Jerric's Story, A Nord's Adventures in Cyrodiil Options

[Grits]

Folks, there was another delay. I thank you for your patience.

King Coin: Thank you, KC! The fireside scene showed my favorite side of Darnand. Thank you for drawing attention to it, and for appreciating him!

Acadian: I thought of you with a smile when I wrote about Lildereth’s under the radar approaches. Three stones! That one skipped right by me. Thank you for noting Jerric’s giant step with Darnand’s quiet assistance. I appreciate your encouraging words so much.

McBadgere: I’m glad that Jerric’s awkward attempt to dispel the awkwardness rang true. That part was painful to write! The fireside scene is the one I was squeaking delightedly about when Julianos found Darnand’s book in KotNNK. I’m still grinning like a fool over that!! Thank you, McB!

SubRosa: Jerric’s full “Imga balls” remark did not make the edit, so I’m glad it was still crude enough to express his message. Lildereth and Darnand is a pairing that they didn’t see coming! They’re not ready to pick out china just yet. Thank you, SubRosa!

ghastley: “Well, we would have been back hours ago, but she’s a perfectionist.” Poor Darnand missed out on Juliana’s tender care, but that’s probably for the best since Gweden holds bad memories for him. That little Ayleid hole in the ground with only three stones was a Grits invention. Thank you, ghastley!

Olen: Your comments are so very encouraging! The things that you are wondering about Lildereth are the same questions that the fellows have about her. Whew! One of the many things I admire about your writing is your restraint in the information that you offer about characters. Trying not to info-dump makes me wonder if I’m getting Lildereth’s character across, especially when she does things that are surprising. Thank you so much!

mALX: Yes, Fjirsten was eight when she died at Kvatch, the same age as Carmia’s daughter Lavina (the little girl from Gnoll’s Meeting Camp). Good grief you’re right, Darnand managed to hook up with one of the few people who could not compare him to Jerric! Oh, except for that time they all went swimming in Aravi’s Oblivion video thread. About that, Darnand would like to point out that the water was very cold and he does not have frost resistance. Thank you, mALX!


Where we are: On the Black Road to Chorrol. Lildereth took off with Ulfe, saying she would find them on the road. Jerric and Darnand managed to avoid talking about Darnand and Lildereth. Darnand took on the project of writing down Jerric’s memories.



Chapter 15: Chorrol, Part Two


Jerric and Darnand turned onto Troll Rock Lane at the same easy pace they had kept up since lunch. The weather had been fine and traffic light for days along the Black Road. Now they would reach the Odiils’ farm with daylight to spare. Jerric planned for them to spend the night with the Odiils, then head on to Weynon Priory in the morning. They should reach Chorrol tomorrow night. There was no need to push the horses.

“It’ll be a cold wash outdoors again, I’m afraid,” Jerric said, “but we can count on a hot meal. These Imperials will feed us like kings. Plenty of deer come to eat their crops. They have venison on the table most nights, I’d wager. No ale or wine, though. Odiil does his drinking in town. Never did ask why.”

“I will not miss setting up camp tonight,” said Darnand. “Or standing watch. I suppose we have that Oblivion Gate to thank for the empty road. However, I maintain that what ruffians remain will be all the more desperate as a result of their recent shortage.”

“Yeah. And even with the Gate closed, there could still be daedra about. The time you let down your guard is when enemies attack. We’ll sleep hard behind solid walls tonight, though we’ll be unnecessarily sober. These boys are good company, but what I wouldn’t give for a hot bath, a pitcher of mead, and a woman who can breathe under water.” Jerric slapped his thigh, earning an ear flick from Kip. “Hey! The Jewel of the Rumare! I can’t believe I didn’t think of that before!”

Darnand did not reply on that subject. “Though I am relieved that the Oblivion Gate closed on its own before we arrived, I am unsettled by the implications. Had we reached it only hours earlier, you would certainly have entered and been trapped in the Deadlands. To what purpose was it opened?”

“I don’t know, Darnand.”

His friend glanced over with the hint of a smile. “Of course you do not. I apologize for voicing the question yet again. I cannot purge this mystery from my mind.”

Darnand was right; Jerric had missed being stranded in the Deadlands by some unknown grace or sheer luck. Letting his thoughts drift backward would not help him. Still, his friend kept picking at the puzzle like a nearly healed knuckle scab. Jerric scratched his head to help himself think.

