Mom is a cipher. Which makes sense. I am sure it is a trait she cultivated for her career as a lawyer.

They did what with the moth silk? Heresy! Preach it Quinn!

Oh boy, what a truly engaging class. How to talk like an Imperial. And it is led by Ben Stein. I am surprised he did not start by taking the roll and asking where Ferris Bueller was?

Ahh, its the old dirty limerick gambit. Now I am trying to imagine what a Dwarven one would sound like, with those tongue-twisting names of theirs.

Uh oh, I think Daria may have been a little too honest with Skip at the end. This might backfire on her.

Yes, well it doesn't take an entire day to walk from Balmora to Caldera, but my characters have walked the distance probably over a hundred times by now, and I mean they actually walked, not run the whole way. Some of them also rarely use silt striders for travel (although I did have a posh gal who wanted easier travel). I think that's one of the differences in our playstyles; you tend to fast travel more than I do!

Most of the time I enjoy the road trips. So I'd say the distance is about 8 hours, with the vanilla timescale of 30. Certainly most of a day, for sure.

Appreciate your kind words (regarding moving). Often wondered what it would've been like if I'd continued to have that same core pack of friends over many years. Let me just press Pause right there. || Otherwise we'll all have to witness another Renee Ramble.


Anyway, laughing again! Because you'd think Quinn would love it here in Caldera, but really she doesn't, because she no longer stands out! And this is despite already getting hit on by some dudes in town.



Wow, this is really impressive, the stuff that's usually only written in the fashion mags! As the writer of this tale, you really about things most guys don't even notice.

Wow, she's sitting in Seth's seat. Daria wants to be a troublemaker. I mean Skip's seat. Wow, this is brilliant. She's actually doing it. Love the back and forth between Skip and Daria.

I have no idea what Skip sounds like on the show, but I'm picturing him with a laid-back SoCal accent. Like dude, that's my seat! Go tango with a mango!

This teacher's a jackass, too. He wants to get rid of their accents, what the buck?



Nice!

Overall, this tale goes in a lot of directions, in the sense that it makes the world feel nice and broad. I find myself wondering what happened to Synda, for instance. Did she actually continue to hook up with that nice fellow she met, during that awful "festival"? And what about Jane? I don't remember where the story left her, but I wonder if life's doing any better for her.

You don't have to answer, I am just illustrating the broadness of this tale.

This post has been edited by Renee: Jan 21 2023, 08:50 PM

Chapter 4

Tension prickled the back of Daria's neck as she walked to the Cyrodiilic School the next morning. Mom still hadn't made a decision, and her refusal to commit made Daria all the more certain that they'd move to Caldera. The only choice remaining? Hope that Skip got her kicked out and didn't screw it up too badly. Him being an idiot further complicated matters. She should have tried harder to make him think it was his idea to talk the headmaster into expelling her.

She sensed danger the moment she arrived at campus. Skip stood in the gateway to the courtyard, his chin raised, and holding out a parchment in his right hand. Amelia wrung her hands before him, her pleas low and rapid.

"I'm sorry, Amelia," Skip said, his nasal voice carrying down the street. "But you aren't wanted here any longer."

"But I was promised a position—"

"You were offered one," Skip interrupted. "Which was contingent on you meeting the high standards of the Cyrodiilic School."

"I don't understand." Amelia's voice trembled. "My marks are good!"

"There's nothing more to discuss. It's been decided that you don't fit."

"Is this… is this because my parents don't work for the company? My mom works for the Mages Guild at least, and they're important!"

Skip scoffed. "She's a secretary in the Mages Guild. But if you want to know why you aren't welcome…" Skip saw Daria and peeled his lips back in a sickening grin. "Why don't you ask your friend over there?"

Following his gaze, Amelia blinked when she saw Daria. "Huh?"

"Hold on," Daria said, not breaking her stride as she marched up to Skip. She grabbed the paper out of his hands and scanned the contents: a brief notice warranting Amelia's expulsion, marked with what she guessed was the headmaster's red wax seal.

"Skip, you wanted me out of this school," Daria said.

"Why no, Daria," he said, drawing out the 'no' to an absurd length. "Your mother, at least, has a very respectable profession. This school is for people like us. Amelia simply doesn't fit. I only wish you'd act the part of a Cyrodiilic School student. An apology could go a long way."

"Daria, what's going on here?" Amelia demanded.

"I'll see you in class. Not you, Amelia," Skip said, turning around and walking to the front door.

"Dammit," Daria said. She adjusted her glasses, trying to figure out what to say.

"Please tell me what happened," Amelia begged. "I got here this morning, and he shoved that stupid paper in front of my face!"

"Right. So, uh, yesterday I had an argument with Skip. He didn't want me at this school, and I didn't want to be here, so I suggested he simply conspire with the headmaster to get me kicked out. Apparently, he decided to go after you in order to get back at me."

