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Fall from High Rock	By : mistressarachnia Category: +A through F > Elder Scrolls - Morrowind Views: 4940 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: The Elder Scrolls universe belongs to Bethesda. Alyssa Elbert belongs to me. I make no money from writing about her adventures.

Chapter List
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Chapter
24: Trouble in the Guild
Alyssa was thankful for the guild
guide transport when she arrived back in Ald�ruhn.� She could hear the ash
storm raging outside.� Now that she had spent some time in Sadrith Mora, she
could hardly believe that anyone would choose to live out here in the
ashlands.� Even on a silt strider the storms were horrid � worse, even.
�Oh my!� You�re positively
glowing!� All that fresh air on the eastern sea coast must be doing you some
good!� Erranil smiled pleasantly when Alyssa returned.
�Thank you.� Sadrith Mora is simply
wonderful, but I missed all of you here.� Do you know where Edwinna is?� Alyssa
asked.� Erranil frowned.
�Gnisis, I suppose,� she said,
crossing her arms haughtily as she turned her head to glare at no one in particular.
�Ah�� said Alyssa.� This was
unfortunate - she didn�t want to leave the guildhall, but she really needed to
talk to her sister.� But at the moment she felt so clean and refreshed, and
besides, she was wearing one of her best dresses, and she didn�t want to be
covered in ash.� She frowned.� Sometimes the storms only lasted a few hours,
but other times they lasted days.
�I don�t suppose you know where
Anarenen is then?� Alyssa asked, biting her lower lip.� Erranil shot her a sad
smile.
�He�s either at the Rat in the Pot
across the way from the guildhall, or he�s off with Orrent at his place
settling in,� she replied, stifling a cold laugh, �I wonder how THAT one�s
going to work out.�
�Where does Orrent live anyway?�
Alyssa asked.
�Well, I always thought he lived with
Drinar Varyon, the local pottery scholar.� I saw them a few times at the tavern
together and I guess I just sort of assumed they were an item.� But I guess I
was wrong.� Apparently he rents out a small room at the Lethri manor in Ald�skar.�
Redoran lords don�t typically lease out their property, so he must have some
kind of connection there, but I haven�t figured out what it is yet.� Heck,
sometimes he winds up staying over with Heem-la if his work gets too busy.�
Anarenen says he�s rarely at his place in Ald-skar though so he mostly has the
place to himself.� It still feels kind of strange visiting though,� she said
with a sad smile.
�Edwinna really told him to leave?�
Alyssa asked, hurt that her sister would do such a thing.� Anarenen had certainly
never done anything to deserve it.
�Not as such� exactly.� Apparently
Baladas was visiting to pick up some of the Dwemer machinery parts she had set
aside and offered him.� So Edwinna asked Anarenen to move his things to your
old room so that the �life-work situation� wouldn�t look as �unprofessional� in
front of one of her esteemed colleges.� She may as well have just kicked him
out � that�s how he took it.� But she�s still handing out projects to us all
just the same, as though nothing was any different,� Erranil answered, �Of
course when I confronted her about it she just said that the affair had been
going on long enough and she wanted the rumors to stop because they were
distracting her from her studies.� She then told us all to mind our own business
and get back to work.� What nerve.� Really Alyssa, I�m glad you don�t take
after your sister.�� Alyssa couldn�t help but smile.� It may not have been what
she would have liked to see happen, but Erranil�s story did sound quite typical
of Edwinna.
�So she�s involved with Baladas
now, I take it?� Alyssa asked.
�Not that she�s admitted � at least
not directly.� But then again she never directly admitted to anything with
Anarenen either� and that affair was just as obvious.� Baladas didn�t stay the
night or anything �telling� though � he just picked up the supplies and left.�
I doubt he would have noticed the so-called �living arrangements� she was so
concerned about,� Erranil scoffed, �Anyway they�re working on some project
involving spider centurions � something to do with the report you brought back
from Nchuleftingth and another discovery on a ship.� Or so she says.� Maybe you
ought to go check up on her in Gnisis.� THAT should prove interesting.�� Alyssa
chuckled.� Erranil always seemed to know the latest gossip.� But why did a
storm have to be raging outside just now?� The weather outside appeared just as
gloomy and chaotic as it was inside.� It was clear that very little was going
on in the guildhall itself, and this defeated her purpose for coming.� It
appeared that she would have to risk it.� She let out a heavy sigh.
