[center][h3]Magic and Music[/h3][/center]
[hr]

A Collab by [@Rtron] and [@Spoopy Scary]

[i]Nanine and Calen, Afternoon, 22nd of Last Seed, 4E208[/i]

Nanine wandered the city of Anvil, looking for something to do, or at the very least draw. This was the first time she had felt a modicum of safety, and not a constant fear that the dwemer were about to attack, and she planned to enjoy it while it lasted. Things weren’t going to stay like this forever, or very long. Either the Dominion was going to grow bored faking kindness, the dwemer were going to make their move, or the Empire was going to retaliate. Either way, war was going to sweep Tamriel again, and it was doubtless that she was going to be swept up in it. She wanted to enjoy this time while she could. 

She saw a great many shops, none interesting her, as she wandered. Anvil was a thriving city, unruffled by the influx of refugees and certain in its safety behind the iron will of the Legion. Its shops were numerous, and the things they sold even more so. While idly staring at shops as she passed, she spotted someone from her caravan into the city. The Nord driver, Calen. With nothing better to do and always happy to see a familiar face, Nanine made her way over. 

Calen was carrying some instruments in his arms and had a satchel of some kind around his shoulder, but he didn’t look comfortable, apparently unused to Anvil’s heat and the sight brought a small grin to Nanine’s face. [color=skyblue]”Never been this far down south have you? You look like you’re fit to collapse.”[/color]

Calen looked up and forced a smile at her, a bead of sweat running down the side of his face. His face was flush and rosy, but he still seemed to chipper up at the sight of a familiar face. “Oh! Hey!” He chimed. He shifted the weight of the instruments around to get a better hold of them. “Ah, yeah well, you know… a small price to pay for getting to see such a beautiful place! Isn't Anvil an incredible sight?”

Nanine looked around, taking in the architecture and beauty of the city. He was right, it was an incredible sight. But her home still held her heart. She smiled softly, remembering its sweeping towers and carefully kept gardens.  [color=skyblue]“Anvil is beautiful, yes, but it is still surpassed by the Jewel of Starfall Bay. Perhaps it’s just, my bias because I was born there, but Wayrest will always be the most beautiful in my mind.”[/color] She paused, giving a small shrug. [color=skyblue]“Well, it was, before the invasion.”[/color] Shaking her head, as if to dispel the bad memories, she turned her attention back to him.

Noticing that the Nord seemed to be struggling, she held out an arm. [color=skyblue]“Here, let me take some of that off your hands. No sense in you being hot [i]and[/i] exhausted.”[/color] Relieving himself of his burdens and muttering a quick thanks, he gave her a drum and a violin, and Nanine examined it all with an arched brow. [color=skyblue]“Planning on starting a band are we? I hope you weren’t going to invite me to join. I have no talent in the musical arts.”[/color] She gestured with the violin for him to lead the way, following behind. [color=skyblue]“Or is there another reason for collecting so many instruments?”[/color]

Calen laughed awkwardly in response as he led her through the market square. He replied, “Oh, I was just hoping to spend the rest of the day performing in one or two of the taverns here. Entertain, share stories, learn what I can about the locals -- the College taught me that different instruments can oft help with that; and should anyone wish to play with me, I’ll have a spare.”

[color=skyblue]”An actual student from the College of Bards? I’d thought you were just one of those carriage drivers who were good with instruments.”[/color] Nanine commented, her interest piqued. She knew next to nothing about the College, and having someone who had graduated from it themselves right in front of her was too good of an opportunity to pass up. 

[color=skyblue]”What’s it like, learning at and graduating from the College? I’ve only heard tidbits and snippets of rumors during my time in Skyrim, and never had a chance to ask any of the bards I came across during my time there. I’m going to assume that you [i]don’t[/i] summon Daedra to seduce them so that they will bless you with magical musical ability and powers.”[/color]

“Ah, well…” Calen began, looking deep in thought as if to find the right words. “The College is not what anyone thinks, really. Of course there’s music, but that’s just the format of… or the [i]boat[/i] which carries the actual [i]meat[/i], if you would. While you can learn all you like about music and song, there is also no better place to learn about history! They’re all historians and chroniclers and preservers -- it’s would’ve been great pipeline to politics, if I had been so inclined, but Skyrim politics… uh, no, I’ll pass on that.”


Nanine was slightly surprised. Evidently, the bard college was more in depth than she had originally thought it was. [color=skyblue]”Really? I thought they remembered tales, rather than pure history. You never hear a Bard singing about the laws that an emperor made to help keep order, or how the Redguard’s came across the sea, after all. I must confess, the idea that the College of Bards is filled with historians and preservers doesn’t mesh with my image of bards.”[/color] 

She snorted. [color=skyblue]”What, you don’t want to engage in the duels for honor, the constant cold, and the ever ready possibility that your subjects might not see you as warrior like enough and leave you or dispose of you? Why ever not, Calen? That sounds like the dream!”[/color]

The bard laughed, hearty and from the chest, and the wide smile on his face he bore afterward seemed to slightly impede his ability to speak pristinely, “No, no. But you see, who’s to say that history is boring? The story of the Yokudans migrating across the great blue has probably been immortalized in song over a dozen times over! Yes, much of history gets run through the cloth and is filtered by how memorable the event, or how tasteful the story might be, but I’m willing to bet my wagon that there is a song for damn near everything.”

