For the first time in her memory, Sofia didn't feel like drinking.
It wasn't that she didn't want to, far from it. No matter how she tried to raise the flagon in front of her and drown her thoughts in the honeyed liquid all she could see was the dozens of bodies scattered about the roadside and the bloodied figure standing in their midst. The colour of the mead swilling in the flagon all too reminded her of the strange colouring of the golden armour of the Thalmor soldiers after being coated in their wearer's gore.
Her fingers stopped the mesmeric circling of her drink as it continued going stale and warm. It had been an interesting week to go along with the month that she and Kaius had been travelling together. Since they had met Kaius had seemed content doing random jobs throughout the city; chopping firewood, delivering packages, harvesting crops. One day as she came back from collecting a minor bounty of clearing some skeevers from some basements she had even found him working away at Warmaidens, helping Adrianne temper and sharpen a batch of gladii to deliver to the Legion.
Even for the days that followed where they had managed to earn enough to equip themselves better there was no sign of the terrifying nature of her travelling companion. No task was beneath him, no job too small to undertake and while she knew that it was mostly to work on his reputation in the city there was a general undercurrent of kind-heartedness that almost seemed out of place in the war-torn province.
But then came the bounties they undertook together. The bandits at the two camps in the old ruins to the north west and the old iron mine to the north. She should have realised that there was something subtly wrong about Kaius then, but she had been too in awe of his fighting ability. It had been insanity each time the way that he had simply wandered into their camps, demanded those within leave the province or surrender, but each time it had been overwhelmingly effective. Sure the bandits had laughed in his face and threatened all sorts of nastiness to both Kaius and herself. Sure they had made a fight of it, but in the end both of them had returned, almost entirely unharmed and pockets and pouches full of trinkets and the bandits' ill-gotten gains. She should have known that no one was that good. With sword and bow and a bit of magicka they had managed to collect bounties on two dozen bandits.
The money and the booze that it purchased went a long way towards drowning that whispered warning in her mind. Every time in her life that she had thought that something had been too good to be true she had been proven correct. It still didn't stop her from grabbing her things and following along after Kaius as he travelled south to Riverwood at the behest of the Jarl's wizard.
If she had known exactly what she had been getting herself in for she would've upended herself into a flagon and waited for Kaius to return. There was no such thing as what Kaius described as a "merry jaunt" through an ancient Nordic crypt. Between the handful of robbers in the upper layers, the spiders in the middle and draugr every bloody where else it certainly wasn't boring.
The tavern continued getting busy and she started as the door closed suddenly as the wind caught it. She was still jumpy from the time in the crypt. Some of those mummified beings had simply been standing or laying as still as the stones of the barrows and she had nearly ruined her pants when the first one lunged for her. And then there was that giant frostbite spider of all things. How in the hells did something that size get in there! For a moment she found herself brushing away the phantom strands of the webs and she swore to herself.
But always, Kaius was there. Kaius the shadow that would block a sword wielded by a dead man. Kaius, the armoured figure that drew the dripping arachnid maw towards himself to allow her to stab somewhere vital. Kaius the man that no matter what, ensured that he wouldn't let anyone else do something that he wasn't prepared to do himself.
Kaius…
Kaius the vampire…
After the previous day there was no longer any denying the fact. Her heavily scarred, highly skilled, incredibly strong, brave and somewhat attractive travelling companion was not human. He was a vampire who had seen decades, if not centuries pass him by and who had obviously been roaming the lands of Tamriel for the Nine-only-knows-how-long. While a lot of the mysteries around her strange travelling companion had been answered, there had been made more new ones raised in their place. The scars? That was an easy answer at least, anyone who seemed to go out of his way to fight things would suffer some form of injuries from time to time. Especially if they had the luxury of several lifetimes to do so. It also answered why all of the scars that he had on his body all seemed old and faded. As he had grown more experienced and skilled the wounds he had suffered dwindled to almost nothing. His skill, strength, speed? Easy. It was obviously a result of his nature, so was his abilities to hide in the shadows and even in plain sight.
But several questions nagged at her mind. First and foremost; just how exactly was he able to waltz about in daylight? It was unheard of! A vampire roaming about in daylight was impossible and yet, here he was, somehow finding the light more agreeable than what she did. He had a better tan than most people did outside of Hammerfell!
And then there was his complete and utter hatred of elves. No… not elves… She thought to herself as she swirled her finger around the moisture on the lip of her flagon. The Thalmor… Everyone hated the Thalmor. The Nords hated them for taking away their god. The Empire hated them for the war. Everyone else hated them for being such arrogant bastards. Hells, even the Thalmor themselves hated each other! What she had never seen was anyone hate as fiercely or terribly as Kaius. The way that he had picked that fight with that contingent of Justiciars, and the way he toyed with them, goading them on was even more terrifying than the way he tore them apart!
She had tried drinking but she couldn't bring herself to do it. It was unusual to say the least as she couldn't remember the last time she managed to go a whole night being sober. But sober she was, and filled with images of death and horror was her mind.
Riverwood had been half a day's travel to the south and they were making their way down the winding sloped roads towards Whiterun. From the Highlands of the northern Jerals to the lowlands of Whiterun hold they had been making good time, walking, chatting, even singing from time to time. That had all ceased when they came across the group of Thalmor escorting the prisoner train.
The look of Kaius' face had told Sofia more than what she wanted to know. The hatred that burned within those deep brown eyes had been terrible to behold. More terrible in fact than the sight of the three dozen elves escorting the sorry collection of individuals shacked together. There must have been easily two prisoners for every elf, hands manacled and attached to lengths of chain attached to the saddles of a pair of mounted Justiciars. Men and women, the old and the very young were bound, hooded and whipped as they made their long, tiring and painful journey south towards the border of Cyrodiil.
Even then she had been blind to the truth. The sight of children being whipped and dragged along had been terrible but she should have noticed that Kaius was not just angry at their treatment. The rage that consumed him had left him shaking which should have been enough for her to know that something was wrong. Before that point she had never seen him show much emotion at all.
"Stay here." He had told her, reaching under his breastplate and pulling the amulet out so that it hung freely and in plain sight. "You don't want to be involved in this…"
Out of shock more than anything else she watched as he casually strolled down the road, whistling obnoxiously loud and not bothering to make way for the column of golden armoured figures and their bedraggled prisoners. Almost sickeningly curious, all she could do was watch as one of the mounted Thalmor rode over to him, ordering him to step aside, catching sight of the amulet before gesturing between some of the guards and Kaius.
Again, the fact that he was smiling when the Thalmor went to arrest him should have been a warning.
In less than five minutes, there wasn't a single elf left standing. He had annihilated them, slaughtering the detachment with a sickening ease and in the most brutal ways she could have ever imagined. The first died when his own dagger was ripped from a sheath and cut his throat clean away. The second fell backwards half a second later with the same knife spearing an eye. The mounted Justiciar slid out of his saddle trying to stem the bleeding from his thigh after Kaius stabbed deep into his hip and groin. Before they had even realised they were under attack half a dozen of them were dead or dying.
Even in the Barrow against the Draugr lord Kaius had not shown his true skill. It had been a surprise when the damned thing started shouting both of them off their feet but they had prevailed. Against a group of thirty elves however? That was a different story.
