Well damn, there I was expecting that I wouldn't be doing a romance arc in this RP and then I go and let Fendros admit love in circumstances that I probably wouldn't have committed to if it had been the plan from the start. Meh, I only have myself to blame.
I should probably get around to involving Sabine and/or Janius in more dialogue with Meesei, I have a feeling they need more development. Especially Sabine, making her a bit autistic hasn't done any favours for actually having things to do with her.
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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"Maybe as a middle name then." Fendros added to the name conversation, oblivious of the Khajiit naming system.
As for the next question, Fendros' eyes looked down and he leaned his head back against the mushroom tree, thinking of the right words. It was something that had been at the back of his mind, but something he was actively avoiding as well. Would he be able to love a Khajiit child in their many forms? He took a moment, considering. He had mostly been avoiding the issue because he genuinely had no idea, and if he didn't know, there was a chance that he wouldn't be able to love it. He didn't want to hurt Ahnasha. He had to make a decision.
Fendros opened his mouth to speak, then paused and closed it. He took a while to figure it out, but something came to his mind that put things in perspective. "Ahna," He didn't look at her directly, "I don't know what is going to happen. Whatever does, I will do my utmost to try and love this child. In whatever form it takes." He shifted to lean his shoulder against the tree and placed his hand on Ahnasha's stomach, looking to it as if he had his hand on the head of his future child. "I think it's going to work out, though, because, before we traveled this far... I didn't know that I could control my beast spirit, I didn't know that I could hunt as part of the pack, I didn't know that I would ever see this much of Morrowind in my entire life... and most of all..." Fendros' eyes met Ahnasha's, inches apart, "I didn't know that I could fall in love with Khajiit named Ahnasha."
While Ahnasha and Fendros had become close, this was the first time he had openly admitted the feelings that he had developed over the journey. He had struggled to make sense of it until recently, and he was wondering whether to say anything at all. His heart raced and he hoped he didn't say the wrong thing.
As for the next question, Fendros' eyes looked down and he leaned his head back against the mushroom tree, thinking of the right words. It was something that had been at the back of his mind, but something he was actively avoiding as well. Would he be able to love a Khajiit child in their many forms? He took a moment, considering. He had mostly been avoiding the issue because he genuinely had no idea, and if he didn't know, there was a chance that he wouldn't be able to love it. He didn't want to hurt Ahnasha. He had to make a decision.
Fendros opened his mouth to speak, then paused and closed it. He took a while to figure it out, but something came to his mind that put things in perspective. "Ahna," He didn't look at her directly, "I don't know what is going to happen. Whatever does, I will do my utmost to try and love this child. In whatever form it takes." He shifted to lean his shoulder against the tree and placed his hand on Ahnasha's stomach, looking to it as if he had his hand on the head of his future child. "I think it's going to work out, though, because, before we traveled this far... I didn't know that I could control my beast spirit, I didn't know that I could hunt as part of the pack, I didn't know that I would ever see this much of Morrowind in my entire life... and most of all..." Fendros' eyes met Ahnasha's, inches apart, "I didn't know that I could fall in love with Khajiit named Ahnasha."
While Ahnasha and Fendros had become close, this was the first time he had openly admitted the feelings that he had developed over the journey. He had struggled to make sense of it until recently, and he was wondering whether to say anything at all. His heart raced and he hoped he didn't say the wrong thing.
It was good to hear that Ahnasha's symptoms would stop getting worse as they had been. Fendros didn't know exactly what was in store for the future, but he took the good news as it came up.
He followed her around and sat down as directed, looking straight ahead and thinking on her question. "I hadn't really thought about names," Fendros said, scratching himself behind one ear, "... lately, things have been distracting." Even though Ahnasha said that she was getting used to the idea, Fendros still didn't much know what to expect. He certainly felt that his thoughts had indeed changed into a more cautious and responsible process now that he had something big to lose, but it still didn't seem so real. Perhaps it would take holding the child -his 'cub', as was the hardest thing to fathom- in his hands to really turn his mind.
