She wore her green velvet gown, in spite of how it revealed the scars that marred her shoulder.
It seems she's making slow progress here. By now, it should be just "marked". Although I doubt she'll ever get to "adorned" - the way her Orcish colleagues would see it.

And let's hope she's right about Simplicia always wanting to live in the country. A lot of people think that until they find out how far they are from the shops!

And a full smile without any trace of faintness at the end!

Blimey...I never thought of Bravil of being cultural enough for a theatre... ...

That was absolutely cool though...

Pride and Prejudice!!... ...Excellent!...

It was such a chore to imagine them in form-fitting velvet though...Blimey...Y'know...Pile the hardships on why don't you?...Pffft...

...

Oh, and a...Sweet...End to the evening... ...

Loved the idea of the farmhouse...Sounds like a lovely place...

And the reminders of Uriel Septim are always a welcome thing...

Excellent part...Loved it!!...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds heartily*...

Catching up: I just love the descriptions of Teresa and Pappy in their polished up fighters’ splendor. The formal setting made Count Bravil’s careless demeanor stand out as even more offensive. I also thought the count’s sword sounds intriguing, and his wearing it in his own court seems to be a deliberate reminder to everyone of what he was rather than what he is now. I thought of “resting on one’s laurels,” with Pappy (the opposite of the expression) actually wearing his on the breastplate and demanding action while the count lounges around denying his responsibilities. Plus, that sword!!

Now here is something I had forgotten. I looked up Drels to see if we had met him before, and I found Ancondil reading Drels Alano of Suran’s Dancing With Shadows to Teresa back in chapter 27. This chapter's title makes me think, hmm.

I loved the whole Drels-count-Pappy exchange. Teresa’s “drunken fetcher” thought had me spitting out my tea.

Baurus and the Blades! Oh, this is exciting.

This update: Yay, a romantic interlude! I wonder how Simplicia will react to the house in the country that Teresa thinks she always wanted.

The dinner and theatre was just pure fun to read. What a delightful surprise from Tadrose. “I thought we might stop for a drink,” indeed!

Oh, it wasn't Umbra? Well, I look forward to seeing what it was.

This was a nice chapter; a bit of breathing room and down time after the excitement with the ogres and trying to get the Count to do something about it. And the farmhouse has finally arrived as well! Can't wait for Simplicia's reaction to that!

Great stuff, looking forward to more.

She bought the house?

Fighter’s guild house cleaning services!

Awww she didn’t like her song! And it’s off to the theater. Here I thought they were going to be doing something else to entertain themselves…

And they did it anyways! Wonderful little break form the fighting. I’m glad Teresa didn’t have to walk all the way to the bed in the high heels!

Acadian: It is hard to believe that was years ago when we first were going over names for Silverbridge! Wow, how the time flies past on afterburners.

Teresa would have preferred the Ballad of Button and the Bear much more! But it probably does not bring in the crowds like trollslayage does.

Have I ever said how much I love the term 'guildsmer'? As Doctor Who would say, simply brilliant!


ghastley: Morghak would say that Teresa is blessed with those scars! I know it is the simplest thing, but I do love being able to define Orcish culture as being different than the others even in such a small manner.

Teresa hopes that she is right in thinking that Simplicia always wanted that house too! Simplicia did say so way back in the misty dawn of time Chapter 13. But that was an old dream of hers, and things change as you live your life.


McBadgere: Even Detroit has an orchestra, and an art museum. So I do not think Bravil having a theater is too much of a stretch. Of course unlike in the game, it is a city of 20,000 people in Teresa world. So there ought to be ritzy and artsy stuff there.

I spent a lot of time working on the name of the play they would see. I wanted something that people would identify with, since I was not going to actually describe it. So I was looking at things like Romeo and Juliet, or As You Like it. Eventually I settled upon Pride and Prejudice, because I have already established Teresa as reading Juno Austenius in some of the earlier chapters.

I had a hard time with the form-fitting velvet too. That was so difficult to write. Not!


Grits: Good, I wanted the count to seem not just insulting in his words, but by his very casual behaviour as well. Hence the swilling wine during the conversation, etc... The resting on your laurels was an excellent catch on your part. That was one reason why I mentioned the grass crown on Pappy's breastplate. I wanted to clearly demonstrate the differences between the two. Both old heros, but so very different now.

The Drels from Ancondil's poetry book and the Drels in the castle are two entirely different people. Drels Theran is the guy whispering into the count's ear. He is from the game. I am not surprised that someone might confuse the two though. It had occurred to me as well, and I considered changing the second Drel's name. But in the end I decided to keep it the same as in the game. OTOH, today's post is the main reason for this chapter's title. Although it also fits some of the other things happening as well.

T&T's date was directly inspired by your question a while back of whether or not T&T had done the deed. I wanted a very clear milestone in their relationship directly in print, rather than just alluded to. A night they spent the entire night together, actually sleeping with one another rather than just sleeping with one another. I imagine that the beds in the FG chapterhouse are all singles, so while sex would work fine, trying to sleep two people in one for the night would not be the most comfortable...


Colonel Mustard: We will learn all about the count's mysterious sword in a few more posts. It figures very highly in the next chapter as well.


King Coin: I am glad more than one person instantly visualized the Fighters Guild cleaning service. I would love to show Valerius and Ancondil putting thatch on the roof, Vincent scrubbing the floor, Chance wiping out the inside of the stove, etc... But there was just no good place to put it in. So I was hoping that people could just imagine it instead.

There is an old saying about heels. They are only made to walk from the living room to the bedroom...


Previously On Teresa Of The Faint Smile: Our last episode saw Teresa buying the old farmhouse of Decimus Rabirus in Silverbridge, with the intention of bringing Simplicia down from the Imperial City to live there. It also found Teresa and Tadrose enjoying a dinner out, followed by a romantic night at the theater, and finally spending the night alone together at Bravil's finest inn.


Chapter 45.3 – Shadow Dancing

Young Teresa's cheek flared with pain from where the Colovian thug had slapped her, and her stomach ached from the force of his punch. Her limbs trembled from equal measures of anger and fear, and she could barely contain the scream of outrage that wanted to tear from her lips.

