Seven, An Aela & Ungarion Prequel Options

[King Coin]

"This one's father feared that those who were hired might be little different from the bandits,"

That might very well have been the case actually. The way those Argonians were looking for help in Bravil, they could have attracted some vultures.

This meeting was very heartwarming.

Interesting thoughts at the end by Talun-Lei, and how his view conflicts with Meen-Sa’s.

Now that we know what happened to Do'Sakhar’s father, his words mean quite a bit more.

Nashira is quite the chilly woman. Are the others ‘friends’ with her, or is she merely an ally?

[SubRosa]

Acadian: This scene with Meen-Sa was a long time coming, in that it finally gave us a real peek under the scales to see what makes her tick. She is modeled after so many religious figures who are hidebound and literal to the point of fanaticism. Not necessarily evil or cruel, just inflexible. Where as you said, Aela's life has obviously made her a champion of free will. Naturally the two are going to get along like oil and water.

I really liked that scene with Do'Sakhar. Now that we have seen that flashback to his childhood and the death of his father, we can see what makes him who he is as well.

Likewise, that scene with Nashira was also there to show us more about Rullianus, who we all know by now has lost someone dear to the bandits, but also about Nashira. In many ways she is just as much a mystery woman as Valens. Where he does not know his past, she never talks about her own.


haute ecole rider: I was not intending it when I began writing Seven, but in many ways I have seen an undercurrent of the age-old argument of fate vs. free will in this story. Talun-Lei and Meen-Sa personify this so very well in their characters, though I had not planned on it that way. So too of course does Aela, who is practically the poster girl of "your fate is yours to make". I suppose that it is inevitable when writing her, since so much of who she is flies in the face of convention, and how people are 'supposed' to be.

I spend a great deal of time doing research, on the internet and elsewhere, but mostly the internet. From fight scenes to architecture to brewing tea. If not for the computer, I'd probably be living at the library!


Grits: I was very proud of those three little scenes for the reasons everyone touches upon. They are all meant to give some more depth to the characters involved, and obviously it worked!


King Coin: In both Seven Samurai and Magnificent Seven, the villagers did hide all of their women from the mercenaries because they did not trust them. That line from Meen-Sa about her father wanting her to hide was a nod to both films. And also just as you said, they would not really know if the mercenaries were indeed just as bad as the Nagas or not.

Nashira is indeed an outsider, even among the Seven. She does not have friends, or make any effort to gain any. There are a lot of reasons why, all hidden below the surface in her past. Most of that we will never really learn, just like in real life. We will only ever have a few hints to why she is such a cold, seemingly emotionless person.


Previously on Seven: Our last episode features three vignettes of different members of the Seven. In the first we found a blossoming romance between Talun-Lei and Meen-Sa, and learned that while the water priestess is convinced in the power of fate to rule everyone's lives, Talun-Lei himself wonders. He left his home in a rice-farming village to make his own fate, and now he wonders if he has been trapped by fate to die in a rice paddy, or if he can indeed make his own future. Do'Sakhar admonished his 'adopted' children for calling their parents cowards, explaining that their parents did not want to fight because they needed to stay alive to care for them. Finally, Rullinaus asked Nashira to train him as a swordsman. The Redguard refused, citing that he was overcome with the desire for vengeance, and that if it did not kill him in its pursuit, that he would become just as bad as the bandits.


Chapter 2.10

The days flew by, and when Aela was not busy brewing up potions on a massive scale with the small soju cookery behind Ulpia's home, she watched Valens as he trained the villagers in the square out front. It took some time, but eventually the Agrigentan shield wall held up under the drill instructor's boot. Yet when he charged straight into the formation and crashed into their shields with a lowered a shoulder, the farmers once more reeled away in disarray.

Ulpia often came by to see how she was doing. When the Imperial was not practicing with the other villagers, she was working in the distillery to insure her new batch of soju was brewing well. Aela still was not sure what to make of the other woman. On one hand Ulpia seemed to often 'accidentally' brush against her. But on the other hand the Imperial often seemed standoffish, and took a defensive posture, such as with her arms closed. It made Aela wonder if the brewer truly knew what she wanted?

Days stretched on to weeks, and the defensive preparations continued, along with Ulpia's dance around Aela. By now the moat had been long-since completed, and was laced with punji stakes hidden beneath the dark water that filled it. The front gate had been replaced with timber, and all of the bamboo that had once been used to fill in the sections of ruined wall had been replaced with thick tree trunks. The alleys and other narrow passages between buildings had been filled in with spiked frises, leaving only a few passable roads leading through the settlement. Even the escape tunnel between the brewery and stable had been outfitted with sconces to hold torches along its length, trapdoors in the buildings at either end, and wooden stairs leading down into the subterranean passage.

Aela also had several jugs of magical brews ready for the battle. Some for healing, others for shields, and more to resist fire. Ungarion had likewise handed out charged magicka gems to everyone that possessed a magical weapon. He had even enchanted over half-a-dozen necklaces with night eye, so that the village sentries could see in the dark.

One afternoon as they convened for lunch, Aela looked over her staff, Hrive Amaurea, or Winter's Dawn in the Imperial tongue. It was made from white wood, with darker grey vines that wrapped along its length, sprouting a few errant leaves here and there. It was tipped with a chunk of silvery white crystal wedged between two forks of the wood. As ever, tiny motes of white light danced from the gemstone, only to fade away moments later.

The Breton turned her gaze to Ungarion. The Altmer carried her staff's opposite - Andlome - or Long Night. Its black wood was tipped in red crystal, and where her weapon carried a frost enchantment, his would damage the health of any it struck, as well as weaken them against further magic.

"We could double our firepower if we gave our staves to the villagers," Aela finally spoke what was on her mind.

"Gave them?" Ungarion nearly choked. "After what we went through to get them? Loaned them perhaps…"

"You know what I mean," Aela made a face at the high elf.

"Aye, I do," the wizard nodded, "and you are right. But we might not be doing them a favor."

"Why is that?" Ulpia asked, looking from one staff to another. "Surely these are powerful weapons?"

"They are," Aela acknowledged, "and the Nagas know that. Whoever uses them will draw their attention."

"Just as we plan to draw out their mages and kill them first, they will want to do the same," Ungarion said. "We might be handing out your death sentences."

"I will take that chance," Rullianus reached out his hand for Ungarion's staff. Aela could see that the Altmer was not happy about it, but he grudgingly handed the black weapon to the farmer.

Aela looked to Ulpia. The Imperial swallowed hard, but held out a hand as well. "If this is what it takes to defend Agrigento, then so be it," she finally said.

So the two magicians began to train the Agrigentans in using their staves. In the meantime, Valens continued drilling them in the shield and spear. They finally did not flinch when he hurled his body against their wall of shields, nor when he pelted them with stones, sticks, even buckets, chairs, or anything else he could pick up. Now he was teaching them to do more than just stand in place, but to advance forward in the wall, or retreat backward, all without losing their cohesion.

The Nibenean drill instructor had also divided the Agrigentans into four centuries (although Aela could plainly see that their numbers came nowhere near a hundred each). One of the Seven had been assigned to lead each as centurions: Nashira, Do'Sakhar, Seridwe, and Talun-Lei. Rullianus, Hathei, Ulpia, and Stalks-The-Marshes respectively had been appointed optios - second in command - to each as well.

Finally Valens, Aela, and Ungarion would act as a reserve, ready to move to any point that needed extra muscle, magical defense, or firepower, respectively. Aela and Ungarion found this made them tribunes, and soon everyone was joking that Valens was the legate of their legion.

When asked privately if Talun-Lei was ready for the task of leading a century, Valens simply said: "If he's not, we'll find out." Seridwe then pointed out that all that the leaders really had to do was act as a symbol for the villagers to rally around. They were there to lend courage to the Agrigentans, and more than anything else see to it that they did not flee. Aela could not argue that while Talun-Lei might have been lacking in experience, he seemed to have no shortage of confidence.