He took them apart. Figuratively, literally, and messily. Elves were naturally quicker and more agile than humans and Nords, Kaius had managed to make them appear as lumbering orcs with no grace at all. He cut throats, gashed open bellies, stabbed eyes and hacked into groins. Arms were broken, knees shattered, blades turned aside and armour completely ignored. Almost as though he was made of liquid he flowed through the massed ranks of the Thalmor, sliding his blade through their guards in a display of skill that was impossible to believe if she hadn't witnessed it. Even as they began panicking and calling upon their magical reserves he countered and slaughtered them. Bolts of flame and crackling arcs of lightning splashed harmlessly against wards that were almost contemptuously called into being. Each had been perfectly timed and utilised and not even her time in the College of Winterhold had she seen such skill with spells.
Before she had fully realised what had happened it was all over. The Thalmor were dead or very close to it, their bodies scattered about in various degrees of intactness and their blood covered the better part of two acres of road. Kaius was left standing between her and the two rows of prisoners who were huddling down screaming in terror, the heavy hoods covering their faces blinding them to the sights of the carnage unfolding around them.
It was when the fighting had stopped, and Kaius was left standing amidst the field of gore that Sofia had seen what he truly was. Skin pulled taut on a skull deformed and pushing against its fleshy prison, eyes turned as black as the souls of daedra and mouth split in a smile that did little to hide the pair of fangs jutting from his upper jaw.
The realisation had left her standing as though she had walked into a frost rune, staring in a mixture of horror and dumfounded shock. Covered in blood that dripped from every centimetre of his body, Kaius had simply dropped the elven sword he had wrenched from its owners broken hand, rolled his shoulders and spat on the wide eyed face of the wizard that he had disembowelled.
It was then she knew without a doubt that he was a vampire, especially as he shuddered and shook and returned back into the man that she had been fighting alongside for the past month. The fangs slid back behind his lips, the face relaxed and other than the sight of thirty elves scattered about there was nothing to show of the monster that lucked beneath his flesh.
She told herself it was shock that made her follow him afterwards. The prisoners were freed, pointed in the direction of the nearest Stormcloaks and bid good luck. They too were so shocked and confused that it never occurred to them that the man snapping their chains with well-placed blows of his sword wasn't what he was saying he was. In her awed state of mind, she caught snatches of Kaius telling the prisoners that the rest of the "ambush" had already left and they were too overwhelmed to question the logic behind it.
They hadn't said much since then. Both of them had preferred to travel in silence and she couldn't help but sense that he was somehow feeling guilty or embarrassed at what had occurred. By the time they had arrived in Whiterun Dragonsreach was closed to the public which meant that returning the hunk of stone they had pried from the wall in the barrow to Farengar would have to wait until morning.
So, despite her growing fears, trepidation and unease she found herself once more within the cosy walls of the Bannered Mare, staring in the swirling depths of her flagon. It was better to look at her drink than the figure seated on the opposite side of the table.
"Hopefully Farengar pays us as much as what he promised." Kaius muttered, looking over the solid stone tablet sitting in his lap while sipping at his drink. "As fascinating as this is it's useless otherwise."
Sofia remained silent, trying not to shiver at his voice. There was nothing unnatural about him, no sign of the monster that he truly was and if she was honest she was having difficulty pairing the man sharing the table to the creature that had slaughtered the elves.
The sensation of eyes on her flesh made her unintentionally twitch and she couldn't help but glance up at him. The eyes that had only the day before been devoid of light and colour were soft and brown, showing only the merest hints of the darkness that dwelled underneath. He looked apologetic and sighed heavily, sliding the heavy stone tablet into his pack on the floor.
"Look, you have nothing to fear from me." He said simply, scratching at the stubble under his jaw absently. "Despite what you think I'm not going to hurt you."
"I find it a little hard to swallow." The grimace that crossed her face was not lost to him as she realised the innuendo that her words contained.
For his part Kaius barely batted an eye, either oblivious to her way of speaking or choosing the ignore it. "It's true though. I'm not going to hurt you in the slightest, and I will understand if you don't want to travel with me anymore."
"So I can simply get up and walk away and you won't stop me?"
There was a brief nod after he took another mouthful of his drink. From the smell it was some potent brandy. "Yep. Although I will feel bad if I ended up taking all of the payment for this thing." The solid thump was audible even over the background noise of the tavern as he tapped his fist against his pack.
Silence fell between the two of them and Kaius seemed to make a point of not staring at her, instead roaming his eyes throughout the dozens of patrons in the tavern. It was something that she was somewhat thankful for as meeting his gaze was uncomfortable to say the least.
"Just how long have you been doing all this?" she asked, watching as his attention turned back to her.
"What do you mean?"
"This." She gestured to him, herself and the pack next to his chair. "Adventuring."
"Long enough." There was a hint of sorrow in his voice as he leaned over, dipping his finger into his drink and using the moisture to draw on the table.
Before he wiped it away with the palm of his hand Sofia saw the number two-hundred written on the table's surface and couldn't help but shudder. It explained so much but there were dozens of unanswered questions left in her mind.
"Why?"
"Why do I roam the lands seeking adventure?" The smile that she had seen from time to time broke through the stony exterior. "Because there are a lot of things in this world that require a hero to undertake, and there are only the rare few heroes who are capable of shouldering the most terrible of burdens."
"And are you one of these heroes?"
As quick as it had appeared the smile faded and the sense of sorrow returned. For a moment he sat there in silence, looking down at the beads of moisture on the polished wood surface. "I used to be..."
Sofia chewed on a lip in thought. When he spoke there was nothing of the vampire that she had seen on the road, and only the man remained. It wasn't helping the sheer amount of emotions that were churning through her that ranged from pants-shitting terror to the mirrored sense of sadness that seemed to permeate from him.
"What are you now?"
"Someone who still hopes to do something good in this world." Kaius snorted, glancing around the room before taking another mouthful. "Or at the very least, doing something useful."
Burning with their unusual intensity he looked back over to her and stared for a moment. "I am serious though. If you wish to leave, you can leave. I won't stop you or even harm a hair on your head. I know that my word is not worth much, especially after what happened but I will split you our earnings evenly and let you go on your way."
A smile returned to his face as he seemed to gaze off into the distance as though remembering something from deep in his past. Whatever it was it seemed to improve his mood slightly.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?"
His laugh drew the attention of several of the nearby patrons as he coughed into his drink. "Would you have believed me?"
"Well… No…"
"That's why I didn't say anything. And that's also a pretty good reason for not telling anyone either. No one will believe you and those that do aren't going to be interested in your health."
"Like the Thalmor?"
Anger, pure and a reflection of the rage that had left three dozen of the elves splattered across the roar rose to the surface and she couldn't help but flinch away from it. "They are a good example. I'm very close to the top of their shit-list."
"After yesterday I'm not surprised."
There was another sigh. "Look, this is neither the time nor the place for any serious discussions. Let's just say that anything to do with the Aldmeri Dominion and myself is not beneficial for anyone who wants to remain in Mundus. I have my reasons for wanting every single one of those vith'rellen dead and if I had the power to do so then let's say there wouldn't be many left breathing. The question that you need to be able to answer is whether you still wish us to travel together because that is something that needs to be decided. And decided quickly."
Despite all of her feelings she knew that she had already come to a decision. Looking before leaping was never her style, and it had been exactly what had gotten her into this mess in the first place. what was concerning her more than anything however was that she knew that despite all of her fear and terror and unease there was a large portion of her that trusted Kaius.
