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Old hatreds do not rust, either.


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#1 Choo Choo

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Posted 01 September 2007 - 02:32 AM

Well.. this is the Bhaalspawn saga from the point of view of a young, elven thief named Emmeline. And no, it's not canon, don't expect it to be.

And, um, this is the first fanfic I've ever written, let alone published, so don't expect it to be great, either.

Chapter One: Ignorance is bliss...
Suldanessellar
Thirty-six years before the beginning of Baldur's Gate


"Emmy! Emmy, where are you?"

Emmeline giggled softly to herself, but didn't move out from under the garden rose bush, despite the hollering of her mother. Oh, she would - eventually - but for now, she'd rather stay where she was. And, besides, if she moved forth from beneath the bush right now, she would be noticed. She didn't want to be, since that would spoil one of her perfectly fine hiding spots.

"Tinwe Emmeline Luinil, I know you're around here somewhere! Come, hinya, I need your help with the packing!"

The young elven girl groaned and reluctantly came back in sight. Of course, having played with her friends all day and then spending about half an hour laying on the dusty ground, she was nothing short of dishevelled. Her straight black hair, reaching to her knees, was ruffled beyond all levels of sanity, her clothes were so dirty you could barely see their green colour, her pale skin was smeared with mud - and in the midst of this tousled appearance, a pair of midnight blue eyes shone with mischief.

"Alright, alright, mother, I'll help you out!"

"Hopeless girl" Lyssa said affectionately to her daughter, "You won't get anywhere near the clean laundry looking like that."

"But--"

"No, tinuamin - go wash yourself and change clothes."

Emmeline gave an exasperated sigh, but went inside the house to clean herself up.

Like most houses in Suldanessellar, their home was a beautiful two-story building, although the upper floor wasn't an actual 'floor' per se - more like a pavilion, or a terrace with a roof. This was where the family spent most of their time, eating, talking, doing homework, or just enjoy each other's company. The kitchen (rarely used, since neither of Emmeline's parents were particularly skilled, nor fond, of cooking), bathroom and the bedrooms were found downstairs, including hers, which the young girl ran into.

No sooner had she slipped into a clean dress, however, before the door to her room burst open, her older brother Jennantar charging in like the thunderstorm he usually was compared to. With his bright smile, untidy brown hair and endless supply of mischief and energy, he never failed to exhaust any adult in his vicinity.

"Hey, mother's wondering what is taking you so long, little sister" he said, giving her a light, silly poke in the ribs. Emmeline just snorted, a light smile playing on her lips.

"I'd be outside already if you didn't bother me, big brother."

"Okay, go outside then. I'll read your diary in the meanwhile."

"WHA--"

Jennantar laughed and ruffled her hair. "Just kidding, Emmy. You know I wouldn't do such a thing."

"You'd better not!" Emmeline said with a mock-furious glare, trying hard not to smile and failing badly, as she left the room and went outside to the garden again.

Their small garden was as beautiful as the house - filled with flowers, bushes and quite a few trees, it also made for an excellent playground (to her parents' despair.)

However, today Emmeline wasn't interested in climbing the trees or plucking flowers or cuddling with the occasional cat or rabbit - she was focused on her mother.

The young girl tried to sneak up to her as silently as possible, but failed, just like usual. Lyssa turned around and smirked. "You'll have to try better than that, telella, if you want to catch an old thief unawares." Indeed, even if Lyssa and the children?s father, Falathar, had left their adventurous, slightly kleptomaniac life on the road, she still exercised her talents sometimes - only for fun, of course, and always giving back what she had pick-pocketed.

"Anyway, Emmeline, let me have a look at you" she said, studying her daughter intently, from top to toe. Then she nodded with a smile. "Tidy and clean."

The small family would depart to Evereska the next morning, to visit relatives, so there was a lot to do - packing, fixing up the house for the year-long absence, taking Jennantar and Emmeline out of school, and just generally getting ready.

"Hinya, can you run to the temple of Corellon and tell your father to come and help me with the packing as soon as possible?" Lyssa asked her daughter, who nodded. "Good girl. And don?t forget to give my regards to the clerics!"?