Each century was given a wall to defend, and while Valens trained them to move in their shield walls, he did so in each century's allocated section of the village. Now they practiced advancing and retreating through the very same streets that they would soon by fighting within. Even the noncombatants were drilled in evacuating their homes to the distillery, and then traveling through the escape tunnel beneath it to the stable.

Aela had another idea to aid in the village's defense. In no time at all she was handing out small, rolled up pieces of parchment to each of the new centurions and optios.

"Since we know that our enemy likes to use fire magic, I decided to make some scrolls to summon undines," the Breton Witch explained. "They can put out the fires. Go ahead and unroll them and practice. I have more I made to hand out later."

"Teacher," Seridwe raised a hand like a first year student at University. "I have used summoning scrolls before."

"You are excused from class then goodwoman," Aela said in her best stuffy professor voice.

"Undine," she heard a chorus of other voices say in no time at all. The village square filled with women comprised of shimmering water. Their hair waved like seaweed, their eyes were deep and murky like algae-soaked pools, and their bodies flowed like gentle streams.

"Now controlling a spirit is actually rather simple," Aela explained. "The act of conjuring forms a mild telepathic link between the two of you. Simply think of what you want them to do, and they will do it. You do not need to say a word. But you do have to be careful not to-"

Aela's words were cut short when Do'Sakhar's undine suddenly leapt above her. A torrent of water splashed down upon the Breton, soaking her to the bone. Aela sputtered for breath, and took a moment to push aside the long brown hair that plastered itself against her face.

"-Think errant thoughts," Aela finished as a chorus of laughter erupted from all around. The other villagers in the square stopped to gawk as well. Even the villagers training with Valens across the square pointed their spears and hooted.

Aela smiled, and raised a hand toward the guilty undine. The spirit stopped dead in her tracks, then rushed upon Do'Sakhar, engulfing the Khajiit in a small tidal wave. The desert warrior staggered under the onslaught, slipped, and fell into a widening pool of mud. That brought more laughter, and Aela had to raise her voice to be heard above the din.

"But since these were summoned by a scroll, they are easily dispelled or banished," she shouted over the racket. "A skilled conjurer can even take control of them, so be careful."

But it was far too late for any attempt at seriousness. Soon undine after undine was splashing and drenching everyone present. In no time at all they were all rolling in the mud and water, and flinging both at each other with their hands. Others came to join in the impromptu mud fight, including the water-priestess Meen-Sa, whom Aela could feel had summoned her own undine to add to the chaos.

* * *

"These villagers certainly eat well!" Ungarion commented. Aela nodded in agreement as she chewed on a mouthful of jambalya. The spicy rice dish was complemented with grilled sausage, zesty onions, chopped celery, and diced peppers. She washed down her spoonful with a cautious sip of soju. They strong Argonian drink was not as rough as it had been the first time she had tasted it, weeks before.

Ulpia had explained a few days before that the first soju of any batch was always harsh. The best came from the middle of the brewing, and the dregs leftover at the end were often reused for the next batch rather than drank. Now that the brew mistress had been at her work for several weeks, she had supplied them a cache of soju from the ideal part of the process. Though given that it had not been given time to age, it was still not at its best.

"Aye, if I had known farmers all ate so well, I would have never become an archer!" Seridwe laughed. "Probably for the best though, I'd be fatter than a horker!"

"Do these ones think the Agrigentans eat the same fare?" Talun-Lei broke up the guffaws from the other Seven with his somber words. "Do you know what they eat? Plain Rice! Most them have not tasted meat in years. While we sit here and eat like Emperors!"

Aela stopped chewing. Suddenly the jambalaya tasted like ashes, and the soju like drain water.

In no time at all the Seven had gathered all of the jambalaya and taken it outside of Rullianus' home. Soon the children of the village were gathered, and one at a time, the mercenaries passed out bowls of the sumptuous fare for them.

Aela noted Stalks-The-Marshes standing off to one side, beside Hathei. "Now, we are one," the Argonian trader said in a low voice.

Aela smiled wryly. Stalks was right. They had a reason to fight for Agrigento, and it was not for a bowl of rice and a cup of soju.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Nov 16 2013, 02:46 AM

[Captain Hammer]

These past two entries were particularly enjoyable. Talun Lei and Do'Sakhar had nicely contrasting scenes, and the juxtaposition emphasizes the difference of the two warriors and what they're experiencing in Agrigento.

But Nashira's run-in with a vengeance-seeking villager took the cake. Or the rice-cake, as is probably the current case.

You've done an amazing job describing the types of day-to-day activities each member of the Seven went through to get the village into a defensive footing, and I have no trouble visualizing the rebuilt Agrigento with its new fortifications and defensive layout. The strategic thinking and organizational skills of Valens, the logistical efforts of stockpiling potions and magical items, and the practice with summonings are all enjoyably functional parts of the preparation for the battle with the Nagas.

Now, going off our earlier discussion about vertical integration, what type of cost-savings should we be able to see if we start production of Restore Fatigue potions in quantities large enough to produce an economy-of-scale? We simply use brewing and distilling equipment as oversize alchemical apparatuses . . .

Some nits:

Ungarion had likewise handed out charged magicka gems to everyone that possessed an magical weapon.

Looks like the Nagas are already trying to worm their way in, they've slipped the letter 'N' in where 'a' should stand alone.

They strong Argonian drink was not as rough as it had been the first time she had tasted it, weeks before.

And again. This time with a letter 'Y'.

[Acadian]

What a wonderful job you did in this delightful update of showing the passage of time at a nice pace, while spicing it with great little tidbits of how the defense was coming along and some of the finer points of staves and undines.

I like (and share) your convention that 'soul trap' is a term used by those who fear magic, and that the effect simply captures the unused magicka possessed by all creatures that is released (and simply wasted if not captured in a gem) upon their death.

I also enjoy how you use scrolls and some of the considerations involved – especially the summoned helper of a scroll user up against a mage who is well skilled in conjuration. I do sort of the same thing with illusion; command/fear spells do not work against those with greater skill in illusion.

The mud wrestling contest was a most welcome bit of humorous relief from the tension of the village’s defensive preparations.

Then, at the end, you really brought us back to both grim reality and how close the village and its Magnificent Seven have become.

[haute ecole rider]

The whole episode just sparkled, from the ongoing training by Valens to the mud-slinging contest (including Meen-Sa!), but there is one bit that made me stand up and cheer - for this is my favorite part of both movie versions:

"Do these ones think the Agrigentans eat the same fare?" Talun-Lei broke up the guffaws from the other Seven with his somber words. "Do you know what they eat? Plain Rice! Most them have not tasted meat in years. While we sit here and eat like Emperors!"

Aela stopped chewing. Suddenly the jambalaya tasted like ashes, and the soju like drain water.

In no time at all the Seven had gathered all of the jambalaya and taken it outside of Rullianus' home. Soon the children of the village were gathered, and one at a time, the mercenaries passed out bowls of the sumptuous fare for them.

Thank you!

[King Coin]

I think providing the staffs to the farmers is a good idea. They will just have to teach them how to use them and when to use them. Ungarion’s staff sounds very potent with its weakness effect. In Oblivion, stacking those weakness effects was always the best way to go when it came to destruction magic.

I’m trying to decide if Do'Sakhar did that on purpose.

What a sweet but humbling ending.

[SubRosa]

Captain Hammer: It has been a long time - and a lot of words! - since the Seven arrived in Agrigento. I wanted to spend some time showing the preparations for battle, and use that as a backdrop for the character's experiences in the village, and how they and the villagers slowly grew together. I am glad it has paid off.

