A day in the life of Shara the Orc (part 4-final)

The rest of the trip was fairly uneventful. It felt good to watch  Reeh-Jah battling the Slaughterfish and Dreugh which attacked us.  Reeh-Jah was in his element here and I was proud to watch him regain his courage. Finally after what seemed ages we arrived at the port and swam ashore. Only one more health potion each was needed.

We went aboard and paid the shipmaster for fare to Ebonheart. Then as directed below to a couple of cots after palming a few extra gold to the shipmaster to rest. We ate again and then rested and were awakened by the sound of the shipmaster calling out “Ebonheart” from above.

I took Reeh-Jah to the merchant there and bought him a few more supplies as well as giving him some gold for his future. Once I was sure he was all set we walked to the Argonian mission and the male Im-Kilaya who was the director, standing in an expensive robe in the center of the room.

Im-Kilaya spotted Reeh-Jah and I immediately and set to listening to Reeh-Jah’s story and how I rescued him.

I gave Im-Kilaya enough gold to pay for Reeh-Jah’s safe passage back to the Black Marsh and his home.. Reeh-Jah was speachless but I only smiled and hugged him once more.. Feeling really good about what I had done.

 

—The End—

 

A day in the life of Shara the Orc (continued 3)

I turned, feeling the salt air against my face. I reached into my backpack and rummaged around for the trinket I had for water breathing.  “I can breathe like you with this on.” I smiled and put the amulet around my neck. Fingering it for a moment while I gaged Reeh-Jah’s mood. I could feel it’s magic surrounding me like a blanket. The effect would  remain active  until I took the amulet off again.

“Let’s go.” Was all I said as I turned, after making sure my waterproof backpack was securely closed, and walked into the water. I could hear Reeh-Jah right behind me. I smiled quietly. Continuing to swim, that is until I heard him unsheathe the blade I had given him.

I turned and pulled out my axe, swimming towards Reeh-Jah. I could see a swarm of Slaughterfish attacking him  all at once, and an ugly pink, crab-like Dreugh behind them, seeming to wait its turn. It’s vacant black eyes staring. Shock waves rippled in the water as I swung my axe as hard as I could towards the swarm. Those fish were vicious, with their tiny needle like teeth.

I got close enough to Reeh-Jah to shove a corked bottle of health potion I had strapped to my belt for just such occasions, into his scaly hand. “Go!” I screamed into the water. But he did not..

It seemed an age that we battled those horrible fish. They plopped to the surface dead, one by one as we battled them.. Shockwaves rocking the waters around us. The water filling with both our blood and theirs. Reeh-Jah seemed in his element. Taking no notice of the many bites that they had given him, as he used claw and teeth, and his scaly barbed tail, as well as the sword I had given him to help me battle them and send them to oblivion.

Then came the Dreugh, with its Octopus-like lower body and crab-like chest and pincers. The vacant black eyes that made me want to scream at it..

I swung my axe as hard as I could towards the monster. It made a war cry and lunged for me. Just what I had wanted. This gave Reeh-Jah a chance to stab it with his sword.. My axe hit home and I twisted it, much to the monster’s agony..It shuddered once and floated to the surface. I grinned at Reeh-Jah and motioned first to the surface and then to the potion..

He nodded, understanding.. Then we both swam up and drank heavily of our bottles of healing potion. We had managed to get about a fourth of the way to Sadrith Mora , between the swimming and the battle. “Do you need a rest?” I asked him.

“No.” He said. “Let’s keep going.”

A day in the life of Shara the Orc (continued 2)

It wasn’t a hundred feet before we ran into one of those odd-looking Kagouti.. I’ve always thought they looked a lot like someone’s thumb.. It caught sight of us and raced towards.. I took out my axe and menaced it.. It did not seem to care. It’s huge mouth opened to take a bite out of me.. I sighed as I heard Reeh-Jah running away..

