While Meesei described the option of cutting the pregnancy short, Fendros pinched the bridge of his nose. It was an escape, but not something he could bring himself to allow to happen. He had nothing to add to Ahnasha's decision.
They sat in silence for another long while.
In trying to find comfort for himself, as well as Ahnasha, Fendros reached out and took her hand, lifting it up and bringing his other hand to hold it as well. "Ahna," Fendros looked to her, "this wasn't a... planned thing." Fendros tried to find the right words, "but, know that... know that you won't be alone." Fendros looked down at her stomach, "it's as much mine as yours, now." Fendros tried to hold back tears, "I'm not the type to run away." Fendros looked at her again, with another pause, "from what I've learned about you, you don't run either."
Muttonhawk Member
Let Slip the Corgis of War
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Dear Mr Curly,
I have done little travelling lately because I have been so dreadfully weary. Can it be true as the old Ecclesiastes said; that all things lead to weariness? Surely not. Perhaps the opposite is true: that all nothings lead to weariness. I have a peculiar feeling, Curly, that I am worn out from something I haven't yet done and the more I don't do it, the more exhausted I become. How strange. Could it be something I haven't realised? Perhaps it's something I haven't said? Something I haven't finished! It must be very large and true whatever it is and a lively struggle in the doing but I look forward to it immensely. I know I need it. First, however, I must curl up in my chair and sleep deeply with the duck. Perhaps I'll dream of this thing and wake up refreshed and do it. My fond wishes to you Mr. Curly, and to all Curly Flat.
Yours sleepily,
Vasco Pyjama
xxx
P.S. Not having breakfast can make you weary. That's for sure!
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Well damn. Fendros just got a hammer to the chest with that one.
Fendros would have openly admitted that he was nervous while Ahnasha was being examined. The episode seemed to take ages. It ended with what he had desperately did not want to hear.
"Ahnasha...you're pregnant."
Meesei's words caused an what felt like an apple to well up in his chest. He just stood for a moment in silence, staring at Ahnasha's stomach. He tried to breathe, but no matter how deeply he inhaled he could not calm his heart. This wasn't supposed to happen. This kind of thing doesn't happen. He had no idea what to do and it made him feel helpless. All he could think to do was slowly sit down by Ahnasha and Meesei and squeeze his fist with his other hand. His mind raced like a panicked mess in lieu of thinking. This was not something he had planned on, it was something he could have avoided.
Facing them both, he opened his mouth to speak, "I..." He took in another shaky breath, his shoulders hunched, "I suppose that's that then..." Fendros turned his face to one side, avoiding looking at them directly, "I'm... I'm sorry." He didn't really have anything else that he could think to say. For Dunmer, having children was meant to be a joyous affair, it being so rare, but this only overwhelmed Fendros. He was too young for this, for an elf. He felt as though he had completely lost control and now his fate was sealed. His expression showed a mix of sadness and overwhelmed surprise.
"Ahnasha...you're pregnant."
Meesei's words caused an what felt like an apple to well up in his chest. He just stood for a moment in silence, staring at Ahnasha's stomach. He tried to breathe, but no matter how deeply he inhaled he could not calm his heart. This wasn't supposed to happen. This kind of thing doesn't happen. He had no idea what to do and it made him feel helpless. All he could think to do was slowly sit down by Ahnasha and Meesei and squeeze his fist with his other hand. His mind raced like a panicked mess in lieu of thinking. This was not something he had planned on, it was something he could have avoided.
Facing them both, he opened his mouth to speak, "I..." He took in another shaky breath, his shoulders hunched, "I suppose that's that then..." Fendros turned his face to one side, avoiding looking at them directly, "I'm... I'm sorry." He didn't really have anything else that he could think to say. For Dunmer, having children was meant to be a joyous affair, it being so rare, but this only overwhelmed Fendros. He was too young for this, for an elf. He felt as though he had completely lost control and now his fate was sealed. His expression showed a mix of sadness and overwhelmed surprise.
There's no rush. I'm reading things for assignments between this anyway.
