Adanjar Part 1

Rain

Rain's Hand 18th, Six in the Evening

Alabaster, Elsweyr 2E175

Adanjar sat calmly under her awning, listening to the rain beat on her roof. It was days like these when she was glad to be wealthy. No need for worrying about where her money would come from. Just to relax whenever she felt like it. She watched the people scurry to and fro, trying to get out of the rain. "Pity the poor fools, " she said to herself, "they don't know what true life is like."

Adanjar's father, the wealthiest Khajiit in Alabaster, used to work as a slave at a mining site in Morrowind, until he was released by a kind soul. As he escaped he managed to smuggle a good bit of raw ebony. Knowing the right people he cashed in, and from that moment had lived in the lap of luxury. M'nasha, her father, was a respected man here and had never been questioned as to whether or not he really had smuggled the ebony. There were rumors, of course but this meant nothing in a community of Khajiit.

Deciding she would make an entry in her diary about what a beautiful day it had been, Adanjar stood up and walked inside. She walked upstairs to her room and sat down at her desk. Taking quill in hand, she opened her diary and turned to the next blank page.

Adanjar's Diary

Eighteenth Rain's Hand

What a wonderful day it has been today. The rain cascades down, making a harmonious sound. It is a shame to see everone else hurrying about, not taking time to notice such a wonder of nature. Ever since Qa'Bakha left me, my happiness seems to have been drained right out of me. But today the majesty of the world is enough to bring pleasure to the grimmest of all souls. Mother says that when she was my age, suitors would come and go just as would night and day. I surely hope this is the case with me, for it would not do for me to feel alone for the rest of my life. I really mustn't speak of such things, as they are too depressing.

Father says that the rains will bring good crops to Alabaster, which will cause Father to buy more stock at the market. The store will flourish with all the fresh crops coming in. I have tried to speak with Father about his horrible habit of gambling, but to no avail. It's not like we don't have the money, having the shop and being extremely wealthy in the first place and all, but it still is a habit worth kicking.

Mother's Florist Shop has been thriving as well. She leaves every morning at four to gather different kinds of flowers, before it's time to open her shop. Mother says that with as much money as this family will have in the future, there will be no need for me or my future-husband to have to work a day in our lives. Of course, my husband will work in order to retain the family's wealth. Well, I'd better go now, as mother is preparing dinner and she might need my help.

Adanjar closed her book, placed her quill pen in the inkwell and walked downstairs. "Hello, mother. What are we having for dinner tonight?" She asked when she saw her mother standing at the foot of the stairs.

"We? We?" her mother asked. "We aren't having anything. You and I are leaving this forsaken house," she said in a fit of rage as she charged up the stairs and into the master bedroom. She frantically began throwing clothes into a small pack.

"Mother, whatever are you talking about?" Adanjar said slightly frightened at her mother's rage.

"That man! Your...father has done it! He's finally done it! He's gambeled us right into poverty!" her mother replied, her voice still alarmingly loud. "W-what? What do you mean, Mother? Sure, Father gambles, but he's never put our comfort on the line." Adanjar was very frightened and frustrated at her lack of knowledge of the situation.

Just about that time, the front door slammed, and up the stairs came Adanjar's father. "Listen, Ajirab! Put that pack down! I order you to not leave this house," came the bellowing tone of M'nasha.

"Oh, so now you're ordering me?! What am I, your slave? You gonna bet me too? Huh? I wouldn't put it past you! You, you, you horrible man!" came the reply from Adanjar's mother. At this time Adanjar was in tears. She had a faint idea of what was going on but it wasn't enough. Her parents were fighting and she was in the middle of it.

"This is life! You move on when things like this happens. It can't be helped! We're a family, we'll get through this together!' came the reply of her father.

Ajirab shouted back in hysterical rage, "No! This isn't life! It can be helped! If you would have stopped gambling! But noooo, you have to keep on and keep on until we have nothing left. You figured we'd come out of this together. Well you figured wrong! You got yourself into this, you get yourself out!"

Ajirab shot a look at Adanjar and said "Come on, Adanjar, we're leaving! I won't let you stay with this filthy creature!"

But before Adanjar could say anything, M'nasha spat, "No way. You aren't taking my daughter. You leave the family Ajirab then you leave Adanjar too. Adanjar, you're staying here, right?"

Adanjar was sobbing hysterically. She wiped the tears from her eyes, then looked at both her parents. Her mother with the pack slung over shoulder with the friendly, loving motherly look on her face. Her father with the bold, kind, loving feature. Confused beyond belief, Adanjar turned ran to her room, grabbed her journal and quill pen, then ran straight out the back door. Both her parents followed her out, but it was dark and the rain kept them from seeing anything.

"Well I hope you're happy, you've scared off my daughter!" Ajirab said, scowling at M'nasha.

"I did? You were the one going crazy back there! How could she make a decision like that?" M'nasha said in reply. "If you remember, you were the one who asked her."

With that Ajirab slung the pack over her shoulder and walked out the front door into the rain.

"And where will you go?" M'nasha asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Ajirab shouted back. Ajirab slammed the door shut, leaving M'nasha alone in his soon-to-be-lost home. The rain splashed on the roof and the thunder rumbled, and for once, in a long time M'nasha was the poorest man alive.