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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
- 5
- 6
- 7
Chapter
6: A Lesson in Alchemy
The return to Ald�ruhn was a quiet
one.� Alyssa had spent several days in the hospital, recovering as much
emotionally as physically.� Her sister had stayed by her side the entire time,
bringing her research journal with her so as not to get behind in her work.�
Now as the two traveled back to Ald�ruhn Alyssa found she dreaded the knowing
stares of her fellow guild mates.� She just wanted to be left alone.
She did not anticipate the
reception she received.� The warm smiles and friendly hugs that greeted her
made her heart melt.� Orrent and Heem-la had made a variety of scrolls for her,
and Heem-la had even bought her a shiny silver ring from the new Dunmer
enchanter downstairs, saying, �Thiss iss for you.� It will disspell magic casst
on you.� She smiled and thanked the Argonian, who bowed his head lightly in
approval of her acceptance before gliding once again to his room above the
stairs, his long robes swaying gracefully from side to side.� The Imperial
woman she had seen earlier introduced herself as Vala Catraso and offered to
lend her some books since she had heard that Alyssa was interested in the
culture and history of Morrowind.� As Vala returned to her podium to fetch a
copy of The History of the Empire, Alyssa noticed a strange Dunmer man
she had never seen before looking directly at her.� Something about him made
her blood run cold, and when Vala returned with the book Alyssa couldn�t help
but ask who he was.
�Oh!� His name is Movis Darys -
he�s come here to learn to read.� I teach the native Dunmer here in Ald�ruhn to
read and write and inform them about their own history and culture so it isn�t
lost with the Imperial expansion.� You could say it�s my mission to help those
less fortunate than myself.� I�m actually a priestess of the Imperial Cult, and
not a member of the Mages Guild at all, but Edwinna shares my love of
scholarship and so has made her guild a welcome sanctuary for my work.� I�m
really quite blessed for all she has done for me,� Vala smiled at Edwinna gratefully.�
Alyssa turned once more to the mohawked Dunmer student, his face tattooed and
covered in piercings, but the cold look he gave her with his blood red eyes
made her shudder and she looked away.� Out of the corner of her eye she caught
a glimpse of Anarenen sorting through a chest, a puzzled look on his face.
�What are you looking for?� she
asked.
�Oh, nothing� I just misplaced an
enchanted blade, a Devil Tanto.� I could have sworn I locked it in this chest
shortly before you arrived and we all left for Balmora� well, it�ll turn up
sooner or later I suppose,� he smiled, �How are you doing this morning?� I have
a few things you can help me mix together if you�re feeling up to the task.�
�I think you�ve had quite enough
assistance in your duties for the time being, Anarenen.� Why don�t you let
Alyssa rest while you figure out what you did with that blade I gave you?�
You�ve had it less than a month; you can�t have lost it already,� Edwinna said
testily.
�Well, actually� I would like to
learn a little more about alchemy.� I think it might be a very useful skill to
have if I ever get to be any good at it,� Alyssa responded quickly, a little
taken aback at Edwinna�s quick tongue.
�Suit yourself.� Of course you know
you�re more than welcome to take advantage of any of our services here, but do
take it easy for a while, hmm?� Edwinna said soothingly, �I�ll just be upstairs
in my room; I really do have a lot to catch up on.�� Edwinna kissed her sister
lightly on the cheek and headed upstairs, leaving Alyssa to her alchemical
studies.
�I went out this morning and picked
some trauma root from under Ald-Skar.� It�s all over in the ashlands.� We�ll
use that later though � it�s always a fun thing to end with.� First, let�s
start with some simple potions to restore your health.� That marshmerrow you
picked will heal you a bit by itself, but why don�t we mix it together with the
saltrice you also brought back to create a much stronger effect?�� Anarenen
suggested, handing Alyssa a mortar and pestle as he turned to set up his
calcinator.� Alyssa took the two ingredients from the bag set on the table and
started mashing them together.
�Does Edwinna always talk to you
like that?� Alyssa asked suddenly, causing the high elf to look up in surprise.
�Like what?� Oh, um� no not
usually� she�s just very upset with me for letting you get into trouble like
that.� I can�t really say that I blame her.� I�m rather upset with myself for
it.� I should have asked you to meet up with Ajira down in Balmora and go out
collecting ingredients with her � she�s a young apprentice studying alchemy too
you know,� he paused and looked away with a pained look in his eyes before
returning to his lab equipment.
�I remember Ajira.� She seemed very
sweet.� But you shouldn�t be upset with yourself, and neither should Edwinna.�
I�m certainly not upset with you,� she said.� Anarenen smiled, looking over at
the young Breton diligently mixing and mashing the plants together in the stone
mortar.
�You�re very much like your sister,
you know.� You are both very strong, intelligent young women.� And you have the
same lovely auburn brown hair and delicate features.� Such a rare mixture of
strength and beauty,� he smiled.� Alyssa giggled, setting down her mixture
triumphantly and looking up for approval, a tiny smirk forming on her face as
she remembered Edwinna�s confession a few days earlier.