At first, Fendros didn't pick up on what Ahnasha had detected, but it hit his senses fairly quickly after she mentioned it. When he did, he returned her grin, the were very close to finding her now. "On the wind?" Fendros asked rhetorically. He wet his index finger with his saliva and tried to discern the general direction that the smell was coming from, as he would normally do to check wind direction while hunting deer.
Once he had a rough idea, Fendros did what he would normally do when trying to find someone nearby. He cupped his hands together and shouted through them, "MEEESEEEEI!" His voice went a tone down on the second syllable, as was stereotypical of calling after someone, "WHERE ARE YOU?!" Fendros raised his eyebrows and nodded to Ahnasha, encouraging her to shout as well. The more voices Meesei heard, the more likely she would be to recognise one of them.
Once he had a rough idea, Fendros did what he would normally do when trying to find someone nearby. He cupped his hands together and shouted through them, "MEEESEEEEI!" His voice went a tone down on the second syllable, as was stereotypical of calling after someone, "WHERE ARE YOU?!" Fendros raised his eyebrows and nodded to Ahnasha, encouraging her to shout as well. The more voices Meesei heard, the more likely she would be to recognise one of them.
Populations with various margins of error:
Kingdom of Aylsfyn - Yellow - big island - 1,090,000 Humans
Veden - Blue - arable river source with some hills - 63,400 Humans
Akataneka - Pink - swamps, coastline and other arable bits - 940,000 Humans
Romeq-Intik - Green - a number of small islands - 8,500 Vilitii Elves
Thernopolisian Empire - Purple - lake and streams, protected by hills - 2,100,000 Humans with other humanoids
Dominion of Ordov - Maroon - fertile river delta and coastline - 4,020,320 Humans
Graeg - Light Blue - large expanse of cold hills, coast and fjords I think - 100,000 Humans
Saviana - Orange - one small island - 150,000 Savian Elves
Kingdom of Fenia - Dark Green - coastline between two rivers, quite arable - 250,000 Humans (with fantastic facial hair)
Lumenor - Light Grayish Brown? - Large territory bordering three big conjoined lakes on the edge of the steppe - 2,000,000 Lumen Humans
United Tribes of Heima - Dark Blue which is not darker than Veden - Large territory up in the tundra with coastline - 100,000 Humans
Reinnam - Dark grey - large hilled and mountainous peninsula, volcanic (which I would assume makes it nice and fertile) - 200,000 Saphri (mostly ginger Bruce Lee clones)
Azu Warbands - Red - Some hills, river and lakeside - 60,000 Azu (decentralised angry cat people)
Uraka Federation - Light Green - Hills, river and lakeside - 480,000 Kharis (bears that are not cavalry), 696,000 Humans, 24,000 members of other races.(1,200,000 total)
Zivaria - Blue which is I suppose between the shades of Veden and Heima - Small island, but water-dominant species - 51,000 Zivar (Shark elves)
Adrathielish Empire - Dark Pink - Large chunk of fertile delta region with river and coastline - 900,000 Humans with traces of other races
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09KL2HUXE6Q&t=37
As for you, Attilla, I'd say you could get away with at least 1 million with all that space to share, but there may be other viewpoints.
EDIT: Also note that current rate of population growth might be a better indication of how well the various populations are being sustained, but I'm no demographer or anything, there's a whole bunch of things. This is just a snapshot to give you an idea of what other people chose to start with.
