Athynae Sarethi: The Making of a Princess, Entries from Athynae's childhood journals Options

[Grits]

The mother/daughter dynamic made more complicated by Serene’s position with its accompanying expectations for Athynae is fun to read. I love her father’s instant endorsement of the leather getup that he knew would not be acceptable to her mother. They made a great team against that bandit!

[minque]

Ahahahaha....that was very very amusing! You got milady right on spot! Serene and Athynae really have some good chemistry between each other, they do understand unspoken words and act according to it! Yay ...you're incredible Athynae (the author) in making good intrigues and describing interaction between Athynae ( the daughter) and her Mother!.

So if you please will continue this I would be very happy!

[Athynae]

First of all many apologies to everyone for the delay on part 2 of this one, RL has been both fantastic and horrid the past couple weeks. The great part was a trip to New York City courtesy of a special friend. Just to share a touch of it here's 3 pix I took

https://picasaweb.google.com/10763669033403...feat=directlink

The other RL stuff does not deserve mention other than I am still trying to figure out how the worst and the best can happen simultaneously...lalalalala

On to the best stuff...

Thanks to ALL who are reading, as I have said before I thoroughly enjoy writing this and even as the writer sometimes I am surprised by where it goes. This started out as a simple sort of humorous journal entry that turned into so much more....

@Fawkes- Glad you enjoyed it and it did kind of bother her conscience a little when she found out later that it was permanent. But his band was disbanded and all were sent to labor camps to work off their misdeeds.

@Grits- It is a very complex relationship, the two are so much alike in some ways and worlds apart in others, they never doubt or question their love for each other but they still have to be who they are. And the perfect example of one of the ways they are alike, the bandit didn't have a chance. hehe. As far as the leathers go, well, diplomacy is not Thyna's strong suit, example of worlds apart.

@mALX- The real funny thing is it isn't a ruse....it was the real thing, a bandit attack. I do hope you enjoy where it goes from here.

@McB- She rarely shows any negative internal feelings, it's sort of her twist on the "if you can't say anything nice" quote, thankfully since this is her journal we get to see not only her outward reaction but her mental one as well. Thanks for your loyalty my friend. Hope you like the rest...

@minque- So many things I could say that I have said so many times before, thank you is the best I can do since all I have are words to work with. Laugh with me, knowing that you are enjoying this from a half a world away reminds me how small the world really is.

The next couple of installments will get us from here to there so to speak. This piece starts at the gates of the fort with the bandit they thwarted in tow...

[Athynae]

Mother was walking with the bandit prisoner in front of me and I could hear her talking, but I wasn't paying much attention to the words; I was trying to let my instincts do their job, I was trying to feel my surroundings like Uncle Seth said. Still, there was some thought that this was orchestrated for my benefit because I could sure see Uncle Seth pulling something like this just to see if I really was 'getting it.' But what fool would agree to be assaulted by whatever weapon I had chosen? If this was a test then I really hoped it was worth for the stupid guy that had been talked into it, because Mother wasn't kidding when she told him it was hit or miss whether he would use that arm again. Idiot.

We reached the gate to the fort and were greeted by one of Mother's Guard Captains. Well, he used to be. I don't know why he left Under Skar to come here, but obviously it wasn't anything bad because he smiled when he saw us.

"Arch Mistress, how wonderful to see you. And I see you have your personal body guard with you." He looked toward me and said, "Greetings Captain. Pushed any miscreants off of any platforms lately?" He was one of the new guards that led the charge the day I pushed Athlain off the platform at my 12th birthday celebration. He had teased me relentlessly over that. He thought it was extremely funny. Sometime afterward I had caught a couple of younger kids trying to pilfer baubles from a vendor in the market and he had been the one I had taken them to, and that's when he started calling me "captain."

"No sera. Just flipping darts into bandits' shoulders." I said it like it was something that happened every day.

"Aris, how goes it with the Legion?" Mother asked. But the question was much deeper than 'how are you doing;' there was something going on here for sure.

"Well before we discuss that it looks like we have something else to take care of. Who is this and why do you have his hands tied behind his back?" Aris stepped forward and took the 'prisoner' by the arm and Mother let go.

"He surprised us on the road between Balmora and here. I don't know if his intention was to rob us or just make rude comments about my under-sized bodyguard. Either way he needs to be held responsible, and we need to make sure there isn't a band of them between here and there."

"I will see to it as soon as I get him somewhere secure. I will find you when I am done." And with that he was gone.

"Ok Mother, what was that all about? Why is he going to find you when he is done? There is something going on isn't there?" I was interrogating my Mother like she was suspected of spying, but if I was going to be in the middle of some mysterious espionage game I deserved to know, didn't I?

"Athynae I have no idea what you are talking about. We were close so I decided to come here for a short visit to see how Aris and some of my other friends are doing. And to let you see how the fort operates now that you are old enough to understand." We were walking toward the dining hall and I was getting hungry. Still, her attempt to divert me was less than successful.

"Mother I don't know why you think that will work with me now; it didn't work when I was five." I cut my eyes at her and waited for the response.

