Dual Fate - Chapter 3

  • Chapter 3

    Dreams and Music

                   Falindir slowly rose up, still a bit groggy from his sleep, to be greeted with quite a different sight, then he had expected. The area was covered in a thick fog, so much he would have to almost wade through it, to get a clear sight of something. The more Falindir traversed around, the more he became terrified. He lost the campsite, and he hadn’t seen his sister since he woke up. He broke into a sprint, trying to find a place a way from the fog. He was crashing through trees, bumping into all kinds of bushes before he ran directly into a tree. As he collected himself, he looked around the tree to see a golden shimmer. As he walked closer, the picture became wider, and Falindir’s desperation continued to grow.

                    What was a simple golden shimmer grew into a large, snake like being, covered in beautiful golden scales. It was wielding a strange sword Falindir had never seen before, but it looked very sharp, and very deadly. Within its deadly grasp was Aradiel, being choked nearly to death. The creature raised it’s sword, and in one continuous motion swept toward Falindir’s twin.

                    “NO,” Falindir screamed as he rose from his sleep, still frightened and very confused, about this strange ordeal. He quickly looked to his side to see his sister still sleeping peacefully by the recently burnt out fire. “It was just a dream… But everything was so real… What even was that thing holding on to Aradiel? It was so hideous yet, at the same time, oddly… charming…”

                    Some hours past and Aradiel awoke from her slumber, to see a pile of freshly cooked meat, a couple of leather packs, wolf fur coats, and a collection of bone arrows. Falindir had been hard to work on those wolves. But after all, they were Bosmer, and nothing goes to waste!

                    Falindir was sitting down, just looking out into the fields where Falinesti once was. No matter how hard he tried to plan for the upcoming journey, he couldn’t keep his mind off of his nightmare. It was so weird and out of place. Eventually Aradiel walked over to him and sat down next to him.

                    “Are you alright Falindir? You seem distraught about something,” asked Aradiel, putting her hand on his back as if to comfort him.

                    “Yeah… I’m. I’m fine,” He looked over to his sister and smiled, “Just a lot to think about you know? Everything just happened so quickly. We become close to the only people left of Falinesti, we get attacked yet again, and now here we are preparing some kind of adventure…”

                    “Speaking of which,” Aradiel interrupts, “Do you have any idea where we should head out first? I was thinking maybe we could go to Vvardenfell or maybe even The Summerset Isles?” Aradiel looked to Falindir, and saw him just nodding his head in acceptance, but still he looked strange. She decided it was best to leave him be for now, as he would probably tell her later. He always did.

                    “Summerset Isles seems like a nice place to visit. I’ve wanted to see it ever since we were just kids. When father told us stories of it. It always sounded so beautiful and serene. Yeah… let’s go there!”

                    Aradiel jumped up, “Great! Then we head out to the coastline now for the next trip to Summerset Isles! Pack your bags now brother, we have quite an adventure ahead of us.” She exclaimed, as she grabbed her bag, and filled it with her share of meat, water, and her recently found armor. She slung her bag onto her back and started to walk away, but then looked back at her brother, still sitting down. “You coming?”

                    “What? Oh! Yeah. Sorry…” he said. “I still have so much on my mind, but I wouldn’t want to bore you with the details.” He grabbed his bag and packed it up too, and then followed after Aradiel.

                    “Good! Because I don’t want to be bored!” She nagged jokingly as she continued to walk. Aradiel made sure to look back to Falindir every once in a while to make sure he was alright.

                    Eventually, Falindir lost his lost expression, and gained his regularly happy attitude, throughout the rest of the twins walk to the southern coast of Valenwood.

                   

    ***

     

    A few days passed, and the twins finally reached Woodhearth. They were very tired and received little sleep throughout their long walk. They decided to stop inside an inn, to enjoy a nice meal, and exchange stories with the locals of the coastal town.

                    The inn keeper was a fairly short Bosmer, with a stern face, but seemed fairly happy with his work. At the table, a tall Nord asked for a drink, but immediately spat it out when he got the slightest taste. He obviously didn’t care much for Bosmer brew. Also inside were a few Bosmer teenagers (only a year or two younger than the twins it seemed), who were seated around a Chimer bard. The twins bought a few venison steaks, and sat down around the bard as well.

                    The Chimer had vibrant orange hair, and dark grey skin. He had a very well-trimmed beard, and a charming expression. On his waist, was a collection of small instruments as well as a small ebony dagger, which seemed barely used. By his side were a drum, lute, and a large satchel which most likely contained books, or more instruments. He was a well-equipped bard, who must have been working at his talent for years. Still, as little weapons as he seemed to own, he looked as if he could easily fend for himself in battle.

                    The Chimer had just finished telling his tale to the Bosmer boys around him, when the twins sat down. He looked at them and smiled and held out his hand with a friendly gesture to shake their hands.

                    “Why hello there Bosmer. My name is Velaryn, of House Indoril. And you are?”

                    “I am Falindir,” He said shaking the Chimer’s hand, “and this is my twin sister Aradiel. So you’re from House Indoril hm? Then you must know General Nerevar right?! I’ve heard many great stories about him!”

                    “Yes, of course I know him! He’s my little brother! He really is as great as the stories say, to be completely honest. I’m proud of the bugger. After he took up the role of General, and king of us Chimer, I decided to go down a bit of a different path as you can see. But I’m not complaining. I love what I do,” said the Velaryn in a joyful tone.

                    Aradiel shook the Chimer’s had for an extended amount of time in awe, and then quickly corrected herself a bit, after realizing the awkward situation she had just put herself in.

                    Velaryn withdrew his hand chuckling a bit at Aradiel, and then searched through his bag for one of his books. He pulled one out and searched through the pages before landing on one, and put up a finger as if to exclaim “aha”, and then looked back to the twins.

                    “So where do you twins come from? I haven’t seen you around here before, so you must be from somewhere else in Valenwood correct? What is your story? Tell me all about it!” The Chimer exclaimed, and then sat forward in his seat seemingly excited to hear this upcoming tale.

                    “Well…” Started Falindir and Aradiel in unison.

     

    ***

     

                    “…and so here we are!” the twins put their hands up, finishing their story. The Chimer slammed his book shut in awe, and then looked to the three Bosmer boys sitting by them, also clearly in shock.

                    “Well, that’s probably the best story you three are going to hear all night! No need for me,” Velaryn chuckled, “That was quite the tale friends! All of that in the beginning was just in two days? That’s just shocking. I must write this down. It will make for a great story to tell. Say, where are you two headed now? You said you wanted to go on an adventure right?”

                    “We wanted to go to the Summerset Isles first. We’ve heard much about it, and it sounds like quite the place,” said Aradiel excitedly.

                    “Oh really?! I was actually headed down to Summerset Isles tomorrow morning, to write and sing in a tavern right on the coast! We should go together! We can exchange tales on the way there! It should be a great time really!” exclaimed Velaryn.

                    “Sure thing! We would love to travel with you,” Falindir said.

                    “Good then! Let me buy you two a room for the night! You more than deserve it. Tomorrow, we take the next ship to Summerset Isles… sounds good?”

                    “Of course! First thing tomorrow,” approved Falindir.

                    The twins headed to the room that Velari had so kindly paid for, after finishing their dinner. When they arrived in the room, there was a couple of adventure books, and a wood flute on the bed, obviously left there, from Velaryn. On top of the books was a note that read,

     

                    It seems you two like adventures as much as I do. These books should tide you over atleast until tomorrow. As for the flute, everyone needs a little music in their life. Why not get a start now?

    ~Indoril Velaryn

     

                    That night, the tavern was full of badly played flute, and loud story – telling…