Kingdom of Aylsfyn - Yellow - big island - 1,090,000 Humans
Veden - Blue - arable river source with some hills - 63,400 Humans
Akataneka - Pink - swamps, coastline and other arable bits - 940,000 Humans
Romeq-Intik - Green - a number of small islands - 8,500 Vilitii Elves
Thernopolisian Empire - Purple - lake and streams, protected by hills - 2,100,000 Humans with other humanoids
Dominion of Ordov - Maroon - fertile river delta and coastline - 4,020,320 Humans
Graeg - Light Blue - large expanse of cold hills, coast and fjords I think - 100,000 Humans
Saviana - Orange - one small island - 150,000 Savian Elves
Kingdom of Fenia - Dark Green - coastline between two rivers, quite arable - 250,000 Humans (with fantastic facial hair)
Lumenor - Light Grayish Brown? - Large territory bordering three big conjoined lakes on the edge of the steppe - 2,000,000 Lumen Humans
United Tribes of Heima - Dark Blue which is not darker than Veden - Large territory up in the tundra with coastline - 100,000 Humans
Reinnam - Dark grey - large hilled and mountainous peninsula, volcanic (which I would assume makes it nice and fertile) - 200,000 Saphri (mostly ginger Bruce Lee clones)
Azu Warbands - Red - Some hills, river and lakeside - 60,000 Azu (decentralised angry cat people)
Uraka Federation - Light Green - Hills, river and lakeside - 480,000 Kharis (bears that are not cavalry), 696,000 Humans, 24,000 members of other races.(1,200,000 total)
Zivaria - Blue which is I suppose between the shades of Veden and Heima - Small island, but water-dominant species - 51,000 Zivar (Shark elves)
Adrathielish Empire - Dark Pink - Large chunk of fertile delta region with river and coastline - 900,000 Humans with traces of other races
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=09KL2HUXE6Q&t=37
As for you, Attilla, I'd say you could get away with at least 1 million with all that space to share, but there may be other viewpoints.
EDIT: Also note that current rate of population growth might be a better indication of how well the various populations are being sustained, but I'm no demographer or anything, there's a whole bunch of things. This is just a snapshot to give you an idea of what other people chose to start with.
Ah, cool beans.
Finding footprints near the dead troll was reassuring for them both, and and interesting sight for Fendros, who had not seen a troll that close up before. Continuing on with the meandering tracks was difficult, but there next clue might be a help, if a rancid one.
"Well, on the bright side," Fendros said, standing behind Ahnasha trying not to breath in too heavily through his nose, "if it's Meesei who stepped in this, her trail is going to be easier to find for a while... whatever this stuff is." Detecting a sickly sweet taste in the air, Fendros paused for a moment and knelt down closer to the film on the log, "is that... honey? The last time I smelled a blend like that was when my brother disgraced himself by the town wall one night. It was a mead night." Fendros looked to Ahnasha, "I hope this isn't Meesei's bile, she might have been driven to sickness with all that walking... and troll riding."
Fendros stood up, relieving his nose of the brunt of the terrible scent, and started moving on. The search was taking a long time. Fendros wasn't quite sure what they should expect to find, but Ahnasha's anxiety was rubbing off on him.
"Well, on the bright side," Fendros said, standing behind Ahnasha trying not to breath in too heavily through his nose, "if it's Meesei who stepped in this, her trail is going to be easier to find for a while... whatever this stuff is." Detecting a sickly sweet taste in the air, Fendros paused for a moment and knelt down closer to the film on the log, "is that... honey? The last time I smelled a blend like that was when my brother disgraced himself by the town wall one night. It was a mead night." Fendros looked to Ahnasha, "I hope this isn't Meesei's bile, she might have been driven to sickness with all that walking... and troll riding."
Fendros stood up, relieving his nose of the brunt of the terrible scent, and started moving on. The search was taking a long time. Fendros wasn't quite sure what they should expect to find, but Ahnasha's anxiety was rubbing off on him.
"Right," Fendros said, focusing back on the tracks, for as well as he could follow them. He was so caught up in his thoughts that he didn't even consider that Meesei could be in danger, she seemed powerful enough to face anything. Ahnasha was right, considering she doesn't get intoxicated so easily, anything could have happened. As they proceeded, Fendros lost the track a number of times, only for Ahnasha to find it again. He hoped that his inexperience wasn't proving to be an encumbrance.