"Very well, but it will have to wait until we are in a more private setting." I was a bit shocked by the look on her face; she meant what she said.

"I do have a question about the bandit though. How did Uncle Seth get someone to agree to that? The likelihood that I would throw something sharp means that either he didn't know what he was getting into or he was just stupid." I looked at Mother and stopped talking because she was staring at me in the strangest way. "What's wrong Mother? Did my skin change color or something? Rah was testing stuff before we left." He was always testing something.

"Do you honestly believe anyone would arrange that? As some sort of game or test or something? That would have been too risky even for Sethyas. The slightest possibility that you would be hurt would have been enough; he would never put you in danger." By the time she was done talking she had her hands on my shoulders, probably because the blood had drained out of my face.

Even though I had done everything I was supposed to, I felt like it was some sort of 'training,' something that could have been stopped if something went wrong. The idea that it had been real was stuck somewhere between my brain and my knees, causing my stomach to feel like a den of kwama had moved in, queen and all. "But Mama, he…, and then you…, and I…." I couldn't put the sentences together; all the words were coming out jumbled. I put my head down and took a deep breath. "Ok, but Mama, you were so calm and," I looked around like I would find the right words floating in the air. "You didn't even think when you turned around. As soon as you started talking you were in control of the entire thing. How did you think to say the dart was poisoned? And why did you tell him I was your bodyguard and that I was a Captain? That just made it seem more like a game; I mean he looked like he believed everything you said."

"And why shouldn't he? He has no reason to believe or not to believe; where he is going it makes little difference. It is all part of that instinctual reaction Seth is always talking about. Allowing your mind to have an expanded focus of everything all the time so that you can capitalize on the slightest detail and it has to happen instantly. Sometimes it is almost as if time has stopped while your mind formulates a plan. Some things you practice to improve, some things you are born with or are gifts from the gods, and some things, well, some things you cannot learn any other way except by experience." We had passed the dining hall and were almost to the visitors' quarters.

"I thought we were going to eat?" I was still trying to get all of the pieces of the puzzle to realign in my head. The picture from my original perspective was quite different than what Mother had said. And to top it off we had thwarted his plan as if it really were a game. But what would have happened if something had gone wrong? That thought caused me pause for a moment, as I pushed back the idea that he really did have buddies hiding that he had waved off so Mother would give him the antidote to a poison that didn't exist. I shuddered.

"I'll have something brought to you. I need to speak to your prisoner. I need to speak to Aris as well. You will be ok here until I get back?" She wasn't stating a fact; she was asking me a question.

"Of course. I'm a captain." And I gave her a flamboyant fake smile. "But why can't I go with you?" I wanted to know why we were really here and I didn't want to be alone really, but I would not let her see that. I was not a scaredy rat.

"Please Athynae, I will tell you what is going on when I return. As far as anyone can tell, we are just visiting friends, do you understand? What's more, the fewer people around here that know you are actually my daughter, the better." Was she really going to tell me the whole thing? Probably not, but I did feel like she was going to tell me more than I knew right now.

"Does it matter whether I understand or not?" She had opened a door with a key that I hadn't seen before and ushered me in to a well-furnished suite. The outside looked like the regular barracks but the inside was obviously secret quarters for officers or dignitaries or something like that. The rooms were pleasant, with big fluffy chairs and rugs on the floor.

"It does matter that you understand the need for secrecy and I will explain all of that soon. Right now you need to remain here until I return. There are things that you do not need to know, not because I think you cannot keep it secret but because it could possibly put you in danger until the reasons for our visit here are resolved. Until then, since the story has already been started, you are my bodyguard and you are a captain. No one will question if they see you with your weapons, especially as the story about the bandit spreads." She was using the voice that she used when she did not want me to argue, she just wanted me to accept what she was saying with the promise that she would explain later.

"Are we really in danger Mother? We are at a Legion Fort; won't they protect you?"

"I don't want to make light of this nor do I want to make it more than it is, so we need to be aware of everything around us and not take any chances. This was supposed to be a sort of learning vacation for us, but I did not want it to be like this." Her eyes were getting darker, which meant she was calculating and strategizing to fix something. "I will be back as soon as I can. I will send a tray for you; it should be here in a short time. Do not open the door; anyone that needs to have access to this room will have a key."

"You are locking me in here!?" Now that just wasn't going to work for me; she didn't even lock me in my room when I was little and practicing my escape arts.

"No, of course not. The lock on the inside does not need a key." She kissed my forehead and with her hands holding my face she said "My sweet daughter, this will all be fine but please none of your antics? Ok? Not right now. I love you."

"Ok, no antics I guess…I love you too." I wasn't quite sure what type of antics she expected me to get into at a Legion fort with no friends around. I had a pretty good map of the place in my head, but the first person that saw me would end my exploration; either because I was a stranger to them or they would know me as the Arch Mistress's daughter. She was out the door and I heard the lock click into place.

I looked through the books on the shelf; not many there but the few titles offered better than expected reading material. I pulled a book off the shelf about the history of the Legion and curled up in one of the big cushy chairs to wait for my dinner. Dinner came via one of the kitchen workers that had been here when I had first visited. It was good food, but nothing truly special. I was paying more attention to the reading than the food when Mother returned.