Nanine grinned back at him. Calen’s smile was infectious, and it felt good to laugh and smile without the shadow of danger over her head. [color=skyblue]”Very confident I see. I’ll have to take your word for it, Master Bard. Listing off ‘damn near everything’ would take far too long, and I would feel bad taking away your beloved wagon if you were proven to be wrong.  You’ll have to tell me the histories and stories you know of sometime. I’d love to be able to add them to my own collection.”[/color] She looked ahead, checking to see where they were going and to make sure they weren't going anywhere that would bring trouble. As safe as Anvil felt, it was still a bustling port city, with its own dangers. 

[color=skyblue]”You know, I think I might hang around after to see you perform. It’s been a while since I could fully relax. If you’d like, I could even add small harmless magical effects during your songs and tales.[/color] She winked at him. [color=skyblue]” Won’t even charge you.”[/color]

Calen bowed his head gratefully and said, “That would be marvelous.”

However, it swiveled back around to the last place he remembered the front gates of Anvil being and sighed. Thoughts of the deemed came back to him, along with the worry and doubt they brought with them. Finally, he said, “I wonder how this will all end - the dwemer, I mean; and perhaps more selfishly, I wonder what kind of mark I would make. Being the first to record their second coming in history… heralding a new chapter in the book… I'm sure there's someone already working on it.”

Nanine paused for a moment, thoughtful.  She’d often thought about the very same subjects herself in the past weeks. The future of Tamriel with their arrival, and her own future now that they have thrown much of the north into chaos. If history was any indication.. [color=skyblue]”The Dwemer will fall. Their return was unexpected, and their new weapons powerful, but judging from how they’ve only taken Imperial city and not lain siege to anything else, or if they have I haven’t heard of it,  and their reliance on their technology, I’d guess that they don’t have a large population.[/color] 

[color=skyblue]They’re using their new and somewhat superior weaponry  to give themselves an edge. Eventually, however, it will spread to the other nations they are actively trying to suppress. Such is the way of war. Unless they align themselves with someone, they will eventually lose due to sheer attrition. Or so military history dictates. They might have some ultimate plan that I don’t know about or some way to rapidly replenish their population, but even if they win and take over what they want to take over,  they’ll eventually be overthrown. The Empire was able to keep its control for so long by being fair and just. That had faded by the time of the Oblivion crisis, and the Dominion and Argonia used their dislike of the Empire and its weakness afterwards to seize the independence and lands they have now. The Dwemer strike me as the kind of people to actively oppress and keep their conquered under their heel. That’ll breed rage and defiance, and it will eventually boil over.”[/color] 

She looked over at Calen. [color=skyblue]”As for your mark, well, you’ll just have to write a better account, no? Someone is already working on it, sure, but not someone with your way with words and flair. Anyone can write a dry account of what happened. Takes talent to bring it to life in your reader’s mind. Talent I believe you possess.”[/color]

“You’ve tactical mind!” Calen commented, sounding impressed. “Using history to such ends. Applied knowledge is something I think this war will benefit from. We’ve had years to study them, their culture, and their constructs, yes? From what I can tell, they know nothing of us, only that they expected someone to fill the void they left behind.”

[color=skyblue]”Not many of us did, though.”[/color]

As they followed the bend of the city streets, they shortly found their way in front of The Frisky Dolphin. The sound of music and rambunctious spirit emanating from within almost spurred Calen from his conversation from Nanine, but he still found himself wanted to share a few words with her.

“I appreciate your sentiments, ma’am. I think you need worry not about me. It takes more than a few intrusive thoughts to bring my spirits down! We’ve all got our place in the world and I know where mine is...”


Nanine snorted quietly. [i]Ma’am.[/i] She wasn’t an officer nor an old woman yet. Sounded something more appropriate for Judena.

Calen gestured with the instruments he had in hand.

“The question isn’t whether I can do it or not, it’s how it will be remembered! I’ve no misconception that [i]my[/i] name will be remembered -- my role is to record history and to be a witness, by Talos, not to become it -- but I do hope that the stories I tell will survive this era for sake of posterity. If not...”

The bard shifted his weight so that his back partially moved the tavern door ajar, and moving both instruments into one arm to gingerly accept the instrument he had lended to Nanine earlier.

“...Then I might as well appreciate the company I have, aye?”

[color=skyblue]”Indeed.”[/color] Nanine replied, carefully handing over the instrument. It wouldn’t do to make it this far only to drop it. [color=skyblue]”We cannot control how history will view us or our work, only the now. And for now, I believe you promised entertainment for this fine inn and I promised to give magical effects on your cues. Let's go dazzle the locals, shall we?”[/color]