When she finally had come to, she was sprawled out on the floor of the Pantheon. Akatosh stood over her in his fearsome dragon form, but for some reason she was not intimidated by him. In fact, she had seemed to pay him little mind. Because in that instant, she was flooded with the answers to her own riddle. And it was not pretty.
Her body flailed for a moment, and she let loose with a petrifying shriek.
"Akatosh, we cannot let this happen!" she cried as she ran to the dragon's claws and knelt, her sobs echoing across the hall. "Oh Gods, she doesn't deserve this. Don't do this to her, oh please father, spare her!"
But Akatosh stared at her, unfazed by her breakdown. Instead he said blandly, "We cannot disrupt Fate, Dibella. We can only see it and alert the mortals of it."
"But you control Fate!" Dibella screamed as she choked out more tears.
"No, no, my dear, I can only control some Fate. But we are overruled by some formless master that gives the information to us. And quite frankly, I'm not quite sure what or why it happens."
Pounding her fist, Dibella cried out in an angry sob, "But this is terrible! She has been nothing but faithful to me and my teachings and this is how she is repaid? This isn't how love is supposed to work! This isn't how women are meant to be treated!"
Akatosh spread his wings and calmly said, "Maybe it isn't what you meant love to be, but you are forgetting that the mortals make their own interpretations. They can corrupt our teachings into what they want to hear. This is part of the reason I sent you to Tamriel; so that you could see for yourself how we are perceived. But, my dear, I'm afraid I'm not sure what you are so worried about."
Dibella choked back a sob and blinked hard. "I'm… I'm not sure, my Lord. What were we talking about?"
At that moment, a black portal opened up and the room was engulfed in dark shadows. Dibella stood up in a panicked hurry, but Akatosh only glanced at his watch and murmured, "Tea time already?"
Wait, when did Akatosh ever wear a watch?
Through the portal came two figured Dibella recognized all too well; the Mistress of Betrayal- Boethiah and Sheogorath, the Prince of Madness. Boethiah waved her hand and suddenly held a sort of amulet. Sheogorath extended a hand towards her and snatched the necklace. Keeping the necklace in his extended arm, he slowly turned and walked towards Dibella very slowly. But his hand, unlike the rest of his purple robes, was black as night and cold as shadows. Dibella tried to back away, but every step she took back brought him three feet closer.
When he was in front of her face, he stood absolutely still for a few moments. She was trapped, being forced to look into his purple eyes. "Good morning sunshine!" he yelled. And like that, everything disappeared.
"Di- *hic* Dianne," slurred a voice about Dibella's head.
Slowly, she opened her eyes and winced. Her vision was fuzzy and the light burned.
"C'mon, time to get up," Fastred giggled as she playfully hit her with a pillow.
"Ugh, I'm getting up, okay? Look, here I go," Dibella groaned as she heaved herself up. She had a pounding headache and felt uncoordinated as hell. She had hangovers before, but none quite like this. Mundus was taking its toll on her.
"You must've been having a funny dream. You kept talking about *hic* some Daedra, hah." Fastred stumbled over to one of the dressers in their room.
"Fastred, I don't dream. Never have," Dibella began to laugh. She must have just passed out and returned to the Pantheon, but oddly enough she couldn't seem to remember what had taken place. She only remembered the amulet and the strange black hand of Sheogorath. Or was it Akatosh with the black hand? Or was it Dawn's? Wait, she didn't know anyone named Dawn. "What happened last night?" she asked Fastred.
"We partied a bit," Fastred said dreamily as she pulled on her uniform for work at the docks. "Sang some songs, drank some mead, and danced like we've never danced before. Around midnight Aquillius went home and I took you upstairs. Thank the Gods you didn't pass out again,"
Dibella shook her head, confused. Maybe… maybe she didn't go to the Pantheon at all. Maybe…for the first time in eternity… Lady Dibella had a dream. This worried her.
"Well, where are you off to? "she asked Fastred, who was squeezing into the dress she had bought the other day.
"Oh, Aquillius and I are going to stroll for a bit. Then we have to go sort out how to deal with the Emperor's death. We should be back at dusk… or a little while after."