"We cannot stay for the night. I have urgent business I must attend to and time is of the essence. I have sent Thavere a missive that we are enroute. I will only be gone for a day or so, but I must go as soon as possible so I will leave you at the lighthouse." I was very unfamiliar with this particular combination of vocal/facial expressions. Her eyes were dark as if she was mad, but they were also still calculating. I got the feeling someone was going to get a dressing down for being stupid and not a moment was going to be lost to get it done. I sure was happy I wasn't the one on the receiving end of that look; the one I got when I screwed up was bad enough. "Does this have something to do with the idiot on the road?" I asked as she poured herself a glass of juice and ate a piece of the bread that I had left.

"I'm not sure yet. That is one thing I will find out. It does have to do with the conflict between the Houses. Some of the Hlaalu council members are stirring up trouble about trade again. They accuse me of being the reason that deals that have been problem free for ages are now under review. Those accusations and rumors have been attempted before." Mother rolled her eyes and tried to look funny.

"Um, haven't there always been problems between Hlaalu and ALL of the other factions involved in trade? And isn't that because so many of them try to take advantage any way they can?" I didn't mean to sound dense, but it didn't make sense to me.

"Here is where the learning begins I suppose. Diplomacy starts with one's ability to allow negative information to fade into nothing while keeping a close eye on how much real trouble it could be stirring. Anything that needs to be nipped quickly can be. Sometimes it is simple, sometimes it is not, but always it must be handled intelligently. Diplomacy is not just using the correct words, it is the ability to control rumors that could be harmful without anyone knowing where they started or where they stopped."

I got the feeling she was talking in circles so that I would think she was telling me something new, instead of using different words to tell me things she had told me before. She was leaving out the details. "When are we leaving then?"

"I am waiting for a message and then we can leave. Get your things together so we can depart as soon as the message arrives." I had removed my katana, bow and quiver and put them on one of the chairs and I had loosened my boots but that was all, so getting it all together did not take any time. As soon as I tied the straps that held the scabbard in place someone knocked on the door. Mother took the five steps to her staff and picked it up before she said, "Enter". The messenger opened the door, stepped across the threshold and handed Mother a parchment sealed with yellow wax that carried no mark. She broke the seal and read the note before she addressed the young man whose face looked like he had lived far more than he should have at his age. "I will be there as soon as I can. No one is to do anything until everyone has responded and I arrive." She said it as if she was directing one of the manor retainers to dust the drapes.

"Yes Sera, it will be as you say." And just as quickly as he had arrived he was out the door and gone.

"Are you ready to go?" I nodded. "Athynae, I know I do not need to say this, but please continue to practice all that you have learned. I do not want you to be frightened, but I also do not want you to become complacent either. Now you are my captain and must behave as such."

She was uncomfortable, which made me uncomfortable. She didn't want me to see it, so I pretended not to. But I took to heart what she'd said and became a Captain of the Guard. The only way I truly knew to accomplish this was to continue the game I had been playing since I had gotten my first wooden dagger. It was odd to think it was real, so I didn't. I hoped for the same instinctual reaction as I'd had on the road here should anything else go wrong. Thinking of myself as a guard for the Arch Mistress was much easier than trying to fathom that I was protecting my mother from some dark evil that I didn't understand.

[McBadgere]

This started out as a simple sort of humorous journal entry that turned into so much more....

Oh, I know about all them sorts of things... ...

AAaamywho...AMAZING stuff!!...

This is absolutely brilliant...Keep telling ya, you should give her her own story!...

I loved the way you had Athynae think it was probably a set up, and then the terror when she realised that it actually wasn't...Nicely done there...I wonder if she pushed up the "Cool Mom" setting up a few notches at that point?... ...

Oooh, intrigue in the Houses...I've no idea what that means, but damn it sounds cool!...

Loving it!! Looking forward to much more...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds most heartily*...

Oh, and as for this...

Thanks for your loyalty my friend. Hope you like the rest...

Always, to both... ...

[mALX]

GAAAAH! A cliff hanger! What's going on ????? ARGH !!!! Awesome Write !!

[Athynae]

Thanks to everyone who is still reading about Athynae's antics as a child. She gets into almost as much trouble as Denise the Menace. I apologize for the delays between postings, RL is beating me up lately....





Athynae and her mother, Serene, started out on a diplomatic journey and Serene got called away suddenly so she delivered Athynae to her friend Thavere who lives at the lighthouse in Seyda Neen. Thyna was a little less than happy about that and since Thavere didn't know better than to just openly suggest Thyna go exploring, well, no surprise, the little imp wandered a bit too far....



Relas and his cohort were still arguing about taking orders and transporting something and having missed the Arch Mistress. I had heard their voices through the trees; I had yet to work my way to a point where I could see their faces but I was getting there. I wanted to make sure that I was in a spot that would be outside both lines of vision so as I was working my way around I was also listening to the directions their loud voices were coming from.

