The Saga of Laprima Donnaugh Options

[Renee]

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Clavicus Vile

When the dream began, she found herself lying in a cart, lying in hay, lying still, half-hiding from the others. Part of her wanted to be out there with them, while another part felt quietly content to stay right there. Right in that haypile. Staying still, and keeping quiet. It's this latter, secondary part which attained.

The scene was heavily pastoral. Lots of trees, green with foliage. Sunlight and blue skies. A few puffy clouds, a perfect sort of day. The sounds of others around her. The cart she was in had been drawn off to the side, placed in shadow. The horse which had brought it here must have been tethered somewhere else. As she lay in the cart, she began to feel rather lonely. Sad, and lonely, despite the others cavorting nearby.

They were there for her. All of them, gaily awaiting her presence. Dressed in finery. The women wearing whites, pinks, and light blues. Maids and maidens. The men, dressed more somberly, but the sounds from their revelries were no less delighted and cheerful.

Where is she? Where is Laprima?

Someone was calling. A man, sounding a bit tipsy with wine, perhaps. Yet his voice contained an edge of concern. And then, the voice of one of the ladies...

We should go find her! She's probably near! She's going to miss out!

She sank lower, hiding within hay. She could hear them coming, getting nearer, occasionally calling out to her. She cowered. Not with fear, but with some sort of distress. Lonely she was, and part of her did want to join the others.

She scrunched within the hay as footsteps approached and circled the cart. She held her breath. Eventually, the footsteps moved on. Small relief; she exhaled. They hadn't discovered her. So she took a chance. Got situated upon her arms, and raised her head about a foot, attempting to peer over the cart's side. As she did so, she noticed there was a knot in its wooden planking. For no reason at all (other than, this is a dream, and in dreams we sometimes do strange things) she pushed upon this knot, and the knot fell out, leaving a hole. She squinted her left eye, viewing outside of the cart, only to see vague shapes of the departing couple, heading off into a cabin. Still calling out, still calling her name.

...And that's when she noticed the man with the dog.
...He stood off to the side of the meadow, nearer to the woods.
...He stood in shadow. He wore a jerkin of white and black. He beckoned to her.

You there! I can see you, he said quietly. Despite using a soft tone, she could hear his voice clearly, in the surreal way which dreams can magnify. I can see you, and I mean no harm. Why do not you approach me?

She felt a stab of fear. How can he view me, hiding within this cart? But then, she relaxed. For the man was merely a boy. A boy she recognized from her youth. And this boy was her brother.

Laprima! he called. Come hither, posthaste!

And so she did.

She rose from the cart, took a moment to brush stray strands of hay from her clothings, and then ran swiftly toward her brother, skirts ruffling below. She noticed that the dog which had been there a moment ago had vacated, or vanished. She looked to her brother as she drew nearer. And her brother smiled up at her in his typically mischievous way. A smile she hadn't seen since they were, in fact, both children. Her previous feelings of loneliness were gone.

You should depart! her brother said to her, dancing around her with gaited elan. Head on! Depart hence toward Solitude! And do as they say! ... These folks you see in their fabled costumes, all of them here, are of nothing to you! ... To us! .. They mean nothing! ... A wretched lot! ... So onwards must you go! ... Your man, he awaits your presence! And you shall be in high company! Just dandy! Just peachy!

She felt elation at his words. Her brother, right there before her. 'Whatever is to come, would be fine,' he was telling her, seemingly tapping within her thoughts, her hopes, her fears.

Elija, she said to him.

Yes, sister!

She was weeping by now.

Her hands raised to embrace him. But just then, a flash of emotion overcame her. A mixture of revolting sickness, and sweet delight. She recoiled, stumbled backwards in disgust...

Laprima Donnaugh awoke, bolt upright, her eyes teary. Her bed quarters around her, her 8 year-old feline dozing by her side. She'd just had a dream. Her thoughts were racing, so she consciously made an effort to remember all she could. ... Her brother .... A cart ... Some people walking by in gay costume ... A dog by the side of the forest ... Slowly, she pieced it all together. After a minute or so, she sat up in bed, inked her quill and began to scribble words quickly in her journal.

