Serene of Cyrodiil, chapter 5, Home is where your Heart is... Options

[minque]

Family isn't about whose blood you have. It's about who you care about

Trey Parker and Matt Stone, South Park, Cat Orgy, 1999


Chapter 5, Home is where your heart is

Before I continue with the story of the upcoming events in Ald´Ruhn, I think I want to say a few words about Intervention-scrolls, and spells for that matter!

It seems so utterly easy and convenient; you speak an incantation, either written on a piece of parchment, or you know it by heart, then all of a sudden you are somewhere else, just like that...

Of course it’s not that easy, all who have used this kind of transportation know what I´m talking about. You actually decompose yourself, your physical body, into its building-stones, and then you put them all together somewhere else, all magically of course. Now that has to affect you somehow and it surely affected me, when I suddenly found myself in the courtyard of the Ald´Ruhn Temple that rainy morning.....

The actual travel, or intervention, feels like you’re totally weightless, flowing in the void, whirling like an autumn-leaf. You have no idea what’s up and down, your intestines are all spinning around, or at least it feels like they are. Darkness and pain engulf you, the very air around you is filled with the most terrible screams from poor souls that never reached their destination.... and you are certain you will never get out of it alive. But of course you do, that is if you don’t happen to meet anything hostile where you end up.

The Almsivi-Intervention brings you directly to the nearest Tribunal Temple, so as I mentioned, I ended up outside the Ald´Ruhn Temple. I was shaken and nauseous, and it took a while before I could compose myself enough to gather my scattered belongings, check that all was there and head off to a well-known place, at least for me; the Mage’s Guild!

Ironically, I always seemed to be in a mess when visiting this Guild house, so it was no wonder Edwinna Elbert laughed when she greeted me.

“Serene! How wonderful to see you again.....but you look like you need to use our washing-facilities- as usual- I’d say!”

After a hot and invigorating bath I sat down in Edwinna´s office, wrapped in a worn but warm robe, telling her of my adventures with the Ashlanders.

“You need to go and see Neminda,” Edwinna advised me when I told her about my last encounter with Azura. “You belong to House Redoran, and they will most certainly take care of you, my child.”

So later that afternoon I went to Under Skar, to the Redoran Council-hall, once again dressed up by the generous Mages of Ald´Ruhn, to meet with Neminda.

She was pleased to see me but commented on how thin and wiry I’d become since the last time we met; it was no wonder though after living almost a year among the Ashlanders. When I told her about my time in the Ahemmusa Camp she listened carefully without a word until I came to the part about the Outlander who was asking to be named the Nerevarine, then she interrupted my telling;

“Ah, I know that man, he’s adopted into House Redoran, and he has a very good reputation within the Great House. He is a Breton as far as I know, from High Rock....He doesn’t speak so much about himself…” Neminda smiled, “But forgive my interruption, Serene, continue please.”

After I finished my story and also told her about Azura´s prophecy about “claiming my family,” Neminda sat silent for a while, in deep thoughts. Finally, she spoke:

“ Serene, I think I know the meaning of the words of The Divine. Leave now, and go to the Temple and talk to Lloros Sarano. He is a wise man and I think you may find it useful to talk to him.”

The Temple of Ald´Ruhn was rather small, just a few rooms on the ground-level, and then a bigger area downstairs. A rather friendly-looking Dunmer approached me upon my entering the premises and introduced himself as Lloros Sarano. It turned out he was a temple-servant, specialised in mental illnesses and healing, which made him utterly interesting to talk to. There were not many healers around Ald´Ruhn at the moment so he was happy to meet me so he could discuss his latest experiences in the noble art of healing. Or at least that was how I explained his questions regarding my own experiences with healing and restorative magic.

I spent the night in the Mage’s Guild, and the next morning I paid another visit to Neminda.

“Serene, it so happens that Serjo Athyn Sarethi, one of our councillors, may be able to help you out....he is a friend of my father and has had a lot of sad things happening to him and his family lately.” Neminda sighed and continued: “First his son was kidnapped, then he was the victim of an assassination-attempt, then he is almost certain his wife is betraying him, and above all his son was charged with murder.”

I gasped, thinking that there was no end to this poor man’s misfortunes, but also wondering where I fit into this? I couldn´t see the connections....not at all.

“Athyn is most of all concerned about his son, Varvur. He is back home, and his name is cleared, but he is in a very bad shape, he has lost his will to keep on living, he’s just lying on his bed, staring into the air, not talking to anyone, not eating....he seems to be determined to die. Athyn is at his wit’s end, he doesn’t know what to do, now when Trey’s gone and all.” Neminda sighed once more and blew her nose.

“Trey?” I asked, “Is he that outlander I met?”

