Sel, Chapter 3 Options

[Dantrag]

I was soon accepted into House Redoran, and my mother was pretty proud of me. Probably too proud. I didn't go to Athyn's class anymore, being too busy as councillor Venim's page. Or, at least until the fiery councillor died, and was replaced by his brother. All young hirelings in the House had to spend five years in a councillor's service, and I was no different. Close to the end of those years, my fourth, to be exact, I wondered why I was even in the House; I got no money for my service, being a page, and my family needed money. I should have gotten a job. There I was in Bolvyn's manor, getting fed and clothed while my family starved. My own damned fault. I paid for my selfishness.

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I'll put the actual story here in a while; I just needed to start this back up.

This post has been edited by Dantrag: Feb 8 2006, 02:47 AM

[Dantrag]

*Dantrag bows to his wonderfully small audience*

*he gets pelted with tomatoes*

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"I'll be back tomorrow." Sel promised.

"Why don't we just move to a plantation, and you can farm or something?" Vysi pleaded. "I don't want you raiding dwemer ruins all the time; it's too dangerous!"

"It'll give us enough money to survive. Remember when we were little, and we always raided the Imperial Fort? Do you want to be doing that years from now?"

Vysi shook her head, but didn't say anything else; she couldn't convince her stupid brother anyway.

"I'll be back tomorrow if not earlier." he reiterated before walking out the door. That little conversation hadn't gone well; he had only succeeded in making his sister mad at him and worried about him. He was the older one; wasn't it supposed to be the other way around?

He found himself at the Ald Skar Inn, and he walked inside to meet his future employer.

"Hello, Sir." Sel said, extending his hand. "I never did catch your name."

"I'm Aldaril." the altmer replied. "I'm ready to go if you are."

Sel nodded, and with that, they were on their way. Aldaril talked non-stop, but Sel didn't mind; it kept his mind off of his mother. Apparently, they were going to one of the least dangerous ruins as a sort of practice run, Sel knew. The ruins were near Balmora, but he couldn't say the name.

"Arkngthand." Aldaril said again.

"Arkingdan?" he tried again.

"You know what? I'm going to call it Ruin Number One. Then the next we go to will be Number Two."

Sel laughed. "Fine with me." He still wouldn't remember though, especially if the number got over five.

They came upon a bridge, and found an abandoned cart.

"The ruin is just across this bridge." Aldaril said, putting down his pack on the cart. "Let's have lunch before going in."

Sel sat down on the cart beside his employer and chewed on a tough, saltened piece of hound meat. Obviously meant for travel and not enjoyment, that food.

"Are we going?" Sel asked.

"One moment." Aldaril said, packing his food back into his bag, and taking his bundle of papers out. He left the bag on the cart and stood.

"Now we're going, my boy." he announced as he led Sel to the door. "Get that crank will you?"

Sel obliged, and was surprised as the door opened. He rushed in behind Aldaril before the door closed on him.

He was greeted by an eerie dim light; obviously not made by any natural fire. He looked on the walls and was surprised at the torches that weren't really torches.

"Are there really constructs with a giant ball for feet?" he asked.

"A Centurion Sphere? Of course. We may come across one or two." the mage answered, sitting down to make a few sketches of the ruin's architecture.

"So what are we trying to find here?" Sel asked.

"Well, legend has it that when the Nevervarine passed through here two years ago, that he took a puzzle box. Me, I believe that legends only have some truth. There could very well be a puzzle box here, the real question is whether or not he took it."

"What if he did?"

"Then we'll have to be happy with some coins, some dishes, and a few gems."

"Those sound better than a puzzle box." Sel replied.