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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
- 36
- 37
- 38
Chapter
37: Necromancy
Berwen�s door was just a short ways
down.� It was true that all of the pods seemed to be placed quite close to one
another.� Unfortunately, when she tried the door, it was locked.� Alyssa leaned
her ear to the door, listening.� She could hear strange noises coming from
inside, and what sounded like a woman sobbing.
�Berwen?� she asked, her voice lost
in the cool night air.� There was no response.� Alyssa braced herself, casting
a strong alteration spell at the door.� She heard a faint click, and realized
that the lock had come undone.� She opened the door quickly.
Inside a pretty blonde Bosmer sat,
her black eyes covered by delicate hands.� She looked up in shock, standing to
back against her countertop.� It was obvious that she had been crying by the
tears staining her face.� Beyond her, Alyssa could hear strange sounds, muffled
moans and a horrid squishing sound, like flesh oozing from a wound.� Alyssa
cringed.
�What are you doing here?!� the Bosmer
shouted frantically, �Get out!�
�I heard you might need help,�
Alyssa replied, her voice faltering as she backed against the stairway.� Surely
this must be Berwen?
�I don�t recognize you,� Berwen
replied crossly, placing her hands on her hips and glaring as best she was able
between tears.
�I�m new here.� My name is Alyssa
Elbert.� Listen, I�m just here to help, but if you don�t want me I�ll go away,�
she replied.� Berwen snorted.
�Yeah, go away and tell everyone
about me!� I�ll never be able to show my face in Tel Mora again,� she sobbed.� Alyssa
blinked.� What were those horrid sounds she was hearing coming from upstairs?
�Just kill it!� I�ve trapped it
upstairs� and� and I didn�t know it was� you know� diseased�� Berwen sobbed.�
Alyssa glanced upstairs, sucking in her breath.
�Alright, I�ll see what I can do,�
she replied reassuringly, taking the first cautious step up the stairwell.�
Suddenly she saw it: a deranged human, its face and body decaying around it,
swelling with puss and mucus which oozed from its flesh in all directions.� When
it caught sight of her it ran, lunging towards her desperately as if it could
replace its own flesh with hers.� Alyssa held her breath, staring at the
creature in shock and fear.� Finally she shook herself free of her self-induced
paralyzation.� The creature could not stumble beyond the piles of crates Berwen
had set up to contain it.� She summoned up her magicka to cast a fireball spell
at it, then another, and another, until finally it fell with a final eerie
shriek of pain.� Alyssa grimaced, creeping closer.� What was this thing?� She
nudged it, prodding its open eyes with a nearby splinter from one of the crates
which was beginning to shatter.� It did not flinch.� She hurried downstairs to
tell Berwen.
�Is it dead?� she asked, her voice
small and weak as she looked up from where she sat, hunched over in a corner of
her shop.� Alyssa nodded.
�Yes,� she replied.� Berwen
breathed a sigh of relief.� Suddenly, her face distorted again, and she bit her
trembling lip as more tears came to her eyes.
�How am I going to get rid of that
thing?� she asked, �Someone will see me!�
�What was it?� Alyssa asked.� Berwen
looked up in surprise.
�It was a man, can�t you see that?�
she replied curtly.� Alyssa stared at her in puzzlement.
�It didn�t look like any man I�ve
ever seen,� she replied.
�Yeah, me neither.� Although he
looked alright when I brought him here.� Better than alright even,� she
smirked, tears still falling from her eyes, �How on earth was I supposed to
know he had corprus!� I was keeping him chained up and all but� you know� as
soon as the disease took over he became too much for my chains to handle.� It
was all I could do to keep him up there, and it was only a matter of time
before he broke out.� I mean, I certainly didn�t want him anymore, but� if
anyone saw him they would know exactly what was up!� And then no one would ever
buy anything from me ever again.� I�d just be Berwen, that crazy Bosmer who
keeps disease-ridden male test subjects locked up in her closet as sex slaves,�
Berwen lamented.� Alyssa giggled.