He took a few moments, looking up at the underside of the mushroom tree, then leaning his chin on his knuckles. Why didn't he think of names before? Fendros chuckled with futility, "I'm grateful that you considered my opinion on it, but I think its going to take a while to think of something appropriate." Fendros leaned forward with his chin on one palm, "Actually, there is one thing. I know it might sound silly, but... even though I tended to just look up to all the great warriors and generals of my birth family, I always admired my great aunt. I never knew her, but I was told about her. She was a sorceress. She managed to travel all over Tamriel in her lifetime, never was she tied to the family firmly like I or any other Avarul. She was hardy, and lived for herself. Didn't suffer insult, but at the same time wasn't the type to let shame stop her. The rest of my family saw her as a black sheep, but she lived more than most Dark Elves, and it took the red year to kill her, after many other tribulations that she survived." Fendros looked to Ahnasha, "Her name was Mirasi. I don't know, just something to consider. If it's a girl, that is." Fendros leaned back and smiled, turning the conversation, "how about you? Did you have anything in mind?"
He followed her around and sat down as directed, looking straight ahead and thinking on her question. "I hadn't really thought about names," Fendros said, scratching himself behind one ear, "... lately, things have been distracting." Even though Ahnasha said that she was getting used to the idea, Fendros still didn't much know what to expect. He certainly felt that his thoughts had indeed changed into a more cautious and responsible process now that he had something big to lose, but it still didn't seem so real. Perhaps it would take holding the child -his 'cub', as was the hardest thing to fathom- in his hands to really turn his mind.
He took a few moments, looking up at the underside of the mushroom tree, then leaning his chin on his knuckles. Why didn't he think of names before? Fendros chuckled with futility, "I'm grateful that you considered my opinion on it, but I think its going to take a while to think of something appropriate." Fendros leaned forward with his chin on one palm, "Actually, there is one thing. I know it might sound silly, but... even though I tended to just look up to all the great warriors and generals of my birth family, I always admired my great aunt. I never knew her, but I was told about her. She was a sorceress. She managed to travel all over Tamriel in her lifetime, never was she tied to the family firmly like I or any other Avarul. She was hardy, and lived for herself. Didn't suffer insult, but at the same time wasn't the type to let shame stop her. The rest of my family saw her as a black sheep, but she lived more than most Dark Elves, and it took the red year to kill her, after many other tribulations that she survived." Fendros looked to Ahnasha, "Her name was Mirasi. I don't know, just something to consider. If it's a girl, that is." Fendros leaned back and smiled, turning the conversation, "how about you? Did you have anything in mind?"
Despite the harsh conditions, the sights and sounds of Vvardenfell were nothing short of breathtaking. There were highs and lows in their journey. Encountering the Kwama was originally an unpleasant surprise, but quickly turned out to be fortunate for the eggs they found. The eggs proved to be a nice change in flavour to the meat they were used to, but Fendros suspected that the novelty would wear off if they ran out of meat for long enough.
It put a damper on the journey to have Ahnasha start suffering morning sickness, though. True to his word, Fendros assisted Sabine in spotting various ingredients either on the roads or for trade in settlements along the way. Sometimes Fendros would pick too much of a more abundant ingredient that Sabine had pointed out, overstocking her supplies. Other times he would find a similar looking but incorrect ingredient. What help Fendros provided to her foraging efforts were much to Sabine's frustrations most of the time, but at the end of the day, it helped to ensure that there would be some sort of remedy for Ahnasha. This proved futile during a traversal through areas where little to nothing of use grew. During these stints Fendros regretted that he could not do more to help, but soon enough they came upon areas that could produce medicines again.
