Palla My Love

Tales and Tallows

Chapter two: Tales and Tallows

As we approached the lavish manor you could hear the muffled sounds of life, it was so different from the cold academy. The halls were lined with artifacts and heirlooms passed down from battles won long ago, everything was preserved and displayed so neatly as the rich, young hostess had only recently moved into the manor after her parents died. Because of how young she was there was a lot of talk amongst the young mages of the group, hoping to get to have a conversation with her, maybe even court her. She was living in this big house all alone after all. Even (who had never once been interested in gossiping like old maids) was curious. 

Marching into the main hall a servant called out our names as if we were royalty. only as soon as we entered the crowd we were immediately ignored and blended as if our presence was only needed to add some thickness to the ball. More important aristocrats gracefully pushed past us, most of the initiates stayed huddled in the protection of our group, however we always stood out amongst the crowd of silk and gold. No one looked our way even when we were right next to them. It was as if my skill at illusion had somehow rendered us all invisible. So I seperated, to the tables filled with various foods some I recognized while others I'd never even seen before. Then to the band, that played lively music that went unheard due to all the noise in the hall. Finally the terrace which overlooked the moon, equally luminous sky and an enormous reflecting pool that stretched out into the garden. White marble statues lined the sides of the pool caught the glow of the moon. The sight was so otherworldly that I was mesmerized by it. Our hostess had made her home there so recently that some of the sculptures were still wrapped in sheets that swayed in the gentle breeze. I don't know how long I was standing there before I realized I wasn't alone.

Her figure was so slight that she almost seemlessly blended in with the night. Her dark skin and clothes almost convinced me she was a shadow. But as she stepped into the moonlight I could see she was beautiful and young woman, only just younger than myself. She stood there unsure of what to say, as if she was hoping to never be seen out here.

"Are you... our hostess?" 

"Yes" She avoided my gaze awkwardly "though I'm afraid I'm not very good at it. I should be inside getting to know my new neighbors, but I think we have very little in common" 

She twiddled her thumbs, it was clear she hadn't talked to many people her own age. 

"It's been made very clear that they hope I have nothing in common with them either," I joked, hoping to lift the mood. "When I'm a little higher than an initiate in the Mages Guild, they might see me as more of an equal."

"I don't understand the concept of equality in Cyrodiil yet," she finally looked at me. "In my culture, you proved your worth, not just expected it. My parents both were great warriors, as I hope to be."

Her eyes went out to the lawn, to the many statues proudly bathing in moonlight. 

I had been so distracted that I forgot to even introduce myself "I'm Ash...and I'm afraid to admit this but, even though you are our hostess I am shamefully unaware of your name"

She laughed "I invited you here and you have yet to learn my name? Your dinner party etiquette is something else" she smiled "Betaniqi"

Betaniqi. Betaniqi and I stood there, staring at the view for a few minutes before I finally broke the silence "Do the statues represent your parents?" 

"Indeed, That's my father Pariom there," she said gesturing, we walked over together studying the very life-like representation of a massively built man, gripping another warrior by the throat and preparing to decapitate him with an outstretched blade. Studying it closely you could tell it was a realistic depiction. Pariom's face was ordinary, maybe slightly ugly with a low forehead, a mass of tangled hair and stubble on his cheeks. Even a slight gap in his teeth, which no sculptor would surely have honored except to do justice to his model's true likeness. 

"And your mother?" I asked her, pointing to a statue across the pool of a proud, rather squat warrior woman in a scarf, holding a child.

"Oh no," she laughed. "That was my uncle's old nurse, he loved her dearly. Mother's statue still has a sheet over it."

We looked over at the hidden statue together. 

 I don't know what prompted me to insist that we unveil the statue that she pointed at, it was nothing but fate, and a selfish desire to continue the conversation. I was afraid that if I did not give her a project, she would feel the need to return to the party, and I would be alone again.

"Would you like to... See it?" 

 "I'm not so sure myself" At first she was reluctant. She had not yet made up her mind whether the statues would suffer, unlike Hammerfell hot desert climate, it almost always rained in Cyrodiil and when it didn't rain it was snowing. 

"it's safer like this isnt it?" she reasoned. It may be that she was merely making conversation, and was reluctant as I was to end the stand-off and be that much closer to having to return to desolate party. besides it felt much warmer out here in the cold then it ever did in there. 

In a few minutes time, tearing the veil from the statue of Betaniqi's mother. That is when my life was changed forevermore...