�Very good!� Now we can use the
calcinator to intensify the effects of the potion, and we�ll refine it in a
retort afterwards.� A retort will only enhance the positive effects of a
potion, but a calcinator will intensify them all.� You�ll have quite a strong
medicine on your hands by the time you get through.� You seem to be a natural
at this,� he smiled.� She looked pleased as she scooped the mixture into the
calcinator.
�Edwinna told me about you two,�
she said with a sly smile.� He looked surprised.
�What� exactly� did she tell you?�
he asked cautiously.
�Just that you two had a, how did
she put it, �working relationship� that proved �mutually beneficial� at times,�
she giggled.� Anarenen looked a little puzzled.
�That�s one way of putting it I
suppose� odd timing on her part for letting that little bit of information
slip, I must say,� he mused, looking a little uncomfortable as he looked down
at his young pupil, her pretty red lips turned up in a contented smile which
revealed nothing of the trauma that had recently befallen her.� He sighed
deeply.
�Alright, now I�ve already
calibrated this to the correct settings, so we�ll just let it heat up and run
for a few minutes,� he said, turning back to his alchemy lab.
�Well, I think you two would make a
lovely couple, provided she doesn�t send hostile spells your way on a regular
basis,� chimed Alyssa happily.� At this, Anarenen laughed out loud.
�Oh that she does not, but I still
don�t think Edwinna sees things quite that way� although it�s a little
difficult to tell at times.� She put in a request for me to stay here in
Ald�ruhn permanently after we� got together� but swears it has nothing to do
with our personal relations and everything to do with her need of an alchemist
to help her with her research.� That being said, she rarely makes use of my
services in such a capacity.� I spend most of my time here making potions and
collecting ingredients for resale to the general public, which I suppose brings
in a nice tidy income for the guild but still� I�m never really sure myself.�
Most of the students I teach are residents of other guilds, but they all come
here sooner or later to learn what little knowledge I can impart on them.� Edwinna
likes having students around to perform chores; she often sends them out to
collect data for her various projects while they�re here,� he smiled, �There,
now the potion is done calcinating � can you smell how much stronger it is
now?� You don�t want to leave it on the heat too long or it will burn.� Don�t
worry, it all comes with practice.� Pour it into the retort next and I�ll help
you set that up.� We want it to cool down a little before we heat it back up to
concentrate the mixture further by distillation.�
�What about the alembic?� When do
we use that?� asked Alyssa.
�The only thing the alembic does,
besides look impressive, is minimize any potential negative effects a potion
might have as a result of the ingredients you choose.� Mixing marshmerrow and saltrice
is about as safe a combination as you can get, so we don�t really need it this
time around,� he said, �We�ll try not to make anything with negative side
effects on your first day � we want to be able to test out our concoctions,
right?�� Alyssa nodded in agreement as she poured the mixture into the retort.�
She wondered what other tricks she would learn today.� She liked Anarenen � her
sister had good taste, she thought.� She wondered if she would ever meet
someone so kind and thoughtful.� Anarenen�s bright copper eyes gave his golden
skin a strange warmth, and Alyssa couldn�t help but remember how easily he had
picked her up and how delicately he had carried her a few days earlier.� His
longish golden-brown hair was tied back with a gold clasp that matched his
skin, and the simple red robe he wore looked elegant against the glow of gold.�
His copper eyes lit up with pleasure as set the distillation apparatus on the
retort and turned once more to face his bright-eyed pupil.
�Edwinna is lucky to have you,�
breathed Alyssa with a sigh.� Anarenen looked surprised and laughed out loud,
cocking his head and raising his hand slyly to cover the amused smirk that
crossed his face.
�Oh she certainly has her moments,�
he winked, �But all in all I get the impression I�m not really good enough for
her, at least not as she sees it.� I�m convenient, nothing more.� I�m no great
scholar nor world-renowned researcher; I�m just a simple alchemist.� But I like
to think that I�m good at what I do� here, we�re ready to distill.�
Alyssa noted the hint of sadness to
his voice as he once again changed the subject. She decided not to press him
further.� What a strange situation.� As the mixture heated up and bubbled, she
watched the little drops form in the turned neck of the retort as they
condensed back to a liquid state and dripped down the narrow glass neck.�
�There we go!� he smiled, dipping
his finger into the potion and bringing it up to his lips to taste, �I�ll let
you try a little of that potion once it cools.� It�s really good for your first
attempt.� We can make a few more until you get the hang of it, and then we�ll
try a few different concoctions.� I�ve been saving these racer plumes we can
mix with the trauma root I collected earlier� wait until you see what those two
do when we mix them together!� he said with a wink.�� Alyssa giggled.� This was
turning into a relatively pleasant day.� As she looked around the guild, she
noticed that new Dunmer student staring at her again, his blood red eyes boring
into her as though they could see through to her very soul.� Something about
his tattooed face sent shivers down her spine.� She looked away quickly and
returned to her alchemy, grabbing a few more marshmerrow and saltrice stalks to
start a new batch.
- 5
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- 7
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Fall from High Rock