Celestra Bane and Sylvi are OCs in this fic. Celestra Bane belongs to a friend of mine, Dragonlegends, and Sylvi is my Skyrim OC.
Chapter 1
An Imperial female ran through the thick forest as she sought out a place to hide. Behind her a group of Thalmor chased after her, weapons drawn and magic flying from their hands. Her eyes, green as the needles of the surrounding pines, darted about as she searched for a cave. She smiled when she saw the doors to some ruins nearby and quickly threw herself through them. She ran through the room and ducked low in the shadows, almost vanishing as her persuers ran by. She peeked out and saw them all standing in the middle of a room at the bottom of the stairs. She reached out and tugged at a lever on the wall which caused a number of rotating blades to shoot up from the floor and cut down the enemies.
She waited for silence before pulling the lever again to stop the trap and leaving the ruins. The sun shone brightly at it reached it's full height in the sky. The Imperial began walking down the path when something struck her from behind. She looked at her chest to see the tip of an arrowhead poking from the skin as blood oozed from the wound. She turned and spotted the Thalmor archer a short distance away. The archer was grabbing their sword and getting ready to charge her. She drew her own dagger and watched as the attacker charged at her. She dodged the Thalmor easily before ramming her blade into their back, piercing their heart. She took a shaky breath before she started walking again. She figured she might stand a chance if she got to the nearby town. As she spotted smoke from chimneys in the distance she felt the blood leak from the wound with every heartbeat. She collapsed on the snowy trail, gasping for air and wincing in pain as she rolled onto her side to look at the sky. She looked down to see her blood pooling around her before looking back up to the sky.
A familiar whoosh of air and tingle of magic in the air caught her senses but she didn't have the strength to turn and look at the person. A thick accent and friendly voice greeted her, "Odd place to take a nap, las."
She coughed a short chuckle, "Care to join me? It would be nice to have some company..."
The person moved around her before lying on the trail. He didn't seem to mind as some of the bloodied snow touched his grey hair, nor that the snow was getting his fancy, colourful outfit wet. His blank white eyes looked at her, "What's eating ya?"
"Pathetic way to go..." She mumbled, "Killed by a Thalmor archer."
"Better a Thalmor archer than a bunny." The man stated before grinning, "A bunny! I think I'll have stew tonight!"
The female chuckled, wincing slightly, before looking skyward again, "So... I really am dead this time, eh Sheogorath?"
"Mighty calm for a dead person. I like that. No need loosing your head when it's still attached to your body, am I right?" Sheogorath asked with a smile.
"I suppose not." The Imperial nodded weakly before closing her eyes, "Vilkas would lose his mind if he could see me now..."
Sheogorath jumped up and clapped his hands loudly, "Alrighty! Enough weeping and moaning! Time for business!" He saw the Imperial arch a brow without opening her eyes, "You know what happens when you die?"
"My soul goes to Sovengard... Or one of the Daedric Princes tries to claim it." The female mumbled.
"And my what a list you have after your soul! Azura, Nocturnal, Sanguine, Clavicus Vile, and myself." Sheogorath grinned at the last part, "Any of us could easily claim you now. Don't you owe Nocturnal for joining the Nightingales?"
"Does it matter now?" The female asked, "Soon it really won't..."
"You can be such a fun-killer, you know that?" Sheogorath pouted and crossed his arms.
The Daedric Prince looked up as some of his other fellow Princes appeared before him and the fallen Imperial. Azura appeared in her common form; blue hair with a crown of flowers adorning her head and wearing an elegant black dress. Nocturnal was dressed in a long, flowing, ornate black dress, her long black hair just visible beneath the hood. Sanguine was in his Daedric form, black skin with red markings, horns atop his head, and wearing regal armor. His black eyes looked from the Imperial to Sheogorath, then shifted to his fellow Princes. Clavicus Vile wore a dark robe, his eyes looked at the scene with slight interest, a pair of curved horns stuck out from his black hair. Beside him sat a scruffy dog who yelped and rushed over to the fallen Imperial, nudging her arm with its nose.