�I don�t think that�s so bad.�
Here, we can empty out one of your crates and put him in there.� If we take him
over to that rocky shore to the east, we can go beyond the hill and burn it
there.� There isn�t anything to catch fire, and if anyone asks we can say we�re
moving classified magical equipment or something,� Alyssa suggested.� Berwen
giggled.
�It�s a stupid idea.� But I don�t
have any better.� I mean, I can�t just leave him to rot up there!� And he�s
already diseased.� I just hope I don�t have anything.� As soon as I realized he
was sick I went to Jolda and got myself checked out.� I was alright then, so
I�ve just been drinking potions to boost my resistance to blight diseases ever
since.� But I was going to run out tomorrow so�� Berwen breathed a sigh of
relief, �Anyway, let�s get this guy out of my house!� I swear, after this, I
will NEVER try to hide another male in my bedroom ever again!� Nope, nope �
after this I�ll be completely celibate!�� Alyssa giggled, helping Berwen to
empty out her crate.� The whole thing appeared to be filled with perfume � Telvanni
bug musk, most likely.� Finally they got it emptied out and together shoved the
corprus stalker inside.� Closing the lid, they found it took both of them to
lift the heavy crate.� Alyssa cast a feather spell to hurry the journey as they
ventured down the stairs and into the cool night air.
Hopping across the stepping stones
proved a bit more difficult than Alyssa had anticipated.� Fortunately, no one
appeared to be out just then, and they made it across the water with little
hassle.� Once they got to the other side of the small rocky island, they set
down their cargo and Alyssa quickly set it on fire.� It burned rapidly, but the
stench was unsettling.
�Whew!� Let�s go!� It�ll burn
itself out on these rocks,� Alyssa assured, already hurrying back across the
stepping stones back to the main mushroom colony.� Berwen sighed, turning to
follow her.
�I�m kind of going to miss him,�
she said finally, looking a little wistful.� Alyssa stared at her in surprise.
�Why?� she asked.
�Well, I mean, come on� I�ve been
living on this island for years now.� It�s a great group, but you know� after a
while you just start to go a little crazy, you know?� I mean, I guess it
affects some of us more than it does others but� well it affects me!� I saw
this beautiful dark-haired Imperial man on his way to become Dratha�s new test
subject and� well� he was just too pretty to be turned into another stinking
corpse!� I mean, she has lots of corpses, but I don�t have any live men!� So I,
well� I sort of borrowed him for a while.� Yes, yes, I know� we Bosmer have a
reputation for stealing things but really!� I would have given him back
eventually!� Like, maybe after he got old and I wanted another.� I mean, I knew
he�d done something horrible, but I figured I could contain him just fine in my
quarters, you know, so I could just use him when I felt like it, and no one
would be the wiser.� Stupid, stupid, stupid!� Berwen complained bitterly.�
Alyssa laughed.
�Don�t worry, your secret is safe
with me,� Alyssa grinned knowingly.� Berwen smiled gratefully.
�You�re really sweet, you know?� I
hope you�re going to be staying a while.� I have a feeling that you and I could
get to be very good friends,� she grinned.
�Oh, I do hope so,� Alyssa replied
happily.� So far, her first day in Tel Mora had been quite interesting, but not
altogether unpleasant either.� This could be fun.
~*~
Alyssa stayed overnight at Berwen�s
house.� She found the little Bosmer to be pleasant enough, once she had gotten
over the initial embarrassment of her situation.� In the morning, Berwen
directed Alyssa towards the main tower, suggesting she speak with one of the
three sisters � Elphiron, Gelduin, and Nathien � for work befitting a Telvanni
sorceress.� However, she warned Alyssa not to wear her best dress.
Alyssa found it a bit tricky
finding the entrance to the tower, but once she was inside, was herself
awestruck with the beauty of it.� Glistening bug lanterns hung around a large
alchemy lab, casting shadows along the walls.� Two Dunmer worked quietly,
pausing to welcome Alyssa warmly to the tower.� She levitated up, through the
large hole in the ceiling, and soon found herself face to face with Gelduin,
who grinned excitedly when she spotted her.