I think they could put some green claw marks on the side of the bottles, and call those mass-produced, restore fatigue potions Monster.


Acadian: I do not want scrolls to be overpowered, so that is one reason I made them easier to dispel/banish the effects from. The other is of course that IRL magic is all about the will of the practitioner. As it has often been said, magic is the creation of change through the application of will. So there is nothing as good as a mage actively applying themselves.

The mud-wrestling was a fun little part that as you said, was a great way of relieving tension, and showing how the Seven and villagers were growing closer to one another.


haute ecole rider: That scene of feeding the children was really the bookend to Talun-Lei's speech when the Seven first arrived. It shows just how far the two groups have come to being one group. As such, it also had to be the end of the chapter, since now we have seen that growth.


King Coin: I am not sure if Do'Sakhar did it on purpose either! The use of the staves was something that came to me while I was finishing up chapter 2's first draft, and wasn't in my original outline. It struck me as a good way to maximize the power of the defense. Plus I always forget to have the characters use them anyway!


Previously On Seven: In our last episode Aela and Ungarion loaned their staffs to Ulpia and Rullianus for the village's defense, and showed the villagers how to use them. Aela also passed out scrolls to summon undines to all of the century captains and lieutenants, for use in putting out fires started by the bandits. In the process of showing how they were used, a water/mud fight between all ensued, much to the hilarity of all. Finally, as the Seven ate a sumptuous meal of jambalaya that night, they learned that the other villagers do not dine nearly so well, eating plain rice instead. That led them to give their jambalaya to the village children.


Chapter 3.1

5th Sun's Height, 3E425

Aela and Ungarion sat upon the wooden stage that took up the southern end of the square and watched as the Agrigentans practiced their shield wall. The villagers had come a long way since they had began a month earlier, when a single kick from Valens had sent their entire wall scurrying like mice. Now they stood firm as stone as he, Do'Sakhar, and Nashira battered at their shields with shoulders, hips, and feet. As they held their line, the Agrigentans jabbed through the openings between shields with blunted practice spears, striking at their would be attackers from every angle.

The formation reminded Aela of a hedgehog, in that it presented a prickly adversary to any who would come up against it. As she was about to discover, this hedgehog also had a few surprises up its sleeve.

"Open the shield wall!" Seridwe cried out from where she stood behind the Agrigentans. Stepping up to the villagers, she slapped two of them on their shoulders. The Agrigentans parted to either side, creating an opening in the barrier between them.

Seridwe raised her Valenwood bow and instantly fired through the gap. Her blunt practice arrow hammered into Valens' ebony-clad chest, rocking the Nibenean back for a moment. It was plain that the wound would have been fatal if it had not been a practice arrow, and he not wearing ebony armor. Now Aela could see why Valens was so confident that they could smash the Nagas against their shield wall. It was designed to slowly but certainly grind down any force that attacked it.

"Close the wall!" Seridwe now cried. Before the drill instructor - or any of the other mercenaries - could take advantage of the gap, the two Agrigentans stepped back into place beside one another. A moment later Valens beat against the faces of their round shields with a mailed fist. Yet the wall remained as implacable as a mountain.

"They certainly have improved," Ungarion noted. "They appear as obstinate as Alessia Ottus."

"And much more welcome," Aela smiled.

Then the shield wall did splinter. Not because of the assaults by the mercenaries, but rather simply because Valens called a break. The century of villagers who had been practicing now shuffled off to their homes. Many paused at the well in the square to wet their throats, and some even upended buckets of water over one another's heads, much to the amusement of everyone involved. Even Valens drenched himself in this manner, and Aela imagined that the cool water must come as quite a relief after such a strenuous workout, especially in the summer heat.

"Aela!" Ulpia cried as she trod from the well to the edge of the square where the Breton and Ungarion sat. "I was hoping I might see you."

The Imperial doffed her wicker helmet, allowing her jet-black hair to spill across her olive-skin in a riotous mane. The Nibenean absentmindedly brushed it down with a sweaty hand, but it only plastered itself against her equally sweaty skin. Her entire body glistened with sweat in fact, and her cheeks were rosy from exertion.

"I had an idea for potion bottles," the brewmaster said as she stepped up to the pair of mages. "I was hoping we could go over it together, in my home."

"Now where did I put those magicka gems. I could have sworn I had them a moment ago…" Ungarion patted up and down his robes with both hands, apparently in search of said items. He looked up to the two women and shook his head. "I am afraid you will have to excuse me, I know I left them somewhere…"

Aela tried to hide her smile as Ungarion scampered off. She hoped his excuse to give her and Ulpia some privacy was not as transparent as she thought it was. Then again, perhaps it was all for the better if it was?

"Those practice sessions look grueling," Aela said as the Imperial led the way. "I don't think I could take it."

"I didn't think I could either!" Ulpia said breathlessly. "But here I am, a hersir fighting in the skjaldborg."

"When did you become a Nord!" Aela laughed as they approached Ulpia's home.

"Valens says our shield wall is more Nordic than Imperial." Ulpia gestured to the door with her spear, for Aela to precede her. "He says the Legion uses sword and shield, so they don't fight so closely together. But in spite of all that talk of axes with blades big as the moons, he says most Nords fight with spear and shield, just like we are doing."

"Well, he would know," Aela nodded as she climbed the steps and entered the upraised house. The Breton stepped aside to let the taller Imperial in, and took the bamboo spear from Ulpia's hand.

"Oh thank you dear," Ulpia sighed. She let her wicker helmet fall from her fingers, and leaned back against one wall. Aela noted that the other woman was careful not to put her weight against the rattan sheeting that comprised most of the wall, but rather upon one of the support beams of strong durian wood.

"You look done in," Aela noted. "Would you like me to come back later?"

"No, just give me a moment to get my breath," Ulpia fanned herself with one hand. "I guess that took more out of me than I expected!"

The Imperial moved to sit in one of the wicker chairs, and leaned back into its frame with eyes closed. Aela stepped to the kitchen area, and produced a chipped terra cotta pitcher and poured water from it into an equally battered cup. Walking back to Ulpia, she set the cup into the Nibenean's hand.

Ulpia's skin was warm and damp under her fingertips, and Alea allowed her hand to linger there. The Imperial did not object. Rather she smiled and did not open her eyes. She moved her other hand to take the cup, leaving the first still clasped with Aela's fingers. Ulpia finally opened her eyes to take a long drink, then rolled the cool surface of the cup across her sweaty forehead.

"That is just what I needed," the Imperial said. Aela wondered if Ulpia meant the water, or her touch? Her heart picked up its pace, and she had to resist the urge to lick her suddenly dry lips.

"We should get you out of this armor," Aela said quietly, nodding to the simple cuirass made up of vertical slats of bamboo that encased the other woman's torso.

Screenshot

"Splendid idea." Ulpia leaned forward, and reached down to start undoing the cords that tied it together down her side. Aela bent forward to assist, and in no time at all the two women pulled the light, but sturdy armor from Ulpia's body. The black tunic that the Imperial wore beneath it was soaked through with sweat, and clung to her frame like a second skin, leaving little to the imagination.

"Why don't we get this off as well?" Aela said breathed, and gently tugged at the linen. Her heart was in her throat, and she prayed to Dibella that the Imperial would not be offended.

"Let's," Ulpia said in a husky voice. She raised her arms above her head so that Aela could whisk the garment from her body. The Imperial rose to her feet as Aela pulled upward, so that a moment later she stood just inches way. Her naked chest glistened in the light that slanted through the windows, and her hands found their way to Aela's sides.

Aela dropped the tunic, and the next thing she knew her hands were sliding across Ulpia's back, pulling her close. She leaned her head forward, and the Imperial's lips met her own. They were soft as rose petals, and Aela rejoiced in the feeling as she planted one kiss after another them. She felt the Imperial's hands racing over her bodice, and paused to help her undo its laces. A moment later it too fell to the floor, followed by the white chemise that Aela wore underneath.

