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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Anonymous Woman

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"Ah, so you're you looking for a job, eh?" Corpulus the innkeeper was sitting in front of his bar, as though he were a customer instead of the owner. He half-turned to get a better look at her, yet remained seated. "Lady, you are in luck. And so am I, ha! Have you ever worked in a tavern before?"

Here it was.

Thing is, Laprima had walked into the Skeever blindly. Hadn't prepared a resume, didn't have any references citing a list of past accomplishments, nor had she tried to think of anything witty to say in an attempt to impress. Not that it mattered much; so far in her twenty young years of existence she had never been employed anywhere. She had little idea how prospective citizens looking for work went about this sort of thing. Was it better to be truthful? Or was it better to bilk a standard of lies? - Laprima Donnaugh, a member of Cyrodiilic nobility since childhood, decided to be honest.

"Well, I am afraid I have never worked a day in my life. But I can learn quickly."

"Hey, that's not a problem, I could use a second barmaid around here. Had a gal who was working for me afternoons, but haven't seen her a few days..."

"I hope this shall not be a concern, ah, that I haven’t any knowledge. I am a student at the Bards College you see, and as you know, the loans for classes can rack upwards rather quickly."

"What say you start tomorrow?" asked Corpulus. "And don't worry, there ain't much to it! As long as you've got a great attitude toward our patrons, you'll be fine."

What a surprise. "Thank you, sire. So very much for your time." Was it always this easy to procure an occupation in the real world amongst commoners? An occupation which did not require long hours of schooling, that is?

"When you arrive, your immediate superior won't be me, by the way. It'll be that fellow over there."

He pointed toward a back room, where a man with dark hair and a yoke-like mustache was stocking supplies. The second bartender was standing several paces away in a darkened area. For a moment, Laprima did a double-take. The man looked a heck of a lot like Chamany.

"You can start tomorrow, as I said. Shift goes from late morning until the dawn. Any tips you earn, err, any extra money given to you by customers that is, you can keep for yourself. But you’ll be paid forty once your shift ends."

“Thank you.”

“And now that you work here, feel free to pick up any food or drink items lying about. You can keep those, too. Or throw ‘em away. You'd be surprised how often people leave their purchases behind, sometimes untouched, a-ha-ha-ha! … But, as you can see, normally I’d have another barmaid working these hours. Place is kind of a mess without her."

That was it. Now she would have something to do, and perhaps she wouldn't have to strut into that dreadful castle every day.

Regarding Castle Dour, Laprima realized she'd gone entirely on intuition, regarding her decision to avoid the place. She hadn't given the castle a try at all. And why not, young lady? she imagined her aunt asking. Lady Donnaugh wasn't sure. Something about the thought of walking in there with the full graces of the palace to prop her way. It'd just seemed sodden. Like sodden earth, tamped down and ready to be trampled. Why did I not even enter the place? She found she could not even give herself an honest, rational answer.

But, the question: Would aunt Elisif approve of her niece’s new vocation? Hard to say, but Laprima was thinking the immediate answer would be ‘no’.

For now, this potential problem did not matter. She would be doing something forthright with her time, and she’d be a member of ordinary society while doing it, working amongst Solitude's dock-workers, merchants, seafarers, and townsfolk. No more breaking into jewelry stores after hours, only to find herself in jail after getting caught. No more worries about being ousted from the Donnaugh heritage. No more unknowingly watching over gigantic shipments of illicit substances. So there it was. If her aunt had some concerns about the lowly status of her niece’s new position, that’d be a woe they’d both have to live with.

…And the best part? Nobody would know who Laprima is. Nobody here at the Skeever would know of her past troubles, or her current, lofty position as a member of Blue Palace royalty. She’d just be an anonymous young woman, trying to get by.

"So exciting when new folk come into town," said a dark-haired Imperial wearing cotton threads, with a ceramic stein in her hand. "I bet you've had plenty of adventures."

"Oh, well I'm afraid I've never had any adventures," Lady Donnaugh fumbled for words. "Well, except to come here," she finished lamely. Plenty of adventures. This was twice in one day she'd been mistaken for some sort of swashbuckling maven.

Laprima took in her surroundings. Warm lighting, candles all about. The heavenly smell of roasting food. Sour aromas of ale and mead. A bard with a lute was singing in a high, yet pleasant, soprano's voice, while several listeners clapped and hollered. Everyone was jubilant, everyone was in a good mood.

