College Lovers of Winterhold
Today was a brand new day, if one could call it that here in the far northern parts of Skyrim where it was mostly mountains and hills of ice and snow, especially for cities like Winterhold. Meanwhile the College of Winterhold was still standing strong and tall on top of its pillar of a mountain, with its still standing bridge entrance connected to city.
For Sam, it was another brand new day for learning and advancing in the specific fields of magic in which the college was built for. Getting up from bed in his room in the hall of attainment, one of the college's living areas, Sam had himself freshened up, his face washed to further awake from his drowsy state before he took a look his reflection on a mirror.
With only small facial growing on a recently clean shaven face, Sam appeared a 23 year old young Nord like his mother with light skin and blonde hair, but he still showed some traits inherited from his Imperial father, especially his brown eyes. Then Sam had himself dressed in the college's mage uniform, a short brown hooded spellcaster's robe over the rest of the clothing where the sleeves stretched to his wrists, and the trousers to the boots.
Afterwards, Sam left his room and entered the main circular hall where the magicka pool continued to illuminate its blue beam of light upwards. Standing by the pool and feeling the taste of the energy it carried was a young Khajiit woman in a female tailored design of the college's robe. Her name was Ja'Nassi, age 20, and she was of the Cathay breed with the beige-white fur of a lynx, blue cat eyes, and long brown hair.
When she noticed Sam's presence, she turned and smiled at him. This was something she would do every time she sees him, and he would always smile back. He didn't know why. Perhaps there was a unique charm from a khajiit's feline smile compared to those of humans and mer? Or maybe it was just Ja'Nassi who had a charming smile?
Sam and Ja'Nassi had grown be close friends since the first day they attended the college. They attended the same lectures; going together with other apprentices on the same trips and excavations, studied and researched together on the same projects, and even practiced the same spells together.
After they had their breakfast, the two attended today's scheduled tests and presentations, since it was the end of the term. First they both presented their group presentation about their research on alchemy, which ended well as usual, with their combined efforts and learning abilities, both Sam and Ja'Nassi continued to shine as gifted students, mainly thanks to their private shared research and group studying.
Later, they both separately attended their secluded tests. Sam was doing one based on illusion spells, while Ja'Nassi was doing one based on enchantment. Once Sam was done, he exited the main building, sighing and stretching his arms.
"Welp, another day, another test passed," he said. "I hope Ja'Nassi did ok on her part."
Sooner than expected, Ja'Nassi emerged from the main building herself.
"Hey Ja'Nassi, how did the test go?" Sam asked. "How did you do in the enchantment test?"
The khajiit grinned and cheered. "It went better than expected!"
"Yeah?" said the nord. "What kind of enchantment did you make that pleased the instructor?"
"Regeneration of magicka, mixed with reduced magicka usage for restorion spells," she answered.
"Wow, really?" Sam was surprised. "I did the same in my enchantment test."
Ja'Nassi's face suddenly became more concern looking. "This one hopes they don't think this one copied you."
"Don't worry, they won't," he assured her. "Anyway, tomorrow is our last test for the term."
The khajiit got excited. "Oh yes, conjuration, one of your favorites fields right next to the fields of destruction and restoration."
"Destruction is one of your favorites, not mine," the nord corrected.
Ja'Nassi chuckled at the correction. "Anyway, you promised to help Ja'Nassi study for the conjuration test."
And so Sam did as he promised. He and Ja'Nassi went to the college library, where they searched for books that could help them learn the conjuration spells required to pass their remaining test. Sam was always a bookworm, so finding the information wasn't a problem, and with that information Sam could easily summarize and simplify the information. It would even help Ja'Nassi learn and understand quicker by the time she catches up.
After all the reading was done, the two would spend the rest of the day exhausting themselves trying practicing the very spells for the test, until they retired to the Hall of Attainment.
"Before we turn in, let me give you something for your hard," he said, offering Ja'Nassi a sweet roll.
The khajiit smiled and accepted the treat, but her eyes widened with excitement after she took a bite, noticing what the sweet roll was covered in. "Moon Sugar!?"
"Yup," Sam confirmed, "and I got a full pack waiting in my room, with your name on it."