"I think I'll stay."
For the first time since meeting him Kaius seemed positively surprised. "Really?"
Sofia nodded. "Yes."
"Heh. Didn't expect that."
Rolling her head and still refusing to meet his gaze for more than a second she flicked her hair over a shoulder. "Look, when we first met I was honest at least. It isn't any fun on my own and you have been keeping me company. It's nice to have someone who is willing to look out for me. Even if they are more dangerous than a pack of starved sabrecats."
The grin that split his face sent shivers down her spine. "I'll take that as a compliment."
"It sorta is…" her finger returned to circling around the lip of her flagon. "Before I met you I was wandering around Skyrim killing bandits who thought I was an easy target and meeting new locals. Or should I say making new enemies. Before that I was studying, 'if you can call it that' at the College of Winterhold."
"I have been able to tell you have some magical ability." He added.
"Going to the college wasn't my first choice of being a Nord." She continued, pointedly staring at the table and her flagon. "I had no place to go and it was either that or live in a cave. So I learnt a few spells just to keep them happy. I must admit though that learning to blow stuff up was pretty fun. Unfortunately my genius was wasted on them, and I was kicked out for making everyone naked with a spell I forced some other student to create for me."
The sense of sadness and the involuntary shiver of the memories returned and she tried to hide the fact from Kaius who was sitting quietly listening to her. Only the tiny movements of his arm and flagon to his lips broke the illusion of him being a fleshy statue. "So it turns out I ended up living mostly in caves anyway."
"You seem like a funny person."
Sofia's eyes met his for a moment as she tried to discern his meaning and for a moment she felt her own anger rise at his words. "You mean like weird? I thought you were different from all those other people who make fun of me because I don't try and conform to peoples' ridiculous ideals."
"I didn't mean it as a bad thing." Kaius looked legitimately apologetic, giving her an honest smile. "It makes you different."
"You think so." She replied bitterly. "Everyone in Skyrim is like an exact replica of each other. Always bragging about themselves, saying how beautiful or tough they are. I would never do that."
An eyebrow raised and he seemed to giggle under his breath, making her roll her eyes. "Yes, ok I know what you're thinking but in my case it is actually true. Some people really do kid themselves."
Kaius's eyes seemed to burn into hers and she couldn't help but feel the same way that she had when they had first met in the stables. It was a deep stare that seemed to bypass her flesh and look right into the depths of her being. It was even more concerning than the way most men would stare at her like a piece of meat as it was almost like Kaius knew more about her than what she did herself.
The gaze stopped as abruptly as it had begun and he gave her a broader smile. "Look, for as long as you want someone to watch your back and share the spoils I can hang around. Like I said, you don't need to fear me or worry about sticking your neck out while I'm around. I'm not like that."
The hidden meaning was all too obvious to her and she couldn't help but rub at the portion of neck not covered by her leather armour. If she was going to hang around with him she was going to need to invest in a gorget or something for safe of mind at least.
Seeing her unease, he tilted his head back and drained the last of his drink. Wiping his mouth on the back of a sleeve still stained with road dust and barrows dirt, he gestured between her and the as-yet untouched flagon of mead sitting in front of her. "Do you want a fresh one, or are you content on trying to solve the mysteries of Mundus in that one's depths?"
Her mouth was dry and felt like she had been drinking dust washed down with molten lead. It was so unnerving the difference between Kaius the man, and Kaius the monster. "I'm fine with this one."
"I'm going to get myself a refill." He said simply, sliding his feet to the floor and rising from his chair. "Back in a sec."
Like usual he seemed to disappear from sight, fading into the press of people with barely a ripple of movement. If she hadn't been staring into his spine the whole time it would have almost been as though he had simply melded with the shadows.
The image of the amulet he wore entered her mind and she grimaced. "Just what kind of vampire worships Talos?" She muttered under her breath.
Glancing up and around the filled tavern she sought out any trace of her travelling companion and wasn't surprised when there wasn't any. It was like he could turn into mist or something. The crowd was larger than normal in the Bannered Mare, and Hulda, Saadia and the other barmaids were almost run off their feet by trying to keep everyone's drinks and meals up to them. Steady but growing louder, the chorus of chattering, talking, and increasingly drunken singing was growing as the night deepened and the alcohol flowed freely.
At least it isn't another damn rendition of Ragnar the Red. She thought bitterly. Some of her kinsmen's songs grated on the nerves after a while.
"God's blood let me be!"
Louder than the growing noise, the obviously feminine voice managed to reach Sofia's ears and she felt the tight knot of nervousness make itself felt. Near the bar and trying to move through the press of people, Carlotta Valentia shook herself free of a pair of hands that snatched at her dress. Juggling a pair of plates laden with food and moving towards one of the tables near Sofia's, Carlotta's attempts to eat dinner with her daughter in peace were being hampered by Mikael's attentions.
Womaniser was one of the politer names Mikael had throughout the city, especially in the Plains district. Sofia had several names for him herself and at least one of them rhymed with Aunt. Any woman of even passable attractiveness was fair game for the local bard and so far at least he had been too cunning to try his luck with any of the married women. He preferred to go for those few who couldn't stand up for themselves or lacked any family or friends to support them. Sofia had spent a couple of days herself the object of his unwanted desires before he had chosen to find someone who wasn't threatening to cut off anything important.
Sooner or later though, the bastard would lose interest in whomever he was "courting" before returning to Carlotta. The widow was by far his favourite and with no relatives and everyone in Whiterun choosing to let everyone else fend for themselves it didn't seem likely to stop anytime soon.
"You know you want me Carlotta." Stumbling through the press, Sofia could see that Mikael had been drinking between his performances. Despite the relatively early hour the Nordic bard was becoming rosy-cheeked and beginning to slur. "Stop denying it!"
"Just… Please… Leave me alone…" she replied, trying her best to ignore him. Both plates were placed on the tiny table adjacent to the bar and she tried her best to give a reassuring smile to her daughter who sat in one of the chairs. The tiny girl watched her mother and the man stumbling after her with all the innocence of youth, legs dangling and kicking them back and forth.
Mikael grabbed her, pulling her backwards with a yelp of surprise and twisting her around to face him. The expression on Carlotta's face was as though carved from stone but there was no denying there was fear in her eyes at his actions. With her hands on his chest she tried to pull away, trying not to look at him or the handful of bystanders who stood back, torn between wanting to help but worried about the bard's connections to the criminal underworld.
"My daughter is right there..." she moaned softly, twisting and failing to free herself from his grasp. He was taller and stronger by far and there was little that she could do.
The grin on his face was savage despite the effect of the alcohol he had drunk. "And? So? I'm not interested in her!"
Sofia rose to her feet. Mikael was a bastard but this was the furthest he had pushed his luck. No one else was coming to Carlotta's aid as most were more afraid of his connections with some of the seedier parts of Whiterun. there wasn't much that concerned Sofia and thinking before leaping was never something that crossed her mind. If that had been the case she wouldn't have found herself travelling with a day-walking vampire with a sociopathic hatred towards the Aldmeri Dominion.
Even before she could push her chair back Mikael lunged forward, burying his face into Carlotta's neck and kissing her drunkenly. Her cries of disgust were cut away quickly, as she too shifted her head, digging her fingernails into his face and clawing at him.