As for 'serving her every whim', Ahnasha jokingly tried on some occasions to act like some kind of queen over Fendros. These abuses of power that Fendros played off when he recognised them slowly started to get replaced by infrequent episodes. Episodes where Ahnasha's condition was causing short periods of weakness from dehydration or otherwise, mostly from the vomiting. Tonight in particular was one of those episodes. Without Sabine's potions, they likely would have made far less progress today. Fendros was eternally grateful to the odd little Breton girl, but at least camping near a town provided some degree of comfort in that there was an apothecary to fall back on.
At camp, Fendros was in his civilised clothes sharpening his sword and pondering the instructions given to him by Meesei not long ago. The hunt would turn into an investigation for a short time, with Fendros being the face of the pack. It made sense; if his parents were any indication, then Dunmer this far into the mainland were not likely going to treat such a diverse group of travelers with anything less than suspicion. I don't even know how these locals would react to an imperial-accented traveler, Fendros thought, they'd probably think I were spy. Fendros pulled out what septims he had remaining from his purse. He hardly used them these days, so much so that he sometimes considered the currency dead weight. At least there was a small amount of bribery to attempt if he couldn't gain any trust from them. Well, if I'm patient, then there might be a chance. I'm still a Dark Elf, and that gives me an advantage, even if most of them turn out to be much older than I.
Fendros' thoughts were interrupted by a cough and a retch nearby. He turned his head to the side to see Ahnasha mostly concealed behind a giant mushroom, hunched over and purging her stomach once again. Fendros squinted his eyes in worry, her nausea was only getting worse. Fendros slid his sword back into its scabbard and put it and the pack's whetstone that he was using down where he was seated, before getting up and walking towards Ahnasha. By the time he reached her, she appeared to be past most of the retching, but was still leaning over the remains of the last Kwama egg she had eaten, with some of its juices still dripping from her lips while she caught her breath.
"Hey," Fendros said, putting a hand on her back and leaning down to see her, "you were looking flat all afternoon, I was wondering if you would hold out this long." Fendros took his waterskin off his belt and offered it forward, "water?"
It put a damper on the journey to have Ahnasha start suffering morning sickness, though. True to his word, Fendros assisted Sabine in spotting various ingredients either on the roads or for trade in settlements along the way. Sometimes Fendros would pick too much of a more abundant ingredient that Sabine had pointed out, overstocking her supplies. Other times he would find a similar looking but incorrect ingredient. What help Fendros provided to her foraging efforts were much to Sabine's frustrations most of the time, but at the end of the day, it helped to ensure that there would be some sort of remedy for Ahnasha. This proved futile during a traversal through areas where little to nothing of use grew. During these stints Fendros regretted that he could not do more to help, but soon enough they came upon areas that could produce medicines again.
As for 'serving her every whim', Ahnasha jokingly tried on some occasions to act like some kind of queen over Fendros. These abuses of power that Fendros played off when he recognised them slowly started to get replaced by infrequent episodes. Episodes where Ahnasha's condition was causing short periods of weakness from dehydration or otherwise, mostly from the vomiting. Tonight in particular was one of those episodes. Without Sabine's potions, they likely would have made far less progress today. Fendros was eternally grateful to the odd little Breton girl, but at least camping near a town provided some degree of comfort in that there was an apothecary to fall back on.
At camp, Fendros was in his civilised clothes sharpening his sword and pondering the instructions given to him by Meesei not long ago. The hunt would turn into an investigation for a short time, with Fendros being the face of the pack. It made sense; if his parents were any indication, then Dunmer this far into the mainland were not likely going to treat such a diverse group of travelers with anything less than suspicion. I don't even know how these locals would react to an imperial-accented traveler, Fendros thought, they'd probably think I were spy. Fendros pulled out what septims he had remaining from his purse. He hardly used them these days, so much so that he sometimes considered the currency dead weight. At least there was a small amount of bribery to attempt if he couldn't gain any trust from them. Well, if I'm patient, then there might be a chance. I'm still a Dark Elf, and that gives me an advantage, even if most of them turn out to be much older than I.