Somehow Aela had the presence of mind to focus upon a spell to enhance her strength. Briefly freeing one hand, she raised it into the air and channeled her magicka through it. Releasing it in a flash of white light, she felt her limbs suffuse with strength. She lifted Ulpia in her arms, and was gratified to feel the other woman's legs instantly lock around her waist. Carrying the Imperial across the single-room house to the sleeping area, she gently laid her out upon the floor.

Ulpia pulled her down, and Aela found herself rolling across the wooden planks. Now Ulpia straddled her, and showered her with kisses. She reached up to caress the other woman's breasts, then let her hands drift down between her thighs.

Ulpia stiffened then, and sat back on her haunches. He arms crossed over her chest, hiding her bared breasts.

"What is it?" Aela felt her heart sink like a rock in Niben Bay. "What's wrong?"

"I can't…" Ulpia shook her head, and turned away. "I can't do this."

Aela closed her eyes, and felt the other woman's body slide off of her own. The taste of Ulpia's skin, which has just moments before been sweet as honey, now turned to bitter ash on Aela's lips.

"Because I'm a woman?" Aela asked softly, "or because I wasn't born one?"

"I…" Ulpia stammered. "I don't know Aela. I really don't know. It just, doesn't seem right."

"It seemed right a moment ago," the Breton did her best to keep the exasperation from her voice.

The Imperial rose to her feet and walked across the room to pick up her tunic. Hoisting the sweaty garment over her head, she pulled it down over her olive skin.

"You don't know what it's like," Ulpia sighed. "Do you know why I run the brewery? Because my father did. Meen-Sa is water priestess because that's what her mother was. Rullianus is a farmer because his father was. Our lives were all laid out before we were even born, and having a woman for a lover was never part of that. It's…"

"Unnatural?" Aela finished the sentence for Ulpia. "That's Meen-Sa talking."

"I'm sorry, but that's what I've been taught all my life." Ulpia's voice began to rise. "Maybe I'm just some thickheaded yokel after all, just like our water-priestess."

"No, you're not," the Breton argued. "You are whatever - and whoever - you want to be."

The Imperial leaned over to pick up Aela's bodice and chemise, and held them out to the Breton. When she spoke again, her voice was soft once more. "I'm sorry Aela, I really am. I just cannot do this."

Aela rose and took her chemise from the other woman with a sigh, and slipped the loose garment over her head. Afterward she laced on her bodice in silence, then brushed her long hair back into some semblance of order.

"So where does this leave us?" Aela asked the question, already knowing the answer. Still, it had to asked anyway.

"Cannot we just be friends?" Ulpia said, as if on cue. "Like two normal women?"

"We are normal women!" Aela's tongue lashed out before her brain could stop it. Shaking her head at her own loss of temper, she sighed.

"Yes, of course we can still be friends." Just like with everyone else in the world, thought Aela.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Nov 23 2013, 06:47 PM

[haute ecole rider]

Oh, so close!

But bully for Aela for not pushing things with Ulpia when the other is so unready for things. Not like a lot of men.

All I can say is patience, dear Aela, patience! Ulpia may yet find it in her to move beyond "just friends." It's obvious to me that she is attracted to Aela, but her mind is too busy right now interfering with her heart. Will she accept the fact that she is attracted to someone like Aela? I can only wait and see . . .

[Acadian]

A neat demonstration of the shield and spear wall - complete with archer support!

"They certainly have improved," Ungarion noted. "They appear as obstinate as Alessia Ottus."
"And much more welcome," Aela smiled. ‘ - - A delightful nod to the opinionated authoress of Cyrodiil’s city guide series!

"Now where did I put those magicka gems.” - - As soon as I read this, I smiled, for I instantly knew what Ungarion was up to. He knows Aela well and is a good friend.

A wonderfully-written scene where sweat turns to steam, then fizzles into disillusion as poor Aela gets friend-zoned.

"Because I'm a woman?" Aela asked softly, "or because I wasn't born one?" - - This really highlights the dual nature of Aela’s concerns. I’m glad that Aela has the courage, when the opportunity presents, to dance. Who knows, perhaps the dance with Ulpia has not run its course? Aela’s wise enough to know that the ball is now in the other woman’s court. Perhaps time will influence what Ulpia’s body and heart are clearly trying to tell her mind.


Nit: "What is it?" Aela felt her heart sink like an rock in Niben Bay. - - I’m sure you wanted ‘a’ instead of ‘an’ here.

[Grits]

Oh, the undine water battle was delightful! Good thing Seridwe got out of there first, she might not be so amused to have a water spirit go after her hair.

Aela smiled wryly. Stalks was right. They had a reason to fight for Agrigento, and it was not for a bowl of rice and a cup of soju.

What an awesome end to the chapter!

"I had an idea for potion bottles," the brewmaster said as she stepped up to the pair of mages. "I was hoping we could go over it together, in my home."


"Now where did I put those magicka gems. I could have sworn I had them a moment ago…"

I can just see Ungarion giving himself an elaborate pat-down as he develops a sudden need for whatever he doesn’t have on him at the moment. Love this guy!

My heart was in my throat right with Aela throughout the breathless scene with Ulpia. Beautifully done. I feel for Ulpia’s disappointment in herself as much as I do for Aela’s in the whole situation. I think Ulpia is going to be kicking herself for being so fearful.

"Because I'm a woman?" Aela asked softly, "or because I wasn't born one?"

Oceans of pain under those questions. Sigh.

[SubRosa]

haute ecole rider: Oh so close is indeed the story of Aela's love life! That episode was just a little slice of what her life is like, thanks to her decision to change her gender presentation. I wanted to show that she faced some serious consequences because of that, even from people who genuinely like her.


Acadian: I could not resist working in some TES lore there with the thick-headed Alessia Ottus. I could not imagine anyone more obstinate than her to use as a reference!

I am glad Ungarion's dissembling was so transparent to the reader! He knows when three is a crowd, and the last thing he wants to do is cramp Aela's style when it comes to another woman.

And friend-zoned it is. Just like with Teresa, although for different reasons.


Grits: I don't imagine Seridwe would have appreciated her hair being ruined by undinic water one bit!

And I am glad to see that just as Ungarion's dissembling was transparent to the reader, so too was Ulpia's...

Those two questions at the end are indeed the source of a great deal of pain for Aela. Mostly the second. While being transgendered has given her some extra magical 'oomph', it also comes with a heavy price.


Previously On Seven: Our last episode found us moving four weeks into the future from when the Seven first arrived in Agrigento. Thanks to Valens' training the villager's shield wall not only stands firm under all attacks now, but even has the skill to open its ranks to allow archers to fire through it, and to close up again afterward before it can be breached. Aela also had a romantic encounter with Ulpia, which fizzled out when the villager found that she could not go through with it, because she was raised to believe it was not right. They left as friends, but with a great deal of frustration.


Chapter 3.2

Talun-Lei lay back in the orchids, staring at the clouds as they slowly drifted across the azure dome of the sky overhead. Meen-Sa lay alongside, with her head comfortably nestled upon the scales of his bare chest. For now, everything seemed right with the world. Talun-Lei did his best not to think, and to just live in the moment instead.

Thinking was always when the trouble started. Thinking about what he was doing here, with the local water-priestess no less? What was he going to do after the battle was over, and the Nagas were gone? He knew that Meen-Sa would not go with him. She would never be the mate of a wandering mercenary without two remans to rub together. Should he stay instead?

But that would mean going back to the rice paddies again, and the life of a farmer. After all he had gone through to leave that behind, how could he do that? But did he really want to go on alone? Was Meen-Sa worth it?