Emmeline happily skipped out of the garden and out on the city platforms. The view from any point in the city was truly extraordinary, especially of the higher places and terraces - miles, miles and miles of woodland for as far as one?s eyes could see, with small seas and rivers and mountains here and there. It was beautiful any time of the day, but Emmeline preferred the moonlit, starry nights, when the world was tinted in a soft, pale blue colour, when all contours gained a silvery edge and the shadows danced with the mist.

Her train of thought was interrupted as someone bumped into her - the price she apparently had to pay for being a bit absent-minded. She apologized to the man and started to run towards the temple. Emmeline knew that if her mother had said "as soon as possible"? it meant "now", so she didn?t want to be lazy. She did, however, mind her steps properly... for awhile, until she drifted off again.

"And where are you going, nessa'arwen? Young lady out on her own, hmm?"

Emmeline jumped, startled, but relaxed once she saw who it was - the voice belonged to a priest of Corellon Larethian. She had not noticed she was already at the temple - if not for the cleric interrupting her, she would have most likely just continued on... scatterbrained, as ever.

She smiled and gave him a small bow. "I am looking for my father, Falathar" she said, and the priest nodded and gestured for her to follow.

The interior of the temple was as breathtaking as the outside; It was truly a fine example of elven art, architecture and craftsmanship. Slender tree stems of marble, jade and gold, were twisting and merging together to form walls and pillars, with soft, magical moonlight shining through the foliage at all hours - a foliage of leaves so detailed that they almost seemed real. Sculpted into the stone floor were elven runes, both magical and mundane, some being proverbs, or even entire stories and legends! Indeed, Emmeline had often been in the temple, just walking around and reading. By now, she knew her favourites by heart.

"Ai, telella! Over here!"

She spun around as she heard whose voice it was, and grinned. "Father!" she yelled as she leaped into his arms, and indeed, even if she was no toddler anymore, he could still carry her just as easily.

"So, child, shouldn?t you be at home helping your mother with the packing?"

She shook her head. "No, she sent me to fetch you."
Falathar sighed and shook his head in return. "What now, then? Jennantar making a mess?" he said, which caused Emmeline to giggle.

"No, father, not THIS time at least. Mother needs help with carrying heavy stuff."

He drifted off into reverie for a short while - glassy stare, mouth half-open, he was lost in his memories for a moment. Then he snapped back to reality and grinned. "Aye, just like the old days..." he said, more to himself than anyone else, and then looked at his daughter. She was the spitting image of her mother, both on the inside and outside... She'd do well for herself. "Come, hinya, let?s go home."

theacefes: You have to be realistic as well, you can't just be Swedish!


#2 Choo Choo

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Posted 08 September 2007 - 06:45 AM

...but the death of it isn't.
Forest of Tethir.
A week after Chapter 1.


They had left Suldanessellar a week ago. Despite travelling at moderate speed, Emmeline's feet were hurting. She wasn't used to walking for eight hours each day. That did not stop her from enjoying it though - she marvelled at every little thing. For her, it was a new experience to sleeping beneath the stars, playing with Jennantar along the way, bathing in ponds and streams instead of tubs.. all of it was an adventure of its own for her. The wilderness was exhilerating to her, and she was wide-eyed at nature's beauty.

"So, hinya" Falathar asked her as they prepared to set camp, "How are you doing so far?" Not that he needed an answer - her bright smile was enough of a response. He laughed, ruffled her hair and returned to cooking, a task she knew that he abhorred. The only person she could think of who despised any sort of householding chores more than him, was her mother.

Emmeline sighed with boredom. There really was nothing for her to do - with her father making dinner, Lyssa giving a reprimand ("Do NOT exchange the salt with the sugar, bhin!") and her brother receiving it, there simply were no tasks for her to occupy herself with. Of course, there was a fair amount of things to play with - oddly shaped rocks, sticks and leaves, small rivulets to splash around in and trees to climb, but she had begun to lose interest in such things. She was, quite simply, growing up a little, and her classes took more of her attention as she started to realize that she was living in a bigger world than just Suldanessellar and the forests surrounding it.

