The tall tales & tragedies of the Chattering Scroll Inn

[AurianaValoria1]

Rhaine laughed aloud, "Thanatos is not lacking in confidence, that is for certain."

 

Experimentally, she focused her thoughts on the Bosmer, channeling her will into a state similar to the telepathy she used occasionally with Kelemvor: And I certainly hope he doesn't divulge all of my secrets.

 

She detected a hint of surprise from Reona as she waited for a response from Ellundil.

 

Ellundil was at a loss for words- never in his days of travelling and roaming the Earth had he ridden upon a steed, nor had he seen one of such stature as thine horse before him. Ellundil pulled out a map that he had stored on a pouch around his leather belt, he unfolded it slowly, as if it were ancient and fragile.

 

"I understand you need to find the Inn, I already have its location marked on the map, make sure you go to this oak with the..."

 

Ellundil went into unusually long detail about how to travel to the Inn, he could see the feeling of contempt in Rhaine's eyes so he proceeded to back away. After folding his map up and patting it into Rhaine's hand, he looked up at the majestic stallion. He wasn't exactly sure how to mount such a beast, so he jumped from the ground where he was standing right one its back. He was nervous- which you could clearly see in his eyes (if they weren't covered by his hair) - so he gripped tightly on Reona's fore-arms and was ready to be off, waiting for Rhaine to set onward!

 

Thanatos raised his head and snorted, eager to get going. From the directions Ellundil gave Rhaine, the inn was a fair distance away...perhaps several hours at the pace they would be taking. They would need to head down the road for a few miles, then find a dirt path off of the main thoroughfare, marked by a dead oak. The inn would be a few more miles down this hunters' trail.

 

Rhaine pulled Thanatos forward and the great horse followed, lurching slightly at first, then smoothing out to a steady and fluid walk. For the longest time, the only sound was the clop of his silver-shod hooves and the occasional chirping of birds. Rhaine's back muscles felt stiff, and she unfurled her black wings from under her cloak, stretching them to their fullest extent - nearly fifteen feet from tip to tip. She could then feel the tension grow behind her. Her spiritual senses detected the barely-contained curiosity of her two companions, and she halfway wished one of them would ask her the questions that they were fighting to keep silent. After months of no socialization whatsoever, she yearned for conversation.

[tokyobiohazard]

 

Thanatos raised his head and snorted, eager to get going. From the directions Ellundil gave Rhaine, the inn was a fair distance away...perhaps several hours at the pace they would be taking. They would need to head down the road for a few miles, then find a dirt path off of the main thoroughfare, marked by a dead oak. The inn would be a few more miles down this hunters' trail.

 

Rhaine pulled Thanatos forward and the great horse followed, lurching slightly at first, then smoothing out to a steady and fluid walk. For the longest time, the only sound was the clop of his silver-shod hooves and the occasional chirping of birds. Rhaine's back muscles felt stiff, and she unfurled her black wings from under her cloak, stretching them to their fullest extent - nearly fifteen feet from tip to tip. She could then feel the tension grow behind her. Her spiritual senses detected the barely-contained curiosity of her two companions, and she halfway wished one of them would ask her the questions that they were fighting to keep silent. After months of no socialization whatsoever, she yearned for conversation.

 

After half an hour of silent traveling, Reona gave into her curiosity and turned her head to the ever-composed Raine, "Forgive me if I am too intrusive with this question, but your wings, my lady, I admire them greatly. They are as dark and graceful as the clever raven's, and I cannot help but barrage you with questions."

 

She sensed the discomfort and rigidity of her quiet friend and looked back at Ellundil as best she could, noticing how unusually pale his hands and arms were (as that was all she could see of him), and smiled a little, "The questions will take your mind from the motion of the horse. It is a bit sickening to be bounced around so much until you get used to it."

 

Her gaze flicked back to Rhaine, "I must first ask whether the wings are capable of flight on their own, or if you require a bit of magic to help keep your body aloft. One would think that your shoulder muscles would be quite strained if the wings themselves supported you..." she trailed off, mumbling myriad theories to herself, feeling the soft brush of the horse's consciousness against hers. She thanked Thanatos and promised to give him a sugar cube or carrot when they got to the inn, "I had but one other question, probably more important than the other: Where did the wings come from?"