"Huh? But… oh my gosh! Daria, I have so much riding on this! My dad worked so hard to get me here; he did free work for all their parents. This is... it's supposed to be my stepping stone to something better, so I can—"

Amelia sobbed. Daria froze. What the hell were you supposed to do when someone cried? It never fixed anything. She reached out and gave a few hesitant pats on Amelia's back before Amelia threw both arms around her and full-on wept into her shoulder.

"Uh, okay," Daria said. She held her breath for a few seconds and then pulled away. She couldn't think when someone was using her as a human handkerchief.

"Crying isn't going to get you back into school, Amelia," Daria said.

Amelia sniffed, and blinked back her tears. "Wow, Daria. That was really cold."

"Accepting the cold, hard truth is a good first step to figuring out a solution."

"Okay. So what do we do?"

But no solution presented itself. The facts were as followed: The headmaster was a close friend of Skip's dad, and Skip's dad worked for the company. Amelia had no such connections. It was another example of the vast web of family relations and old-school ties that bound the Empire together, supporting and undergirding all of its kingdoms, guilds, and temples. Pushing back against one strand only made the rest cling tighter.

What they needed was an expert. Someone who knew how to navigate this kind of complexity. A lawyer.

"Daria?" Amelia asked.

"I think we're going to need my mom's help on this."

"Won't she get mad at you for trying to get kicked out?"

"Her getting mad at me is a price I'm willing to pay if there's the slightest chance of pulling one over Skip."

*********

Helen's fingers gripped the armrests of her chair as she prayed for something to do. Erarik had insisted on her attending the office that day and meeting his star clients. They'd already gone through one, a pleasant Nord woman named Rifsa Blood-sworn, and all Helen could do was nod politely and make vague affirmative sounds while Erarik negotiated. She hated being the junior partner. She'd hated it in Charach, and she hated it even more in Caldera. The extra income didn't make up for the loss of autonomy. Besides, she knew the law better than Erarik. Why the hell should she follow his lead?

"Helen!" Erarik called as he walked back into his office. "I've got a very special client here today: Headmaster Corpullo!"

Erarik gestured to the man next to him, a bald Imperial with angular green cult tattoos running along the sides of his face. Corpullo smiled and nodded.

Helen got to her feet and bowed. "It's an honor to finally meet a man of your erudition, Headmaster Corpullo! My daughters have so many wonderful things to say about your school."

"Good! That means we're getting through to them," Corpullo said. "I hear you're from that barbarous den known as Balmora. I'm glad you made it to civilization."

Helen forced herself to smile. "Well, we haven't quite made it yet. But we're considering the move."

"I certainly hope you do. We need all the good people we can get, and Erarik tells me you're the best."

I'd rather my sterling record tell you I'm the best, Helen thought. "I do what I can!"

The chirpy way she said that made her feel like a slow and insecure child trying to impress a teacher. No wonder Daria got so frustrated at networking. As her daughter, how could she be any different?

"Excuse me, Mr. Swift-wit?" It was his secretary, a slim young Imperial man.

"What? I'm with a client!"

"Forgive me," the secretary said. "Helen's daughter is here to see her, and she says it's important."

"Daria or Quinn?" Helen asked.

Probably Daria.

"Daria. There's another girl with her."

Headmaster Corpullo frowned. "Daria ought to be in school right now!"

At least this gave her an excuse to get out of glad-handing. "Erarik, would it be too disruptive if I see what's going on? She should be in school, like Headmaster Corpullo says."

Hopefully, that made her request client-centered enough to meet with Erarik's approval.

"Headmaster Corpullo, I apologize for this interruption—"

He waved it off. "Oh, no need. It's good to see Helen is so dedicated to her family. A citizen's virtues begin with family, after all."

"Thank you, headmaster," Helen said, cringing inwardly as she did.

Helen had to admit a significant sense of relief as she left the room, one that faded when she saw Daria standing rigid with her shoulders bunched up, like she always did when something was wrong. She had no idea what the bespectacled girl standing next to Daria had to do with the situation.

Daria cleared her throat. "Hi, Mom. I guess I'll get right to the point…"

Musical Closer - Say It Ain't So, by Weezer



This post has been edited by WellTemperedClavier: Nov 30 2024, 12:48 AM

Uh oh, Skip did wriggle sideways and do something unexpected. He went after Amelia to get to Daria. What a c*&t!

How to strike back? A lawyer! It looks like Daria did indeed learn a thing or two in school.

It looks like Helen is indeed chafing under the restriction of going back to being a Number 2, when she had been her own boss for long. I think it might not take much to tip her over the edge of saying No to Caldera.

That "barbarous den known as Balmora"? Wow, this guy is pretty clueless. Not to mention classist and probably racist and self-centered as well.