"Why Simplicia?" Teresa felt hot tears spilling across her cheeks as she stumbled to the old woman. A pair of thin arms wrapped around her a moment later, but the comfort they provided was little recompense for the pain that flared through her small body. "Why? We didn't do nothing!"

"I know, I know," the old woman gasped, and pulled herself to her feet. Drawing Teresa from the street, she collapsed against the chipped white-wash of a nearby insula. "It doesn't matter. Not when it comes to patricians. They can do as they please, and got the law behind them."

"But it's not fair!" Teresa railed. "What gives them the right?"

"They were born noble, that's what," Simplicia said with a grimace. "Life is all about how you were born. We're proles, and that's all we'll ever be. Best to stay away from rich folk, and never let them notice you. Keep your head down, and you'll stay out of trouble."

That scene from Teresa's childhood ended, only to be replaced by another. Now she was standing alone in an alley, surrounded by human children.

"Tree-hugger!" The shout rang in Teresa's ears as the humans pressed in around her. A moment later a fist buried itself into her stomach, driving the air from her lungs. She fell to the hard stones of the alley, clutching her midsection and fighting for breath. "Bark-Biter! Leaf-Eared Freak! Woodworm!" The taunts rose from all around, as the human children pressed in around her small, slender form…

Then little Teresa found herself staring up at Simplicia. "Why am I an elf?"

"That is just how you were born," Simplicia sighed. "I am not your mother Teresa."

That scene faded too, and Teresa found herself being dragged across the bridge that separated the Market District from the Imperial Prison. She saw a line of gibbets standing beside the massive bronze gates of the prison. Hanging from them were half-a-dozen corpses in various stages of decomposition. Some were so rotten that she could not even tell what race they had been in life.

Rather than hanging from a noose, one figure was splayed out upon a cross. His hands were nailed to the crossbeam, and his feet to the vertical post. Naked, his legs were covered in urine and feces, and his skin buzzed with flies. As Teresa stared in shock, his head turned to her, and one eye opened to meet her own. His lips moved, but no sound came forth.

Teresa screamed, and buried her head in Simplicia's stomach. She felt the old woman's arms fall around her and hold her tight. In her ears came the sound of the old woman's voice. "Keep your head down and stay out of trouble cherry blossom, and this will never happen to you."

Again and again, similar memories of her childhood flashed through Teresa's mind's eye. Through them all she continued to hear Simplicia's telling her the same thing, over and over again. She was a nothing but a prole, and that was all she would ever be…

Teresa woke with a start, and rose to sitting position on the wide bed that she shared with Tadrose. Her limbs trembled, and her skin was slick with sweat. The candles that had once filled their rented room with light had all burned out. Only the wan light of Secunda that spilled in through the window offered any illumination. That was more than enough for Teresa's elf eyes to see Tadrose's own red orbs spring open. A moment later the dark elf also rose up, and Teresa felt one of the vice-commander's arms wrap tightly around her frame.

"What is it Teresa?" the armorer asked, "a bad dream?"

"I wish it was that simple." Teresa shook her head.

"What?" Tadrose said. "What is it?

"It's…" Teresa murmured, "hard to explain."

"You are the one who said we can face anything together," Tadrose insisted. "Even the Daedra of our past."

Teresa smiled faintly. This was what men meant about women using their own words against them! But she could not argue with Tadrose. The armorer was absolutely right. As usual.

"I am sure you have noticed that sometimes I lose my temper," Teresa explained, "and usually at the worst moments. People have also remarked that I don't give myself enough credit for the things I do. Well it's because of my Shadow. I don't mean like the shadow you cast on the ground, but-"

"I know all about The Shadow Teresa." Tadrose held up a hand to stop the wood elf. "I have been grappling with mine for the past ten years. Believe me, I know just how hard it is to face those feelings we all have, which we would like to pretend never existed. Especially when they want to reach up and throttle the life from us."

"I suppose you would.." Teresa nodded. She swallowed hard, then went on. "I have been trying to face my Shadow for months now, when I meditate in my Astral Temple, and in my dreams. I keep reliving things from my past that I thought I had forgotten. Things I had made myself forget. Now I think it finally all makes sense to me."

"What does?" Tadrose reached out with her free hand and gently took one of Teresa's.

"All of my life people have been telling me that I am worthless. That I was nothing but a beggar and a street urchin, and that I would never be anything more. Everyone treated me like dirt, because that was what I deserved." The wood elf stared down as her fingers reflexively intertwined with the vice-commander's.

"But the one person who has always said that the most is Simplicia." Teresa felt her voice start to quake "All of my life she has been telling me that I am a nobody. That I should keep my fetching head down. That it is just my lot in life, and that I should get used to it. She was my mother. How could she say those things to me!"

Tadrose's face fell. Yet still the Dunmer held Teresa tightly. "So you are angry with your mother," the armorer said, "because she betrayed you."

"Not just angry," Teresa fumed, "furious! The more I think about it, the more I just want to scream. It makes my stomach churn like… Like I don't know what."

"I know," Tadrose nodded. "I know how that feels. After what my parents did to my daugh… to my daughter, I wanted to kill them both. I mean that literally."

"But now I wonder, what would my daughter think of me, if she knew?" The Dunmer's face took on a far away look, as if she was gazing far beyond the walls of their room. Perhaps as far away as Red Mountain itself? "I lost her. I failed her. In spite of how much I love her, I saw her slip through my fingers, and there was nothing I could do about it."

"But that wasn't your fault," Teresa insisted. "What could you have done, truly?"

"Been a little smarter," Tadrose lamented. "Been less arrogant, and not so utterly blinded by my own self-righteousness. So much of what happened was my fault, because I did not think of anyone but myself. It was my baby girl that paid for all of it. I can see so much of that now, but I never could back then. I was just too torn up inside."

"Nothing is ever as simple as it seems," Tadrose said, "especially being a parent. In spite of how much you love your child, and how much you want their life to be better than your own, sometimes you just cannot see past your own Daedra. None of us can see into the future, to know how what we do today will change our child twenty years from now. So we all make mistakes."