[AurianaValoria1]

After half an hour of silent traveling, Reona gave into her curiosity and turned her head to the ever-composed Raine, "Forgive me if I am too intrusive with this question, but your wings, my lady, I admire them greatly. They are as dark and graceful as the clever raven's, and I cannot help but barrage you with questions."

 

She sensed the discomfort and rigidity of her quiet friend and looked back at Ellundil as best she could, noticing how unusually pale his hands and arms were (as that was all she could see of him), and smiled a little, "The questions will take your mind from the motion of the horse. It is a bit sickening to be bounced around so much until you get used to it."

 

Her gaze flicked back to Rhaine, "I must first ask whether the wings are capable of flight on their own, or if you require a bit of magic to help keep your body aloft. One would think that your shoulder muscles would be quite strained if the wings themselves supported you..." she trailed off, mumbling myriad theories to herself, feeling the soft brush of the horse's consciousness against hers. She thanked Thanatos and promised to give him a sugar cube or carrot when they got to the inn, "I had but one other question, probably more important than the other: Where did the wings come from?"

 

Rhaine laughed, "Don't worry, Reona. In fact, I am glad for your questions. Few people, even from my world, stop to understand why I am the way I am. Instead, they stand back and stare in fear, or in awestruck silence. You don't know how many times I have wished for the hourglass to turn back to days when I seemed more....ordinary. My growth in strength and power has gifted me with many useful abilities, but it has also isolated me from the rest of the world."

 

She pulled her wings back to a more relaxed position, "As for my wings, I actually cannot fly at all. For that to be possible, my bones would have to be hollow, and even then I could not wear armor. They do, however, provide a bit of a boost in speed when I run, and can allow me to jump farther than normal. It took me at least five years to learn how to use them to my advantage. For the longest time, they were simply a nuisance. I had to have my armor and clothes special made to allow for them...they were constantly getting in the way or moving on their own. Finally, I managed to gain control over their muscles to some extent. Although, they still seem to act of their own accord, at times.

 

"And where they came from?" she chuckled, "You'll have to thank my Lord Kelemvor for that. I remember the day I 'received' them as if it were yesterday. It was after I had destroyed a Dracolich in the Underdark of Cormyr. I felt a burning sensation in my back, right under both shoulder blades. It wouldn't cease until I removed my armor. But then, it worsened again, and my vision became a hazy black and red from the pain. My Lord couldn't grant them and they simply appear, oh no. I had to grow them. It was the most pain I'd ever felt in my life. I think I finally passed out. But when I woke, I found them covering me gently like a blanket, and the pain had subsided. I remember being awestruck, and a bit incredulous. But there was no doubt who they had come from. They are a symbol - a mark of sorts.

 

"They are a mark of my..." she trailed, and knew this would only incite more questions.

 

"...divinity."

[Keanumoreira]

Spst....Sarah!" A pause.

 

This was the second time today that her name was called.

 

Feelings still lingering from the encounter with the suave Sanguine had left a crushing reminder of the world's unending cruelty. Now there was this mysterious rustling of the bushes just to the left of the cobblestone path. Was there no end to this game?

 

SWOOSH!

 

Almost immediately, she threw herself backwards as a flock of angry birds exploded before her in a blinding hail of leaves and crimson feathers. Instinctively, the thief swung her fist far past the shoulder, bristling embers dusting away from the searing flesh as it glows before her eyes. After making short work of the assailants, a lick of silver whistles from its leather tomb, ready to draw blood from the crunching leaves who had became ever more frantic.

 

"Who's there"? Silence....

 

As she drew closer, a string of fears raced through her mind, imagining what horrors may be waiting to be unleashed. Like a Pandora's box, everything monstrous was suspected. The mythical Uderfrykte Matron was even considered, which wouldn't be entirely far-fetched if this road wasn't so close to the nearby mountains. Regardless of what it was, it knew her name, and no amount of risky chances were acceptable. This thing had to be killed.

 

"I said who's there"? Sarah demanded, teeth clinched.

 

"Come closer"! The raspy whisper was not familiar, "Ouch! Ow...accursed thorns of malice! Cease your jabbing"!

 

The blade drew nearer, her heart drumming harder, and when it seemed that it was ready to jump from her throat, she gave the rattling greens a swift pull to the right without hesitation. As soon as the shadows parted from within, the creature's scaly throat greeted the razor-sharp tip with cowardice,"I'm not going to ask you again! WHO ARE YOU"?