"Follow your heart," he knew the landstrider Aela would say. "Be true to yourself, and find your own bliss."

But what was his bliss? Was it Meen-Sa? Or was it the life of a wandering warrior?

So much for living in the moment, Talun-Lei chided himself. Thinking, it was always thinking that ruined everything good in life…

It was Meen-Sa who broke the spell however, when she lifted her head and rose to a sitting position. She lifted one hand to the sky, and Talun-Lei noted that the water-filled dowsing crystal that hung from her wrist now sparkled and glowed with a light that was brighter than normal. The Argonian warrior rose as well, reaching for his spear with one hand.

"What is it?"

"Outsiders," the water priestess said. "Meen-Sa can smell their water, somewhere near."

Talun-Lei wondered if she could actually smell them, or if that was just a euphemism for the use of her powers? Either way, he felt his heart quicken. It had been over four weeks since they had arrived at the village. Adding the time it had taken for the Agrigentans to journey to Bravil to hire them and return, that meant the Nagas would be returning at any time. Perhaps even now?

The young Argonian looked this way and that. Yet the rainforest surrounding the clearing showed no sign of intruders. He did notice something when he cast his gaze down the hillside toward the village however. The tall grass was moving, but not with the wind. Using one hand to shade his eyes from the sun, Talun-Lei stared intently. He was rewarded when long moments later three Nagas briefly slithered into view through a break in the grass.

As Valens had said they would, they all carried short spears. Strapped to one's chest was a cuirass of three metal discs welded together into a triangle. A heart-guard, Talun-Lei thought, he had seen several Saxhleel warriors wearing such things. Made of dwarven steel, it would not rust in the swamp, yet would turn aside any spear or arrow to the chest. The other Nagas wore only loincloths, but carried small shields made of bamboo slung over their shoulders. One carried a gahk goong: a heavily reflexed bow made from slender bamboo, water-buffalo horn, and mulberry wood.

Screenshot

Then they vanished into the high grass once more, and Talun-Lei turned back to the rainforest. Were there more? Or were these three scouts sent on ahead of the other bandits?

Whether the other Nagas were nearby or not, he knew that he had to act. Reaching down, he lifted his shield and javelins in his left hand. He hefted his larger battle spear with his right hand, and stared down into the grass. They had not seen him yet. If he could get close enough, he could take at least one of them by surprise with a thrown javelin. Then another before they could close with him. That would leave a one against one spear fight.

"These ones must warn the village!" Meen-Sa hissed in his ear. She tugged on his arm, and nodded toward the forest. "Come this way, they will not see Meen-Sa and Talun-Lei."

Talun-Lei's heart raced. He looked from the grass where the Nagas hid, then to the forest. Should he fight, or should he follow her? Meen-Sa made up his mind for him, when all he saw was her tail waving to and fro as she darted for the trees. Talun-Lei followed. He knew that no matter what, he had to protect her first and foremost.

* * *

Aela and Ungarion loitered on the wooden platform in the town square. The Altmer sat cross-legged, and Aela could hear him absentmindedly shuffling his deck of cards behind her. She however, sat with her legs dangling over the edge of the stage, toes touching the dirt below. With eyes closed, the Witch stretched out with her magical senses. She started with feeling the ground beneath her feet, and through it, the rest of the world around her.

Ungarion was a warm and bright spirit beside her, one she instantly recognized from years of intimate familiarity. Then there were the spirits of the moist soil, quiet and patient. They did not mind the stamping of dozens of feet across their faces, where Valens and the other Seven trained the villagers in their shield wall. Above that she felt the spirits of the air, pregnant with heat and moisture. Beyond came the water spirits inhabiting the moat and flooded rice paddies surrounding the village, brimming with the stuff of life. Farther still were the tree spirits, rising tall, proud, and serene. Mixed within those giants was the quintessence of the animals: vibrant and inquisitive.

"This does not bode well." Ungarion's voice snapped Aela from her spiritual meditation. The wooden boards of the stage creaked under the high elf as he rose to his feet, and the Breton opened her eyes in time to see him hop lightly down to the dirt of the square below. Following the wizard's gaze, Aela found that Talun-Lei and Meen-Sa were darting toward them. A moment later the Breton realized it was not exactly the two of them that the Argonians were headed for. Rather it was the alarm bell that hung from the stage behind them.

"The Nagas are here!" the Argonian warrior gasped between gulps for air. Beside him, Meen-Sa put one hand to her chest and likewise struggled to catch her breath. Aela imagined that both had run quite a distance to reach them. Probably from wherever it was that they were secretly sneaking off to in the forest…

"How many?" Ungarion asked, "and where from?"

"These ones saw only three," Meen-Sa wheezed. She raised an arm to point to the east, where the long slope of a hill rose above the village. "Over there."

"Let's not point shall we," Ungarion smiled. He gently took the Argonian's arm and lowered it to her side. "It's not polite after all. And there is no sense warning them that they have been detected."

"They are in the tall grass," Talun-Lei said. "Or they were the last that we saw them. I saw no other Nagas. They must be scouts."

"Time for us to earn our keep." Aela glanced over to where Valens and the other mercenaries were training with the villagers. Then she looked back to the others. "We'll have to handle this ourselves. Meen-Sa, go warn them. But quietly. Don't make any commotion. Take them some water, so it looks natural. Tell them to keep training, so the Nagas don't suspect that we are coming for them."

"And if there are more than three Nagas after all?" the mikumari seemed calm, but the twitching of her tail betrayed her nervousness. Her almost imperceptible glance at Talun-Lei showed to whom that concern was directed.

"Then there shall be more than three dead Nagas when we are finished," Ungarion declared. "Now let's be off to it, we don't want to keep our guests waiting do we?"

The high elf led the way, in the opposite direction from where the Meen-Sa had pointed.

"But that is the wrong way," Talun-Lei insisted. "The Nagas are-"

"Watch and learn my young apprentice," Ungarion said in his best stuffy professor voice. He spared a glance across the square to Meen-Sa, who was now on the way to the well and out of earshot. "Aela, I think it's time we used that little rabbit hole."

"I agree," the Breton Witch said. She took the lead, and the other two followed her down the winding streets between houses. She came to a halt behind one of the homes near the western wall, and carefully scanned the ground beneath her. She halted when she found the right spot, and looked back to the hill where the Nagas had been seen. The tall buildings of the village blocked it from view, and likewise, hid them from the prying eyes of the spies.

The Witch summoned an archaean with a raised fist. The colossus of dirt and stone looked at her for a moment, then followed her unspoken command to dig. In just a moment the spirit revealed a tunnel whose mouth had been covered over with soil. Aela and Ungarion wasted no time climbing down within. When they found Talun-Lei still waiting above, they both motioned him to follow.

"Come on," Ungarion urged, "we have to get cracking."

"What is this?" the Argonian stared at the walls of the tunnel as he finally descended into the depths. "When did you make this?"

"One of the most important rules of being a mercenary," Aela began.

"Is to always have an exit strategy," Ungarion finished her sentence.

"You were not going to tell anyone else?" Aela could hear the outrage bubbling underneath the youthful warrior's words.

"Do'Sakhar knows," Aela said. "We were not going to tell the rest of you unless we actually needed to use it."

"It would do little for the morale of the villagers if they were aware of its existence," Ungarion cautioned. "They would probably think we were planning to abandon them at the worst possible moment."

"But isn't that why these ones dug it?" Talun-Lei stared from Aela to Ungarion with cold eyes.

"Well of course it is silly!" Ungarion laughed.

"When you have been in this business as long as we have, you learn not to take chances," Aela said more seriously. "You never know what is going to happen, or when your employer is going to betray you. If you want to live to see your scales fade, you have to be prepared for everything, even the unthinkable."

"But they would never-" Talun-Lei protested.

