The Story of Trey- Chapter 8 Options

[treydog]

Chapter 8

Physically, the return to Ald'ruhn was easy- simply a matter of casting Recall. Emotionally, it was more difficult. My life had been saved, but it had also been profoundly changed. I needed to talk to someone- but what I had to say would lead to more questions and more explanations. There was only one person I could talk to, and that was Athyn Sarethi. When I first sought his sponsorship, there was a great deal about my past that I had not told him. Now, I believed the time had come to remedy that situation. And yet my fear of doing so was in equal measure to the respect I felt for Athyn. The rescue of Delyna Mandas presented no difficulty- it was in keeping with the values of House Redoran. But I would also need to explain much more, such as how I came to be at Tel Fyr. And what of the Nerevarine prophecies business? Although I still wasn't certain that I believed in the prophecies, let alone that they had anything to do with me, that was the sort of thing that would put the Temple into an uproar. And, as my mentor and friend, Athyn Sarethi was likely to be harmed by the resulting inquiry. Again I was reminded of the consequences of becoming known, of gaining prominence and position. It wasn't just about power and privilege- there was also responsibility. Perhaps I had been spending too much time around the Redorans- I was beginning to consider the ramifications of my actions instead of rushing blindly ahead.

Before going to my friend, I gave myself the luxury of a day to rest and consider. Unsure of his reaction, I also packed up my gear so I could leave on short notice if that became necessary. When I found Athyn in his accustomed spot in Sarethi Manor, he greeted me warmly and expressed his pleasure at seeing me again. I wondered if he would still feel that way when I finished what I had to say. After the exchange of pleasantries, I cleared my throat and said, "There are some matters and events concerning me that you should be aware of. You have treated me as family and it is not right for me to keep this knowledge from you."

And then I explained how I had been "recruited" by the Blades, the duties I had carried out, how I had been afflicted with corprus, and how Divayth Fyr had cured me. All that I held back was the story of my arrest and imprisonment and the insane scheme to have me named Nerevarine. The first I omitted because I felt that it had been the result of Imperial intrigues rather than my own actions. As to the Nerevarine foolishness, I refused to burden this honorable man with such a dilemma. Duty would force him to denounce me to the Temple, whatever his heart might tell him. And I would be locked up for something I didn't even believe. Throughout the telling of my story he remained silent, other than asking a servant to fetch wine when my throat grew dry. At the end of my long recitation, he clasped my arm and said, "It is good that you have told me of these things. I sense that there is more that you have left unsaid, but we will let that be. If I believed your secrets would harm Redoran, that would be a different matter, but I trust in your loyalty to your House."

Then he paused, poured more wine, and took a thoughtful sip. "As to the Blades, you must take your own counsel. The fact that you were forcibly made a member is balanced by the fact that you have since taken assignments willingly. If you had discharged the messenger duty and refused further service, there would be no question of honor. As it is...you have as much as given your word to perform loyal service and you cannot renege simply because the duty has become onerous."

He smiled to rob his words of any sting and added, "Do not misunderstand me- I do not doubt your courage. I am perhaps more aware of your deeds than you know. When you asked me for sponsorship, I sought what information could be found regarding 'Trey of High Rock.' You are better-known and more highly thought-of than you may realize- at least among those whose opinions I respect. As to the corprus, its progress is arrested and you are not contagious; it is a wonder and a miracle. I see no evil or ill-intent in this. A word of caution, though- best to keep this knowledge close- not everyone will be so understanding."

A distant look came to his eyes and tears glistened in them as he continued, "You have been of great service to my family- you brought my son back to me and saw to it that he was cleared of the murder charge. You protected me from the Morag Tong assassins at great risk to yourself. And you have been valuable to House Redoran. Nothing you have told me causes me to regret my sponsorship- on the contrary, you have made me proud. If there ever comes a time when you fear that your duties for the Blades will bring harm to your House, speak to me and we will decide how best to proceed. Now, as to Arethan Mandas...let me consider that. Meanwhile there is a matter of concern regarding Ondres Nerano's slanders of Bolvyn Venim."

Athyn Sarethi would need some time to locate Arethan Mandas- Vvardenfell was still largely unsettled, and most of House Redoran's people were scattered across the frontier. Meanwhile, there was another problem that required delicate handling. Athyn was aware that I preferred to handle things with persuasion whenever possible- an inclination that suited the Redoran sense of honor. Specifically, a Hlaalu by the name of Ondres Nerano was doing his best to spread a story about the head of Redoran, Bolvyn Venim. The story was that Venim was involved in an affair with the wife of another Redoran councilor. Because this story brought dishonor on the House, Athyn wanted me to convince Nerano to stop spreading it. He asked that I be careful not to attack Nerano without provocation- however, if he challenged me to a duel, that would be acceptable. There was a strange twist to Athyn Sarethi's mouth as he referred to Nerano's "slander." It was as if he tasted something bitter, but was manfully trying to swallow it. He seemed to be trying to convince himself even more than me when he said, "It is for the good of House Redoran."

