Morrowind: 4E166

[Arch-Mage Matt]

"Denal Omaren," The Dark Elf bowed. "Ordinator, Order of Doctrine and Ordination."

[Eltee]

Maera nodded with a slight smile. "Ha. Yes, very true." She said.

"I don't recognize your accent so good. Where are you from?" She asked, mildly curious.

[JVElEven]

"Now don't get suspicious, but I'm from Cheydinhal, Cyrodiil. Usually I did stuff around the Morrowind border, so I'm familiar with the west. But the East? Not so much."

[Eltee]

"I have heard tales of Cheydin's Hall... many orcs, yes? And many Dunmer." Maera said, trying to remember tales of the town she had heard. "Greener than anywhere in Vvardenfell."

[JVElEven]

"It's certainly green, yes," Nalen said. "I go back there ever so often. If I can, I take a week off every month, but that's not often. Which really is a bother. Especially given the favors I have to ask at times from my housemate."

[Eltee]

"Housemate?" Maera repeated. "I did not know Cyrodiil had great houses."

[JVElEven]

"It's a small one. I live with a friend of mine so we can split the rent and have more for food and other stuff. Usually, she ends up taking care of my normal life's demands back in the city," Nalen said. "She really is way too kind, looking after everything for me."

[Eltee]

"You and her... Are you...?" Maera entwined her fingers.

[JVElEven]

"What? Married? No," Nalen said, shaking her head, "We just help each other out, say, for example, I take the bigger share of the rent as I earn quite a bit more than she does, and she looks after my twins."

[Eltee]

"Oh. Okay." Maera said. "I hope I did not cause offence to you, just... Yes." She was quiet for a moment. "These twins... They are your children, yes?"

[Chaos the N'wah]

K'yor chuckled to himself and wandered away, drawing his attention to the port city.
Disgust and intrigue filled his thoughts as he gazed upon the towering mushrooms eclipsing most of the land.

[JVElEven]

"None taken," Nalen said. "And yeah, they are. Not really planned, I have to admit, though."

[Eltee]

Spoiler:

"A twinning is a sign of Azura's love. It is known." Maera said matter-of-factly.

"The people of my tribe consider twins to be the greatest blessing the abode can bestow." Maera said softly. "I suppose it's because there are so few of us, yes?"

[JVElEven]

"It's more because I had a very brief fling with a breton 9 years ago, and then I end up having two kids and an income I only get if I'm not around to take care of them," Nalen said, shrugging. "But it's for the best. For them."

[Eltee]

Spoiler:

Something tells me this Breton was a Knight of the Thorn named Sebastien...

Maera blinked. "I think I understand. The only way I can bring in gold for my family is if I am fighting, far away from my camp. At least there are herders and farmers at home, though, when I am not there. At least you have your... House-friend?" Maera asked, stumbling over the term.

[JVElEven]

Spoiler:

Oh snap! I'm telling Avron you said that!

"As good a term as any," Nalen said, shrugging. "I doubt she cares about what she's called."

[Eltee]

Maera nodded. Now that she had found something vaguely approximating a friend, her shield of wary aloofness was beginning to tatter.

"How did you end up a mercenary? I'm sorry if I am rude, I don't mean to be, no no..."

[JVElEven]

"A trade caravan passed through town needed guards after a bandit attack," Nalen said. "The captain saw my archery, and offered me a job. I ended up in Almalexia, and took it from there."

She looked at Maera.

"What about you? What's your story?"

[Eltee]

Maera shrugged. "I was the second daughter of my father, my chieftain. His third child, first to his second wife. My eldest brother was groomed to become Chief, my eldest sister the Wise Woman. So, the most important inherited... Roles? Yes. The most important inherited roles were already accounted for. I was allowed more freedom, and I was allowed to train with my brother and my cousins as a warrior. When I came of age three years ago, I was given the responsibility of scouting my clan's lands for enemies, of meeting with outlanders," Maera wrinkled her nose slightly. "And of purchasing supplies needed by my tribe. A problem was, it is very hard for the Velothi to sell wares for good price, yes? No-one will pay well for ash yams or good chitin or traditional jewelry or netch hide. With no Septim-gold, I could not buy steel and linen and sugar for my family, yes? No no. I began to explore the ruins of the Dwemer, the Daedra (not the good ones, obviously) and some natural caves. I found wares to sell for supplies, and I found in Sadrith Mora and Vos and Dagon Fel people willing to pay me for menial tasks, like protecting their fragile arses. And then... Well. Here I am, yes?"

[JVElEven]

"Apart from the beginning, some surprisingly similar stories..." Nalen remarked, leaning backwards. "And apart from getting knocked up, obviously."

[Eltee]

Maera winked mischievously. "I'm still young, and the world is wide. And filled with handsome men."

[JVElEven]

"I for one am satisfied with the ones I've got now... Kids are way too lively..." Nalen muttered.

[Eltee]

"Your... House-partner deals with them, though?" Maera asked. "How did you meet someone so willing to take on your burdens?"

[JVElEven]

"Grew up together. Cheydinhal is full of Dunmer. There's a lot of Imperials, too, of course. I grew up in a part of the cit ywhere we were mostly mer. Met her there. She really is too kind for her own good sometimes," Nalen said, smiling faintly. "But I think she does it because she likes children."

[Eltee]

Maera smiled. "She sounds like a sister."