Nice,I particularly liked the part where she plants the nightshade seeds.That shows that she respects and cares for the forrest and inhabitants that keep her well supplied and protected from bandits.Seems like she is really becomeing a good forrester.

Ahh, what a way to present Bravil! I really enjoyed Teresa's first visit to this ramshackle town. Though Bravil has a dark side, I've always found its inhabitants to be friendly and welcoming. This is a wonderful write!

Although SubRosa may be snowed in and unable to move in the frozen landscape of Michigan, I had no doubt that our lovely Teresa would one day make it to Bravil.

Sidetracked by wolves and mudcrabs, attacked by daedra, waylaid by a buxom female lover and a thousand nights of passion, encountering an albino Khajiit and rescued by a white lancer, I always knew she could make it.

Congrats on your last chapter. It was a fantastic descriptive passage on the most beautiful town in the whole of the lands of Cyrodiil.

My eyes were wiping away tears as I looked upon the screenpics. :touched:

Lovely, as always.
Isn't it true seagull don't catch fish with their talons but with their beak instead? Hardly worth changing but I thought I'd mention it anyway. Especially because you always so sharp on details like that. Like putting the seeds from the flowers back into the soil. I really like the unsaid thought behind that simple action.

Acadian: Thank you. I went into a lot of detail to describe Bravil because so much of the future story will be happening here. In fact, there is more description of the city coming in future posts. I really want to make the city come alive in people's imaginations.

You noticed the things I wanted to stress as well. Teresa's growing abilities in the wild, coupled with a growing caution born from encountering its dangers. Her conservationism regarding the nightshade plant, and finally her grounding in mermanity evidenced by her interaction with Aia. You may not see too many more faint smiles for a while though, as we are coming to the part of the story from whence the title "Moving Through Darkness" derives.


mINX1: http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/subrosa_florens/mr-t.jpg

Funny thing is, Aia was not in my outline. The entire interaction with her just blossomed as I was typing Teresa's entry to the city. Now I can see that I will be using her more often in the future as well.


night owl: Thank you night owl. I am trying to keep her woodsy side evident, even though so much of what has been happening has been within cities lately.


hauteecole rider: Ramshackle! Bravil is the Jewel of the Niben!

Thank you haute.

I actually read the in game book "Guide to Bravil" before writing my descriptions. Oh goodness, talk about scathing!


Winter Wolf: Thank you Wolf. Well, I do not know about a thousand nights of passion, but the rest was certainly spot on! It sure has been quite an effort to get Teresa to Bravil, where she was supposed to be in Chapter 3 in my original outline. Well, it is a woman's prerogative to be late...


RemkoNL: Thank you Rem. Funny thing is, I did originally write the gull as using its beak, then switched it to talons in a later draft. But you are quite correct, so I switched it back. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kqy9hxhUxK0.

When you click on that vid about sea gulls, look to the right (of the page the vid is on) at the "related vids" - Watch "David After The Dentist" (first) - then look at "related vids" on that one - there are like 100 parodies of it that will have you dying laughing after you have seen the original. - whatever you do, don't miss the "Chad Vader" one!

So it does pay off to live in a country that would be submerged by the sea hadn't it been for dykes? I know about water-birds.

Ah, but there lies Bravil's secret charm!

And Alessia Ottus is a stuck-up know-it-all who doesn't appreciate the true nature of things!

During the summer months, I spend a bit of time surrounded by ramshackle things that are just rotting away, rusting away, full of dust, cobwebs, and secrets. Oh, the stuff ramshackle things could tell! I love ramshackle things. I even love the word ramshackle! :wub:

"I will," Teresa said with a faint smile, "thank you Aia." One thing she had learned as a street rat was that it was the beggars who knew everything that was going on in the city. They saw everyone day and night, and no one ever noticed them because of what they were. For being poor rendered one invisible far more potently than any potion or spell ever could, Teresa thought.



