Morrowind Memories, Athlain's Childhood Exploits Options

[treydog]

So- this story kind of came out of nowhere- which is as good a way of describing my mind as any... And it does not fit into Blood on the Moon, but it really wanted to be told. And so, here we go. Before Athlain became "Athlain of the Imperial Legion" (trumpets sound dramatically), he had a childhood on Vvardenfell. I am not sure how many of these stories will appear- more, I hope. Anyway- as ever, thank you for reading...

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Athynae was away, visiting the Ashlanders with her mother. Serene had maintained close ties with the Ahemmusa for all the years following her elevation to head of Great House Redoran; she was determined that the House Dunmer and the Ashland Dunmer would not be divided as they once had. Father had a similar relationship with the Urshilaku, but his was much less formal. Mostly, that was because of his nature, which was to avoid formality whenever possible. But mostly, the difference had to do with Athynae herself, or perhaps better to say, Athynae’s existence. The best way to illustrate it would be by noting that the Ahemmusa name for Serene’s eldest child was “Yan-Ti.” It came from the Ashlander word for “One,” and literally translated as “Small One.” But its true meaning was “First.”

Whenever I felt myself chafing at my father’s disinterest in world affairs, I considered Athynae’s situation and decided I had nothing to complain about. No one expected me to go and visit the Ahemussa on my 11th birthday, or show up at official functions (except just a few, or the ones ‘Thyna dragged me to). My father wore his role as a Redoran Councilor lightly. I do not mean that he did not take the position seriously, just that he refused to take himself seriously, Councilor or not. And he did not allow it to spill over onto the rest of us any more than he could help. Beyond that, he spent the majority of his time writing or working on alchemy. Better still, whenever he could, he brought me with him to the outdoors or the laboratory, gathering ingredients and preparing them. His attitude toward potion-making was… relaxed. If I suggested a formulation, his invariable response was, “Let’s try it and see what happens.”

He was more cautious with the results of those experiments, some of which he would not even tip down the drains, remarking, “Even the cave rats don’t deserve that.”

But, on this particular day, he was away at a Council meeting, and Mother was deep into a new painting. When she was in her studio, she disappeared from this world and entered the one from which her images came. What all of that meant was this was a perfect opportunity for me to go out and harvest some fresh ingredients. Maybe I could go as far as the Bitter Coast. That would be useful when Athynae got back and made an issue of the fact that she was now 11 and I was still “a child” because I would be 9 for another few weeks. She sometimes wielded that difference in age like a club.

I definitely wanted to get past the barren hills that lay west of my house. The plants I sought only grew on the far side of those hills, where there was more rain. That reminded me- I should take along a couple of water bottles. What else? A small knife, to make the harvesting easier and also to cause less damage to the donor plants. That was one of the places where my father was firm.

“Never take all of anything and do as little harm as possible with what you do take. These plants are a gift to everyone who might pass this way. It is wrong to take more than you need.”

I considered bringing along a staff, but shook my head. I didn’t want to look like a pilgrim, and besides, I just could not see it as a “real” weapon. Anyway, I wasn’t hunting mudcrabs or slaughterfish, and a spear or net would be better for those, anyway. And a kagouti or alit would just use the staff for a toothpick after it ate me. Of course, if Athynae were coming along, she would have carried enough weapons to outfit the entire X Legion. Well, maybe not the whole Legion. But at least a century’s worth. Whenever I asked her about all the darts and stars and daggers, she just said, “You never know.” She didn’t explain what I “never knew.” She could be so annoying, sometimes.

But anyway, all that was silly. I was just going for a walk, to gather some supplies. I wasn’t going to poke around any caves or tombs. Which she would have- with that same not-an-answer if I asked her why we needed to go into one of those places. “You never know.” Yes I did know. Nothing good ever came out of caves, and tombs were for dead people, some of whom had apparently not been told that they were dead and therefore should not be up walking around. Athynae had never yet seen a fire that she didn’t think needed poking or a cave that didn’t need to be explored. After some of the trouble she had gotten us into, I was beginning to believe “not knowing” might be a good thing. Some of the time.

The Expedition (as I thought of it) was harder than I had expected. The hills between Bal Isra and the coast were steep and unforgiving. But trying to go around would have delayed me too much- and put me on well-traveled paths, where someone might see me and ask what I was doing out by myself. I thought wistfully of the rows of potions in the laboratory, especially the ones sealed with purple wax and marked with Father’s symbol for levitation. But it had seemed silly to take potions when my purpose was to harvest ingredients. And my parents had rules about the use of potentially dangerous potions- like levitation. Still, I did pick up a few useful things from the dry lands, like trama root. After I had crested the third or fourth hill, the burning in my legs caused me to reconsider my definition of “silly.” In fact, I was beginning to think that my whole plan qualified for Athynae’s favorite word. I could almost hear her saying, “Well- that was stupid.”