 

"Woah! Woah! Sarah, it's me! Duielen!", It was an Argonian, but not one Sarah had ever seen, in contrary to what he claimed, "You remember me right? Right?"

 

The blade still held firm to the shaken reptile, falling just over the Hyoid bone, "C'mon...you've got to remember me! We've been pals, buddies! Shoulder to shoulder ever since I was a hatchling and you were-"

 

"Then why where you hiding? What's with the sticky toes? I'd talk if I were you Argonian. My hands are sweaty from hunting rats all day, and you smell like a rat to me. It would be a shame if we had an "accident"." He stared down at the glinting blade with widened eyes.

 

"The Charice"! The sword loosened.

 

For a brief moment, Sarah stood there without a word, searching for the right words to say. A warm breeze from the spiteful Black Marsh tumbled clumsily by, and it seemed as if everything was more relaxed. Trees shivered and buckled, the grasses brushing against the legs of the duo. She didn't know what to believe. Never once in her life did the Wood Elf speak of her darkest secret.

 

How did this man come to learn about it?

 

"What?"

 

"That! That amulet you're wearing."

 

It was true. He knew her secret, and without the means to search her thoughts for an answer, Sarah reacted in the only way she knew how.

 

"What about the amulet!? How do you know of its name?! How do you know my secret?! TALK! Or I swear by Akatosh, that I'll tear out your slimy tongue and feed it to you raw!" The Argonian stumbled onto his hands as he felt metal slicing into his skin.

 

"BECAUSE! Because...I know you. The children. None of the children at Leyawiin would play with you. They called you all sorts of terrible things. A demon child, an unfortunate accident..." The memories began to return in striking vividness; of a rainy afternoon outside the schoolhouse of the boggy Leyawiin.

 

"Look at you. No one likes you, you know. You're a...."

 

"freak... But not me. I looked at you and I smiled...and I kneeled down to offer you some nightshade."

 

"It's beautiful and unique." The Wood Elf sprung up from her weeping arms and into the carrot eyes of a little Argonian boy, standing before her with a smile on his face. Instantly, she was stuck by his presence there.

 

"Wha-what"?

 

"Nightshade. It's unique, like you." Clouds marched high above them, the clap of thunder rumbling far beyond the aging walls.

 

Some wondered if the tavern rumors were true. Every Turdas of the week, when the smells of onion spice and heavy mead frothed in the minds of the townspeople, the local Bar fly's would gather at the Five Claws Lodge to share a few shots of poison. Drunken off their asses, but surprisingly able to spin a tale, the stumbling Orcs and their Breton competitors would almost be hysterical as their swore from their arid lips, "The walls, the walls! They cometh from the ground! Our tombstones to the walls"! It was more of a good laugh than something to be taken seriously, but no one ever wanted to admit it to anyone who wasn't from their corner of the swamp. Everyone loves a good story right? Doubly so in Leyawiin's case as the town was more dried up than the mead. Sure, an Oblivion gate opened just years before, a hero walked through their streets and vanquished the villainous Black Water, but that was then, and this is now. If outsiders believed that if they should perish in this city, and that their tombstone would be added to the walls, then that made Leyawiin all the more interesting. And not far from these walls stood the singing bells of the schoolhouse where soon, another legend was about to take place. Three steps from the hulking door, rainwater tumbling down into muddy torrents of rushing silt and gravel, a young pair of children sat there in the whipping cold.

 

"You-you don't think I'm a monster? You're not afraid of me"? Asked the Wood Elf through soaked hair.

 

"No. I think you're beautiful...and nice. Not a monster. See, I'm the only lizard in the whole, entire town who goes to school here. I think it's the worst place in all of Cyrodiil! Even Bravil, where some of our classmates used to live, and they aren't nice classmates at all huh? They can be mean and call you names. Ever heard of Lizard Lips?"

 

The Wood Elf couldn't help but giggle, "Now see? There's a smile. You know...if it makes you feel any better, I don't have any friends in this place either. I've seen you around and I know you're shy, but...maybe...." He found himself at stir with his own words. The Wood Elf remained soundless.

 

"*Sigh*. I'm not very good at this. I guess I'm pushing too hard, so perhaps I ought to introduce myself first." The boy extended his hand, slightly frightening her, "I'm Duielen, eight years old. And you are"?

