Athynae: Thank you. There will be more about Willow's past as the story progresses, But it will be spread over the course of the tale. Thank you about you thoughts of the basement scene. It has recieved a mixed response, but i'm glad you have such a positive opinion with regards to it
Acadian: Thank you so much with your compliments! I'm glad you enjoyed the basement scene! It was emotional to write as Tara has been through so much, but I'm glad it came across well and you liked it

Thanks for the nits
mALX: Wow! Thank you so much for your interesting thoughts about Tara willingness to forgive her father! Your thoughts about her feeling the memory of her mothers presence rather than that of her fathers was interesting. I'm am neither going to correct or verify this as i love that the story inspires so many therories and thought. Thank you so much
McBadgere: I'm glad you feel thie difference between the two characters! I hope the writing styles were easy and fun to pick up! Thank you for your kind words
SubRosa: I'm glad you picked up on Tara's naturally warm demeaner. She's had a tought life, but the fact she can forgive something so horrifying gives her alot of depth, which i hope comes across! Thank you for the nits
King Coin: I do very much think that Riccard meant what he wrote when he wrote it, but it is very hard to decipher whether or not his conscience was still there during the actual act of the soulf transfer. Thank you for your thoughts

A quick note: I apologize for the lack of an update. As i previously stated there would be an update every thursday, but with my current schedule it is difficult to keep track of Tara's story! But i will update as quickly as i can, and i thank you for your patience and your comments

***
1.2 Beginnings
After what felt like the longest year she had ever endured, it was the day of Tara’s twentieth birthday. Did she feel like celebrating? No. The memory of her last birthday was still burned into her mind; a scar that wouldn’t fade with time; despite her forgiving actions the previous day.
She sat at the dining table with Aleksander and, by the look of his expression; he didn’t feel like celebrating either.
Mildred was in the kitchen preparing Tara’s birthday dinner, singing out of tune as she cooked. Tara used Mildred’s singing as an excuse to spark a conversation with Aleksander.
“I think this dinner is going to be delicious, even though I HAD told Mildred I didn’t want a fuss.”
Aleksander looked up at Tara, a faint smile etching across his face.
“You know what she’s like. No means yes.” He joked.
Tara laughed, despite the fact that Aleksander’s joke wasn’t particularly funny.
“He need’s cheering up, pronto.” Willow suggested, looking at Tara through her reflection in a spoon.
I know, he’s probably feeling worse than I am. He killed his best friend, that’s got to do stuff to you…, Tara replied in thought.
There was a moment of silence before Willow spoke again.
“I still find it strange that Aleksander remembered the note he said your mother gave him after, what? Thirteen years?”Tara had pondered that thought ever since Aleksander rescued her, but she never really questioned it; despite how peculiar it seemed.
Yes, I’ve got to admit, I thought it was odd too, but what have we got to complain about? Maybe he’s just got a good memory.
“hmm… still, I think there’s more than what meets the eye, here…”Tara laughed in her head, stop being all suspicious! You’re worse than me!
Not a moment later Mildred emerged with a platter of food. She walked over and placed it on the table. She turned to Tara.
“Now, don’t start yet, there is more where that came from.”
She smiled and began to head back to the kitchen. Suddenly she turned back to Aleksander, remembering something urgent.
“OH! Aleksander, did you remember to give Tara that card that came for her?”
Card? For me? Tara looked at Aleksander, smiling, but was intrigued by Aleksander’s baffled expression.
“Card? What card?” He asked her, apparently confused.
“The card I saw you pick up from under the door this morning? I could only assume it was for Tara, seeing as, well, it’s Tara’s birthday.”
Aleksander looked even more baffled after this revelation.
“You must be confused. That was merely a leaflet advertising the new menu at the Inn. Nothing more.”
“Oh. My mistake.” Mildred giggled as she trotted back into the kitchen.
Tara continued to look at Aleksander. She knew he was hiding something, she could see it in his eyes. They were oozing guilt.
“Tara, he’s lying.” Willow pointed out.
You think so? Why would he lie about something like a card?They pondered for a moment, before Willow had an idea.
“Right tell Aleksander you need to go to your bedroom for something, then go into his office.”What? No…“Why not? Do you want to know what that card was?Tara thought, she was desperate to know what Aleksander was hiding, should he be hiding anything, but she didn’t know whether she was willing to steal for it.
H-how do you even know it’s in the office?“Honey, I’m a ghost. I know stuff.”Tara wasn’t convinced, but she had nothing else to go on. If Willow was adamant that Aleksander was hiding something in his office, it was at least worth a look. She looked back to Aleksander and stood up from her seat. He didn’t even look at her. A distraction didn’t seem necessary.
“Look’s like this will be easier than I anticipated.”Tara walked away from the table, taking the reflective spoon with her for contact with Willow, Aleksander still not paying any attention. She walked with stealth toward the office. When she reached the office door she opened it and snuck inside, careful not to make any unwanted noise. Once she was inside she thought to Willow.
Right, we’re in. Where to now?Willow instructed her to search everywhere, so she did. The cupboards, the desks; she even tried the bookcase to see if it opened a secret wall. Nothing. The last place she tried was the work desk. She opened the large drawer on the right hand side. It was full of paper, but nothing incriminating.
“Well, that was a waste of- wait, look!”Tara looked back to the drawer. She picked up the paper to reveal that the bottom of the drawer had a small hole inside. Tara put the paper on the desk and stuck her pinky in the hole, pulling out a false bottom.
“I’m good. No praise required, please.”Tara looked at what was underneath the false bottom. Envelopes., and lots of them. All addressed to Aleksander.
Tara looked hesitantly at the evidence laid out before her. But despite that, she grabbed one. She looked at the envelope for a second, reluctant to invade the privacy of a man who had been so good to her.
“Open it!”Tara refused, but she couldn’t help but wonder what the envelopes held. Aleksander was hiding some, that was clear now; but did she really want to find out what?
Without a moments pause she stopped halted her worrying and opened the envelope. She felt a rush of rebellion as she took the letter out. The letter was dated 13th of Suns Dusk, 3E 427. She read the letter:
Aleksander,
Do NOT forget to keep an eye on Tara on her nineteenth birthday.
Jada.Tara looked at the letter, confused. She pulled out another letter and read it, this one dated 27th of Heartfire, 3E 423. The letter had exactly the same message as the letter before.
She pulled out more letters, all with the exact same message with different dates of sending.
She sent all of these? One a week for years?Surprisingly, Willow was silent. She most likely couldn’t think of what to say; and neither could Tara. Tara pulled out one final random letter. This one was different from the rest. It was dated a week after Jada had left Tara. Tara sat down to read it.
Aleksander,
I am writing to tell you that I am safe. Whatever you have been told as to my leaving are most probably lies, but unfortunately I cannot tell you the truth. What I will tell you is that I am currently residing in Cyrodiil. I have taken residence in one of the mages guilds under a new name. Please, do not worry for me. I am safe. And please tell Tara I-Before Tara could finish the letter she heard Mildred calling her for dinner. With extreme haste and panic she threw the letters back into the drawer and carefully placed everything back to how it was.
She walked back to the dining room. She had all these emotions rising from what she had read. She now knew, finally, that her mother knew something of her father’s plans. But that still didn’t answer the question as to why she left.
A question like that could only truly be answered with a confrontation with the woman who left her to die.
This post has been edited by Tábrasa: Jan 25 2012, 12:03 AM