This last sentence...I love it...Just love it!! Well, actually, I liked the whole chapter; but for some reason that line just seems the epitome of great writing..As of now I lack the words to describe just why I like it so much..but that's one of the points I love about your writing...It GRABS you (well, me ), and you can't explain why, really...but it...just...does....!!!

mINX1: Oh goodness!

You know, what you said about the Big T made me think it would be neat to have a mod that let you play Mr. T (a redguard of course), with sound effects from his movies and the A-Team. "I Pity the Fool that Mess with me!" would be perfect to hear in combat!


RemkoNL: Once again we lisbians save the country!


hauteecole rider: Oh, so you work in Detroit in the summer?


YvetteJeannine: Thank you yvette! Grabbing people is always fun! :hubbahubba: Especially in a way that does not get me thrown in jail!



All: I have not been around much the last two days because of work being busy, and I just bought a brand new car! I should be getting back in the swing of things and catching up on people's stories in the next few days though.


* * *

Chapter 12b ? The Fighter



Continuing down the main street, Teresa had little trouble making her way through the traffic of animals and people. The thoroughfare was narrower than those of the Imperial City, but there was hardly anyone on it. At least not compared to what she was used to in the capital. She wondered if there were as many people in all of Bravil as there were in just half the Market District.

She had no difficulty in finding the Fighters Guild. It was a huge, sprawling building of stone and wood rising a full three stories from the pavement. Long red banners adorned with white swords hung from its upper floors, swaying in the gentle breeze off the bay. A wooden sign in the shape of a shield hung from its porch, with what looked like a pair of swords crossing behind it. The words 'Fighters Guild' were painted in bright red letters across the front of the sign, leaving no doubt to the building's owner.

Teresa stood in the street and stared at the edifice that brooded high above her. Was she really going to do this? What would they expect of her? Would they even want her? Would it be worth the effort? How much of her freedom would she have to sacrifice? All of these thoughts raced through her head as she stood there, biting her lower lip and feeling a sudden queasiness in the pit of her stomach.

Well, there was nothing to do but find out, she thought. Taking a deep breath, she stepped up to the front door and walked inside.

Teresa found herself in a large foyer whose walls were covered with banners emblazoned with swords and shields like those she saw outside. Wooden benches fanned out along the edges of the room, with low tables between them holding a few books and plants. A glass display case stood near the door, and from where she stood she could see an ebony helmet and sword within it.

There was not a soul in sight. Several corridors led off from the entrance hall, and Teresa walked by each to peer down their lengths. Yet they revealed nothing but more doors. It would not make a good impression to wander around their guild hall uninvited, the wood elf thought. So she shucked off her pack and laid it and her bow stave onto one of the benches. Sitting down next to her gear, she dug out her copy of Patvir's Field Guide to Cyrodiilic Plants and began to read.

She was not sure how much time passed while she studied the text and illustrations of flowers, shrubs, and other plants that possessed alchemical properties. She had thought of herself as being skilled at alchemy until she had purchased the book in the Imperial City two weeks before. Yet after merely thumbing through its pages she had seen what a rank amateur she really was. She only knew the tiniest portion of the plants described in the tome's voluminous pages. It made her wonder how people like Claudette Perrick at the Gilded Carafe could remember it all.

The sound of footsteps jarred her from her thoughts. Setting down the book on the bench beside her pack, she rose and walked to the hallway entrances. Down the length of one she saw a Dunmer woman wearing a simple flax tunic, worn leather pants, and a blacksmith's heavy apron. Her hair was dark and tied back from her face by slender braids that draqed along the front of her long, pointed ears. Sweat beaded her brow, and her pale blue skin was stained with soot.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/subrosa_florens/oblivion/Oblivion273.jpg

"Hi!" Teresa said loudly down the hall. "Are you with the Fighters Guild?"

The Dunmer woman looked up with a start and laid a pair of molten red eyes upon Teresa.

"Yes," she said, turning to walk down the corridor to the foyer where the wood elf stood. "Has Tavian seen you yet?"