“Well, maybe they were moving from one place to another on this side. I went through a Gate in a high meadow west of here, when I was wandering, and there was a second Gate open in the Deadlands. I could see it as soon as I got there. No way could it have led back to County Chorrol, I would have seen it in the meadow. Maybe it didn’t even go to Cyrodiil. So if they wanted to move from, say, here to Black Marsh, a short trip through the Deadlands would be the quickest way.”

Darnand was staring at him.

Jerric felt a little embarrassed. “That’s probably not what they did. Forget I said it. Never mind.”

“On the contrary, your idea is plausible. Creating a sigil stone requires many souls and the effort of Mehrunes Dagon himself. However if my sources are correct, the Gates can be opened with a fairly simple ritual once the sigil stone is acquired.” He held up his palm in a warding gesture. “You need not admonish me. I have no desire to test that theory.”

“Yeah,” said Jerric. “And maybe they closed the Gate when their work was done. Whatever it was. To save the stone.”

Troll Rock Lane had been in very light use the last time Jerric had travelled it, but now it seemed deserted. The blanket of decaying leaves on the road muffled the horses’ footsteps. When the Odiils’ cottage came into view, Jerric signaled a halt.

“What is it?” Darnand sounded more curious than alarmed.

“I don’t know. Let’s just watch for a moment.” He pulled off a gauntlet and slipped on his life detection ring. A swirl of magicka betrayed Darnand’s hasty spell. A quiet cast required more effort, and they were in full view already. Jerric began to voice his concerns.

“No smoke from the chimney. Storm litter in the front garden. Someone should have picked up those branches.” Another swirl told Jerric that Darnand was extending the range of his spell. “I can see corn stalks in the upper field. They should have winter crops in by now. Onions. Cabbages. Maybe some leeks. Not corn.” Now he was just stalling. “The door is boarded up. They’re not here, Darnand.”

His friend gave him a look. “There are no life signs.”

Jerric nodded. “Let’s go see.”

The barn door was boarded over as well. Summer crops had rotted in the fields. After he made his investigations, Jerric joined Darnand and the horses where they waited by the well.

“I can’t tell what happened,” said Jerric. His gut felt sick with worry. “Goblins, daedra, or maybe they just moved after a break-in. You know, some fetchers out marauding.”

“If they were attacked by daedra, I would expect to see signs of a fire.”

“Yeah,” said Jerric. “You’re right. Plus they’ve been gone since not long after I was here. Never even got their harvest in. That Gate opened just a week ago.” He reached one arm under Flash’s neck and the other under Kip’s for comfort. “When I was here before, I helped them kill some goblins. If the goblins’ tribe came around looking… Well, they offered me their best sword, and I took it. Chillrend. Couldn’t even hang onto it, I told you how I lost it in the lava. Dammit!” He looked up at the sky.

“Shall I say it? I do not believe that the words will help.”

“No, but thanks. Look, we should fill up our waterskins if the well hasn’t been fouled. Camp out at the Black Road. We won’t make the priory by dark, and I’d rather not sleep here. The elf might be looking for us.”

“I have replenished our water supply. We still have travel rations. I suggest we break camp early in the morning and plan to spend additional time at the priory. Perhaps the monks will have news of the Odiils. We should take the opportunity to refresh ourselves there, so that in Chorrol we might present a less travel-worn appearance.”

Jerric smiled to himself. “Did you just call me scruffy?”

“Unkempt,” said Darnand. “Bedraggled.”

Jerric swung up into his saddle. “I’ll take the first watch.”

They made camp near the road. After they saw to the horses, Jerric set up the tent while Darnand gathered firewood. The sky looked like it would stay clear, but the Breton seemed to rest easier under shelter. It made no difference to Jerric. He slept with his head by the door so he could see the stars.

Jerric shook his head no when Darnand started to assemble his writing materials. Tonight it would be unwise to think about his family. He felt as if he was on unsteady footing, trying to avoid too many things while reaching for something he couldn’t see. This close to Chorrol even thoughts of Abiene brought tension. Darnand retrieved a book and withdrew to the tent. It was his habit to read in the dark with his nighteye spell. Only one book, thought Jerric. He must really be tired.

