Those Whom the Gods Forsake - Chapter 6

• Posted by Accursed August 5, 2015 - 999 views

  Chapter 6: A Brief Vacation

  “To Oblivion with it!” I yelled, dropping Onmund’s body to the ground.

  The others had gathered and had watched my desperate attempt to save him. Tolfdir and Valund went back into the tunnel and continued through a passage hidden in one of the coffins while Arniel and I carried the boy’s body back to the College.

  “I’m sure you did your best to save him, Caranthir.”

  I stared at the snow ahead of me. We got back and put his body in the Midden to keep it cool until we held services and his family could be informed and brought to Winterhold. I didn’t want to go back to the ruin, so I went looking for Erissa instead.

  I found her with Faralda, studying a frost spell. I knocked on the door.

  “Yes, student?” Faralda asked.

  “I have some news. Onmund has perished in the Saarthal excavation.”

  “Hm. Sad news. Thank you for informing us. Dismissed.”

  Her tone bothered me.

  “Actually, I was also hoping to speak with Erissa.”

  “Very well.” She stood where she was.

  “In private, if you don’t mind.” She sneered and walked outside. I walked over to Erissa, putting my hands on her shoulders.

  “You washed your hands off after touching Onmund, didn’t you?”

  “Er… no.” I took my hands off her to reveal two bloody handprints I just left on her robes. “Sorry about that.”

  She laughed. “It’s okay. What did you want to talk about? Onmund?”

  I sighed and looked out the windows.

  “I fought in the Great War, you know. Back in those days, I did terrible things. I just need some time to relax. A lot has happened over the past few days. I think I’ll return to the Isles for a week, then I’ll come back for a fresh start. Alright?”

  I turned around to read her expression, but the moment I did so she pressed up against me.

  We kissed.

  When she pulled away, she looked into my eyes. Hers were so deep, so beautiful.

  “I’m going with you.” Damn. I was hoping to leave everything behind for a few days, even her, but her face told me she needed this as much as I did.

  “Perfect. We’ll leave tomorrow.”

  I didn’t do much except go to the Arch-Mage and inform him of our trip and ask to borrow a horse.

  In the morning I found a note from that Bosmer. ‘Your return shall be marked with strife’. That was fairly vague, so I found no point in bringing it up with Erissa.

  We walked over to the town for me to give a letter to a courier stationed at the Longhouse. It was to inform my father to expect my arrival. We got on the horse I borrowed from Savos and we began riding to Falkreath. As we left the North and entered the Whiterun plains the snow melted away and the weather Grew slightly warmer. A thought occurred to me.

  “Where were you born?”

  Erissa leaned closer to me. “I was born here in Skyrim. In Solitude.”

  “Have you ever visited the Isles?”

  “No.”

  We passed through a small town and entered the Falkreath hold. Here the weather was warm and the forests grew in abundance. It was the most beautiful part of Skyrim, at least what I had seen.

  As we passed over the Jeralls and into Cyrodiil, the Imperial City came into view, far in the distance.

  “It’s gorgeous!”

  “I try not to look at it. Bad memories.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “I helped sack the City during the war.

  “Oh… what was it like?”

  I didn’t respond. We passed Bruma, then Chorrol and the City. We made our way Southwest and arrived in Anvil. We paid for the horse to be brought back to Skyrim with some extra money Erissa brought along.

  We went through the town and towards the docks. I thought of the very first time I sailed here, back when I was still enlisted. The place had been crawling with soldiers coming in to fight. I was lucky to be back here just a few days before the Legion took back the capitol.

  The only ship sailing to Alinor was a cargo ship, but the captain said they had some extra beds as long as I helped him load some crates. I did so, and we were off just at dawn.

  We docked in Alinor a few days later. The sun was barely out and most of the city was still sleeping. I lead Erissa, who was in awe at the beauty of the city, out of the docks district and to the edge of town. I walked to the stables and found my good friend Aldaril asleep in the drivers seat of his carriage. We had been friends since childhood. His father ran the carriage before him, and he often took his to and from our estate nearby. Aldaril would often go with him. We used to play in the rivers, go fishing from the beach, play ‘Catch the Heretic’ with the other children. We even went to war together, same squadron.

  I turned to Erissa and grinned. I picked up a bucket and filled it at the creek he lived by, then proceeded to dump it on him.

  “By Oblivion! What in Mara’s name is going on!?”

  “Aldaril, friend, good morning. I trust you had a restful sleep?”

  “By all that I hold Holy, is that you Caranthir? And you’ve brought a lady. I never thought you the romantic type.”

  “Oh, come now. You know how lustful we were as young Mer.”

  “Hah! How could I forget? Your estate, I take it?”

  “No place I’d rather be.”

  I helped Erissa into the back of the carriage and got in myself. After catching up a bit Aldaril turned his attention to Erissa.

  “So, if I may ask, what would your name be?”

  “I’m Erissa. Pleased to meet you.”

  “Honestly, the pleasure is mine. Ain’t many attractive women in this city.” She blushed.

  “Thank you. This is my first time here in the Isles. It’s so pretty.”

  “Glad you think so, though I’d be saying Alinor if I were you. Don’t want to draw attention around here.”

  We continued on until we reached the familiar iron gates surrounded by a white marble wall.

  “Well, here’s your stop, friend. Don’t worry about paying; for you, it’s always free.”

  “Thank you, Aldaril. I’ll see you soon.”

  I walked over to the gate and looked through. Nobody was outside. I sighed and pulled on string coming out of the wall. The string was connected to a bell on the inside of the main building and would alert my father and sister of my arrival.

  The door to the main building of the complex opened and my father strode out. He was old, 346 to be exact, but he still maintained a hostile and cold aura. In reality, he was gentle and quite humorous when among close friends or family. He pulled a lever and opened the gate.