"Sell us out to the Nagas?" Ungarion finished his words. "If their backs were to the wall, and they saw a choice between them and us, who do you think they would pick? Would it be their spouses and children, or a group of strangers?"

"It has happened to us before," Aela warned, "and it will happen again. It is just the nature of people: they will do whatever they have to in order to survive. It isn't right, it isn't wrong, it just is."

As if to underscore her words, the archaean descended into the tunnel behind Talun-Lei, and pulled the dirt back over the entrance, entombing them all below.

"In this line of work, you occasionally have to do dark things," Ungarion's voice came from the inky blackness surrounding them. Suddenly a point of light burst into life above the Altmer's head, bathing them all in its soft glow. "Sometimes that is the only way to survive."

Talun-Lei said nothing, but the Argonian followed them through the passageway. The exit was also filled in with dirt, just as the entrance had been. But Aela's summoned spirit easily shifted the terrain aside, and the Witch led them back into the light. They found themselves just within the forest, with the village barely visible through the banyans.

Aela looked back to the entrance of the tunnel, and watched as the archaean covered it up behind them. The Breton Witch bid goodbye to the spirit with a silent word of thanks, then turned to Talun-Lei.

"Now it's your turn," she said. "Take us to the Nagas."

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Nov 30 2013, 05:46 PM

[haute ecole rider]

I saw this post yesterday but didn't have time to read (thanks to being in retail on Black Friday). But I made a reminder to myself to come back and read when I had the time! Imagine my surprise to see that I'm the first one to comment!

First the nits:

Talun-Lei did his best not (to) think, and to just live in the moment instead.

It looks like to decided to go off and live in the moment elsewhere, too!

Thinking about what he was doing here, (and)with the local water-priestess no less?

It seems to me that we're missing a conjunction here!

The tall buildings of the village blocked it from view, and conversely, hid them from the prying eyes of the spies.

This kind of rubs me the wrong way. Conversely implies the opposite, and when I look at the two halves of this sentence, one reinforces, not contradicts, the other. Wouldn't therefore or also (minus the comma) be of better use here?

Talun-Lei made the right choice following Meen-Sa's lead. Warning the villagers is of higher priority than taking out three lousy scouts.

Loved how Ungarion kept his cool through all this. "Let's not point, shall we? It's not polite, after all." The interactions between the two older mercenaries and the young fiery one was quite amusing in the midst of the seriousness. Comic relief, indeed. And a rather gentle lesson in the harsh realities of a mercenary life.

I wonder if you are going to use one of my favorite lines from The Magnificient Seven: Horst Bucholtz is overwhelmed with admiration after James Coburn pulls off an impossible shot and shoots a fleeing bandit off his horse just before they disappear over the hill. "That is the most amazing shot I've ever seen!" young Horst exclaims. Coburn glances at him in disgust. "The worst! I was aiming for the horse!" Though the Nagas don't ride horses, so I wonder what you would do with that?

[Acadian]

Scene I: Afterglow. Ah yes, a good woman or the life of a martial adventurer? Having experienced both, Talun-Lei, I’d urge the former. But then again, I am much older than you and did not always think that way. Uh-oh: Nagas! Here we see the impetuous, youth and rashness of Talun-Lei as he begins planning his ambush on the intruders. Happily, Meen-Sa’s judgment on what their priority should be was spot on - and her waving tail was enough to convince the young warrior to follow.

Scene II:
‘If you want to live to see your scales fade, you have to be prepared for everything,’ - - Not only is the scales comment deliciously appropriate here, but the advice that followed really characterizes this scene. I see that A&U quickly came up with a pretty good plan – have Meen-Sa warn the others, then take Talun-Lei and try to ambush what they now assess as a scouting party. And to do so quietly without ringing the village alarm bell to alert the Nagas.

My hopes are threefold:
1. The three Nagas are indeed only a scouting party and not actually the front element of a closely following larger force.
2. The three amigos that have popped up from their rabbit hole can put together a decisive and elegant ambush with no losses.
3. That they glean some useful intelligence from the Naganese corpses.


Nits -
‘Talun-Lei wondered if she could actually smell them, or if that was a just euphemism for the use of her powers?’ - - Although I can see somewhat of a case for ‘a just euphemism’, I suspect you may have intended, ‘just a euphemism’?

‘Reaching down, he lifted his shield and of javelins in his left hand.’ - - I figure the ‘of’ escaped deletion during editing changes?

[King Coin]

The drilling with the villagers seems to be going well! Hard to believe they’ve lived there as long as they have without some sort of militia. Now, they should drill each wall against the other!

I think a spear and shield would be a better wall anyways. I would much rather have the reach of a spear than the blade of a short sword the legion formations probably use! Speaking of large blades, I read that those large two handed swords were employed to chop spears into pieces, and then often used like a spear themselves.

Water or the touch? I think both!

Now, if I know my movies right, as soon as they start to really have some fun, that’s when there will be an important interruption.

Ah, perhaps the Imperial just needs some time. This might be easier too, because Aela will probably not stay, and the Imperial will probably not want to leave either.

It seems the two Argonians are having similar thoughts as I am. And there are intruders! I was hoping they would have a little more time to drill!

Scouts. I like Ungarion’s thinking. Perhaps they can remove the scouts if they are quick! I would think Aela’s elemental spirits would be hell on wheels for that.

And I wonder if they have made the Argonian’s decision for him? Whether to go and be a warrior, or to stay and be a farmer?

[Grits]

What was he going to do after the battle was over, and the Nagas were gone? He knew that Meen-Sa would not go with him. She would never be the mate of a wandering mercenary without two remans to rub together. Should he stay instead?

There’s the dilemma. And would their relationship survive the changes they went through so they could keep it? I can’t help but imagine Ulpia having similar thoughts if she and Aela had ended up cuddling in the grass, only with the thought that Aela wouldn’t stay.

"These ones must warn the village!" Meen-Sa hissed in his ear. She tugged on his arm, and nodded toward the forest. "Come this way, they will not see Meen-Sa and Talun-Lei."

Whew, that’s a much better plan. I loved Meen-Sa’s quick action with Talun-Lei catching a glimpse of her departing tail. She knows how to win an argument!

Ungarion and Aela’s calm response was just awesome as they went from drowsing in the sun to handling the situation.

"In this line of work, you occasionally have to do dark things," Ungarion's voice came from the inky blackness surrounding them. Suddenly a point of light burst into life above the Altmer's head, bathing them all in its soft glow. "Sometimes that is the only way to survive."

And here’s a look at Talun-Lei’s future if he decides to stay out of the rice paddy. Awesome!

[SubRosa]

haute ecole rider: Thanks for all the nits. I try to quash them all, but it seems like no matter how many I step on, there is always another.

Ungarion was indeed Mr. Cool in that episode. As you said, he and Aela really show their experience there compared to the inexperience of Talun-Lei.

I know that scene you mean, it is one of my favorites too. I briefly thought about. I discarded it though, because as you said, nagas cannot ride horses.


Acadian: Meen-Sa definitely forced the issue of fight or flight with Talun-Lei! He still has to make that choice, and it will not be until the final episode that we learn what he does.


King Coin: They did have a sort of militia. I am sure everyone does out in the backwoods. But they never had the kind of professional training that Valens could give them, and because of that they lacked the discipline and skills needed to fight a true stand-up battle against a professional foe. Compare the American militia in the Revolutionary War to the post von Steuben Continentals. Washington was disgusted by the militia, because they usually fled when they went nose to nose against British regulars, and he lost several major battles because of that.

Historically swordsmen do better over spearmen. The Romans vs the Greeks (and pretty much everyone else) is perhaps the best example of that. The reason is that spearmen tend to form into inflexible formations, that only operate well in flat, open terrain. Once they get on broken ground, or in the woods, they are easily outflanked by the more flexible swordsmen. The spearman has an advantage in reach, but that is really his only edge. Once a swordsman pushes inside the range of the spear, he wins. The Battle of Pydna is a stark example, as is Cynoscephalae.

