Post by Aranel Elensar on Mar 29, 2007 23:04:38 GMT -5
Aranel woke up shortly before dawn. She had no reason to be up so early, but the still unfamiliar heat caused her to wake. She quickly dressed and made herself presentable, then made her way to the palace. She was not able to hear anything relevant to what Nasuada had been looking for, but she decided she would go see if Nasuada had received any information. Aranel knew that Nasuada usually woke up pretty early in the past few weeks so she could take care of certain matters before the day began.
Aranel arrived at the palace and stopped one of Nasuada’s maids, “Is Lady Nasuada awake?”
The maid replied, “I do not know. I believe so, I will go check.”
Aranel followed the maid to Nasuada’s chambers. The maid knocked on the door, but on receiving no answer, she entered the room. Moments later, Aranel heard the maid scream, and Aranel ran into the room. She skidded to a stop on seeing the site before her.
Nasuada, dead? But how? Aranel thought, for there could be no mistake.
She quickly called for guards, and anyone who could possibly help. While the guards were searching the palace, and everyone else was running around Nasuada’s chambers trying to find out what to do, Aranel found a place out of the way. Even though she had not known Nasuada very long, Aranel could not help but grieve for her fallen friend.
The hours became a single blur, but shortly before sunset, Aranel noted that everything had gone silent, and the room, empty. Then she heard footsteps approaching her. Turning, she found herself facing Jormundur, Nasuada’s second in command.
After clearing his throat, Jormundur hesitantly asked, “Aranel, may I have a word with you?”
Slightly puzzled, Aranel replied, “Of course.”
Taking a deep breath, Jormundur hesitated a moment, as though trying to find the right words, then declared, “I do not know if you knew this, but Nasuada had been under pressure to choose someone to take her place incase something like this were to happen. About a week ago, Nasuada and I were talking about possible choices, and… Well…”
He trailed off, and handed Aranel a sealed letter.
Puzzled, Aranel took the letter, and, breaking the seal, read:
I know that it has been requested that I choose a replacement for if anything were to happen to me. To fill that request, I name Aranel Elensar, daughter of Michael Elensar, as the new leader of the Varden.
Aranel saw that it was signed and dated by Nasuada. Aranel could barely grasp the meaning of what she had just read.
In answer to her puzzled look, Jormundur disclosed, “There are two other copies of that letter, all written by Nasuada’s hand, and sealed with her mark. The position is yours if you wish to take it.”
Even though Aranel was sure she had no idea what she was getting herself into, she had faith that if Nasuada and Jormundur felt that she could handle it… “Who am I to turn away from this responsibility? I trust that you and Nasuada have your reasons for choosing me, so I have no reason to go against her wish.”
“Very well, Lady Aranel. I will deliver the other letter to whom it needs to go to, and the official announcement will be arranged for tomorrow evening. Now then, is there anything I can do for you?”
Aranel thought for a moment, Tomorrow evening? I suppose it would be good to show the Varden, as well as the Empire, that even though we suffered a great loss, we will not be so easily stopped. Aloud, she inquired, “Would it be alright if I stayed in my room in the inn for tonight? Since no one other than the two of us know that I am now in charge, it would be safe, and this way, any guard posts can be arranged…”
“Of course. Someone will meet you at the inn in the morning to help you prepare for the evening.”
With that, Jormundur left, whispering something to the guard by the door. As Aranel left the room, she noticed that the guard followed her. Although she usually did not appreciate being followed, she accepted the guard’s presence, for it let her not have to focus on her surroundings, and instead she could focus on other matters. When she arrived at her room in the inn, the guard made sure she would be alright, then he left. Aranel fell asleep thinking about the path she set foot on when she accepted Leadership of the Varden, and she wondered just where that path would lead before she reached the end.
Aranel arrived at the palace and stopped one of Nasuada’s maids, “Is Lady Nasuada awake?”
The maid replied, “I do not know. I believe so, I will go check.”
Aranel followed the maid to Nasuada’s chambers. The maid knocked on the door, but on receiving no answer, she entered the room. Moments later, Aranel heard the maid scream, and Aranel ran into the room. She skidded to a stop on seeing the site before her.
Nasuada, dead? But how? Aranel thought, for there could be no mistake.
She quickly called for guards, and anyone who could possibly help. While the guards were searching the palace, and everyone else was running around Nasuada’s chambers trying to find out what to do, Aranel found a place out of the way. Even though she had not known Nasuada very long, Aranel could not help but grieve for her fallen friend.
The hours became a single blur, but shortly before sunset, Aranel noted that everything had gone silent, and the room, empty. Then she heard footsteps approaching her. Turning, she found herself facing Jormundur, Nasuada’s second in command.
After clearing his throat, Jormundur hesitantly asked, “Aranel, may I have a word with you?”
Slightly puzzled, Aranel replied, “Of course.”
Taking a deep breath, Jormundur hesitated a moment, as though trying to find the right words, then declared, “I do not know if you knew this, but Nasuada had been under pressure to choose someone to take her place incase something like this were to happen. About a week ago, Nasuada and I were talking about possible choices, and… Well…”
He trailed off, and handed Aranel a sealed letter.
Puzzled, Aranel took the letter, and, breaking the seal, read:
I know that it has been requested that I choose a replacement for if anything were to happen to me. To fill that request, I name Aranel Elensar, daughter of Michael Elensar, as the new leader of the Varden.
Aranel saw that it was signed and dated by Nasuada. Aranel could barely grasp the meaning of what she had just read.
In answer to her puzzled look, Jormundur disclosed, “There are two other copies of that letter, all written by Nasuada’s hand, and sealed with her mark. The position is yours if you wish to take it.”
Even though Aranel was sure she had no idea what she was getting herself into, she had faith that if Nasuada and Jormundur felt that she could handle it… “Who am I to turn away from this responsibility? I trust that you and Nasuada have your reasons for choosing me, so I have no reason to go against her wish.”
“Very well, Lady Aranel. I will deliver the other letter to whom it needs to go to, and the official announcement will be arranged for tomorrow evening. Now then, is there anything I can do for you?”
Aranel thought for a moment, Tomorrow evening? I suppose it would be good to show the Varden, as well as the Empire, that even though we suffered a great loss, we will not be so easily stopped. Aloud, she inquired, “Would it be alright if I stayed in my room in the inn for tonight? Since no one other than the two of us know that I am now in charge, it would be safe, and this way, any guard posts can be arranged…”
“Of course. Someone will meet you at the inn in the morning to help you prepare for the evening.”
With that, Jormundur left, whispering something to the guard by the door. As Aranel left the room, she noticed that the guard followed her. Although she usually did not appreciate being followed, she accepted the guard’s presence, for it let her not have to focus on her surroundings, and instead she could focus on other matters. When she arrived at her room in the inn, the guard made sure she would be alright, then he left. Aranel fell asleep thinking about the path she set foot on when she accepted Leadership of the Varden, and she wondered just where that path would lead before she reached the end.
