The story of a Nightingale

We galloped as long as the light lasted towards the South on the Green Road and, when the day began to stumble into night and the shadows of the trees grew extraordinarily long, we urged the exhausted horses and entered the old forest, heading towards Niben. The weald came upon us suddenly, ancient and watchful, as if it had been lying in wait; its gnarled branches twisted overhead, blocking what little light remained. Torches were lit, and, until the night took hold of the woodland, the foam-covered horses led us to the riverbank. There we made camp and, while the others unpacked the saddlebags, Rasha gave me something to wear and some boots – oh, boots! I stared at them for a moment, their leather strangely foreign. How long had it been since I wore such things?

I took the clothes and the shoes, holding them against my chest with both arms as if they were a treasure. The fabric felt soft and strange beneath my fingers, and the boots were scuffed but solid. "Thank you," I said, my voice small and hesitant. Without thinking, under the gaze of flickering torchlight, I crouched on the ground right there and began to shed the rags clinging to me. My fingers fumbled with the knots like those of a child struggling with an oversized puzzle...

As the old and tattered clothes fell away, I glanced up and noticed Rasha turning his back sharply. I raised my head, puzzled, and looked around; the others didn't seem to care, or perhaps they chose not to... And then, a flicker of understanding passed through me! My cheeks warmed, and I felt a curious tightness in my chest – not shame, exactly, but something else I couldn't name. What was this? Embarrassment? Modesty? They felt absurd, like relics of another life, another me. Still, I slipped into the new clothes quickly, reveling in the feel of fabric that didn't scratch or cling uncomfortably.

The boots were harder. I huffed as I pulled them on, giggling softly at my own awkwardness. When I stood, I stomped the ground twice, testing them like a child trying on shoes for the first time. "They're good," I declared, my voice filled with a simple, unthinking delight. "Really good."

Once dressed, I devoured everything they gave me - bread, cheese, dried meat - like a famished beast; my hands moved faster than my thoughts, and the world narrowed to the sensations of hunger and fulfillment, as if everything else had melted away in the heat of the moment. I must have fallen asleep mid-bite because the next thing I remember was a dream – or was it? 

I saw a very old willow, so gnarled that I never thought such a thing could exist, leaned over me and, while gently moving its branches in the gusty wind, whispered old tales, oh, so old that the sun back then was still young and hot! The tree started by showing me my Mistress, with her long black hair swirling around her bare body like a celestial cloak, subtly stealing a strange Key from a blonde, radiant, entity sitting on a tall ivory throne, under the Moon and Star; then it claimed that it or perhaps an ancestor of its own witnessed the passage of the ancient Elves, clad in gleaming silver armor and expensive silks, heading toward the Land Beyond the Sea that no longer exists; then it showed me the Sea People, bearded and harsh, marching fearlessly through the vast forests... And in the end I saw people dressed in long black robes with their heads covered by hoods, kneeling before a merciless Goddess, of strange and cold appearance. With enigmatic features and a beauty that belonged to no world, the divinity radiated an unfathomable elegance, from which nothing revealed whether she was a woman or a man. Her red, piercing, and dominant eyes looked with indifference and cruelty at those who worshiped her, while behind her, a huge spider wove a silver web, so masterfully crafted that it seemed like a strange embroidery...

And when I opened my eyes, an ancient willow loomed before me, its twisted branches stretching impossibly wide, adorned with silvery leaves that shimmered like a thousand tiny moons. Sunlight pierced the canopy, casting intricate patterns on the ground. The air was warm, sweet with the scent of earth and growing things. 

Around me was light, and I realized that I was wrapped tightly in my brother's heavy cloak, so tightly that it felt like I was firmly bound; it was like I was cocooned and the fabric coarse against my skin but it felt oddly comforting. My fingers absently traced the folds of the cloak as the dream still lingered in my mind like a half-forgotten melody. And then, suddenly swept by the joy of living, I giggled and looked around.