Ja'Nassi was happy. She couldn't help but give her nord friend on kiss on the cheek. "Oh Sam, you are a sweetie!"
On the next day, they both attended their conjuration test within the Hall of Elements along with the other students. The one who came to observe the test was Catamilla, the Dunmer vice-headmistress of the College of Winterhold. She has been around for a year after the Arch-Mage, also known as the Dragonborn, hired her to maintain the school majority of the time, since the Dragonborn himself was busy using his powers to resolve many major troubles in Skyrim.
Catamilla may be a few cetnuries old, but for an elf she was still young. In fact, Catamilla was exceptionally beautiful for a dark elf, and while she wore none of the dunmer face markings, she favored wearing violet lipstick, her hair was long and brown, and her attire was that of a master robe.
To be honest, ever since Sam first saw met the vice-headmistress, he couldn't help but struggle to avoid staring at her in awe, because of her dark elven beauty. He had a crush on her ever since. Then again, maybe the other students felt the same.
The goal of the test was to simply conjure any form of Atronach, which the first few students struggled to cast the spell. Some succeeded, while others either failed to cast the spell, or maintain control and duration of their atronachs, much to the disappointment of the vice-headmistress, judging from her expression, though she was a calm woman as ever.
When it was Sam's turn, he struggled only a second but succeeded in summoning a flame atronach, to which the instructor gave him a pass, while the other students clapped their hands, even the Catamilla whom he saw her giving him a calm smile.
Then it was Ja'Nassi's turn to cast her summoning spell. When she stepped out into the center where the others performed their part of the test, she first turned and looked back at Sam, who gave her a nod of confidence. Once she took a deep breath, the khajiit raised her hands and channeled the magic that flowed through her.
At first Ja'Nassi struggled for about twenty seconds which was longer than the time the other students took, even Sam, but eventually Ja'Nassi was able to finally cast her summoning spell. However, the result was something unexpected; in fact it was jaw dropping. Even vice-mistress Catamilla was completely taken by surprise with amazement.
The young khajiit woman not only conjured summoned a Storm Atronach, but one that literally twice the size of a regular one. Such spell casting could only be done high level experts, or by someone who was gifted with special inner magic, which was usually only the case for elves, especially the Altmer. Yet it seemed that Ja'Nassi was the one born with strong magic in her blood.
Everyone, especially Sam and the vice-headmistress, all cheered and clapped for the khajjit girl who was heavily catching her breath from her spell casting, but she more than passed her test. She turned and gave Sam a happy grin, to which he responded with a happy thumb up.
The day after the test was concluded was the beginning of a week off from the college. Sam invited Ja'Nassi to his family's large manor on the outskirts of Winterhold. Together they walked out of the city and were on the road. Sam noticed that Ja'Nassi had a nervous expression on her face, and concern led him to guessing what was wrong.
"I heard the vice-headmistress asked you to come to her office after your display in the conjuration test. What did she want?" the young nord finally asked.
The young khajjit was hesitant at first, but she eventually answered the question. "She said because I was gifted with special magic, she wanted to take me as her special pupil, and personally see to my training as mage. I wasn't sure what to say, but she told me I could give her my answer any time before the next term begins."
This revelation was indeed a surprise to Sam. The vice-headmistress wanted to take his friend as a special pupil? Sam gave it a thought during a moment of silence as they continued to walk the road. Naturally as a good friend, Sam knew what to say.
"You should accept her offer," he said. "This is a chance for you to achieve your full potential, and as your friend I encourage it."
Ja'Nassi was surprised, her eyes widened. "Really, you think this one should?"
"Definitely," he answered.
Ja'Nassi gave it a thought, but then she immediately decided proudly and happily. "Alright, Ja'Nassi will do it."
"Good," Same said, now glad that the subject was resolved. "Now let's keep going. I want to reach the family manor before the sun is gone."
The khajiit licked her lips. "Ja'Nassi can already taste your mother's delicious sweet pies."
"Have you heard from your family?" Sam decided to ask. "How are your older sisters?"
Ja'Nassi didn't hesitant on answering. "Well, two of them are still working at the tavern and merchant stalls in Riften, while one is still traveling in trade caravans with the other khajiit. Our biggest sister wrote that she got a job involving sailing in the somewhere in the north seas."