I KNOW I did not make a sound, but Relas put his hand up right as I peeked through a small opening in the underbrush and looked toward where I was. He didn't see me, well, not until the dog growled behind me. I caught the mutt on the shoulder with my dagger just before I was hit with a spell I was all too familiar with. I really hate the paralyze spell.

The worst part of a paralyze spell is you are totally aware; you can see and hear everything; you just can't move. Prior to this that simply meant that I had to tolerate some sort of ministration from Kausha or Mother… like them putting something on me that I did not want to wear or putting my hair in some wild configuration of curls with ribbons and bows. This time it was a process of being tied with twine before I regained my ability to move.

Being mad was not always a good thing, but in this case I think being mad saved me from doing something stupid or, well, stupider because if I hadn't been so mad I would have been scared and that just would not have worked.

"Well what about this, Evos? I do believe our luck has changed; our trump card came to us. Who are you, girly? And why were you with the Arch Miss take of Redoran?" I raised an eyebrow but otherwise did not react; if he wanted to fuel my anger by saying stupid things like that he was more than welcome. It was well known in close circles that making me mad was NOT a good idea. It really didn't happen often. I mean frustrated sure, agitated of course but all out mad, even I didn't know why I went to the extent that I did when I was mad. What I did think of this time was that I needed to use the anger to my advantage and really be smart about how to handle this.

Mother is going to kill me and after she brings me back Father and Uncle Seth are going to take a turn. Fiddle digits. I hate being stupid.

"Well, answer me girly, who are you?" Evos looked like the lamp was burning but the fuel was low, glancing back and forth between me and Relas.

I still didn't say anything, just rolled my eyes. He called me girly, twice, if I opened my mouth right now it would be to spit on him, so I thought it best to keep my mouth shut.

"You can't be more'n eleven or twelve. What are you doing out here by yerself and why did Her Mighty Highness deliver you to tha lighthouse? What's Thavere got to do with you? And even more important than all that, you orta be scared enough to wet your pants right now silly girl."

Ok, a girl can only keep her mouth shut for so long before it is so full of words they spill out of their own accord, "Let me go and I'll show you how scared I am." The words came out with a venom unequaled by some of the spiders Rah had been milking.

"Oh oh oh , she does talk. This is good Relas, isn't it? It's good, right?" Evos was dancing around like someone had put hot coals in his shoes.

"Shut up!" Relas shoved Evos and he almost fell. "I ain't gonna ask you again who you are and what your relation is to that Serene woman." He had pulled a dagger from a sheath at his waist and put it to my throat.

"Kill me and you have no hold over the Arch Mistress." And I smiled an evil sort of gotcha smile.

"I have no intention of killing you. But that don't mean you won't go home missing something that you might want to keep like an arm or a leg or something."

I could tell by his eyes that he was bluffing, so I was going to just let it be what it was until I could figure out what to do. The most important thing was to keep my mind busy thinking about what to do and not think about what had happened.

"And Mistress Sarethi would see to it that you were missing something you not only want to keep but need to live- like your heart. She'd carve it out herself and probably use it in a potion or something." I was looking him straight in the eye, "Have you ever heard that evil laugh of hers? It would chill the skin off a draugr." And I shivered to emphasize my comment.

Relas picked me up and stood me on my feet. "Come on Evos, we gotta get her somewhere we can keep her hid. Let's take her to that old slavers cave; that should work just fine." He poked my back and I rolled back to the ground.
"Get up. What's wrong with you?" He was a bit peeved, but he'd get over it; he didn't have it in him to hurt me, it was easy to see that. He would do almost anything to scare me, but the only way he would hurt me would be by accident. I had every intention of using that against him. He had no idea what he had gotten himself into.

"I don't want to go to some slaver's cave, if you want me to go, you and your buddy are going to have to carry me."

Slight miscalculation on my part; I didn't think he was strong enough to pick me all the way up, but he was and threw me over his shoulder too.

"So be it missy. I am not losing my ticket to living in the lap of luxury."

He thinks I am his ticket. That's rich. As he walked and I bounced on his shoulder I asked how I was his ticket.

"Well not you exactly but that Arch Miss woman. I got some folks that are willing to pay big money if I bring her to them and since I missed her when she got here I'll just get her when she comes back."

"What makes you think she's coming back?" I was now on an information gathering mission as well as a "get myself free" mission all while I was watching closely so I would know which way to go when I did get free. Now it was getting interesting…. I must not be like everyone else, because this was kinda fun.

"She left you here, and she'll be back for you. You're just a kid."

"Are you sure about that? I mean that she's coming back, or that I am a kid?" He stopped and put me down at the entrance to a cave that had a makeshift door that hadn't been moved in an age.

"You look like a kid, you sound like a kid; therefore, you are a kid. She will be back because Thavere ain't got time to take care of a kid for any length of time."

"Well that makes a lot of sense coming from someone who doesn't know much but it's ok, you'll learn soon enough." I looked as sympathetic as I could, a piteous look if I had ever made one.

"What is that supposed to mean- 'someone who doesn't know much'?" He was offended, poor dummy.

"Obviously you have never heard of Lilliputian elves. I mean there aren't many of us so it is understandable that you would not have learned about us those two years you went to school but you really shouldn't make assumptions until you do know everything."

