Mephala's Maiden: Black Rose Clan Options

[Black Hand]

Hey guys, this isnt a divergence from the main story I have, but rather, I have been trying out a new type of character on my X-Box, a custom class 'Geisha' after seeing the movie 'Memoirs of a Geisha' Recently, and I gotta tell ya, its a lot of fun. Something different to be sure. It inspired this. Enjoy. (I hope.)


“Who was that lady, Sera?” asked Sayuri, looking at Edryno Arethi, her current matron in House Hlaalu.

“No one, get back too your duties, Retainer.” Edrnyo replied, twirling the Black Rose in her hand, a deathly pale in her face, she had been delivered the death message and was in no mood to speak.

Sayuri, the young Bosmer girl had been adopted by House Hlaalu after her parents had been murdered by a Telvanni Mage whilst in Sadrith Mora, and one of the Merchants traveling in his own ship to trade, took pity on the little crying girl, dropping her off in Balmora, and told Nileno Dorvayn of her plight.

She remembered the tsking of Nileno, and the warmth of her palm as she rubbed her cheek affectionately. She was given clothes and a bed, and place to sleep, and she was put to work, alternately being trained in House Hlaalu’s favored skills, for three years she served mostly as a serving girls, performing menial tasks, and occasionally as a thief, or a decoy. She loved it, as it seemed to coincide naturally with her gods-given talents.

Bratheru Oran, Edryno’s lover took the rose from her hand, and threw it on the ground, smashing it underneath his leather boots. His expression showed that of rage and helplessness. Sayuri would not bring it up again for three weeks, but one day, when Edryno gave her a key to her house, and told her that she would be gone for several weeks, she finally explained, as she had never held anything back from her adopted daughter for long.

“Do you remember that Rose, Sayuri? The black one?” she asked, as Sayuri nodded her head, remembering the vivacious Altmer that had delivered it, dressed in exquisite clothing and wearing Telvanni Bug Musk.

“You’ve been chosen, and are being taken from me, under the pain of death, I cannot refuse. The Black Rose Clan is taking you, and you will serve them. I…I am leaving to speak to them, and perhaps negotiate an alternative. But seldom will they refute a selection.”

“Black Rose Clan? Matron, I don’t understand!” Sayuri said nearly on the brink of tears.

“You know of the Morag Tong? They worship the Great Daedra Mephala, the Dark Matron of Murder, Sex, and Secrets. They are a small faction within the Tong, dedicated to the second part of that. Whereas most assassins are dark, aloof, and grim in nature, a Black Rose, or a Dark Petal, also Thorns or Mephala’s Maidens, rely more on Personality and Agility. As every rose have five petals, so does the Clan. When one ‘wilts’ away as they call it, either killed, or grows to old too become pleasing to men, another must be chosen to take their place. You, because you are born under the Sign of ‘The Lover’ which gives you more agility, and the power to freeze people, will become the newest petal in the Black Rose.”

Sayuri’s eyes tried to no avail to hold back the tears of confusion and frustration. For the second time in her life, she was to lose her family. Edyrno ran her hand through the childs raven dark hair, and embraced her, attempting to comfort the shaking Bosmer.

“I know, I promise everything will be all right…”

[Black Hand]

Sayuri made it to a small port city that she had recognized as Ebonheart. She had been here once or twice before, always on negotiations with the East Empire Company. Dusk was strangling the last vestiges of light in the sky, and she looked around wondering what to do next, as reason washed over her fear, she realized that there was little else that she could do.

She ran as silently as she could to the port, near the Imperial Dragon statue, and she looked around for an opportunity. She saw a Dunmer Shipmaster looking over some records with the Portmaster, and commenting about how he had to go to Sadrith Mora again. She crept as quickly as she could to the ship, and hid in the underdeck.

Sayuri heard a creaking of footsteps, and knew from the powerful thumps, that they were a mans. She soon heard much lighter footsteps, that were graceful, and much more lighter. A woman’s! It was her! She knew it.

“Good Evening, Sera.” Came the muffled but charming tone. Sayuri could tell from the response of the Dunmer, that he had a large smile on his face.

“And a good evening to you! What can I help you with Altmer?”

“Have you seen a little girl? More specifically, a dark haired Bosmer. She is about fifteen or seventeen, wearing a brown robe?”

There was a pause. “No…haven’t seen anyone even fitting that description. And that would stand out, nothing here but deckhands, and fighters guild. Sorry.”

“Its no problem. I thank you very much!” said the voice, and the graceful footsteps faded into the distance, and the usual meandering of the much rougher footsteps of the Shipmaster.

Sayuri pulled her robes around her, and fell asleep between to crates, the creaking of wood against the water, and the splash of the waves lulled her into a fitful, dreamless sleep.

