Mephala's Maiden: Black Rose Clan Options

[Black Hand]

Hey guys, this isnt a divergence from the main story I have, but rather, I have been trying out a new type of character on my X-Box, a custom class 'Geisha' after seeing the movie 'Memoirs of a Geisha' Recently, and I gotta tell ya, its a lot of fun. Something different to be sure. It inspired this. Enjoy. (I hope.)


“Who was that lady, Sera?” asked Sayuri, looking at Edryno Arethi, her current matron in House Hlaalu.

“No one, get back too your duties, Retainer.” Edrnyo replied, twirling the Black Rose in her hand, a deathly pale in her face, she had been delivered the death message and was in no mood to speak.

Sayuri, the young Bosmer girl had been adopted by House Hlaalu after her parents had been murdered by a Telvanni Mage whilst in Sadrith Mora, and one of the Merchants traveling in his own ship to trade, took pity on the little crying girl, dropping her off in Balmora, and told Nileno Dorvayn of her plight.

She remembered the tsking of Nileno, and the warmth of her palm as she rubbed her cheek affectionately. She was given clothes and a bed, and place to sleep, and she was put to work, alternately being trained in House Hlaalu’s favored skills, for three years she served mostly as a serving girls, performing menial tasks, and occasionally as a thief, or a decoy. She loved it, as it seemed to coincide naturally with her gods-given talents.

Bratheru Oran, Edryno’s lover took the rose from her hand, and threw it on the ground, smashing it underneath his leather boots. His expression showed that of rage and helplessness. Sayuri would not bring it up again for three weeks, but one day, when Edryno gave her a key to her house, and told her that she would be gone for several weeks, she finally explained, as she had never held anything back from her adopted daughter for long.

“Do you remember that Rose, Sayuri? The black one?” she asked, as Sayuri nodded her head, remembering the vivacious Altmer that had delivered it, dressed in exquisite clothing and wearing Telvanni Bug Musk.

“You’ve been chosen, and are being taken from me, under the pain of death, I cannot refuse. The Black Rose Clan is taking you, and you will serve them. I…I am leaving to speak to them, and perhaps negotiate an alternative. But seldom will they refute a selection.”

“Black Rose Clan? Matron, I don’t understand!” Sayuri said nearly on the brink of tears.

“You know of the Morag Tong? They worship the Great Daedra Mephala, the Dark Matron of Murder, Sex, and Secrets. They are a small faction within the Tong, dedicated to the second part of that. Whereas most assassins are dark, aloof, and grim in nature, a Black Rose, or a Dark Petal, also Thorns or Mephala’s Maidens, rely more on Personality and Agility. As every rose have five petals, so does the Clan. When one ‘wilts’ away as they call it, either killed, or grows to old too become pleasing to men, another must be chosen to take their place. You, because you are born under the Sign of ‘The Lover’ which gives you more agility, and the power to freeze people, will become the newest petal in the Black Rose.”

Sayuri’s eyes tried to no avail to hold back the tears of confusion and frustration. For the second time in her life, she was to lose her family. Edyrno ran her hand through the childs raven dark hair, and embraced her, attempting to comfort the shaking Bosmer.

“I know, I promise everything will be all right…”

[Black Hand]

She sat in a corner to herself enjoying some sort of Valenwood wine, which wasn't made from fruit at all, but rather a combination of meat and insects. It was absolutely revolting. Perhaps, if she had grown up in her ancestral land, living with the Green Pact, she would have had more of a stomach for the brew. The wench who was also a Bosmeri, had suggested it to her. She would have to learn not to listen to her own people.

As she made small faces sipping on the terrible concoction, she noticed that another person had noticed her. Instantly her mind went into hunters mode, as the cruel tutelage of Errisa took over as a reflex. Amid the still calculation of her scanning, she could almost hear the smooth lilting voice of her mentor scolding her. Always maintaining her composure even under the most dire of circumstances, it drove Sayuri insane how even when she yelled and screamed, Errisa spoke like there was nothing wrong.

Now that calm voice that was like a cliffracers shriek in her mind, was asking her precisely what she thought she was doing sitting down at a table alone, dressed in the clothes of a courtesan, making herself the center of attention. I thought that I had taught you better.

Sayuri's peripheral vision took in the soft red eyes that were covered with the glossy veneer of moderate drunkenness. Then the dark ash skin, and hair of a Dunmeri Maiden. Then the smile and lips moving of a stupor that followed into a gossip.

"Say, she looks like that 'special friend' of Crassius Curio from a while back. I wonder what happened to her?"

So, she wasn't spotted, she was resemblant of another person. Still, it was time to make tracks. She paid for her drink, subtracting the tip for the horrible suggestion, than adding it again not wanting the wench to remember her either way. She would be sure to keep clear of that terrible stuff.

The task at hand was to now enact Mephala's will upon Nirn. The question was, who was the 'Man in your House'? And who was the deceiver he sought to undo by deception? The answers were not obvious as she made her way through the walkways of the Hlaalu canton. Then it happened. Bratheru and Edryno were walking straight towards her.

Her stomach instantly twisted into knots, as she walked forward pretending not to recognize them. She didn't have to work to hard at it, the two of them walked by without so much of a sideways glance. They either did not know her anymore, or pretended not too. It had been a few years. She had changed, grown.
No longer a little girl, but a young woman. That simple happenstance was more of a sign to her than anything else that her old life was gone. A twinge of sadness became overwhelming, and she made her way behind a shop, and cried. She thought her tears had dried up years ago.