I'm proud of myself for following your clues well enough to predict Ship's nasty response. Daria is exactly right that she should have manipulated Skip into thinking getting Daria kicked was all his idea. I am glad to see she feels obligated to help Amelia. Without many great options, seeking Helen's counsel seems wise. Very interested to see where this goes.

You continue to weave a very fun to read tale!

Chapter 5[b]

Daria mentally prepared for the worst as she told Mom the story. It'd end, she was sure, with Mom suddenly looking years older than her actual age and uttering something like, "I am deeply disappointed with you." No shouting or yelling. Only the exhausted glare of someone who'd been let down too many times.

Yet Mom's expression only grew frustrated at a few points. She leaned closer, brow furrowed and eyes attentive, as if reading Daria's words on some imaginary parchment and looking for errors or weaknesses. Of course, Mom always put up a polite façade in public. Only at home would she drop the full weight of her crushing disappointment on Daria's shoulders.

"We reasoned that professional legal counsel was probably in order," Daria said, finishing her story.

"A wise decision," Mom said. "Oh, Amelia! It's good to meet you."

Mom bowed her head in acknowledgement, and Amelia curtsied as best she could in her robe. This got a chuckle from Mom. "Amelia, I think you're old enough to bow."

"Of course, ma'am," Amelia said, bowing her head. "Sorry, it's been a long morning."

"It certainly sounds like it." Mom looked back over her shoulder at the closed door, and then to Daria and Amelia. "Your timing was interesting. Headmaster Corpullo is actually chatting with Erarik in the other room."

"Oh no!" Amelia said.

No surprise that this wouldn't end well. "So, I suppose the iron law of pleasing your client means Amelia and I are back out on the street?" Daria asked.

"Don't be absurd, Daria. Corpullo is not my client. Nor have I decided on joining Erarik." Mom stroked her chin in thought. "Amelia, I'm going to be blunt with you: the odds are not in your favor. If what Daria told me is accurate—"

"It is," Amelia confirmed.

"Then, unfortunately, Skip, Corpullo, and Skip's father—and likely Erarik—will all help one another. Did your parents sign a contract with the school?"

Amelia nodded. "They did."

"Do they have a copy?"

"No. There's one big contract that's kept in the headmaster's office, which I think is the same. I sort of remember what it says: Basically, as a student, I've been let in because of my promising, uh, aptitude?"

"I was afraid of that," Mom said. "I'd need to see it to be sure, but it sounds like the kind of situation where your invitation can be withdrawn at any time."

"Right." Amelia sniffed. "I mean, I guess it is what it is—"

"Wait. Do you have a copy of the expulsion form?"

"I held onto it," Daria said, reaching into her satchel and taking it out.

Mom took the document. "Hmm, this is rather brief. I'd expect Corpullo to explain why Amelia wasn't welcome. All it says is that her time at the school has ended. Terrible penmanship, too," she said, shaking her head.

A thought came to Daria. "Amelia, you said that Corpullo's hardly ever at the school. Do you think Skip might've faked the document?"

Amelia looked thunderstruck. "Whoa! Maybe? No, wait." She shook her head. "There's no way Skip would go that far. Tampering with Corpullo's seal would get him in a ton of trouble."

"But, if he already thinks Corpullo's a family friend who'll stand for him…" Daria said.

"Girls," Mom interrupted, "that's all very interesting, but it's theorizing. We have no proof of fakery, and unless we get some, we need to assume the form is genuine. Though if this is the kind of document that gets Erarik's approval, I'm amazed he has any clients left." Mom rolled her eyes.

Amelia nodded. "I wish it were all a lie. But there's no way Skip would do something like that. Bad as he is. What do we do, Advocate Morgendorffer?"

Mom thought about it a few seconds before speaking. "Amelia, the best choice might be to simply talk to the headmaster and hope for his mercy. Maybe I can soften him up a bit. He won't want to look overly harsh in front of me and Erarik."

"What?" Daria exclaimed. "So we kowtow to his academic majesty and hope he lets Amelia back in? You can't be serious!"

"Daria, I am entirely serious."

"I know the system's corrupt, but as a legal advocate, isn't it your responsibility to make at least some attempt to protect citizens? To ensure that maybe, just maybe, the people with deep pockets can only get away with most of their misdeeds instead of all of them?"

Mom stared right at her. "I wish that were the case, Daria. But it isn't. You and I are the people with deep pockets. And right now, our responsibility is to do something that will help Amelia. That means assuaging Corpullo's ego and not saying a single bad word about Skip or his father."

"It's okay, Daria," Amelia said. "I'll apologize."

"You shouldn't have to."

"All right then, it's settled," Mom said. "I'll go in and try to smooth things over. You will have to accept some blame for this, Amelia. Act the part of a contrite student. I am sorry that you have to do this."

