Buffy's Book of Short Stories, Somewhere in Time Options

[Acadian]

Welcome to Buffy's book of short stories! Rather than another chronological saga, this will be a collection of independent (generally short) stories that freely span Buffy's long and ongoing adventuring career. She'll tell you a bit more about that choice of format in her prelude below. One feature of the format she has insisted on is that the stories are not directly linked, sequential or particularly interdependent. While I believe you will find them reasonably consistent with 'Buffy lore', I'm looking forward to what I hope will be quite a bit of freedom and flexibility. The format should also make it easy for any readers who join us in progress or return from an absence, to jump right in with the current story.

For those well-familiar with Buffy, I hope you will continue to enjoy the enigmatic elven mage as she presents selective peeks into her neverending adventures across Tamriel. It is easy for Buffy and I to become emotionally overwhelmed as we contemplate the kind, enthusiastic and encouraging support that many have graced us with over the years. And for that we are profoundly grateful. My fervent hope is that you continue to find our efforts worthy of your valuable time.

For those new to Buffy, please do not let her long history deter you from jumping right in and joining us. While her series of full books are available on the Acadian sub forum, their sheer size makes reading them a daunting prospect. Fortunately, our 'Executive Summary' thread on the same sub forum offers what I believe to be a very effective summary that can easily be read in one sitting per book.

Table of contents

- Hard Crowds and Dancing Whales (1 episode) – post #12
3rd Era. Buffy fills in for a sick bard at an Anvil tavern.

- Unfinished Business – Buffy and the Box (1 episode) – post #24
3rd Era. Buffy finally reports back to Sanguine after inflicting nakedness upon the Courtess of Leyawiin and some of her party guests.

- A Bard’s Tale (5 episodes) – posts #34-66
4th Era. Buffy receives some musical training at the Bards College in Solitude.

- The Case of the Missing Court Mage (2 Episodes) – posts #76-85
4th Era. Buffy helps locate an absentminded missing mage in the Riften area.

Prelude

"Acadian, I don't want to write about the Oblivion Crisis right now." Getting up from the desk, I climbed up atop the corner bookshelf and sat down. "I want to write about being ambushed in the Reach by a Thalmor patrol. Or my first encounter as a Slayer with the vampiric Count of Skingrad. Or how, after I managed to lose Azura's Star, we traveled through time to retrieve it. Or maybe about that time when-"

"Buffy," interrupted the paladin, "all those things can eventually be crafted into your larger, overarching plot such that they fit properly along your timeline."

I hopped to the floor. "No!" Both hands planted themselves on my hips as my chin lifted defiantly. "I want to write about those things when the passion moves me to do so, not wait until it 'fits' into some silly book that's so long and complicated we can never write it. Whenever I write something I want, you complain if it doesn't make 'perfect sense' or that it doesn't fit at this point in our 'chronology'. By the time most of the tales I want to share fit into your unmanageable plan, I've long lost the passion that motivated me to write about them!"

There was a long silence before Acadian dubiously remarked, "Are you proposing a book with neither plot nor timeline?"

"Exactly! I am not a plot. I am an elf who travels, adventures and explores - with you, of course." I spread my arms expansively and twirled all the way around once before seating myself on a corner of the desk. "What's hard to understand about that? And would you rather read a story that I wrote when passion moved me to do so, or one that I had to force myself to write in support of some silly timeline?" I softened my tone. "Look, Acadian, you and I can travel between worlds and even move through time together. Why do my stories have to be 'in order'? When a butterfly moves across a meadow visiting flowers, does she do so 'in order'?"

The old paladin chuckled. "Despite my years and experience, the ability to successfully argue with an impassioned woman continues to elude me. Your butterfly metaphor contains a simple logic that I cannot refute. I will never fully understand the. . . whimsy that drives your choices but, over the years, I have grown to at least appreciate it."

"Does that mean. . . ?"

"Yes," he replied. "You are the true source of our passion for writing. I shall constrain you with neither plot nor chronology considerations."

"Thank you, my paladin." I crossed my dangling legs, folded my hands in my lap and smiled. "I know that I can sometimes be a little, well, erratic or even elusive."

Acadian sighed. "Like a butterfly in a thunderstorm, my bowgirl."

"This will be fun!" I chirped.

