[quote=@gcold]
Here's a writing prompt while you guys wait for the updates.

Write something about your character through the first person perspective of someone else. This can be anything from the standard prose to poetic verses. Your content can also be one of the prior prompts (meeting character from another RP/character background). The only requirement is to write from the first person perspective of someone that you do not play.
[/quote]

[hider][i]20th of Last Seed, 4E202[/i]

The noise of the battlefield was drowned out by the sound of my own blood thundering in my ears and the reverberations of my footfalls as I sprinted past a sea of ashen faces and crimson eyes. Their confusion was evident but I couldn't care less, not in that moment. I spat curses with each ragged breath, cursing the beastfolk, the damned ebony armor I was wearing, even the swamp beneath my feet. My officers came after me, hollering and howling for me to halt, slow down, or at least give instructions, but I wasn't listening. Ahead of me, a column of smoke rose from behind a thicket of marsh brushes. 

[i]Gods, no. Please. No.[/i]

My headlong dash took me straight through the vegetation. Beside myself with fear and rage, I cut at the hapless plants with my blade as if they were my mortal enemies and squashed their stems beneath my boots. This allowed my pursuers to catch up, now positively screaming for my attention. "Sir! Sir, please, stop! What are you doing? The battle--" 

They jumped back when I wheeled around, sword at the ready, spittle flying from my lips and my eyes bulging. "FUCK THE BATTLE!" I roared. "Help me, [i]n'wah![/i]" The hesitation in their eyes infuriated me even more and I forced the words, as painful as they were to say, through my throat. "It's my [i]sister[/i]!" Using my blade, I pointed at the smoke ahead. "That's-- she's--" My tone became pleading and the anger drained from me. Struck by my despair, one of my officers stepped forward and started laying into the vegetation with diligence. Shortly, the others followed suit and I redoubled my efforts.

The sight that greeted us when we made it through was one that would haunt my nightmares for years to come. There she was, surrounded by corpses and scorched earth, laying completely still. The smoke made my eyes water and the heavy and cloying smell of cooked blood was so thick in the air that it I gagged. "Nerevar guide me," I heard a trembling voice mutter to my left. Everything seemed surreal, as if it was happening to someone else. My useless hands dropped my sword and I stumbled forward and down onto my knees by her side. There was so much blood. I wept and cradled her in my arms. 

Her eyes opened -- two bright signs of life in an otherwise gut-wrenching crimson death-mask. My heart stopped in my chest and I almost dropped her. She opened her mouth, I think to say something, but instead started violently coughing up more blood while it continued to pour from a savage wound in her face. I screamed incoherently and scrambled to my feet, lifting her up, one arm behind her knees and the other around her shoulders. The men behind me cursed and one of them immediately ran for help. I followed, ignoring the indignant protests of my tired arms and legs, torn between sprinting as fast as I could and making sure she didn't fall. "Hold on," I gasped, wheezing with every breath. "Hold on, Niernen. Don't die on me. Don't you dare."

[i]"Don't you dare!"[/i]

--

[i]24th of Last Seed, 4E202[/i]

I hesitated before stepping into the tent, afraid of what I would find inside. The Temple priests had assured me that she would be fine, but the look on his face when I asked what 'fine' meant, exactly, wasn't comforting. After taking a deep breath to steel myself I lifted the tent flap up and entered. It took a few seconds for my eyes to adjust to the gloom inside. She had been sleeping but awoke at the sound of my sharp intake of breath. "Ayem's mercy," I hissed. "What did they do to you?" 

Niernen used her elbows to prop herself up and managed a wan smile. "Narzul," she whispered. Her voice was as hoarse and thin as the dying and the ghastly paleness of her face wasn't far off, either. The grave wound had healed into a fearsome scar that ran from her left brow over her eye and down her cheek. She winced at the pain and I stepped forward quickly. "Don't move," I said. "And don't try to talk too much either. The priests told me you need to rest." My hand found a place on her shoulder. I squeezed gently in an attempt to be reassuring. Truth be told, I was at a loss for what to do. This was my fault. I shouldn't have let her come with me.

"I shouldn't have let you come with me," I said and put those thoughts into words. She obeyed my command and remained silent, but I could see in her eyes that she immediately hated me for saying that. It was so characteristic of her that, despite the situation, I chuckled. "Please don't be mad at me for saying [i]that[/i]. If you're going to be upset, be cross with me for almost getting you killed. I never should have placed you so far away from the rest of the army -- the Argonians knew you existed by then -- Gods, why didn't I see it coming? They've used these tactics befo--"

My tone, initially jovial, had grown increasingly strained as I talked and Niernen cut me off by grabbing my hand. "Hush, you," she croaked. "It isn't... your fault." 

"No, it is my fault," I retorted sharply and sighed. "Look, Niernen, sweet sister, I know how talented and skilled you are, but a sorceress does not a warrior make. I trained my whole life for war. You haven't. Your successes in the field blinded me to that and I put you in mortal danger." 

She looked away, her lips drawn into a thin line and a heavy frown creasing her brow. I opened my mouth to speak but couldn't find the words. 

A long silence followed. "Niernen," I said softly. She hesitantly turned her head to look at me, her expression still as venomous. "Please," I pleaded with her. "After you're well enough to travel, you're going home, and for the love of the Reclamations, please [i]stay there.[/i] Promise me."

At last there was some resignation in her eyes, swiftly followed by sorrow, the depths of which broke my heart. She started crying, her body wracking with sobs. I got down on my knees next to the bed, took her in my arms and pressed her against my chest. I shushed and stroked the back of her head like our mother used to do. 

And she wept.[/hider]