Yelping with pain he threw her backwards, hard enough that she staggered on the table and jolted the dinners she had bought for her daughter and herself. Concern was growing in those few watching, but now there were a dozen or more who were more than content sitting back and watching. No one wanted to get involved with Mikael's friends sitting back in the far corner laughing at the bard.
"You fucking bitch!" he spat, wiping at his face and seeing the streaks of blood from where she had scratched him. The wounds weren't much, but with alcohol and his Nordic heritage rising to the surface everyone knew that a line had been crossed. The expression of anger was replaced by one of calculating resolve and he moved towards her like a sabrecat.
"Oh you're going to pay for that, whore."
The slap of flesh on flesh ripped through the crowd like the snap of a siege trebuchet and all eyes and noise suddenly ceased. Sofia had barely managed to disentangle herself from the chair and push through the pair of caravan guards to intervene when someone else had. Appearing as though conjured, Kaius had imposed himself between the terrified stall owner and the livid bard, catching Mikael's outstretched hand in one of his own.
"I do believe the lady asked you to leave her alone." He said simply, totally ignoring the look of shock from all of those who had seen him step out of the shadows. Holding Mikael's arm in a grip of steel with his left hand he simply stared at the reddening face of the bard, smirking as he continued sipping from his refilled flagon.
Releasing his grip on Mikael's arm, Kaius stood between him and Carlotta who seemed shocked that anyone had come to her aid. The looks of concern of the other patrons were ignored as they glanced between him, Mikael, and the trio of his friends as they rose to their feet, but Sofia knew that the casual stance was an act. The look in the vampiric adventurer's eyes were mirrors of the expression she had seen just before he started gutting Justiciars.
"Who the FUCK do you think you are?" the anger exploded out of the drunken bard and he gave Kaius a glare that would have stopped most people in their tracks. Kaius merely seemed to smile even more. "Do you have a death wish or something?"
Kaius ignored him. "She told you to leave her alone. So I think you better do it."
Deathly silence filled the room and everyone was suddenly staring between the two of them, all the while keeping an eye on Mikael's thuggish friends.
The bard laughed in Kaius' face. "You have got balls. I'll give you that. But that fiery widow is mine." He jabbed a finger at Carlotta who was trying to keep her daughter calm at the rising tensions in the tavern.
"She doesn't want you, and she is not yours."
"Oh yeah?" Mikael moved forward, moving towards Kaius until they were well within arm's reach of each other. "She'll be mine alright. I'll conquer her a true Nord conquers any harsh beast."
Taking another mouthful, Kaius licked his lips and placed his flagon down on Carlotta's table. Where Mikael was all anger and rage, Kaius was peaceful and serene despite the grin that was plastered on his face. The confidence that extruded from him was unbelievable and without witnessing him lay waste to a detachment of Thalmor Sofia would have been putting bets of the larger built Nord.
"You have five seconds, friend." The word slid out of Mikael's mouth like a slug. "To remove yourself from my tavern."
The grin vanished from Kaius' face as though he had never smiled in his life. "I'll give you three."
They stared at each other, and Sofia found herself stifling a giggle at what was to come. Even before she knew of his true nature she knew that he was definitely not someone you fucked with. While she was concerned and fearful at the frightening power of Kaius, there was no denying that she was enjoying the spectacle. Mikael deserved everything that was coming his blithely oblivious way.
"One..." Mikael spat, drawing out the word far longer than he needed to.
Kaius simply stared at him with the impassive mask of an expression he seemed to wear as often as a cloak.
"Two…" For a moment Mikael seemed to hesitate, something within the depths of his mind trying to make itself heard through the fuzziness of the booze and failing.
Without even bothering to finish counting he suddenly rolled his hip, balling his fist and threw it right into Kaius' face. The crack of the impact made several of the witnesses' wince, the sound of hardened knuckles hitting a cheek silencing the background murmur of the gathering circle of patrons interested in seeing the fight.
Kaius barely even flinched, his head rocking back and to the side from the impact but otherwise totally ignoring the way how the bard had hit him. It was a solid, powerful punch with Mikael's full weight behind it but he might have well punched the Gildergreen for all the effect it had on Kaius. Rolling his jaw and worming his tongue into a cheek he grimaced before lowering his arms to his sides. Hints of the burning hatred that consumed the core of his being flickered out from in the darkness of his eyes, and Mikael stood in complete shock at the way how Kaius had simply let the blow through.
"That was your one free hit." Kaius growled. "And you wasted it."
In panic, Mikael threw another one, rocking forwards in an experienced brawler's stance but Kaius wasn't going to let him get another opportunity. To Sofia he seemed to simply explode into action, twisting and dropping down lightly to deflect the wild haymaker before slamming a fist of his own into the Nord's stomach.
In the space of several seconds it was over and Mikael was left whining and struggling in a grip stronger than iron. Winded, and arm twisted back behind him he was completely unable to do anything but groan and writhe as Kaius applied more pressure to the shoulder.
"I do believe this lady deserves an apology." The threat hissed from between Kaius' teeth and Sofia couldn't help but shiver at the tone. She stood only a few metres away in the circle of witnesses but she could see how Kaius was struggling to hold his incredible power in check.
"F…Fuck you!"
Sickeningly Kaius twisted, swinging Mikael around and slamming his head hard into the wall. With one arm wrapped around and holding the bard by the shoulder, the other was free to hold him by the back of the skull to put more power into the blow. The fleshy thump rattled some of the plates and flagons on nearby tables and Mikael began howling.
"There are children present shitsack." Kaius turned him around so that he could face Carlotta where she was hugging her daughter in an attempt to shield her from what was happening. "Apologise."
Mikael spluttered something that was definitely not an apology and Kaius didn't hesitate slamming his head into the wall again.
"That wasn't polite." He rolled his neck almost out of boredom and applied more pressure to Mikael's shoulder until the bard was on his knees. "Apologise, or Hulda will have a new window in here."
"I-I'm sorry!"
"Don't apologise to me." With a cut off scream he shifted his weight and pushed Mikael closer to the cringing widow and her daughter. "Apologise to them."
"I'm… I'm sorry."
"That's better." Kaius' expression was still grim but the tiniest of curls lifted his mouth. Sofia shivered as she realised that he was enjoying this, and mostly because he was inflicting pain on someone. "Now. You are going to leave her alone from here on in. If I catch even the slightest whiff that you are treated her or anyone else in a way that's displeasing to me; the guards will have to use a mop and bucket to clean up your remains."
He leaned in closer to the cringing bard and pushed him down lower to the floor. "And just so you don't forget…" he hissed, releasing his grip on Mikael's shoulder and letting him drop limply to all fours. Before anyone could react or realise what he was doing Kaius had punched him in the back of the head and knocked him out cold.
Standing up, he straightened the cloak and tunic that covered his broad torso. Everyone was in shock at his actions, but now more so than Carlotta and her young daughter.
"I'm sorry for my rudeness." He said truthfully, stepping over Mikael's unconscious body and picking up his flagon from where he had placed it. "I hope I didn't scare either of you."
Carlotta seemed shocked and overwhelmingly glad, smiling and trying to stop herself from shaking at the stress now rising to the surface. "I-I'm fine." She breathed out heavily, holding her daughter tight and running her fingers through her hair. "Thank you."
