Hopefully the pictures aren't broken in this.

 

 

 

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Key:

 

Regulus Clarius (Imperial)
Maja Hearthmaiden (Nord)
Calindwe (Altmer)

 

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22 Rain's Hand, 4E 202.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*knock knock*

 

It's me. You in there Maja?





It's alright, it's Regulus.

Ah...

 

Yep, I'm here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

There you- ...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

- ... are.

 

Am... I interrupting?

 

Ahh...

 

Heh.

 

Not yet. Heh. What's wrong?

 

Man at the front door, says he's here about the water damage out back.

 

... The carpenter? Shor's bones, he's late.

 

*sigh*

 

I... I have to go handle this.

 

It's alright, dear. I'll still be here when you get back.

 

Mm, you better be~.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Also, you might want to get dressed. Getting chilly out, and the rain might be coming back.

 

And where's the fun in that? I thought I have you around to keep me warm.

 

True, but that's generally easier when we're not soaking wet from the rain. Unless you have some kind of challenge in mind...

 

Maybe I do~. We might have to discuss this later.

 

We just might.

 

Also, before you ask: It's in the dining room. Still drying on the back of a chair.

 

Oh, think you're funny, mm?

 

I think I've been here long enough to figure out that's your favorite black shawl. And that you're always forgetting where you put it. I already know I'm funny.

 

Pffffff.

 

 

 

Ahh...

 

*sigh*

 

 

 

...

 

Hi.

 

Hi. Heh.

 

Well... Awkwardness aside, it's nice to finally meet you, Calindwe.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Likewise, Regulus.

 

Please, sit. We might as well make use of this time to talk.

 

Mm...

 

So... Ah, sorry for killing the mood for youse.

 

Heheh. It's fine. I have seen the damage out there, I know it needs to be fixed. I can wait.

 

Still.

 

At any rate, at least we've finally met. Kept getting bad timing for a while there.

 

Places to be, unfortunately, I wasn't able to stay long enough to meet you.

 

Mm, such is life. But you're here now.

 

I'm here now. Hopefully for a week or two, at the least. I do have some business to attend to, but... it's not pressing. It can wait.

 

Heh, daresay it can damn well wait. 'Twas a bit of a long hike to get here, could use some rest and relaxation.

 

Down in Bruma, weren't you?

 

Mm.

 

Yeah, always a little rough going through the Jeralls. At least it's then all downhill to Whiterun.

 

Mm. And it's worth it anyway, to see Maja, and the others if they're around. Wish I could be out this way more often. Always good to see them well.

 

...

 

You know... It's funny. You've known Maja, what, a year?

 

Thereabouts.

 

Mm. Already the two of you sound like a married couple.

 

... Pfff. I mean, we're close, but...

 

I know, and it speaks to the bond you have, is what I meant. The way the two of you were bantering just there, it... I could tell, it just naturally flowed. It was comfortable.

 

You might not've noticed it yourself, but as long as I've known her, she's been a little... slow to trust, I suppose. Don't know why, and I've never asked, but she's just always been...

 

Cautious.

 

Mm.

 

Yeah, I've noticed. Nothing really wrong with it. She's a good judge of character, but... well, it's not always easy to judge someone's character at first. Sometimes takes time to learn who someone truly is inside, see the parts they don't normally show. I'm guessing she's had some bad experiences, so... she's just doing right by herself as she always does, is all.

Well, it sounds like you're... refreshingly upfront with her, going by what she's said in our correspondences. She trusts you.

 

It's certainly mutual. We talk quite a lot, actually. Recently realized it's sort of been a routine for a while now; we get half drunk on wine and just... talk. Talk about current events, our past, our beliefs, pretty much anything. All that booze is probably not the healthiest for us, but... eh. That's what healing magic's for.

 

Haa. That's sort of a tradition among our little group. End of a long day, we'll get drink and converse.

 

In any case, it's good to see things are going well here.

 

They are, they are...

 

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

 

Hm. Well, guessing Maja's going to be out there for a bit.