When her eyes finally opened again, she was still in the ship. She felt both the incredible hunger of countless hours, and the excitement in knowing that she had escaped. It was a struggle to rise to her feet, and she became very lightheaded, in the mixture of the conflicting forces.

She crept outside, and carefully opened the deck trap door. Peeking through, she saw nothing, and carefully opened the door, and came up on deck. She was indeed in Sadrith Mora, and judging from the Sun it was eleven a.m. or so. She had slept the entire evening, and most of the morning.

When she looked at the Gateway Inn, the horrible memories of her parents being killed right in front of her by that Telvanni came flooding back, fire and shock engulfed their bodies, while she was she was spared, and given a look of utter arrogance from the mage. Tears welled up in her dark eyes, but she pushed the memory away. It was time to see where she would end up, now that she was on the run.

Entering the Inn, she was callously greeted by a Dunemr in blue robes, that called himself ‘Angarredhel’ and explained that if she wanted to walk abroad in Sadrith Mora, that she must purchase the hospitality papers for twenty-five gold.

Sayuri examined her gold bag, and counted the contents.

“I only have twelve gold pieces, Sera…” she replied meekly.

“Then you may not enter our town. This Inn is as far as you go.” He replied sternly, and dismissed her with a wave.

Sayuri’s eyes became desperate. She couldn’t have gotten this far to be stopped by something as trivial as money. You’re a Hlaalu! Now start acting like one! She scolded herself. Reminding herself to look for the opportunities that are always around, a small chest with a weak lock..a drunk slumped over in the fruits of his binge drinking,..all targets of opportunity.

With a dread chill, she felt a talon-like hand with seemingly supernatural strength grip her arm. With a look of shock on her face, she looked up into the towering form of the Altmer lady, the black rose, with a superficial look of cordiality on her face.

“Ah, there you are, Sayuri! The Shipmaster had said you went on in ahead of me. Angaredhel,..she’s with me, a friends daughter simply insisted that I take her with me the next time I came. Can you believe that she’s never seen Sadrith Mora?”

Angaredhel looked over from his desk, and his demeanor immediately did a one-eighty. “Ah, Errisa! You cruel lass! Depriving me of your presence with your seldom visitations! If I had known you were coming, I wouldn’t be wearing this old frock!”

Errisa’s charming demeanor laid on thick. “Nonsense, Dear! You look fine! But now that we will be staying here for a while in town, I’ll buy the papers for my charge.”

Angaredhel smiled at her. “Errisa! You know me better then that! Of course she will have her papers…free of charge!” he said cordially, looking down at Sayuri, and giving her a smile, and scrathing his pen over the long-winded speech that were the Hospitatlty Papers.

Sayuri was to frightened to say or do anything to the contrary of the subtle commands of Errisa. She was also hesitant to put a name to this dark shadow that had entered her life. But nonetheless, Erissa pulled her upstairs and sat her down at the bar, putting a finger over her ear, she put Sayuris hair back, and gave her a smile that she could actually feel the warmth from. With Angaredhel, it had been fake, an act, with her it was real.

“A horrible man that one, truth is I despise him! But, that’s our nature in the Black Rose. Deception. You’ll learn the art soon enough, dear…but that can wait. In the meantime, you must be starving! Stuck on that ship for the whole night and morning! Lets get you something to eat!”

Sayuri said nothing, but did manage to wolf down three layers of Hound Meat. And felt the apprehension slowly dissipate, as the beautiful Altmer watched her eat, from the corner of her eyes, she saw the exquisite clothing, and desired it. From her nose, she could smell the Telvanni Bug Musk that she wore, and she desired it. Who was this Errisa? And more importantly, how did she find her.

As if reading her mind, Errisa began to talk in low tone as she sipped from a goblet, some wine, in a very elegant fashion, as though she spent weeks learning how to hold the glass just so.

“I was following you from the Canton, of course. I even saw you stow away on that ship in Ebonheart, just to make certain you weren’t seen, and to give you a glimmer of false hope, I pretended to ask the Shipmaster if he had seen you. The rest you know. But you will find that it is very hard to deceive a spider, sweet Sayuri. Though I hope you learn to..”

Sayuri said nothing, but finally managed to look Errisa in her eyes. There was a quiet laughter in those dead eyes.

“Where are we going after this?”

“Nowhere, sweetheart. Sadrith Mora was where I was taking you to begin with. Why do you think I did not pull you off the ship as you slept? You fell into a trap that I never set. I saw the opportunity for you to come here quite willingly, and it would have been much harder to take you here by force, so I let you become your own worst enemy.” She said with the dignified tone of a Speechcraft Master.

Sayuri nearly kicked herself, realizing that this beautiful monster was nothing to be toyed with, yet at the same time, she could not help but feel an innate connection with her. Desiring what she had, wanting the power over men that she displayed.

Seeming to read her mind again, Errisa looked at her and gave a sweet smile. “In due time, my little Black Anther, in due time.”