I went fishing for a minnow.

And caught a WHALE!

At first I though that I would joke you into continuing a story that I thought you would end abruptly through the Deus Ex Writer...

...and now I find this wonderful story is just the prologue to a whole PLATOON of NEW CHARACTERS!!!


*goes hunting for a 'somesaults in joy' emoticon*

Grey dawn seems to be the hour for departings and new beginnings. Such a neutral setting for such a dramatic moment. A masterful handling of both.

Well folks, tomorrow will be the final installment.


Acadian: My someone might have to start calling her Teresa of the Faint Smile soon...

Well, the 1,000 word limit (if that is what it is) per post is purely arbitrary really. Like I said before, I wrote it all as one piece. I am just breaking it down into bite-sized chunks to post it. I am going with what seems like a reasonable amount of words for a person to read, that does not break in the middle of a scene is all.

Teresa might learn to be truly happy someday, but not for a long time to be certain. A great deal of that depends on a certain rose of Bravil... There is an old saying: "You have to go through hell before you get to heaven." That will certainly hold true for our red-head.


treydog: There is one, final chapter that underscores your points, beautifully I hope. So stay tuned. Ever since I started writing Not A Hero I had the quote from Thomas Wolfe in my head: "You can't go home again", because that is really what the story is about. I was very strongly tempted to make that the title of the entire piece in fact.


D. Foxy: ...and a white whale at that! Plenty more on the way, including these folks:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/subrosa_florens/oblivion/Pappy04.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/subrosa_florens/oblivion/StormTail02.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/subrosa_florens/oblivion/Tavian01.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/subrosa_florens/oblivion/Ancondil01.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/subrosa_florens/oblivion/Chance03.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/subrosa_florens/oblivion/Oblivion131.jpg


bobg: Yes indeed. Dawn and twilight are liminal moments, when the world stands between beginning and endings. So indeed the perfect time (just by accident in this case however... ).

Sorry it took so long to read, Foxy is a very busy man, so catching him for edits - I drop everything I am doing and get it done while he is standing in one spot, lol.

This is a great chapter, but I am still teary eyed at the PM. I'm just so glad you will be continuing the story somehow, can't get us all so attached to Teresa then lock her away, lol. Awesome writing SubRosa


@ Treydog - that is one of my Fave jokes, I tell it a lot.

mALX1: No worries. I expect you have a life after all.

Speaking of that PM, here is the final chapter of Not A Hero:



* * *

Not A Hero - 17 - Home

Teresa walked through the Waterfront without incident. It felt nearly empty in fact. At this time of the morning most of its denizens were fast asleep. Usually she was too, she thought with amusemant. She unstrung her bow before she left the tunnel to the Temple District and the rest of the city. This time she did not start when the watchmen at the gate greeted her courteously, and even managed a kind word of her own in response without too much difficulty.

She made her way to the Market District and found that it was already bustling with workmen, although the throngs of shoppers were still hours away. Simplicia should be up and about, Teresa thought. She always tried begging from the men delivering fresh bread to the many shops and street vendors in the early morning hours.

Teresa was taking a shortcut through the alley between Rindar's Staffs and Edgar's Discount Spells when she came upon a curious sight. A Khajiit whose lithe body was covered in snow white fur sat at the mouth of the alley. The hair on her head was red and worn in braids held back by a headband. Teresa could not help but to notice the similarity with her own pale skin and crimson hair.

The Khajiit had her back to one of the alley walls and seemed to all the world to be nothing but one more street urchin with nothing to do and nowhere to go. Only her fur was too clean, and her muscles too well toned for her to be a street person. While her clothing was far from rich, it was not the patched and tattered garb that a street rat would wear either. As Teresa came up the alley behind her, she noticed that the Khajiit was looking across the main avenue that ran through the district, at a row of shops that lined a small plaza.

"I did not think Khajiit came with white fur?" Teresa found herself asking as she approached. "It looks lovely."

"I did not think Bosmer did either," the Khajiit replied with a smile, then turned her head to look at Teresa. "I like it. People might think we are twins."

