With Fate Uncertain And Bloodstained Hands, Memoirs of Felisa Serhas. Chapter One: Beginning of the end Options

[saqin]

In this thread you will find the first two chapters in the history about the assassin Felisa Serhas, the khajiit scout Sa'Quira and Gasheera, who remembers nothing of his former life. This history tels the tale about how Gasheera came to be one of the greatest heroes of Cyrodiil, and how the trio went about to make it happen. Because when the jaws of Oblivion open, noone ever thinks the thought that the one that's saving them is lying.

Chapter One: Beginning of the End



My head ached as I arose from the hard stone floor. I waited for the dizzines to disapear as I looked around in the room. Just then I noticed it wasn't a room, and the events of the last few days came rushing back at me.

I sank down towards the wall and managed to close my eyes. The stench picking at my nose, and thoughts whirling all around my head. It was indeed cold in the cell, and the only things I'd have any use of in here was a stool, a small table, a bucket and a bedroll. I would have thought they could at least give me some water. For the soreness of my throat was increasing.

A while later a noice from another cell made me open my eyes. Sighing at the thought of how long I'd have to be here, I looked out through the steel bars of the cell and saw another dunmer in the one across.

He had a few wrinkles and his hair was grey. At the moment he was leaning against the bars of the cell door, his red eyes staring almost hysterically, at me. But soon his eyes went back to normal, as if he'd just finished evaluating me. He looked strong, but it was noticeable that he had spent much time in the cell.

"Well that's somethin' ya' don't see every day. What a pretty face." He finished his sentence with a smile, and I returned it carefully. Not yet sure of what to think. I then got up and put my hands on the cell door, looking at him.

"Ya' know, one of those guards owe me a favor, I could maybee get us put in the same cell." He said, still smiling." Ya' know, it gets pretty cold down here during the nights." I rolled my eyes, looking up in the roof before turning my eyes on him again.

"That's all you can think about? Getting someone to spend the night with?" Now I sat down on the floor, feeling how much my strength had been drained during the last hours. Though how many it had been since I fell asleep, I did not know.

"Hmph, you'll find it gets pretty lonely down here. Trust me, in a few months, you'll be asking me." He answered and chuckled. I sighed and tilted my head backwards again.



"Could you maybe tell me what time it is? You see, I don't have a window in my cell." I looked up and saw him watching me. Nodding slightly I arose from the floor and moved the stool to stand beneath the small window. Then I got up on it and looked out.

The sun shone clearly, almost enlightening the trees, and lake Rumare. It was a fine day, and had I been out there, I would probably have taken a swim in the lake. But, as I remembered myself over and over again, I wasn't.

"The sun is high in the sky, so I would say around twelve." When I'd told him I put the chair back and laid down on the bedroll. I was way to pained by the thought of the sun being on the other side of the wall, so I couldn't really stand the sight of it.

"What's your name?" He asked, and it took me by suprise. I hadn't thought he was still looking at me. But I sat up and looked at him across the cell.

"Felisa. Felisa Serhas. That is my name." He nodded and it took a while for me before I continued. "What is yours?"

"My name? It is Valen Dreth."

......................................................................................................................

A short beginning, I know. But I do not have time to write more today.

This post has been edited by saqin: Apr 21 2011, 11:30 AM

[Saquira]

Sorry about being so far in between posts. I've had a hard time writing anything, and then the trouble with the account... Uh, yeah, anyways I'm posting now and I'm sorry if it's rushed. But there is still a lot of the main quest left and I'm kind of longing to publish a new story I've thought off. This one's got to be finished first though.

mALX & Grits: I imagine she'd feel the same thing when entering Cloud Ruler as any normal person would feel entering a marauders fort, which is not happy at all.

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Three blades awaited us when we reached the top of the stairs. The man on the right was and imperial, the only man without a helmet so you could see his wrinkles and grey hair which was cut in the circle that you so often see on monks. He wore the same armour as the other two, it was made of some relatively dark steel armour that didn't reflect much light, but in turn it was enameled with gold and blue. He had the confident posture of a man who is used to giving orders and being obeyed. The hilt of a Dai-Katana could be seen sticking up behind his back.

In the middle stood another Imperial with the same posture. Only this one looked younger. To the left of him, was a male Breton. He was even younger than the Imperial, the posture of one not unaccustomed to fighting though he didn't hold the same air of authority as the other two.

When we reached the top, Gasheera got of his horse quickly and saluted to the men. I got of Shadowmere and then simply watched, holding her reins in my hand. She tugged a bit on them to be able to turn her head and look at everything around us, and I let out a bit more of the reins.

“Grandmaster Jauffre. Captain Steffan. Brother Ferrum.” He hailed them one after another, and they answered him in turn, as “brother Gasheera”. Then the three blades' eyes turned to me, the Grandmaster and captain suspicious while the breton's eyes only held curiosity. “This is Felisa Serhas. She have... helped me a lot these last weeks. Teaching me to wield a blade and keeping me alive.” Gasheera said nervously when he saw them looking at me.

Suddenly acutely aware of the chill in the air I patted Shadowmeres neck and drew the cloak closer around my shoulders. The threat lasted only for a moment though, as the two superiors turned their eyes from me and onto Gasheera. I let my breath out, suddenly aware that I had held it, and leaned against Shadowmere's strong body. The men conversed for a while before Gasheera turned to me again.