Suddenly, she noticed that both of her parents seemed... uncomfortable. It wasn't obvious, but she was used to seeing them completely relaxed, and to see them this tense was a new experience to her. It was something in the way they moved, or perhaps a certain look in their eyes, but she did not like it one bit. Neither did Emmeline appreciate the fact that they both had one hand on their weapon hilt.. She slipped closer to eavesdrop on their conversation. She knew that she shouldn't, but curiosity had always been a part of her nature.

"Melamin, I have a bad feeling about this" Lyssa mumbled to Falathar, who nodded and briefly touched her hand.

"I know... You're not the only one."

"What do you think it is?"

"I do not know. But I will give my life to save you and the children."

Emmeline saw her mother's eyes flash a cobalt fire, and she automatically backed a few steps. She had never seen her this angry before.

"And once you're gone, a'maelamin, I am as well! You know--"

Falathar suddenly clamped his palm over her mouth, his eyes wide with fear, and gestured for Jennantar and Emmeline to come closer. All was still, but the air was filled with a strange sense of foreboding, an ominous presence which sent chills up Emmeline's spine. It was quiet... too quiet. The whole atmosphere was... menacing.

Then, the silence was broken, and everything happened at the same time. The ground started trembling and thundering as heavily plated feet crushed it, killing fragile flowers and sending their colourful petals into the sky. A few birds fluttered out of a tree, and, just like that, the elven family was surrounded by a rather large group of heavily armored figures.

Emmeline stared at their attackers in a daze. It seemed unreal. It FELT unreal. She barely recognized them for what they were, but some part of her brain, not affected by mindless fear, analyzed them. They were short, stout and hardy, with bushy hair and long beards. Dwarves. Moonbeams reflected on their rattling chainmails, and the irregular edges of their axes shone as the dwarves slowly approached the small group of elves. The outcome of the battle was obvious - four elves, only two of them wielding weapons, versus a dozen dwarves, all of them armed to the teeth. It was hopeless.

The young elven girl snapped back to reality when her father pulled his sword out of its sheath, the cold blade glittering in the night.

"Lyssa" he whispered quickly, knowing far too well how short of time he was. "Amin mela lle, mela en? coiamin. I love you, and we shall meet again in Arvanaith in a few hours."

"Amin sinta" she simply said. "I know, and love you too."

"I know. Children, do not be afraid of dying."

Emmeline suddenly realized just how small their chances of surviving were. Despite what Falathar had said, she was scared. Not of dying as such, but of the pain.

"F-father... Will it hurt?" Jennantar asked, desperately clutching his sister's hand - seems like he had read her thoughts - but their father didn't answer him. Instead, he simply muttered a quick prayer to the Seldarine, looked up to the stars a single time and then plunged into the battle with the dwarven frontline.

The next few minutes were a blur to Emmeline's paralyzed mind, as her parents desperately fought for their lives. She would compare her current state to being drunk, if she had known what it was - not the pleasantly woozy feeling, but the unpleasantly woozy. As it were, she had nothing to relate to as she helplessly stood with her back pressed against her brother's, and his hand in hers. She didn't even need to pick him out from the Spirit to feel that he was just as afraid and numb as she was - he trembled so violently that it sent her quivering as well. There was nothing she could do to comfort him.

Not that they had much time to think - while the dwarves naturally seemed to focus on the adults, the children had their fair share of ducking, dodging and rolling out of the way to do. Despite both of them being rather agile, both were injured by now, and from the looks of it, so were Lyssa and Falathar.

"Emmy, watch out!!"

Emmeline had done the last thing one should do while in lethal danger - lose concentration. Her head jerked up at the sound of her brother's voice, but too late; the axe was already falling, the edge clattered in blood, and her attacker's eyes gleaming in grim triumph. She had often thought that the 'her entire life played up in her head' thing was a bit cliche, but now, that was exactly what happened to her. Despite the blinding rate at which the pictures kept coming, every detail was vivid, so bright that they were almost surreal, and every moment seemed like an eternity... when suddenly, her reverie was disturbed by someone pushing her out of the way, and she was overflown with blood - yet she was still alive. She turned her head to see the lifeless eyes of her brother meeting hers, looking beyond her into nothingness; and then, pain exploded in her head, and everything went black.

Edited by Choo Choo, 08 September 2007 - 07:11 AM.

theacefes: You have to be realistic as well, you can't just be Swedish!