Fendros' thoughts were interrupted by a cough and a retch nearby. He turned his head to the side to see Ahnasha mostly concealed behind a giant mushroom, hunched over and purging her stomach once again. Fendros squinted his eyes in worry, her nausea was only getting worse. Fendros slid his sword back into its scabbard and put it and the pack's whetstone that he was using down where he was seated, before getting up and walking towards Ahnasha. By the time he reached her, she appeared to be past most of the retching, but was still leaning over the remains of the last Kwama egg she had eaten, with some of its juices still dripping from her lips while she caught her breath.
"Hey," Fendros said, putting a hand on her back and leaning down to see her, "you were looking flat all afternoon, I was wondering if you would hold out this long." Fendros took his waterskin off his belt and offered it forward, "water?"
Phew. I thought I might make a quick nightmare to get across that they're actually happening like they're supposed to, but I think that was a tad heavy.
No need to post for the next day if you don't want to, I don't have any plans for it. Time skip at your leisure. Otherwise, g'night!
Oh yeah, and just so you know, unfortunately I'll be busy for much of tomorrow, so I am unlikely to reply until late.
No need to post for the next day if you don't want to, I don't have any plans for it. Time skip at your leisure. Otherwise, g'night!
Oh yeah, and just so you know, unfortunately I'll be busy for much of tomorrow, so I am unlikely to reply until late.
"Quite," Fendros replied, getting up to fetch a couple of portions of meat from the pack's storage. If it were up to him, Fendros would rather have Ahnasha out of danger altogether, but he knew how much it meant to her to prove her worth. He very much doubted that he would be able to convince her otherwise. He reached into the sack and pulled out a fresh portion of what seemed to be some kind of limb, then dug a little deeper for his own meal. There was just as high a chance that what he pulled out for himself was the flesh of one of the people they killed today, but he tried not to make it a problem.
Fendros handed Ahnasha's portion to her and prepared to spit his own to cook it. He sat down next to Ahnasha again and skewered the... he believed it to be guar leg... then inspected it front and back, his expression became curious. Slowly, Fendros brought the raw food to his mouth and bit out a chunk of it. He ended up needing to tear it more than he was used to. As he chewed, he noted the different taste and texture it had from its cooked form. His chewing slowed, he was ambivalent. It was cold, slimy and laborious to chew, but juicy, and with a very different flavour. He swallowed with scrunched eyes, the large mouthful probably needed to be chewed for longer. His stomach felt nervous when the mouthful hit it and he considered the results of his experiment.
"An acquired taste, isn't it?" Janius said, looking in on Fendros' culinary adventure.
Fendros licked out leftovers from his back teeth. "Yes, very." Fendros said.
"Well you might try it in between like I sometimes do. Undercook your meals some more, it might be better than you expect." Janius mentioned.
Fendros bobbed his head to one side, what could be the harm in trying? All this time he had been thoroughly cooking his meals by habit, unless Lorag came by and chided him for it. Fendros made a conscious effort this time to be careful with how he cooked his meat over the campfire and the result was, indeed, pleasantly surprising. The meat was tender, but not overly chewy, except right in the centre. More notably, it retained its juiciness and flavour much more than usual.
The meal virtually capped off the evening, with everyone having finished their cloaks and Fendros having adjusted and somewhat repaired his adjustments to the chitin armour. Fendros eventually swallowed his pride and asked for Lorag's expertise, as he was likely a better armourer than any of them, and the job was finished quickly.
Fendros lay down in his bedroll with a number of thoughts rolling through his mind, making it slightly difficult to get to sleep. He found that these thought were becoming more prevalent the closer they got to finding this 'orc' who was this renowned slayer of lycans. The hunt today only added to those thoughts.
Before him was a field of vivid green grass. There was no one around. A treeline enclosed the field, not a fence. This was a world uninhabited, unworried. Everything was so... peaceful.
A voice sounded behind him, he turned around and saw Ahnasha walking towards him from across the field, she was waving. He smiled and waved back. They were both safe in this field.