"It's okay," Amelia said. "I'm glad you're helping me."

"Follow my lead," Mom said, handing the expulsion notice back to Amelia.

Mom opened the door into Erarik's office, and Amelia followed. Daria boiled in rage. Unfairness she could accept; it was part and parcel of life. But to actually apologize after having done nothing wrong? Why did Amelia take it? Didn't she have any pride?

Headmaster Corpullo looked exactly the way Daria had expected: a Nibenese Imperial swaddled in moth-silk and easy living. No surprise that he hardly ever showed up to work. The man's lizard-like gaze barely seemed to register her or Amelia as they entered, his attention on Daria's mother.

"Daria here has certainly been impressed with your school's library," Mom said, giving Daria a quick, knowing look.

Sighing, Daria went along with it. "The Cyrodiilic School's library has everything I expected to find," she said. Which wasn't exactly a lie, given the selection's cliched nature.

"She's already told me so much about her peers, like Amelia here," Mom continued.

"Ah, yes," Corpullo said, his face unreadable. "How is your father... the baker, correct?" he asked Amelia.

"Forgive me, headmaster, but he's a gardener."

Corpullo's bushy eyebrows went up at that. "Oh! Well, I trust he's doing well. Forgive me, Advocate Morgendorffer, but I'd be amiss if I didn't ask these girls why they aren't in school." He looked back at them. "So why, exactly?"

That's when it clicked: Headmaster Corpullo had no idea what had transpired. Daria looked at her mom and then back to Amelia, a shared understanding passing between the three of them.

"Excuse me, headmaster…" Amelia started and then faltered. "I got this expulsion notice."

She presented the document to Headmaster Corpullo, whose brows knitted together in puzzlement as he took a closer look.

"Is everything all right?" Erarik asked.

"Ah, no, not exactly. It appears that someone overstepped their authority. I did not authorize your expulsion, Amelia," he said.

Amelia breathed out a sigh of relief. "Oh, thank the Divines."

Skip had apparently been arrogant enough to try and get away with it.

"Forgery's a serious offense," Erarik said.

"Amelia, do you know why this might be? No one's complained about you," Corpullo said.

Amelia glanced at Daria, eyes begging her not to reveal too much.

"If I might speak—" Mom said.

"Just a moment, if you please, advocate. I'd like to hear it from the girls."

"Um, I'm not sure," Amelia said, stammering.

Amelia's breathing quickened, her hands clenching and unclenching. The whole network surrounded her, ready to attack if she fell out of line. Like Mom had said: the law couldn't do much to help.

"We found it tied to the gate with a bit of twine," Daria said, every cell in her body revolting at the idea of protecting Skip. But Skip was the son of Corpullo's friend, and if push came to shove, Corpullo would always take Skip's side.

"We thought it was a strange way of informing her," Daria continued, "but it had your seal."

"Indeed, it does." A grim, knowing look settled on Corpullo's face. He was obliged to tolerate Skip, but maybe he knew a bit about the kind of person he was. "I think this is something we can handle internally. It's human error, I'm certain. Also, I'll be sure to inform any relevant parties not to do something like this again."

"That sounds very sensible," Mom said. She gave Daria a quick smile.

"Amelia, you're welcome to return to class. Daria, I'm impressed that you stood by your friend, especially given that you've not been here very long," Corpullo said. "Loyalty is a classic Imperial virtue."

Maybe Skip would be disciplined. Maybe not. Maybe he'd go on and on, casually wrecking lives with his pride and power. Daria hadn't done anything to stop him.

Musical Closer - Long Line of Cars, by Cake

This post has been edited by WellTemperedClavier: Nov 30 2024, 12:50 AM

I can so hear “I am deeply disappointed with you.” in the voice of the actress who played Helen on the TV show.

Hmmm, did Skip fake the expulsion? Unlike Amelia, I would not put it past him. The kind of person he is does not stop until someone confronts him and forces him to. Not even then really. They just do the same thing to someone else who can't stand up for themselves.

Mom really shows her worldliness and understanding of the politics of power here. In the Revolutions podcast the host Mike Duncan identified that successful revolutions have two components. One are the people from the working class fighting in the streets and manning the barricades. But by themselves they are just rioters. They need people from the professional classes like lawyers - like Helen - who know how to walk in the halls of power and deal with the people who have lived their entire lives there. People who can translate the nebulous will of the people into solid demands that the government can be forced to meet. I am not saying that Helen is a revolutionary. But she is cut from the same cloth as people like John Adams, who understand how power works.

And the use of subtlety and tact wins the day, rather than sarcasm. I wonder if Daria is taking notes? In the very least Amelia gets to stay in school. What happens to Skip, if anything, remains to be seen.