After she had recalled all she could, she realized she was in agreement with her brother. She would head to Solitude.

This post has been edited by Renee: Jan 24 2022, 02:42 PM

[Renee]

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Aunt Elisif






On Frostfall the twenty-fourth and roughly mid-day, Laprima Anne Donnaugh walked toward the Blue Palace, and breathed a sigh. The most difficult parts of her journey were over and done.

The trip from Bravil to Solitude had taken thirty-three days. She had traveled upon a three year-old freight ship called The Mongrel with a crew of seventeen others. Some of The Mongrel's crew had told her she'd been wise to sail with them during Hearthfire and into Frostfall, when weather was still fair. Had they begun during winter months, the seas would have been rougher, and skies would have been darker. Other than a few days of near-freezing weather as the ship crested the Sea of Ghosts north of Skyrim, the cruise had mostly been pleasant.

Laprima reflected a bit as she walked down an avenue, approaching the palace.

Skyrim so far did not seem so harsh, like most folks in Cyrodiil (all the Heartlanders especially) said it was. Skyrim's air (so far) was brisk, but not brutally cold, as she'd been fearing. Very unlike the warm summer weather she'd left behind.

And Solitude so far seemed like a safe and picturesque place to live. ...Well, a man had just been beheaded near the town's front gates, and for everyone to see. His head had been lopped by an executioner, who'd swung an axe taller than Laprima herself! But other than that, her first impressions of the town were good ones. Perhaps the man was some sort of monster. Perhaps he had deserved his punishment.

Still, Laprima shuddered, before coming to an abrupt halt. That man, whoever he was, his life had just ended. Maybe he had gotten what he deserved. But what a thing to witness, on one's first visit to an unfamiliar town.

She began walking again, thinking back. Life had been rough these past couple of years; she had had to do a few things she hadn't been proud of. But lately, everything seemed to be improving. Coming to Skyrim was a good decision, she finally concludes. Everything was falling into place.

Laprima took a moment to stand before the palace's entry doorway, taking a deep breath before continuing into the building. But she did not show up and enter alone. A group of others had also arrived with her, purely by coincidence; two men and one woman.

The first man wore earth-colored clothes and was balding, with a slight beard. What remained of his hair was reddish. The second man was dressed in a suit of hardened armor, with a gallant-looking headpiece of bronze and turquoise. His eyes were alert. This second man seemed ready. He had dark hair with a dark goatee. While both men were well-dressed, the balding one appeared to be a commoner, a townie, while the second seemed more the adventuring, traveling type.

Finally, the woman, who was an elf. She was wearing a drab, blue-colored robe, and had a rather eccentric head of blond hair, like something a pack of hornets might feel comfortable living in. At first sight, Laprima guessed the elf to be a user of magic. Not a full-fledged wizard, but perhaps a student, an apprentice, of magical pursuits.

Laprima, the two men, and the robe-wearing elf took in their new environment, while the palace's doors shut behind them. Soft music swirled atmospherically, just as it often did in many of Cyrodiil's upper-scale environments. And...despite its name, seems the place's interior was not entirely blue! Most of the Blue Palace's walls, floors, and decor were more of a dingy beige, accented only occasionally with a blue tile here, a bluish stone arch or railing there.

Beyond the initial room they were in was a larger chamber. The four newcomers glanced at each other awkwardly, as if to decide which one should proceed toward the court first. Because obviously, it seemed this was the reason all of them were here.

The balding commoner man began moving first. But a moment later he halted. One of Solitude's guards came rushing toward the group of newcomers, walking fast, nearly sprinting. He took a moment to nod at the group before bustling straight out the front door, entirely missing the lady Falk had tasked him to find.

“Let us try again,” The balding man said, striding forward a second time. The adventurous-looking man followed, the robe-wearing elf with the wicked hair was next, and Laprima came last. The chamber they walked into was larger, two stories tall. Before them were two staircases, half-spirals which led upward. The balding man moved up the left set of stairs after a smidge of hesitation, as though he'd been here before, so the others followed. Laprima chose a different path, taking the right staircase instead. At the top of the stairs was the Blue Palace's court. Seems they were all in the right place.

