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The Knight and the Lady
By General Edor Crespin
Chapter 1
The mid-afternoon sun soaked the forest of mainland Morrowind,
creating a shimmering blanket of gold and green. Along a path, two travelers
could be spotted through the trees, a knight and a lady. The austere knight was
clad in shining Indoril armor with a sheathed claymore on his back. He
accompanied the fair lady, whose exquisite silver robe and its elegant folds
glistened in the dappled sunlight. Shining red-gold hair cascaded down her back,
and her clear violet eyes enchanted all who saw them. A strange scimitar-like
sword in its scabbard was strapped to the knight's waist, and the hilt of a
dagger, just visible in a sheath, was strapped to his left leg. Fully armed, he
looked as though he were always expecting a fight. The lady was also armed, with
a magnificent obsidian bow and a tall quiver of arrows strapped to her back.
Birds trilled in the lush treetops, while a fat guar or scrawny nix-hound could
be glimpsed every now and then through the trees. Night fell slowly, the sun
disappearing below the treetops to the west as Masser and Secunda came above the
horizon in the east.
"We
should stop for the night, m'lady. Sunlight keeps the darkness at bay, but with
the darkness comes darkness� creatures, some of a foul sort even I would not
want to battle alone," the dark knight said at length, looking at the lady
expectantly. His gleaming red eyes were visible through his helm, even in the
deepening shadows.
�Very well,� she replied, �there looks to be a clearing ahead, let us
stop there.� She glanced briefly at the knight then pointed at the place where
the dark forms of trees were visible against a lighter space. The knight bowed
his head in acknowledgement, and soon they arrived at the clearing.
While the lady unpacked several horsemeat steaks and seasoned them, the knight
collected wood and brush for a fire. Minutes later they had a roaring blaze
going, flames rising high into the treetops. She put the steaks of horsemeat on
sturdy sticks which she had carved to a point, and they were soon roasting in
the fire, juices sizzling onto the coals as the lady sat and watched silently.
Across the fire from her, the knight set his heavy claymore lightly against a
tree, and then drew his helmet off.
A
thin black scar marked the knight�s face. It ran the length of his ashen face,
starting on his forehead above the bridge of his nose, running down through his
left eye to end by the corner of his mouth. A smaller scar paralleled it, but
this one ended at his eyebrow. The lady whitened slightly at the sight,
wondering what horrible wound would give him such a scar. She still didn't
understand how he could receive them and still retain the use of his eye, and he
would not tell her. The rest of his features were darker and grimmer than normal
for the Dunmer race, but from what she had learned of his past, this was not
surprising.
The
knight sat across the fire from her, sitting with his back against a large log
as he stared into the fire dreamily, a reflection of the flames dancing eerily
in his molten eyes. "Have you heard of the man they called Indie?" he asked
suddenly, raising his head and staring at her through the flames.
"No, but there are many legends of your land which I have not heard,"
she said softly, shadows highlighting her fair face as she looked back at him.
"He was not of my land,� he snorted softly. �He was a famous
Cyrodiilic adventurer, one of the best of any man or mer. I met him once, sort
of. Marvelous were the tales he told- from chalices that give eternal life, gems
of such power that they were second only to the Daedra themselves, an ancient
religious artifact that housed power of more interest to the mad than sane, and
many more strange and wonderful objects and curiosities. But he never let that
corrupt his heart, in the end. He was... he was a good man."
"I
would have loved to have met him. He sounds as if he would have been a great
help in our current struggle," she said wistfully.
The knight shook his head. "I fear not. If you had met him, you would
understand, m'lady. But now it seems our steaks are done. Let us eat and then
sleep, for a long journey still lies ahead of us."
All
was calm then as they ate their supper, forest creatures quieting as the last
dull hint of the sun disappeared from the western sky. Finishing his meal, the
Dunmer knight rose, drew his sword and started feigning moves against a sturdy
tree with slow and sure moves. The lady watched him silently for some minutes as
he practiced, marveling at the sure and steady hand the knight kept under the
weight of the sword. She then turned her attention to the fire and banked most
of it with handfuls of dirt. She unrolled her bedroll next to the newly tamed
golden-orange flames of the fire and eased down onto it, continuing to watch him
as he practiced.
He
turned to her after he finished his exercise, his ashen face eerily lit by the
subdued light, and bowed deeply. "Sleep well, m'lady. Let not the madness of
Sheogorath cloud your sleep, and rest peacefully knowing that the Nerevarine
guards thee from all the evils which traverse the land,� he said in an oddly
formal voice.
Her eyes widened at the mention of the name. She drew in a quick
breath and bolted up, only to see him flash her a sly smile as he disappeared
into the shadows, starting a patrol that would last the entire night.
* *
*
The
next morning, they continued their journey after a light breakfast. The leaden
sky cast a pall of gloom over the forest, and the journey was made in silence.