�Oh goody!� Are you here to help
us?� Gelduin giggled, �I see you put on something more sensible� well, sort
of.� Personally, I never wear dresses when I can avoid it!� They just get
caught in all the wrong places.� Pants are so much more functional.� And who
says we can�t look hot in them, hmm?�� Alyssa giggled as Gelduin spun around
gleefully.� She had borrowed a plain brown robe from Berwen, which she claimed
she wasn�t going to be able to sell anyway, hence she didn�t care what happened
to it.� It was small payment for saving her life, at any rate.
�Alright!� Wanna go down to the
processing room?� We have secret dungeons downstairs that we don�t tell the
others about, �cause Mistress Dratha doesn�t want to upset any of the locals�
delicate sensibilities.� But it�s where we do some of our best work!� Today is
just processing though.� Fairly easy, but not very pretty, just to warn you.� I
had Nathien bag all of the corpses� heads so you wouldn�t have to look at them
� for some reason it�s the faces that tend to make people squeamish,� Gelduin
giggled, touching a lever as a hidden door suddenly materialized and she
disappeared behind a tapestry.� Alyssa grimaced, thinking of the corpse she had
helped Berwen dispose of just last night.
�When will I meet Mistress Dratha?�
Alyssa asked, casting a levitation spell as she hurried down to follow her
hostess.
�Oh, you�ll meet her soon enough!�
She might even come visit us while we work.� She does that sometimes, just to
check up on us.� She�s really nice, and really smart.� I think she knows just
about everything about everything!� Gelduin gushed as they came up to a barred
and locked door.� Gelduin unlocked it, ushering Alyssa inside.
When they got inside, Alyssa
blinked for a moment, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the light.� Suddenly
she gasped in horror.� Around her were piled several lifeless naked corpses,
from every imaginable race.� One of them was stretched out on the floor, its
skin nearly separated from its body.� Elphiron and Nathien sat nearby with
blades, carefully slicing the skin from the corpse, and working harder to
separate it from the muscle tissue where it held tighter at the joints.� Alyssa
turned, her vision growing darker.� She felt faint.
�Oh!� Sit down, sit down!� Before
you hurt yourself!� Gelduin scolded, guiding Alyssa to a chair where she sat,
trying to catch her breath.� All around her the room was growing dark, and she
could barely make out Gelduin�s voice guiding her.� Her brow was covered in
sweat and she fought to stay conscious as she sat, allowing herself to collapse
on the table in front of her.
�First time.� She�ll get used to
it,� Elphiron said reassuringly.
�I�ll get her some water.� Lean
down, put your head between your legs while you sit � it�ll help your blood
pressure rise a little,� Gelduin said, rushing off to get some water.� Alyssa
blinked, trying to obey.� What was it that set her off?� She had never reacted
like this before.� Her vision began to return, and she sat up just as Gelduin
returned with a goblet of water.
�Don�t look at it until you�re
feeling better,� she told her, �Lots of people faint when they see blood.� Dratha
says it�s a natural reaction and nothing to be ashamed of � your blood pressure
drops really low because it�s your body�s way of protecting you in case that
blood was your own so you wouldn�t bleed to death.�� Alyssa nodded, averting
her eyes as she tried to sip the water she had been given.� Her hands were
shaking and she had to use both of them to steady the glass.
�What� what are you doing to them?�
Alyssa asked, trying to keep her voice from cracking.� She was afraid to ask
where they had come from.
�It depends on the individual.� We
always keep the skeletal material and hearts.� Some of them have been drained
already, which makes dissecting them much easier.� We�ll give you those ones to
start out with.� All you have to do is skin them and cut out the meat � or
muscle tissue.� We need to draw blood from some of the others, along with
cerebrospinal fluid.� It�s easiest to draw it directly from the heart and
spine.� Sometimes we dissect out the brains.� Those ones are over in the corner
need to be processed in such a manner.� Their meat is generally useless since
they�ve been experimented on � which generally means that they�ve been infected
with something or another.� We have to keep all of the specimens separate so Dratha
can run an analysis on them later,� Elphiron explained.� Alyssa nodded, taking
a deep breath to calm herself.� She coughed.� The smell of the room was
terrible, but she could see little shafts of light from the ceiling.� At least
it was well ventilated.