Ancient and Medieval warfare was really a paper vs. rock vs. scissors affair. Each weapon system has strengths and weaknesses. For example heavy cavalry (melee horsemen like Medieval knights or Alexander's Companion Cavalry) always thrashes light infantry (missile foot soldiers like lonbgowmen or javelin throwers). OTOH, heavy cavalry loses against heavy infantry (melee footmen like pikemen or Roman legionaries), with the only caveat being that the footmen have to keep their formation. If they split up, the horsemen can pick them apart, as they eventually did at Hastings. Heavy infantry loses vs light infantry though, because they cannot close and come to grips with them. The Spartans vs. Athenians at Sphacteria is a sterling example of this. Likewise light cavalry trumps heavy infantry as well for the same reasons, albeit even more dramatically, such as at Carrhae. It even drills down to spearmen do best against cavalry, because no horse will willingly impale itself upon a spearpoint. That is how Wellington defeated Napoleon's lancers at Waterloo. His infantrymen fixed bayonets and formed squares. The French cavalry could do nothing against that. Swordsmen have more trouble against cavalry, because they do not have that forest of spearpoints to hide behind. But they still win in the end, as the Roman infantry did against the Parthian Catapract charge at the beginning of the battle of Carrhae (the Parthian's won later due to their horse archers).

You are probably thinking of the zweihanders used by the German Landsknechte. They were double pay men, because they fought in the front line. It is disputed whether or not they could actually chop the heads off of pikes. Greatswords strike with a prodigious amount of force. This video shows the power they have. I am sure if you put a pike or spear in a vise and chopped at it with a zweihander it would be cut in two with one blow. But I doubt anyone could hold onto a pike under that much force, especially with that blow falling at the far end. So they at least knocked pikes aside, which would in turn break up the enemy formation. That of course is the key to victory in straight infantry vs. infantry battles.

You can bet that the little glimpse into the ugly realities of mercenary life has had an effect upon Talun-Lei, and what he decides to do in the future.


Grits: The scene between Ulpia and Aela was originally much larger. Among the things I cut was Ulpia declaring that once everything was over, Aela was going to leave. But she had to stay there and live with everyone else (and the stigma of being a lesbian) for the rest of her life.

I think the Meen-Sa vs. Talun-Lei decision-making is a classic example of testosterone vs. estrogen.

My original intent with the tunnel was not to provide Talun-Lei a glimpse of the darker realities of mercenary life. But once I started writing it, that is what I found myself concentrating upon. It is one of those wonderful moments where things just came together in a zen like fashion.


Previously On Seven: Our last episode found Talun-Lei and Meen-Sa cuddling on a hillside outside of the village. They detected the presence of a trio of Naga scouts, and ran back to the village to warn them. Aela and Ungarion met them first, and prevented them from raising an alarm. Instead they had Meen-Sa warn the others quietly, so at not to cause a disturbance. Then the two of them slipped out of the village with Talun-Lei, using a tunnel they had secretly dug. Talun-Lei noted that the only purpose of building the tunnel and keeping it secret was so that they could abandon the villagers if things went badly. Aela and Ungarion admitted to the truth of that, and explained that if you want to survive as a mercenary, you have to be ready for anything, including betrayal by your employers.


Chapter 3.3

"Stay behind us," Ungarion whispered. The Altmer wizard stopped the Argonian with a soft hand upon one shoulder.

"And don't go charging in when it starts," Aela murmured. "Just stay back, and leave the rest to us."

Talun-Lei had tracked the Nagas through the tall grass and into the bamboo forest south of the village. A quick search of the area nearby revealed no sign of any other bandits, so they were not merely bait set by a larger force. Now the mercenaries were closing in on the unsuspecting scouts, crouching down to be less noticeable. The two magicians scuttled forward, and a glance back from Aela showed that the Argonian was dutifully following.

Aela hoped that he would indeed stay back when the fighting started. There was nothing worse than having a comrade run in front of your spell. Still, she was thankful that the Argonian was unarmored, for at least he moved silently through the bamboo. In fact, she had to admit that he made even less noise than she and Ungarion did.

The Nagas were at the edge of the forest, staring down at the village below. They spoke in harsh, guttural tones, too quiet for Aela to make out the words. But the tone of excitement and outrage was clear. They were not happy to see the village nestled behind stout defenses, or training to fight.

Aela saw that one had a bow. Its recurve shape reminded her of a Valenwood bow, but rather than golden sila wood, it seemed to be made from bamboo, with darker wood at the ends. The other two were armed with short spears that seemed to be tipped with some form of animal spines, or perhaps even giant teeth?

She nodded toward the bowman, and Ungarion nodded back. That one would be his. Creeping nearer, she set her eyes upon one of the spearmen. He and the others were still too far away for her absorption spells, so she was obliged to sneak in closer, until they were no more than thirty paces away.

One of them turned and stared directly into Aela's eyes. His hiss brought the others around in an instant. They were raising their weapons when a whoosh of flame filled Aela's ears. A bolt of fire sped past her, and engulfed the bow-armed Naga in an infernal wreath. Ungarion had struck the first blow.

The first Naga did not hesitate as his partner screamed, and flung his spear for all that he was worth. With reflexes that came from both years of practice and experience, Aela thrust her left hand forward, palm flattened outward. Magicka poured through her fingers and filled the space in front of her with a glimmering shield of energy. The spear crashed against her ward with a flash of light, and the hard spike at its tip snapped as the weapon clattered aside.

Aela darted forward and to one side, acutely aware that Ungarion was behind her and needed a clear line of fire. She gestured forward with her right hand, fingers splayed out as if she was grabbing for the Naga. She caught hold of his lifeforce, and a blood red light sprang up between the pair as she ripped it from his body and began to pull it into herself. She twisted her hand, feeling the snakeman's heart underneath it, and yanked all the harder. A moment later he fell over dead. His scales were now grey, and his skin looked shrunken, like a tent that had collapsed.

Aela felt the warmth of the Naga's energy suffusing her body with vigor. She quashed the little feeling of guilt that always rose in the back of her mind whenever she killed that way. After all, they were just as dead as if she had burned them alive with fire or hacked their heads off with a sword.

The third Naga turned and fled with all the alacrity that his serpentine body could propel him with. He did not go directly away from them and out into the open fields surrounding the village however. Rather he sped along the fringes of the bamboo forest that ringed the southern end of the valley. Nor did he move in a straight line, but instead he wound this way and that around the green bamboo.

A beam of red energy reached out from Ungarion's fingertips, seeking the Naga through the wall of bamboo. But the bandit eluded the magical attack by dodging behind one of the stalks. Aela saw that he was out of the relatively short range of her absorb health spell. Instead she concentrated upon the spirits around her. She felt the energy of a sylph meandering high in the treetops above. Enticing the spirit to join her, she poured her magicka into a raised fist.

That is when she saw Talun-Lei step past her, and hurl one of his slender javelins toward the Naga. The marauder tried to dodge again, but this time he was too slow. The bronze head of the light throwing spear buried itself squarely in the serpentine being's side, and he sprawled face-first into the dirt.

Aela sighed, and let the magicka subside from her hand. A glance toward Talun-Lei showed that he was smiling with that toothy rictus that all Argonians possessed. His heavy fighting spear rose from the ground behind him, its butt-spike planted deeply into the soil. He still held his crescent shield in his left hand, along with a second javelin.

"Well, so much for taking one alive for questioning," Ungarion said dryly as he stepped forward.

"But these ones never said-" Talun-Lei's smile went crashing down like rain from a thunderstorm.

