Story Ideas

Siren's Deception

World: Oblivion (Yes, again)

Status: Just started, this is the only chapter

Why I wrote it: I really wanted to include a trans-racial relationship between beast races in one of my fanfics. I've been working on racial diversity in all my stories (yes, even fictional races), and this was the main one with an Argonian protagonist. 

Link: None

Summary: Shahvee, or "Swims-in-Shadows" as the dry-skins called her, just lost her brother to the Blackwood Company's dangerous methods, only to flee in grief to the other side of the Province. There, she gets pulled into a heated and passionate romance to try and forget her woes. However, there's a catch- she must be part of a group of assassins called "The Sirens" to be near her lover.

Chapter 1:

I sighed, gazing into my pewter cup of ale somberly. What was I to do with my life now? I had left the Black Marsh in search of a meaning for my life, and instead had found hate and sadness.

"Can I get you anything else?" I looked up to see Maenlorn looking at me, obviously concerned.

"No, thank you." I sighed. I'd been sitting here in the Flowing Bowl for almost two days, drowning my sorrows in drink and renting one of the beds upstairs. I tipped back the rest of my beverage and wiped my mouth before standing up. I apparently did so a bit too suddenly, as the world spun, and I staggered back. I was never much of a drinker, other than the past couple days, and so it didn't take much for me to get buzzed. A strong Argonian Bloodwine would get me to pass out almost instantly, as I had experienced once at home.

My stomach lurched as I steadied myself against the counter, resisting Maelorn's attempt to help me. "No, I'm fine." I insisted. I closed my eyes, waiting for the room to stop swimming, and sighed. What was I doing here?

I had come here to join my brother, J'Ram-Ei in his adventures. Although we were siblings, we had been almost nothing alike. He likened himself to be a great warrior, wearing armor of steel and big, heavy weapons. I much preferred the way of stealth, and enjoyed light, tight-fitting armor and small blades. So, it had seemed apparent that when he had wished to go away from our homeland to join a group of mercenaries, it was something that appealed much more to him than to me. But, as the older hatchling, I felt like it was my responsibility to keep him safe.

And I had failed.

They had called him "He-Who-Crushes-Bones" because of his strength, a name which I despised. We had already been named by our parents. But, it seemed that humans can't pronounce even the simplest Saxhleel names, and so I also received one. I had become "Swims in Shadows", a nod to my stealth. I would always prefer my Black Marsh name, however.

They were called the "Blackwood Company". Many other Argonians had been in the company, and so we had thought that it would be a good way to familiarize ourselves with Imperial culture while also being surrounded my people of our homeland. However, these were not People of the Root. They were evil, greedy and reckless, and had gotten my dear brother killed.

He was given "Hist Sap" to help him fight better, but I knew something was wrong as soon as it was administered. Hist sap is meant to connect my people to their homeland and the Hist, but the tree it had been extracted from was sick and depressed. Instead of giving my brother the holy visions one normally receives, he went mad and slaughtered an entire village of people, not stopping until he was slain by the city guards. Soon after, the Fighter's Guild had gotten involved and put the poor tree out of its misery, but the damage had been done. My brother was gone, and nothing would change that.

I wanted to go home, but I couldn't. I couldn't face my parents after what had happened. Did they know? Had they seen his spirit return to the Hist, ready to be reborn? Could they sense the agony I felt surrounding his death?