"And you plan to go half-drunk?" Dibella asked hastily, but Fastred left before she could answer.
"That girl…" Dibella muttered as she eased through the pain. Dressing herself was torturous. Every little noise she made rang through her temples like an anvil.
As she made her way downstairs, she found herself very concerned over the fact that she had a dream. See, dreams were controlled by the Daedra, whom the Aedra have an eternal rivalry with. But they cannot affect each other unless in mortal domain. Since Dibella was on Tamriel in a mortal form, she had been reached by Vaermina. Now, the Webspinner may not have realized that Dianne was actually Dibella, but it most likely wouldn't take her very long to put two and two together. Even though her body was mortal, her soul was divine. It was only a matter of time before the Daedra caught on to what they were doing.
But this sprung up other questions... Had every one of her encounters with Akatosh been a dream? No, no… it all had felt too real… Or did it? She couldn't remember at all!
Trying to put it out of her mind, Dibella sat at the bar and ordered some Apple Cabbage Stew from Corpulus for breakfast. As she ate, her mind was fluttering frantically as it tried to distinguish the mortal realm from the immortal. Only was she pulled back by Sorex as he sat down across from her.
"I need an excuse to stop cleaning," he chuckled as he pulled out a chair. "How are you Dianne? Feeling okay after last night?"
Dibella let out a golden laugh and swigged some water. "I have an awful headache. Fastred was half-drunk still as she left this morning."
Sorex's expression turned to concern. "I carried both of you up to your room last night. You fell asleep in my arms during one of the songs, and when I came back down from putting you to bed Fastred was out cold at the bar. After I put Fastred in bed with you I was hoping to get to see my friend Vivienne, but she left by the time I came down. So did quite a few others…"
Dibella patted his shoulder reassuringly. "I'm sure she'll be back soon."
Sorex smiled. "Yes, you're right. She comes here about every night. I've been sweet on her for the longest time. I'm hoping one of these nights I'll get the courage to ask her to dance. But whenever I feel like I'm finally getting closer to her, she suddenly backs off like she's hiding something… it's all very strange.
Dibella's laughter brightened the room as she said, "Well, Sorex, we're women. Some of us just like to have a little fun."
With a parting wink, she headed out to walk outside the city while Sorex sulked and finished off his morning tea.
It was a beautiful day. As she strolled along the cobblestone paths above the river, she noted the crystal blue skies, the blooming flowers with the same hue as her lips, and the hawks dancing a number in the gentle breeze.
As she passed Katla's farm, a figure in red blacksmith's robes caught her eye as he stood on the side of the road. As she slowly approached him, she was rendered to a spot as she stopped and stared at him, utterly entranced. His eyes were brown; but a beautiful, inviting shade that reminded her of splendid parties. And yet, it also brought back painful memories of watching her favorite heroes perish in battle. The longer she gazed into those divine eyes, the more the memories seemed to cycle.
His beard and hair were neatly trimmed, but his robes were stained and tattered, as if he'd been working on a messy project for a while. It was disgusting…yet so entrancing.
"Good day, my lady," he said in a booming, yet curiously inviting voice.
"Good day, sir, "was all Dibella could choke out as her electric blue eyes were taken hold by the stare of the brown ones.
"I'm known as Amriel," he said as he reached for a burlap sack. "I've been wandering Skyrim selling these amulets that I've worked very hard to create." As he said this, he drew out some of the most beautiful necklaces Dibella had ever seen.
"Oh my," she whispered in awe as she ever so gently picked up one to examine it. As she held it in her hands, she was suddenly reminded of something. The way that the center charm resembled an upside-down lotus bloom… the purple amethyst adorning the bud…
"This…this is an Amulet of Dibella…" she whispered as she gently caressed the fragile beads in her godly hands.
He smiled brightly at her. "You recognize this?" he asked as if to reassure himself.
"More than you would know,"
"It's simply stunning…just like the goddess herself"
Dibella's cheeks flushed at the sudden flattery. Quickly, she struggled to compose herself. "I simply must have one. Actually, make it two. I have a friend who needs the extra guidance…" she added with a wink.
With gentle hands, but a determined look that resembled Akatosh himself crossed Amriel's gentle face. He carefully pulled out two amulets as Dibella searched for a means to pay him.