�I�m afraid to ask where all of
these bodies came from,� Alyssa inquired, sounding a bit unsure of herself.�
The sisters laughed.
�Then don�t!� Nathien replied
happily, �I mean, if it makes you happier that way, that is.�� Alyssa nodded,
still feeling uneasy.
�I mean, they�re already dead �
it�s not like you�re hurting them or anything!� Gelduin giggled.
�What�s really fun is the ones that
Dratha resurrects to perform additional experiments on,� Elphiron grinned, �At
least I think it�s fun!� It�s amazing how lifelike she can get them after
they�ve been rotting in the grave for a while.�� Alyssa blinked.
�See, Dratha doesn�t view
necromancy as the study of death � she views it as the study of life.� We are
studying life here.� But we can�t ethically do our experiments to figure out
how life works � and how to manipulate it � by just studying the living.� Dratha
has learned to create life from death.� And in the meantime, she has learned
how to extend life � to ward off the inevitable effects of death, decay, and
even old age.� You�d never guess it by looking at her, but she�s one of the
oldest mortals in Vvardenfell!� Nathien gushed happily, �I guess that�s
probably why she�s so smart too � but I think she was always smart to begin
with.� Just combine natural talent with an exceptionally long time to perfect
it and, well � you�ve got Dratha!�
�Yeah, she really wants to know how
the mind works.� That�s why we have to take the brains from these things, and
the cerebrospinal fluid too.� I don�t know what she does with them, but I guess
that�s how come she�s the boss!� Gelduin giggled.
�Are you ready to start?� Elphiron
asked.� Alyssa blinked, staring at the skinned corpse laid out on the floor in
front of her.� Its face was covered, but she could tell that it had once been Bosmer.�
And this didn�t bother the girls?� He was a male, of course.� They all appeared
to be males.� She could make out a few Imperials in one pile, two Dunmer, and�
an Altmer?� She stared at the golden skin, trying hard not to think of her
encounter with Anarenen just prior to leaving.� And the imperials too� Alyssa
bit her lip.� They could all be here, lying in this pile.
�If it seems hard at first, just
imagine that you�re slicing up that guy who raped you.� It�ll make you feel
better, I promise,� Gelduin said reassuringly.� Alyssa grimaced.� No, she did
not think that would make her feel better at all.� She knelt, picking up a
blade and looking at the girls inquisitively.
�Alright then, where do I start?�
she asked.
�Yay!� Well, we always start them
face down � it�s easier that way.� You wanna cut around the openings to the
digestive system to start with anyway, then flip them over and cut along the
abdomen.� You wanna remove the whole digestive system at once � it�s pretty
useless, but will spoil the meat if you botch it,� Elphiron explained, �We
already started this one for you.� Now just tear open the ribcage a little more
so we can cut out the heart.� That�s just the diaphragm � you have to go
through it.� Yup, now you can see the lungs!� Good job!�� Epherion reached in,
taking out the pink heart from the corpse as Alyssa tried to hide her disgust.
�Mmm!� The hearts are pretty tasty,
but Dratha keeps most of them for herself,� Gelduin grinned.� Alyssa stared at
her in horror.
�Tasty?� she asked incredulously.� Gelduin
nodded.
�Yeah!� I mean, it�s just a
different type of muscle tissue.� It�s leaner than skeletal muscle tissue.�
Cooks fast too.� You ought to like it, since you seem to like your meat lean
and well done,� Elphiron smiled, taking the reddish pink mass over to a bowl
and placing it inside.
�But� this is a Bosmer, isn�t it?�
It�s not just a nix-hound or something,� Alyssa replied incredulously.
�I know!� That�s one of the best
things about us.� We�re small, fast, smart� and tasty too!� Nathien giggled,
�Personally, I think Bosmer meat is the best.�
�Altmer isn�t bad either� although
we almost never get it.� I don�t even think we get to process that one over
there.� He�s going to get resurrected I think, so Dratha can experiment on him
some more.� And by then his meat won�t be any good at all.� Too bad � such a
waste!� Elphiron complained.� Alyssa blinked, setting down her blade.