But then I could see the green of the Bitter Coast just ahead, and the sun glinting off the sea beyond. I had not come for the view though, so I hurried down the final slope to search among the trees and pools. The buzz of insects filled the air, and the humidity was like a heavy blanket that seemed to weigh down my limbs. The abundance of ingredients made it all worthwhile though- mushrooms and swamp flowers, all the plants that grew in profusion on the coast. In addition, I harvested bark from the trees, the emperor’s parasol and Vvardenfell cypress. The cypress bark was fibrous and peeled away in long strips; that of the mushroom trees came loose in palm-sized flakes. No one had ever noted any alchemical properties from those substances, but maybe they just had not done enough research.

I saw a few mudcrabs, but they were small and easy to avoid. Father told me that the Council sent patrols along the coast every few months to look for sign of the big crabs that sometimes threatened the guar herds. The trees provided concealment from gliding cliff racers, but I still kept an eye on the sky and was careful crossing clearings. The density and height of the trees was so different from the land around Ald’ruhn and Bal Isra, and I had to remind myself to watch where I was putting my feet, instead of constantly staring upward. The patterns of light and shadow shifted in the breeze, reminding me of the pebbled hides of alit or kagouti, both of which could be found in this area. The creaks and hums of the insects seemed to take on a more sinister tone, which only heightened my thrill of fear when a low, barking cough sounded behind me.

[treydog]

@McBadgere- Rahvin came to life as I wrote him. More you want- more you shall have.

@haute- I admit to having lived around- and wished I could be- scientists. And also to watching CSI programs- both fictional and real. And I am so pleased you caught my little dog-Latin joke. I spent more time trying to come up with a name for the guy than almost the whole rest of the story… And writing Serene was a great pleasure- especially showing how on top of things she always is.

@Grits- The quote-fest makes me very happy. When that many moments out of a short bit catch your discerning eye, I know I have done well. Well- yes, in fact he did carry on two conversations. I have known a very few people who could operate simultaneously on two tracks--- it is almost scary to watch. I hope over time we will see more of the Sarethi siblings. And I really need to think of some mischief for Athlain’s sisters- AKA the Red Terrors. Naturally Athynae was watching things- if only to make sure she did not get blamed.

@minque- The thing is, all those discussions we have had over the years don’t go away- they just swirl around amongst the cobwebs and pebbles in my brain. And I am beyond thrilled that you are happy with my portrayal of Serene and her children.

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“So look.” Athynae’s face took on the expression that meant she was about to attempt a feat of “logic” that would leave a philosopher cross-eyed- if not sobbing quietly in a corner. She swatted the back of my head. “Pay attention. I heard Aunt Baria telling Mother about a particular kind of stoneflower that only grows in the Grazelands. She wants some for her garden, and you and I are going to get it for her.”

That was a carefully phrased sentence, as the word “permission” did not appear anywhere in it. I opened my mouth to point out that the restrictions from my previous “adventure” were still in effect, but ‘Thyna kept talking, anticipating my concern.

“You told a ‘responsible adult’ that you were coming here to see me, which you did. Now the two of us are going to the Grazelands. You aren’t going by yourself, so there’s no need to tell everybody. And besides, we’re getting something for your mother.”

She folded her arms and stuck out her chin, daring anyone to argue. As logic, it had more holes than a slaughterfish net- probably one some idiot had used to try to catch Old Bluefin. But I didn’t much care. I had spent so much time on the road between Bal Isra and Ald’ruhn that I was about to start giving names to the individual rocks. If I stayed cooped up much longer, something bad was going to happen. And then something worse would happen … probably to me. So I just nodded.

“Good. Anyway, I want to pick some fresh saltrice for Lumhara.”

She got a silly look on her face when she mentioned the name of her new guar. Although my father’s attempt to introduce guar as riding animals had been a failure, at least where I was concerned, others had taken the idea to heart. It seemed as if overnight everyone was discussing the merits of this or that bloodline, the proper design for saddles and reins, and who knew what else. And the girls, my own sisters included, were worse than the boys. They got the same glassy-eyed look when they talked about having “a guar of our own.” Every one of them was suddenly “guar-mad.” It made no sense. Horses, I could have understood, even if I had only ever seen them in books. They were noble creatures, with elegant limbs and an aesthetically pleasing conformation. Guar, on the other hand, were… lumpy, dumpy, and grumpy. A charitable soul might have called them “cute,” but that was not a word I used.