"I know," Teresa bit her lip. "I know. I don't expect her to be perfect. But this…"

"Tell me something Teresa," Tadrose asked quietly. "Do you believe Simplicia loves you?"

"Well of course she does!" Teresa cried.

"Then why do you think she said those things to you?" Tadrose asked. "Do you really think she was being purposely cruel?"

"No," Teresa sighed. "No I don't. But that still does not change how I feel."

"Hmmm," Tadrose murmured thoughtfully. "Do you still love her?"

"Of course I do!" Teresa insisted. "How can you even ask that? No matter who actually gave birth to me, she's my real mother. She's taken care of me all of her life. She gave up her food, her shelter, her warmth, everything, just for me. I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for Simplicia!"

"So who are you really furious at Teresa?" Tadrose asked. "Are you mad at her? Or are you mad at yourself for feeling this way about her?"

The cawing of a raven pulled at Teresa's eyes. Sitting upon the end of the bed was the author of the sound. As she stared in wonderment, the raven opened his wings and once again cried out, as if to underscore the dark elf's words. The call of another raven answered him, and another, and another. Teresa looked around, to find that her room was filled with ravens, on the nightstand, on the wardrobe, on the small table and chairs, even behind her on the headboard of the bed. They all croaked and stared back at her.

"Teresa, it's alright to be angry. It's normal. It does not make you a bad person. You are anything but that!" Tadrose's soothing words cut through the cacophony of ravens. The Dunmer appeared to be completely oblivious to the spirits that surrounded them. "You just have to learn to forgive yourself for feeling that way, and forgive Simplicia for letting you down."

Teresa nodded and turned to look at the Dunmer. Standing behind the vice-commander rose the massive bulk of a bear. Even in the wan light of the lesser moon, the reddish tint to her fur was plainly visible. The grizzly's head moved closer, and Teresa could feel the bear's hot breath roll across her body like a cleansing tide. Teresa felt her anguish wash away with it, healing her of her self-inflicted wounds.

"I can do that," Teresa vowed. "I am angry, and I am resentful, and I feel guilty because it's all aimed at Simplicia."

"And I can forgive us both for that."

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Feb 27 2013, 06:31 PM

I was imagining Ancondil wearing a frilly apron and dusting with a feather duster.

Teresa is very different from that little girl that got beat up as a child. She’s in the fighter’s guild, far from the Imperial City!

This was what men meant about women using their own words against them!


Oh… I was on target with an earlier comment about Simplicia’s… bluntness.

That was really cool with the animal spirits. All this time, that raven could only be seen by her? I always assumed that the other characters would notice that she has a raven around her often.

And finally Tadrose helps put her anger to rest.

A powerful episode, where Teresa confronts her shadow head on.

Simplicia is many things. Near the top of the list is consistent. The flashbacks, although new to us, were totally in sync with everything we know about Simplicia as Teresa was growing up.

Tadrose’s counsel was wise, and I’m delighted to see Teresa (with some help from her forest friends) beginning to understand that. What Simplica taught Teresa was indeed inspired by love – but filtered through the prism of the old woman’s harsh experiences. As a low born human, violent abuse stole even her ability to make her way as a prostitute and she turned to the only thing left – begging for scraps.

Teresa, on the other hand, has overcome Simplicia’s ‘training’ and become a self made mer. She is a valuable member of the well-respected guild of fighters, has slain many foes and corrected as many injustices. The faint smiling wood elf finished among the top archers in all of Cyrodiil in the last tourney, and. . . has a smokin’ hot Dunmer who loves her!

As Teresa continues to blossom, I would not be at all surprised to see some role reversal occur in the dynamics between daughter and mother. After all, Teresa has already taken the first step by buying a beautiful little cottage for Simplicia.

Nits:
- “Well it's because of my Shadow. I don't meant {mean?} like the shadow you cast on the ground, but-"
- "So you are angry with you {your?} mother," the armorer said, "because she betrayed you."
- ‘Teresa looked around, to find that her room was filled {with?} ravens, on the nightstand, on the wardrobe, ...’

Blimey... ...Heavy stuff indeed...

Speaking as one that has a Shadow that regularly causes no end of trouble, I can absolutely sympathise with Teresa in this one...

Absolutely amazing writing...

I loved that bit at the end with the ravens and the bear...Wonderful imagery right there, that was...

Ahh, forgiveness towards parents...

Ahhhh, the joys of fiction... ...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds heartily*...

This post has been edited by McBadgere: Mar 1 2013, 05:29 AM

I loved this intimate scene in the dark. Tadrose is in a unique position to advise Teresa. Her (Tadrose’s) willingness to share her own vulnerability makes this feel like partners supporting each other rather than one person propped up by another.

I’m glad that you showed how T&T think of themselves as a couple now. That gives me the context for whatever complications follow. I’m particularly thinking of Simplicia. Tadrose has a real interest in what happens with Teresa’s mother, since she is also part of Teresa’s future.

King Coin: You had me laughing at the idea of Anondil in his lace apron and feather duster! You were right on about the effects of Simplicia's upbringing, for good and ill.

Most of the time Teresa's ravens and bears can only be seen by her. Except of course when she summons one. They are spirits, and are (mostly) in her head. Mostly.


Acadian: Those flashbacks were actually in previous chapters of the TF. Some go back to years ago however, so are easily forgotten. I picked them carefully, and trimmed them down a bit for brevity, in order to make sure they got across the point that you cited. Simplicia is definitely consistent. And just as you said, while inspired by love, her parenting has not always been helpful. When I started Teresa 2.0 here at Chorrol one of my primary goals was to put more focus on Simplicia and Teresa's relationship with her. Bringing that unhappy reality across was a big part of that new focus.

As ever, thank you for the editorial eye. That episode was a little rushed, and did not get as much attention in later drafts as I would have liked.


McBadgere: Forgiving your parents? Wild idea isn't it! That is one of the joys of writing fiction.


Grits: When I wrote that scene, I was very pleased that I could use Tadrose's own past with her daughter as a way to help her relate with Teresa and Simplicia. Not to mention to help Teresa look at her relationship with Simplicia from a different perspective.