At one point they came to a clearing in the forest, blanketed with Golden Kanets
and Timsa-Come-By flowers. The gold and pink provided a wonderful splash of
colour to the dreary forest. �Why� this reminds me of the Royal Gardens, in
Cyrodiil City,� the lady said with a smile, turning around slowly. �They were
beautiful. Every plant you could think of, immaculately maintained. They only
allowed so many people in at a time, it was very quiet and peaceful. They had
benches throughout, and I used to just go and sit there for hours at a time,
half-asleep and just soaking in the serenity�� she sank down onto the grass and
looked up at the knight. �Do you mind if we stop here for a while? It would be
nice to just rest and try to relax, at least for a time.�
�We
can rest... I enjoy this place as well,� the knight said. He was intrigued by
her innocent manner, so different from when they had started their journey. He
carefully sat down next to her and he pulled his helmet off and set it in his
lap. He leaned back against a tree and closed his eyes, breathing in deeply and
slowly, the combined fragrance of the flowers, the grass, and the surrounding
trees was enjoyable and even mildly intoxicating to one who had grown up in and
near the dead, dry Ashlands of Vvardenfell. The island had few places as lush as
these. He opened his eyes and glanced over at her and saw her eyes were closed,
she was breathing deeply and peacefully. He slowly closed his again�
His eyes snapped open. His gaze darted around the darkened clearing,
searching for that which had awakened him. Thunder rumbled dully in the
distance, but except for the silver-draped form of the lady leaning against his
side, the clearing was still and empty. But something had awakened him� He
cursed to himself, it was not his nature to fall asleep in the middle of the day
when he had matters to attend to. �Awaken, m�lady,� he carefully reached over
and shook her slightly. Her eyes flickered open and she levered herself upright
slowly, staring around the shadowed clearing before she looked up at him, her
violet eyes clouded. �We fell asleep.�
�Yes. I do not know why, but we should leave this place,� he stood up
and pulled his helmet back on, he grasped the hilt of his sheathed sword tightly
as he looked around the clearing again. The lady stood up and unclasping her
bow, nocked an arrow and searched the clearing nervously
A chill breeze blew suddenly and the knight drew his sword out of its
scabbard. He passed his gauntleted hand over it and murmured a word and suddenly
it burst into flame over the entire length of the blade- the legendary Trueflame
of the equally legendary Dunmer general Indoril-Nerevar. It pushed back the
encroaching shadows and he said sharply, �Go. I will follow,� he turned around
slowly, searching for the hidden threat. The lady started off quickly down the
trail, moving with uncertain steps. The knight followed slightly slower,
searching the forest. The woods had lost the friendliness of yesterday, lack of
sunlight multiplied the shadows and even with experience which few of this era
could boast, he found himself staring at shadows that seemed to move and
lengthen completely at odds with the rest.
They came to a curve in the trail and up ahead he could see wider
spaces and fewer shadows. The lady slowed slightly, and he glanced back for one
last view of the area they had left. No being crossed his sight, but yet� His
throat thickened. He knew something was there. This was not something he
could face alone, not even with all his awesome power and experience. Not with
the lady relying on him, and he on her. He quickened his steps until he caught
up with the lady. By now, they were in a thinner area of the forest. The shadows
were not so ominous now, and while thunder still rumbled distantly it lacked the
ominous tone it had before.
�I�ve only heard of such a place a few times,� the lady slid the arrow
back into her quiver and clasped the bow back onto its strap on her back. �When
I was studying lore in the Imperial Archives. In such places, there is an old
magic. One that can not be felt until it is too late,� she said quietly as she
walked slowly. The knight said a quiet word and the flame on his sword died,
revealing itself to be unaffed. He slid his sword back into the scabbard and
walked alongside her. �It�s said to be as old as the Daedra. Or perhaps even
older. No one knows. All that�s known that tales are told of a place that
appeals to the innermost instincts, and traps you. The longer you stay, the
weaker you become until� I don�t know what.� She shuddered, now she was walking
without thinking, her eyes glazed over.
The knight abruptly stopped and grabbed her hand, pulled her to face
him. �Stop. Do not think of such things,� he said strongly. �It will only scar
you. On our quest to Vvardenfell you will encounter many strange things, but I
promise you, I have faced them all- and defeated them all! I will keep you
safe!�
She drew in a deep, shuddery breath and nodded jerkily. �Of course you
have. You�re the Nerevarine,� she said. He nodded soundlessly, and she turned
from him sharply and walked a few steps and then turned back to face him. �I
apologize. But I have never felt such� evil before. I will be fine. I promise,�
she said with a small smile.
The two finally resumed their journey after the strange interlude in
the secluded clearing. The trees of the forest slowly changed as they walked on.
The raucous cry of sea birds and the muffled roar of breakers on the beach
slowly became audible in the distance and then without warning the dreary forest
abruptly ended on a tall bluff, revealing the Inner Sea that divided mainland
Tamriel from the island of Vvardenfell. A hazy red cloud stained the northern
horizon, evidence of the Blight-spewing Red Mountain. The lady gazed at it for
several moments in silence, before turning to the knight, who had also been
regarding it. �So that is your home? I had known that the volcano dominated the
land, but I never thought like� that.�
He
shook his head. �No, there must be a Blight storm over there right now. Clouds
of ash from Red Mountain defile the land for several leagues in all directions.