She had done the right thing, and felt as though she were in the right place. Laprima experienced a feeling she hadn't felt since leaving her classes a few weeks earlier: a feeling of accomplishment. Though she did not officially start working until the following morning, immediately she began busy-bodying about: clearing tables of empty bottles and flasks, and scoring a sweetroll for herself, which she began nibbling in a corner, while watching the bard play another song. She realized she was famished. Once again, she had gone through most of the day and the start of nightfall without eating.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

She arrived back at the Blue Palace some time after midnight. Even at this late hour there were several palace workers milling about: mostly guards. Her aunt was not here; Jarl Elisif was probably asleep. As always, the palace’s music played pleasantly.

Laprima walked upstairs, and into Sybille's room. Sybille Stentor was awake and alert, sitting bolt upright upon one of her room’s benches, as though waiting. She turned to her neighbor. Laprima and the court wizard gazed frostily at each other a moment, yet had nothing to say. Eventually, Laprima slipped into her own quarters.

"Good to see you have returned," Chamany was here, still awake, in bed. "Ah, but you are coming late to home."

"Mm, yes. This is true." It had been a long day. Laprima by now was feeling very tired. "And how are things with you?"

"Have you seen Aunt Elisif this evening?" her man asked. "I believe she was for you, looking."

Laprima groaned. "What is it now? Does she wish for me to suss her latest assignments? Or perhaps change my ghastly appearance? You know, perhaps we should figure a way to change the lock upon our door."

Her husband-to-be laughed. "I know she does not always say the things you wish to hear. But ah, she has some ideas which can be of eh, benefit to you. We can use to her ideas, you know, to be for our gains."

Whatever that was supposed to mean, she was not sure. And she did not want to know. She was too tired.

"So, how was your day?" she asked. "I was quite busy myself, and I'll tell you all that occurred in a moment. But you first. Tell me your day?"

"Oh, there are many things I must, eh, keep eh, running about, you know?" he grinned. "Arrange-ments, dates, and so forth. These people of the Solitude, they keep me busy. You under-stand, no?"

Turns out, she did not under-stand. "What sort of things? Might you find fit to tell me? To give your lady some sort of clue, at the very least?"

"It is ... very, eh, how you say? Très compliqué," he said. "I must come. I must go. I must arrange, and meet with others. Is very hush-hush. No much talk. You under-stand, yes?"

Turns out, she did not. "So, this is to say, you will not answer my query with a full reply of your own?" She smirked. "Yes?"

"Oh come now, Laprima. Do not be like that. There are certain things, mmm, arrangements, one must keep to oneself. These need for me to arrange, you see. And when I have arrange these things, then I can move on. And I shall. Move on, that is."

Laprima shook her head. This was not going anywhere. And did it need to, at this very moment?

"Well. I have trekked the unimaginable," she said slowly. "And attained what was thought to be unattainable. I have also arranged something, Chamany, I arranged myself employment here in Solitude."

"Lovely, bravo! Bravo to my dearest!" Her man was clapping. "And where have you found yourself this job?"

"I am working at the Winking Skeever, amant," Laprima answered proudly. "Serving drinks, and cleaning up the place. Yes, that is right. You are looking straight at the Skeever's newest barmaid."

"Well, this is eh, wonderful? Yes. Very wonderful, indeed..."

Other than wondering why she'd need to be working when they'd just gained their huge windfall of coin, Chamany LaCroix had no questions. And Laprima didn't feel like telling him about the constant diatribe of Aunt Elisif, and how she hoped they could somehow compromise on the issue of occupations. She was too tired.

The pair of lovers spent the night doing things which this writer won't mention, other than to say she is proud her creation has become more content. After a bit of time, Laprima and her 'amant' fell fast asleep. Just before doing so, Laprima wondered how her aunt would take the news of her new job.

*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*

The next morning Laprima made sure to get up early, at first light, in fact. She'd be expected at her new job by late morning, and she was eager to make it there on time. Or better yet, make it there early.

Chamany was already gone, doing the things (arrangements) he needed to do, for whatever reasons he needed to (arrange) do them. A man of mystery. Laprima remembered some words said to her by Siouxsie Ballion, her best ladyfriend back in Cyrodiil, who'd by then already gone running with a couple boys. Keeping some mystery in a relationship was healthy, Siouxsie once told her, as though Siouxsie herself was herself a longtime master of relations. It keeps things interesting.

Ach. But now was not the time to wonder about her man. She had somewhere to be, clear on the other side of town.

Laprima got out of bed, bracing herself for those few moments of chill as she swapped her nightgown for a dress. She selected the black maiden's outfit she'd first bought at the clothing shop, before remembering her aunt would disapprove. So she chose the one of the other dresses she'd found, instead. The blue one. She put her boots on, and was ready to go. Walked into the room next door, in which Sybille Stentor was arranging her blankets and pillows for another long morning of rest.

Laprima nodded as she crossed through, before bracing herself for the wrath of aunt Elisif.

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Sweetroll
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