T&T are definitely a couple now! That was the reason for the previous episode's 'date night' and why I set this last one in bed with Tadrose. I wanted to demonstrate the strength of that relationship. And you are right about Simplicia. Now the mother-in-law is coming! Her presence, and her reaction to Teresa's plans for a house in the country, will have a big impact upon Tadrose.


Previously On Teresa Of The Faint Smile: Our last episode found Teresa making a major breakthrough while facing her Shadow. She has come to accept that she feels angry and resentful toward Simplicia for the old woman's well meaning, but often harmful parenting. Perhaps even more importantly, Teresa also acknowledged that she is even more angry with herself for feeling that way about Simplicia in the first place. The episode ended with Teresa vowing to forgive Simplicia, and herself, for their failings.


Chapter 45.4 – Shadow Dancing

Teresa focused on the man-shaped target across the field and took a deep breath. In one smooth motion she drew her spider silk bowstring back behind her ear. The spiraled feathers of her elven arrow caressed her jaw, and she sighted its swallowtail head in on the target, compensating for the range and the slight breeze coming off Niben Bay.

She closed her eyes and remembered what Daenlin had told her about archery. "The archer must learn to feel the flow of divinity around him, just as if he was standing in a river and feeling the water rushing past his legs," the master archer had said. "All of us are connected by the divine energy we share. Feel those strands that bind us, and you will not need eyes to shoot. Simply allow your arrow to sing along that thread."

Teresa closed her eyes and imagined the target across the practice field. She pictured its shape, and the painted straw packed tightly within the iron bindings that rimmed it. In her mind's eye, she could even see the loose fibers gently waving in the breeze.

She calmly let out half of her breath, and loosed without another thought.

Opening her eyes, she stared at the target across from her. It was a solid hit in the midsection. It was not the center of the chest, as she had hoped for, but still a wound that would disable most mortals. She reached for another arrow from the gorytos at her hip, but stopped when the sound of the yard's gate creaking open came to her elfin ears.

The Bosmer turned to see a man walking onto the practice field. To use the gate, she knew he must have gone through the alley between the guild hall and the building next door. The stranger smiled as his eyes locked upon her own, and began striding across the grass toward her.

From his sandy brown hair and short stature, Teresa imagined that he was a Breton. He was dressed in blue and gold linen that looked very fine. It was just a step down from a patrician's velvet or silk. He was clean-shaven, and looked to be a few years younger than Pappy. He did not possess the guild-commander's strongly etched features however. In fact, he looked entirely unremarkable. The only thing that really stood out about his appearance was the gold and sapphire necklace he wore, and the matching ring that graced one of his fingers.

"You must be Teresa of the Faint Smile!" The Breton grinned as he approached. Teresa was instantly put on her guard by his familiar manner, and found herself focusing the symbol for her Burning Hand spell in her mind. "Please allow me to introduce myself. My name is Mael. I am a jewel dealer, and am here in Bravil on business. I have it on good authority from my friends in the Imperial City that you are the best bodyguard a man could ask for."

Ah, Teresa thought, so he is a customer then. He would not be the first merchant who sought out the Fighters Guild for extra protection while in Bravil. The Breton extended his hand as he stepped up to Teresa, and the Bosmer found herself taking it by reflex. She instantly noted that his grip was not very strong, nothing compared to Pappy's iron vise of a handshake.

However, what was strong was the magicka that Teresa could feel brimming within his ring, his necklace, and his clothing. This man might look ordinary, but he was wearing a panoply of arcane equipment. Of course the forester had no idea what sort of enchantments they were. All that she could tell was that they were powerful. Mael was clearly not as ordinary as he appeared to be…

"Baurus sent me." Mael leaned close and whispered as he shook Teresa's hand. "He said you have a necromancer problem. I'm here to sort it out."

"You're a Blade?" Teresa almost gasped. If not for the enchanted clothing, she never would have imagined that the unprepossessing man before her could have been a secret agent. He looked far too plain. But then again, might that be just the most important trait a spy could possess?

"Shhh, let's just keep that to ourselves for now," Mael winked. "Don't want the wrong ears to hear you know."

Teresa looked around the empty practice yard as he let go of her hand. "Well, we are the only ones here."

"You can never be too careful," Mael said. "Never know when you might have an invisible companion after all."

"Why don't we go inside then," Teresa said. "You will need to talk to Pappy and Tadrose anyhow. Besides, it would look strange if you didn't." Teresa shot a knowing glance up at the city wall that bordered the far edge of the practice field. There in the distance a lone city guardsman paced along the battlement.

"Ah yes indeed," Mael nodded. "So far as the public shall know, I am here to hire a bodyguard for a sales trip. I must say, your vocation makes things very convenient."

Teresa tucked Ravenfeeder into her gorytos without unstringing it. She was thankful it was a Valenwood bow. If it had been an Imperial self bow, she could never leave it strung if she was not actually using it. The recurved elven bow was much more resistant to warping however, so she knew it would be in no danger.

Leading the Breton through the back door of the guild hall, Teresa glided silently down the rear hallway of the building. Stopping at the door to the dojo, she turned to Mael and suggested he wait there for a moment. Then she went inside the large chamber where the rest of her guild were practicing with their melee weapons. A wave to Pappy and Tadrose brought them over, and she took them back into the hall where Mael waited. After a quick round of introductions, the armored guild commander led them all up to his office on the third floor.

The room struck Teresa as being part office and part museum. A large, walnut desk dominated the far end of the room, surrounded by several chairs of the same dark wood. A few small, round tables stood nearby. One of those held a tall, gracefully curved decanter of wine and several glasses. The other table a supported square shaped glass that Teresa imagined must contain either flin or whiskey, and was flanked by large tumblers. A single bookshelf rose up to the ceiling nearby, and a large map of the county was pinned to the wall beside it.

Then there were the weapons and other trinkets on display that the Colovian had gathered throughout the years. There was a scimitar of Redguard manufacture, an arming sword of gleaming mithril, and still a third blade of jagged Orisimer make. A full suit of Dunmer bonemold armor stood on a rack in one corner. A mammoth's tusk stretched across a plaque on one wall, and a troll's skull graced an empty spot in the bookshelf. Here and there were smaller things, such as a horn of spiraling conch shell, and a glittering crystalline statuette of an elf clad in exotic-looking armor and wielding a bow.