"Who?" Teresa asked, "you are the first person I have seen since I came in here."

"Blasted kid is supposed to be watching the lobby?" the dark elf muttered as she cast her eyes around the room. Then she turned her fiery stare back to Teresa. "I am sorry you had to wait. I was out back in the forge. I am Tadrose Helas, the vice-commander and armorer here. What can the guild do for you?"

The Dunmer's voice was very soothing, having a slow, measured pace and a husky, almost melodic quality to it. It was something she would happily listen to all day, Teresa thought. It was much better than the sound of seagulls, that was for certain!

"I'm Teresa," the wood elf said with a faint smile and offered her hand. "I have been hearing that the Fighters Guild is looking for new members, so?"

"You do not want to do that." Tadrose held her own grimy palm up to ward away Teresa's proffered handshake. "Here to join then? We could use an archer, if you can handle yourself in a fight."

"I can handle myself." Teresa looked the other woman straight in the eye as she drew her hand back.

"Hmmm?" the dark elf hummed, staring at Teresa. "You will have to talk to the commander, only he can commission new members. Come on, I think I know where he is."

The wood elf quickly stuffed her book back into her pack and hefted the rucksack over her shoulder. Then she caught up her bow and followed the Dunmer down the hallway from which she had entered. Teresa could not help but to notice the way the dark elf's hips swayed within the tight confines of her leather pants. She reminded herself not to stare, and forced her eyes up to meet Tadrose's gaze as the Dunmer glanced back.

"Are you wanted for any offenses?" the dark elf asked. If she had noticed Teresa's lingering gaze, she gave no sign of it to the wood elf. "If you are, we cannot take you, nor if you have been convicted of a capital crime. Do not try to lie either, because we will find out. Just walk back out the door right now instead."

"I'm not a criminal," Teresa said. Well, not really she thought. The whole thing with the prison did not count after all?

"I am not saying you are," Tadrose said. "But we have had more than one try to get in. That is why we have this."

The Dunmer woman turned a corner and gestured in front of her. Teresa stepped beside her and saw that both walls of the corridor ahead were covered with wanted posters. The Dunmer woman stepped forward again, and Teresa noticed that the hand-drawn parchments were organized by race and gender as she followed. Finally they stopped at the section reserved for female Bosmer. There Tadrose's eyes carefully sifted through the images, pausing to stop and look back at Teresa from time to time.

"Wow," Teresa breathed, looking over the sea of posters, "you people really are serious about this."

"We have to be," Tadrose replied, "our charter with the Empire requires it. If not we would just be an army of thugs roaming the countryside. Besides, people hire us not only because we can do the job, but also because they know they can trust us not to slit their throats when it's done."

"Well Teresa, I do not see you here, so that is good," Tadrose observed. "Now let's go meet the commander."

"So what makes you want to join the guild?" the Dunmer asked as she led Teresa from the hallway, "fortune, glory?"

"Actually, I have heard that I can learn more here," Teresa shook her head, "not that I'm exactly sure I want to join yet."

"Well that is not something I ever hear!" The Dunmer stopped and looked in Teresa's eyes. "Most of the people who come through these doors brag about how tough they are, and how many men they have killed. The last thing anyone says is they need to learn!"

"Well, money would be good too," Teresa shrugged. "But the truth is, the fights I have been in I have gotten by on skill, or luck, or someone else being there to help. I know I am good, but it seems like after every time I find myself thinking of something I could have done better."

That brought a real smile to Tadrose's lips, one whose delight softened the inferno of her eyes. "You sound like exactly what we need Teresa. Or at least what I need. You have no idea how much macho posturing goes on around here?"

With that the Dunmer whirled and was off down the hall again. Teresa wondered if she was just imagining the extra spring to the other woman's step as she followed. Or maybe Tadrose really was that glad to meet her?