He began to walk towards her, sharing her infectious smile. He realised that the distance he covered was only increasing the distance between them both. Concerned, he began to jog. He wasn't getting any closer to her.
An orc appeared behind her. Not like Lorag. Bigger. The orc had no face. The orc wielded a vicious spear.
He tried to run faster, but couldn't reach her. He tried to yell, but could not speak. She continued to smile, unaware of the danger.
The orc reared and drove the spear through her back, its tip protruding through her chest. Her face was surprised, saddened. He still could not yell. He still could not reach her.
Her face turned into the face of the Dunmer woman that he had killed. The face rushed up to his, its expression with the same fear as when he had struck her down. The Dunmer woman shrieked like she did when he snapped her arm, except it was prolonged. Like a banshee of horror stories.
He tried to yell, he couldn't speak. He covered his eyes. He felt his own touch. He felt his consciousness.
Fendros suddenly awoke, his heart racing. He took his hands from where they were covering his face. It was the middle of the night by the looks, there was no sound save for a stiff breeze from the mouth of the cave further up. He slowly sat himself up, drenched in a layer of cool sweat. In the dim light of the cave, he spotted Ahnasha peacefully sleeping nearby. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, exhaling his tension away. That was a horrible nightmare. Normally they would involve him drowning in the blood of beasts he had killed, or killing the Cheydinhal guard until he realised that they were members of his family dressed in guard uniforms. Never had they involved him seeing another kill someone he cared for, let alone someone from the pack. He couldn't protect Ahnasha in his dream... he realised that it was a very real fear that he had, especially when they were all traveling to find and fight the very person that would pose the most danger to all of them.
Se sat up and calmed himself for a while longer, then settled back down to sleep, hoping that he wouldn't encounter that dream again.
Fendros handed Ahnasha's portion to her and prepared to spit his own to cook it. He sat down next to Ahnasha again and skewered the... he believed it to be guar leg... then inspected it front and back, his expression became curious. Slowly, Fendros brought the raw food to his mouth and bit out a chunk of it. He ended up needing to tear it more than he was used to. As he chewed, he noted the different taste and texture it had from its cooked form. His chewing slowed, he was ambivalent. It was cold, slimy and laborious to chew, but juicy, and with a very different flavour. He swallowed with scrunched eyes, the large mouthful probably needed to be chewed for longer. His stomach felt nervous when the mouthful hit it and he considered the results of his experiment.
"An acquired taste, isn't it?" Janius said, looking in on Fendros' culinary adventure.
Fendros licked out leftovers from his back teeth. "Yes, very." Fendros said.
"Well you might try it in between like I sometimes do. Undercook your meals some more, it might be better than you expect." Janius mentioned.
Fendros bobbed his head to one side, what could be the harm in trying? All this time he had been thoroughly cooking his meals by habit, unless Lorag came by and chided him for it. Fendros made a conscious effort this time to be careful with how he cooked his meat over the campfire and the result was, indeed, pleasantly surprising. The meat was tender, but not overly chewy, except right in the centre. More notably, it retained its juiciness and flavour much more than usual.
The meal virtually capped off the evening, with everyone having finished their cloaks and Fendros having adjusted and somewhat repaired his adjustments to the chitin armour. Fendros eventually swallowed his pride and asked for Lorag's expertise, as he was likely a better armourer than any of them, and the job was finished quickly.
Fendros lay down in his bedroll with a number of thoughts rolling through his mind, making it slightly difficult to get to sleep. He found that these thought were becoming more prevalent the closer they got to finding this 'orc' who was this renowned slayer of lycans. The hunt today only added to those thoughts.
Before him was a field of vivid green grass. There was no one around. A treeline enclosed the field, not a fence. This was a world uninhabited, unworried. Everything was so... peaceful.
A voice sounded behind him, he turned around and saw Ahnasha walking towards him from across the field, she was waving. He smiled and waved back. They were both safe in this field.