 

"Sarah. My name is Sarah. Eight and a half." They both noticed as she glimpsed down at the Nightshade still folding away in Duielen's palm, freshly dampened from the fierce downpour.

 

"Go on Sarah. Take it."

 

Together, both of their hands met to cover the flower, exchanging a smile between them, and they knew, from that point on, things were finally going to change.

 

"Duielen?" He looked up to the feeble voice as Sarah allowed to expose her Amber eyes, giving her newest friend a first time peek.

 

"Yes"?

 

"I think we're going to be the bestest of friends".

 

He nodded, "So do I"...

 

"Don't you remember"? She studied his carrot eyes with an unbearable sadness. Sarah realized that this was a long forgotten ally.

 

"I...yes. Yes...I remember now." She whispered in disbelief , helping Duielen to his feet, "We were separated when the Daedra stormed Kvatch. We were only nine years old when we ran away, searching for our next big adventure. I-I didn't mean to...I didn't...if I only could of known-" She collapsed into his arms, letting the sword drop into the grass as tears welled up in her eyes, "I'm so sorry Duielen. I'm so sorry..."

 

"It's ok my greatest friend. You needn't apologize to me. I would have done the same thing".

 

"It's just...It has been far too long. I-I thought you were dead...I thought the Scamps killed you and dragged you back into the gates of that damn realm. Just like...just like the others..."

 

"I thought you were dead too. When I couldn't find you, I just fled the city, I just...ran. I could see the flames behind me, the people screaming as the city burned, howls from the yawning Earth, rattling my soul like the hums of war machines. Never once did the inferno touch me, but it left my soul to burn. There were so many people, and I was so very stupid; every since that day, when smoke choked the church of Akatosh, I regretted never turning back to find you. I was devastated to leave you behind, to allow those demons to pull you into hell itself, but I just couldn't do it. I was too afraid to face the city smoldering to ash from an impossible invasion. I'm so sorry that I left you in Kvatch that day Sarah. I promise you...that won't happen the next time".

 

"There won't be a next time Duielen. All the gates are sealed". By now, they were both in tears from their past ordeal, but by no means where they out of grief, "And I know how you felt. I was there when it happened too. I'm just glad that after all of these years, I can hold you in my arms again. I hope we never have to let go".

 

"So do I. I can't bear to lose you again. But out of curiosity, what are you doing here? Wandering down this road at such an hour"? Sarah removed herself from Duielen's shoulder and gazed up to him with a playful smile after a moment of stillness.

 

"Well what's your excuse? You're the one who played a cliché in the bushes".

 

"Maybe just a blind hand of fate to bring us together"? He scoffed at such a superstition, as did the Wood Elf.

 

"Yeah, right. I'm on my way to find the Scrolls Inn. Word on the street is that there are some documents that this beer slinger there knows about. I need to get a hold of them."

 

"Well, where's the fire"?

 

"There is no fire. I'm not on a deadline. Not yet anyway. It's...oh damn. It's just one of those complicated things".

 

"Come, I know the very place. I'll tell you everything you want to know on the way. And perhaps, you'll tell me a thing or two as well".

 

With a gesture of the hand, they were off, beginning their adventure just like the old days. Duielen couldn't help but be intrigued in Sarah's case, and as a blanket fell from over them, he couldn't resist the feeling that they were being watched. It felt...suave.

[iansaltman]

After half an hour of silent traveling, Reona gave into her curiosity and turned her head to the ever-composed Raine, "Forgive me if I am too intrusive with this question, but your wings, my lady, I admire them greatly. They are as dark and graceful as the clever raven's, and I cannot help but barrage you with questions."

 

She sensed the discomfort and rigidity of her quiet friend and looked back at Ellundil as best she could, noticing how unusually pale his hands and arms were (as that was all she could see of him), and smiled a little, "The questions will take your mind from the motion of the horse. It is a bit sickening to be bounced around so much until you get used to it."

 

Her gaze flicked back to Rhaine, "I must first ask whether the wings are capable of flight on their own, or if you require a bit of magic to help keep your body aloft. One would think that your shoulder muscles would be quite strained if the wings themselves supported you..." she trailed off, mumbling myriad theories to herself, feeling the soft brush of the horse's consciousness against hers. She thanked Thanatos and promised to give him a sugar cube or carrot when they got to the inn, "I had but one other question, probably more important than the other: Where did the wings come from?"