�Don�t worry � we�re allowed to
take the livers.� Just make sure to cut around the intestine.� It�s better to
leave some of the liver on the intestine to be discarded than to spoil the
whole thing with intestinal juices,� Nathien replied.� Alyssa still felt
dizzy.� She backed up, finding her chair again and climbing into it.
�Aww!� Are you okay?� Is it just
the soft tissue that�s bothering you?� We could have you polish some skulls if
that would be an easier way to start.� You�ll have to mix up some more potions
to use as polish, but if you�re alright with alchemy that job might be easier
for you.� Or if you just don�t like being around dead meat like we do, I can
ask Dratha if she might be able to use your help in experimenting on the live
prisoners,� Gelduin suggested.� Alyssa shook her head with a sigh.
�I think I�m just not cut out for
this type of work,� she apologized.� The girls gazed at her sympathetically.�
Just then a knock sounded at the door.
�Ooo!� It�s Mistress Dratha!� Looks
like you will get to meet her after all!� Gelduin exclaimed gleefully, running
to let her mistress inside the macabre chamber.� Inside stepped an elegantly
dressed Dunmer woman, with long straight black hair and glistening pink eyes.�
Her tall black boots clicked across the stone wall as she walked, lifting her
dark dress slightly to avoid the blood on the ground.
�You must be Alyssa,� she smiled
pleasantly, her pink eyes glowing.� Alyssa nodded.� This woman did not appear
to be much older than her sister Edwinna � but then, she knew that with the
elves, appearances were often deceptive.� Seeing Alyssa�s obvious shock, Dratha
laughed.
�It�s a bit much for your first
day, isn�t it?� Come with me, I�ll take you out of this little dungeon where we
can talk comfortably,� she continued.� Her voice had an otherworldly deep melodic
quality to it which Alyssa found fascinating.� She stood, bowing slightly in
her mistress�s presence, suddenly ashamed of the bloody brown rags she was
wearing.� It was hardly suitable for meeting a Telvanni Mistress.
�I am honored to meet you.� I�ve
heard so many wonderful things about you,� Alyssa replied, curtsying politely.�
Dratha laughed.
�And I about you.� Come now, there
is time for pleasantries later,� she grinned, her heels clicking as she exited
the chamber quietly.� Alyssa glanced back at the three Bosmer, hard at work
skinning and gutting the corpse on the floor.� They had begun to hoist him up,
using a large hook which they ran through the backs of one of his thighs.� His
face was still covered, but his arms flopped inhumanly overhead.� Alyssa
grimaced, hurrying to follow Mistress Dratha down the dark hallway.� She could
see that there were other locked doors, leading to other dark chambers, and as
they neared the end of the hallway Alyssa began to hear the sounds of crying,
sobbing, screaming�� Her blood chilled.
�Don�t worry, my dear.� You needn�t
feel sorry for the captives.� They are all quite guilty of their crimes, I
assure you.� They are doing more good in here than they ever would have out
there.� Here they are helping people rather than hurting them.� And all males�
hardly fit for life to begin with, the pathetic things,� Dratha mused.
�You� hate all men?� Alyssa asked
quietly.� Dratha laughed.
�I can see right away that I�ll
have to teach you a thing or two.� Don�t worry, it isn�t difficult to learn.�
Come here, I�ll show you,� replied Dratha, taking out a key and opening a door
to their right.� Alyssa blinked as her eyes adjusted, but suddenly Dratha
whispered a word, casting a bright light around the room.
�There are two skulls in this room,
over on the far table.� I keep them for comparison, and for education.� Can you
see a difference in them?� Dratha asked.� Alyssa walked over, examining the
lifeless remains.
�Well, one of them is a little
bigger than the other,� Alyssa finally replied.� Dratha laughed.
�Good!� A legitimate observation.�
Now can you tell what the biological sex of each is?� Dratha asked, crossing
her arms.� Alyssa stared at them.