He began to walk towards her, sharing her infectious smile. He realised that the distance he covered was only increasing the distance between them both. Concerned, he began to jog. He wasn't getting any closer to her.
An orc appeared behind her. Not like Lorag. Bigger. The orc had no face. The orc wielded a vicious spear.
He tried to run faster, but couldn't reach her. He tried to yell, but could not speak. She continued to smile, unaware of the danger.
The orc reared and drove the spear through her back, its tip protruding through her chest. Her face was surprised, saddened. He still could not yell. He still could not reach her.
Her face turned into the face of the Dunmer woman that he had killed. The face rushed up to his, its expression with the same fear as when he had struck her down. The Dunmer woman shrieked like she did when he snapped her arm, except it was prolonged. Like a banshee of horror stories.
He tried to yell, he couldn't speak. He covered his eyes. He felt his own touch. He felt his consciousness.
Fendros suddenly awoke, his heart racing. He took his hands from where they were covering his face. It was the middle of the night by the looks, there was no sound save for a stiff breeze from the mouth of the cave further up. He slowly sat himself up, drenched in a layer of cool sweat. In the dim light of the cave, he spotted Ahnasha peacefully sleeping nearby. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, exhaling his tension away. That was a horrible nightmare. Normally they would involve him drowning in the blood of beasts he had killed, or killing the Cheydinhal guard until he realised that they were members of his family dressed in guard uniforms. Never had they involved him seeing another kill someone he cared for, let alone someone from the pack. He couldn't protect Ahnasha in his dream... he realised that it was a very real fear that he had, especially when they were all traveling to find and fight the very person that would pose the most danger to all of them.
Se sat up and calmed himself for a while longer, then settled back down to sleep, hoping that he wouldn't encounter that dream again.
Sure thing.
"Understood," Fendros said after almost whistling at the long list of misfortunes that Ahnasha would have to suffer. He didn't know whether it were khajiit pregnancies that had it so bad, or whether his rudimentary knowledge of the whole condition had come up short. "I'll uh... I think I'll make sure to consult Runt on what ingredients she might need. It sounds like you're going to need all the help you can get." Fendros said with a slightly worried expression. Ahnasha sure had it hard in this situation.
Fendros looked around, "I don't know what we'd do without the rest of the pack. In this matter in particular." Fendros smiled back at her and pulled her a bit closer with his arm, "I'll try my best for that 'every whim' thing, though." Fendros let go of Ahnasha and leaned forward to get up, "for a start, are you hungry, or did that cake spoil your dinner?" He felt peckish himself, and it was getting close to mealtime anyway.
Fendros looked around, "I don't know what we'd do without the rest of the pack. In this matter in particular." Fendros smiled back at her and pulled her a bit closer with his arm, "I'll try my best for that 'every whim' thing, though." Fendros let go of Ahnasha and leaned forward to get up, "for a start, are you hungry, or did that cake spoil your dinner?" He felt peckish himself, and it was getting close to mealtime anyway.
"Okay, no drinks either," Fendros added, rolling his eyes. It was nice just to sit together. It wasn't quite the same warmth with the chitin armour still partially on, but it was still pleasant. Fendros looked over at Meesei as she spoke, his eyes moving between her face, her bloodied hands clutching the Altmer-shaped pink, white and yellow muscular structure and the bound dagger. Fendros let out a nervous laugh, "Somehow I'm more inclined to believe you while you're doing that, Meesei." While he spoke, Fendros tried to keep his eyes off the skinned corpse. It was a little less recognisable, but there was still some squeamishness he felt, mostly from the smell of its organs.
Looking back to Ahnasha, Fendros continued, "so how are you? Have any effects come up yet? From the pregnancy, I mean."
Looking back to Ahnasha, Fendros continued, "so how are you? Have any effects come up yet? From the pregnancy, I mean."
Well I shall name my leader to be Arch Spirit instead. Hmf.
(Except that I won't)
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