 

Rhaine laughed, "Don't worry, Reona. In fact, I am glad for your questions. Few people, even from my world, stop to understand why I am the way I am. Instead, they stand back and stare in fear, or in awestruck silence. You don't know how many times I have wished for the hourglass to turn back to days when I seemed more....ordinary. My growth in strength and power has gifted me with many useful abilities, but it has also isolated me from the rest of the world."

 

She pulled her wings back to a more relaxed position, "As for my wings, I actually cannot fly at all. For that to be possible, my bones would have to be hollow, and even then I could not wear armor. They do, however, provide a bit of a boost in speed when I run, and can allow me to jump farther than normal. It took me at least five years to learn how to use them to my advantage. For the longest time, they were simply a nuisance. I had to have my armor and clothes special made to allow for them...they were constantly getting in the way or moving on their own. Finally, I managed to gain control over their muscles to some extent. Although, they still seem to act of their own accord, at times.

 

"And where they came from?" she chuckled, "You'll have to thank my Lord Kelemvor for that. I remember the day I 'received' them as if it were yesterday. It was a day or so after I had destroyed a Dracolich in the Underdark of Cormyr. I was back at my forest encampment, and I felt a burning sensation in my back, right under both shoulder blades. It wouldn't cease until I removed my armor. But then, it worsened again, and my vision became a hazy black and red from the pain. My Lord couldn't grant them and they simply appear, oh no. I had to grow them. It was the most pain I'd ever felt in my life. I think I finally passed out. But when I woke, I found them covering me gently like a blanket, and the pain had subsided. I remember being awestruck, and a bit incredulous. But there was no doubt who they had come from. They are a symbol - a mark of sorts.

 

"They are a mark of my..." she trailed, and knew this would only incite more questions.

 

"...divinity."

 

Ellundil was feeling sick and nervous, he heard little of what Reona and Rhaine had spoke of, and he didn't really want to at the moment. He started to become more faint, how can I get my mind off of this dread he felt inclined to speak.

 

"Thine maiden of fortune, Rhaine, how is it that you came upon such a stallion of grace as the one I sit upon this very moment."

 

He thought he posed a valid question, and he figured knowing about the animal that bode him on his travels would be able to ease the feeling of dread in his stomach. Just thinking about it more made his runes turn to a darker red, a scarlet colour. He felt an odd stroke of heat surge through his body, he wanted to think of something different, and eagerly waited for a response.

[AurianaValoria1]

Ellundil was feeling sick and nervous, he heard little of what Reona and Rhaine had spoke of, and he didn't really want to at the moment. He started to become more faint, how can I get my mind off of this dread he felt inclined to speak.

 

"Thine maiden of fortune, Rhaine, how is it that you came upon such a stallion of grace as the one I sit upon this very moment."

 

He thought he posed a valid question, and he figured knowing about the animal that bode him on his travels would be able to ease the feeling of dread in his stomach. Just thinking about it more made his runes turn to a darker red, a scarlet colour. He felt an odd stroke of heat surge through his body, he wanted to think of something different, and eagerly waited for a response.

 

"Oh, Thanatos," Rhaine said, turning back slightly to look at Ellundil. She frowned as she saw his pale face, unhooking a flask from her belt with one hand and tossing it up to him, "here. Drink that. It will help."

 

She then stroked her horse's face, "I acquired Thanatos fairly recently, actually - only about three years ago. He was purchased by the Temple of Kelemvor in my home city of Waterdeep as an addition to our holy stables. Thanatos, with his midnight coat, was intended to pull hearses with three other horses...a ceremonial luxury only available to the nobles of the city. Unfortunately for them, he was too high-spirited for the job - the acolytes couldn't even get him into the harnesses. It seems he hated the many heavy straps and the obstruction of the blinders. So, he stayed as a stable decoration for several months, until I came home. At the time, I was horseless, my former steed having been cut out from under me in battle. Curious, I inquired after him, and the High Father let me have him. He's been my faithful war mount ever since."

 

As they continued on the road, Rhaine noticed the sky turning various hues of pink and orange, and she rested a hand on the hilt of her sword. It would be useless to pitch camp this close to the inn, and so they would have to go on into the night. Twilight was a perfect time for another bandit strike, and she would be prepared to defend her new-found friends if the occasion called for it.