�Well, I guess the bigger one is
male, and the smaller one is female?� she asked.� Dratha shook her head with a
grin.
�In many cases that might be
correct, but in this it is not.� They are both Bosmer.� I can see that just by
looking at them as well.� The female skull I acquired from one of my retainers
� she brought it with her from Valenwood.� I do not typically like to
experiment on female test subjects.� But males� well� do you notice any other
differences in the two skulls?� Dratha asked.
�I don�t know,� Alyssa finally
admitted, feeling foolish and confused.� Dratha grinned.
�I can tell immediately.� Look at
the brow ridges.� Males are more defined.� And the chin � males are also more
defined than females � an inevitability of the effects of testosterone on the
expanding voice box.� The same is true for the external occipital protuberance
� the bump on the back of the skull where the nuchal muscles attach � and the
mastoid process at the bottom of the skull where the mastoidus muscle attaches
to facilitate chewing.� This proves exactly one thing: males put the energy
from their bodies into generating increased muscle tissue.� But that is not the
only difference.� Look at the foreheads of the two specimens: You will notice
that the female forehead is higher and rounder.� Her face is smaller, more gracile
and delicate.� She has more room for brainpower, for higher thinking, than a
male does.� It�s all written clearly in one�s anatomy,� she smiled, pointing
out the various landmarks to her new pupil.� Alyssa blinked, staring at the two
skulls.� It was as Dratha said.
�I could show you a hundred male
skulls and a hundred female skulls, and the results would be largely the same,�
she continued, �And the most significant thing about this finding is that the
increased brain capacity occurs in the region of the prefrontal cortex � this
is where the highest learning functions take place.� It is the region that
governs judgment, abstract thinking, empathy, and premeditated thought.� Women
are so much more advanced than men in this area that it is no wonder the
outside world is filled with rape, war, and violence.� Alcohol impairs the
function of the prefrontal cortex as well � at least temporarily.� When you are
drunk, you are thinking like a man � which is why I try to discourage drinking
as much as possible.� Every woman on my island has a different story to tell.�
Get rid of the men, and you get rid of all of their problems.� I was told that
you yourself had fallen victim to a rapist as well.� I am deeply sorry for
you.� You should not blame yourself � it is the work of increased strength and
decreased intelligence on the part of all men.� Do not worry, I shall take care
of this matter for you � and all such matters as might ail you,� Dratha replied
soothingly.� Alyssa looked up, feeling a bit surprised.� She opened her mouth
to speak, but found she had no words to say.� Malcus may have been a bit
impulsive, but it was in his nature.� He had mistaken her for a Telvanni slavemistress,
although surely she was not.� Her breathing quickened.
�Would you like further evidence?� Dratha
asked, unlocking a small chest on the table.� Alyssa gulped slowly as she took
from it two brains, the eyestalks dangling from the optic nerves near the
front.
�Here you can see the prefrontal
cortex.� See?� This one is clearly male, and this female.� Additionally you
will see that the corpus callosum � the fibrous nervous tissue connecting the
two hemispheres of the brain, is much thicker on the male than the female.�
This indicates that it takes males longer to process information passing from
one side of the brain to the other.� It explains why it is more difficult for
males to process sensory information from the world around them.� And this here
is the preoptic area � this whole area along the side of the hypothalamus.� You
can see that in females it is more than two times larger than that of males.�
The preoptic area is involved in mating behavior � it is clear that females are
so much more complex than males in their desires that they hardly seem the same
species.� And finally, there is the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus
along the side.� In males, it is circular, but in females it is elongated.� The
differing shape corresponds with differing brain function � different brains,
evolved for different purposes,� Dratha explained.� Alyssa scratched her head,
looking perplexed.� She couldn�t argue.� The evidence appeared to be laid out
on the table in front of her.
�I� I didn�t know any of that,� she
confessed.� Dratha smiled, looking pleased.