The Argonians were nowhere nearby, but my brother and the other two were huddled around a small fire they had lit, talking in whispers. I watched Rasha for a while; he was indeed a strong man now, bearing little resemblance to the one who had left our parents' house on a foggy autumn morning that seemed so distant that it felt like a dream, one of those dreams which are so vividly remembered, with clarity and details, until the end of life. I couldn't stop looking at him and a pleasant warmth enveloped me. Apparently, my gaze was quite piercing so, after a while, Rasha turned his face towards me, and seeing me looking at him, he smiled. He came beside me with soft and stealthy steps, and while gently stroking me, he asked if I was hungry.

 -Yes, Rasha, I could eat everything you have and a horse and a half on top!

I giggled happily. 

-No, Elsie, don't you eat the horses, they belong to our brother Cicero, who will soon depart. He's been waiting for you to wake up because he wants to meet you. 

He replied, chuckling softly. Then, a rather short but well-built man rose from beside the fire, came over to us, and shook my hand. 

-So, you're Elsie, my brother Rasha's little sister, the one who cut the Mountain like a chicken. I'm Cicero, and although I'm a human like you, you should know that I'm Rasha's blood brother, which undoubtedly makes me your brother too. If you ever pass through Cheydinhal and need help, ask for me at the alchemist's. 

He said while embracing me, and then, after he and Rasha shook hands, Cicero mounted his horse and, driving his herd, left on the narrow path along the banks of the Niben towards the north. 

-A very faithful friend, such as you rarely find! Now let me introduce you to Elena; she's a person who will help you a lot in the future. 

Rasha said.

And after helping me out of the cloak in which he had enveloped me, he took me by the hand and led me to the fire, where a hooded woman was warming her hands. "Lady Elena, this is my sister Elsie," my brother said, to which the woman glanced briefly, nodded, and continued with her activity. "She doesn't speak much, but when she does, it's wise to listen carefully to what she has to say," said Rasha. 

We ate together then. Oh, it's so good to eat real food, even if it's just dried meat and crumbs after living in starvation for so long! "Now I'll take a little nap. Go and play in the woods for a while, but don't go too far," my brother told me. He stretched out by the fire, which was dying out, and fell asleep instantly.

The forest was ancient and dense, full of thick and gnarled trees, stumps and fallen trunks, all covered in so much moss and lichen that they didn't look like any trees I knew. A profound silence, interrupted only occasionally by the voices of birds quarreling somewhere along the riverbank, prevailed within it. I was afraid to disturb the majestic peace of the wood and I began to sneak among the ancient trunks. I smelled a strong animal scent and I followed it until a red flame appeared a short distance ahead of me. Ah, just a fox passing by on its business! "But what business does it have?" I wondered, amused, as I wet my finger and raised it. No, there was no wind at all, so I quickly followed the fox, which seemed in such a hurry! Before long, I saw it suddenly stop and, with its ears raised, looking ahead. Ah, yes, a rabbit seemed very busy digging something out of the ground, maybe roots or who knows... The fox hurried towards it and snatched it up in no time, then set off with its prey in its snout, barely dragging it to be honest! The rabbit was plump, and that made me think of dinner..., oh, I was so interested in what food means at that moment! Ah, a fresh and hot roast from which the juice sizzles on the fire! "Yes, let's follow the fox; it's carrying my dinner right now, I chuckled to myself"... Suddenly, I realized that I could hear the fox's footsteps, and playfully, I closed my eyes and started following it only by the sounds it made as it moved. Before long, it stopped in front of a huge stump, covered in moss, with a hollow that seemed quite roomy, so I stopped too and opened my eyes. Strangely, a weak luminous aura emanated from inside the stump, weak but still much more pronounced than the fox, which, oh gods, in the semi-darkness of the ancient forest, glimmered slightly too! The fox cubs began to stumble out of the cavity, hurrying towards the piece of meat their mother had left down. Then, forgetting about sneaking, I rushed towards their den, very worried that they would devour my dinner! The fox immediately noticed me and, threateningly, barked sharply at me. Its cubs hurried back into the den though, ah, the roast was saved! Amused, I got down on all fours and gracefully approached the animal, which seemed angry but quite alarmed now. It sprang towards me and tried to claw my face, but I easily dodged to the side, and just as the fox missed, I gave it a powerful and long scratch with my claws. It collapsed whimpering and trembling, so I quickly went and took the rabbit – it was mine now! I looked into the cavity, but it was too deep; I couldn't see anything inside, but the aura shone somewhere deep within it. But what should I do with them? Foxes aren't really good for eating, I thought, and then I felt a sudden movement behind me. Sure, it was their mother again, trying to claw my left leg this time, so I instantly hit it with the other leg. The fox rolled over whimpering a few steps away... Looking at me with unspeakable hatred, the beast rose trembling and tensed again for another leap. "Stay there, stay down you little beast, I don't necessarily want to kill you; you're not good for eating!" I thought and looked it straight in the eyes. It whimpered softly and crawled back to its den so I took my prey and left with soft and stealthy steps, determined to try hunting on my own now.