Aela stopped him with a raised hand. "It's not your fault," she admitted. "We should have said something." She took a step closer to the Naga, and realized that he was still twitching. She moved faster, and finally broke out into a run. Kneeling at the stricken outlaw's side, she lay one hand upon his chest, and felt the life still flickering within his frame.

"It's not too late," Aela murmured. Filling her hands with bright white light, she now laid both of them on the scales around the Naga's wound. Sending the healing magic down into its body, she felt where the metal head of the javelin had rent flesh, severed blood vessels, chipped ribs, and tore into one of the bandit's lungs.

Taking hold of the Naga's blood, she sent it racing back into his veins and arteries, then held them shut. That would hold him for the moment. But she had to get the javelin out before she could begin to truly heal his wounds. While she could tell he was still barely conscious, the Naga seemed to lack the energy to move, a fact that Aela was thankful for. She would not have to waste magicka dulling his pain, or immobilizing him.

"Talun-Lei, would you get this please?" Aela nodded to the javelin still jutting from the Naga's hide.

"Aye," the Argonian said sheepishly. He grabbed hold of the missile with both hands, and Aela felt it twist as he tightened his grip. The sharp head sliced farther into the Naga's lung, creating new rivers of blood that flooded into his air passages. Quickly reaching out with her energy, she staunched the sanguine flow once more, and turned it back into his arteries and veins.

"Gently!" Aela warned sternly.

The javelin stopped turning. Then the Argonian began to slowly draw it forth. Its barbed head caught upon the flesh behind it, ripping more tissue away with every inch it withdrew. Aela set her lips to a hard line, but said nothing. Why did they always have to use barbed heads?

Finally the weapon was free of the Naga's chest, and Aela could get down to the real work. She started by purifying her hands with a simple spell, leaving them clean and free of any contaminants. Then she reached down into the open wound with her fingers, and pulled out bits of torn scales and leather from the harness he wore. She wished for her forceps, or even a pair of pliers, but all of her tools were back in her bag at Rullianus' house. Still, she was thankful that the bandit had not been wearing a tunic or shirt, for that would have left even more foreign material in the wound. When she was certain that she had gotten all of it out, she withdrew her fingers and set to the task of actual healing.

Starting with the deepest point of injury: the lungs, she slowly pulled his rent flesh back together, stitching the wounds shut with her magicka. Moving upward, she reconnected blood vessels, and allowed them to once more carry their cargo to the rest of his body. The nerve fibers were a greater challenge, and she did her best to rejoin them. But since she had never worked on a Naga before, she could only hope that she wove them back together correctly. At least this was good practice, she thought absentmindedly. If nothing else, she was getting some valuable experience in treating an uncommon race.

Then came the ribs. The metal head of Talun-Lei's javelin had cut between two of the bones, tearing chips out of each. She pushed the broken shards back into place with her fingers, and fused them all together with magicka. Next were the bands of powerful muscle, which at least were easy to mend together. She thanked Mara that Talun-Lei's javelin had not landed near a joint, as the delicate tendons that linked the muscles to the bones were untouched.

Finally she sealed the Naga's skin closed over the former wound. She was even able to take some of the pieces of torn scales she had pulled from inside his body and graft them back onto his hide. But they had been broken and deformed from the impact of the javelin, and she found that she could not rebuild them to their original shapes or pattern. That left a massive, scaleless scar in his flesh. If only he had been a human or an elf, she could have sealed the skin shut with nary a sign of its ever being broken.

Now the Naga did begin to stir. Aela felt down for the magicka to put him to sleep, but Ungarion got to it first. With a flash of red Destruction magic from his hand, the Altmer wizard extinguished the bandit's stamina, sending him into a deep sleep.

"Well, it appears all of those Restoration classes really did pay off." Ungarion observed. "Perhaps we can get some useful information out of this fellow?"

Aela rose to her feet, but teetered for a moment as a wave of dizziness washed over her. She felt a soft hand from Ungarion take her by the shoulder to steady her, and could not resist yawning. Now she wished that the Altmer had not knocked the Naga out. She could have stolen his endurance instead, and refreshed herself from the effort of healing him. But now that he was unconscious, there was nothing left for her to take.

Aela looked to Ungarion, and he took his hand away from her at a nod. She knew that the Altmer would never carry the Naga back to the village. She also knew that she did not have the magicka to summon a spirit to do it, not without losing precious time waiting to recover her energy, or even worse, wasting a magicka potion. Finally her gaze settled upon Talun-Lei.

"It was your spear that felled him," the Breton Witch declared. "You can carry him back."



Edited to Add:
I came across a decent illustration of Agrigento's defenses. This is almost exactly the same. The only thing missing is that the wall is not crenelated.

This post has been edited by SubRosa: Dec 7 2013, 05:44 AM

[haute ecole rider]

First the nits:

The other two were armed with short spears that seemed to be tipped with some form or animal spines, or perhaps even giant teeth?

Did you mean of? Something the spell checker never finds for you!

Ungarion has struck the first blow.

Was this meant as a thought of Aela's? Just a little disconcerting to see the switch in tense; on the second reading I wondered if it was Aela thinking and not the main narrative voice of the story.

On to the real purpose of this reply.
I really liked how the fighting style of the mages contrasted with Talun-Lei's approach. Yet all worked together to approach silently and lay an ambush on the fly. Too bad they didn't quite get the perfect timing, but still they gained the advantage of surprise.

She twisted her hand, feeling the snakeman's heart underneath it, and yanked all the harder. A moment later he fell over dead. His scales were now grey, and his skin looked shrunken, like a tent that had collapsed.

Reminds me of the Evil Queen Mayor Regina when she's pissed at someone!

That is when she saw Talun-Lei step past her, and hurl one of his slender javelins toward the Naga. The marauder tried to dodge again, but this time he was too slow. The bronze head of the light throwing spear buried itself squarely in the serpentine being's side, and he sprawled face-first into the dirt

For some reason this reminds me of an old T-shirt slogan: A Smith and Wesson beats a Pair of Mages Aces!

As a medical professional, I must admit that I read the entire healing episode with a critical eye. I really can't find any nits to pick here. While I would have written this scene differently, I also know that there is more than one way to castrate a cat, so your writing is just fine from a semi-technical standpoint.

"It was your spear that felled him," the Breton Witch declared. "You can carry him back."

You tell it, girl!

[Acadian]

That went pretty well, and was a neat magical fight. I’m glad that, after Ungarion seemed unable to stop the fleeing Naga, Talun-Lei did. More important to stop the Naga from escaping with what he has seen/learned, than to failing in the attempt to capture him alive. Happily though, Aele gave us a wonderful display of her potent healing skill and brought her Naganese patient back from near death.

I’m looking forward to learning what intelligence about their foes the magicians can glean from this Naga. And how they go about gathering it.

It’s fortuitous that Talun-Lei and Meensa-Sa detected this small reconnaissance party early. I’ll be interested to see if the Seven decide that it is time to begin field screening patrols of their own around their perimeter. Or at least some sort of watch arrangement.

I simply love the care your Seven have put into their preparations. We're just beginning to see how it is paying off!

[King Coin]

I’m pretty excited for this part. If they stop the scouts from reporting, the rest of the group will not be prepared to assault a fortified town.

I loved how personal absorbing that Naga’s life force felt to Aela.

Talun-Lei shows his worth, even if they wanted one alive. They really should have shared that tidbit. The healing process was interesting.

[Grits]

I love how after the magical display it was Talun-Lei’s simple javelin that brought the Naga down.

I liked Aela’s thoughts about barbed heads and leaving a scar on the Naga. They may yet kill the bandit, but she’s going to do a good job healing him first. It made me think about the bandit waking up in captivity. His loyalty might be for sale now that he has reason to hope that they’ll treat him well.