As the continued their trip on the road, some caravans were just about to pass through them, heading to Winterhold. However, out of nowhere were not one but two dragons that flew in the air, with one of them setting the caravans aflame with its fire breath, while Sam and Ja'Nassi got separated in their attempt to avoid the flames.
However, as if on cue, the Dragonborn appeared in his dragon bone armory and great sword, shouting the Thu'um words that he knew as Dragonrend, forcing the other dragon who breathed frost to meet him on the ground.
During the flaming conflict, Sam spotted his khajiit friend away from the caravans and off the road into the snowy open. The other dragon who breathed flames landed on the ground to face her directly, but before the big creature could bite her, it staggered with it felt the electric shock of lightning that came from Sam's left hand. Then the dragon took a slash from Ja'Nassi with her conjured ethereal sword from the spell 'Bound Sword', followed by her nord friend doing the same to the dragon's wing.
The dragon responded by knocking the nord back and down with its wing. While Sam was recovering and getting back on his feet, the dragon turned breathed its fire on his back, making the nord scream in pain, but at the same time when Ja'Nassi saw this she immediately casted the spell 'Heal Other' on Sam, and somehow her inner magic kicked in, thus her healing managed to overpower the burns of the dragon's flame, preventing the nord from suffering serious injuries.
The conflict was over, when the Dragonborn immediately came and easily slew the dragon after dealing with the frost breathing one.
The day went on after the dragons were slain, and their souls absorbed. Both Sam and Ja'Nassi had finally reached Sam's family manor, but Sam's parents were shocked to see their son covered in burn marks on his attire.
Sam's parents were caring compassionate people, being naturally fatherly and motherly. The father was a retired solider, now a wealthy merchant alongside his wife who owned the new tavern in Winterhold. They were always welcoming of Ja'Nassi ever since Sam met her at the college, and the mother was more than happy to use her natural cooking skills to prepare the best meals whenever the khajiit visited them.
Later at night, when the parents had turned in, Sam sat topless on the soft bed in his room, feeling the very few scar burns on his back as a result of the dragon's flame burning through his robes. There would have been a lot more if it weren't for Ja'Nassi's healing spell.
Then someone knocked on his room door, which revealed to be Ja'Nassi when he gave permission to enter. The khajiit was a little surprised, because she had never seen much of her nord friend's fair smooth-skinned appearance before, and she was also little more surprised to see how well-fit he looked.
"Hey Ja'Nassi," he welcomed the khajiit. "Need something?"
"Ja'Nassi prepared a regeneration potion for you," she said, offering the nord the red colored bottle. "It should stop the burns and have the scars healed by morning."
Sam didn't hesitate. He accepted her gift, and drank as she had hoped. "Thanks, you're a real life-saver."
"The Dragonborn also left us these gifts so can better defend ourselves next time," the khajiit said, presenting the nord with a sheathed sword. "Ja'Nassi has one as well in her room."
Sam took the sword and got excited. "This is an ebony sword. Such forged weapons and even armory are really expensive. Should I even accept these?"
"Ja'Nassi said the same thing to the Dragonborn, but he said it was problem, because he can buy enough of these for a hundred men and women," said Ja'Nassi, who chuckled a bit at her friend's reaction to the gift. "So, do you know how to use it?"
"A bit," he answered. "My father taught me a thing or two, and on occasion I do a little practice with my cousin, but never really needed to use them, because I rarely get into serious fights. What about you? Can you use yours?"
"A bit," she also answered. "Ja'Nassi 's sisters know how, and they taught her a thing or two as well so that she could defend herself if she didn't have time to prepare a spell."
"Oh yeah," Sam suddenly remembered," I almost forgot, I have something for you."
The nord got up from his bed and went to his dresser, while the khajiit sat and waited on his bed. The nord eventually returned to sitting on the bed as well. "I was going to give this to you after we earned our degree, but I couldn't wait, and now seemed like a good time to give it anyway."
The gift Sam offered was a golden ring with an emerald gem. This shocked Ja'Nassi as she took the ring. To think her friend would offer such a valuable jewel, and it shocked her even more when she sensed that it had a strong enchantment.