"It was my utmost pleasure." Taking a mouthful of brandy he gave an honest smile to the tiny pair of eyes peeking out from Carlotta's dress. Mila looked scared but she giggled when Kaius made a funny face and stuck his tongue out.
Moving over towards Sofia he had an obvious spring in his step and most people moved out of his way. "Well that was fun." He exclaimed, flashing a her a smile.
Standing on the edge of the crowd, she looked over his shoulder and there was an unmistakable shuffle from the others standing near her. In the space of a few seconds both Kaius and herself were left in the middle of a cleared space of tavern floor.
Without even bothering to turn around he simply took another mouthful of his Cyrodillic Brandy, raising an eyebrow at her and wiping his lips. "How many?"
"Three."
With their friend out cold on the floor, Mikael's friends had shouldered their way through the press and everyone was doing their best to distance themselves from the likihood of gaining their attention. The fight between Kaius and Mikael had been amusing and a lot of those present were pleased to see him receive some comeuppance. What wasn't amusing was the sight of three heavily armed and armoured thugs moving towards Kaius.
"Care to join in?" he asked, and Sofia couldn't help but think of an Ice Wolf in the cold stare and grin that he wore.
She shook her head, taking a step back and waving her hands in front of her. "No thanks. I think this one is all you."
"Good choice slut." Growled one of the thugs, a heavyset Nord with a thick beard of braids hanging down to his sternum. All three of them were her countrymen, but their leader was by far the largest. He outweighed Kaius by almost a third of his bodyweight even without the heavy layers of Nordic steel and fur that he wore.
There was a loud, audible sigh and Kaius slowly turned to lock his gaze on the trio. The way that he exclaimed and his body language made Sofia think of someone who had just bought a new pair of boots only to step from the store and into a puddle.
"What is with everyone tonight and throwing around insults?" he said simply, looking between the trio of gang enforcers with no sign of fear or trepidation. By now everyone was thinking that he might have been a little moon-touched or considerably drunk but Sofia knew better by now.
"Don't just think that you can strut about after hurting one of our friends." Runic tattoos fought for space with the series of cuts from one too many bar brawls, and the smallest of the trio cracked his knuckles. Out of all of them, he seemed to be the most likely to draw a knife and stick it between some ribs in a fight in Sofia's opinion.
The third said nothing, merely staring at Kaius and rolling his considerable shoulders. Between the three of them there was over a quarter tonne of heavyset muscle, all being fuelled by the rising anger and annoyance of seeing Kaius standing there drinking from his flagon like they were sitting down for an evening meal.
"I don't suppose that we can agree that the shit had it coming and leave it be?" he said simply, casually looking about the room.
"No." the syllable stabbed out of the leader's throat. "We're going to teach you a lesson. No one touches us without compensation."
Again there was a sigh, and Kaius reached into the pouch on his hip and flicked a coin at their hulking leader. An enormous paw snatched it out of the air before staring at the obvious gold colour of the septim.
"You misunderstand the situation you're in milkdrinker. We're going to extract our friend's payment out of you in blood."
"Oh that's not a payment." Kaius replied, looking down and swirling the brandy in his flagon while resting his other hand on his hip. "That's to pay for your healing at the temple."
All three men bristled with anger, stepping forward with murderous intent to the totally unconcerned Kaius who took another mouthful of brandy. From where she stood, Sofia could see Hulda gesturing frantically for Saadia or one of the other barmaids to fetch the guard before blood was spilt. None of the women were finding it easy to slip out through a door, as there was a handful of patrons who were seeking a quick exit.
"Right then." Kaius said, wiping his mouth and grinning. "Let's get this over with."
Before anyone could even move or blink he stepped forward suddenly, moving within range of the hulking leader and snapping out a vicious left jab right into the Nord's mouth. Without even worrying about putting his flagon down he went on the attack, and in front of the entire stunned patronage of the tavern the towering leader fell backwards like a felled pine.
The thundering weight shook the wooden floor and left glasses and plates chiming from the impact, and the remaining two thugs were stopped in mid motion as their friend was left unconscious. A hundred and twenty kilograms of towering northman was laid out cold, mouth bleeding and several teeth broken and wouldn't be rising for some time.
The shock vanished quickly from the remaining two, and both hurled themselves at the grinning adventurer. Kaius for his part seemed to start some form of elaborate dance, twirling and twisting aside from their wild blows and leaving them hitting nothing but air. He struck out with kicks and punches of his own, and ludicrously didn't let go of his grip on his flagon, but instead would stop and take a sip from it whenever both of the thugs were left trying to regain their balance or pick themselves up from the floor.
Despite the tenseness of those within the tavern, it wasn't long before shouts of encouragement and laughter began to echo from the walls as Kaius made a complete mockery of the thugs. Roaring, shouting and throwing wild punches they had about as much chance of grabbing mist than what they had at hitting Kaius, and it was soon obvious that he was simply toying with them.
"Haha! I love it when there's drinks and entertainment!" shouted the man standing by Sofia's side. In the moments since the fight started she had been focussed on watching her companion square off against her countrymen, and hadn't seen the robed figure stand beside her. Obviously well on his way to drunken excess, she couldn't help but snort at his expression of enjoyment at the brawl unfolding before them.
A particularly loud slap of flesh on flesh echoed and everyone in the tavern winced at the sight of Kaius flicking his open palm against the smallest thug's face. By now everyone was enjoying the spectacle, especially the short Breton standing by her side.
"Oooh… That was a good one." Laughing to himself the Breton lifted the bottle of potent smelling alcohol to his lips and took a massive draught. Judging by the rosy complexion and the fact that both eyes were struggling to focus he had obviously started drinking several hours ago. "Your friend is one –hic- hell of a fighter."
Sofia couldn't help but agree, looking over the sight of how Kaius flicked away a powerful right cross and headbutted his opponent in the face. There was no doubt that he was drawing out the fight for his own amusement, and she couldn't help but think of the way how he had used similar techniques and his skill to slaughter dozens of elves. A trio of Nords barely qualified as a hindrance, let alone a threat.
Despite the darkness of her thoughts she couldn't help but enjoy the fight. His skill was superb, and at one point he even danced around his attackers as though he was a Cyrodillic Nobleman at a ball twirling his partner around. He alternated between throwing punches with his free hand and kicking the armoured Nords' legs out from under them whenever the opportunity presented itself. It left both of the thugs increasingly infuriated and the crowd growing louder and louder with laughter and applause.
But, it didn't last forever, or anywhere near as long as what everyone would have liked. Within a few minutes and as the pair of Nords began to tire Kaius returned to the offensive, battering his way through their defences and leaving them both out cold on the floor. One had tried to tackle him as he smashed his fist across the other fighter, but Kaius had simply twisted aside, using both his and the semi-flying thug's momentum to help him along his way. The resounding thud of the fighter smashing into the bar was felt through everyone's boots as he was left unconscious. The third was also unconscious, lying face down on the floor with blood and drool pooling under his face where Kaius' punch had loosened teeth in his mouth.
"It is important for a warrior to be victorious." Kaius called out over the sudden hush of the crown within the tavern, holding his arms out and turning slowly to look at the men and women standing in front of him. "But what is more important is for the warrior not to spill his drink!"
With a wicked grin that showed a mouthful of teeth he upended his battered flagon into the fire pit, pouring the brandy that it still contained in a roar of flames and sparks. Throughout the whole fight he had not loosened his hold on his flagon, and judging by the amount that he poured out he hadn't spilled a drop.
