Maya, the memoirs of a Dunmer amnesiac Options

[Linara]

Just giving this writing thing a try, anybody who reads, tell me what you think!
Nell

Chapter One-Part One
In which a Dunmer girl awakes in a cell, and is very confused.

I awoke with a splitting headache. I was cold, lying on a hard bench, in a dank room. I did not stir, experience told me it was wiser to stay still. I lay, shivering now and then, for a while. Minutes passed, then a question floated by in my head. Who was I? I pondered this lazily, and then shock hit me. I had no idea. The questions now came hard and fast: What was I? Where was I? Was this a prison? Am I a criminal?

I shifted my head the slightest bit, and looked at my arm lying on the bench. It was a dark blue, pale as the skin went higher. My hand was small and limp, and an iron shackle encircled my wrist. I felt a bolt of fear, of vulnerability. I was defenseless, and alone. I was unnamed.

For hours I kept my eyes shut, not moving, numb to all but my headache and the pressing loneliness. Several times I drifted off into oblivion, only to hear some phantom noise and start awake. Finally I felt enough was enough. I sat up, wincing as the world spun around me, and waited until the dizziness and pain in my head quieted to a dull growl.

As I peered around my cell- for what else could it be? - I heard a crooning voice.

“I must surely be dead, and in the halls of Azura to look upon such a vision. You are so beautiful, my dear Dunmer maiden...”

I craned my head, trying to make out the voices carrier. The speaker seemed to be like me, a- what had the person said? A Dunmer…- with skin much darker and greyer then mine. The figure was unmistakably male.

The Dunmer continued speaking, and I shuddered as I heard his words.

“ One of the guards owes me a favor, you know. I could get us put in the same cell. Would you like that? You should have some fun before the end. “

What end was he speaking of? Would the authorities of this place kill me for a crime that I could not remember committing?

The Dunmer’s voice grew louder and shriller, echoing in my aching head.

“Yeah, you heard me. No matter what the law says. No matter what they told you. You're going to die in here! You're going to die!”

I shivered again, and pressed myself against the wall, trying to get out of the madman’s sight. I realized that no guard lingered below to keep the prisoners in their cells, that if this Dunmer wished to do so, he could croon these foul things at me all night. My horrible predicament just became worse.

In that moment, I heard a clang of metal, and creaking. Was someone coming? Torchlight flickered against the walls and shadows rose up. Shadows of men.

The Dunmer across from me cackled, muttering something about how I would die now. As the people came into view, four of them, one thrust his elbow into the Dunmer’s cell and hit him squarely in the face.

“Shut up Dreth,” he muttered. “This will be hard enough without your insanity.”

I moved in front of the door, hoping to plead my case, and perhaps they would let me go. Instead, all four stopped the door of my cell, and one man took out keys. I realized that one of the people was a woman, in armor and with a helm on her head when she shouted; “What is this prisoner doing here? This cell was supposed to be off limits!”

One of the men, also in armor, stammered, trying to explain to the woman; “the usual mix-up at the Watch, I-I-I,”

The woman sighed, and said wearily “Excuses Glenroy, more excuses”
She looked like she wanted to say more, but thought better of it.

“Prisoner, stand over by the window!” the guard who it seemed was named Glenroy barked.

The guards didn’t seem to notice that I was barely capable of standing, let alone attack them, but I backed away, and fell on the cold stone bench with a thump.

The man who had elbowed Dreth gave me a strange look, one made of pity and curiosity, but it only lasted for a moment, then he looked away. The woman unlocked the cell door, and stepped forward. It was then that I noticed the fourth person, an old man, wearing a fine robe and a strange red jewel around his neck.

As the guards moved towards the right wall of the cell, the old man peered at me, head cocked at an angle as if he couldn’t see very well.

“You…” he breathed, “I’ve seen you, in my dreams.”

I looked at him in simple surprise, then asked in a small voice, “Do you know who I am?”

[Linara]

All:Thank you for the welcome and your kind words! They are a great encouragement, and I hope people will continue commenting as the story progresses. I am very happy to hear nits, they are part of writing a story, not to mention helpful. I'm glad to hear Maya already has readers, she will need bravery ahead and this helps her. Baurus's elbow was an offhand addition, but I realize now that Dreth is definitely the best person to receive it. Rest assured that this won't be the last time that Baurus elbows someone. And now for part two:

Chapter One: Part Two
In which a girl listens and learns

The old man smiled a gentle, knowing smile, and looked as though he would say something, but the female guard interrupted.

“Sire, we must leave quickly, the assassins are on their way.”

The old man turned towards her and said quietly, “Patience Captain. She is confused, and has much to learn.”

He faced me again, and sighed. “I fear she is right though. We must move on, but I will tell you as much as I can.”

The woman pushed a brick in the wall, and a section of it shifted, and slid into itself, and I saw that there was now an escape route from the cell, a way out. Would the guards let me follow them?

I stood up, a bit shakily. One of the guards, the one called Glenroy, unsheathed his blade, and pointed it at me. The old man, whom I was beginning to think, was a king, or a prince, sighed once again.

“Glenroy, you and the Captain will lead into the sewers, I will follow with her, and Baurus will close. Please do not threaten her, she can barely stand.“

Without a word, Glenroy and the Captain headed into the darkness, and the old man- Emperor? I wondered- helped me walk over, while the last man, Baurus, followed close behind us.

We went several steps, and I soon realized that without shoes I could go little further. The old man, turned to me when I stumbled, and said “I have seen you in my dreams, several times. You will help me, before the end.”

We started walking again -limping, in my case- and I puzzled over his words. What could I help him with? I was just a…well I probably couldn’t help him. Maybe he was mistaken.

“Who are you?” I asked. My voice shook a bit, and my feet slipped on the damp stone floor. Baurus put a steadying hand on my back, and said in a slightly suspicious voice:

“He is the Emperor of all Tamriel, Uriel Septim the seventh.”

That I should bow was implied in his tone, and I began to lower my head in a curtsy, when the Emperor shook his head.

“Child, there is no need. Under normal circumstances, perhaps, but these are most abnormal indeed. Baurus is correct; I am the Emperor, for a short while longer. You are the messenger, and you can help me.”

My head began to spin again, and the words jumbled inside me. Messenger? Help him? I couldn’t I didn’t know how, I was only a prisoner. A groan escaped me, and the Emperor looked at me with compassion.

“It’s just a little bit longer, then things will begin to straighten themselves out. All will be explained.”

“But I-I,” I whimpered, holding back tears, “I don’t know how to help! And my feet, my head, it just hurts so much…”

With this, the whole group stopped. The Emperor stood straighter, and picked at the red jewel on his neck. In the dim light it looked like a huge drop of blood, poised to fall.

“This,” he said, hand on the jewel, “is the Amulet of Kings. It can only be worn by one with dragon blood flowing in their veins. The Septims have this blood. I have it. My sons, they too had it. But they are dead, and I am not long for this world. With no Emperor, the gates of Oblivion will be opened and Daedra will overrun Cyrodiil. You have been brought here, to take the Amulet to Jauffre, an old friend of mine. He will know what to do with it.”

For once someone else had a question, and it was Glenroy. ”But Majesty,” he said alarmed, “you will make it out of here alive won’t you?”

The Emperor smiled gently, and said, “I think you know the answer to that Glenroy. Everyone must die, even kings and kingmakers.”

I realized that I had been staring at him the whole time, and got my head straight. I was still confused, and lost. I still had no name. But I knew what to do now. I had a purpose. Things were becoming clearer.

And then the first assassin attacked.

This post has been edited by Linara: Oct 13 2010, 09:37 PM