He was, and since he also was the saviour of both Athyn´s and Varvur´s lives and honour, according to Neminda, I could very well understand the loss the old councillor felt.

“Words spread fast in these surroundings,” Neminda smiled, “Serjo Sarethi knows about you, Serene, and he knows you’re back!....So go to Sarethi Manor and talk to him..”

Sarethi Manor didn’t look very fancy from outside, just another door in the wall, but inside was a completely different thing. A spacious hallway, with ornaments on the walls and a thick red carpet on the floor, sloped slowly downwards, leading to a huge room, with austere furnishings....

The man that approached me was at least double my age, tall, with black, grey-streaked hair, dark-red very sad eyes and a face that showed he had had his share of life and it had not been all pleasant. Yet it was a fascinating face, pointed cheekbones, straight nose and a strangely sensitive mouth. I couldn´t take my eyes off him.....

“Serene was it, right?” His dark voice had this magnetism that affected me more deeply than I then realized!

“Y-yes” I stuttered, “Neminda sent me, she thought maybe you could have some use for me.”

Athyn Sarethi smiled, led me to a chair and bade me sit down. The fate of young Varvur Sarethi was sad. The young man had been kidnapped by the Archmaster of House Redoran, Bolvyn Venim, accused of a crime he didn’t commit. Although it was actually more complicated- he probably HAD fought with the other young man, but had been under the influence of malign magic at the time. It was a well-understood point of Dunmeri (as well as Imperial) law that a person was not responsible for their actions if they where bespelled. He had been rescued from Venim Manor by the outlander known as Trey of High Rock; as Athyn mentioned the young Breton, his face brightened, almost glowing. I understood this man was very dear to him. Still, Varvur was accused of the murder of his best friend, Bralen Carvaren, so not only did he loose his friend, he was suspected to have taken his life! The whole thing sounded absurd to me but I kept my mouth shut.

Trey again acted and cleared Varvur from the accusations, but Varvur was mentally in a very bad shape ever after. As he spoke of his son’s worsening condition, the animation left Athyn’s face and he clasped his hands before him so tightly that I could see the knuckles whiten. He gave me a long, searching look before he spoke-

“Serene, it is my understanding that you are a healer of great skill- perhaps even greater than you know yourself. I have spoken with Lloros Sarano- I asked him to determine whether the stories of your skill are accurate…forgive me if that seems intrusive, but I had a pressing need….”

He then made his request- my task was to cure Varvur...one way or another, and the worst thing was....I had not the faintest idea how to do it!

[minque]

Vendrela Aravel was a beautiful young woman. Her skin was lighter than most Dunmers, with a smooth complexion. She had long jet-black hair streaming down her back, and her slightly narrow eyes were dark reddish-brown. We were sitting at the Rat-in-the-Pot, having a brandy; we decided we needed that after the rough encounter with Bolvyn Venim. It turned out to be a highly enlightening conversation- she knew a great deal about Great House Redoran, especially the sorts of things that did not make it into the “official” records.

“I never knew my mother; she died when I was born, of some unknown infection…My father has never forgiven me for that, and for the fact I was a girl and not the son he really wanted.” Vendrela sighed, “I have lived with that guilt ever since.”

I felt very sorry for her; her fate had a resemblance with my own. I, too, never knew my real mother, even though I did have a kind of mother who really cared for me….until I decided to leave, a thing I sometimes did regret.

“I grew up in Venim Manor, a never ending parade of nannies taking care of me, thoroughly lead by the Housekeeper, Vindyne Belvani, who spent most of her time trying to keep me away from my father who didn’t want to be disturbed by a child….especially not an unwanted girl.”

I suggested we buy a bottle of Flin and go to my quarters in the Mage’s Guild to continue our talk, since I feared that the walls of The-Rat-in-the Pot may have ears. I didn’t want the rumour to be spread that I had had a conversation with Bolvyn Venim´s daughter, for her sake more than for my own!

“Our generation is the youngest in Vvardenfell today, we were the last children in our time,” Vendrela sighed. “Some say it’s because of a curse, a curse made by The Sixth House Cult, in order to subdue the Dunmer, as a revenge for the deeds of the late Lord Nerevar. I don’t know if it’s true, I only know our women don’t get pregnant anymore...”

I looked at her, and remembered that Sedrane Mirpal once told me the same thing, back in Balmora soon after I arrived in this strange part of the world. I thought it was the Ashlanders only that suffered from infertility, but obviously all Dunmer did.