“Both Jauffre and Martin wishes to see me as soon as we've tended to the horses. I say we do it now and then enter the Hall of Blades.” He said, watching Shadowmere whom was staring at him.

“Very well, lead the way,” I said with as carefree a voice as I could manage and straightened up, following Gasheera to a stable of to the left of the main building. Shadowmere walked closely to me without complaining, and I again blessed her extraordinary senses. Though I'd never have admitted it at the time I needed that stability.

We unsaddled and groomed the horses, then Gasheera placed his in a box next to two other horses, and I placed Shadowmere in one further away.

“I'll be back soon,” I said to her as I kissed her mule and gave her an apple. She whinnied and took the apple slowly, as if savouring the taste, and I smiled. When we then left the stable I could feel the gaze of her eyes on my back.

* * *

A lot of eyes turned onto us when I opened the large door and we stepped in. I was confident however that my cloak covered my face, and did not hesitate before following Gasheera down the mid aisle.

Several of the Blade's sat on different places around the great hall, and swords of former warriors hung on the walls. There where many empty holders as well, those that would hold the swords of the people around us. A large hearth was situated at the opposite end of the room, and in it a fire burned brightly.

A middle-aged imperial male sat at one of the tables, reading a book with a brown cover. The table itself was littered with books of all kinds. Another blade stood some distance behind him, probably to make sure nothing happened to the man, and I started when I recognised him. It was that blasted Redguard!

Gasheeras' gait was confident, and the imperial looked up with a smile on his lips when we came closer. “Hail friend, how did it go?” he said.

“I'm sorry Martin, but Mankar Camoran got away with the amulet. We might have found something else though,” Gasheera said, gesturing for me to take forth the book. Martins' brows furrowed, and as I reached into my pack for the book and handed it to him, his confused look turned into shock.

“By the Nine Divines! Do you realise what this is!? You could get killed!” Martin burst out as he took the book from my hands. I only raised my eyebrows and left the talking to Gasheera, this was no time to open my mouth with the Redguard standing just behind the emperor.

“I tried to open it, but wasn't able to,”Gasheera said to the emperor when he paused. Martin looked around then, just as the Blades turned their eyes from him, and I saw his face turn red.

“Oh, well no harm done then,”Martin spoke with a lower tone to his voice when he turned to Gasheera again.”I will examine the book, I know how to protect myself from it's dark magic. You should go and see Jauffre, I believe he needs your help with some spies.”

Bidding the emperor good bye, we walked outside to see if Jauffre was still there. He wasn't, and upon asking another Blade e found out that he had gone into the dining hall to eat with the rest. Did I mention the one and a half dozens of soldiers living there are very experienced in fighting? Can you then understand why I didn't want to enter a dining hall full of them? I hope you do, because I headed towards the stables instead to look after Shadowmere.

On the way there, I took a good look of the place while carefully avoiding the eyes of the sentries along the wall.

Shadowmere sounded as if he scowled when she laid eyes on me entering the stables. I put my hand on her mule and looked into her eyes.

“We'll be out of here soon girl, don't you worry. He's just got to get his new orders.” I leaned against her and slowly inhaled the smell of hay and horses. She closed her eyes for a moment and exhaled at me. Our moments of peace were short and far between these days, and I found it amusing that it could be found in such a place.

Footsteps broke the silence then as the blades captain entered the stables. He quickly found me where I stood next to Shadowmere whom had opened her eyes the minute he entered.

“Do you intend to stay for long?” he asked as he looked me over, I'd taken of the hood by reflex when I came up to Shadowmere. Still, it wasn't very likely that he'd recognised me. However he must have guessed that I meant trouble, judging from the way he acted.

“Not for long. We'll be leaving when Gasheera has spoken to your grandmaster.” I straightened up and looked him in the eyes, he nodded his consent.

“Very well. We'd appreciate it if you do not come the next time Gasheera must pay us a visit. Perhaps you could take that time to visit establishments in town, no?” His gaze was hard, showing the threat that his voice hid.

“Don't worry, I didn't intend to,” I answered with a smile that didn't reach my eyes. His eyes narrowed, and he turned on his heel to lave the stables. Gasheera came in when he left, throwing a wondering look after him.

“I'm ready to go now. Apparently people have been seen on the road at dusk and dawn, looking up at the temple. Jauffre wants us to investigate,” he said and I nodded.

“Okay, I suggest we head down the road to where they've been seen and set up camp in the proximity while we wait for the sun to go down. Then we'll be certain not to miss them.” Ending the conversation, we saddled the horses and departed from the fortress beneath the watchful eyes of the sentries.

And so we killed the spies, whom turned out to be two agents of the Myhic Dawn and thus didn't want to surrender. The orders they carried revealed that the Mythic Dawn new about the location of Martin Septim and that they were planning to open a Great Gate outside Bruma. This apparently worried the Blades quite a bit, with the grandmaster scurrying of to tell the countess.

It was the day after we arrived and had handed a daedric artefact to the emperor to be that Sa'Quira showed up again and a new Oblivion gate opened outside of Bruma. Not a great gate mind you, but still a gate, and obviously they wanted the khajiit saint to take care of it.