Wow, I wasn't expecting that! Forgery, and Helen clever enough to quickly consider it. She was definitely the hero here. And I'm pleased that Helen and Amelia were able to coax Daria into swallowing enough of her pride to take the wise course. The immediate result here was good. We can only hope that the headmaster is alerted to Skip's foul machinations.

She's got a good head on her shoulders. Like Paris Hilton. You look at Paris, you think 'there's a vapid chick'. Clueless, just like the movie. Then you start reading her list of accomplisments...

Oh man, Daria's already back in danger? What?? they're kicking Amelia out? Ah geez. What an ass. Why do people have to suck so much?

wait. Uh oh. The headmaster's showed up to mom's practice. Whoa, the headmaster has tats???



I love that part! Bwaaaa!!!!!

Well, mom's not so thrilled about the office people she's met so far. Seems this could be why she's not too upset.

SubRosa nailed it though. Mom/Helen really speaks like a lawyer. Like when she frankly tells Amelia what's up, and then asks if her family signed a contract...

Yeah, good call. As they speak to the headmaster he seems almost bored. "Why aren't they in school?" but he doesn't ask this in anger. So yeah, something's up.

Honestly when this chapter began (actually, last chapter) I at first thought it was some kind of ruse between Skip and Amelia. Like, all of this is for pretend, maybe to make Daria fall in line.

Chapter 6

Gathered outside Erarik's home on a bright and rosy morning, the Morgendorffers bade farewell to their host.

"Are you absolutely sure you won't reconsider, Helen?" Erarik asked. "Again, I could use someone like you on my team."

"I am flattered, Erarik," she said, "but what I want is to build my own firm in Balmora. Maybe I'm too much of a control freak," she laughed. "I'm sure my girls would think so."

"Well, if you ever change your mind, my door's always open."

"Thank you, kindly."

Standing nearby, Daria let out what felt like all the accumulated tensions of the last week in a single, long exhalation. They were going home to dirty, dangerous Balmora, and she wouldn't have it any other way.

The four of them set off down the street, packs on their backs.

"Caldera's nice," Dad said, "but you know what? I was starting to miss having bugs for lunch."

"Bugs are like pure protein, so you can't get fat from eating them," Quinn said. "And I don't even think these gowns from the Imperial City are all that great. I can get way better ideas by watching people in Balmora."

Daria listened but said nothing, glad to be leaving Erarik's stuffy home and the miserable, uptight town surrounding it.

"Daria," Mom said. "That's Amelia over there."

Daria's eyes followed to where Mom pointed. Sure enough, Amelia hurried toward them, a smile as bright as the dawn on her face.

"Hey! I wanted to catch you guys before you left. Advocate Morgendorffer, thank you so much for helping me out. I don't know what I'd have done on my own."

"Of course, Amelia. It's not often I get a chance to help someone who deserves it."

"Daria, thank you for sticking with me. And for, well, going along with the lie. I could tell that wasn't easy for you."

"Hey, what's a little complicity between friends?" Daria said.

"I got some presents for you guys." Amelia unslung her pack and opened it. First, she took out a bolt of fine blue moth-silk. "This is from my parents. They were thrilled with what you did, Advocate Morgendorffer, and they wanted you to have this."

"Oh, my goodness! This is an amazing gift, Amelia. Why, I'm not sure I can accept this!"

"Please, Advocate Morgendorffer. It's on us. You did a lot for me yesterday. I'm sure Quinn knows which dressmaker in Balmora to take it to."

"I do, in fact!" Quinn said. "Antava is probably the best overall choice, but if you want some of that Dunmer flair, it'd be better to go with Rindral..."

She kept talking.

"Daria," Amelia said, "I know we never got a chance to talk about books, so I thought I'd give you one of my favorites."

Beaming, she reached into the pack again and withdrew a thick and well-worn tome bound in white leather. Daria took it.

"The Tales and Deeds of Lord and Lady Chesamere of Daggerfall, or A Romance Most Perilous," Daria said, reading the cover aloud. Renowned as one of the longest and cheesiest of Breton chivalric romances, a genre already known for length and cheesiness.

"I don't know if you like that kind of book, but it has great romance and adventure! Made me want to see all of Tamriel," Amelia said.

"I'm sure I'll find it interesting," Daria said. "Since you're giving me a book, I'll give you my copy of Palla." Daria took that slender volume, which she'd carried with her all the way from Charach, out of her own pack.

"Oh wow! Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. It's an adventure story. Of sorts." Daria hesitated. It didn't feel right to trick someone as guileless as Amelia. "It, uh, might be a bit more morbid than what you're used to."

"Ooh, okay! Ha ha, well you know what? I should probably broaden my reading horizons anyway," she said, taking the book. "I know you aren't much for this but is it okay if we hug? I feel like you've been my friend for a long time even though we only met a few days ago."