The forest seemed darker now, older and denser, and somewhere to my left, a small blue flicker was visible. I sneaked in there, but there was only a thick layer of mold on an old stump, so thick that not even three chained people could have embraced it. I went further, and not long after, I saw a rabbit walking carelessly among the rotten trunks. I followed it, amused to see it stop from time to time and sniff, cocking its huge ears. It started digging somewhere near a fresh stump; the trunk lay next to it with still green leaves on its branches, and then I approached quietly and grabbed it by its ears. But the little beast twisted lightning-fast and scratched me so deeply that I almost let it go! I laughed softly, feeling the intense and lively pain, and I whispered, "Ah, it's so good to be alive!" I tore apart the poor thing with my claws and hung it on my belt and then I thought it might be time to return to my brother.

Somewhere nearby, however, some heavy breathing could be heard, and noisy footsteps approached me, so, curious, I hid behind the fallen trunk, among the branches, and waited. A whitish aura was already visible in the direction of the noise, "Oh, it's something big!" I thought, and almost at the same moment, an unbearable stench began to spread around. A huge bear, in my opinion, appeared lumbering among the trees and sniffing in my direction. I hurriedly sneaked away from there, circling the stump and stopping near a close thicker trunk. The bear stopped for a while, seeming somewhat puzzled, I thought at the time, and then continued its slow movement exactly to the spot where I had been a moment before. It sniffed for a long time, and then, with a stupid look on its face, began to examine the surroundings. Perplexed, it started licking something just behind the fallen trunk, and then I remembered that I was injured. I smiled and I thought it was time to return to our camp.

It wasn't hard at all to find it, and when I arrived, I sneaked up behind my brother, feeling the warm glow of the fire on my face as I hugged him tightly from behind. "I'm back, Rasha! Look what I've brought!" I said proudly, dropping the two rabbits at his feet.

"How did you catch them... oh, but what's with this blood? You're badly hurt, Elsie!" Rasha turned, his face lighting up in a smile that quickly faded as he noticed my hand. I laughed, holding up my scratched hand like a trophy. "This rabbit almost killed me! I fought bravely, though. You should've been there to protect me, brother!" But when he tried to examine my wound, I pulled him into another hug, burying my face in his chest. His warmth, his strength—it was all I needed in that moment! I kissed him on the cheek, then, emboldened, kissed him again, longer this time... Rasha stiffened, his hands gripping my shoulders as he gently pushed me back. His eyes searched mine, confusion flickering across his face. "Come on," he said after a pause, his voice quieter now. "Let's see Elena about that wound."

We went together, hand in hand, to the hooded woman reading near the fire. Without a word, she took my injured arm and pulled me down beside her. Her grip was firm, her movements efficient. Then, as she pressed hard on my wounds, she drew back her hood and looked directly into my eyes.

I let out a soft gasp, more from shock than pain. It was Maria. The same Maria I had last seen years ago, in that mysterious house in the Elven Garden District. Her face was like stone, her eyes piercing and unyielding, commanding silence without uttering a single word. 

I obeyed, though a part of me longed to embrace her. The sight of her filled me with a warm sense of surprise, and I found myself wishing to introduce her to Rasha as an old and trusted acquaintance. How foolishly naive I was, thinking she might welcome such familiarity...

She examined my hand, then opened a pouch at her side, pulling out a thin needle and a jar of pungent ointment. As she pressed the mixture into my wounds, pain flared like fire. I whimpered despite myself, but Rasha's hand was steady in mine. His stern and cruel eyes gave me the strength to endure, even as tears blurred my vision.