"You got here pretty damn fast," Pappy remarked as Tadrose shut the door behind them. He wore his laurel-emblazoned legion breastplate, and orcish scaled greaves and gauntlets. As ever, his Nordic sword Hardrada hung from one of his hips.

"The grandmaster placed a priority on this," Mael explained. "After the necromancer attack on the Mages Guild at Wellspring Island last summer, and their recent thefts and murder at the Leyawiin guild hall, he sees a dangerous trend. He sent me down on a ship as soon as he got your letter Teresa."

The Breton reached into his tunic, and produced the very same letter that Teresa had sent to Baurus several days before.

"So does your organization have any suspicions as to the necromancer's plans?" Tadrose asked. Like Pappy, she too wore her armor. In her case a gleaming elven panoply, along with her elven greatsword Anganar.

"Wenyandawik and the trolls are obviously just a decoy, meant to draw Bravil's defenders away from the city," Mael began. "The Imperial Legion will be dealing with that."

"The Fifth Legion is almost back to full strength now," Teresa nodded.

"You are well informed," Mael raised an eyebrow at the wood elf.

"You will find that our Teresa is full of surprises," Tadrose replied evenly.

"In any case," the Breton said, "we suspect that the Mages Guild will be the necromancer's ultimate target. It is in keeping with their recent attacks upon that guild. So I will need to meet with their guild magister, and work on how we can strengthen their defenses. Perhaps we can have some of your people posted there on a constant guard?"

"Whoa, slow down here a minute," Pappy shook his head vigorously. "We don't know just what the necro-humpers are after. We need to find out before we start putting all our eggs into one basket."

"Do you have any alternate theories?" Mael asked. "I would be glad to hear them."

"No I don't," Pappy frowned. "Not yet at least."

"I suggest that you begin by speaking with Count Terentius," Tadrose said. "See if you can get him to withdraw his troops from the Green Road. Whatever they are planning, it appears that weakening the city's defenses is important to the necromancers. If we can bring those guardsmen back, they might abort their mission."

"I can try." Mael thoughtfully rubbed his chin. "But I cannot force the count to do anything. He is the highest authority in Bravil County. Only the Elder Council can overrule him. Especially when it concerns the disposition of his own city guard."

"You had better watch out for Drels Theran," Pappy warned. "He's got the count dancing to his tune."

"Who is he?" the Blade asked.

"Officially, he is an aide dispatched by the Elder Council to halt the Renrijra Krin insurgency and drug trade across the Elsweyr border." Tadrose poured a glass of wine and handed it to the Breton. She poured a second for Teresa, and then a third for herself. Only Pappy waved her off with one hand.

"Of course there are no Renrijra Krin in Bravil County," the guild commander explained. "But there is a drug trade. Teresa shut down their transfer point in Bawn a few months ago."

"How did you manage that?" the Breton asked around a sip of Tamika's.

"How do you think?" Teresa replied without thinking. She rested one hand upon the gorytos at her hip, and the strung bow within it.

"Full of surprises indeed…" the Blade murmured though a smile as faint as any of Teresa's. "So this Theran character is going to be trouble?"

"He's got the count convinced that the ogres in Wenyandawik are Khajiit rebels, and that the trolls they are dropping off along the Green Road are bottles of skooma." Pappy poured himself a tumbler of amber liquid from the square decanter. He took a sip of the drink and winced ever so slightly. Nordic Whiskey, Teresa thought. "I think he's a spy, and not for the Elder Council."

"You think he is working for the necromancers?" Mael thought aloud.

"I'll put sausages to septims that he's got a skull robe in his closet," Pappy said. "He showed up here in Bravil just before the troll attacks began. He's done nothing about the skooma trade, and he seems damned interested in keeping the city guard posted on the Green Road. I did some checking, and I found out that it was his idea in the first place, not the captain of the guard's. One thing is for sure, he's knee deep in this business."

"That will make approaching the count difficult," Mael said. "Dangerous even. If Drels is what you say he is, and he even suspects I am a Blade…"

"He'll have you killed," Pappy finished the sentence for the Breton. "He'd have us killed to, if he knew we were talking to you."

"Indeed," Mael said. "All of this must be kept in the strictest secrecy. No one must know who I am, or what we are doing. I'll try to make contact with the count tomorrow, if I can get to him when Drels is not around."

"There is something else that has occurred to me," Tadrose offered. "I have been studying Bravil's defenses. The guards at the front gate had been significantly reinforced after the trolls attacked Teresa outside of Anutwyll. But since there have been no attacks near the city since, they have been reduced to their previous level. The patrols in the city streets on all three islands are just the same as before as well."

"So where are they taking the guards from?" Teresa asked.

"From the castle!" Pappy ran his armored fingers through his graying hair. "Of course, why didn't I see it when we were there the other day. The castle guard's on a skeleton crew."

"Then that is where the necromancers will strike." Tadrose declared.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Mar 6 2013, 06:46 PM

A wonderful review of Teresa’s archery is interrupted by no less than a James Bond sent by the Blades! I’m so glad Teresa immediately brought Pappy and Tadrose in on that loop. Loved the description of Pappy’s office.

You’re weaving a rich web of intrigue here as we try to figure out what the black robes’ agenda is. Dominate the drug trade to raise septims? Crush their rival guild of mages? Takeover Bravil itself, starting with the castle?

Nit: ‘Pappy ran [h]is armored fingers through [h]is graying hair.’

I love Pappy’s office! Getting a look at a character’s living and work space is tremendous fun. Neat that he has collected things from across Tamriel.

Mael is already an interesting character. His cover was very convincing. I enjoyed the way he got Pappy’s support and drew out Tadrose’s theories. He is an excellent spy!

An attack on the Mages Guild? The castle? This is exciting!

I enjoyed this chapter, and enjoyed it a lot. Mael's introduction was well-handled and the theories of what the necromancers might be up to (it's the King of Worms who's behind it all, isn't it! ) were a fun read, especially in the setting of Pappy's of; his collection of miscenally was a great way to show his experience and just how well-travelled he is.