[Acadian]

hazmick- Thank you! Buffy’s tried several clever storage options, but I think she likes this summoned chest the best.

ghastley- Our thinking is that her ‘bag of holding’ is now a more modest mage satchel that can serve more as a day pack with her heavy duty needs and cold food storage etc in the summonable chest. Peeking ahead, Buffy has to time travel naked, so everything she needs has to be conjurable.

Renee- Thank you! I figure it does take some stones to barter with a Daedric Prince and not become an ash pile.

mirocu- Thanks. I agree that Sanguine is . . . not disgusting like several of his colleagues are.

SubRosa- I remember the frustration Buffy felt after her second useless staff (from Vaermina). One more from Sanguine was just too much! Yup, a girl can’t have too many shoes or too much closet space, she figures. Thank you!

mALX- Thank you! I’m so glad you could see the Buffy you know in that episode. Yes, we do have a summonable chest mod.

Lopov- Thanks! I figure Sanguine lives up to his title as the Prince of Debauchery.

Grits- Thanks for the feedback about including a few ‘scene-setting’ notes preceding the stories. It never quite fit into our fiction plans to get Buffy back to Sanguine for her Leyawiin reward during Book 1. But what she would want from it has been firmly in mind for a very long time. Nice to share this bit of unfinished business.

Kazaera- Thank you. Yes, Buffy may regret her deal with Sanguine. She is a bit prudish when it comes to her behavior, but not so much about dropping her clothes. I figure it’s a ‘child of nature’ wood elf thing.

*

Our next story focuses on how the Bards College helped Buffy refine her vocal gifts. This takes place in Skyrim during one of her time traveling excursions. This story actually precedes her performance at the Flowing Bowl that she shared with you a couple stories ago.

Each of the five episodes that comprise this tale culminates in a music vid. I have been ruthless in my editing to ensure the prose portions are both short and sharply focused on setting up the music vid selection that crowns each episode. My hope is that you will be able to see, hear and feel Buffy's gradual progression from an amusingly humble start to what we know that she is capable of.

* * *

A Bard’s Tale – Part 1

My long day in the saddle melted away into the warm bathwater. Closing both eyes, I began softly singing for Acadian. When I heard the door creak ajar, then quietly shut, I closed my mouth and opened my eyes.

“Your singing is beautiful, Buffy, please don’t stop.” It was Lisette, the Winking Skeever’s bard. She also helped serve drinks and tended the inn’s bath for any women staying there.

“That’s quite the compliment from a songstress of your skill, Lisette, but I’m too self-conscious to perform for others the way you can.” I stood, and gratefully accepted the towel she had brought.

Undeterred, Lisette said, “Look, I know a beautiful voice when I hear it. Why I believe I could even see the images of butterflies in a meadow as you sang.”

I nodded slightly as I combed out my damp hair. “It wasn’t your imagination, it was mine. I can’t help the images that flow through my singing voice. So now you know another reason I could never sing publically.”

She stared at me. “Do you know how many bards would love to have such an ability?” She took the towel from me and handed me my clothes.

“I’m a traveler and adventuress, not a bard,” I said as I dressed.

“Buffy, many bards are travelers. Why, on the road is where the inspiration for so many tales and songs comes from. Look. I’m just finishing my shift. Let me introduce you to Pantea Ateia, Dean of Vocals at the Bards College.”

“Now?” I asked as Lisette helped tie back my ponytail.

“Of course, now!” The larger woman grabbed my hand and I had little choice as she led me out the door.

*

“Lady Pantea, this is Buffy,” said Lisette. “You simply must hear. . . and see her gift!”

The stately Imperial who had just swept into the recital room was well dressed. She smiled at me. “Lisette has an ear as fine as her voice, so I look forward to hearing yours. Do you have a song in mind?”

I nervously shook my head.

Unphased, Pantea said, “Do you know A Dragonborn Comes?” In response to my nod, she smiled encouragingly and continued, “Its popularity and heroic message make it a wonderfully forgiving first tune for a nervous bard. Lisette will accompany you on lute.”

Lisette grabbed a lute and strummed a verse of the song to warm up. “Show us your voice, Buffy, and the gift that it carries.”

The dragon I knew best was Phantom and I thought of her as I opened my mouth. I was still nervous as a chipmunk, but hoped it didn’t reflect in my voice. What I saw on Lisette and Pantea’s faces as I sang, however, was not very encouraging.

1:36 min music video