  “Ah, Sorcalmo, welcome home! And I see you brought the lady, as you mentioned. Enchanted.” He bowed to Erissa as a joke, yet she didn’t understand that.

  “Oh, please, no need to bow. I’m just… me.”

  My father laughed uproariously. “I was only joking, my dear. What’s your name?”

  “Erissa… er… Sir.”

  “Hah! No need for titles, Erissa. Sorcalmo, how have you been?”

  “I’ve told you before father, call me Caranthir. I’ve been well, though College life has been quite stressful. Already two students died in my company.”

  “Very well, Caranthir, I can see why you needed this little vacation.”

  We walked into the main building. The first floor was a general living space. It had a fireplace, dining table, and some seating. The second was my father’s study, and the third his bed chamber.

  We ate a breakfast of bread and aged cheese and talked with my father. We described Skyrim, the College, Thetri, Onmund, but I left out the parts about the notes and the Psijics. Then he asked me a question I had hoped to avoid.

  “So, what school of magic did you finally decide to study?”

  I cleared my the ought and shifted in my seat. “Well, I’ve seen and caused my fair share of death. To atone for this, I decided to study…”

  “Let me guess; Restoration, to become a healer?”

  I nodded slowly.

  “Excellent. I always knew you would help people some how.”

  It went a lot better than I expected it would. I excused myself and left Erissa with my father to talk.

  I left the main building and turned to my right, heading to an exact replica but on a smaller scale. That was my building. It was the same floor layout, just smaller in diameter.

  I opened the door. I hadn’t been in here for quite some time, as for the few years leading to my departure to Skyrim I was living in a hotel in the main city.

  Years of neglect had taken it’s toll on the interior. It was dark and cold, with cobwebs hanging from the ceiling and most pieces of furniture. My research papers had been scattered about the floor. I went up the stone steps to the top floor; my bedroom. It was the same as the bottom floor, yet it held more memories. A painting of a five year old me on my mother’s lap still hung on the wall. I ran my finger along her painted face, wishing I could see her again.

  I lit the wall sconces and began to clear the spider webs, dust, and garbage scattered around. By noon I had finished all three floors and was very happy with the results. I washed up and returned to the main building.

  I found my sister had joined my father and Erissa.

  “Ah, I was wondering when you’d rear your head, Sorcalmo.”

  “Viranirn, hello. Please, call me Caranthir, little sister.”

  She smiled teasingly. “I may be younger, but I’m not little anymore. Anyway, I just finished welcoming your lady friend here. Very nice lady.”

  We all talked, mostly about my recent adventures in Skyrim again, as well as Erissa’s stories of growing up in Solitude. Her father was an ambassador within the Blue Palace and her mother had been the daughter of another Justiciar. The hours passed, and soon it was time for dinner. Father had some servants bring out some wine and venison.

  After we ate, Father looked across the table at me.

  “Sorcalmo, why don’t you tell us some war stories?”

  “You know I don’t like to talk about it.”

  “Oh, come now. Let an old Mer hear about how his son gained honor.”

  “If you insist. Which one would you like to hear?”

  He stopped and thought for a minute.

  “How about the one about the little boy in the Imperial City.”

  “I refuse. Another.”

  Father and I were cut from different cloth. While he viewed all races of man and beast pigs unworthy of respect, I recognized their right to humane treatment. He reveled in the atrocities of the Dominion armies, but he wasn’t there, didn’t see it. Do it.

  “Listen here, Sorcalmo. You may be a grown Mer, but I am still your father. Tell us about the boy in the City.”

  I closed my eyes.

  “The day we sacked the Imperial City, I was the second wave in. The first had suffered large losses but succeeded in taking the City, and third wave was making sure none of the Legions came in to retake it. That left us to terrorize the city, as was our orders. We ran through the city, busting in doors. The soldiers raped, killed, burned, pillaged; whatever suited their fancy. While roaming the Elven Gardens district I came upon a house that had yet to be raided. I drew my mace and broke down the door. Nobody was on the first floor, so I went upstairs. There I found an Imperial woman and her young boy. He was about nine or so. She pleaded with me to leave but orders were to send a message to the citizens. I ripped her little boy from her arms and forced him onto one knee. I raised my mace and… swung. I had only meant to break some ribs, but he squirmed, and I hit him in the head. He… didn’t make it. I left immediately, the woman sobbing over his limp body.”

  The table went silent. My sister stared at me in disbelief.

  “Why have you never told me this story before?”

  “I told Father when I first returned, but you were too young at the time.”

  My father was smiling.

  “Brat got what was coming to him if you ask me. How about the part where you storm the Palace?” Damnit. He wanted the whole thing.

  “If you insist. After we plundered the city we met back in the Temple district. From there we all ran into Green Emperor Way, the only District we had not yet been to. The remaining Legion troops fought tooth and claw like cornered animals, but our sheer number overran them. A few of us, myself included, lot torches and ran towards the Palace. We set fire to it, then took everything of value from White Gold Tower.”

  “One more, the…”

  “If you’ll forgive me, I think I shall retire for the night. Good evening.”

  I got up and left the table before Father could demand another story. I had lied, of course; I would be back later. I went back into my building. There was still one room I hadn’t gone through.

  I opened the hatch leading to the basement. It was fairly large, as I couldn’t see the back wall by candlelight. I began walking through the crates and barrels, looking at their labels. Clothes. Paintings. Soul gems.

  At the end of I found what I had hoped I would. My Elven Armor.

  It gleamed as it had when I first got it in Combat Training as a young Mer, barely twenty. I had always preferred hoods to helmets, though.

  My weapons collection was beside it. I picked up my quiver and a greatsword, sheathing both on my back.

  I donned the armor and prepared to go back to the others.