"Ja'Nassi cannot accept this Sam!" she said. "It's too great a gift!"
"All the more reason I want you to have it," he said. "It would make me happy if it makes you happy."
The khajiit looked at the ring in the palm of her furred hand. Her expression turned sad, a tear escaped from her eye. "Ja'Nassi feels awful, Sam. Ever since Ja'Nassi first met you at the college, you had been so kind and caring to Ja'Nassi. Always helping this one with the studies at the college, which Ja'Nassi passes because of you. You bring this one moon sugar on occasion because you know it is a favorite of khajjit culture. Ja'Nassi ends up becoming a special pupil in the college while you remain among the normal apprentices. And recently not only have you risked your life for Ja'Nassi by trying to protect her from a dragon, but now you offer Ja'Nassi this ring? And what do you get in return, burn scars?"
Ja'Nassi's hand reached behind Sam to gently touch the scars on his back, which the nord turned so that his back was fully shown while the khajiit moved more into the bed, looking behind him.
"And I would do it all again," he claimed, "Because I our friendship means that much to me."
The khajiit didn't reply, instead she continued to touch the scar on the nord's back. Sam didn't mind, he trusted his friend and allowed even the gentle caresses of her clawed fingers.
Eventually, Ja'Nassi's hand continued to explore the rest of Sam's back, and the nord silently allowed her to do so, but then he felt something unexpected. He felt the khajiit plant a kiss on a scar, and he made no reaction. The khajiit planted a kiss again, followed by a small gentle lick, and the nord still said nothing about it. Before Sam knew it, Ja'Nassi was kissing her and nibbling her way up his back, before she reached up to kiss his left shoulder, and nibble on his neck shoulder.
Sam didn't know why he was allowing it, but he couldn't help get excited from the Ja'Nassi's actions. Once the khajiit had kissed his neck, her left arm snaked around the nord's waist, while the other around his neck with her as she kissed his cheek. Then her hand gently moved and turned his face towards her, where she finally claimed his lips with hers. Sam offered no resistance, instead he submitted, and before he knew it, Ja'Nassi had him in a deeper kiss, and soon the hand of the arm she had around the nord's waist snaked down to unbuckle his trousers.
Nearly an hour later, Sam had his back laid on the bed, while Ja'Nassi rested on top of him, holding him while her slender furred body was pressed into his, while his arms held her, his hands caressing her back, and the bed sheet covered most of them both.
Sam didn't know what happened, but somehow he knew his friendship with Ja'Nassi had unexpectedly evolved into a romantic one. He never thought he would come to have such an intimate bond with this khajiit, and yet he never felt so happy before in his life.
The next term was going well for Sam in terms of studying and passing, but it also felt very lonely because Ja'Nassi was no longer attending the same lectures, nor would she be doing the same projects and research, not even group ones with Sam. The only time Sam would see Ja'Nassi was before and after the day's lectures, or whenever there were days off. Whenever possible, the couple would make every moment together count.
One day, Ja'Nassi was having another private lesson with vice-headmistress Catamilla. Under her tutelage, Ja'Nassi was not only making progress in studying the fields of magic, but she was slowly beginning to harness more of her inner magic. This time she was casting spells more with ease, including her summoning spells.
"Well done," said Catamilla, feeling pleased. "You continue to show improve and show promise, especially with your gift."
"Thank you, vice-headmistress," said Ja'Nassi, who was catching her breath from practicing her spells during the session.
The dunmer woman came to the young khajiit girl and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I think you are ready."
"Ready for what?" asked Ja'Nassi.
"For the next step in your training," said Catamilla. "Tomorrow we shall go someplace special."
"Oh?" the kahjiit was now curious.
The next day, the vice-headmistress took the khajiit girl away from both the college and Winterhold. They dunmer led Ja'Nassi near the mountains to the southwest, until they found and opened the entrance to one of the many ancient underground dwemer facilities and ruins beneath Skyrim.
Ja'Nassi was feeling very uncomfortable. She had never been in one of the ancient dwemer places, and she was amazed at the sight of all the active machinery, but they were alone, and they were doing deeper within the place, and fear slowly crept up on the khajiit because she had also heard of the many dangers that such places had, including the dwemer's still-active automation guard-creatures.
