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The Story of Braith	By : CinnabarCrow Category: +M through R > Pillars of Eternity Views: 2001 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Pillars of Eternity and am not profiting from this story

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“You seem to have a better sense of this village than I do.” Braith finished her porridge and pushed the bowl aside. “What have you seen aside from angry drunks?”
Aloth frowned. “Well, it’s not exactly a tourist attraction, but there is a tree decorated with corpses to the north of this inn. It seems the local lord is fond of executions and his wife’s hollowborn child seems only to have made the situation worse.”
“Corpse tree.” Braith raised a finger to her lips. “I saw a woman on that tree…she said something to me. Watcher?”
Aloth looked at her in confusion.
Braith shook her head. “Sorry, I don’t know what I’m talking about. My memory of the last few days is a bit hazy. I know it seems gruesome, but all the same I’d like to visit that tree.”
Aloth steepled his hands. “When we first met you said something about surviving a bîaŵac. I don’t know many people to have done so and I can’t imagine what consequences that would have. But if it would help put you at ease, I can go with you to that tree.”
Braith rose from her seat. “Thank you. It shouldn’t take long. I don’t want to keep you here longer than necessary.”
Braith left the table to pay for their meal.
“Och, she's a bonnie a body. Wee strange mebbe. Ah coods see ye feckin' 'er thocht. ”
“Be quiet!” Aloth hissed under his breath. “I didn’t ask for your opinion.”
“Slender limbs, braw firm buttocks, an' coopy baps loch ripe mangos. Ah saw th' way ye blushed when ye waur undressin' 'er an' wrappin' 'er flesh in bandages. Bit it gart ye want tae throost intae 'er, sae dreich an' warm, make 'er greit yer nam in pleasure.”
“That’s enough! She was injured and there was no one else to tend to her wounds. I did nothing untoward.”
“Ye can teel yerself 'at. but Ah ken ye hud a stiffy when yer hans waur oan 'er.”
Aloth bit his lower lip, drawing blood.
“Are you alright? I think you cut your lip.” Braith had returned to the table and gaze Aloth a concerned look. “I thought I heard you talking to someone and was worried you’d run afoul of the tavern patrons again.”
Aloth dabbed at his lip with a handerchief. “Just accidentally bit my lip is all. Let’s visit that tree.”
“So you can feel other people’s souls?” Aloth asked her as they made their way across the village.
“Yes. I started when I was a child. I feel the emotions of people around me. Almost like they are my own. I can feel their thoughts too but I’ve learned to mostly ignore them. It seems invasive.” Braith cast him a reassuring smile. “I know there are reasons why people like me are feared and I can’t say that I am entirely innocent. But I do my best to be respectful of other people’s souls. What I did the other day…it seemed like you were in danger and I had to intervene. I made them turn their rage on each other instead.”
Aloth nodded. “So you weren’t trained as a cipher? I suppose a daughter of a royal lineage would not be raised such.”
“No and once I realized what it was I did my best to keep it hidden. My governess knew. I couldn’t keep anything from her. It was very hard at first. Feeling the emotions of everyone around me and not knowing why. It turned out my governess had a cousin who had traveled to Dyrwood to work as a cipher. She recognized what was happening and explained it to me. Told me not to let anyone know and just pretend I was normal so that I could grow up to be mecwyn…” Braith turned to look at Aloth. “I suppose that didn’t work out very well. My governess was a demanding woman but I think she meant well, in her own way. She adored me as one of her own children and wanted to see me on the throne.”
“This must be the tree…” Braith’s eyes trailed up the trunk of a towering snag, it’s branches devoid of all foliage. The sad ruins of what must have once been a temple huddled nearby. Twin shrines of violence destruction. Braith shuddered as her eyes passed over the bodies on the tree. A morbid altar in honor of a lord’s twisted mind. At last her gaze fell upon a familiar form. The body of a dwarf woman. Braith drew nearer.
Aloth watched with curiosity as she walked ahead, approaching the hanging body of the dead woman. She stood still. Could she really be communing with the dead woman? Aloth approached and studied Braith’s expression. She did not appear to register his appearance. “Braith?” She did not respond. Unintentionally his eyes wandered across her face. How different she seemed now from when he first saw her. Her features were delicate, even for sceltrfolk. Her large eyes were an unusual deep gray, the color of clouds before a storm. Her black hair was thick and long. It had taken some work to get the tangles out. Now, combed and braided it glistened in the sunlight. Hair like that could not be allowed to go unkempt.
“Och jist ask 'er fur a buck awreddy. I'll dae it myself if ye dornt hae th' stones fur it.”
Fortunately, Braith seemed not to have heard.
“Will you stop it with these obscene insinuations? You really are disgusting.”
“Ah micht be mingin' but at leest Ah hae th' stones tae admit when Ah want tae buck someain. Aw ye can dae is study yer books an' spells. Afraid ay usin' yer tossel fur anythin' other than pissin' an' wankin'.”
Aloth remained tensely silent. At last Braith blinked and rubbed her eyes.
“Are you alright? What just happened?”
Braith took a deep breath. “I’m a Watcher, apparently. She thought I should seek out Maerwald in Caed Nua. He is a Watcher and might be able to help me. I believe it’s a bit of a journey if you are interesting in coming with me.”
Aloth smoothed his robe. “Anywhere is better than here.” He frowned. “Are you well enough to travel?”
Braith smiled. “I’m tougher than I look. I should be fine so long as I don’t push myself.”
“I’ll trust your judgment then.”
Just then a blond muscular man approached. “Pardon the intusion, but did I hear you speakin about going to Caed Nua to speak to Maerwald?”
Braith turned to look at the man. Despite his rough appearance his soul had a gentle quality. He did not feel like a threat. “Yes, we are.” Braith replied. “Do you have business with Maerwald?”
“There are some things I’d like to ask him, yeah. If you don’t mind the company I wouldn’t mind going along with you. I can’t really stay here anyway.” He gestured to the tree. Gonna end up swinging sooner or later. I’d just as soon not be here when they get around to that.”
As he looked at the tree of corpses Braith felt a deluge of emotion come over him. His was certainly a turbid past, his relationship to his neighbors evidently strained. For the moment she thought it best not to pry.
“We’d be happy to have you along.” Braith looked at Aloth who nodded in agreement.
“Good to hear. Name’s Edér by the way. I might have grown up on a farm but I served in the Saint’s War and know how to handle a weapon.”
As they made their way to the southern border of the village Braith cast a final glance over her shoulder. In the distance corpses swayed gently in the breeze.
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The Story of Braith