Surrounded by a large group of Nords they all began laughing and applauding louder as he gave a quick bow and turned towards the bar. Drinking and fighting and every possible combination of both were cultural pastimes for the men and women of Skyrim, and Sofia knew that by the sun had reached its zenith the following day, his deeds would be known throughout Whiterun.
Not that it seemed to make her feel any better. She found herself thinking over her decision to remain as a travelling companion and whether it was the right one. It was a difficult decision, and she found herself torn between the dangerous and terrifying nature of Kaius and her desire not to be alone in Skyrim.
A tap on her arm jolted her back into reality and she found herself looking at the drunken Breton who had stood by her side while Kaius fought. He was obviously swaying and had enjoyed the spectacle immensely but now he only seemed to have eyes for her. "You look like you could do with a drink."
She laughed at what she considered to be an enormous understatement.
The glassy eyes of the drunk looked up and he grinned wider. While she was not one of the tallest and only came up to Kaius' forehead, this Breton was a couple of inches shorter again. "You do look like someone who can hold their liquor. Miss…?"
"I'm Sofia." She watched as Kaius faded through the press near the bar and receiving several pats on the back and toasts to his skill. The celebratory feeling within the tavern had improved considerably even despite the surcoated forms of a handful of hold guards pushing their way through the crowd.
"It's a –hic- pleasure to meet you Sofia." His words slurred out of his mouth as though his tongue was made of wool. "I'm Sam."
"Sam?" curiously she looked between the way he swayed on his feet and Kaius who was the centre of attention again to a handful of guards. The way they were gesturing and trying to make sense of what had happened meant that she was without his presence for a few minutes at least.
"Y-yeh. Sam Guevenne." Half leaning, half swaying he looked around her to the table where she and Kaius had been sitting. With a half closed eye he regarded the full flagon on mead on the table suspiciously even as he tried and failed to focus on it. "Not in the m-mood of a bit of revelry are -hic- we?
"The mead tasted a bit off." She replied, shuffling towards the table and returning to her seat.
"Yeh. I have noticed that the H-Honningbrew stuff has been tasting more like piss than usual." Dragging a chair over to the table he nearly slipped and fell as he tried to sit. "M-maybe something -hic- got added to their latest batch?"
"Or it just tastes like piss."
He laughed again, lifting the bottle and taking several large gulps.
Carefully he looked over to her, trying to steady himself with one hand on the table and not quite managing to have both eyes looking in the same direction. "How about a friendly contest then? Winner gets to keep my staff."
She looked over the drunk, seeing the way he was holding himself and gaining interest. She was completely sober, and he was barely able to hold onto the earth with how much it was spinning around him. It was almost pathetically easy.
"A drinking contest?" she said sweetly, smiling at him as alluringly as she could. "You don't stand a chance!"
He laughed again, slapping his hand on the surface on the table hard enough that the mead in her flagon rippled. "Ha! We'll see about that."
Carefully, he reached over and swiped her flagon from the table, upending its contents into the nearest pot containing long-suffering flowers. Somehow he managed to limit the amount that splattered onto the stained floorboards, before placing the flagon back on the table and brandishing his bottle. "This… This is a spe-hic-cial brew, very strong stuff."
From the smell that wafted from the ruby liquid that bubbled from the end as he poured it she could believe it. It had the potential of being used to fuel forges with a flame hot enough to melt orichalcum in seconds. Judging by how drunk he was; it was especially potent. It was hard not to grin like a madwoman at how easy this contest was going to be.
Scraping the flagon over the table and spilling some over his fingers he grinned at her with a face almost lopsided with inebriation. The brown curls of his hair reached down to his shoulders and he wiped them back with a hand stained slightly red with the alcohol from the bottle.
"Let's get started." He said, motioning to her flagon and pulling a mug from within the depths of his robes. Carefully, and concentrating so hard that his tongue stuck out from the corner of his mouth he filled his mug to the brim.
"I'll start round one." There was a giggle in his voice as he stared at her with glassy eyes. "Down the hatch!"
Together, the two of them lifted their drinks and gulped it down. Sofia's eyes widened at the taste and the sheer potency of the… whatever the alcohol was. It was as warm and filling as mead, as smooth as Blackbriar Reserve and with the kick of that spiced wine she tried once. Even for someone as experienced as her with drinking everything that Tamriel had to offer it was unlike anything she had ever tasted.
"Whew!" The alcohol was immediately going straight to her head and she found herself wondering whether she should've eaten something first. It was powerfully strong. her flagon slammed down hard onto the table and Sam leaned forward, his bottle sloshing as he tried to refill it without spilling it everywhere. "What is that stuff?"
He paused, squinting at the faded label that had long since lost the fight against the march of time. "I'm -hic- not entirely sure. Bloody good stuff though."
They clinked their cups together and toasted one another. She could already feel it thundering through her veins in the long accustomed sensation of warmth and pleasure and she found all her fears and worries of the previous days fade away.
"One down my friend. One down." he suddenly seemed to sway backwards and poured his cup straight down his throat. "And another -hic- one for me."
Burping loudly, he laughed with some of the liquid streaming down his chin as though he was a vampire who had fed on someone. The image didn't help Sofia's mind in the slightest, and she tried to shake the image out of her mind.
"And how about y-you?" The question was even more slurred than before and she looked down at the ruby liquid in her flagon. The smell was intoxicating and she had never tasted anything like it before.
"A second drink?" she laughed at him, lifting the flagon in toast to him. "Easy!"
She went to raise it to her lips but a hand suddenly appeared from out of sight and clasped over the mouth of the flagon. Startled, she felt like she had almost jumped out of her skin and felt a small amount of the alcohol splatter over the front of her tunic.
"Kaius? What the fuck?"
Finished with being questioned by the guard, and leaving them to drag away the still-unconscious bodies of Mikael and his friends, her companion had appeared without warning. For a moment her anger threatened to bubble out and she had some choice insults on her tongue, until she lifted her head and saw the cold expression that he wore.
There was no trace of the joviality of before, or the enjoyment he had gained from the fight. Now, instead he was regarding her new drinking partner with hooded eyes and an enormous amount of suspicion. The way his own flagon creaked from the vicing pressure of his fist was not lost to her, and she found herself staring at Sam with her unease returning with full force.
"Weren't you told never to drink with strangers?" Kaius muttered, not releasing his grip on her flagon and not taking his eyes off Sam in the slightest.
"There's nothing wrong with a little drinking contest." Bitterness returned to her voice and she tried unsuccessfully to wrench her drink from his grasp. "Especially one that I was going to win!"
"And there are some fights that are impossible to win." He replied, shaking her hand off her flagon and placing it on the table. "Especially against ones such as this."
Sam seemed amused and slightly let down that the contest had been interrupted, but as he rolled his head drunkenly and returned Kaius' gaze he went from looking disappointed to shocked.
The change was immediate and obvious. The eyes lost some of their glassiness, the body stopped the drunken sway and he seemed to sit up a bit straighter. Sofia couldn't help but notice the look of recognition on the Breton's face though.