"What in Oblivion is lilly pukin? I ain't never heard that word before," Evos spoke for the first time since we left the woods outside Seyda Neen.

"It means tiny elves. I am full grown, I have been a grown up since I was the size of what you would consider a four year old. I am as a matter of fact a Captain of the Guard for the Arch Mistress. And our plan to keep her safe worked beautifully, I protected her to the lighthouse then hid her trail as she slipped past you. Now you have me. Or perhaps I have YOU! Funny how that worked out don't you think?" I was holding tight to a blank expression, no smile and no frown and really hoping my eyes were obeying my mental commands. I was hoping it was so far fetched an idea that he would be too stunned to doubt.

It's a hard read to try to turn someone's ignorance into an advantage, little one and the larger the game the harder the landing is going to be at the bottom. You have the ability to hide your feelings very well and that can sometimes be a good thing, but Princess Trouble, it does not guarantee a win. I will not school you in the art of deception. What you attempted today was far from using stealth or skill; it was underhanded and very unlike you.

The words Uncle Seth had spoken were what mattered just now; I did not want to think about what had prompted them. And I didn't like being dishonest, but it seemed to me that right now Uncle Seth would be ok with it. Besides, hadn't Mother and I sort of already started this ruse? I was just taking it to a different level.

Relas was quiet for a long time while Evos fought to remove the cover that was once a door over the cave entrance. "You know if you'd help me I could get this done a lot faster, stead a sittin' there lookin' like yer brain took a hike without you."

"Shut up. I'm trying to think." I almost giggled. All I could think was "Yep. 'Try' is about as far as you'll get."

Evos went back to trying to dismantle a structure that had obviously been made to stay closed. I really hoped there wasn't anything in there we were going to have to run from, but even with my hands tied I had no doubt I'd be ok, cuz I could outrun these two easily and that would be good enough, hopefully.

Finally the wood splintered and Evos squealed and Relas just about jumped out of his skin while I stood propped against a boulder trying to figure out how to make this work to the best advantage to keep them from doing anything stupid to me but even more important to me keeping them from getting to Mother. I already had the twine loose enough I could just slip my hands out and the two less than intelligent kidnappers had not taken my weapons they had just tied me. Actually standing here knowing I could get away very easily and had all of my weapons made the entire scene even more humorous.

"Let's go you." Relas barked at me," I don't have time to mess with you, I got stuff to do."

"You want me to go in there?" I asked, and he knew well I did not think it a grand idea at all.

"Move. I have to get you out of sight, now git!" He had reached and grabbed my arm and was pulling me forward. I almost let him pull my hand free because I wasn't expecting him to be quite so forceful.

"I would appreciate it if you would make sure there isn't anything in there that is going to eat me first, I mean I am at a tremendous disadvantage with my hands tied." I was trying to slow him down without just downright balking.

"Ain't nothing been in there in years. The back of it caved in last time the slavers was run off." Evos threw in his less than 2 pence worth.

"If you don't mind, a bit of light would be good please," I am not afraid of the dark, but I don't like getting the wits scared out of me by things that hide in the dark. I knew a few spells none of which was detect life so I had to count on two less than intelligent beings to assure me it was safe enough. Actually I wasn't concerned since I knew my weapons were at hand and my hands were as well; it made me smile just a little behind their flat heads.








This post has been edited by Athynae: Jun 10 2012, 10:05 PM

[treydog]

Time to spray the Quot-o-Matic (TM Pat. Pending) with WD40. To begin with the beginning of this latest adventure of Vvardenfell's Smallest Guard Captain-

She had decided that it was time for me to gain a better understanding of diplomacy- in other words, how to hold my tongue and not say the first thing that my brain thought.

Whatever ELSE can be said about life with Athynae- it is not dull!

I want to quote the entirety of the breakfast banter between all 3 of the Sarethi clan- but will restrain myself.

OK- this bit from after, I HAVE to quote:

“I appreciate your dedication to the endeavor of being Tamriel’s greatest warrior, but you can take a break every now and again.”

“I could, but where would the fun be in that? Besides, if we don’t leave now we will miss our ride.”

As we exited Balmora on the road to the fort Mother cleared her throat to get my attention, “You do realize that man you had the stare down with was exiting the local gathering place for the Camonna Tong, right?” She looked at me with both eyebrows raised.

Of course- take her to Balmora and the first thing she does is get into a... staring contest with the Camonna Tong.

“No! I did not. Have you been eavesdropping on private conversations, Mother? I get in big trouble for that. I think maybe you should be grounded when we return home so you can think about what you have done.” And I tried to look all parental.

And that caused me to be happy I had set my tea aside beforehand.

And then to follow with what had to be the dumbest wannabe highwayman in all of Tamriel… just perfect.

Athynae’s quick reflexes are second only to Serene’s quick wits- what a team they make!

“Ok Mother, what was that all about? Why is he going to find you when he is done? There is something going on isn’t there?” I was interrogating my Mother like she was suspected of spying, but if I was going to be in the middle of some mysterious espionage game I deserved to know, didn’t I?