Or alternatively, Teresa had herself a Cockney moment. 'Ave a banana!

I do like a plot and counter-plot!

After the necromancer attack on the Mages Guild at Wellspring Island last summer, and their recent thefts and murder at the Leyawiin guild hall, he sees a dangerous trend

This matches regular game history, up to the thefts being plural, and a murder. Did I miss something, or is the Kalthar incident being represented to the public in a different light?

And of course I'm confused whether Terentius knows what Drels Theran is up to, and covering his lies, or he believes what they were told. But that's probably intentional.

*

First off, I am so very sorry for the delay in getting here, really aggravating to me that it took so long because I have been eaten up with wondering what was going on with this last turn of events in the story. That is the truth, I vented my spleen to Acadian about missing this post and how I was dying to read it.



I am so proud of Teresa for this, what tremendous growth she shows in this! The bard singing a song "short on fact, and long on fancy" - ROFL! Loved that!

I love seeing how the relationship between Teresa and Tadrose has progressed into a deep love and closer friendship - Teresa has lost her awkwardness with her and has blossomed in it! LOVE that!

*

This episode was painful, poor Simplicia tryting to protect Teresa with all she knew how to survive; and maybe not cut out to be a mother but did the best she could. That it scarred Teresa is clear, bless her heart. As dear as Simplicia is, she had a past that made her what she was and she handed that legacy down to Teresa probably unknowing what effect it would later have on her.

What a touching scene, especially the ravens and bear that Tadrose couldn't see - huge scene! Teresa may have found the root of the anger in her, at least a good portion of it. Totally Awesome write, I'm in tears here and would give Teresa a hug too if I could.

*

Whoa, Mael did get there fast! Are they sure he is who he claims to be? Well, he did mention Baurus, that is a good sign. Whew! Now I'm tense, because whoever Terentius killed must be about to show up in the next episode! Awesome Write!


*

Finally I can read! I apologize for taking so long to get here.

An interesting connection the elf has with her bow. Sounds like magic of some kind helps her shoot so well.

Glad Teresa didn’t shake the man’s hand with her burning hand. Though with the recent activity around here, I am a bit suspicious of him. I’m sure the necromancers know that Bravil has a capable fighter’s guild if not a capable government. Lots of enchantments suggest he isn’t a mere merchant.

Oh so a Blade? Baurus isn’t messing around then. His invisible companion comment makes me wonder if he knows that’s a trick favored by Teresa.

In Pappy’s office, when you said there was wine there, I was thinking Really? Then you mentioned the whisky. That’s more like it; we know which is for show and which is actually used. His office makes me imagine an admiral’s office or something like that.

Well, if the necromancers wipe out the count, that wouldn’t be too bad would it? Pappy for count!

Hey! I was going to apologize for being late...*pouts*...Week from hell...*sigh*...

Aaamywho...

Another amazing chapter...

I loved how she could sense the enchantments...That was excellent...

I also loved the office, wish I could see it!...

It'll be interesting to see how they deal with Drels...Looking forward to that particular conversation... ...

Amazing stuff...Love it to bits!!...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds heartily*...

Acadian: Interesting that you brought up the possibility of dominating the drug trade to raise money. Many organizations have done that in past, from Al-Queda, to the British Empire.

Thank you for the nits. Apparently Bond, Mael Bond spirited away with my H's..


Grits: Like you intimated, a character's living space and working area is a peek into their personality. So I spent some time in Pappy's office, because I wanted to make sure it was a reflection of who he is (and where he has been).


Colonel Mustard: Hold on to that thought about who is behind the necro's schemes, that will be answered in the final episode of this chapter (next week). Oh no Cockney Teresa please guvna! We get enough of that from the Dunmer in Skyrim already!


ghastley: And even more plotting and counter-plotting coming up! I hemmed and hawed over whether to use "theft" or "thefts" for Kalthar's activities at the Leyawiin guild hall, because he stole two different things from two different areas (the Bloodworm Helm from the vaults, and Manduin's Amulet from Dagail's person). I am still not sure which really works best.

And yes, it is supposed to be unclear about where the count really stands in all of this. Is he a knowing plotter? Or a hapless pawn? All will be revealed in time.


mALX: It has taken a very long time, but T&T have finally gotten to that happy place of love, trust, and commitment. Now if their relationship can only survive the Mother In Law!

Keep your suspicions about Mael. They may prove to be justified... Or maybe not. We shall see.


King Coin: It is magic that helps Teresa shoot. The innate ability all Bosmer have with archery. That was something Daenlin talked about way back in the misty dawn of time Chapter 38, when he explained Zen Bosmer Archery to her.

The Nordic Whiskey is for Pappy, and the wine for everyone else!


McBadgere: One of the things about ES is that unlike some other fantasy games, there is no detect magic spell or ability. But we always know when something is magical. So I decided to make it something that people can just feel when they get near an object that is enchanted. Of course the better a magician one is, the more they can probably tell. So Kud-Ei for example, would probably know exactly what enchantment was on Mael's stuff just by shaking his hand. Where Teresa could only sense that it was strong magic.


Previously On Teresa Of The Faint Smile: Our last episode saw the arrival of a Blade named Mael, who has been sent by Baurus to help with the necromancers. He met with Teresa, Pappy, and Tadrose in private, and they discussed the situation. In that talk we learned that it was Drels Theran who pushed to have the city guard placed along the Green Road, and that it was troops from the castle that were used to do it. That led the group to conclude that Bravil's castle was the target of the necromancer's plot, as it is seriously under protected.


Chapter 45.5 – Shadow Dancing

"It is hardly necessary for you to accompany me Teresa," Carandial insisted. "I do not require a bodyguard just to walk to Anutwyll!"

"That was before all the trouble with trolls and goblins," Teresa countered. She wanted to say necromancers, but was on strict orders from Mael to keep that a secret, lest word get back to the skull-robes. "I was attacked on this same road just a two months ago."

To underscore the need for caution, Teresa wore Aldariel and carried Ravenfeeder strung in the gorytos at her hip. In contrast, the Altmer mage walking beside her wore a set of ordinary russet felt clothing, along with a thick woolen jacket to ward off the cold. Teresa herself did not mind the early winter weather. Simply drawing her hood up had activated its enchantment to resist frost.