�Thanks Erranil.� I�ll see what I
can do,� Alyssa assured her.
~*~
Shielding her eyes and pulling her
cloak tight, Alyssa shoved open the door to the tavern in front of her.� Bawdy
music greeted her ears as she coughed, trying to get the ash from her lungs.�
Even with her shield spell in effect it burned her throat, and she hadn�t been
out more than a few seconds.� Looking at her hands, she cringed, trying to wipe
the ash off on her cloak.
�Alyssa?� A familiar voice said.�
She looked up to see a familiar golden face, watching her intently.� He stood
up, removing his own cloak and offering it to help dust her off.
�You shouldn�t be out there in that
storm.� What are you doing here?� he asked, offering her the cloak as he guided
her to a nearby table and called for a glass of water to help ease her burning
throat.
�I just came to visit.� I heard
things were going badly and�� she paused, taking the glass of water she was
handed and drinking it all in a single gulp.� Anarenen smiled, signaling the
bartender for another.
�I�m sorry, I just wanted to see if
there was anything I could do to help,� she confessed.� Anarenen chuckled.
�Well, I�m quite glad to see you.�
Just seeing another friendly face is a wonderful delight,� he said, �But don�t
worry about me.� I�m perfectly fine � more so than I thought I would be.� I�m
living with Orrent for the time being until I can find a place of my own.�
It�s, ah, interesting at times� but he�s a good man and I can tolerate a bit of
idiosyncrasy.� Anyway it�s only temporary.� Erranil�s keeping two eyes out for
a place for me around here and even offered to let me stay with her at the
guild, but I really needed to get away for a while.� To tell the truth I�m considering
moving to the coast � if I can get a job out there that is.� I never thought
I�d be in Ald�ruhn for more than a few days anyway.� I�d like to be somewhere I
can breathe a little easier, away from the ash.� I don�t know� we�ll see how
things work out.�� He smiled warmly, handing the bartender a coin when he
brought another glass of water for Alyssa.
�I�m really relieved that things
are working out for you.� I�m so sorry that Edwinna did this to you.� She�s
always been difficult to live with but� to be completely honest, I�m really
surprised anyone was able to put up with her as well as you did,� Alyssa told
him, �She didn�t know how good she had it.�� Anarenen laughed.
�Well, I�m flattered that you think
so.� However, I�ve come to realize that it takes all types in this world, and
to be completely honest, I was nowhere near her type.� She needs someone like
Baladas.� She really does.� Of course, she hasn�t admitted, even to me, that
she�s actually involved� but it has all the signs, doesn�t it?� Anyway, it�s
none of my concern now.� She�s happy, and that�s all that matters.� She was
never so happy with me,� he confessed, looking away as a hint of pain crossed
his eyes.
�She should have been, if she knew
what was good for her,� Alyssa complained, �I can�t see how anyone could not
have been.�� At this, Anarenen threw back his head and laughed out loud.
�Well then, perhaps someday I�ll
meet this �anyone.�� But as for now, I think I�m content.� By the way, did you
ever meet the �admirer� who was always leaving you all those gifts?� he asked
with a smile.� Alyssa blushed.
�Well, yes actually.� He said he
ran into you a few days ago� I thought you had met?� she replied curiously.�
Anarenen looked puzzled.� Suddenly his eyes widened.
�You mean, the roguish Imperial who
came in looking for you the other day?� he asked, biting his lip.
�Yes, exactly!� His name is Malcus Esdric.�
He�s� well, he�s indescribable,� she sighed dreamily.
�Indescribable, eh?� I�m afraid to
ask what he does then, especially if he hangs around this joint.� I mean,
plenty of them are decent folks but� I don�t know, I guess I never really
figured you�d fall for a Thieves Guild type.� I don�t know why, but I guess I
just figured it was one of the other apprentices from another guild with a flare
for illusion.� I�m not saying this guy has anything up his sleeve, but lots of
them have done prison time.� I just� I really wouldn�t want to see anyone take
advantage of you.� You�re a very sweet girl,� Anarenen responded, his eyes full
of concern. �Alyssa smiled.� Sadly, he wasn�t far from the truth.� But he also
hadn�t seen Malcus like she had.� She knew he was a good person, even if some
aspects of his past were colored in shades of grey.