Finally, Catamilla brought Ja'Nassi to the place they came for. A large hall that not only filled with the dwemer machines but also had many things that appeared to have been recently setup, such as alchemy labs, as well as tables and shelves filled with new tools, books, ingredients, and other artifacts. What is this place? What was going on?
"Welcome to my lab," Catamilla said happily.
Now Ja'Nassi was both amazed and confused. "You have a lab here, in an ancient dwemer ruin!?"
As the khajiit wandered around the place looking at everything she passed by, the dunmer woman gave her explanation. "Yes. It is here that I collect information, do research, and perform my experiments."
Did Ja'Nassi hear correctly? "Research and experiments?"
"I create stronger magic, stronger potions, stronger drugs, stronger poisons, enchantments," the dumber continued to explain, as she approached the khajiit from behind, with a hand preparing a knockout spell, her face wearing a wicked smile, "and harnessing the magic of other living beings."
Just before Catamilla could touch Ja'Nassi with her knockout spell, the khajiit saw what was about to do from the reflection of one of the dwemer metals. Ja'Nassi dodged, but now the dunmer woman was preparing her magic spells, while Ja'Nassi prepared her own magic to defend herself, thus commencing a battle.
The two women fought with all their attended powers, with Catamilla only using enough power to weaken the khajiit girl, not kill her, while Ja'Nassi on the other was trying to use enough power to kill the dunmer if necessary. They both clashed with a series of spells, such as the lighting, flames, and ice of destruction spells, the summons and bound weapons of conjuration spells, the images and distractions of illusion spells, and they both recovered through the use of restoration and protection spells.
Then when Ja'Nassi was caught off guard and left open, Catamilla prepared a spell that the young khajiit girl had never seen or heard off, a spell invented by Catamilla based on her research and dark practices. Before Ja'Nassi can react, the dunmer unleashed her spell with her mouth shouted the unrelenting force of the Thu'um, while her hands released lighting, and the two combined into a terrifying power that both electrically shocked and blew Ja'Nassi upon its touch.
The khajiit girl was thrown backward towards the other side of the large stairs in the room, and she suffered a rag-dolled landing, while the spell had also caused her entire clothing and attire to be torn completely, leaving Ja'Nassi half-naked with only her undergarments and boots.
Catamilla laughed wickedly as she walked by the side of the stairs to see where the khajiit girl had landed, but instead the dunmer only a pair boots. Ja'Nassi apparently recovered, and tried to be clever by removing her boots and moving barefoot, allowing her to sneak around without making loud steps.
Though she felt weak from Catamilla's spell, Ja'Nassi had her ebony sword drawn and attempted to slash the dunmer from behind, but Catamilla was on to her and immediately turned and shout a different Thu'um, one that disarmed Ja'Nassi's sword from her, before dunmer woman casted lighting with both her hands, shocking the khajiit girl until she was so weak that she dropped on the floor unconscious.
The sun was gone, and the moons of nirn were up and high. Back at the College of Winterhold, and Sam was really worried because Ja'Nassi said that she would be back before nighttime from her trip with the vice-headmistress, except the hour was getting late and she still hasn't returned. Where is she?
Sam soon received an unexpected call from the main entrance. Someone came to see him, but it wasn't Ja'Nassi, it was a courier.
"I've been looking for you," he said to Sam. "Got something I'm supposed to deliver, your hands only. Let's see here. Yeah, got this note."
"From who?" Sam asked.
"Don't know," the courier answered, "some creepy khajiit woman in black robes. Couldn't see her face, but she paid me a pretty sum to get this delivered to your hands, though."
When the courier took his leave after his delivery was complete, Sam held the note to read the words that were written to him, words that brought grave news about his khajiit lover, explaining that her trip with Catamilla was all part of luring her into a trap.
The letter doesn't explain why Catamilla was doing this, nor did Sam know if this letter spoke the truth. There was no name of who sent the letter, but there were instructions on the location of where Catamilla took Ja'Nassi, plus the letter came with a map to help point out where to follow the instructions. Since his concern for Ja'Nassi was strong, and the fact that she still hasn't returned, Sam had more than enough reason to make preparations to leave immediately to find Ja'Nassi.