"Kaius? By all the mead in Sovngarde is that you?" there was a pause, the eyes looking Kaius up and down before the grin grew broader and eyes widened further. "It is!" he slapped his thigh and laughed. "Haha! I haven't seen you in what? Two centur-"
Kaius' leg flicked out and he kicked Sam hard in the shin, cutting him off in mid breath. The expression on his face had turned thunderous and Sam's gaze followed Kaius' as it regarded the dozens of people in the tavern.
Rubbing his shin, the grin didn't seem to fade but it did change into understanding. "Years?" he added, making it sound both as a question and a statement with a raised eyebrow.
Sofia was suddenly confused but the unease returned with full force as she stared between the two men standing near her. Sam had suddenly sobered up extremely quickly which was concerning enough on its own, but the slip of the tongue and her knowledge of Kaius' nature was setting off warning bells all through her mind.
"Alright, what is going on?" she asked, feeling the way how both of them looked at her. "You two know each other?"
"Oh, Kaius and I go way back." The unsettling grin remained plastered to his face and Sofia couldn't help but understand the emphasis that he had put into his words. "Isn't that right buddy?"
Kaius ignored his question and stared at him with enough force that she half expected the shorter man to combust. "What are you doing here?"
"Drinking and enjoying the show. What? Can't a man have some fun?"
"You're no more of a man than what I am… Samguevenne…" there was threat inlaid in every letter as Kaius squared himself off against the increasingly sober Sam. Sofia shivered at the way how Kaius had pronounced his name as a single word, drawing it out purposefully.
"Alright. You caught me." Both feet thudded into the top of the table and he leaned back in his chair, putting his hands on top of his head and not once removing the smile from his face. "I must admit though, watching you fight is always a treat. I haven't had such entertainment in at least a hundred years!"
"Who are you?" Sofia asked, staring at him with increasing fear and suspicion, and ignoring Kaius' choked exclamation and nervous expression as he looked about for anyone who heard the statement.
"Relax Kay-Kay. We don't want you having an aneurysm or something." Sam gestured about to the other patrons. "They won't hear us. I know how much you love your privacy."
His gaze lingered on Sofia and he gave a little theatrical wave of his hand in greeting. "I'm Sam Guevenne. Although my friends usually call me Sanguine."
"Sanguine?" she laughed out loud but stopped herself as she saw the seriousness of Kaius' expression and the almost imperceptible nod he gave her. Her shock must have mirrored Kaius' own as she rounded back on her new drinking companion. "As in the daedric prince Sanguine!"
"Calm down missy." He waved his hands at her. "I might have a glamour over us but I doubt your dour friend there will appreciate you shouting through it."
"So you've come looking to pull some pranks?" Kaius asked carefully, and Sofia tried to ignore the way that his hand hovered over the hilt of his knife at his hip.
"Pranks? Pranks?" for a moment Sanguine's voice rose to a haughty shriek and he folded his arms like a spoilt child. "The Daedric Lord of Debauchery does not deal in mere pranks." He looked about the room and sighed loudly. "Things have been a bit dull lately in the Myriad Realms and every few decades or so I pop in and see what's happening in the physical realm. Pity all this war and fighting business that is going on. I was hoping there would be a bit more merriment this time around."
Kaius' expression didn't waver and Sofia saw how Sanguine's eyes wandered to his sheathed knife before meeting hers. There was a promise of endless amusement in those swirling eyes and she found herself believing that it truly was a Daedra sharing their table.
"This isn't your usual female friend." Sanguine said, gesturing to Sofia. "While she's a definitely a looker, what happened to Vicky?"
"She's back home."
There was a pause. "Ah. Trouble on the ol' homefront eh? I must say I'm surprised to see you wandering about on the surface in that case. You two always seemed so damned inseparable." He looked between Kaius and herself and made some motions with his hands as though he was squeezing a ball of dough. "Does she know about you two?"
"Do you think that Sofia would still be breathing if we were anything more than companions?"
"HA! Not in the slightest!" the pair of bushy eyebrows wriggled. "Vicky never had been one for sharing. Does this one know who you are though?"
"She's knows what I am."
Sanguine gave Sofia an expression that could only be respect. "Wow, and here you sit? You have balls girly. Take some advice from an old daedra though. If you follow this man, do what he says. You'll live longer that way."
The expression that crossed the daedra's face was calculating despite the amusement. "Don't think that I didn't notice that you said what, rather than who, buddy."
"Then just who is he?" Sofia said, trying desperately to understand and gain some measure of control over such an impossible situation.
The mug was emptied with obvious relish and Sanguine reached over and poured more from his bottle. Sofia couldn't help but notice the way that it thudded onto the table and sloshed over when he put it back. It was still full…
"Your friend here is very famous. Quite a big shot actually."
"That was a long time ago." Kaius added, and he took several big drinks from his own flagon.
"In mortal years maybe," Sanguine replied. "but not for those of us a little more… enduring…"
He winked at Sofia and she felt even more awkward, especially when he pushed over her flagon towards her and she found it filled with what was undeniably Blackbriar Reserve. Up until a handful of seconds before it had been filled with the potent liquor from his bottle and she stared suspiciously at it.
"It won't bite you know… Although one should always drink in moderation!" with a grin he lifted his mug and drained it in a single swallow.
Sofia blinked, trying to remove the afterimage of reddish-black skin and a clawed hand fully encompassing the mug as though it was a thimble.
"Moderation?" Kaius grumbled, sipping his own drink and watching Sanguine with wary eyes. "Getting soft in your old age?"
There was a snort followed by a spurt of alcohol as the daedra tried to hold back a laugh with little success. Wiping his face, he slapped at his knee and gave Kaius a grin that seemed far too large for his face. "Ha! There's the Kaius I remember. One of my more recent worshippers created his own little bubble in the Myriad Realms and named it moderation. Nice place, although it can be a bit too flooded in wine from time to time. I might like the odd drink but I don't like being drowned in the stuff..."
Another mug was poured and he wafted the smell into his face as though it was a pot of stew. "Anyway. As I was saying, Kaius here is certainty one gifted individual. Slaying monsters, rescuing damsels and saving the world. All that stuff."
"So how did you two meet?"
Kaius choked on his drink and gave her a stare that warned her to keep her mouth shut but she chose to ignore it.
Sanguine looked between the two of them, smiling at both and taking a measured mouthful. Just as he opened his mouth to speak Kaius spoke up, leaving him looking somewhat huffed that he had been interrupted.
"I needed help with something."
"Tell her the whole truth buddy. It's not nice to leave a woman hanging." A faraway look came across Sanguine's face and he chuckled darkly at some memory that Sofia tried not to imagine. "Kaius needed help killing someone."
"I doubt that Kaius has ever needed help killing anything, ever." Sofia muttered, not quite as softly as she had hoped.
"Truer words have never been spoken. But this 'someone' wasn't just 'anyone'…" leaning forward over his drink he covered his mouth from Kaius' view and his voice dropped into a conspiratorial whisper. "She was a god…"
Kaius rolled his eyes and Sofia looked between the two of them. As effective as Kaius was in fighting she found it very difficult to believe that he could have killed a god. There was little doubt left in her mind that the man sitting next to her really was a Daedric Prince but the idea of Kaius being able to go against something like it was ludicrous.
She laughed, and felt uneasy at the expression on Sanguine's face. There was something about how there seemed to be far too many teeth in that mouth for a normal man that her brain struggled to comprehend. Then there was the fact that most of them seemed sharper than what they should have been.
"I find that hard to believe."
