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]

I had gained the support of two Redoran councilors, so all that remained was to obtain a construction contract from Duke Dren in Ebonheart. While I was there, I could also let Llerar Mandas know how his son fared. As I was still somewhat averse to the silt striders, I traveled to Ebonheart by using a combination of Mages Guild guides and Intervention spells. Even though all the teleportation jumps left me feeling as if my body was in half-a-dozen different places, it was better than being eaten. My early experience of Vvardenfell had been that most of the wildlife was quite willing to add me to the menu, given the chance. Therefore, it was in my interest to make myself as difficult a meal as possible. I just had a feeling that the striders were the Dunmer's idea of a joke- when a dark elf assured you that the giant fleas didn't eat people, it was important to remember that most elves didn't include other races in their definition of "people." Regardless, after my stomach settled, I went into the Grand Council Chamber to find Duke Dren. I was informed that he could be found upstairs with his advisors. The idea that I would soon be starting the process of building my own home made my steps lighter than they had been since my arrival. Never before had I had a place that was my own.

Duke Dren was an imposing figure, dressed in ebony armor and surrounded by advisers- I found him impressive, even if he was a Hlaalu. With him were a number of other important people in the provincial government, including a man dressed in the uniform of a Knight of the Imperial Dragon. Whether it was because he was an Imperial or something else, I don't know, but I took an immediate dislike to the fellow. And, from look on his face, Varus Vantinius didn't much care for me, either. But I wasn't there to get into fights with Imperial officials, so I turned my attention back to Duke Dren. When I explained my purpose, he expressed reluctance at first, noting that Vvardenfell was Dunmer territory and that I was an outlander. Still, he could not deny that I had sufficient rank and support in House Redoran to be granted the construction contract. Although he was supposed to be above such things as the squabbles among the Great Houses, I believe his reluctance came in part from unhappiness that Redoran was gaining a new stronghold. Ultimately, his reservations were overcome either by the realization that this was not a battle he could win or by his own sense of justice. Either way, he explained that the most important function of a new stronghold and the greatest responsibility of the title holder was the protection of the people of Vvardenfell.

Therefore, my oath that I would provide that protection was required. For the first time in my life, I actually took an official proceeding seriously. I was not speaking as a runaway thief from High Rock, I was pledging my word as Trey, House Brother of Redoran. And with my words, I was also invoking the honor of Athyn Sarethi, Brara Morvayn, and Hlaren Ramoran. The ritual completed, Dren's assistant handed me the contract, which specified my rights and responsibilities in reference to my new home. As I glanced at the wording, I realized that "stronghold" was not just a term of convenience- the contract specified "...a stronghold and village of no more than 50 persons and no more than 400 feet in any direction. Trey may hire no more than 10 Men-at-Arms and retainers to defend the stronghold." That was certainly more than just four walls and a roof. I don't think I had quite realized until then just how significant was my status in House Redoran. Somehow I hadn't shaken off the picture I'd always had of myself as a threadbare and usually hungry stablehand.

Now all that was required was to return to Ald'ruhn and hand the contract and 5000 drakes to Galsa Gindu. That was another occasion on which I was happy that I had chosen Redoran over Hlaalu. I would have thought long and hard before I simply gave that much gold to any of the members of Hlaalu I had met so far. Galsa promised that the work would commence shortly and told me that I should speak with her again in a week. My next stop was at Sarethi Manor to let Athyn know of my success. He was pleased that Morvayn Manor had been reclaimed and as concerned as I over the evidence that the ash statue plot had been so wide-ranging. When I mentioned Hlaren Ramoran and how I had diverted his interest from Nalvilie Saren, Athyn remarked, "I already had a daughter her age when she was on the arms of more men than was proper. But that is a story for another time."

He then grew serious and asked me about my plans while I awaited construction of my stronghold. I admitted that I had not thought that far ahead, having been caught up in the tasks I had been performing. His intent gaze fixed me to my chair and the Redoran Lord said, "You know that I am proud of your progress in House Redoran and most gratified that it was I who first sponsored your membership. You have done great things for us, and your loyalty and courage are well-regarded. But I would be remiss if I did not remind you of a conversation we had earlier concerning your other obligations. I am speaking, of course, of the Blades. It has been some time since you have reported to Caius, has it not?"

In truth, the question of the Blades was one I had been doing my best to ignore. There were a number of reasons, but mostly it was that I hated being a pawn in some Imperial idiocy. I still resented the way that I had been transported here against my will and thrown into what amounted to a religious and cultural war. It did not occur to me then that I would never have risen so far or so fast back in High Rock or Cyrodiil and that it was only through the "meddling" of the Emperor that I was not still in a jail cell. But then, logic was never one of my strongest traits, particularly when I was scared. And the part of me that wasn't resentful was petrified. There were too many signs that seemed to point in the same direction- that the prophecies were real and that I was inextricably caught in their web.

Here Ends Chapter 8