That was the first time I had ever seen him appear doubtful. Yet, when I asked him if there was a problem, he said, "Please- do not question your assignment. We must act for the good of the House, even when we find it personally distasteful. I trust you to carry out your orders in a way that will not dishonor us. Unlike some who call themselves Redoran, you understand that rank should be accompanied by responsibility."
He would not say more, and even as I wondered to whom he referred, I vowed that I would not disappoint him.

Ondres Nerano was easy to find- he lived in one of the largest houses in Balmora. When I asked him about the rumors he had been spreading, he looked at me incredulously. "Are all you Redorans stupid? It isn't a rumor, it's a fact. Everyone knows it is true."

Remembering Athyn Sarethi's anguished face, I began to doubt. But then, I also remembered what he had said about the "good of the House." Therefore I responded, "Regardless of the truth or falsity, Hlaalu, it is none of your concern. You will speak respectfully of Redoran, or I will teach you better manners. It is not meet that scum such as you should defile the name of my House with your words."

As I had anticipated, that angered Nerano, who sputtered, "Very well, if it's a duel you want, you've got one," and slapped me.

When I had left High Rock, I had promised myself that no man would ever again lay hands on me without retribution. It took all of the restraint I possessed to keep from running Nerano through on the spot. But the words of Athyn Sarethi echoed in my head- "Do not dishonor your House." And so I found myself in unarmed combat with Ondres Nerano. Anyone walking in would have been confronted with an amusing sight- a Breton and a dark elf, both swinging with all their might and unable to hit anything. For whatever reason, I had never developed my unarmed combat skills, and it was apparent that Nerano hadn't either. Additionally, my superior speed and agility allowed me to dodge most of his clumsy punches. Unfortunately, my own understanding of actual offensive hand-to-hand fighting was nil- I had only ever been on the receiving end of punches and kicks as I grew up.

So we danced and dodged up and down the room, flailing away at one another like two fish-wives fighting over the last good vegetables in the market. As was my way, I fought silently, not wanting to waste my breath on useless exclamations. Nerano, however, maintained a constant stream of taunts and threats- all of which were ludicrous, considering that he couldn't even touch me, let alone land a decisive blow. At last, I grew tired of this nonsense and drew my sword. My intent, though, was to weaken my opponent, not to kill him. Therefore, instead of swinging the sword in sweeping cuts, I used the point and the edges as delicately as a surgeon. A feint to the eyes, diverted at the last minute to slice his cheek. A jab toward the throat, turned to nick his earlobe. Finally, I simply began to beat his ribs and thighs with the flat of the blade. It was humiliation, pure and simple- for it was clear that I could easily kill him at any time. Bleeding from half-a-dozen irritating wounds, battered and bruised, he soon yielded.

"You have defeated me. I withdraw what I said and will speak of it no more."

And so, honor was satisfied, even if I wasn't. Don't misunderstand, I was very happy that I had not been forced to kill him. Still, the whole thing left me with the same bad taste in my mouth that seemed to have afflicted Athyn Sarethi. How can it be honorable to beat someone, even an enemy, for telling the truth? Much as it pained me to admit it, the thought came to me that House Redoran needed to be set in order. And hard on its heels came another- who would be capable of accomplishing that task?

[treydog]

The beast that was trying to climb the steps was the type known as a lame corprus- due its monstrous shape, it was relatively slow, so I easily dispatched it. The sounds coming up from the darkness of the basement told me that the grotesque beast had not been alone, though. There was a great freedom in not needing to fear infection from corprus, but it was also well to remember that the immunity did not prevent me from being ripped to pieces. At the foot of the steps, I found the body of Remas Morvayn. It was clear from his shattered shield and blood-stained sword that he had gone down fighting. If I could succeed in clearing the Manor, his widow would at least be able to reclaim his body and give it a proper interment.

Using every bit of the shadows I could, I slipped around the stairs into the gloomy basement. The flickering light of candles and the wheezing and shuffling of the monsters strained my nerves almost to the breaking point. Movement from several places in the room caught my attention, and I decided that a Bound Longbow would be a great comfort. Using the shadows and the conjured bow, I was able to defeat four more corprus beasts of various sorts without suffering any injury myself. Although the noise the creatures made had been eerie, the sudden silence was almost worse. The candles and the arcane symbols that had been scribed in blood created within me a strong urge to run, but I fought the impulse down, knowing that my work was not finished.

One room had been turned into a Sixth House shrine, complete with candles and wall-hangings, and the entire basement had been made over into a strange temple. Finally, I found the evil ash statue sitting atop a pile of crates in a storeroom. Like the one that had been given to Varvur Sarethi, this statue had a greasy, nausea-inducing feel. My in-born sensitivity to magicka told me that this was indeed the focus of a powerful spell.

