Solitude: Alone, Together

Chapter 4

The following day Selea frowned as she plopped back down in the seat in her tiny temporary housing room. She'd found a few places that could serve as long-term housing, but nothing that she felt met her needs. She wanted room to create, to build—that was, after all, part of what life in the Clockwork City meant, right? She was relatively good at crafting, as she'd learned every trade possible in her life on Nirn. But here in the Clockwork City, she wanted to learn more, she wanted to tinker with some of the machinery like Sil... like Sil... she repeated to herself.

Oddly, she thought, throughout the day she'd found herself thinking of Sotha Sil, the not-quite-god-elf that she seemed to have become friends with. God or no god, he obviously had some god-like abilities, and was certainly as mysterious as a god in the way he spoke at times. Yet after their informal conversation the day before, she now found herself wondering what Sil would think of the places she looked at. She was certain he'd feel just as she did, that none of them satisfactory.

She flipped through the notes she'd taken for each of the properties she'd looked at that day, remaining unsatisfied. That is—until she heard a tapping sound at the window. She frowned and glanced up to see a crow and for a split second she felt dread at the thought that Nocturnal might have somehow found her way back into the City. But as quickly as the thought had entered her mind it left as she realized this crow wasn't black and feathery, but brass and smooth, except for lines etched into it made to look like feathers. She chuckled and found a way to open the window.

"What, pray tell, is a brass bird doing at my window?"

SQUAK! It shouted. "Our lord and creator Sotha Sil requests your presence at the Observatory Prior."

"Pardon me?"

"Repeating message. Our lord and creator Sotha Sil requests your presence at the Observatory Prior."

"I'm afraid I'm unfamiliar with that location."

SQUAK! "I am able to guide you to the Observatory Prior." SQUAK!

"Very well. I will meet you outside."

SQUAK! And the bird flew downward towards the entrance of the Housing building.

When she arrived downstairs and looked around, she jumped as the bird swooped down and landed on her shoulder. "Perhaps some warning would be nice before you swoop in. It wasn't that long ago I was being pecked at by your feathered friends."

SQUAK! It said as it nodded its head around. She was unsure if it was acknowledging her, or if it was just part of it's mechanical attempt to appear lifelike.

She shook her head and motioned ahead. "Well, lead on."

She followed the crow all the way out to the Sanctuary Wayshrine and beyond. When they arrived at the huge structure ahead of them, she looked around.

"What is this place?"

"The Observatory Prior." SQUAK! Was all the crow said.

"I assumed as such since you stopped flying. But tell me about it."

SQUAK! The crow shouted again.

Before she could argue, another voice spoke from behind her.

"The Observatory Prior was a bit of a test before final construction on the Brass Fortress was undertaken. It is still in quite satisfactory condition, though unused. I thought perhaps you would like to see another part of the city since you'll be staying here for an undetermined length of time."

She turned to find Sotha Sil behind her, hands behind his back as was common for him. She nodded towards the crow on her shoulder. "And the bird?"

"I thought perhaps he might be a more adequate form of communication device, should you need to contact me—or visa versa—instead of the use of my Proctor or the other apostles or factotums."