"Sylvi, you okay? Come on, wake up!" The dog pleaded.
The Imperial smiled weakly and patted the dog's head, "Hey, Barbas... Mind yanking that stupid arrow out of my back?"
"It seems we have quite the dilemma on our hands." Azura said as she watched Barbas pull the arrow from Sylvi's back.
"Well, you all have a dilemma." Sanguine stated casually, "I'm already set."
"She does owe me a debt." Nocturnal stated as she turned to regard her fellow Daedric Princes.
"But she has to be dead for that." Sanguine stated.
"Wait! Maybe she is!" Sheogorath turned to look at Sylvi, "You alive?"
"Yes..." Sylvi mumbled in response.
"Nevermind! False alarm!" Sheogorath called out.
"What's this all about?" Sylvi asked as she rolled over to look at the Daedric Princes.
"Let me explain." Azura said before kneeling beside the Imperial, "The world is changing fast. Alduin may be gone, but the world is far from safe. The winds are changing and something is trying to reunite two worlds in order to destroy one of them."
"Daedra want another Oblivion Crisis?" Sylvi asked.
"No." Azura shook her head, "Something wants into Oblivion." She stood up, "Or so the prophecy says."
"Thing is, kiddo," Sanguine spoke up, " Though the prophecy is still vague. It doesn't say when it will happen. But there is another thing... it is difficult for us to just... Wander around this world. We need someone to act as an anchor of sorts if one of us wanted to visit this world."
"Mehrune Dagon didn't seem to need one." Sylvi stated, "And Barbas... Actually, he's not a Daedric Prince really so..."
"Yes well... That was the Oblivion Crisis." Sanguine shrugged, "We are... Well, some of us, are trying to keep things quiet. See, we enjoy visiting this world... But as I said, it's hard to without quite literally raising Oblivion." He smiled, "And that's where people like you come in. What happens is one of us chooses to take you on as... Oh, what's the right term..."
"Right-hand?" Sheogorath asked before smiling at Clavicus Vile, "Don't think anyone would want to be your right-hand. Not saying anything bad... But I wouldn't want to shake your hand, friend."
Clavicus Vile shot a dark look at the Prince of Madness before crossing his arms, "Can we please get this over with?"
"Anyways," Sanguine said, "One of us takes you on, and wherever you are in this world, one of us can be. It will let us go where we wish, and keep an eye out for any signs of this prophecy." He chuckled, "I would take you on as my minion, but I've already got one."
Nocturnal looked at the other Princes, "So long as she defends the sepulcher when it is in danger... I am willing to be flexible with the deal... Since she isn't dead technically."
"She didn't have much choice in the joining." Sheogorath said as he looked at the Imperial, "Didn't you say you try to stay neutral in spiritual dealings?"
Sylvi nodded her head slowly, "I am sorry... But I have given my word... And will stand by it. If the sepulcher is in danger... I will defend it..."
Nocturnal thought for a long while before nodding, "I... Will accept these terms, but don't fail me or I will have you locked in the Sepulcher for eternity."
"On my honour... I won't fail you..." Sylvi breathed weakly.
"Thief honor, that's right up there with Troll beauty." Sheogorath stated before looking at his fellow Princes again, "So, who's going to take the girl? I wouldn't mind having her around. She's sane, but knows how to laugh."
Sylvi closed her eyes and listened to the debate as her body grew weak. Her eyes opened slightly when she felt someone pick her up. She looked up to see the face of an unamused Clavicus Vile. Azura arched a brow before nodding, "Oh yes... You were the first Daedric Prince she did a deed for."
"But you said she was no fun." Sheogorath stated, "Said she left you tethered to the fuzzy ball and chain."
"Yes, about that. Well you see-" He said before vanishing is a burst of magic, taking both Sylvi and Barbas with him.
Sheogorath looked at his fellow Princes, "So... Care to join me for some cheese back at the Shivering Isles?"
"I have a realm to watch over." Nocturnal said before vanishing.
"Maybe some other time." Azura said before leaving as well.
Sanguine arched a brow, "Will there be ale?"
"Of course!"
"Then I'm in."