How old was the dark elf? Teresa found herself wondering. It was always so easy to tell the age of humans, she thought. But with other elves it could be so difficult sometimes. If Tadrose had been an Imperial she would have said that she was no older than her mid-twenties. Yet the way she spoke, and the hardness in her eyes, gave Teresa the impression that she was much older.

i cant believe i missed out on the last few chapters. i cant wait for you to post more

I am not saying you are," Tadrose said. "But we have had more than one try to get in. That is why we have this."

The Dunmer woman turned a corner and gestured in front of her. Teresa stepped beside her and saw that both walls of the corridor ahead were covered with wanted posters. The Dunmer woman stepped forward again, and Teresa noticed that the hand-drawn parchments were organized by race and gender as she followed. Finally they stopped at the section reserved for female Bosmer. There Tadrose's eyes carefully sifted through the images, pausing to stop and look back at Teresa from time to time.

"Wow," Teresa breathed, looking over the sea of posters, "you people really are serious about this."

"We have to be," Tadrose replied, "our charter with the Empire requires it. If not we would just be an army of thugs roaming the countryside. Besides, people hire us not only because we can do the job, but also because they know they can trust us not to slit their throats when it's done."

Now THAT is what I call the 'Rosa Touch' - the detail that she adds to her stories that is completely innovative, but at the same time when you read it you find yourself saying 'of course! That's so logical! Why didn't I see it before?"

Long may our Rosa bloom
while condemning villians to doom
She brings from her imagination's flight
images that our cravings requite...

and words full of tender delight.


O my Rosa, those words are... erm...not soft sausages...but I was pressed for time. Next time I break out into verse, it shall be something much more wittier and prettier..just like a certain minx with dyed red hair here!!!

Bravo!!! And welcome to Bravil.

Somehow, you brought me right into Teresa's head and I experienced Bravil through her eyes. Incredible. And not just Bravil, but Teresa's plethora of thoughts, concerns, hopes, doubts, uncertainties. I adore how you blend vivid description and Teresa's thoughts.

The interaction and dialogue was also just great.

A modest confidence suits Teresa well. I'm delighted to see that Tadrose seems to take note as well. -_-

OT- Congrats on your new car! :dance:

12a;
I especially liked the part with with Aia. That and the planting. Oh and the general wood lore and pretty much everything in between. definitely Aia and everything.

Poor Angel. She lives so far away from the city of choice for so many of Cyrodiil's heroes. Sadly, she has a certain antipathy for Bravil. She took one look at the beds in the Mages Guild and refused to sleep there.

12b;
Thud. Too much talk and not enough action. Sorry, but as your devoted fan I feel it's time to prod you as gently as possible back onto the road to action.

Great chapter - a whole new way of looking at the Bravil Fighters Guild!

I got a kick out of the "invisible" porter - those guys are more annoying than useful, and it's great to see (or not see) that borne out in your fiction in a very different kind of way!

Wow, your chapters about Bravil are continuing to amaze me. I've always liked its ramshackle shabbiness (remember I said I love the word 'ramshackle'), and the roster of characters that infest its buildings. :twirl:

Tadrose Helas is one of my favorite FG members, so it's great to see her presented this way, though I've never looked at her quite in the same way as Teresa! :shrug:



This resonated with me, the perpetual student. I used almost the exact same title in my own fan fic as study material for my PC as well. It's cool to see that great minds do think alike . . .



No, not quite so far! Imagine a museum, in the heart of Wisconsin, dedicated to nineteenth-century railroading, walking through a yard full of inactive, rusting steam locomotives and ancient, decrepit wooden coaches. I volunteer there during the summer to work on wooden coach restoration. It's really cool, actually. Except for the bugs and mosquitos. And the humidity. <_<

WOO HOO !!!! The big T finally makes it into the story! I promise I won't call her a female Fathis anymore, since I know it bothers you!!! Lol. (I pity the fool that thinks she looks like Fathis!) Awesome touch on the wall of wanteds, all I've ever seen was the Gray Fox, as if he is the only criminal in all Cyrodiil !!!