 

There's something I've been curious about for a little bit now. Mind if I ask a personal question?

 

Sure.

 

Somewhat bluntly?

 

Heh, sure.

 

Alright... And I mean no disrespect with this, I do actually have a few reasons for asking that I'll get to later, but... would I be correct in saying you were soldier in the Aldmeri Dominion?

 

... Ah... yes. Yes, I was.

 

Don't... tell Maja. I know about what happened with her mother, and it's... it's probably an irrational worry, but I don't want something like the Dominion or Thalmor coming to mind when she sees me. Don't want that awkwardness between us. But yes.

 

What gave it away, if I may ask? She's told me of your knack for figuring people out. Just curious what gave it away in my case.

 

Heh. I guess knack's a word for it. Mostly I just pay attention. Met a lot of people in my travels, learned to recognize certain traits.

 

In your case, there's a few things that tell me you were a soldier. I, uh... I honestly can't really... quite explain to all of what's giving it away to me, but there's a few things that I can. There's your posture, your body language. There's that certain... disciplined rigidity, careful calculated movements. You're relaxed, but you still move a certain way, move exactly the way you mean to. I can tell.

 

That stuff's drilled into you, not something that's easily unlearned or forgotten. Especially since you still adventure about, so you're still calling upon that same training. Most people probably wouldn't notice; you seem to move kind of gracefully anyway, so that would kind of... mask it. But I know what to look for, since I myself still move like that as well.

 

Then there's your scars, which look about as old and faded as most of mine. Now, that doesn't... necessarily mean anything; They could be recent and you've partially healed them with a spell or potion. Or they could be really, really old, but they just never really healed right. But I'll take it at face value and say they're as old as mine, which probably means the Great War.

 

And I have a good reason anyway to believe you were Dominion, and not in the Legion or what have you. There were a few Altmer in the Legion that I saw, but... --

 

-- What's the reason?

 

... *sigh*

 

Maja already knows. -- Well... she suspects, but that's close enough.

 

...

 

We both know that not a whole lot gets past her. She's known you much longer than I have, so I trust her judgement. Probably came to the conclusion more or less the same way I have, little details here and there. I've figured these things out on the spot here, somehow I doubt it's a stretch to think she's figured them out over the years she's known you.

 

Well... ... Hm. Well then. I... I guess I'll have to talk with her about that someday.

 

She respects people's privacy and she's obviously not bothered by the matter, so that's up to you if you want to broach the subject or let it be.

 

I know... It's a matter for another time, I think... Ah, as you were saying?

 

Mm. The final thing, and this is what confirmed it for me before you even answered the question: When I asked if you used to be a soldier, before you spoke, I could tell from your eyes that you were remembering. Your eyes had a... certain set to them, for those few brief moments I could see the unmistakable long stare of a soldier who saw the worst parts of war. And I recognized it so quickly because it's a stare I have as well. I look in the mirror and I can see every... every battle, every... long march and sleepless night, everything just staring back at me.

 

Sight of that stare's pretty much burned into my mind at this point.

 

Well then... That was very well done, I must say.

 

Thanks. Though part of that was just educated guesswork. Heh.

 

Accurate guesswork nonetheless. It's always good to keep one's skills well-practiced.

 

Hm. I suppose you're also curious about my time with the Dominion? And why I left?

 

Certainly can't deny that I am, it's one of the reasons I asked about your past with them. But that is entirely up to you if you want to talk about it.

 

Hmmm...

 

Tell you what. Not tonight, since I doubt Maja will be too much longer, and you can probably imagine that I have plans for her tonight. But tomorrow, she's heading out for a couple of days, so those two evenings we'll continue the tradition of... ah, what did Gharz call it... drunken soul-baring. Heh. I'll tell you my story, and in return I'd like to hear yours.

 

Deal.

 

... And that sounds like her footsteps, so that was good timing. I'll get out of your hair.

 

Heh. Goodnight.

 

Goodnight.