User blog:Leea/The Tale of Voronwe, Chapter 23

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

4th Era 100, 2nd of Rain's Hand, Summerset isle
She heard Balasian laughing within the house as she came in from the orchard. Strange...there seemed to be another voice laughing with him, a male voice. Approaching the living room, where the laughter seemed to be originating from, she caught sight of a luminous Sea Elf as she entered the doorway. It wasn't Balasian, it was someone else. Someone with deep, scarlet hair and a strong jaw. He was also slightly transparent. She knew, at once, that she was looking at a ghost in her house. Dropping the basket of apples in her sudden fright, she brought her hands up to cup over her mouth, but too late to muffle her scream.

Curwe's scream cut through the laughter, stopping it instantly. She started backing into a corner, her amber eyes wide open and her hands still over her mouth.

Balasian rushed to her, arms and hands extended. "No, wait! I know him! Everything's all right!"

Attempting to stiffle the screams trying to emerge from her throat, Curwe darted her eyes back and forth from the ghost still standing in the center of the room, eyeing her with compassion, to Balasian, worried and holding her shoulders in a firm grip.

"What do you mean, you know him?" she whispered, her eyes resting on Balasian's worried gaze.

He gently squeezed her shoulders. "He wa--" before stopping, correcting himself. "He is a friend of mine. I've known him for quite a few years. He tried to protect me from Markadil--"

"That assassin that was here." she interrupted, remembering his name.

He squeezed her shoudlers again. "Yes. Him."

As Balasian took a deep breath, the ghost standing beyond spoke gently to Curwe. "You need not fear me, my lady. I care for Balasian's well being as much as you do."

Her eyes flicked fearfully from Balasian's to the ghost's and back. "How do I know that?"

The ghost spread his arms wide. "Because I wasn't always like this." His arms lowered. "I died in the attempt to stop the assassin you killed. How much more dedication can you ask for, when someone gave their life?"

Curwe stared at his face, trying to gauge his sincerity. His eyes and facial expressions appeared to be true to his words. She bit her upper lip. "I guess I could believe you."

Balasian removed his hands from her shoulders and helped her up from her crouched position on the floor.

Curwe stood straight, studying the ghostly Sea Elf before her. Balasian stood off to the side, sensing that she needed to get a feel what made Orthendar a friend. Her eyes flicked over the other Elf's body as he stood calmy before her just feet away.

"What is your name?" she asked, bringing her eyes to his.

He bowed slightly, inclining his head. "I am Orthendar, my lady."

She lifted her chin. "I had a great-great grandfather of that name."

The ghost cracked a smile. "Altmer and Maormer names can be quite similar. Or identical, in this case. I'm sure that there have been many people of our races that have shared a name or two throughout the millenia." His smile grew. "At any rate, I am not your grandfather. He was undoubtedly a High Elf, while I am a Sea Elf, and was only 34 when I died. I couldn't possibly be your grandfather."

The serious expression left Curwe's face, slowly replaced by a small smile, much to Balasian's relief.

"Yeah, I highly doubt you are related to me in any way," Curwe stated, cracking a true smile for the first time since Orthendar had first seen her.

He returned her smile.

"However," she continued, "I have not seen or heard about very many friendly ghosts. Most want to steal your soul."

"But I do want to steal your soul," Orthendar's voice echoed.

Shock and fear bloomed anew within Curwe.

"I want to steal your soul, as Balasian has stolen your heart," the ghost continued. "I will have your soul taken through friendship and trust, like my friend has taken your heart through love and kindness."

Her fearful expression formed into a scowl. "Even the same sense of humor, I see."

The ghost grinned widely. "Really? I'm glad that some of my traits have rubbed off on him."

A grunt came from deep within her throat. She changed the subject. "How long have you known him?" indicating her love with a gesture.

"Since he had been in the Harbor Guard. He told you about them?"

She nodded.

"My guild did much at the ports, and he always seemed to be there when I was there, so we got to know each other."

"You mention a guild. What guild was this?" Curwe asked.

The ghost seemed to smile self-conciously. "I'm sure you've heard of the Sea Vipers."

She grunted, a deep scowl forming on her face. "I have. They've plundered the southern coasts of Tamriel for millenia. So you're saying that you were a member of that infamous guild?"

"I was. Stop scowling, you'll get unpleasant wrinkles in your old age."

Curwe's face slowly lightened as she waited for Orthendar to continue. After her scowl had completely dissappeared, he continued.

"Everyone on Pyandonea has to apply to a guild if it is noticed that they are good at a skill. It is law; you can't refuse, unless you want a lengthy prison sentence--"

"People have to join a guild? What kind of law is that?" Curwe asked, shocked.

Orthendar shrugged. "The King has his laws, and those who openly question those laws tend to...dissappear, if you catch my drift. Likely why many quietly support Balasian; he promised, amongst other things, to get rid of this law."

Curwe finally began to understand the enormity of Balasian's cause. As she just stared at him in shock, Orthendar continued.

"Some choose the prison sentence over the guild memberships. It is their choice. There are also more guilds than just the Sea Vipers. There's the Sea Serpents, the assassin's guild. You've already met the guild leader."

There was a slight pause as she digested the last sentence. "You mean...Markadil?"

He nodded. "Yes. He was head of the Sea Serpents for the last two hundred years. I was supposed to be his replacement if he was...removed from the post, but as you can see, that will not happen."

"Guild members can switch guilds?" Curwe asked, watching as Balasian began to pick up the apples that had fallen out of the basket she had brought in.

"Yes," Orthendar replied. "If it is found that they are good at another skill, opposite the guild they joined, they can switch guilds with the approval of the guild leader, or, if the guild is an especially prominent one, the King's consent."

"So you did...assassinations?" she asked, disgusted. Her gaze fell on Balasian again, who was picking up the basket and bringing it into the kitchen.

"I did," the ghost aknowledged. "But before you start thinking of me as a degenerate, remember that I died for your beloved. Some of the assassinations were of prominent supporters of the King, but I made them look as if they had rebellious thoughts, discrediting them - and often their whole family - and leaving 'evidence' behind that made it appear as the hit had been ordered by other important supporters of the King, who had more 'evidence' placed there by spies, making it look like both were thinking of ursurping the King's position, but they only desired the position they already held."

"Sounds like what happens in the old histories."

He smiled. "Court intrigue at its very best."

Balasian returned from the kitchen. He eyed both Curwe and Orthendar. "Do you trust him yet?" he asked, puting an arm around her shoulders.

She bumped him playfully. "He's an assassin and a pirate. Some friends you have."

He bumped her back. "We come from all walks of life. Besides, who says we all can't get along? Just look at us. Who would have thought a Sea Elf and a High Elf would ever be a couple?"

She smiled a little self-conciously. "Fine. I guess you have a point." She turned her smile to Orthendar. "Will you be staying?"

He shook his head. "I'm afraid not. I'll need to be going back to Pyandonea. I will come by every so often, to make sure you are all right."

Both Balasian and Curwe nodded. "Perhaps we can continue our conversation some other time, then," she said.

Orthendar inclined his head, pleased. "See? I knew I would steal your soul."

She gave him a sly, reproving glance from the corner of her eye.

A lopsided grin. Turning to his commander and friend, the ghost bowed slightly. "Farewell, for now. Keep a look out on your girl. She's got quite the spice in her." He winked.

Balasian winked back. "That's why I love her." He put a fist over his heart in salute. "Good luck, friend. It was good to see you again."

Orthendar returned the salute. "You too, brother."

As he bowed to the Elves standing before him, he began to glow brightly as he transferred his essence back to Pyandonea. With a flash and shimmer in the air, he was gone.