Jerric relieved himself into the bushes and prepared to stand his watch. The low fire should keep animals away, but it surrounded the camp with a wall of darkness. He moved into the shelter of a tree and slipped on his life detection ring.

The vibrant glows of the horses leaped into his mind, then the low shape of Darnand, already sleeping. Practice helped him dim their lights so that they wouldn’t blind him. In a few moments he could see small life forms through the misty shapes of the horses. He kept himself alert by identifying them as they moved about their foreign business. As the hours passed, he counted foxes, bats, deer, night birds, and even treerats asleep in their nests above him.

One life sign caught his immediate and full attention as it moved into the range of his life detection ring. A Bosmer or small human, making no sound over the night’s noises. It gave the signal for a peaceful approach, and Jerric returned it. He slipped off his ring and moved to meet Lildereth as she entered the camp. Her packs and bow went softly to the ground. She turned to face him.

“Where’s Ulfe?” Jerric asked.

“Rolling in a deer carcass. I’m sure we’ll smell her before we see her.” Lildereth stepped into the light.

She looked as clean and composed as she ever did, apart from the tears gathering on her lashes. Jerric’s stomach dropped. Weeping females were high on his list of things to avoid. He knew that a hard word would spark Lildereth’s temper, but if she wanted a fight she would already have provoked one. His compassion was likely to let loose the flood. She could have had her cry somewhere alone in the dark. Yet here she was.

Jerric took a deep breath.

“So a Nord and an Altmer are pissing out the back of a mead tent.”

Lildereth blinked several times, rapidly. Jerric pretended not to notice.

“The Altmer, perhaps curious about Nords, happens to see a tattoo on his…” Jerric grabbed his crotch.

“Member,” Lildereth suggested.

“Yeah. It’s a bunch of letters that spell out Welinome. Now that’s a word that the Altmer knows very well. In fact, he has the same tattoo. Of course at that point it looks like there could be more to the Nord’s. The Altmer just has to know. ‘Good son of Skyrim,’ he says to the Nord, ‘My dear wife, light of my soul, is named Welinome. Centuries ago I showed her my devotion with this tattoo. Now I cannot help but notice her name upon your…’”

Lildereth rolled her eyes.

“‘Member,’” Jerric continued. “‘My friend, is it possible that your wife is named Welinome, too?’

“‘No, Goldenrod,’ says the Nord. ‘Mine says Welcome to Solstheim, now go the fetch home.’”

Lildereth snorted. “When I heard this story, the fellow was a Redguard.”

“A Redguard married to a woman named Welinome? That seems unlikely.”

Ulfe crashed in amongst them, wild and reeking from her romp with the dead deer. It took a spell from the elf and a knee from Jerric to keep her out of the fire. Darnand poked a tousled head out of the tent and blinked owlishly while they were struggling. “The girls are back,” said Jerric. “Hide.”

Once they got the hound settled, Jerric began to wonder if Lildereth would crawl in with Darnand. Then he wondered if they would be noisy, or worse, if they would try to be quiet. She didn’t make a move toward the tent. Jerric felt relieved until he realized that he was staring.

“I’ll finish your watch,” Lildereth told him. “I won’t sleep for hours anyway. I chewed too many fennel seeds trying to stay awake on the way here.”

Jerric wasted no time getting out of his clothes and into his bedroll. He looked up at her before he pulled the furs over his head. “Are you ever going to tell me?”

“Some day.” She had seated herself with her back to the fire. “Not tonight.”

“Whatever it is, maybe you don’t have to go through it alone.”

Lildereth had her face turned to the side, but he could still see her crooked smile. “I’m not,” she said.




.

This post has been edited by Grits: May 11 2012, 11:08 AM

[SubRosa]

though we’ll be unnecessarily sober
Talk about sacrifices!

The vanishing Oblivion Gate is an intriguing mystery. I wonder if it means that someone from the Mythic Dawn is moving from Chorrol to someplace else?

Now a second mystery concerning the Odill farm? Hmm, what on Nirn is going on in County Chorrol?

Weeping females were high on his list of things to avoid.
A trait I believe all men share, for good reason.

Yet a third mystery, with the near weepy Lildreth. You certainly know how to keep us guessing! Through it all though, you have shown us what a tightly-knit trio Jerric, Darnit, and Lildreth have become.