 

Turning back to them, she asked, "Is there anything else you would know?"

[SoulofChrysamere]

Redemin waited several seconds for a response from the Nord, but none came. Not wanting to risk becoming a victim of the Skyrimer's battle frenzy himself, he stole away back towards the inn through the pitch-black forest.

 

 

It wasn't long before he spied the quaint little structure with cozy lights radiating from the windows. He sauntered up to the door and shouldered it open. As he shut the door behind him, his eyes floated over to the counter where someone besides the Orc bartender was standing, making food and drinks for what appeared to be farmers and plowmen. They were packed at every table, stuffing their faces with meats and veggies and gulping down mugs of assorted booze; it was more like a pack of wild animals than a congregation of people. Still, he could easily imagine how ravenous hard work on a farm could make a person.

 

 

He slowly made his way toward the counter, dodging stumbling, drunken farmhands along the way. Once he reached the bar, he took a seat on a stool a bit of a ways away from the other folk. He waved to the bartender, who gave him a quick look of acknowledgement as he pushed a few tankards toward a group of workers. The man then walked over to Redemin. Redemin eyed him for a moment; this person was probably the only one in the whole building who noticed his...unique attire.

[tokyobiohazard]

 

"Oh, Thanatos," Rhaine said, turning back slightly to look at Ellundil. She frowned as she saw his pale face, unhooking a flask from her belt with one hand and tossing it up to him, "here. Drink that. It will help."

 

She then stroked her horse's face, "I acquired Thanatos fairly recently, actually - only about three years ago. He was purchased by the Temple of Kelemvor in my home city of Waterdeep as an addition to our holy stables. Thanatos, with his midnight coat, was intended to pull hearses with three other horses...a ceremonial luxury only available to the nobles of the city. Unfortunately for them, he was too high-spirited for the job - the acolytes couldn't even get him into the harnesses. It seems he hated the many heavy straps and the obstruction of the blinders. So, he stayed as a stable decoration for several months, until I came home. At the time, I was horseless, my former steed having been cut out from under me in battle. Curious, I inquired after him, and the High Father let me have him. He's been my faithful war mount ever since."

 

As they continued on the road, Rhaine noticed the sky turning various hues of pink and orange, and she rested a hand on the hilt of her sword. It would be useless to pitch camp this close to the inn, and so they would have to go on into the night. Twilight was a perfect time for another bandit strike, and she would be prepared to defend her new-found friends if the occasion called for it.

 

Turning back to them, she asked, "Is there anything else you would know?"

 

Reona shifted slightly in the saddle, the frilled, many-layered, black skirt of her dress awkwardly bunched around her knees, her pale, bare legs and feet dangling free from the stirrups, the welcoming cool breeze gently brushing them. She smirked, head pointed downward, eyes obstructed by a veil of glossy, coal-black bangs that tickled at the tip of her nose as she breathed. She spoke without looking up, "Thanatos' name, is it a pun of sorts, then? If so, it is quite clever, naming him after Death himself."

 

She stroked the animal's mane a little, still holding the reins loosely in her grip, and spoke, "In my village, we don't use saddles or harnesses on our steeds. We let them roam throughout the forest, as was nature's original intent for all creatures. We watch them graze and play and only call for them to help us in times when speed is needed, and they will always come, as we make sure the land they graze from is lush, green, and healthy. A symbiotic relationship of sorts. The vast majority of our horses are also snowy white and more compact than the domestic horses from the cities. As you can tell, Thanatos is a bit of an oddity for my eyes to rest their gaze upon."

[AurianaValoria1]

Reona shifted slightly in the saddle, the frilled, many-layered, black skirt of her dress awkwardly bunched around her knees, her pale, bare legs and feet dangling free from the stirrups, the welcoming cool breeze gently brushing them. She smirked, head pointed downward, eyes obstructed by a veil of glossy, coal-black bangs that tickled at the tip of her nose as she breathed. She spoke without looking up, "Thanatos' name, is it a pun of sorts, then? If so, it is quite clever, naming him after Death himself."

 

She stroked the animal's mane a little, still holding the reins loosely in her grip, and spoke, "In my village, we don't use saddles or harnesses on our steeds. We let them roam throughout the forest, as was nature's original intent for all creatures. We watch them graze and play and only call for them to help us in times when speed is needed, and they will always come, as we make sure the land they graze from is lush, green, and healthy. A symbiotic relationship of sorts. The vast majority of our horses are also snowy white and more compact than the domestic horses from the cities. As you can tell, Thanatos is a bit of an oddity for my eyes to rest their gaze upon."

