing proper health potions in the various ways provided by resources. Be it as it may you are a well becoming potions adept."
Opening his mouth Harry shut it with a click as the female mer gave him a icy glare.
"Do not presume that my lessons are over boy. In time I expect to have your talent well to master level before you reach your second decade." With that said she turned and began to march out of the room where his mother stood next to the doorway.
Faethar bowed her head in respect to the woman and as she past, spoke up quietly to prevent being overheard by her adopted son. "How does he fair agent Sanyon?"
"The prince is gifted. I would be honored to sponsor him to the Arcane University of the Crystal tower even with his clear disadvantage of his race. That reminds me." Taking a scroll from her pocket she handed it to Faethar. "It would seem that the current reign of human emperors is unable to quell a rebellion in Skyrim and will be forced to take more firmer methods of gaining control. Filthy Talos worshippers are begin united under the Banner of some Nord."
"Skyrim is where the man was born." Feathar hesitated. "Do you think my son will-?"
"If it calls for him to be brought in to replace the current leadership of the empire then he will." The two females elves stared at one another before Faethar slowly backed down. "Do not worry about such matters yet. The rebellion if guided might help legitimatize his claim."
"How?"
As both mer talked Harry slowly cleaned his workspace. He could not believe it been over a year since his adoption and so much had happened. To think his caretakers were elves and a talking cat man. Ra'Aneshi even had a tail! Then again finding out how was a memory he would never forget...
'Yeah no.' Harry buried that memory as fast as he could before he could relive it. It wasn't like reliving the memory would do anything. Ra'Aneshi saved him and Harry did not want to go back into Apocrypha with the strange fish men and librarian zombies. Compared to what he saw there knowing that he was living with beings from another reality was an easy pill to handle. Careful to stack the wheat into a pile with string on the bottom Harry did find it odd that he was being raised in Britain instead of their homeland, but he chalked it up to them being just as interested in his world as he was in there. On the plus side he got to learn so many cool things.
And yet there was something flickering in the back of his mind. As if he was not meant to forget something only to do so. Harry stared at the flame from the candle that lit up the workspace, staring at the flickering light as if it could bare answers to the feeling within him. The fame flickered and danced like an octopus with too many eyes for a moment, only to return to being a normal flame. Harry stared for moment longer, wishing he could get the feeling he was seeking answered to no avail.
'It's just a flame Harry.' He thought to himself as he put the last of the items away. He had only to clean the space with the rag and blow off the candle. As he reached for the candle to blow it out an idea came to him.
Looking at the flame he pointed with his right his index finger. A steady stream of ice crystals blow forth, snuffing out the flame. Quickly glancing over his shoulder he sighed as his little trick wasn't spotted by his mother. He had only recently been allowed to use magic outside of classes but only under supervision. Yet Harry itched to do more with magic, he disliked not letting it flow through his body.
"You know magic is prohibited." Harry jumped as as Ra'Aneshi stepped out of the shadows, feet muffled and a cocky smile on his face. The cat didn't seem upset, only amused at Harry's actions. "Rushing will not help you even if you enjoy Ra'Aneshi's class."
"Sorry Ra'Aneshi." Harry grumbled as he went back to cleaning. The cat shrugged and leaned on the wall, watching the two elves talking in hushed tones.
Ra'Aneshi was no one's fool. The child was clearly a genius with magic and with the right teachers could become one of the greatest mages ever seen on Tamriel. The boy had talent and passion, racing past children his own age and older in theory and practice. Ra'Aneshi had only seen raw talent such as his with one other. Barnand's child. Something about both humans felt off, like they were meant for greater things.
A chill went down his spine. If Harry was a prince, a prince of a bloodline of what the Nords thought of who united the land and became a god... then what or who his friend's child supposed too be?
...
A yawn escaped Oriella's lips as she awoke, sunlight streaming in from the window and through the hourglass belonging to her mother. She wished that she could be like her parent's were before they took an arrow to the knees. Getting dressed she bowed to the symbol of Akatosh in thanks for another day of being alive before leaving prayers of thanks to each of the remaining divines. As she truned to leave she paused, a memory of something like a dream within a dream. Knocking down a few items she took out a piece of paper and grabbed some charcoal. Quickly spribbling and drawing, she hummed as she finished. Nodding to herself she rolled it up and placed it in her back pocket to look at later. The Nord child hummed a song as she left to do her chores, racing pass her mother who was cleaning up the table.
"Morning mother!"
"Morning sweetie! Don't forget to clean the stable! Your father had to go help the neighbors with the fence!"
Oriella nodded as she ran out the door, stopping only to pick of her dagger and stick sword. The light of Magnus and the morning breeze made her grin as she raced to the barn. The day was going to be great and she knew she had a chance to go to the town market to meet up with a few of her friends for magic lessons from old grumpy one-eye. The druid only came with the caravans that moved with the cat-folk from the islands to the southeast beyond the lands of the high elves as a body guard in his youth to see the world, only to end up as the local mage after a series of adventures in his youth.
"Morning miss." Oriella nodded and raised a hand as the farmhands passed her on their way to the fields. The corn and hay still needed final month of summer and into fall before the harvest was ready but it seemed the gods had blessed them with a bountiful crop this year.
Jumping on top of the stone masonry of the bridge that crossed the steam that split the property into thirds, Oriella twirled her dagger and stick. Pretending to fight against an invisible foe she parried and thrust her weapons, going back and forth with a grin on her face. Jumping down she yelled in victory as her stick defeated her foe. Wiping the sweat off her forehead she wondered what path she should focus on as an adventurer. Her mother was a Nord warrior mage and her father was a Beton thief posing as a traveling merchant who had been chased by her mother across Tamriel.
"Your form has the basics well placed young one." Oriella jerked as she realized she hand almost struck a man. The man laughed at her flustered expression. "I'm sorry. But can you tell me where I can find the owners of this place? I have a letter and a message for them."
"Across the bridge and up the hill..." Oriella shivered as she looked at the man. There was something feral about his eyes as he looked up towards her home.
"I see..."
Oriella felt uneasy and slowly began to move around the man. "I should be going... Chores."
"Oh. Well thank you for your help." The man stared at her as she moved around him. It was off putting, like he was thinking of the best way to kill her and get away with it. But as soon as she was past the man he began to move up the hill.
'I hope mom can handle him.' She thought as she moved faster to get to the barn and stables. She wasn't going to waste any more moments. As she ran she did not notice the man looking back at her, or rather the image of a face made with charcoal that flapped in the wind of her wake. The man frowned in wonder, was she lucky or was there something more? But rather ask he focused on his mission.
It was time he called in the favor he was owed.
Hello All!
I know I am late for this chapter, but after months of attempting to write, I decided to throw out the story with Harry in Apocrypha until a later date. But don't worry, I will come back to that arc in the future and why he is forgetting something... or someone lol
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