[King Coin]

What? The gate closed on its own? I’ve never heard of such a thing. And Jerric getting stranded there… Ugh. I don’t want to imagine what that would be like. A rare moment of brilliance from Jerric I see.

Odiils are gone? So much for a good bed then.

Lildereth!!

As SubRosa said, more mystery. I wonder what it is? I’m happy that they are staying together though. They’ve all really grown close.

[Acadian]

The Oblivion Gate closing before they arrived means one of two things: Either someone else closed it and left the area or it somehow closed on its own. Although Jerric’s theory is intriguing, I would tend to think the former unless I had actually seen it close with no sigil stone-bearing adventurer emerging. I’m quite sure I’m mistaken but, nevertheless, I have visions of Lildereth closing that gate; I have no doubt she is capable of doing so then melting right back into the forest. I wonder if her pack is buzzing?

‘The blanket of decaying leaves on the road muffled the horses’ footsteps.’
This was just a perfect touch of detail to remind us of the scene, season and even sounds of their surroundings.

And another mystery as it seems the Odils have abandoned their farm.

So the homely nurse says to the attractive one, “Did you know the patient in bed number four has the word ‘Swan’ tattooed on his. . . member?”
“Nah,” replies the attractive nurse. “It says Saskatchewan.”
Seriously, sometimes Jerric is brilliant. His idea to opt for a joke instead of attempting to either question or comfort directly was wise indeed. Lildereth is a perfect (and deliciously frustrating) blend of wonder and mystery. These four (okay, I’m including Ulfe) are wonderfully compelling and endearing characters. For a change, Ulfe smells worse than Jerric!

I’m delighted to read wherever you take me, but I’m sort of hoping for an appearance in Chorrol by Abiene?

Nit? ‘It made no different to Jerric.’
Although I suppose you could have intended some literary license, did you perhaps mean ‘difference’?

[mALX]

I always love to hear Jerric and Darnand muse on the way things work, their discussion on the Oblivion gates was a perfect example.

Poor Lildereth! I wonder what had her so upset? But she came to her friends in her grief, even though she had to drug herself on Fennel seeds to get there, lol.

Jerric's trauma over whether she and Darnand would sleep together had me laughing - how many times did he sleep with women in Darnand's hearing? ROFL !!

Very touching ending to the chapter (minus Ulfe rolling in dead deer, ROFL), but leaves me wondering why Lildereth was crying

Awesome Write !!

[haute ecole rider]

As for the mystery of the closed Oblivion Gate, I have to agree with Acadian here.

Ingame, the only Gates that closed were the ones I closed myself as the PC; none 'mysteriously' closed without any input from me. Ergo these Gates must be deliberately closed by someone on the 'outside,' i.e. Nirn.

In fiction, of course, we can write anything we want, including spontaneously closing Gates. But as that would be inconsistent with the logic of Mehrunes Dagon and his cohorts, such would clash with the TES setting of the story.

In science, we have a saying - the simplest hypothesis in explaining the most confounding events is often the true one. Therefore I side with Acadian - some other character, seen or as yet unseen, closed the Gate here. Surely Jerric can't be thinking the's the only one who can close Gates! Could he be that egoistical?

[SubRosa]

In science, we have a saying - the simplest hypothesis in explaining the most confounding events is often the true one.

I believe they call that Occamnor's Razor in Tamriel...

[haute ecole rider]

And the Steelyard on Arbre. (okay, I'm currently reading this.

[haute ecole rider]

EDIT: double post!

This post has been edited by haute ecole rider: May 11 2012, 06:21 PM

[McBadgere]

Don't wish to get into this old chestnut here, but...

In fiction, of course, we can write anything we want, including spontaneously closing Gates. But as that would be inconsistent with the logic of Mehrunes Dagon and his cohorts, such would clash with the TES setting of the story.

Which is, in itself, a fiction... ...

Depends which laws (or lores) the Jerricverse hold dear... ...

Aaamywho...Loved it...

Dunno if I was misinterpreting things...But did the pair (Jezza and Darnand now) seem...Slightly distant?...As if the thing with Lildreth had driven a wedge between them?...Could be just my reading of it though... ...

Absolutely loved it...

Shockingly enough, I'm totally okay with whatever you do with gates, lorefully or otherwise...I loved the idea of opening them simply to get from one place to another...Makes sense to me...But then again, it would wouldn't it?... ...