Teresa smiled faintly at that. Obviously the Khajiit had been watching her from the corner of her eye. She at least had some skill as a thief, Teresa thought, assuming that was what she must be. Although she had never heard of a thief being awake at this time in the morning.

Teresa passed by without a further word and turned down the main boulevard. She had other things on her mind than new members of the Thieves Guild. Dodging between workers dropping off baskets of bread, she was tempted to try to filch one. Yet there was hardly any point now that she had money, she prudently mused. Old habits die hard, she thought.

Teresa found Simplicia at an intersection ahead and wrapped the elderly woman in a warm embrace. She did not find it at all difficult to talk the beggar into spending the day with her at the Merchants Inn. Not that she had ever found it difficult to persuade Simplicia to do anything for her.

The room was expensive, even compared to her recent extravagances, but Teresa did not begrudge the money. Ever since returning from her odyssey every moment she spent with the beggar seemed more important than ever. They spent the rest of the day talking while Teresa used her mortar and pestle to grind down the alchemical materials she had gathered into potions.

"You really have changed Teresa," Simplicia said at one point, sitting back to look over the slender Bosmer from head to toe. "I cannot believe how different you are."

"For the better I hope," Teresa ventured, looking up from the vial she was filling with green liquid.

"Definitely for the better," Simplicia said with a smile, and then came up to hug Teresa, nearly causing her to spill the potion. "I am so proud of you girl. You have done so well for yourself."

Suddenly Teresa felt like she was ten years old again. Whenever Simplicia held her she felt that way. Carefully putting down the vial so it would not tip over, Teresa wrapped her arms around the older woman and laid her head against her briast. Closing her eyes, Teresa simply sat there listening to her heart beating as Simplicia gently rocked her back and forth. When Simplicia finally did let go and sat down beside her, Teresa looked back up at her and could not contain a wide smile.

"I have to sell my potions once I am done," Teresa said. "Then let's eat here tonight. Anything you want."

They did just that, but as much as Teresa basked in the glow she felt whenever she was around Simplicia, she could not stop the feeling of the walls closing in around her, or of being an outsider.

"You should be going now dear," Simplicia herself said quietly after their meal. "You cannot stop fidgeting."

"Simplicia I..." Teresa stammered, not wanting to leave, but not wanting to remain in the city any longer either.

"I know," The elderly Imperial said. "I know. But you cannot spend your entire life looking after an old git like me. You are young. You need to be out living life."

"I'll be back," Teresa said, giving the old woman a hug. "I promise."

She left Simplicia most of the money she had earned from selling her potions. The beggar tried to stop her, but Teresa would not have it. For Teresa's entire life Simplicia had been taking care of her. It was the least she could do in return, she thought. Leaving herself just enough to buy some traveling food and a few nights board, she packed her things and was off.

She made her way west through the city, until she was finally back to where she had entered two days ago, at the great western bridge. This time she did not set her feet to the mighty pavestones that made up its span however. Instead she walked down to the lakeshore and wandered along the beach to the north until the sun began to dip over the horizon.

Teresa sat at the edge of the water and watched the sun set along its surface. The colors faded from orange to red, then from red to purple, taking her breath away. The air was clear in her lungs, and the only sound that came to her ears was the soft buzzing of insects.

Closing her eyes, she could see the Emperor's face in her mind. He was smiling.

Finally, Teresa knew that she was home.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/subrosa_florens/oblivion/Oblivion116.jpg

I don't know what to say... You sure know how to write a story.
But is this really the end? Really?

Well, I just have to say it has been an honour to follow Teresa along her journey. Thank you for sharing it with us

:read: Beautiful SubRosa - again.

I counted one faint and one regular smile. -_-

Yay, our girl Maxical! :wave: Well researched and smoothly done!

"She made her way to the Market District and found that it was already bustling with workmen, although the throngs of shoppers were still be hours away." Perhaps, 'would still be hours away' or 'were still hours away'?

So ends this book. Masterfully done my friend. Thank you!