However, I now understood Athynae’s desire to go to the Grazelands. Ever since the Ahemussa had presented the beast to her, Athynae had doted upon it. Sorry- upon “her.” It was more than your life was worth to refer to Lumhara as “it.” Regardless, her obsession with what was going to be “the finest racing guar in the history of Vvardenfell” caused the usually even-tempered Uncle Athyn to have to lay down some rules. The first was- “No guar in the house.” That after it became obvious to everyone, except Lumhara’s starry-eyed champion, that the corridors of a house were not made for even a half-grown guar. Immediately thereafter came the corollary- “No sleeping in the stable when you have a perfectly good room.” The near-mutiny which followed gave rise to the amendment- “Except on non-school nights- and you still have to take meals with the family.”

With her real reason established, Athynae moved on to the logistics. She began going through the various chests and cabinets in her room. “I will be taking my bow, of course. And my dagger. And some darts and throwing stars. And a sword.”

As she suited action to words, I objected, “Are we planning a raid on Tel Vos?”

She continued to place pointy objects in various sleeves and pockets. “There might be bandits, or smugglers, or Ashlanders who don't like Mother, or dangerous creatures...."

For most people, those would have been good reasons to stay home- Athynae actually sounded hopeful. She also attempted, with limited success, her mother’s raised eyebrow look. "Some people are stupid enough to go out into the wilderness without being properly armed. They don't even take potions, for Azura's sake! We, on the other hand, will take mixtures for healing, restore fatigue, and….”

She continued listing “essentials,” but my mind wandered as she piled up boxes and vials and bags into an ever-growing mound on her worktable.

“Ah… Thyna? I think people might realize we aren’t ‘just going outside’ if they see all of that.”

Her leathers and weapons would not cause any comment- I imagined she would have preferred to appear at the dinner table so accoutered. She looked at me scornfully. “Of course they would. That's why we are going to use the old vent tunnels to get it outside the walls. Then we'll pick it up.” She paused, “Or rather, you will pick it up. I’ll need to keep my hands free for my weapons. But you’re just going to have a staff, so you can carry the extra gear. It will be good training.”

Even Athynae had the grace to look as if she wasn’t so sure about that last.

“Training for what?” I yelped. “To become a galley slave?”

“Shhh! Do you want Kausha to hear you?”

Whatever doubts I harbored wilted at the prospect of spending another week- or day- confined to Ald’ruhn. So I picked up the bulging pack, stifling a grunt of exertion as I did so. We slipped down the halls, using the routes we had mapped out long ago to avoid family members and household staff. Thyna worked the latches on the old vent cover and I shoved the pack through to the end. When I returned, she replaced the cover and sprinkled some dust on the retaining clips.

“Now we need to put in an appearance. If we stay out of sight and hearing for too long, Mother will come looking- or send Kausha. Besides, we need to get a little something from Cook.”

The “little something” turned out to include bread, fruit, dried meat, and a few other odds and ends. Cook was used to our appetites, and did not even turn a hair at the quantity and variety. Still, my nerves caused me to open my mouth, with some idea of providing an explanation. Before I could do so, Thyna shot an elbow into my ribs and stepped down hard on my foot. When I stumbled, she chided me for being “clumsy,” and cadged an extra sweetroll from Cook, joking that, “perhaps poor Athlain is weak from hunger.”

One of the first things Aunt Serene had done after the end of the Blight was to negotiate a new silt strider route to Tel Vos, a task made easier by her friendship with the Telvanni wizard, Councilor Aryon. What that meant for us was that we would not be struggling through the foothills and foyada north of Red Mountain. I think Athynae was a bit disappointed that we would be traveling in comfort; she mumbled something about Navam Veran, the driver, being an inveterate gossip.

“Well,” I said, “if you give him a couple of Cook’s sweetrolls, that will be enough to buy his silence.”

She did so, but I could tell she would have preferred to threaten him with bodily harm, which would have simply ensured he had a great deal more to report to Aunt Serene. The rolls, on the other hand, would keep him quiet for at least a day or two.

One good thing about using Tel Vos was that no one there would notice our presence; the Telvanni were so wrapped up in their research and feuds, they might not notice if Masser or Secunda crashed into Nirn. Unless, that is, one of them had caused the collision as part of an “experiment.” I eyed the sky warily and made a note to ask Rahvin what he had heard about the wizards’ current projects. Meanwhile, Athynae had done that peculiar sort of shake and shuffle that meant she was settling all her weapons and gear. And I lifted the pack of “essential supplies,” which had not gotten any lighter during the strider trip. If I could have gotten away with it, I would have dumped half the items overboard, but ‘Thyna probably had every one of them cataloged. It would not be beyond her to insist on an inventory before we set off.