Poor old Chillrend... ...Hadn't gotten to that bit yet...*Robert is sad*...

Loved the reappearance of Lildreth and Ulfe...Love that dog...

Love this story!!...So much...One of these days I'm so gonna be able to read the rest of it... ...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds heartily*...

[Olen]

Wow there was a lot in that piece.

So someone else is closing gates, whether thats the Mythic Dawn to relocate them or another character? Who knows, though I do wonder whether Lildreth might have been involved, and whether it might be connected to her upset.

And the Odiil's are gone. If the door is boarded up someone must have done it though, perhaps we'll meet them in Chorrol. More mysteries.

Then Lildreth. Again the character interactions are spot on, we haven't really seen how Darnard will react, and I suspect whether things are awkward or not will depend mainly on him. I do wonder what has her upset though. Most intreguing...

Great part, and plenty hooks to keep me interested (as if that was needed), more? Please?

[Grits]

SubRosa: I’m glad that Mythic Dawn activity seems like a plausible explanation for the Gate mystery. The game gives us a few maniacs jumping on the PC’s sword, but I think there must be a lot more going on that the player just doesn’t see. Three is a fun number to work with, as any two left alone often can’t resist talking about the third. Thank you, SubRosa!

King Coin: The horror of getting stranded was what I wanted to emphasize, I’m glad you pointed it out. Now he has risks to weigh before he jumps through another Gate, rather than giving in to blind impulse. Thank you, KC!

Acadian: Indeed, someone closed the Gate and just wasn’t seen. I’m delighted that you thought of Lildereth, as she is both capable and under enough stress to take that kind of risk. Her quest will come to light eventually, I promise. We will also soon rejoin Abiene’s company. She has been pacing and fretting lately, as my drawn-out posting schedule has made me skip her interludes. Thank you for appreciating how Jerric really got it right with Lildereth this time. Thank you also for your eagle eye. I corrected that nit.

mALX: I’m glad you enjoyed Jerric’s discomfort as he anticipated his friends getting it on without him. As you said, he is usually the offender in these situations, so he deserves every second of cringing! You are exactly right about Lildereth, she pushed herself until she found them. Thank you, mALX!

haute ecole rider: Yep, some mortal’s hands closed that Gate. In the game, Random Oblivion Worlds 5 and 6 both have two Gates. When the PC enters one and takes the stone, the game only closes the Gate that the PC entered most recently, leaving the other Gate open to a different world if you re-enter it from the Cyrodiil side. That sounds like a mistake to me. So in Jerric’s World, taking the sigil stone closes both Gates. One Gate would close leaving a sweaty adventurer clutching a sigil stone in its ruins (or a Mythic Dawn agent clutching a mysteriously humming satchel), and the other would simply close. The point was what you said: unlike the game, Jerric is not the single player in the story. Thank you, haute!

McBadgere: You spotted the Lildereth wedge between the fellows, slight but definitely there. You know that Jerric won’t be able to leave it there much longer! Thank you for your support, McB! Your TES Knights-verse is such a huge inspiration, it’s made me think of things in very different ways than when I started this story. So many possibilities!

Olen: Exactly, someone closed the Gate and someone also boarded up the Odiils’ doors, so the answers are out there. The Jerric and Lildereth part gave me fits this time. Eventually I realized that I had present-day Jerric and future Lildereth in the same scene. The whole story is happening in my head all at the same time. I need some help from Akatosh! The reaction from Darnand that you have been anticipating is coming up next. Thank you, Olen!


Where we are: Camped out by the Black Road south of Weynon Priory. Jerric and Darnand discovered that the Odiil family was missing, probably after some violence. Lildereth and Ulfe rejoined the men. This is a short part, but at least it didn’t take me three weeks to post it this time.




Chapter 15: Chorrol, Part Three


Jerric woke gagging on a stench that was not his own.

“Argh!” he choked. “Ulfe!” He elbow-crawled out from under her and staggered to his feet. “Breton!”

Darnand looked up from where he was crouched over the packs. “Good morning.”

“Yeah.” Jerric blinked around at the misty dawn.

“I have balanced these for your approval. The rest of the kahve is for you. We are finished with the fire.”