I am so hopeful for more from Teresa.

Edit: The screenshot is very nice. Quite artistic.

Really great story and very well-written. My only criticisms, which are more nitpicks, is that there were a lot of bathing/swimming scenes. Seemed kind of redundant. Also, you seemed to use the word crimson several times at one point.

Other than that, I really enjoyed reading it and can't wait for what comes next.

It's great when fan-fiction uses the game as a vehicle to explore the wider realm of what it means to be alive and you do that with genuine elegance. Long after the battles were forgotten, I would still remember this day.

OK, just to get this out of the way- you have definitely promised that there will be more to come. Because I would hate to have to deploy the Basset Hound Eyes of Extreme Sadness ™ for a second time in one day.

I think the word I want is "lyrical." Teresa's story, and Teresa herself, are like a song that weaves its way into our heads and our hearts. The song is by turns whimsical and melancholy, triumphant and humble. But mostly, it is a song that we can never forget and that will evoke feelings of nostalgia, of "remember the first time," whenever we hear it.

And one final proofread, which I almost swear you put in there just to see if I was paying attention:

"She did not find it all difficult"

"?find it at all difficult."

Well I read this earlier today, but still cried at the end! And what a beautiful screenshot! Thanks for letting Maxical be a part of Teresa's journey. I gotta' go with Treydog on this one, Teresa has wrapped herself into our hearts, we have felt things with her, experienced them because of her. Your writing is Awesome!

SubRosa, I've been following this thread silently for a while now (because I haven't had time to do much beyond read, and because everyone else was saying what I wanted to say anyway, lol). Now that the story is finished, however, let me reiterate what has already been said by my fellow readers...simply fantastic! Your style, simple, concise and yet indescribably powerful, pulls the reader in and puts her/him in the "driver's seat", as if seeing things through Teresa's eyes. Very nicely done.

Your fanfic was a joy to read, and I do hope you will continue to write and post here!

AyumiFan: Thank you very much. Yes this is the end of Not A Hero. Teresa (of the Faint Smile) will return in the future, so stay tuned.

btw. I am also a huge Ayumi Hamasaki fan.


Acadian: Thank you. mALX and I exchanged over half a dozen PMs before I got it right.

Typo noted and fixed. Thank you for that too!


Redek: Thank you. Teresa likes the water, it is one of her quirks. So she jumps in the lake whenever she has the chance.


bobg: Thank you muchly B!


treydog: Please no Basset Hound Eyes! I do not think I could take that!

whimsical and melancholy, triumphant and humble - Those are pretty much the feelings I aim for when I am writing Teresa. I am glad enough of it worked to be noticeable!

And thank you for the proofage. Incidentally, both that and the one Acadian found were from last minute additions.


mALX1: It makes me want to cry too, in spite of how many times I have had to edit the blasted thing!

Thank you for donating Maxical.


Rachel the Breton: Thank you Rachel! And thank you again for your observations early in the story. They helped a great deal.

Have no fears, there is much more on the way from Teresa.

Then it is proper to quote some of miss Hamasaki's lyrics in honour of our redheaded hero:

untitled ~for her~


Ima moshimo hitotsu dake negai ga kanau nara
Kimi ni mou ichido aitai

Ano kumo o koete sora e to tsuzuku
Hatenaki michinori o
Kimi wa hitori kiri aruite iku koto
Ano hi kimeta n da ne

------------------------------------------------

If I could have just a wish come true now
I want to see you again

You decided that day
That you would walk all alone
On the endless road
Over that cloud to the sky



Untill we meat again, Teresa :hugs:

That was simply lovely. Thank you AyuFan.

The song that makes me think of Teresa the most is The Reason, by Hoobastank.