Laprima Anne Donnaugh peered across the room at her aunt, Lady Elisif the Fair, and felt a bit unsure.

Elisif the Fair, High Queen of Skyrim, sitting upon her throne surrounded by minions, all who look pensive and important. Despite the fact that Elisif had recently been widowed, her husband apparently killed (murdered, some were saying) by one of Skyrim's jarls, the queen herself still managed to emit a regal presence. Assured, yet expectant. There she is, on top of her domain, Laprima thought. Which caused her to feel a little doubtful, a little apprehensive. Was she really doing the right thing by coming here, being here?

"Welcome folks," Elisif spoke, her voice light and sopranic. "I welcome all of you here, that you may find fit to address this court in manners which suit you. Now, who shall go first?" She smiled politely.

The balding man paused a moment before approaching.

"I swear to you, unnatural lights are coming from that cave!" he blurted, not bothering to explain who he was, or what exactly he was talking about. "There are noises and lights! We need someone to investigate!" He had seemed so confident as he'd walked up those stairs moments before, yet now he blubbered, sounding rather frightened.

"Then we will immediately send out a legion to scour the cave," the High Queen replied with calm authority. Despite the fact the commoner had not introduced himself or clarified his story, it seemed Elisif already knew. "We will scour the cave and secure the town. Haafingar's people will always be safe under my–"

“Your eminence,” a woman wearing robes staunched, interrupting Elisif mid-sentence. “My scrying has detected nothing in the area." Like the elf who'd ascended the stairs, Laprima noticed this woman also bore an aura of magic. Unlike the elf though, this woman wore a hood, hiding her hair and most of her face. "Dragon Bridge is under Imperial control. This is likely superstitious nonsense."

As the robed woman spoke, Laprima twitched. Widened her eyes and focused. Because there was something about the woman-in-robes who'd begun to speak seemingly out-of-turn. Something there, which grabbed Laprima's attention. And it wasn't that she'd so rudely spoken over her aunt.

"Perhaps a more ... tempered reaction ... might be called for?" asked another of Elisif's court, a man with dark red hair, and a beard to match. Unlike Elisif, who spoke with a cultured, Colovian-raised voice, this man was definitely from Skyrim. His accent was thick. Laprima found she could barely understand him at first.

"Oh, yes of course, you are right," Elisif replied. "Falk, tell Captain Aldis I said to assign a few extra soldiers to Dragon Bridge."

"But--" started the robed woman.

"Sybille, please!" Elisif's voice rose a notch. "We'll not hear any more of your attempts at scrying. Not on this matter. I am forthwith granting extra soldiers to go and inspect the area. Commence. This shall be done."

Delegation, right then and there. The robed woman who'd interrupted her aunt with her 'scrying' advice had just been overridden. Impressive, yet elegant. Laprima, as a member of a noble family down in Cyrodiil, had been raised amongst powerful people all her life. Though she herself had never wielded any sort of power, never held a position to mandate important decisions, and maybe never would, she always took notice of the way things were done from up top. How they were done. Some rulers handled their courts better than others, was her opinion. And it seemed her aunt could handle hers with the best of them.

"Thank you Jarl Elisif," the balding man from Dragon Bridge bowed a bit. "But, w-what about the cave?"

"I will have someone take care of the cave, Varinus," the red-bearded man to Elisif's left commented. "Now, rest easy. You are dismissed!"

The Blue Palace's music swirled softly. While Varinus the commoner from Dragon Bridge left the court, the adventurer with dark hair and magical elf who'd climbed the stairs behind him both stepped forward. Both offered their assistance. Both of them had listened patiently to Varinus, and both of them decided they’d like to do something about the village’s plight. Adventurers, both of them, for sure then. The man was named Lucius, and the woman named Crystal. After gaining acceptance from the queen, Lucius and Crystal also departed.

Finally it was Laprima’s turn.

"Greetings to you," Elisif called to her, a little impatiently. "A little busy we are now! As you can see, we’ve had a few local problems to solve, and now we await the presence of my niece. No offense to you dear, but might you draw your concerns from this court at a later arrangement?"

Laprima Anne Donnaugh moved toward her aunt, her face tinged.

"Aunt Elisif, do you not recognize your niece?" asked she.
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