Jerric picked up the kahve pot before he drowned the last embers. Darnand got busy shifting Jerric’s gear out of the tent, stepping over the sprawling Ulfe.

“Where’s the elf?” asked Jerric. Their tankards and wooden bowls were nowhere in sight, but a short stack of travel biscuits perched on a stump. He drank kahve directly from the pot as he picked up his breakfast.

“I estimate that she left nearly an hour ago. We are instructed to look after the dog. Lildereth intends to join us in Chorrol.” Darnand straightened and pushed the hair out of his eyes.

Ulfe had rolled over onto her back sticking halfway out of the tent. At Darnand’s words, she contorted her head into an upside-down version of her pricked-ears expression.

“Ulfe,” Jerric called, “come on. Papa’s working.”

The hound lurched to her feet and stretched from tongue to tail. Jerric dunked a rock-hard biscuit into the kahve pot. He watched Darnand pack up the tent while he tried to swallow it. They would need to set the tent back up outside the guild hall in Chorrol so it could dry in the sun. His bedroll could also use airing.

“You have a bard’s haircut,” Jerric observed.

Darnand tossed his head so that he could shoot Jerric a look with his unobstructed eye.

Jerric took that as encouragement. “You should have cut it short or let it grow long enough to tie back. Now it just gets in the way when you’re casting.” He dunked another biscuit. “I guess Imperial City barbers don’t think about these things.”

“I did not think of it,” said Darnand. “I was concerned with making a good appearance in Chorrol.” His fingers went to the back of his neck.

“The trouble with short hair is that you have to keep cutting it,” said Jerric.

Ulfe trotted over, bright-eyed and grinning. With his hands full, Jerric did a hopping dance on the cold leaves to keep her nose away from him.

“I struggle to imagine you with long hair,” Darnand said.

“Oh yeah, I was vain about it. Until I cut it for a prank. Another guard on my route was worried about going bald. His hair was about this same yellow. Anyway I cut mine off and saved it. A couple of weeks later I started dropping some on his bedroll every night after he fell asleep. Just a few strands at first, then a little more each night until he noticed. One of the drivers caught on and opened a book on when he’d snap. When he did, it was ugly. I felt bad enough to let him give me half a beating before I knocked him out.” Jerric shook his head. “Those were happy days.”

Ulfe had ceased her attempts to nose Jerric and now sat gazing up at him. Her eyes flicked between his face and his breakfast. Jerric held out the last biscuit. She took it gingerly in her front teeth, then dropped it as if he had given her a hot coal. Her face took on an expression of deep reproach.

“Short rations, girl,” Jerric told her. “Anyway, you still have deer breath. I’m sure you’re not half as hungry as I am.”

“Our early start will soon elude us,” said Darnand. He nodded toward Jerric’s pack.

“I guess Lildereth didn’t sleep much.” Jerric walked over and shook out his leggings. “Did you two—”

“Couple in the dirt while you slept?” Darnand snapped. “No, we did not.”

“—talk about what was upsetting her?” Jerric finished, eyebrows climbing.

Darnand pressed his fingers against his eyelids. “Forgive me. I am out of sorts.”

“Yeah.” Jerric stepped onto a flat stone while he dressed to keep wet leaves out of his clothing. Darnand would talk when he was ready. He kept his silence until Jerric was buckling his greaves.

“As you know, Chorrol was my home,” Darnand began.

Jerric shrugged into his leather cuirass. He gave an encouraging nod.

Darnand appeared to gather himself. “After my parents were killed, I went through a time when I was… uncivil. Teekeeus took me in when I would have been on the street. He gave me work at the guild hall and a pallet in the basement. All strictly by the book, of course. Every night I locked myself in the summoning chamber and practiced until I was empty. The day I turned eighteen, I joined the guild and moved up to the common quarters. That was the first day of this part of my life.” He met Jerric’s eyes.

“And you think the whole city is still judging you,” Jerric guessed. “You must have really been uncivil.”

“I was wronged and grieving. It may come as a surprise to you, but I have never had a wealth of friends, though I am still well-connected through my family’s name. I suppose I wish to reflect well upon Teekeeus in my father’s absence.”

Jerric watched him for a moment. “You didn’t cut your hair to impress an Argonian.”

“No. And my recent folly compounds an existing one.” Darnand looked miserable.