Here and throughout, you expertly capture the tension between Athynae's belief in her abilities and in how things "ought to be" versus her mother's wish that things were... different.

The idea that it had been real was stuck somewhere between my brain and my knees, causing my stomach to feel like a den of kwama had moved in, queen and all.

Just love that world-specific bit of imagery.

So I was going to get my chance to show her, show her that I could take care of myself and of her, too. This was going to be something special, I thought. Watch this….

Oh dear.

Ok, a girl can only keep her mouth shut for so long before it is so full of words they spill out of their own accord, “Let me go and I’ll show you how scared I am.” The words came out with venom unequaled by some of the spiders Rah had been milking.

Brilliant again.

“Obviously you have never heard of Lilliputian elves."

“What in Oblivion is lilly pukin? I ain’t never heard that word before,”

And another beverage spewing moment barely averted.

I knew a few spells none of which was detect life so I had to count on two less than intelligent beings to assure me it was safe enough. Actually I wasn’t concerned since I knew my weapons were at hand and my hands were as well; it made me smile just a little behind their flat heads.

And it just gets better and better.

[McBadgere]

Well yeah, of course she's gonna go running into trouble the first chance she gets...

I mean, one minute it's "Yes mother, I will stay safe inside this Legion Fort." and the next, she's being tied up in the woods... ...Insane girl/woman!... ...

Brilliant chapter...Much fun...

Looking forward to the next parts...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds heartily*...

[haute ecole rider]

That whole interaction between Thyna, Relas and Evos nearly ruined my keyboard! Like treydoggie, I had to put my tea to the side!

Loved the whole bit - more insight into what is already a fascinating character from trey's story.

[Black Hand]

LMAO these updates have been quite amusing, and as always a good read!

[Grits]

Oh how fun. They have her tied up and are at her mercy. Quite sensible to be concerned about the cave. After all, it's not the dark that gets you.

[minque]

Just sitting here....shaking my head in wonder...You make Serene just SO magnificent! Just the way I wanted her to become as Arch Mistress! i don't think i can continue writing about her anymore because YOU do it SO much better! And the interactions with Athynae! Brilliant!.

Funny thing i also got caught up with almost the same quotes as treydog! Seems him and I still think in almost the same way!

For now I'm speechless...

Oh and i must apologize for not being around for quite some time..RL you know, not an excuse but maybe an explanation....(and a lousy one as someone would say)

[mALX]

I have to agree with what McB said, "Of course she's going to go running into trouble the first chance she gets!"

Great Write !!!

[Athynae]

Please forgive my extended absence, RL has been a bit of a challenge lately and so I have not been as attentive to Athynae or any of her dear friends here on the forum. Please know that although I have not publicly commented I have been reading and enjoying all of the stories I just needed to be...quiet...for a little while.

McB I could blow a bunch of overly kind verbage up your fur but truth is truth and you have through all of this been an incredibly supportive friend and for that I am beyond grateful...Thank you so much....

minque, BH, mALX, Haute, Grits, AND FOXY!!!!!!!!! Wherever you are!!!!! Thank you for reading, I do hope you haven't lost interest in Thyna's antics in my absence.....

THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH!

*****
Relas and Evos have brought Thyna to an abandoned mine to hold her while they wait for Serene to return even as Thyna continues to attempt to convince them she is a Lilliputian Elf (explains her smaller than normal size) as well as Captain of the Guard for the Arch Mistress of Redoran. Please keep in mind Serene and Athyn Sarethi are her parents and Sethyas Velas has made it his mission to ensure that Athynae- Her Highness the Princess of Trouble is the absolute best at being....whoever or whatever she should decide to be....

Although Relas was frustrated with my behavior, he had Evos make a couple of torches before he forced me in, nice idiot that he was…

I really have to stop thinking like this else I am going to accidentally say something out loud and that will not go well. Great. Now I'm thinking like someone else; when did I care what I said or who I made mad?

Then the thought again crossed my mind that this could all be part of the master plan to make me more, um, diplomatically acceptable. I couldn't imagine Mother just blatantly lying to me about the whole deal but she had been getting more and more disjointed over my less than diplomatic appraisals. Would Father and Uncle Seth do something like this?

I looked up, then. I was so caught up in trying to convince myself that this was all a set up that I hadn't noticed my entrance into the cave nor where I had decided to settle. I was fairly close to the door and both Relas and Evos were toward the back of the cave. Did they want me to make a run for it? Were they trying to see what I would do? Or, the most likely- they really were that dumb and had no idea what in Nirn they were doing. I didn't want to do anything until my strategy was set in my head and I had a solid plan. This was always the most difficult part of any lesson for me, ALWAYS! Patience was not one of my strong suits, and attempting to evaluate every possible scenario before I decided on a course of action always proved distracting. The only reason I was a decent hunter was because I was moving, thinking, strategizing the entire time. Here I was just stuck, pretending my hands were still tied behind my back, knowing that all of my weapons were exactly where they were supposed to be, strapped to my body and I was being guarded by what it was easy to assume were a couple of Bug Stain's cousins.