"Sure, but only because we're in Caldera. I have a reputation for aloofness that I need to maintain in Balmora."

Amelia hugged her tight while Daria stood there, finally raising her stiff arms and returning the gesture, only relaxing when Amelia disengaged.

"I guess you'll all be on your way then. Thank you again. And if you ever come back to Caldera, let me know!"

"We will," Mom said. "You aren't going to be late to school, are you?"

"Oh, well, about that." Amelia gave a nervous chuckle, and then took a deep breath. "I told my mom and dad everything that happened yesterday. I decided that I don't want to go to the Cyrodiilic School anymore. My parents are okay with that."

"That school offers a lot of opportunity," Mom said.

"I know. But I don't want to live in fear all the time. Skip's still there, and he'll never be punished for what he did. Not really, anyway. The good news is that I'll be getting my education directly from the Mages Guild from now on."

Daria decided not to say anything about her own experiences in the guild. It probably wasn't the worst place for a serious student like Amelia.

"I'll tell you, Amelia, many of Tamriel's most important people got their start with that guild. It'll be a challenge, but I think you're up for it," Mom said.

"I'm sure. Thanks again, you guys!"

"Of course."

The Morgendorffers waved goodbye.

Once out of town, they traveled the stony road back down to the Odai river basin, where the sprawl of Balmora awaited. Daria put one foot in front of the other through the heat. Sweat trickled down her face and her back, but she was too happy at the thought of going home to mind that much. The family took a short break for lunch. When they resumed the walk, Mom slowed down for a bit and fell in next to Daria.

"I'm proud of you for going along with Amelia's lie. I know it wasn't easy."

"As much as I wanted to make Skip pay, I don't have the right to sacrifice Amelia's livelihood."

"I know. Maybe one day we can make it better, bit by bit. But that won't be for a long time."

Daria wondered about that. They hadn't taken any serious action. "What finally moved you to turn down Erarik's offer?" Daria asked.

"I'm not sure I ever wanted to take it. I'm an independent kind of woman, Daria. I like working on my own. To tell you the truth, I never much cared for Erarik. I'd already more or less decided to say no, but that episode with Amelia made it easier."

"Are you telling me that there's still a human heart beating within that callous lawyer's hide?"

Mom chuckled. "Yes, but keep that sort of thing to yourself."

"Your secret's safe with me, Mom."

Musical Closer - Waiting for October, by Polaris

The End

This post has been edited by WellTemperedClavier: Nov 30 2024, 12:52 AM

Helen is leaving. Yay! She made the right choice, for herself, and for her kids.

It looks like Ballessa Balmora has grown on everyone. Even Quinn has warmed up to the finer qualities of bug meals.

“Of course, Amelia. It’s not often I get a chance to help someone who deserves it.”
I am sure that is the truth...

Aww, and Daria is trading books.

I think the Mages Guild sounds like a better fit for Amelia. Though granted, it is not going to be a picnic either.

What a delightfully satisfying and touching conclusion to the Morgadorffer family adventure in Caldera! Helen made the wise call, her family is happy and, in my opinion, Amelia has grown a bit and is better off now than before the Balmora family visited. Daria even managed a bit of graciousness.

Exactly! ... Is Paris lazy and dumb? Or is she actually quite motivated? Intuitive. Intelligent. Not in a rocket-science sort of way, but more like she's got some business sense. Part of it is she no-doubt surrounds herself with plenty of nameless others who make plenty of decisions for her. And it doesn't hurt that she grew up with money (LOTS of money) but plenty of others who have family money do nothing but squander it. 💰

Too bad Oblivion didn't have some of the features described in the Pocket Guide. I wouldn't want Cyrodiil to be a jungle, but the more-diverse description of Imperial cuiture (along with a few other things I'm forgetting) sounds really cool. There's supposed to be more of a diff between Nibenese and Heartlanders, I think. Or is it Colovians. Ah, my lore-knowlege kinda sucks!

Well cool. Sounds like mom doesn't to move from Balmora, either.



Wow! Also, the part when dad misses having "bugs for lunch". Aw... but I'm actually rather sad Amelia's last episode, this looks to be.

On the other hand, it'll be good to read about Jane again. And the Argonian. And the Fashion Club (If it still exists). And even Synda.

Polaris. I don't know this song. But reading the comments on the YouTube page it seems to be just after my generation. The song was featured on Nickelodeon, which I totally missed. That was more my younger sister's show.

This post has been edited by Renee: Jan 31 2023, 02:39 PM

Episode 21: The Summer of My Ashlander Nomad

Chapter 1

Daria first started practicing the arcane a week after her return from Caldera. She did it because of the memories from the past year and a half weighing down on her: Synda's attack, the nix hound near the shrine, and Todis and Shalfar chasing her down the nighttime streets with knives drawn and murder on their minds. She did not know how to protect herself. Clumsily wielding Dad's sword, which she was barely strong enough to swing, simply wasn't enough. But magic was an art of the mind, which had always been one of her stronger points.