I've found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new
and the reason is you


As long as I am at it, I might as well post a few screenshots that I have taken in the last month or two. These are just from the game, so many do not represent the Teresa of fiction.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/subrosa_florens/oblivion/Oblivion017.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/subrosa_florens/oblivion/Oblivion014.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/subrosa_florens/oblivion/Oblivion015.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/subrosa_florens/oblivion/Oblivion007.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/subrosa_florens/oblivion/Oblivion071.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/subrosa_florens/oblivion/Oblivion068.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/subrosa_florens/oblivion/Oblivion129.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/subrosa_florens/oblivion/Oblivion130.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/subrosa_florens/oblivion/Oblivion133.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/subrosa_florens/oblivion/Oblivion136.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/subrosa_florens/oblivion/Oblivion137.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v90/subrosa_florens/oblivion/Oblivion139.jpg

Seeing how that was the end of this particular part of the story, I suppose I should leave a comment. It was interesting. I haven't been following it from the beginning of course, but it was a good and entertaining read. Rather odd that this ended at almost exactly the same time that the other fic with a female protagonist I was reading did. (That sounds like such an odd sentence...)

I'm not going to leave quite as colorful a remark as some here have. *glances sideways at the other readers* However, I would like to say I did enjoy reading about Teresa and that I will read whatever you continue on with as well. Because once I start something, I don't stop. So you better not stop either! No getting out of writing now that you've attracted such a crowd.

On an unrelated note, there's entirely too much Hamasaki in this thread for my tastes, so I'll be taking my leave now.

Genki de ne!

Thank you Ambrose. I am glad you enjoyed it. Do not worry, I am not stopping. Although it will probably be a while until I start posting Act II.

Oh, and you can never have enough Ayu!

Hey, I just found this over the past few days and this is the first time I've had time to post a comment. All I can say is that this really was a great story. Teresa managed to capture my (and plenty of others') attention and all of our hearts. I'm kind of sad that the story is over, but I hope that you will keep writing about Teresa, because you are really good at it!

Thank you SubRosa for taking us on a lovely journey.

I have learnt a lot about writing from reading your thread. It is the direct, clear style with which you write that I shall take with me.

Cheers. :foodndrink:

Broken-Scale: Thank you very much Scale. Keep your eyes peeled for more.


Winter Wolf: Thank you WW. You might be interested to look at another short story I wrote recently called http://home.comcast.net/~subrosa_florens/witch/fiction_lonely_eagle.html. It was an experiment on my part to see how little description I could use and still create characters that were vibrant and believable. Basically an attempt to see just how bare I could make the bones of a story and still have it work.


I have also edited the Original Post with a link to Not A Hero in its entirety on my website.

Yes, and I love your character's name in "Lonely Eagle!" (lol). - OMG, I am hooked on the story! I'll be back, I need to finish reading it. ANYONE who wants to get addicted, read SubRosa's link above!


I'm bawling my eyes out over the "Lonely Eagle" - what a fantastic writer you are, not only did it feel like I was there experiencing the conversations, but the loss as well - SubRosa that was one of the best pieces of writing I have ever read!

Oh goodness, how did I forget to reply! :confused: As you can see, I am very original when it comes to names!




Thank you. I should have mentioned that I also wrote that story with the intention of using the dialogue to drive the plot. I have never done that before either, so I wanted to see if I could do it.

I actually wrote it for a fiction contest on another forum. They supplied a screenshot from the game Mount & Blade, and you had to write a story about it. What really caught my attention and got me interested was that the person running the competition said that you did not have to write about the characters in the picture itself, but rather you could even write about the insects disturbed by the battle, just so long as the event in the pic somehow related to the story. So I wrote about the insects, the people that one never hears about in heroic fantasy where knights go around valiantly bashing heads in for honor and glory. Somehow I did not even come close to winning.

Well I am pretty shocked that you didn't. That story left a very deep impression on me!

I have started a new thread for Act II of Teresa's story, Moving Through Darkness, which can be found http://www.gamesas.com/bgsforums/index.php?showtopic=1054548.

I have asked the moderators to close this topic, so please direct any further comments in the new thread.

One last comment before this thread is closed.

I have copied, and pasted "The Lonely Eagle" to my hard drive so that I can learn at leisure from your writing techniques by reading and re-reading it.