"Aye, but that was two months ago," Carandial said. "No one has seen a troll near the city since then."

"That does not mean they might not be out here now," Teresa countered.

"I have been going to Anutwyll for nearly a year now," the Altmer rolled his eyes, "nothing has ever happened."

"Until now," Teresa stopped the mage with a raised hand. She pointed to the white stones of the ruin that sprinkled the hillside before them. "Didn't you shut the door when you left last week?"

The young Altmer opened his mouth to reply, then shut it again as he stared at the half-open door to the Arimer ruin. "I did shut it," he finally said. "I always shut it, to keep animals out."

"Well it was no raccoon that opened those doors." Teresa drew Ravenfeeder from its chitin gorytos, and followed it with a swallowtail-tipped elven arrow.

Creeping forward, she stopped at the star well and reached into it with one hand. Shutting her eyes, she felt the raw magicka swirling about her flesh. Closing her fingers, she grasped as much of that power as she could. Warm energy flowed into her, filling her with so much magicka that she almost felt as if she might burst.

Teresa moved past the glowing star well and stepped to the open doorway to the vaults below. The stone double doors had only been left open by a few hand spans. But it was enough to make it plain that someone else had recently been within.

"Perhaps it was just children on a dare" Carandial offered, "or teenagers sneaking off for a romantic interlude?"

"Perhaps." Teresa looked to the double doors. "If you know a shielding spell or ward, this would be a good time."

The mage nodded, and Teresa saw him swallow hard. A moment later his hand spiked the air, and the reddish glow of a fire shield dropped around his tall, lanky frame. Teresa took her own advice as well. She drew forth a shield potion from her Thieves Bag and downed it in one guzzle.

"Stay behind me, and watch your magic," Teresa said. "If it is just kids, we don't want to shoot them. If is real trouble, I want you to run straight back to the Fighters Guild and get help."

"I can hold my own," the Altmer straightened to a height that towered over Teresa's smaller Bosmer form. "I am a graduate of the Arcane University after all."

"But not of the battlemage program," Teresa countered. "You're a scholar Carandial, not a fighter. Leave the rough things to me."

"But I cannot just leave you here alone…"

"I won't be alone." Teresa smiled faintly. Raising one hand, she gathered up her magicka into her fist and released it. A blue disc fell to the ground in front of her. A sleek black raven formed in the air behind it, and cawed once in greeting.

Teresa pulled one of the double doors all of the way open. As if on cue, the raven flew into the depths below. The archer followed, and found that the stairs and entry hallway were still lit by glowstones set into small niches in the walls. She was not sure if that was good or bad. On one hand it meant that no one had disturbed the lights which Carandial had set up so long ago. On the other it meant that she had no shadows to hide within…

Carandial's feet scuffed on the stone stairs behind her. While not loud by anyone else's standards, the mage's footfalls reverberated like thunder in Teresa's stealth-minded ears. She silently cursed the well-meaning, but inexperienced elf. If he had not been so damned male, she knew that she could have talked him into waiting outside while she did her reconnaissance.

Teresa came to the end of the first corridor, where it opened out into a gallery that ran to left and right. Beyond gaped a huge, square chamber whose ceiling was held up by massive columns. A great metal chandelier hung from the center of the room, and its roughly carved glowstones filled the chamber with light.

A dry rattle caused Teresa's long ears to perk up. Her gaze followed the noise, and she found her eyes reflexively widening when they settled upon a skeleton just a few paces away from her. It stood with its back to her, clutching a sword in one hand and a shield in the other. So far it did not appear to be aware of her presence, so Teresa considered her options as she stared at the vertebrae rising up its back.

If it had been a flesh and blood enemy, she could draw one of her daggers and kill it with a quick stab through the neck and up into the brain. But since its skull was empty to begin with, that was clearly not going to help. She could use her Burning Hand, but that would likely make noise. That left Ravenfeeder. But the composite bow was not silent either, and in any case, the sound of the skeleton's sword and shield falling to the floor would be heard for some distance.

She would have to withdraw, and return with greater numbers.

That is when Carandial bumped into her from behind. A moment later Teresa heard the high elf gasp. She imagined that was from him seeing the skeleton just a few paces away. Teresa wanted to shake her head in frustration. But she had too many other things to worry about by then.

The skeleton whirled around and fixed its empty eye sockets upon the two of them. It instantly took a step forward and swung its sword in a wide arc. Teresa shoved Carandial back into the entry hall, and felt her feet slide out from underneath her. She collapsed to the stone floor, and Ravenfeeder fell from her hand. A moment later the skeleton's blade clanged loudly into the corner of the wall above her, chipping away small pieces of white stone. Fixing the symbol for her Burning Hand firmly in her mind, Teresa scrabbled back away from the monster as quickly as she could.

A bolt of fire sizzled past overhead, and splashed into the shield that the skeleton carried. It glowed from the heat, but the creature otherwise appeared unmolested. Teresa's raven fluttered down about its head, and his talons reached for empty eye sockets. The skeleton simply ignored the bird however, and scampered forward with terrifying speed. It brought its sword down at Teresa's supine form. She rolled to one side, and once again heard the monster's steel clatter loudly against the stone just inches away.

Teresa kicked out, connecting solidly with a bony ankle. The skeleton teetered, then fell as another fist-sized ball of fire connected with its shoulder. Teresa rolled forward, directly on top of the skeleton. It raised its sword between them, but the wood elf was able to grab its wrist with one hand and immobilize it. Her other hand took a firm hold of its skull, and inundated it with an explosion of fire.

The skeleton fell apart beneath her. It did not vanish however. Teresa knew that meant it had not been summoned. Rather it had been reanimated. So whoever had created it obviously meant to stay a while.

"Jalbert, is that you?" A female voice floated up from deeper within the ruin.

"Get out of here!" Teresa hissed over her shoulder at Carandial. She sprang down the hallway and grabbed hold of Ravenfeeder. Only then did she take the time to glance back, where the guild scholar hovered uncertainly near the stairs. "Run!"