Sickened by the touch of the object, I wrapped it in a cloth and quickly made my way to the Temple.
Lloros Sarano also recognized the evil enchantment on the statue and determined that destroying it would break the spell. He promised to do so and also offered the Temple's help in cleansing Morvayn Manor. I thanked him and made my way back to tell Brara that her home was now safe. It would take a stronger person than I to go back to that house, but perhaps she would manage. In the meantime, she pledged to support me before the Council and gave me an enchanted amulet as a reward. Much as I appreciated her support, I could not forget the image of Remas Morvayn, dead in his own home, a victim of the evil that seemed to be stalking all of House Redoran.

It was becoming increasingly clear that my House was locked in a deadly struggle against the Sixth House, House Dagoth. My minor victories against Sixth House creatures and agents would be meaningless if this evil influence continued to spread unchecked. As hard as I tried to ignore and disbelieve the prophecies, I could not deny that I seemed to come into conflict with the Sixth House and its schemes wherever I turned. Whether I willed it or not, it seemed that forces beyond my ken were pushing me ever closer to a confrontation with Dagoth Ur himself.

For the moment, though, my best course was to strengthen House Redoran and ensure that it was better able to withstand the malign forces arrayed against it. And if I was to strengthen the House, I would need to wield greater influence, which meant gaining the support of more councilors. All of which meant that it was time to call on Hlaren Ramoran, who maintained a manor "Under Skar." Once I had entered Ramoran Manor, a guard directed me to the family quarters, where I easily found Hlaren. Like Llerar Mandas, he was dressed in a suit of Dwemer armor. Again, I was reminded that Redoran was a warrior House.

The task Hlaren Ramoran had for me seemed simple enough- he needed someone to collect the taxes from Gnisis. Somehow, I doubted that it would be just a matter of riding the giant flea, getting the gold, and riding back. Or maybe he was aware of my aversion to the silt striders and this was a test of bravery. Or maybe... No matter- he wanted the tax money and the only way I would discover if there was a hidden agenda was by going to Gnisis to see Hetman Abelmawia. Despite my misgivings, there were no difficulties collecting the 60 drakes and I was able to return without incident.

However, when I turned the taxes over, Hlaren asked me for another "little favor" as a condition of his support. It seemed that he wanted to find the whereabouts of a woman named Nalvilie Saren, who he termed "an old acquaintance." Her family lived in the Redoran District of Vivec, and that would be a good place to start. Then he added a message in case I found her- I was to tell her that he "didn't care what had happened in the past and that he could support her." And finally, I was to ask her to come visit him in Ald'ruhn.

As he gave me these strange instructions, I couldn't help but notice the expression on the face of one of his guards, a Dunmer woman named Nalvyna Sarinith. At the mention of the Saren woman's name, a look of pain and disgust crossed the guard's face, and she seemed to grow more and more depressed as the conversation continued. There was something here that I needed to discover before I found myself in the midst of some serious entanglement. Hlaren Ramoran's words had troubled me- for this did not sound like the conduct of a Redoran councilor and friend of Athyn Sarethi.

Taking my leave of Lord Hlaren, I made an excuse to speak with Nalvyna, asking her about some finer point of the armor she was wearing. When Hlaren's attention was turned elsewhere, I quietly asked her if she knew anything about this Nalvilie Saren. She explained that the woman had "disgraced herself" and also said, "I do not understand why my Lord would still wish to find her after the way she treated him. Sometimes I wish...but no, it wouldn't be proper..."

With a visible effort, she tore her gaze away from Hlaren Ramoran and resumed her guard stance. She would say no more about the subject. Though I had little understanding of the reasons that one person was attracted to another, even I was able to see that Nalvyna cared for Hlaren, and not just as a guard for a protectee. Even more, it seemed that this Saren woman had hurt him in the past. With my own experiences of how a woman could turn a man inside-out still fresh in my mind, I decided to try to save a fellow-sufferer.

So, attempting to maintain a casual tone, I asked Hlaren about Nalyna. He responded warmly, if not enthusiastically, noting that she was an outstanding warrior of great honor, and that she had served him faithfully. It had been my experience when working in the stables that sometimes, when dealing with a mule, you must first get the mule's attention. The accepted method for doing so is the application of a stout piece of wood between the eyes. It appeared that Lord Hlaren Ramoran had a bit of mule in his personality and that the application of an attention-getter was required. Because I valued my life, I deemed that a "verbal club" would be wiser than brute force.

"She cares deeply for you, you know," I told him, discreetly indicating Nalyna.

That certainly got his attention, even though he tried to struggle against it. His eyes opened wide and he mumbled, "She... I ... I don't know what to say. Perhaps if I were younger... If it weren't improper..."

Once you have the mule's attention, you still have to guide it- "Proper behavior didn't seem to concern you when you wanted me to invite Nalvilie Saren to come for a visit."

He had to agree that this was true and promised to think things over in a new light. Meanwhile, he agreed to support me before the Council and told me to forget all about the Saren woman. Somehow, I had never considered match-making as one of my talents. Perhaps those romance novels had been good for something after all, even if the beneficiaries were other than myself.