�So many do not, which is why I
strive to keep my girls educated.� See, I don�t study necromancy as a way of
studying death � I study it as a model for life.� Here, you can clearly see
from these specimens for your own eyes what would have only been able to be
theorized before.� The differences are quite shocking.� Males are an inferior
race � a dying race which we females no longer need to survive,� Dratha
explained.� Alyssa smiled politely, still not sure what to say in response.�
She had met many intelligent men in her travels.� But� she still couldn�t argue
with the skulls and brains lying before her.� Dratha placed the two brains
carefully back into their casing, closing the lid and gesturing towards her
pupil to follow.
�Feel free to let me know if you
have any other questions or concerns.� I make it a point to keep the lines of
conversation free and open amongst my girls.� Are you finding everything to
your liking so far?� Dratha asked.� Alyssa nodded.� It had been a long time
since she had met another woman who wore high heels, and she found it pleasant
walking beside her Mistress, enjoying the clicks she made as she walked.
�Yes, everyone is delightful!� she
exclaimed.
�Excellent!� That�s what I like to
hear,� Dratha smiled, �You�re such a pretty girl.� I confess I haven�t had many
Bretons come to work with me.� I�ve heard that they are natural necromancers in
their home country of High Rock, is this true?�
�Well, we aren�t all necromancers.�
However, necromancy is practiced openly in High Rock, and many necromancers
hold quite respectable positions in society,� Alyssa explained, �I even have an
uncle who is a necromancer, actually.� Well� I hope I still have an uncle� most
of my family in High Rock was murdered about a year ago.� That�s how I wound up
here.�� She shuddered, trying not to think about her life prior to coming to Vvardenfell.
�How dreadful!� Dratha exclaimed,
turning towards Alyssa with genuine sympathy in her eyes, �Do you know who was
behind it?�
�The Dark Brotherhood, which is why
I was sent here to escape them,� Alyssa explained, trying to calm herself as an
earsplitting shriek met her ears.� It was coming from one of the rooms down the
hall.� Dratha sighed.
�I suppose I ought to feed him,�
she explained, sorting through her keys, �But the Dark Brotherhood� hmm� Any
organization which uses the term �brother� in place of �sister� can never hope
to be anything but corrupt.� I believe their Night Mother theory to be only a
myth � a mere excuse for their barbaric bloodbaths carried out in the name of
the male god Sithis.� Do you know who hired them?�� Alyssa shook her head,
trying to keep the tears from her eyes.� If they hadn�t been killed, she might
be advancing in the Arcane University now, far away from this wretched dungeon.
�I�ll be only a moment,� Dratha
explained apologetically, �If you are still sensitive, you may not wish to
watch.� It�s necessary though.� I assure you it is all for a very wonderful
cause indeed.�� She took out a key, disappearing behind a door.� Alyssa could
hear movement, crying, and suddenly another scream � different this time �
which quickly faded into the darkness.� Dratha reemerged, pocketing her keys
with a sigh.
�Filthy man beast!� Now go away!�
Shoo!� You have your meal, now shush!� Dratha called into the darkness.� Alyssa
only watched, still feeling dizzy.� She had no idea what was going on.� She
wasn�t sure she wanted to.
�I�m terribly sorry about that.� I
try to keep my girls away from that sort of thing when they are new.� Your
friends should have better consulted me before bringing you down here.� Don�t
worry though � we�re almost out,� Dratha explained apologetically, �I can find
something more fitting your abilities and interests if you would truly like to
help out.�� She opened another door, casting a levitation spell as she spiraled
up the shaft.� Alyssa followed quickly, finding herself in a different section
of the tower.� They walked a little ways and soon came to a room with bunk beds
and chests.
�This is where my personal
retainers sleep,� she explained.� She hurried down another hallway, clicking
her shoes as she opened another door, coming to a candlelit room with a large
four-poster bed in the corner, a desk along the side next to a bookshelf, and a
small table with two chairs.� Dratha took one, gesturing for Alyssa to sit.�
She took off one of her tall black boots, running her fingers over it to cast a
quick spell which wiped the blood away.� Placing it back on her small foot, she
repeated the gesture for her other shoe before returning her attentions to
Alyssa.