When she finished, she bandaged my hand with the same precision, then placed a surprisingly gentle hand on my head. 'Good girl,' she said, her tone firm and measured, devoid of warmth but not unkind. 'Rest now. And no more wandering—your hand needs time to heal.'

I nodded, too exhausted to respond. Later, as the fire crackled softly, we shared a simple meal that felt like a banquet to me. The roasted rabbit was tender and smoky, and for a moment, all the hardships of the day faded into the background.

After the meal, Elena pulled her hood low and wrapped herself tightly in her cloak, her breathing slowing almost instantly as she drifted into sleep. Rasha and I sat quietly by the dying fire, the stars above winking through the dense canopy of trees. For the first time in what felt like forever, I allowed myself to feel safe.

I stayed close to my brother for a long while, the two of us listening to the dense, humid whispers of the forest night. We talked softly about the loved ones we'd lost, and at one point, Rasha murmured that they must all be in Nocturnal's realm by now. I clung tighter to him. I knew they weren't there, but letting him believe it brought a fragile comfort.

Eventually, I drifted off, lulled by his voice recounting stories from our childhood. And then, I dreamed again.

"I'll leave you now, my little dove," Nocturnal's voice purred, laced with amusement. "You'll make new friends soon, though I can't say I approve of them. Still, they'll teach you... useful things." A low chuckle followed. "A part of me remains within you, until your end. I am a touch weaker for it, but you? You're far stronger than most of your kind! From now on, you'll have the power to influence the will of others—creatures, and perhaps more—but don't think it's easy. It's a delicate craft, one that requires discipline and subtlety. Your new acquaintance, Elena, can guide you in mastering it."

"Once you reach Bravil, seek out Rashid at the Guild. He'll see to your needs, though your new mother will most certainly give you more than enough..."

"My new mother?" I interrupted, my tone sharp. "My mother is Shaira, and she's dead! And... since when did you learn to speak properly? Can I answer you now?"

Nocturnal's laugh was deep and resonant, mocking yet strangely affectionate. "Ah, you're as charming as ever, little worm. But try to behave—you'll live longer... And no, I didn't learn to speak because I already know everything! Well, almost everything, but that's none of your concern." Her tone turned sly. "Yes, we can talk now, though it's far too complex for a fool like you to grasp how or why."

I felt my face flush with indignation, but Nocturnal continued, unbothered. "Suffice it to say, I am a part of you now, and you... well, you've carved out a small place in me. You may also visit my domain whenever you please. There's always something waiting for you there."

I tried to speak, but she pressed on, her voice softening into an ominous calm. "As for your new mother, listen closely: she's of the pious sort. You'll respect her and her god, little one. Do not test my patience. Farewell!"

We stayed for more than one month in our small camp by the banks of the Niben; Rasha even built a small hut from branches and leaves for us. 

I also noticed with amazement that my former steel claws, the gift from my dear mother Shaira, were part of me now. They behaved exactly like a cat's claws, normally retracted and almost invisible, and oh gods, they grew, and needed to be arranged and filed just like nails! 

And after my wounds healed—something that happened quickly, far too quickly for a human being—I used them frequently in hunting. I roamed many times, by day or by night, through the forest, which had now become familiar to me, almost devoid of secrets. Upon my return, I always carried two or three rabbits at my belt, and sometimes, when I entertained myself by climbing the ancient trees along the banks of the Niben, I brought back a few birds from the countless nests built high in their branches.

Rasha was amazed by my hunting skills; he showed his admiration through words and tender gestures, so different from his cold and distant behavior that I both knew and admired. My brother sometimes expressed a desire to accompany me on my hunts, but I laughed and told him he would undoubtedly scare off all the small and large creatures in the area with his noisy and clumsy ways. So, Rasha tried his luck at fishing in the murky, sluggish waters of the river; he didn't have much success, though, which spurred me to try my hand at it—but not with a rod or a net...