They ran into a serious problem at the base of a tree where the trail stopped, nowhere were they to be found. Ahnasha's frustrated suggestion that she might have climbed the tree honestly seemed like the only remaining plausible option. "Short of disappearing from Mundus altogether," Fendros added, "there's only one way to find out." Fendros jumped up and grabbed onto a thick branch above him, pulling himself up and reaching for the next branch above the tracks. He had a feeling Ahnasha would be more suited to the task, but he wanted to feel like he was helping.
The scents on the branches were faint, sometimes supplemented by small scratches on the bark. There was apparent evidence that Meesei had indeed climbed up the tree. He carefully followed the branches until there was no trail, except down a particular branch that led to a good holding on another tree. Oh for... really? Fendros edged out on said branch as far as there were handholds, then cursed as he realised he would have to balance and run to retrace Meesei's steps. He looked down, then immediately leveled his head. He was at least six metres off the ground, but it looked like more. Looking at his target once more, he heavily breathed in, then made a break for the next tree along his branch. Every running step, the branch thinned and drooped until Fendros jumped with his hands outstretched. The branch that Meesei would probably have landed upon gracefully was a branch that Fendros slipped his feet on, causing him to scramble for handholds. His arms stopped his fall as they landed on the target branch, causing Fendros become winded and scramble his arms until he had a good hold. He found his hold and winced at the scratches that the bark put on his chest and arms. He was able to pull himself up after a moment and catch his breath. Looking around, there were no immediate signs that the trail continued.
Fendros hung his head in disappointment, but his eyes grew wide as he noticed something on the ground below that he didn't initially notice while he was down there. Large footprints. Two toed. "Ahnasha... I think I found the trail," Fendros said in a very unsure tone. The footprints started out narrowly spaced, but immediately ran off in a straight line from right below where Fendros was sitting on his branch. Fendros had heard of riding horses to break them, but trolls? Surely not, no one in their right mind would try to ride a troll. However, they weren't exactly tracking someone in their right mind.
They ran into a serious problem at the base of a tree where the trail stopped, nowhere were they to be found. Ahnasha's frustrated suggestion that she might have climbed the tree honestly seemed like the only remaining plausible option. "Short of disappearing from Mundus altogether," Fendros added, "there's only one way to find out." Fendros jumped up and grabbed onto a thick branch above him, pulling himself up and reaching for the next branch above the tracks. He had a feeling Ahnasha would be more suited to the task, but he wanted to feel like he was helping.
The scents on the branches were faint, sometimes supplemented by small scratches on the bark. There was apparent evidence that Meesei had indeed climbed up the tree. He carefully followed the branches until there was no trail, except down a particular branch that led to a good holding on another tree. Oh for... really? Fendros edged out on said branch as far as there were handholds, then cursed as he realised he would have to balance and run to retrace Meesei's steps. He looked down, then immediately leveled his head. He was at least six metres off the ground, but it looked like more. Looking at his target once more, he heavily breathed in, then made a break for the next tree along his branch. Every running step, the branch thinned and drooped until Fendros jumped with his hands outstretched. The branch that Meesei would probably have landed upon gracefully was a branch that Fendros slipped his feet on, causing him to scramble for handholds. His arms stopped his fall as they landed on the target branch, causing Fendros become winded and scramble his arms until he had a good hold. He found his hold and winced at the scratches that the bark put on his chest and arms. He was able to pull himself up after a moment and catch his breath. Looking around, there were no immediate signs that the trail continued.
Fendros hung his head in disappointment, but his eyes grew wide as he noticed something on the ground below that he didn't initially notice while he was down there. Large footprints. Two toed. "Ahnasha... I think I found the trail," Fendros said in a very unsure tone. The footprints started out narrowly spaced, but immediately ran off in a straight line from right below where Fendros was sitting on his branch. Fendros had heard of riding horses to break them, but trolls? Surely not, no one in their right mind would try to ride a troll. However, they weren't exactly tracking someone in their right mind.
Alright, g'night.
What timezone are you in relative to UTC? Staying up until the early hours of the morning every night probably isn't a good idea.
What timezone are you in relative to UTC? Staying up until the early hours of the morning every night probably isn't a good idea.
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