Jerric eventually guessed his meaning. “There’s a woman! The someone special you were guarding your loins for.” He controlled his urge to jump on the Breton and shake the details out of him.

“Indeed,” said Darnand, sighing with relief as if he had just made some confession. “And I thank you.” He headed toward the horses, Ulfe trotting by his side.

Jerric’s curiosity threatened to overwhelm his last shred of respect for Darnand’s privacy. I’ll get it out of him eventually, Jerric thought.

“For what?” he called after Darnand. “Let’s get going. Gods, you’re a talker. We’ve nearly spent the morning.”

[haute ecole rider]

Lildereth remains a mystery, as she should. I find her one of the most fascinating characters out there.

Darnand with a bard's cut? I'm trying to picture that!

Jerric is his usual male boisterous self. I loved this description of his morning ritual:

Jerric picked up the kahve pot before he drowned the last embers.

That about sums the man up!

Ulfe is her usual charming doggy self. I could smell her all the way here! Yikes! She needs to be aired out along with the tent and Jerric's bedroll when they get to Chorrol, if you ask me!

[mALX]

*

Ulfe's antics were perfectly written to bring visuals to anyone who has ever had a dog - including the "after rolling in dead animal" extra loving they always want to "share" with their special people - LOVED that part !!

Darnand's idea of how to give a detailed confession and Jerric's inner vision of shaking details out of him had me rolling!

Now I hope Darnand's special someone wasn't Abiene, ROFL !!! AWESOME WRITE !!!!


*

[King Coin]

Loved the opening, Jerric stumbling out of his tent and just yelling Breton!

No elf? Glad she’s planning on joining them in Chorrol at least. What’s she up to though? Wouldn’t surprise me if she just wanted some time away from those two.

Ulfe is a delightful dog, but I’m glad I’m nowhere near her. Jerric’s pranks are always a fun read, but I really liked learning a little more about Darnand. Darnand? Uncivil? I bet ‘uncivil’ is putting it lightly. He seems to be under some pressure.

Whoa! I think Darnand is going to be very unhappy when he finds out Abiene and Jerric have been together already. I’m under the impression he never knew.

[SubRosa]

I found a pic of Darnand in his new Bard's haircut

It was nice to hear some more of Darnand's backstory. So he was a wild teen rebel! And Teekeus straightened him out? Interesting. I wonder if the girl he is talking about is Abiene? Or if there is someone else from before? Only time will tell...

[ghastley]

Lots of loose ends developing in the last two installments. Chorrol will be busy!

[Acadian]

As mentioned several times (deservedly so), dear Ulfe wiggles, worms, noses and stinks her way seamlessly and delightfully through this entire episode. I laughed when she rejected Jerric’s biscuit as unfit for canine consumption. Perhaps she’ll find a dead bird on the road baking in the sun on the way to Chorrol.

Loved Jerric relaying his joke about stoking the other fellow’s fear of losing his hair.

It hit me like a bolt out of the blue- Oh course, Darnand has feelings for Abiene! I can see where his critical self-analyzing could cast his own disfavor upon himself in regards to coupling with Lildereth.

The elf, of course, remains a mystery. She’s gone again! Like a leaf in the wind.

[McBadgere]

Oooh, bless Darnand...Bet it's the bookish wench... ...

Brilliant chapter...Loving the backstory thing...Looking forward to seeing what goes on in Chorrol...

And yes, Having had Lildreth in the party for the length of time I've been here, It's kind of cool to have her come and go all mysterious like...Me does like her muchly, looking forward to much more of her...

Also looking forward to seeing if you fill in the blanks at some point... ...

Loved it...Even if the gate answer was straightforward after all... ...

Love the deer breath doggie... ...

[Olen]

Darnard is certainly the nieve one. When he finds out that Abienne and Jerric have been at it, and that she isn't that bothered by Jerric's... proclivities, I suspect he will not be a happy bunny. I'm sure it will be interesting to read.

His being out of sorts was more noticeable and I suspect worry about facing the past in Chorrol is the least of it. He's anxious about meeting Abienne, I think, and feels guilty for some reason about his fling with Lildreth but moreso he wanted to again and didn't get, and feels he shouldn't want to. At least that's my reading of his morning mood. Brilliantly rich characters that I end up reading so much into a couple of lines.

I look forward to Chorrol.