So, one Loredas morning, when Quinn was out shopping, she sequestered herself in her room to practice a simple restoration spell known as quicksilver. It'd make her faster, which at least gave her the option to run away from a fight. More importantly, she'd already learned it thanks to her old tutor, Vandries, back in Stirk.

If only Vandries hadn't been too soft-hearted to teach her the spells of destruction.

For an entire morning, she sat cross-legged on the floor, her back against her bed. She'd taken off her glasses and closed her eyes, visualizing the bright white light of Aetherius shining through the pierced black veil of Mundus, the light seeping onto Nirn and animating every living thing, from dragons to blades of grass. All was possible within its glow. She imagined the sensations of speed: feet pounding pavement; wind rushing past her; sweat on her brow and back. And then she imagined going faster.

Her fingertips tingled as she touched the fabric of reality. She was a part of the universe, which meant the universe was her, so naturally she could bend its rules a little bit.

Her eyes opened to the sight of white light dancing around her hands. Her heart quickened, and her senses sharpened. She felt the speed she'd soon possess, and the equations of reality being rewritten in her muscles and bones.

Then, with an obnoxious "fffffzzz!" sound, the lights sputtered and went out, leaving her sitting in the dark next to her bed and realizing she should've probably sat on a cushion instead of on the hard floor.

She practiced whenever she could for the next month. The Mages Guild did not approve of unlicensed wizards. Getting caught meant a steep fine and a series of safety lectures from the local guild authorities. Given that one of those authorities might be her former supervisor, Hetheria, Daria wanted to avoid this. Which meant she had to close the windows and wait until her home emptied out, a rare enough occurrence in the Morgendorffer house.

She got better. But not by much. Halfway through the month of Midyear, with the hot sun hammering down on the dusty hills and bare rooftops, she cast one successful spell for every four failures. Which was an improvement. Just not enough of one. She practiced the three schools she knew, seeing tiny and incremental improvement in restoration and alteration and next to nothing for mysticism.

A Morndas afternoon late in the month, with Quinn in an emergency Fashion Club meeting at Tiphannia's house, gave her another chance. She hurried home right after school and went straight to her room. Mom was in the office downstairs but was too busy to bother her.

Daria wanted to learn levitation. It was useful for getting out of bad situations. Unless the person chasing her had wings, arrows, or rocks to throw, in which case the spell would just make her an easy target. The closest spell actually within her power was telekinesis. Which was probably for the best; safer to practice lifting random objects than risk bumping her head on the ceiling or floating in the air too long and having a nasty fall. She hadn't made much progress in mysticism, but she could still cast some spells in that school.

She sat on a cushion and closed her eyes. Mysticism wasn't that different from alteration or restoration; she just had to focus on the currents of the world around her, on the flow of magic, and the steady progress of time instead of on herself. She drew in the power as she had before. Her mind focused on the inkwell lying on her desk. Like all objects, the inkwell tended to stay on the ground. But what if it didn't have to? Think like a child, she told herself, and tried to believe that a tin inkwell could, in fact, float. Power surged through her nerves, buzzing again at her fingertips as it flowed out from her mind and body.

She opened her eyes to focus. Violet light gleamed bright in her hands. The inkwell seemed to shudder. She held her breath.

The inkwell stubbornly refused to lift.

"Dammit," she uttered.

Frustrated, she got to her feet. Her back ached for some reason, and she was still restless from the long hours in Drenlyn. Quinn wouldn't be home for a while, so it wouldn't hurt her to go outside and stretch for a few minutes. She opened the door to the balcony and stepped out onto the sun-beaten surface, the warm and dusty air swirling around her. A bunch of outlander kids played in the street below, using a rod to roll an old barrel hoop back and forth.

Daria stretched her arms, the sleeves of her faded orange wool shirt a bit too short for her. As she did, she saw her shadow on the outer wall of her parents' bedroom.

There was another, smaller shadow above her.

"Huh?"

The inkwell floated a few inches over her head.

Daria ran back into her room, and out of sight. Great move, Morgendorffer, she thought. She'd walked right out onto the balcony with visible and flagrant evidence of the arcane.

The spell fizzled out, and the inkwell—screwed shut, thank the Divines—bounced off her scalp and clattered on the floor.

*********

"Well, you haven't blown up your house or turned it into cookie dough. So I'd say you're doing pretty good. Though now I want cookie dough."

It was lunch. Daria and Jane idled in the library's cool and musty interior. Lli had at least picked a reputable contractor for the new roof.

"The problem is that I can only practice when I'm home, and Quinn isn't," Daria said.

