User blog:Leea/The Tale of Voronwe, Chapter 26

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1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, 12th, 13th, 14th, 15th, 16th, 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 25th

4th Era 110, 13th of Sun's Height, Summerset Isle
A day and it already felt like a lifetime. He didn't really feel like eating, nor sleeping. He lacked the energy to do much of anything besides sitting in the chair and sighing while staring at the bedroom wall. The horrible thought came to him during a very lonely moment (he was about to call Curwe, when he remembered she was gone) that if Curwe died first, his life would be effectively over. If Othendar reported that he was needed back on Pyandonea, he would return however he could and serve the cause, but the joy in his life would be gone.

Priests of Mara often spoke of true love. Having never been interested in any of the women of his own race, he had never known that it could be this...enveloping. He got up from the chair and stiffly ambled to the window overlooking the sea. He realized that he had been sitting still for hours, and his joints were stiff. Balasian stretched his muscles and rolled his shoulders, hearing the faint clicks and pops of his joints resetting.

Something stirred in his chest as he gazed out the window. Would Curwe really be proud in her choice of a mate if she knew he was just sitting here, doing nothing? Balasian turned from the window and headed out to the living room. He surveyed the area, eyes catching on the fireplace. It had never been cleaned, as long as he could remember. He would make his love proud. He grabbed up the pail and scrub brush from the kitchen and got to work.

* * *

She leapt down from the carriage nimbly. Having never visited Eldacar's residence before, she turned to the lawyer. "This is his house?"

The lawyer finished roping up the horses, then turned and spoke. "Yes, my lady. Right this way, follow me."

They walked side by side up the cobblestone path to the odd-shaped house. She could imagine the headache of the contractor: the house was shaped like a tightly grouped clump of mushrooms. A mushroom lover through and through, Curwe thought.

As they approached the door, the lawyer searched for the keys in his pockets. As he was fumbling for the keys, a robed and hooded figure approached from the shadows of the porch. As it stepped into the light where they stood, Curwe could see it was an Altmer man garbed in a deep purple-blue robe overcoat, tunic, and matching pants. The robe, gloves and boots were edged with gold trim, and decorative claw-shaped gems matching the hue of the outfit adorned the back of the gloves. After a brief once-over with his eyes, he spoke to her.

"Curwe Angalin?"

"That's me," she replied, guard instantly up.

"My name in Camillion. I am a representative of the Aldmeri Dominion, and we are interested in buying items from Eldacar's estate."

"I'm afraid that I don't even know what he has. This is my first time here."

Camillion inclined his head. "Then may I escort you inside?"

She knew it would be no good denying this man, even though she had no love for the Dominion. Better to just let him buy what he wanted so he would leave. She felt quite uncomfortable around him, likely because he watched her and the lawyer so closely. She matched his gesture. "Please do."

He inclined his head slightly in response, and he waited silently while the lawyer opened the door, then followed him and Curwe into the house.

* * *

There were jars of mushrooms everywhere. Clearly, she had underestimated Eldacar's love of mushrooms. She pondered if there was a realm of Aetherius dedicated to alchemists that loved fungi. She also wondered what the Dominion could possibly want with this? Perhaps it was notes of mixtures or something along that line. The agent in question parted from her and the lawyer as soon as they entered the threshhold, walking into various rooms. She asked the lawyer that she be shown into the kitchen, intending to clear it out, lest whatever food and supplies would spoil before she could sell the house.

As she worked - finding many dry goods she could bring home - she caught...what was his name...Camillion passing from room to room, sometimes with something in his hands or carried in his arms. By the time she had finished with the kitchen and connected cellar, it was noon, and Camillion approached the doorway with what Balasian would have called a "stiffly formal" expression and posturing.

"How would you like payment, my lady?" he asked.

She thought it over. Money would be the best, as she could take it back with her. Any other type of "payment" - official favors, property, etc. - eh...not so much. She couldn't imagine what she would do with any of those. "Gold, please." she replied.

The agent hesitated a fraction of a second (apparently expecting a different answer) before aknowledging the request. "Very well, ma'am. Some men will come shortly to pay you and retrieve the goods. Good day." He bowed slightly.

She matched his gesture while replying, "You as well, sir."

She waited until she heard his steps approach the front door and it open and shut before she snuck to the kitchen doorway. Peering about, she saw no one, especially the Thalmor agent. She quickly and silently made it to the living room, where on the table there were what she had sold to the Dominion. Looking it over, she saw what appeared to be a stack of papers, one on top seemingly alchemy notes on a particular invisibility mixture. There were also a couple of crystal orbs (she highly doubted that they were just for decoration), and a dozen potions. She stood there, staring at everything. What if this was really dangerous stuff? She had just sold it to the Dominion! Her eyes darting back and forth from the goods to the door, she quickly thought on what to do. Destroy them? Boy, wouldn't that be suspicious! She could claim an "accident," but they likely wouldn't beleive her. They would also no doubt detect the rather simple tracking spell she could cast on them. The agent that had gathered these things would state that he had not detected any spells, and she'd be exposed. As far as she could sense, the potions were not magical in nature. Could she dilute them? She tried to remember back to Eldacar's long lectures he often gave her on the subject. Potions couldn't be tested for strength any way other than drinking them; there were no visual clues as to strength. Color and opacity merely had to do with ingredients used, and were not to be used as gauges on how potent the mixture was.

The corks were on quite tight, indicating that they had not been opened for some time. Prying them out, she added salt to the blue potions (containing Glowing mushrooms from Skyrim) and water to the red potions (made from his favorite Blisterwort mushrooms) to lessen their effects, not wanting to test them out to see what the effects of the potions were. They could be poisons, and then she'd drop dead on the spot. As Curwe set down the last potion, quickly scanning the area to make sure she didn't spill anything, she jumped with alarm as she heard a sound. Jerking her head up, she saw that the doorknob was being turned.