On a bad day it�s been known for the ash to reach as far south as Balmora. But
now, our transport awaits us,� he pointed at a barque just coming around the tip
of a cape some distance away. �They�ll send a smaller boat to the beach to pick
us up. Let us go down to the shore and await their arrival.�
Slowly and cautiously they made their way down the steep sandy slope, often
having to grab onto scraggy plants to keep from slipping. By the time they
reached the bottom, the barque had anchored some distance offshore and a small
launch was coming ashore. Waves lapped on the sandy beach, and the lady gathered
her robes around her and sat some way from the water on a bed of water-smoothed
pebbles, patiently waiting.
�Sir Rotherane! I�m Bos�n Baro Ponius. We must move quickly,� an Imperial
sitting at the bow of the boat called. �A mage from Molag Mar teleported onboard
the Glory and warned us that a large storm is moving towards us. The
sooner we get back into deep water, the safer we�ll be.� He jumped onto the
beach as the boat ground ashore and held out his hand to the lady. Standing up,
she gathered her robe up in one hand and ignoring him, nimbly jumped onto the
boat and took a seat on the bench in front of the two rows of rowers. The
Imperial made a small sound of disgust but quieted quickly when he saw the
Dunmer looking at him steadily. The knight climbed into the launch and took the
seat next to the lady. Ponius climbed in after them, pushing the boat off the
sand and into shallow water as he did. He nodded to the rowers, and they were
off again, heading into a stiff breeze towards the barque. Whitecaps crashed
over the bow and the bottom was soon damp, soaking everyone�s boots. The sailors
bore it stoically, but the lady was soon soaked, the water seeping through her
light leather boots. She shivered and pulled her robe tighter around herself,
sliding her hands deep into the opposite sleeves. She looked out over the deep
water as they moved steadily closer to the ship, watching it rocking up and down
in the deep blue waves and shivered again.
The
knight glanced over at her and after a moment, put his hand on hers and murmured
a few words. She gasped as her hands and arms warmed up as if she were warming
them over a fire and flashed a grateful smile at him. He managed to smile back,
and then turned his attention back to the ship as they drew nearer, wondering at
what he had felt.
A
rope ladder was thrown over the side when they were a few yards away, and with
careful maneuvering the launch slid into place next to it, gently knocking
against the wooden hull of the barque. One of the mates clambered up first and
then a head appeared over the side, covered in a black tricorne. He waved at
them and called down, �It�s good you�re here. The storm is on the horizon, we
must get moving!�
Two
more of the sailors climbed up the ladder and then Ponius motioned for the two
companions to go. The knight nodded and turned to the lady, but she was already
going up the ladder with a feline grace, her robes not hampering her in the
slightest. She disappeared over the top, and then it was the knight�s turn.
He
swiftly climbed the ladder and jumped over the side. The deck of the ship was
strewn with barrels, ropes, and some spots were covered with unidentifiable
substances, but it was not as filthy as other ships he had been on. Then again,
this was to be expected from a ship of the Empire.
The man who had called down to them bowed deeply. �Sir Rotherane,
welcome aboard Akatosh�s Glory. I�m Captain Saprius Vunnis, master and
commander of this vessel. If I may, I have a cabin prepared for you and the
lady, the faster you�re settled down the better.�
�Thank you, Captain. You may get under way as soon as you�re ready. We must
reach Vvardenfell as soon as possible,� he replied.
�I
agree. And now, if you�ll come with me�� He walked toward the stern of the ship,
the knight and the lady following him. He pulled open a door below the weather
deck to reveal a well-lit room comfortably but sparsely furnished. Two beds in
the corner, a sturdy table opposite the door with two chairs, and two chests
next to the door were all that was in the room. �This will be your room for the
length of the voyage. Meals will be brought here, if you have any requests,
simply ask me or any of my officers. And now, if you will excuse me, I�ll go get
us under way.�
The
Dunmer knight glanced around the room before going back outside. He went over to
the railing and leaned forward against it, looking quietly at the storm clouds
that covered the northern horizon. The Blight cloud was barely visible above
them, staining the rest of the sky a rusty red. Off to the west, the sun was
just barely visible through clouds as it settled below the horizon.
�Do
you think we have a chance?�
He
glanced over to see the lady standing next to him, looking out over the water.
�Truthfully? I do not know. Perhaps Vivec and the Emperor�s mages are wrong.
Perhaps they are right� time will tell. The Daedra would be a great help- if
they aren�t the ones behind all of this.�
�The Daedra? What would they have to gain from this? Why would they do
this?�
�That is a question only they can answer,� he said with a sigh.
The
Akatosh�s Glory slowly came about until its bow pointed due north, its great
sails filling out, straining at their binding ropes. The ship gradually picked
up speed, cutting through the rolling waves with majestic ease as it sailed
towards the island of Vvardenfell.
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