She wanted to run back after them. Take them into her arms. Matron! Patron! It's me! Sayuri! I've come back! Let us run away! So far away they would not think to find us! But she knew better. Errisa herself would be charged with the task. She would find them in the deepest forests of Valenwood, the furthest reaches of Akavir, the deepest blackness of Oblivion. She would end them all. No one betrayed the clan.

Perhaps an hour later she finished with her sobs. Cleaned herself off as best she could, and continued to walk the cantons. Blue eyes broken with red spiderwebs. Still, hours later, she found nothing. No deceivers, no man in her house.

The pattern repeated itself over the next week, and Sayuri's gold ran out. She had no lute, so she could not play at the tavern, she was hungry, and desperate. Her already low faith in Mephala's scheme was now non-existent. If she begged on the streets, she would be run out of town by the Ordinators for being an Outlander, if she went to her old home, she risked her and their deaths. The frustration began gnawing at her , at being a plaything in Mephala's supposed scheme.

She couldnt be sure that she wasnt being watched, and so the certainty that SHE was the object of Mephala's desire set in. She hated the deity, she hated the Black Rose. The negativity overpowered anything else she had in her.

After wandering for days, and eating leftovers from after hours at taverns, or hunting rats in the sewers with her dagger, she came across a kind Dunmer woman who took pity on her. Rather, she saw her climbing out of a sewer door with a dead rat in her mouth, she laughed out loud at the sight.

"Alarvnye Indalas. outlander. I work at the glassworkers hall, are you hungry?"

Sayuri was hesitant, but at least dropped her prey from her mouth. "Y-yes Sera. Forgive my.."

Alarvnye silenced her with a gesture and bade the hungry assassin to follow her. After a rich meal in the hall, and a number of odd looks from the local Dunmeri, Sayuri's sense of self slowly began to return, it was the first time she had known kindness in several years.

The two talked for some time, although it was mostly Alarvnye speaking, and how it was the duty of temple going Dunmeri to show the outlanders that the Tribunal was the one true faith by treating them with their own preachings. The grace of generosity being one. She also spoke of the satisfaction associated with creating small works of wonder that was glass. She also spoke of her love of Dwemer Limeware.

It turned out that she had a shipment in lockdown in Ebonheart, that she had spent top septim for the wares, that a 'no offense' greedy little Bosmer in the East Empire Company had raised the price on the day before it arrived, and wouldn't release to her until she payed an additional 3000 septims.

She digressed, and then turned her attention to Sayuri. Was she employed? No? She knew of a job in the domestic capacity. Some Hlaalu noble no less. She was a Hlaalu? Even better. She might even be guaranteed the job then! How wonderful that she found her!

Sayuri felt that exactly. It was wonderful that this woman found her. She opened her house to her, fed and bathed her, and gave her a warm bedroll. Perhaps it was not a mattress, but it was better than the wet smelly tile of the waistworks.

Sayuri arose from her bed, she was pretending to be asleep of course. Ebonheart was only a half hours walk away, fifteen if she ran. The ship that the cargo was on was guarded. The guards themselves were half asleep and drunken, and the lighting was a poorly maintained lantern, the glass covered in soot. There were many shadows and crevices in which to hide, and the locks to the bottom deck of the ship were hardly of quality manufacture.

The Dwemer limeware was heavier than she thought. But they were worth quite a bit. If she sold them on the black market they would yield her enough gold to get her out of this situation for quite some time...

Alarvnye woke to Sayuris light snoring, and gave a little smile. She was so beautiful once that dirt had been washed away, and her hair had a comb ran through it, she would surely get that job now! The next scene left her stunned. The limeware she had paid so much for, and waited so long for, was now arranged neatly on her dining table.

Sayuri felt her arm being grabbed by an angry hand, and forcibly being pulled to her feet.

"Did you do this?" came the seething whisper.

"What, Sera?" Sayuri asked groggily, which was followed by a stinging slap.

"Don't play stupid with me child! This limeware didn't just walk off the ship by itself! I open my home to you, and this is how you repay me? Theft?!"

"Well,...yes." Sayuri said ashamedly. "I'm sorry, I didn't know of any other way to thank you, Sera. I am sorry. I can put it back. No one knows it even gone. Nothing will happen."

"Give it back? After I spent so much time raising the capital to hire the thieves guild? I think not!"

Sayuri was now confused. "The Thieves Guild, sera? But.."

"The Thieves Guild are what they are. They know nothing else. Its already too late for most of them. But Bolrin that sneaky, greedy little Bosmer is a larger thief than any of them, and he deserved what he had coming. But its not too late for you sweetie! Don't you see that that is why I helped you? So that you wouldn't have to go down that path!" she shook her head, than she snapped her fingers and retrieved a bag of gold.

"Here. 1500 drakes. What I was told that this job would cost. Fortunately, no arrangements have been made as of yet. Now listen to me, and really listen to me. Curio Manor is hiring for a housekeeper. You go and you talk to Olms Rathryn, his concierge. And you make an honest woman of yourself. If I so much as hear of a straw missing from servants bed, I will turn you in to the ordinators myself! Now...get out of here."

Sayuri walked out dumbstruck. Alarvnye was an honest woman as far as she could tell. And then the revelation of her willing to deal with career criminals. So she wasn't the only one with a dichotomy. People were zoos of different animals inside them. They were mostly caged and contained. Only one animal out at a time. But those different animals were still there.