The Life Of Sel, you know you've wanted it for awhile... Options

[Dantrag]

I decided to start on this, even though I am currently working on another story; don't worry, I plan on completing both of them.

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Chapter 1
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I learned the truth behind the circumstances of my life from my father, Avon, who is now one of my best friends, and it has given me a new perspective on the happenings of my life; I now know that my father cannot be blamed. Nobody can but the Cammona Tong, and their blatant disregard for life.

I spent my younger years blaming the father that I never knew for all of my misfortunes. When my mother died of starvation, I blamed my father for not being there to get a job and support the family financially; now I blame the Cammona Tong. When my sister died, I blamed my father for not being there; if he had been supporting us, I never would have needed to get a job, and therefore would have been there to protect her. I now realize that my father was not the cause, and I have pegged the blame where it properly belongs. And without seeing the full picture, I had plenty of revenge.

I have lied to many friends and family members about this vengeful period of my life, or rather, I merely skipped over it when telling the story of my life. Now, I write the story in full so that I can finally be free of it, and so that the ones I love will finally know the truth of their "silly dunmer" friend.

-Selenil Vendas

"You still owe us money." the short and scrawny dunmer said, obviously having much more bark than bite.

"I have paid it back." Avon growled, slamming his fist on the table. The Cammona Tong had collected the money he had borrowed twice already; how was he supposed to support his wife and newborn son if he was paying large sums of money to a criminal organization all the time?

"So you say, but the Cammona Tong has no record of it, so it never happened."

Avon looked around, to measure his options. He couldn't pay the man, he was close to being broke after paying them twice and supporting his family. He could kill the man, but it wouldn't be too smart in a public place such as the South Wall Cornerclub.

Finally, he stood up. "I will have your money." Avon declared, but silently vowed to himself that if they ever came for it again, the collector would find his throat in Avon's strong hands.

He walked to his small, one room apartment in Balmora where his wife, Valia, waited with their newborn baby boy.

"Where were you?" Valia asked Avon, a worried expression on her face.

"I was working late." he assured her.

"What reason is there to work late when the trader's shop is closed?" Valia asked, still unconvinced.

"You know that Ra'Virr doesn't keep his own bookwork; I have to do it for him." he lied again, to cover up the previous lie.

Avon had spent most of his life as a sword of the Cammona Tong. When he decided to change his ways and settle down, (a direct effect from meeting Valia) the Cammona Tong didn't like it. He had gotten many things for free, and with his retirement, they wanted everything they had given him back. As you already know, he had paid it back twice; a large sum of four thousand five hundred septims. they often followed him, and threatened his family as an incentive to pay the debt.

Ra'Virr graciously gave him a job at his shop even though the khajiit could just as easily do all of the work himself.

"When are we going to be honest with each other?" she asked as she ran out of the room, crying and clutching the baby to her chest.

Avon sighed and sat down beside the cozy fire; he didn't like seeing his wife like this, but he didn't want her to be in danger, either. He kept it to himself for her own safety. The Cammona Tong had made it quite clear that their secrets were their secrets; nobody elses. Letting Avon live was considered a mistake by many of the higher ranked members of the Cammona Tong, and if he told his wife, that just might push his and his family's lives over the edge of trust. If that happened, they could expect an assassination within days.

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Enjoy.

[Dantrag]

Avon put the last crate onto the departing ship before walking back towards his home.

"Where is your payment?" A dunmer asked, coming out from behind a crate and waling towards Avon from behind.

"I'm working to pay it off." Avon lied; in reality he had moved to avoid paying the debt that wasn't owed.

"You have two days." the dunmer said, moving aside to show the larger dunmer a toddler.

"Why do you have my son?" Avon asked threateningly. What monseters would take one and a half year old boy?

"Motivation for you." the anonymous dunmer replied. "The Cammona Tong doesn't forget."

"I...I'll have it." Avon stammered. How was he to get that much in two days?

"See that you do, or..." the dunmer warned as he slid his finger across a scared Sel's tiny neck. "Meet me by the lighthouse two days from now." he said, walking away with Avon's little boy.

Avon walked into the shack he and his family owned, to see Valia weeping. "They took him!" she screamed.

"I know." Avon said, putting his arm around her to offer some comfort. "I'm going to get our son back." he promised. He soon realized that he couldn't make her feel better until Selenil was back home safely, and he would make that happen, one way or another.

He opened a dusty chest that he kept, and pulled out his sword. It had been awhile since he had used the heirloom, but it would do nicely for killing members of the Cammona Tong.

He still went to work everyday, and got a six month advance on his pay, only to get half of the "debt" that he owed. If they wouldn't take it, he would have to use his back-up plan; a green-glowing sword.

The night of the exchange, Avon had escorted Valia (without telling her the truth of what was happening) to the nearby town of Ebonheart the day before so she couldn't be taken from the house as their son was. He wore a long cloak to conceal the fact that he had a weapon, and he carried the bag of three thousand septims.

He walked towards the lighthouse, and soon saw four figures; one was the same dunmer he had met two days ago, and one was his son; the others were complete strangers to him.

"Here." Avon said, tossing the bag of coins to the dunmer.

"Do you take me for a fool?" he dunmer asked. "Just because it is dark, doesn't mean I can be fooled into thinking that this is six thousand."

"It's all I have." Avon replied as his hand slowly moved towards the hilt of his sword.

"I need more. Maybe if I take your son's life you will understand that." the dunmer said coldly. "Then you willpay us in full, on your wife's life."

That was all Avon needed to act. He sprung towards the dunmer holding his son and slit his throat in one swift motion.

He motioned his son behind him as he faced the other two thugs. "You die here." he promised grimly.

The two thugs were obviously used to working together, as Avon had a hard time defending both of their attacks. When he blocked or dodged an axe, he was hard pressed to defend the other's sword. Avon wasn't about to give up though; his son's life was on the line.

He blocked the axe, and put his sword behind its blade, and with the flick of his wrist, had the dunmer weapon flying away. Avon immediately stabbed him in the gut, pulling his sword back out before he hit the ground.

One more. Avon slowly approached the remaining thug, ready for the kill. He flung wild attacks at him, causing the other swordsman to scramble to defend. Avon quickly changed his style though, going from random attacks to calculating, accurate ones. The other dark elf couldn't make the change fast enough, and was soon coughing up blood as he cringed on the ground.

Avon stood over him and coldly chopped his head off.

Nobody threatened his family. He had finally decided.

He picked up a sobbing Sel, and began the journey to Ebonheart to find his wife. She deserved to know the truth.