My axe came down hard as it bit my side.. Turning its ugly mouth sideways like they always do.. I screamed out at it and brought my axe down again. It’s breath burning my eyes as it’s blood soaked me. Again and again I brought down my axe.. My side burning with its repeted bites. It’s teeth sinking in deep each time..

“Die with honor! Coward!”

I screamed in frustration.. “Why won’t you die!!??”

My arm was getting weak from those bites in my side.. But finally I landed a blow right between its eyes and it fell..
I was too tired to skin it right now.. And sat right down on the ground to take a couple of healing potions.. Feeling my skin and bones knitting.  My body aching still but healed. Those longer lasting potions would keep working for many minutes.

“Now where did that Argonian get off to?”

I stood up and looked around..Dusting myself off,  I  Walked a few paces.. up a small hill.. These ashlands were pretty in their own way.. “Oh there he is”.. He was hiding behind a huge rock.. More boulder than anything. His eyes as wide as saucers as I walked towards him.. Chopping the earth deeply with my axe to clean it and then sheathing it…I kept walking.. Slower now.. He looked so panicked.. When I got close enough I grabbed him and hugged him hard.. Not saying anything.. His body shook as he sobbed.. Finally I felt him hug back. I soothed his back and face with my free hand.. Wondering just how long it had been since he had felt a friendly touch..

“Come on Reeh-Jah.. Let’s get going.. It’s a long ways from here to Sadrith Mora.”

He scrubbed his eyes and nodded. “I won’t run next time.” It seemed as if he looked at me with the pain of an age. A deep sadness and loss inside him. I shuddered to think  just what they might have made him do.

I smiled.. Turning to set off to skin that beast and then keep going.. I had it down to an art, and taught him how as well. These hides were good for Alchemy or selling.. Either way was a win win situation.

The beach was beautiful in front of us.. But I knew many Slaughterfish and Dreugh lurked there. I just hoped Reeh-Jah would remain true to his word, and not run.

A Day in the Life of Shara the Orc (continued)

It was then that I noticed the slave bracer on his left wrist. The other wrist had been freed somehow but not at a small price. It was bloody and in need of medical help..I slowly lowered my axe and then sheathed it..

“You need not fear. My anger is reserved.. for the foolish.”

I stood there long minutes waiting for the Argonian male to let my words sink in.. Finally calming down. I stood there a bit longer for him to be sure.. His heart must have been pounding..

“Let me see your wrists.”

A few minutes more until he felt brave enough to walk towards me and extend them.. I used my magic amulet of lock opening to unlock the remaining bracer and took some of the potions out of my backpack.. The bracer fell to the ground with a dull thud. When I was done with him I picked it up and pushed it into my already bulging pack.  Witchcraft could be done on the smallest bit of skin or hair. I would not allow that to happen to this one.

“I’m no healer but an alchemist of sorts.. Here, drink these.. It will help your right wrist to heal.”

He sniffed and then shrugged. Drinking the three potions I had given him.. All home made and all very much longer lasting than the stuff I could buy in shops. One cure disease, one restore fatigue and one restore health. I scrounged around in my pack for stuff for him.. From the looks of him he must be starving. Also I took out some clothes I had found on my adventuring in the last cave I had gone in. Some chitin armor and pants, shirt and shoes.. Last I gave him a shortblade and a shield.

“Put those on and then come and sit with me for a while.. We will talk about just what you are doing out here in the middle of nowhere.”

As I sat I made a small fire and with my supplies I began to brew some strong tea. He kept his eyes on me but put on the clothing, armor and weapon I had given him.. Then he sat and I pushed an ash yam towards him.. He took it and bit it.. Starving as I had guessed. I had plenty of supplies in my pack.. I would share a full meal with him while we talked of what his goal was and what help he needed.