“However, there’s an outlander in House Redoran, just like you, Serene, who is believed to be Lord Nerevar Reborn…..” Vendrela stopped and looked away, is if her mind had turned inward, to thoughts only she could see. I waited, I wouldn’t rush her, but I needed to find out more about Varvur Sarethi if I was going to be able to do something about his current condition. And that was a thing I wanted to succeed with, more than anything else just now, not because of the young man himself, but because I couldn’t get the sad face of his father out of my mind. Then again, Vendrela´s words about the mysterious outlander caught my interest; I decided to talk to Athyn Sarethi about him.

“We all went to The Mage’s Guild Elementary School together, Varvur, his younger brother Salyn, Nartise Arobar, Delyna Mandas, Sanvyn Llethri, Neminda and her sister Elone; yes they are outlanders those two, but fully accepted into The House! Oh yes, Bralen Carvaren also attended from time to time.”

“Salyn? Varvur has a brother?” I wondered. “Where is he now?”

“He’s a Buoyant Armiger at Ghostgate,” Vendrela answered. “He’s not allowed to come home other than for very special occasions, but if that wasn’t enough, Varvur and Salyn also have a sister, or shall we say had, because I think she is dead by now. Her name was Satyana; she disappeared about 10 years ago and has never been seen since. Athyn never speaks of her, not in front of his wife anyway. “

“Varvur has always been too sensitive for his own good. Salyn left right after school to join the Armigers, for he is skilled with his sword. But poor Varvur wouldn’t know how to even hold one!” Vendrela laughed.

“So Varvur couldn’t have killed Bralen…..at all?” I knew his name was cleared but there could have been some curse or spell involved as far as I knew.

“Varvur can’t hurt anything; he’s totally unable to raise a hand against any living creature,” Vendrela said in a stern voice. “But something happened just before my father took him as prisoner….”

I waited for Vendrela to continue, hoping she’d trust me enough. I knew her decision balanced on the edge of a blade- she searched my face without saying a word. I pondered over the information I had uncovered so far; Varvur wasn’t the single child of Athyn Sarethi and his red-headed wife, but he was the only child living at home at the moment. I wonder what happened to his sister, and why his brother wasn’t allowed to go home to comfort his parents.

Vendrela finally spoke again, and she told me about her father’s promiscuous life, his affairs with various women, nobles and commoners alike among his loyal kinsmen. She said she normally never spoke about it, even though she knew it was common knowledge among almost all the people of Ald´Ruhn.

“I’m afraid my father and Domesea Sarethi have something going on, and have had for some months now. Athyn doesn’t know, not for sure anyway, and nobody dares to tell him; he’s such a kind and honourable man, it would probably kill him. He is very particular about his family, as you may have understood already.”

I realised that Bolvyn Venim had hurt the Sarethi Family in far more than one way, not only when he had had Varvur as a prisoner, he also had an affair with his mother, Athyn´s wife. I suspected this could have had an impact on Varvur´s mind, if he knew. Vendrela´s story made it obvious to me that he had found out, but how, she didn’t know.

Varvur and Bralen started to hang out with a man called Galtis Guvron, a farmer-boy from just outside the town. He was a nice but weak boy, and he was acquainted to a woman who dominated him completely. Her name was Hanarai Assutlanipal and from what was later revealed, she was a Sixth House Cultist; she even had a shrine in the basement of her house. She had given Galtis some strange items called Ash-statues, which caused mental sickness with those who possessed them. One of those statues was believed to have caused Varvur to kill Bralen, but Vendrela didn’t believe that; she thought that the statue’s evil power had caused Bralen to somehow take his own life. Unfortunately Varvur was found unconscious beside Bralen´s dead body. The man called Trey of High Rock found out about Galtis Guvron´s role in the matter and was forced to kill him and his fiancée and fellow cultist.

“Now they’re all dead, except Varvur, thanks to Trey,” Vendrela smiled. She refilled her glass and mine again. I started to feel a bit dizzy; it had been a long day and I hardly had had anything to eat, so the alcoholic beverage went straight to my head. I leaned back on the bed I was sitting on, and closed my eyes, just for a second…

When I opened my eyes again, the room was dark and I was alone. I found a note on the table saying:

“You fell asleep my dear, so I have gone home. I want to give you some advice though: Keep your eyes and ears open when in Sarethi Manor, but be careful with your words, the walls have ears. You ought to talk to Varvur- he has nobody to confide in anymore and I think he needs that. It might not cure him, but you might find it helpful anyway. Make him trust you. If you need to see me, go to the Market outside the Ald´Ruhn-Temple- I’ll be there with Vindyne to get the weekly supplies, every Loredas morning.
Please destroy this note when you read it

Vendrela”

I burned the note after I’d read it. Could it be as simple as that: Varvur was depressed because his mother had an affair with the Archmaster? I reckoned it was part of the truth only...

It so happened, I was more right than I ever could imagine.