Late at night, just before dawn, I slipped quietly into a dense reedbed that covered one of the Niben's many bends. Standing knee-deep in the warm, soft mud, I waited patiently until I caught sight of a faint phosphorescent glow that signaled the approach of one of the many carp or catfish that thrived in these waters. I judged the size of the fish by its aura, never settling for just any specimen; I always waited for one large enough to satisfy my hunting ambitions. Then, while the fish was greedily nibbling at succulent roots, I pounced and captured it with neither hesitation nor escape. My claws were like hooks—swift and merciless—giving my prey no chance to flee!

After my second fishing triumph, during which I caught a catfish almost as large as myself, Rasha broke his fishing rod in two and hurled it into the Niben. He laughed heartily and declared that, from then on, his sole responsibility would be to cook the food that his skilled and beloved sister would bring. And I must say, he had a remarkable talent for it; even now, after so much time has passed in the hourglass of eternity, I have not forgotten the divine taste of the exquisite fish soups my dear brother prepared!

We were so happy together there, on the forested banks of the ancient river, and I wished that period of my life would never end. I felt like a small and innocent girl once again, and Rasha was so young that, even though our souls were deeply scarred by the loss of our loved ones, the joy of life spent together in the heart of nature was not overshadowed by any of the dark specters that would come to haunt us in the years that lay ahead.

I got very close to Elena during this time; wise and skillful as she was, she knew too well that I was a little more than a sassy and wild girl, and she, the taciturn and reserved one, engaged in long conversations with me now.

She questioned me at length about the life I had led in the bowels of the Imperial City and seemed particularly interested in the development of my auditory and olfactory perception abilities. Elena asked me some questions about these two aspects that seemed meaningless to me, considering there were far more interesting things I could have told her about my activities in the galleries of the capital's sewers. But, as always, when someone paid attention to me, I became extremely talkative, and in the end, I told her everything.

I mentioned the amulet of the Goddess Mara, and Elena smiled faintly when I asked why the face on the amulet had such a different expression from the figure of the goddess's statue in Arboretum District. However, she didn't answer my question, so I told her about the venerable priest of the divinity whom I had met on that long-ago gray and frosty afternoon. She told me his name was Pyrokar and that I would certainly meet him again in Bravil. "The Sacred City..." Elena added with an enigmatic smile.

She seemed very interested when I told her about the abyssal creature I had encountered in the darkness of the metropolis's underground and asked for details about the sounds I had perceived while I was under its power. After I answered all her questions, she spoke to me at length about vampires and their clans, which could sometimes be found in the depths of the Dwemer Ruins in Vvardenfell. Elena then added that the one I had encountered was "The Father of Magic," but she refused to elaborate on the statement when I asked her about it.

She laughed heartily when I recounted in great detail all my pranks on the band of urchins who had settled, without my permission, in the marble dome beneath the Imperial Palace. And she murmured in a low voice, "A little beast sometimes needs to play..." To my puzzled look, Elena simply responded by taking my left hand and pressing on it, forcing my claws to unsheathe, much like one might coax a cat's claws into view. She looked at them and smiled softly as she told me that my Mistress is a mischievous and perverse entity...

In short, Elena made me tell her almost everything that had happened since our memorable meeting in the mysterious house in the Elven Gardens District. But, generally, she didn't answer my questions and never commented on any of the strange dreams that had dominated that period of my life, even though she listened with particular attention as I described them. When I mentioned the second gift Nocturnal had given me and Her statement that Elena could help me fully understand all its aspects, she said, "All will be revealed in time." And, as usual, she added nothing more and encouraged me to keep talking about whatever came to mind.

And so, between my conversations with Elena, my solitary wanderings into the mysterious forest, and the wonderful moments I spent with my beloved brother Rasha, the final days of that dreadful summer slipped away fast, far too fast... When the first frost heralded the arrival of autumn, I knew that soon we would leave that place where I had been so happy, and where some of the deepest wounds of my soul had begun to heal. And so it was: on a cold, rainy morning, Rasha set fire to our little hut, and I cast one last glance at the ancient willow that had watched over our summer nights. In that moment, I understood that I would never return to this magical place where, as I would later discover, profound changes had taken root in my mind.

Then, all three of us set off along the Niben to the south and towards evening, when the weather cleared up a bit, we saw the city walls of Bravil glowing softly in the twilight.