�Would you care for some tea?� I
introduced it on this island myself, and all of the girls seem to have taken a
fancy to it � even the Bosmer, which surprised me.� Of course, they prefer to
let the plants die naturally rather than picking them in their prime, but how
can one account for taste?� Dratha asked.� Alyssa nodded, watching her hostess
as she stood, pouring some water into two metal glasses.� She added a few herbs
and flowers, then took each of the glasses in her hands and lit a small fire
from her fingers.� In a few seconds, Alyssa could see the steam rising from the
top.� Dratha returned to the table, handing Alyssa a steaming hot cup of herbed
tea.
�So tell me about yourself, Alyssa
Elbert,� Dratha began, �What precisely brings you to Tel Mora?�� Alyssa smiled.
�Well, there isn�t much to tell,
really.� I arrived on the island a little over a year ago and have been staying
with my sister, the Imperial Guildmistress of Ald�ruhn,� Alyssa replied
politely.
�Hmm, Imperial Guildmistress� I
like the sound of that!� Too often in our male dominated hegemony women are
left out of positions of power.� It is unfortunate, especially in the world of
wizardry, where we are far more naturally equipped to the task.� Even House Telvanni
has its problems there,� she sighed.
�Yes, I met with most of the other
councilors already, but they seemed, oh, how shall I put it�� Alyssa struggled.
�Corrupt, insane, unpleasant,
cruel, and unappreciative of the talents a bright young woman from High Rock
could offer them?� Dratha suggested.� Alyssa nodded.
�Indeed.� It figures as much.� One
of these days we will rise up and overthrow the ruling domination of men.� Gothren
is not but a shell � he never was much of a man to begin with, and he�s become
increasingly distant with age.� A good example of how little men need their
brains in order to survive.� Neloth�s mind was always rotten with contempt for
everyone around him.� He�s the nix-hound who would bite even the hand that fed
him.� He�s a male, what do you expect?� And Aryon, oh� Aryon sends chills down
my spine every time I think of him.� He is ambitious and dangerous.� I warned
my mouth not to let him onto the council, but she was outvoted and now he�s
built his tower directly across from mine out of spite and hostility.� Fine, if
he wants war� I will give it to him.� But it will be when he least expects it,�
Dratha grinned.
�Well, Aryon himself seemed polite
enough when I met him, oh� but his spy in the Guild� I could KILL him for what
he did to me!� Alyssa exclaimed, crossing her arms.
�And likely his Master knew about
it all along.� After all, it is a poor Master who does not know the whereabouts
of his servant.� Did he take advantage of you?� Dratha asked knowingly.� Alyssa
nodded.
�I�m sorry to say, but it figures
as much.� I have banned all my girls from traveling to Vos as a result.� I do
not trust that male,� Dratha explained coolly, �If it pleases you, I can send
someone to take care of him.�� Alyssa snickered softly.� The idea had a certain
appeal to it.
�What about Mistress Therana?�
Alyssa asked, �I never visited her because even her own mouth warned me against
it.� But she�s a woman�� Dratha looked away, and for a moment she was silent.
�Therana is a special case,� she
finally said, �She wasn�t always insane.� She was as brilliant as she is
beautiful.� And just as powerful.� It was her brilliance itself which allowed
her mind to become to corrupted and distorted.� She doesn�t recognize me now
and I cannot get near her.� But� someone like you might be able.� Just remember
when you meet her that she was not always like she is today.� And someday, she
will be like she once was.� Perhaps then we might have a shot at overthrowing
the putrid male-dominated hegemony which stifles us with every breath we take.�
But� in the meantime we need to train more strong female leaders.� Young women.�
Ambitious women.� Who knows?� You may turn out to be a promising candidate
yourself.�� Dratha winked, watching her attractive pupil�s nervous smile.�
Alyssa wasn�t sure.� She wasn�t sure of anything anymore.� It seemed like
everything she knew had just been turned upside down.� She took another sip of
her tea.
�Don�t worry, my dear Alyssa, I�ll
take care of you,� Dratha smiled, her pink eyes glowing in the dim light.
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Fall from High Rock