�Don�t worry, he�s very kind to
me.� He seemed concerned enough about you, too � that�s how I found out about
all of this, actually.� I assumed he�d told you who he was when he told me he�d
had four rounds of drinks with you,� Alyssa replied.� Anarenen�s face turned
red.
�I� wasn�t in the best state of
affairs that particular night,� he confessed, �I just thought he was another
patron.� He did ask about you, which concerned me somewhat.� I mean, I had no
idea who he was, and there are some pretty shady types around here.� But he
kept asking questions and buying drinks and� I guess I just needed someone �
anyone really � to talk to right then.� He said he�d had some similar
experience with a woman named Desele a while back� that was all we talked
about, really.� I swore I wouldn�t tell him anything about you but�� he trailed
off.
�Desele?� Alyssa asked, her eyes
widening.
�Anyway, I learned my lesson.� No
more drinking with strangers.� I�m so terribly sorry� I didn�t even realize I�d
tipped him off.� I�m glad it turned out alright, but I swear it will never
happen again,� he added.
�This isn�t the same Desele as the
woman in Suran, is it?� asked Alyssa again.� Malcus had said he was going to
visit Suran earlier that morning � he had even left early to do so.�� Anarenen
looked puzzled.� Then he chuckled.
�I have no idea, but I really
wouldn�t worry about it.� He also kept repeating that he�d met someone
wonderful in the past few months and never even thought about � whoever that
woman was; I might have gotten the name wrong � anymore.� Said the same would
happen for me if I just gave it some time,� Anarenen smiled, �I�m an elf, I
suppose � I have plenty of time.� I doubt the other Altmer would have looked
favorably on us anyhow.� But given your man�s penchant for bestowing lavish
gifts and insistence on finding you, I doubt you have much to worry about.�
Besides, I don�t see how anyone could not be crazy about you.�� Alyssa smiled.
�Thank you.� You are so very
sweet.� If there is ever anything I can do for you, don�t hesitate to ask,� she
told him, her head still spinning.� Suran?�
�My pleasure.� Likewise to you.�
Come back and visit sometime.� And bring some plants and such back from the
east coast � I�ll teach you some good tricks for brewing up Telvanni flora,� he
said with a wink.
~*~
Alyssa was thankful that the ash storms
rarely penetrated Gnisis.� She was covered in ash by the time she arrived, but
thankfully had thought to bring a spare change of clothes with her.� As soon as
she arrived at the silt strider port, she ran down to the water.� There were
children playing around her, splashing in the waves merrily.� She sighed.� It
wouldn�t do to undress in front of them, but she really didn�t want her sister
seeing her like this.� So she walked along the riverbanks until she came to a
small clearing, surrounded by the cliffbanks.� Slipping off her ash-stained
dress, she dove under the water.� It was cool and refreshing, and she threw her
head back, letting the droplets run from her long auburn-brown tresses.� She
swam to the side, lounging in the warm sun to dry off.� What was Malcus doing
in Suran?� And why did he need a few days to meet her in Balmora?� There was a
silt strider traveling directly between the two.� A voice suddenly interrupted
her dreaming.
�Hey, um, could you do me a favor?�
the voice asked.� Alyssa screamed, slipping back down into the water.
�Oh!� Sorry, I guess we�re in the
same predicament,� the voice continued.� It belonged to a young Dunmer man with
a white topknot.� Alyssa shivered.
�See, my friend Hainab Lasamsi
stole my pants, and now I�m stuck down here in this river,� he explained, �I
didn�t know you were naked too.�� Alyssa stared.
�You can have my old dress to cover
yourself if you want,� she told him, �But I�d prefer if you brought it back
afterwards.� Just leave it over by the silt strider and I�ll pick it up
later.�� The man laughed.
�Works for me!� he said, �Heck,
I�ll even wash it for you.� I just need to go up and exchange a few words with
my old buddy Hainab first...�� Alyssa tossed him the dress quickly.
�Thanks!� I owe you one!� he shouted,
wrapping it around his waist as he ran up from the river.� Alyssa shivered.�
When she was sure that he was gone, she crept back out of the river, wringing
out her hair in an attempt to dry quickly.� When she felt she was decent, she
quickly threw on her dress and climbed the tall hill in front of her to Arvs-Drelen.
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Fall from High Rock