"Oh it's true." He gestured to Kaius who looked like he was sulking but Sofia could see that he was watching every move the daedric prince made. He was like a predator ready to pounce. "Most of it at least."
"She wasn't a proper god." Kaius added.
"Too true. A true god is immortal and impossible to kill, but someone who isn't a 'proper' god, that means they are only partially invincible and the bits that aren't don't take kindly to sharp objects poking into them."
"So you helped him kill a demi-god?" she was watching how much she was drinking, noting the way how Kaius was only sipping, and the 'mouthfuls' he was taking were only appearing as such.
With waves of his hands the daedric prince shrugged, like he was weighing something. "Well… in a way. You see, to kill a god; even a half arsed one like the spider-bitch you need some godly powers of your own. Kaius is powerful, but he needed a bit of oomph to finish the job."
Sanguine was taking mouthfuls as he spoke, looking thoroughly pleased with himself telling a tale that Kaius seemed to be annoyed with. Sofia however listened intently, learning more about her companion than what years of travelling together would have taught her.
"He came to me. Or my shrine in Cyrodiil if I'm being honest, looking for some favour from upon-high to help him in his quest. Favours were exchanged, and I gladly gave him my Rose." The grin grew and for a moment Sofia noticed how he seemed bigger than before as he gestured to Kaius. "it was one hell of a way to liven up that stuck-up countess' 60th that's for sure."
"I don't remember it being enjoyable." Kaius grumbled.
"That's only because you don't appreciate a bit of public nudity." The burning gaze of the daedra return to Sofia. "I wasn't the only one that he approached. As potent as a smidgeon of my essence is, he needed a bit more than I could provide. So, he approached a few of my kin for their support."
Kaius shuddered. "Mephala, Namira, and Peryite to be precise."
"Don't forget about good ol' MD."
"I didn't do a favour for him though."
The laugh from the daedric prince was terrible but somehow jolly at the same time. "I know that. He was pissed when you took his razor. Heard him screaming and yelling even from my side of oblivion."
The shrug that Kaius was somehow more concerning to Sofia than the implications of the topic of conversation. "Pretty sure I am on his shit-list anyway."
"The big red guy? Nah…" Sanguine waved his hand at Kaius and chuckled. "He's not one for holding grudges. Brother-mine might be MAIM! KILL! BURN! all the time but nothing sticks for too long. You did miff him a little with the whole 'stopping his invasion' thing and killing most of his followers, but dangle something shiny in front of him and he'll lose interest before you know it."
Sofia couldn't help but giggle at the expression and the way that Sanguine strutted his arms in front of his chest as he intimated what could only be Mehrunes Dagon. The tap against her leg broke through her mind as Kaius nudged her with the toe of his boot and she realised that it was not just the alcohol was making her feel fuzzy. Such close proximity to a Lord of Oblivion was messing with her in more ways than one.
"Bally-boy on the other hand loathes you." he stretched out and Sofia watched how the arms somehow managed to brush the ceiling despite the fact that there was a very normal-looking Breton man in the seat next to her. It was difficult to keep the headache out of her mind. "He's pissed that he hasn't been able to bend you to his will and you keep turning your back on his 'gifts'. You don't have to worry too much though. In certain circles you have some influential friends."
Laughing at his own joke he leaned over and nudged Sofia with his elbow. "Get it? Circles? Of hell?"
"I doubt it." Kaius added, watching them both very intently.
"Don't let it go to your head, but Boethiah appreciates you slaying that bitch down below. You know how annoying it is when your followers mistakenly start giving praise to a different god?" There was a snort like a draught horse and he pressed a hand to his chest. "I have never had such an issue myself, as there's not too many gods out there interested in drinking and fucking. However, the amount of times that Bo' lost worshippers to her was pissing him right off."
"Just who was this 'god' that you killed?" Sofia asked Kaius.
The stare that he gave her was somehow more terrifying than the daedric presence at her side. "No one of any importance."
"Not anymore at least." Sanguine added with a laugh. "Say what you like about him, but Kaius doesn't fuck about." A hand came to rest on her shoulder and she stared at how it seemed normal sized, and yet large enough to encompass her entire shoulder and most of her chest. "The bestest advice I can give you in regards to our good friend here is; unless you want to die the most spectacular death possible, don't mess with anyone he loves."
The thought wormed its way into her mind and she could believe that. Her quiet, powerful companion seemed to have everyone's best interests in heart but it was obvious that he was not one to cross in any way. Then another thought occurred to her.
Just what have the Thalmor been responsible for in his life?
The pressure of the enormous-but-small hand was lifted and she watched Sanguine lean back again. There was a look of something resembling pain enter the daedra's face as he pressed his mug to his temple. "Just when I was enjoying myself." He muttered.
"Last drinks is it?" the hint of amusement entered Kaius' voice and he seemed to relax slightly.
"In a way. Seems that every time I find a nice establishment I get called away for work." He sighed and his shoulder's slumped. "Feels like some mortals in Highrock are seeking to liven their party up with some good ol' 'guine love."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"Just because I'm the god of the drunk and debauched doesn't mean that I'm dumb Kaius." The words were harsh but the tone was anything but. "I'd love to sit back and swap war stories but, as usual I have places to be and souls to corrupt."
The enormous hand moved forward and the bottle that he had been filling his mug from was pushed into the centre of the table. Where the label had been faded and illegible it was now pristine and perfect, revealing the word Shadowbanish in elegant cursive text.
"As a token of my esteem." Sanguine said, nodding to Kaius and giving Sofia a heartfelt grin. "Maybe someone else will become the bearer of my not-quite-holy staff tonight but it certainly won't be you two. Don't be a stranger though Kaius. I have a lovely little pocket realm set aside for you if you ever feel like stopping by."
"I'll consider it." Kaius said, in a tone of voice that conveyed the exact opposite intent.
Kicking back in his chair, Sanguine rose to his feet and there was a sharp intake of breath from Sofia. Her eyes were aching as though she was staring at the sun reflecting off fresh snow at the sight. He was somehow the same, short Breton man as he was before, but he also had to hunch over to stop his head from bumping on the ceiling.
A mouthful of fangs glinted in the darkness in a smile promising unimaginable self-indulgence and excess and as she blinked he was gone, disappearing without a single trace of his existence. All that was left was the sense of dislocation that seemed to be scrambling her mind and the bottle of expensive and rare looking wine that Kaius staring wistfully.
Blinking repeatedly in the vain attempt to remove the mirage-like image of a gigantic humanoid with dark red flesh and talons she looked over to Kaius as he sighed loudly and appeared to relax for the first time in days.
"Are all your travels this weird?" She asked, watching as he drained the rest of his drink with shuddering gulps.
"Sometimes."
Blowing out a breath she looked about the tavern and noted how everyone was going about their business without the slightest hint of what had happened. There was not even the slightest trace of alarm from anyone how their table had suddenly lost one of its occupants. "You are so going to explain what all that was about."
"Not tonight though." he replied. "Maybe once we hit the road."
"Fine with me." The bottle of wine held their attention and she thought hard for several moments.
"Ah, to oblivion with it." Reaching over she grasped the bottle and popped the cork, dumping the rest of the mead from her flagon into the pot plant and refilling it with the wine. After everything that had happened and despite how drunk she was about to get, she knew that this was a night she was going to remember. Whether she liked it or not.