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]

Remko: Glad you like it. It's tough stuff to write, and its hard to turn out stuff on a weekly basis. Baurus's elbow is becoming increasingly popular.

SubRosa: Thanks for explaining that. Yes, Baurus is destined for greater things.

Destri:Thank you for pointing that out, I changed it to moments. Yes, considering the Jagar Tharn mess, Baurus would be used to the very strange.

Chapter Five-Part Two
In which an Empire begins to crumble

There was blood everywhere. On the floor, on the walls, all over me. And bodies, so many bodies. There air rang with the cries of corpses to come, the smell of death hung heavy in the tunnels.

*Earlier*

The Emperor lay gasping for breath on the blood-slicked floor, the wound in his side dyeing his purple robes. He looked up at me beseechingly, and his lips trembled as they tried to form words that had to be said.

“You have been so…so brave…” He struggled with each word, and I shook my head pleadingly, begging him to save his strength, to live.

“My sons have been killed…but there is one left…a-a boy…Martin…Kvatch…take the amulet…” His breathing grew harsher and more inconsistent, but still he tried to talk.

“S-so brave…” His head fell back and his breathing stopped. I stayed there, kneeling, as the blood around me began to dry. I could here the clang of metal against metal, and I knew that Baurus still fought, but to what end? The Emperor was dead.

*Present*

I felt a light touch on my shoulder, and whirled around, sword at the ready. In the process I nearly chopped off Baurus’s nose, and he stumbled back, alarmed, but only for a second. He was breathing heavily, and I noticed that for the first time in what felt like years no assassins were trying to kill of us. Of course they wouldn’t, since they already achieved their goal, I thought bitterly.

Then I noticed that I couldn’t feel my knees, and I pitched forward, nearly falling on a dead assassins body. Baurus caught me, and helped me to sit down, against a wall. We sat there quietly, at a loss and defeated.

“So,” Baurus finally said. “So what now?”

We looked at each other, then back at the carnage that faced us.

“Well…” my voice trailed off as I thought of what the Emperor had said to me.

“The Emperor said something about another son to me.”

“Another son?” Baurus sounded puzzled. “Not the Emperor. He was always faithful to his wife, although she was a shrew. Still is, far as I know. No, I don’t think he would do something like that…”

“His name is Martin, and he lives in Kvatch,” I said quietly. “Where’s Kvatch?”

But my question went unanswered, as Baurus was staring at me with wide eyes.

“Are you sure his name is Martin?” His voice was low with urgency, and I nodded quickly, a little frightened by his tone.

“I have to ride to Kvatch, right away. If the assassins find out about Martin there is no hope for the Empire. “

Baurus gently took the amulet from around the Emperors neck, and tucked it away. He stood up, and turned back to me.

“I…” His voice trailed off, and I felt myself start to pale.

“Just follow me out of the sewers okay? I’ll show you how to get to the City; then-“ He stopped, turned away, and started walking.

“I guess we’ll see what happens,” he said, so quietly that I could barely hear him.

“I guess we’ll see,” I murmured, and than I followed him.

~~~

All: So there it was: The toughest thing I've written in a long time. The inevitable chapter, and all that. The crossroads of plot has finally come, and so it may be awhile until something gets put up. Should the unnamed Dunmer girl try to discover her past, or help Baurus in the search for Martin and all the Main Questery? Decisions, decisions...What do you guys think?

This post has been edited by Linara: Nov 29 2010, 05:31 PM