Sam found the location of the ancient dwemer ruins and entered the facility. He made his way through the dark halls but not with ease, as it turned out there were a lot of traps, both of the dwemer machines and recently set up magic ones, no doubt all by Catamilla. Still, Sam managed to avoid the traps without harm.
Once Sam finally reached the laboratory, he was shocked to see Ja'Nassi lying unconscious on a stone table, her arms and legs stretch and strapped. To add even more shock, Ja'Nassi suddenly started to growl and struggle, her body went through a brief change, her form gain a little more mass, her fur turned black and slightly more hairy, and her fangs and claws grew in size. Then her appearance quickly returned to normal, and she passed out again.
"Not to worry," said Catamilla, acknowledging the nord's presence as she stood by the khajiit on the stone table, caressing her slender form. "It is merely a temporary side effect that will pass."
"What did you do to her!?" Sam demanded.
The dunmer gave the nord the wicked smile. "I injected her with a very small portion of a new alchemic formula I brew up by a tiny mix of magicka with the combined blood of a werewolf, and a vampire lord. Don't worry; she won't turn into any of those."
Sam did not like what the dunmber explained. "Why would you do this!?"
"The formula only enhances some of her physical qualities, but it also further enhances the gifted magic she carries," Catamilla explained. "Now I shall drain every ounce of her power, and make it all mine."
"I'll kill you!" Sam shouted.
Catamilla laughed. "Interesting. Very well, I shall have some fun with you, before I finish with the khajiit. I've wanted to properly test the prototype of my formula for some time now."
As Sam prepared his spell on his left hand, while wielding his ebony sword on his right hand, Catamilla allowed her physical form to go through a transformation, turning into a creature that was not werewolf, not a vampire lord, but some kind of chimeric mutant of both. She appeared similarly to a vampire lord, but her skin was black like the fur of a werewolf, in fact her claws and fangs were like that of a werewolf.
Just as Ja'Nassi did before she was captured, Sam used everything in this power and all his knowledge in fields of magic to fight this dunmer-turned-monstrosity, but her monstrous physical and magical abilities were too much for an apprentice mage like Sam.
While Sam only inflicted minor damage to Catamilla, she still proved too powerful. His top clothing was torn in the fight, his torso had bleeding claw marks, and now Catamilla was holding the young nord high from his neck with her monster grip.
She giggled, somehow retaining her normal woman voice. "It was fun, but now it is time for you to die. Perhaps I could use your body for more work."
Before she could kill the nord, the Dragonborn appeared and used the unrelenting force of his dragon shout that blew Catamilla across the room while dropping the young nord in her hand. Then the Dragonbron charged the monster vice-headmistress he shouldn't have hired to take care of the College of Winterhold in his absence. A great battle was fought, but while gaining a few wounds, the Dragonborn had his dragonbone great sword plunge through Catamilla's heart, thus killing her.
While the Dragonborn was inspecting Catamilla's corpse, a recovered Sam on his feet ran towards the stone table that held Ja'Nassi, who regain conscious by the time the battle was over.
"Ja'Nassi!" Sam called, as he came to free her from her shackles.
"Sam!" she answered happily as he was freeing her.
Once the khajiit was freed, she sat up shared a tight hug with the nord, before they kissed passionately.
A year had passed since the incident with the deceased former vice-headmistress. Sam and Ja'Nassi had both achieved their degrees as adept mages, and sometime later they were married.
They spent their honeymoon traveling to all cities of Skyrim, before they settled in Solitude, working assistant mages in the Blue Palace. Then a few years later, Ja'Nassi was called back to the College of Winterhold, and she was surprised to hear that she was offered the position of being the new Arch-Mage of the college, replacing the Dragonborn who was said to have disappeared.
Ja'Nassi accepted the position, and both she and her nord husband returned to Winterhold, moving into the mansion of Sam's family, and from there they would work in the college, with Ja'Nassi as the arch-mage, while Sam in the position of vice-headmaster.
Eventually sat some point, the happy couple was expecting a child, and they planned to have more afterwards, but the children would also inherit their mother's gifted magic, and the unnatural enhancements she gained from Catamilla's experiments.