We spared only a glance at Tel Vos, the twining branches of the mushroom tower embracing the stone blocks of the ancient Imperial fortress. It was an odd sight, but one that my father said suited Master Aryon. I wasn’t sure what he meant by that, but then, most things about the Telvanni did not make sense to me. The Grazelands spread out before us, running west and south in rolling hills and grassy plains. How we were supposed to find the “special stoneflower” for Mother was beyond me. We could wander around out here for weeks with no success. Of course, the stoneflower wasn’t really why we were there, as Athynae proved by going to the shore to harvest saltrice. She managed to gather only a pound or two before she grew tired of the work and led the way inland.

As she handed the sack of guar food to me, I refrained from pointing out that Lumhara would inhale that much with one swipe of her purple tongue. My thoughts must have been apparent, though, as Thyna paused to explain. “The point is that it is fresh. It will supplement her other food and add flavor. Besides, wild saltrice is better.”
Having asserted her superior knowledge of guar digestion and of matters agricultural, she decided to climb to the top of a hill for a look around. I shifted the straps on the pack and puffed along after her. Despite my labored breathing, I had to agree that making a survey was a good idea. Predators still roamed the area, even if most of the daedra summonings had been banished. We had only been there a few moments when Athynae’s sharp eyes picked up movement in a dry rill lined with low trees. I shaded my eyes, but could only discern that something was down there, moving in a peculiar fashion. Whatever it was, it blended into the tan-colored rocks and soil, meaning even Athynae could not distinguish very much. She checked her weapons and laid an arrow on the bowstring, then signaled me to follow as she moved down to investigate. I had anticipated that, knowing it would have been easier to stem the tides than to stop her, so I stifled a sight and lumbered after her.

As we got closer to the line of trees, the ground showed clear signs of a fierce struggle- there were marks of clawed feet and large splashes of blood. We paused before entering the tree line and could hear the sound of irregular, raspy breathing. Athynae held up a hand to indicate that I should stay where I was, then began moving from tree to tree, until she could peer over the edge of the rill. Whatever she saw froze her in place for a moment, and then she turned back to face me, forgetting all about signs and stealth. “She needs help,” she shouted, her face as pale as I had ever seen it. Then she disappeared over the bank, scrabbling through the low brush. I followed as quickly as I dared, dreading what lay in that rill.

When I could see, my heart nearly stopped. A guar and a kagouti were tangled in a lethal embrace. Or rather, the kagouti was already dead and the guar was dying. Her hind feet had torn into the predator’s abdomen and chest- in fact, the claws of one foot were still caught in his ribs. But his tusks had also done their deadly work; the guar had been gored in at least four places, and the flow of blood was slowing only because she had almost none left. Thyna was on her knees beside the guar, cradling her head and crying. And that scared me more than anything. Athynae never cried, at least not where anyone could see. She turned her haunted eyes to me and said, “Get out the healing potions and bandages and… and… anything else that will help. Don’t just stand there. Move!”

“Athynae. If you want to help her, the best thing to do would be to ease her pain. She is beyond any other help we can give.”

“No! No she isn’t! I can fix this! And if I can’t, then Mother can! Why won’t you help me?”

I let down the pack and moved to kneel opposite Athynae, placing my hands gently on the guar’s neck. “Athynae. Please give me your dagger.”

“Why? What are you going to do?”

“What I can do. What I must do.”

“Why are you giving up? Why won’t you help me fight?”

“Because I understand when a battle is lost, and the best thing to do is end it with honor and kindness.”

“I don’t believe any battle is ever lost, not unless you give up.”

I did not argue, just gestured with my eyes to indicate how much the creature was suffering. Athynae pulled her dagger from her boot and glared at me as she handed it over. But she never looked away, and her hand joined mine as I found the great vein and opened it with a quick slice. I cleaned the blade on my trousers and handed it back. Soon, the ragged breathing ceased and there was silence, except for the wind and the buzzing of insects. And… something else.

Athynae was on her feet, berating me in a low voice, when I told her, “Be quiet for just a minute. There’s something wrong here.”

“What? Besides the fact that you were too weak to help this wonderful animal?”

“Athynae- think. Why would a kagouti attack a full-grown guar? And why wouldn’t the guar run away? They are faster than kagouti. Listen.”

And then the sound came again, from somewhere behind- or beneath- the twisted bodies. A honking, muttering sort of protest.

“Help me,” I told Athynae and bent to roll the body of the guar away from the earthen bank. Between us, we were able to shift the weight, revealing a shallow cut in the soft soil. Inside, something… moved. Before I could react, a rounded head, about the size of my torso, emerged from the hole and butted me in the chest. It was a guar hatchling, not more than a few weeks old.

He butted me again, sniffed the blood on my trousers and honked once more. Without a thought, I grabbed Thyna’s pack of saltrice and held some out. The guarling took it and began munching happily, placing a forelimb on my arm as he did. I suppose I must have had a silly expression on my face- at least Athynae tells me I did- but all I remember was whispering, “Cos Mear. His name is Cos Mear.”