"I'll come back with help!" the Altmer cried. Finally he raced up the steps and vanished from sight. Teresa almost sighed with relief. She knew that this would be over long before any help could arrive. But at least she would not have to worry about keeping the archaeologist alive.

Teresa heard the whoosh of a spell somewhere on the gallery ahead. A moaning sound followed it, and she knew that meant a summoning. Two could play at that game however. Tucking Ravenfeeder back into the gorytos at her hip, she drew forth a scroll from her Thieves Bag. Gazing down at the single word brushed upon the page, she read it aloud.

"Grizzly." The parchment fell to dust in Teresa's fingers, and a wide disc of blue energy formed in the air before her. It fell to the floor a moment later, leaving a massive bear in its wake. He took a moment to shake his great bulk, as if to fling water from his fur after emerging from a river. Then he let loose a long, ragged bellow from his throat and started down the corridor.

His summoned counterpart rounded the corner a moment later. It stood upon two legs, and its monstrous bulk filled the corridor. It looked like a gigantic man who had been skinned, and was left covered in exposed red muscles and jutting white bones. Its eyes were solid white, and its mouth filled with small, sharp teeth. It took one look at Teresa and her bear, and charged down the hallway.

Screenshot

The grizzly leapt forward and crashed into the monstrosity. The titans fell to floor in a heap of flashing teeth and claws. Their bellows drowned out all other sounds in Teresa's ears, and they rolled back and forth as they ripped and tore into one another's flesh.

Teresa drew Ravenfeeder, and had just set an arrow to its spider-silk string when she glimpsed a hooded figure step around the corner at the far end of hall, beyond the battling giants. Without thinking, she drew and fired. The figure ducked however, and her shot flew high and out of sight into the chamber beyond.

A boom echoed through the corridor as the necromancer's hand stretched forth. A scintillating ball of frost sprang from her fingers and swept past both of the summons. Teresa sidestepped, and the spell flew harmlessly past her as well.

Nocking and firing as quickly as she could, Teresa sped another arrow down the hallway once she found an opening in the melee in front of her. Again, the necromancer dodged aside. Just as before the mage replied with a spell, and once more Teresa nimbly stepped out of its way.

This could go on forever, Teresa thought. She had to end the stalemate. Her eyes fell upon the skinned monstrosity in the corridor. She had to break the deadlock there. That would tip the battle in her favor.

Teresa stepped as close as she dared, and her next arrow drilled into the monster's head. The necromancer seemed to get the same idea, and blasted at her grizzly with her frost spell. Teresa wished for her raven. But she knew that conjuring the bear had automatically dispelled him. A mage could only command one summoning at a time after all.

Knowing that time was of the essence, Teresa stepped even closer and grabbed hold of one of the monster's arms with her free hand. An inferno blossomed from her fingers, and the creature reeled away with a roar. Teresa was thankful for the star well outside. For she knew that without the magicka it had lent her, she would have been completely stripped of energy by now. As it was, she felt enough magicka within her for one more good blast of her Burning Hand spell.

The bear followed up Teresa's attack by launching his body into the monster's, knocking it flat onto its back. The grizzly sped over the flailing creature and continued down the hall. The necromancer raised both hands and launched a tidal wave of frost down the corridor. Yet the icy cold blast did nothing to slow the bear, and he hurtled directly into the necromancer. The mage went flying, her body only stopping when it crashed into the stone railing that separated the gallery from the chamber below.

Teresa gritted her teeth as the wall of frost rolled over her. Even with Aldariel's protective enchantments, it sent agony ripping through her bones. The necromancer's own summoning appeared to be unperturbed by the cold, and Teresa remembered how Pappy had once told her that the undead were immune to frost magic. The Bosmer imagined that was why the necromancer chose to use that element, as it would not harm her own slaves.

The skinned monster rose to its feet, and settled its eyes upon Teresa. Teeth chattering from the cold, the Bosmer fumbled to draw an arrow and set it to her string. A moment later it flew from Ravenfeeder and buried itself in the creature's bulk. Yet the monster barely seemed to notice, and grinned as it barreled down upon her.

Teresa dropped her bow. She knew that she could never nock and fire again before it was upon her. Raising a fiery hand before her, she hoped that she could grab for its head before it tore her apart. Her other hand reached for a mithril dagger, but she knew that she could never draw it time.

The undead fiend was just a foot away when the triumphant roar of Teresa's grizzly bear echoed down the corridor. Just like that the skinned monster faded to nothingness, and Teresa fell to her knees in relief. Good gods that was close, she thought, far too close.

She raised one hand into the air and concentrated upon the symbol of her healing spell. With that image firmly in mind, she clenched her fingers tightly, and poured all of her remaining magicka between them. Letting go, the energy poured from her hand and washed down over her shivering body like a warm tide of water. That took the worst of the glacial chill from her limbs, and the forester staggered back to her feet.

The grizzly strode down the hallway to meet her. His fur was torn and matted with blood from numerous wounds. Yet he seemed not to mind one bit. Teresa was thankful that he was not a real bear - like Barenziah - but rather a symbolic representation brought to life by magicka. Otherwise she could never live with the terrible suffering he had endured on her behalf.

Teresa stared down the hallway beyond the grizzly. She saw no signs of movement, and heard no sound. If there were more necromancers within, they were either deaf, or lying in ambush. She knew that she was in no shape for another fight. So Teresa turned away, and climbed out of the ruin and back into the warming light of Magnus' rays.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Mar 13 2013, 12:17 AM

"Jalbert, is that you?" A female voice floated up from deeper within the ruin.

I really like how much information was concentrated in that single line. We know the adversary is female, that she's a necromancer, and that Jalbert himself is not in the ruin. She's also far enough in not to have heard Teresa talk to Carandial.

I also liked the bit where you point out that her raven can't peck out a skeleton's eyes, so it takes no notice of the attempt. Character-building for the undead, yet!

Teresa was thankful that he was not a real bear - like Barenziah - but rather a symbolic representation brought to life by magicka. Otherwise she could never live with the terrible suffering he had endured on her behalf.

Did you mean "would have endured" as you're implying that he actually didn't?