Jane shrugged. "Isn't Quinn always going out to enforce her ruthless fashion dictates on our poor city?"

"Except when she's bringing her minions home to enforce those dictates on me. And some afternoons I'm working at my mom's office, and I can't practice with her around."

"I guess you could try my apartment."

Daria shook her head. "I'm technically not supposed to be doing this, and I don't want to get you in trouble by association. Maintaining their arcane monopoly is the one thing the Mages Guild legitimately cares about."

"I'd be surprised if they kept an eye on Labor Town."

Daria knew for a fact that they did.

"Hey, here's an idea: why not go outside of the city? Far from prying eyes?" Jane said.

"Hmm, I know a few places off the road where I could practice spells. And bury some bodies. Oops, you've heard too much; you're going to have to join them."

Jane laughed. "I'd welcome it. Anything to get me out of my latest commission. I need to get better at negotiating contracts. Don't suppose your mom would do some pro bono work for me?"

"Sorry, but that'd be violating her one and only principle. If it makes you feel better, I can buy you a round at the Lucky Lockup after school today."

"Wish I could join you. I have to work on this," Jane said. "In fact, I'm probably going to skip Sera Dimartani's class and go home after lunch."

"You've been making yourself pretty scarce on campus lately," Daria said.

"I know. I gotta hustle for commissions these days. School doesn't make much business sense for me right now."

Daria nodded. Jane only attended Drenlyn because it provided a source of clients, and since doing free work for Sera Defoe let her halve her enrollment fees.

Drenlyn's big bronze bell clanged mournfully in the courtyard, announcing an end to lunch. Daria and Jane collected their things.

"It's back to the grind for me," Jane said, sounding tired. "Sorry that I can't hang out."

"It's no big deal. The Lucky Lockup will still be there tomorrow."

"Unless one of your spells goes really awry."

"Really awesome, you mean."

As she entered the blazing-bright courtyard, Daria decided that since Jane was busy, she might as well try practicing magic outside the city walls that afternoon.

Musical Closer - Santeria, by Sublime

This post has been edited by WellTemperedClavier: Dec 1 2024, 05:20 AM

Oh noes! Not an emergency meeting of the fashion club!

Buffy really identifies with Daria's rationale for learning magic. Too weak to swing a sword or effectively wear armor - but of sharp mind. Self-teaching magic is a hard road but Daria's persistence is gradually yielding some results. Afore ya know it, she may be able to progress to invisibility, magic shielding and summoning help.

Somehow though, I expect bumps along Daria's path of arcane adventure....

Yea this is what I was saying many episodes ago: Seems like Daria could get involved with magic. She's got the smarts, she's disciplined, even her sarcastic demeanor fits. Daria's not arrogant like a lot of mages, but she's often quite contrary with her words.

Whoa, they're not allowed to practice on their own! That means a lot of our characters are doing illegal things! ... Then again, maybe things were different in the Years 424-25.

I like that you're including spell fizzle. Especially for a novice like her.



Why is it an emergency?

------------------------

If Heartlanders = folks from the city than that's good. I was guessing when Laprima refers to herself as a Heartlander. ❤ Anyway, yes that is what I'm talking about. There are supposed to be all these different sub-cultures in Cyrodiil, just for the Imperials.

K, but we can assume that the Fashion Club would eventually die if Quinn was forced to move to Caldera, right? Quinn just seems to have the pulse which causes other fashionistas to follow.

Sounds like you were of my younger sister's generation. I remember some Nick show you all would watch which had slime. Like, if you said the wrong thing, all the sudden you'd be covered in slime!

I read Santeria's lyrics at SongMeanings.com a while back because I was curious. Pretty sure that's the song which is about him trying to give up heroin. The singer just had a son, and was trying to quit so he could better himself. Of course, he didn't make it. But "Sancho" in the song is a reference to the guy's dealer at the time. "I'd pop a cap in Sancho and blow his head off...." he says. Something like that.

Daria is getting her arcane on? That sounds totally Rad!

Oh bring on those destruction spells baby! Seriously though, ever since she interned with the Mages Guild I have expecting Daria to get her spell on. She's clearly an intellectual, and in RPGs that means magic or science, erm, I mean SCIENCE!!!

I liked Daria's practicing. She is rusty to be sure. But practice makes perfect. As Blood Raven would point out, Rome was not burned down in a day.

An emergency Fashion Club meeting? Uh oh, did someone wear socks and sandals in school?!!?!

A cookie dough spell would be awesome. So would be a cure disease spell to deal with the salmonella and parasites afterward

So Daria is going to head to the hills to practice the arcane arts on the sly? What could go wrong? Hopefully Blood Raven will happen by, and take Daria under her wing.

I know, right? I'm so curious about this!

Don't forget Renee, your next character needs to be named Sal Monella.

(It came up recently).

SPEW!