Meara's Diary : 23rd First Seed
I am truly a Fiddler now. It was such a surprise the initiation, a drum lesson, just the Hand in our quarters and who knew they all played lutes! The music of the four of them playing was truly wonderful. We sang Ragnar the Red, The Oblivion Gates and Grandfather Frost. Hey Boy taught me two basic drum rolls and how to keep the beat, so that I can play along. They all like my singing voice too. It's our Hand secret.Note : FAO Magister Phaegol
Forty fingers crawl towards Fort Caractacus.
Meara’s Diary : 27th First Seed
I think I've sat here crying for an hour now, I can't believe it. What in Sheogorath happened? On the 25th we headed out south west almost towards Kvatch, then looped round to the south. We moved with the TT's and the WhiteHeat's. The TT's were singing again and I thought the other night was a rarity - they invited me to join in but Tally winked and whispered that it wasn't my voice they were interested in and they weren't vampires so it wasn't my blood either! They wore matching looted Elven Armour with white Samite cloth underneath, matching sword and shields too so they stood out from the other hands who were a raggle-taggle of mixed armour, weaponry and styles. Tally said to ignore any rumours they were vampires; these usually came from men from the other hands who'd been spurned and couldn't believe the TT's were rivals for a girls affection rather than the objects for their desire.
The WhiteHeat were amazing, barely visible, moving across the land like Will -O-Wisps but fast as well. Their style didn't match but the quality of their gear did. All clean and enchanted, they almost glowed with wealth and health. It made them stand out, according to Shaker, The Whitefire said there's no point in leading if no one knows you're leading and that she led from the front. He'd seen her during the retreat from the Imperial City and started waxing lyrical, or the Orsimer version of it, about her battle prowess. Orsimer lyrics seemed to concentrate on blood, bits of gore and maybe the poetry didn't translate well into Imperial. The Whitefire was certainly an inspiration in how she moved though.
As we headed South the White Gold Tower became visible, not quite as White and Gold as when I first saw it, taken there by my parents when I was just a little'un. Mage blackened from war and with rumours of Daedric deeds occurring in the upper levels, it seemed to have lost much of it's lofty awe-inspiring beauty. It could just be that it was how I felt now the Aldmeri were there. It used to just glow at night with an eldritch power, or was that my childish imagination? Now it was dully grey as we neared our destination; some old Fort in the Heartlands. It's funny having a series of armies tramp over the countryside has certainly made travelling at night safer - all those hunting predators, like bandits, thieves and wolves, had either been killed or cleared. During the march we came across a solitary Imp and it was similar for the TT's and WhiteHeat. In hindsight it was almost too quiet, not even any Aldmeri troops.
We'd just passed Aleswell and were anticipating meeting the other 5 Hands, The Whitefire said three had circled the opposite direct to us, via the South East, and the other two moved directly forward. The High Helms and Shor'd Up were waiting for us, the twin moons Masser & Secunda were starting to set and dawn was nearby. We waited for an hour for the others to arrive then one of the High Helms, a Khajiit, spotted them south of us, downhill and deep in the gully, closer to the Fort. The WhiteFire arm pumped the signal to move out and we sneaked south too. Forty fighters in eight hands! We expected to take the Fort as a bridgehead towards re-taking the City. I assume the aim was to take it and then reinforce as thorn in the Thalmor's side. Who knows! I'm just here to fight and earn a reputation. I often wonder as I hold the hilt of my Katana whether it really did belong to the Hero of Kvatch like Gramma told in her stories.
A shuddering noise tore the air as we neared the other three hands. A blood red shimmering door with a gold light edging the entrance rent the air and a horde of Dramora their horns and daedra eyes blazing, their black and gold armour glowing with the light of Oblivion. Caitiffs with their superiors, Kynreeves and Markynaz, came through the door bringing with them Scamps and Flame Atronach's. The three Hands ahead of us fought well but were over-whelmed fighting bravely to the death. I heard Hey Gal mutter to Hey Boy
"Dark Thalmor Wizardry, it seems they've got into bed with Morag Bal. I wonder what they traded for this..."
before the first Chain Lightning fired out from the Fort. After that The WhiteFire herself brayed out the call to rout. The worst of the calls it was 'Every Hand for itself. See you back at base.' We all looked at Hey Gal whose hands signalled East, fighting wedge. Hey Boy and Shaker went to the south side, blocking and fighting a rear guard with a bunch of Dremora whilst Tally and I started clearing the way East. Hey Gal as ever, seemed to disappear, appearing behind a huge Markynaz who was attacking Shaker. She took his head off.
Tally and I meanwhilst engaged three Kynreaves at first. I called upon Dragon Skin and went for them with the Katana, parry, strike, step forward, strike, strike, parry... one down. Tally kept her distance and cast Ice Storm, I jumped back to avoid the blast and then rushed back in slicing the other two weakened Kynreaves quickly before we moved onto the next group of Dremora blocking our way. Hey Boy and Shaker to our right, Hey Gal covering our left and ensuring no one got in behind us. It was minutes of fighting to break through and into clear wood before we ran almost straight into some Bosmer. The Bosmer surrounded WhiteHeat. We hit them en-masse, they didn't expect us. I fired lightning, grabbed my blade and went in bashing one with my shield before spitting him/her. I think I might've helped The Whitefire, I'm not sure, these battles are different to adventuring as they are so chaotic, all I'm trying to do is hit the enemy and not hit my friends. I am pretty sure I did save her though.
Anyway we carved them quickly and carried on running, trying to turning North and head back to base. It was a running battle with Dremora popping up until Hey Gal called a halt in a gully.
"We've got some Thalmor Wizard chasing us, we can't lead him to the base so we have to make a stand. Beni you're injured near that Hunter's hut, Hey Boy you and Tally are tending her. Shaker you're to wait by the entrance and signal when that Wizard's in. I'll be near you."
It was not a great, cunning plan. Just simple and effective, relying on Thalmor arrogance. Gratifyingly the Thalmor came straight in; a Wizard with a couple of warriors, not even sneaking just marching in. Shaker called the attack "Arr-Arr, Arr-Arr" in our high Hawk-call. He went straight for the Wizard not giving him a chance to summon more Dremora. Tally, Hey-Boy and I fired magical bolts & arrows at the other two, as did Hey Gal. They fired back some but two against four left them with no chance. We looted their bodies and turned North.
Note to self, chin up my gal stop those tears what would Da say ‘get practical’! I'm going to have to replenish my potion stocks with the money from the loot.
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