 

"Indeed," Rhaine answered, "I thought his name appropriate."

 

She fingered a silver stud on Thanatos's bridle absentmindedly, "Your people remind me of the druids of my homeland. They have a healthy respect for nature and for life - taking only what is needed and giving back when they can. In this, they are much like we Doomguides. We are taught to respect all life...that every soul and spirit has value. It is our duty to destroy the abominations of the undead, as they are twisted perversions of life and defy the natural order of death. Some would be surprised to learn that we do not seek death or revere it. In fact, we do whatever is within our power to keep mortals safe from incidents that would shorten their lives. A natural death is what Lord Kelemvor wishes for all people, and it is his command that no man or woman die without a Doomguide at his or her side. To die alone is to die afraid, and fear anchors the spirit to the mortal world, as does hatred and anger. We are also taught to honor our ancestors and to study history, for without the endeavors of those who have gone before us, we cannot understand ourselves and where we are today."

 

Looking back at Reona, Rhaine analyzed the elf's attire more closely, and was puzzled. Her sword was naked, her feet were bare, and she wore a dress that was certainly not suited for travel. She decided to voice her curiosity, "Reona, your dress is more suitable for a funeral than a sojourn on foot. And your sword has no sheath to guard its blade. You may, of course, choose not to answer me, but I feel I must ask: why are you garbed so?"

[tokyobiohazard]

"Indeed," Rhaine answered, "I thought his name appropriate."

 

She fingered a silver stud on Thanatos's bridle absentmindedly, "Your people remind me of the druids of my homeland. They have a healthy respect for nature and for life - taking only what is needed and giving back when they can. In this, they are much like we Doomguides. We are taught to respect all life...that every soul and spirit has value. It is our duty to destroy the abominations of the undead, as they are twisted perversions of life and defy the natural order of death. Some would be surprised to learn that we do not seek death or revere it. In fact, we do whatever is within our power to keep mortals safe from incidents that would shorten their lives. A natural death is what Lord Kelemvor wishes for all people, and it is his command that no man or woman die without a Doomguide at his or her side. To die alone is to die afraid, and fear anchors the spirit to the mortal world, as does hatred and anger. We are also taught to honor our ancestors and to study history, for without the endeavors of those who have gone before us, we cannot understand ourselves and where we are today."

 

Looking back at Reona, Rhaine analyzed the elf's attire more closely, and was puzzled. Her sword was naked, her feet were bare, and she wore a dress that was certainly not suited for travel. She decided to voice her curiosity, "Reona, your dress is more suitable for a funeral than a sojourn on foot. And your sword has no sheath to guard its blade. You may, of course, choose not to answer me, but I feel I must ask: why are you garbed so?"

 

"I suppose that I can tell my story to you. It will pass the time while we travel, after all," Reona looked over to Rhaine and smiled meekly, her pale cheeks tinged with a burning red. She looked back at the path ahead, took a deep breath, and closed her eyes for a split-second, thinking of how to phrase everything she had to say.

 

Her electric eyes, framed by long, delicately-curled raven lashes, seemed to lose their brightness and become downcast, looking like the pale sky on a rainy day. She parted her amaranth lips slightly and blinked with thoughtful slowness, noticing the soft glow of Ellundil's runes on her black sleeves, before her voice, quiet and hardly audible, broke the silence, "Aye, a funeral it was... Let me start at the beginning...

 

"I had a very normal childhood among the few other children in my village. One thing that was different about me, however, was that I and my brother were always together. We were an odd sight, I must admit," she paused and her lips curled up in a sad smile, "He was the tallest Bosmer I had ever met, and I was tiny, even by our standards. We contrasted sharply: he tall, I short; his hair like sunlight, mine like midnight; he garbed in all white, I in black; he was outgoing, I was introverted... The adults of our village affectionately referred to us as 'Angel and Demon'. As for why he is dead, I killed him."

 

Reona's eyes widened and her face contorted into a vicious snarl as she felt a sharp sting in her neck. An arrow. Her expression changed to one of shock as she noticed what was going on.

 

Ellundil's hand was wrapped around the shaft of the arrow that pierced her flesh.