EDIT: RE: Mr. T Player character - Oh yes, and he can have Cyndi Lauper as a companion !!!

The SubRosa touches in the chapter were some of your best yet.
Bravo.

Congrats on the new car. That should help you get from Bravil to the IC in about..... 2 chapters now.


Sorry, but I cannot help it. I just have to ask-
Did you see Buffy's photo there??

SPEW !!!! (choke, gasp) (cough, SPEW, cough) GAAAAAAHHHHH! * mALX just died laughing *

whiteguy1x: Thank you. I think tomorrow I will throw up the next part of this chapter (hmmm, maybe that was not the best choice of words...)



D.Foxy: Well, as Gaturn gro-Gonk told me, the FG does not like it when you have done incarcerations.

I am afraid to ask about soft sausages...

Does mALX dye her hair red then?



Acadian: Thank you. It sure took long enough getting to Bravil! Writing the first meeting between the two T's (Teresa and Tadrose), was not in my original outline. But it flowed out rather naturally as I was writing, so I went with it.



bobg: Thank you. I am not so sure about Bravil being the city of choice for heroes though! The only one I can think of there is Buffy!

About the talking vs. action, you cannot please all the people all the time. :shrug: There is action in the TF, but my focus will always be on characterization and relationships rather than action.



hauteecole rider: I will be revealing a completely new Bravil FG (BFG?) for the TF. Tadrose Helas and Vincent Galien are the only ones left from the vanilla game, and both are receiving a lot more depth than you see in the game, with the greatest obvious changes going to Vincent (who is a lot younger in the TF). Tadrose's story will not be fully revealed for quite some time, but should prove to be quite dramatic. There will also be a pile of new characters, starting with the guild commander, Pappy Vitellus, who we will meet next post.

The porter Tavian will be appearing in probably two posts. I am revamping the FG porters by making them actual porters (i.e. just regular people who mop the floors and act as gophers, not guys walking around head to toe in armor). Someone has to do all the cleaning and run out to get bread and beer after all.

To see Tadrose from Teresa's pov, just stand behind her and look down...

You have mentioned writing yourself several times. Are you going to post something soon... *non-subtle hint, hint, hint...*


mINX1: Oh, the "Big T" is Tadrose! Here I had ideas of Teresa channeling the spirit of Mr. T!

Cyndi Lauper would be perfect to partner up with Mr. T! It would be the Battle of the Bling!
"I Pity the Fool Who-"
"Girls just wanna have fu'un!"



Winter Wolf: Thank you. OMFG! I never thought of adding Buffy's picture to the wall of shame! Hmmmm.... *gears start churning*

Regarding soft sausages, One Minx said, and I quote

"Dfoxy left me some words..that were not turds..."

Since turds are 10.0 on the 'ewwwww' scale I thought I would censor them into soft sausages.

HOW-EV-AH....

Now BOTH you minxes have implanted certain ideas in my brain (a fertile ground, I admit) I shall now think of ways to torment your OWN imaginations with Lovely Hard Sausages springing up between orchids and served up as a dish with a large drop of whipped cream on top! So there, nya nah nya gna gna!!!

**DFOXY sticks out his tongue at 2 minxes**

Hmmm....that gives me ANOTHER idea now...

:rofl:

ITS. ALL. YOUR. F.A.U.L.T!!!!!


:rofl:

If turds are that gross, how much grosser is it to call them "soft sausages" so we are thinking it is something to eat? Gaaaah! I see a "Slof" download in my future!

@SubRosa:


Yes, I am working on it. Hope to have something up in the next week or so. Thank you for your interest!

@ D. Foxy:


:drool: :rofl:

@ D. Foxy:

Here, this one's for you:

http://www.dirtdoctor.com/organic/garden/view_question/id/2897/

My best regards, and thanks for the vision of hard sausages, orchids and whipped cream! Yum!

Kawa Bunga!! ROFL !!!