But what was their deal? Why did they want Mother? Who were they hired to kidnap Mother for? Did it have something to do with the other idiot we had encountered on this trip? Then it hit me. I had read somewhere about natural selection and sometimes genes needed to be eliminated from the gene pool because bad genes were messing up good ones; maybe someone had decided to help out the gods by making sure some of the less fit were exposed to…and that is why I have such a hard time with the whole 'thinking' thing; there are far too many tangents to get diverted by.

"Hey girly, you hungry?" Relas spoke louder than was necessary, and he called me girly…again!

"Relas is it? You have not bothered to ask my name which I wouldn't give you anyway, but calling a female, ESPECIALLY a Lilliputian Elf, 'girly' is a sure way to get yourself into a rather serious situation." I tried to look like my last tutor when he wanted me to think he was upset with my classwork.

"How am I gonna get in a serious situation by anything I say to you since you're all tied up and everything? And I ain't skeered a no girl anyhow, tied up or not. Sides, seems to me if you won't tell me your name then girly is as good as anything." He didn't seem to realize the seriousness of calling me bad names. He could not have been endangering himself much more if he were trying to make me wear something pink. And now that I knew what to expect I could use the block spell that Rah had discovered in an old handwritten mage's volume that he was studying. And once again, I found myself distracted by my thoughts- this time thoughts of my brother.

He was the child that could do EVERYTHING well. No matter what he decided to do, he was better than average at it and, since he was my brother it was definitely a good thing, because the truth of it was if we had been on opposite sides I really don't know which one of us would have been victorious. His academic and scientific endeavors had provided me with many helpful items, spells, formulas, potions, well, lots of things that I would not have had otherwise, like the block for the paralyze spell. I had yet to test it on any other spell but we had spent an exorbitant amount of time testing its effectiveness in every situation, location or verbal extreme we could think of and it had worked every time, which made me very happy.

"You can call me Captain; that should suffice until you can't call me anything anymore." I heard the air as any inference beyond his understanding whooshed over his head.

"Haha, well then, Captain," and he bowed low, "are you hungry?" and he tried to sound royal.

"I am a captain, not a princess; a salute while standing at attention is more appropriate if you must." I never had felt like a princess anyway so…I didn't like it when I was called Her Highness by anyone except Uncle Seth because I was the Princess of Trouble to him and that was perfectly fine to me, far better than being some namby pamby, frilly pink wearing weakling girl whining about her fingernails.

"I don't much care what kind of pretend games you want to play while you're here, Captain but I do expect that when I ask you a question it is only polite to answer."

"Hungry? Was that the question?" He nodded. "What's on the menu?" I asked as flippantly as I could.

"This ain't no restaurant or high falutin' Arch Mistresses dining hall. We got some jerky and a little bit of smoked guar meat that we can make into stew. I think I saw a patch of mushrooms and we might find some tubers or something. So what'll it be?"

"I appreciate the offer but if it's all the same to you I'll just eat what I have in my pack." I tried to retrace our steps and remember where the mushrooms were and what kind they were. If they were the right kind then maybe I would ask for some, but would they know all of the qualities of a particular fungus and what happens if they were mixed with other ingredients? Well, if they were just button tops then I could eat them and no one would be the wiser, but if they were what I thought they were because of the location, then if nothing else I could certainly have some fun with my captors. I might even be able to figure out what they were up to and who put them up to it. "I would like to have some of those mushrooms if you don't mind; they will go nicely with my bread and cheese."

"Evos, fetch the grand Captain here some of them mushrooms. The happier we keep her the less trouble she'll cause." And he shot a look at me that said, "At least that's the hope."

"I have no reason to cause you any trouble. When the time comes for me to do something it won't be any trouble at all." And I smiled the best imitation of a Bree 'smile of innocence' I could manage.

"Good, keep it that way and you might not have to die." He tried to look tough but he didn't have what it took to kill someone; he didn't have that shadow behind his eyes that I had seen my entire life. Father, Mother, Uncle Seth, Uncle Trey, they all had it and I knew why, but I also knew that what they had done was done out of necessity, for survival, the survival of a way of life, of a race- and as far as I was concerned that was all the justification I needed.

"Could you please untie my hands so I can get to my pack, and reach my rations?" I didn't think he would but it was worth asking regardless of the answer. "I already told you I wasn't going to cause you any trouble."

"You promise?" And he squinted at me like he was trying to figure my intentions.

"On the honor of my station as Captain." And I pulled myself up as straight as I could and still maintain the ruse that I was tied tight.

"All right, fine. Me and Evos can handle you tied or not so I don't see the harm in it."

"Good," I said as I shook the ropes free before he could get to me. "That was beginning to wear on me just a little." I moved to a place that the wall was a bit smoother and sat, drawing my pack to me and pulling out the food I had brought. Evos returned and tossed a pouch at me. Relas never even reacted to my shucking of the ropes. I reached in and was happy to discover I was correct; the variety of mushrooms was innocuous the vast majority of the time, but mixed with a bit of 'Bane they produced mild hallucinations accompanied by bouts of extreme happiness- giggle fits if you will. Once again- Thank you Rah.