A bit of water in a small pot and some vegetables and houndmeat and there was a stew cooking.. As well as the strong tea which had a bit of healing herb in it.. He ate everything I gave him and finished off with some bread. After a couple of hours he seemed sure enough of my intentions to tell me that he had escaped from the slavers in Tel-Aruhn.

I asked him where he was trying to go and he said the Argonian mission in Ebonheart.. Well that was quite a journey but not too far if we could make it to the boat captain in Sadrith Mora.. I told him of my plan and said I would escort him there as long as he would not run away every time some creature burped in our direction. He laughed a bit nervously at that and then I pointed to the blade I had given him.

“You have a weapon. Use it if you need it. You are no longer a slave. You are a free man.”

He seemed to think on that for long minutes before he stood and said he was ready. We kicked dirt over the small fire after I gathered my supplies. I gave him a couple more homemade restore fatigue and restore health potions and a small pack for his supplies.

He shouldered his pack and straightened his sword on his hip and we were off in the direction of Sadrith Mora.

A Day in the Life of Shara the Orc (SPOILERS!)

My superior had ordered me to go and find some male named Jocien Ancois. From the name I was guessing Breton..Way across the map to one of those horrid Ashlander Camps. Yet more ignorant Dunmer to have to try to speak to. Ugh.. Whatever. After a long and tiring trip across the map to the camp I learned that the Breton male had been headed to preach imperialism to some type of dark elf Witch.. From what I gathered when trying to talk to those ignorant Ashlanders.. Between them screaming at me to leave. Apparently these witches drain a man’s “essence”. Mabrigash they called them.. I snorted. “essence”? Ha!

Laughing low and deep.. Before spinning around with axe in hand to kill whatever was throwing fireballs at me while I talked to the only Dunmer female who was willing to speak to me about the man I was trying to find.

My axe Father’s gift was at home. I had gotten a stronger, better axe.. I had named it “Shara’s Shock” It glimmered in the sun as I brought it down hard on the ugliest black beetle I had ever seen. Even the Dunmer male that had been screaming at me to leave grew quiet then..Just staring with his beady red eyes, first at my axe and then at me..

“Shalk.” He murmured ,indicating the now dead beetle with a jerk of his thumb. I wiped my axe on the ground and put it away..

“Dead Shalk.” I laughed and pressed a couple of gold pieces into the palm of the one female who had spoken to me in a civil tone. We were about the same height, her and I..Only I had much curvier curves than she did. Her seeming. well.. skinny..

Still laughing as I turned and walked out of their camp towards the flapping pieces of paper on the ground.

She had been right, Jocien Ancois was messy and turning out to be more trouble than he was worth to me. I shrugged it off and continued walking. All the while contemplating such things as Dunmer women posing as some special sort of Witch that only consumes men’s “essence”. Laughing more times than not about that, and with my axe out about half the time. Killing already half dead and diseased rats by the dozen’s it seemed. That and the whole barrage of Ashland creatures that lived out here. It was truly disturbing just how many of them carried diseases.

Well at least for the moment there was no ash storm going on. Those could be brutal. Enough to make me take cover at times.. And wash my face and mouth to get the volcanic sand, dust, and ash out of my teeth and hair. Especially with my braids it tended to stay for long periods of time. And these braids took hours to do.. I did not want to take them down as soon as I had them done. Most of the time I carried a heavy robe and hood with a face mask as well. This way I could continue on my journey without being interrupted by one of those heavy storms.

It was so distracted when I nearly bumped into an Argonian male named Reeh-Jah.

Panicked he was.. Shrieking and making odd grunting noises as I wiped the guts from the last kill onto the ground before …

I thought he might be needing to use the bathroom pretty badly , jumping from foot to foot rapidly as he was, and then I thought he might just have lost his mind. His eyes never left my axe, or the innards now smeared into the ground. Maybe he had this soul sickness everyone was ranting about. Whatever was wrong with him, he would not get the first blow.

I took a step back and raised my axe.. Eying him with a slitted gaze.