Now the mental ball was rolling; while I prepared the mushrooms, using their cooking utensils, I planned. First I had to get my own serving that wasn't tainted by the 'Bane without them noticing, but I also had to make them think the 'treat' was so good that they couldn't pass it up. A touch of Cook's special secret seasoning that made everything smell like it had been sent from the gods and taste almost that good was exactly what I needed. Thankfully I had my tiny wooden spice box.

It could not have worked better if they were actors in a play. I munched on bread and cheese as I waited for the inevitable.

"….and she said. Bahahaha. She said 'the midwife slapped ME when you was born!'" and they both guffawed. I had not been paying attention to what had prompted this statement; I didn't know if Relas was talking about his mama and him or someone else, but it wasn't a stretch to think…

"Least you knowed yer mama. Heck, mine dropped me at the gates of Balmora with a note that said, 'I ain't no mama.'

" I felt tears well unbidden even as they laughed harder. Suddenly I didn't want to hear anymore; it was time to get on with it.

"Hey boys, whatcha talking about?" Hahahahaha

"Our mamas, worthless biddies that they was. How bout yers, Capt?" HAHA "Capt? You ain't really a captain are ya? Youze just pullin our legs weren't ya?"

"Nope, honest to goodness, I am a Captain of the Guard for the Arch Mistress of Redoran House." I shrugged my shoulders and giggled.

"She sure did make them Cammona Tong people mad. I'd a thought she was smarter than that, but I guess not."

"How'd she make 'em mad you reckon?" I had decided talking like them might help, I don't know why, but making fun of them made it easier to laugh at the seriousness of what was going on.

"I ain't quite sure; has something to do with the Hlaalu and trade and writs or somethin. And she's protected somehow by some edict or somethin' so they can't just kill her."

I felt like Uncle Seth had drop kicked me into a marble slab. Trying to breath, I asked, "So what are you two sposed to do with her? If you can't kill her I mean, what's left?" I felt queasy just saying it but… onward…

"We's just sposed to kidnap her and hold her til they come tell us what to do. I figure they just want to hold her til they can get her to change the trade laws so the Hlaalu can go back to bein the underhanded scum they are."

"So, she made a good law that sorta keeps em from scamming everybody, even their own, but you are working with them so they can go back to bein underhanded scum?" At this I laughed; the irony was just way too funny.

Evos finally decided to add his thoughts, "Well Capt, a job's a job and we ain't had much luck getting work here lately, so when the councilman came to see us at the pub we was down to our last coin. Seemed like the thing to do, make some money, have some fun with the hoity toity harlot." He laughed at his funny, and Relas laughed too, but I felt like I was going to take off like one of Rah's experimental explosive devices.

You came up with this plan, this was your bright idea, it's too late to turn back now. Either keep gathering the information that they are giving up FREELY or tuck your head between your knees and let whatever happens happen. Are you a warrior or are you something else? Get a grip, Thyna, set up or no, you have to win, you always have to win.




This post has been edited by Athynae: Aug 14 2012, 04:33 AM

[McBadgere]

*Does dance of joy!!*...

Oh yeah, oh yeah... ...

Right, second paragraph of the story and I'm laughing already?...Seriously, I detest real life when it gets in the way of everything...Grrr... ...

This was absolutely amazing stuff...

I absolutely loved the way Thyna worked out the plan to get them to spill the beans...

I loved the way she credited all that she did to Rah as well...That's sweet that is...

It's just incredible writing...Amazing stuff!!...

McB I could blow a bunch of overly kind verbage up your fur but truth is truth and you have through all of this been an incredibly supportive friend and for that I am beyond grateful...Thank you so much....

Pshaw... ...

*Slaps wrist*...That's for making us wait... ...

Loved it!...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds most heartily*...

[Black Hand]

I'm never far. I usually lurk in the shadows as its my nature, and I my trusty computer decided to take a massive crash on me, so were standing by for a new one.

As for this 'little' update...the plot thickens!?

[haute ecole rider]

Oooh, I can't wait to see what happens when Thyna sics that mushroom/'Bane combination on them! Giggle fits, indeed! Wonder if it works like truth serum? Hmmm, the possibilities are making my mind go off on another - um - tangent!

[Grits]

He tried to look tough but he didn't have what it took to kill someone; he didn't have that shadow behind his eyes that I had seen my entire life.

I like this a lot. Also the paranoid thoughts that this whole thing might be some kind of test. Thyna was not raised to blubber in the corner, she was raised to do exactly what she’s doing to these two idiots.

Great to read some more Thyna!!

[minque]

Oiiiaaa! Alchemic potions huh? Or simply enhanced cooking..hehehe....most excellent Thyna my dear..MOST excellent. I also see my sweet Rahvin as maybe becoming a great magician..OR chef? Thyna ..now keep your head calm and be focused...YOU CAN DO THIS! You're the daughter of Serene...oh my...ME LIKE!

I WANT MORE!

Oh and FYI MY son has arranged so I WILL BE ABLE TO PLAY MORROWIND again! haven't played for...ehum 7 years..YOU guys just IMAGINE!