"I'm sorry sir, it seems I forgot my coin purse in the Winking Skeever… Would you like to accompany me so I can retrieve it?"
He laughed a hearty laugh that warmed up every part of Dibella's being. It was odd, the way this mortal made her feel so… common. For a second, a hideous thought passed her mind. She tried to shake it out…but the question kept fluttering back. Was it possible that Dibella had just fallen under her greatest gift yet most sinful curse… love at first sight?
His glorious eyes locked into hers as he chuckled, "For anyone else, I'd charge a small fortune for these. But for you, darling lady, you must pay me in your company as we walk back to Solitude. I'm staying in the Blue Palace for a few days so that I may help General Tullius by making great armor for his highest officials."
As Dibella thanked him many, many times, he turned her around and placed both amulets carefully around her neck. As they walked, he told the most wonderful tales about turmoil in Riften, shrines to Talos throughout the tundra of Winterhold, and how he was attacked by a werewolf who had just slain a vampire.
"I never did ask you what your name was," he said as they approached the main gate.
"It's Dib… Dianne. My name is Dianne." She said, quickly catching herself as her clumsy tongue almost gave away her identity.
"What a beautiful name. What brings you to Solitude, Dianne?"
"I've travelling here with my friend Fastred. She's trying to find love, and I'm trying to learn more about Dibella…and myself. "
"Ah, now I see why you bought those amulets. Yes, I've heard some unpleasant things about Dibella's worshippers. It's a shame. I highly doubt that's what Dibella intended her worship to be like."
This caught her interest. "Really? What are they doing?"
"Oh, I'm not entirely sure, to be honest. I've only heard bits and rumors about the matter."
"Oh…" Dibella said, disappointed.
That was the last of their conversation. She left his side as she passed the door to the Winking Skeever. The sun was just beginning to tickle the horizon of the earth as it began its descent. This should mean that Fastred would be inside. But it wasn't likely to be that way…
"Perhaps I'll see you around?" she asked Amriel one last time, trying to absorb as much of his stunning aura as she could.
"I'll have to drop by the inn tomorrow night for some drinks.
Dibella smiled. "I'll see you then. Goodnight!"
"Goodnight, Dianne!"
She didn't enter the inn until he was out of her sightline. Waltzing into the bar, she dramatically flopped onto the stool, draped her hand across her forehead, and sighed loudly.
"What's gotten into you?" chuckled Sorex as he washed some mugs.
"I'm in love, Sorex, that's what happened!" she dragged out each word and leaned into his face as she spoke. When she finished talking, she jumped up laughing. Running behind the bar, she grabbed Sorex and jumped onto his back, yelling excitedly. The two laughed uncontrollably, and Dibella was reminded of how she and Arkay would do this very same thing when they were both hopelessly drunk.
When they had calmed down, Dibella told Sorex everything about her day.
"And the best part; he's a blacksmith! But not just any ordinary blacksmith… he specializes in Divine Amulets. Look!" she pulled the two Amulets of Dibella out of her dress and showed Sorex.
"I didn't know you were into the religious type." Sorex teased as he examined the amulets. "Why do you have two?"
"One for me and another for-"
Suddenly the door to the inn was flung open and in slumped Fastred, tired and alone. Dibella, high off love, failed to realize this, and ran forward to grab Fastred.
"Fastred! Fastred, darling! Look, I bought you an amulet of Dibella from the nicest man today!"
"Huh? Oh, thanks Dianne. I'm going to go take a nap…" Fastred sulked upstairs without another word.
"She doesn't look too happy…" Sorex said once the door to her room slammed shut.
"I wonder what's wrong." Dibella said, concerned.
Sorex leaned in for a moment and whispered, "I have a guess as to what it is."
"What?"
"Something happened with Aquillius. I'm sure of it."
"That's insane. He cares about her."
"Oh, that's only because she's a beautiful girl. Aquillius was a real womanizer until he met Vittoria. She was the only girl he truly cared about, and she was crushed under a statue on her wedding day. It was already the worst day for Aquillius because he was losing his precious Vittoria to a filthy Stormcloak Nord. Her death only made things worse. Now it seems he's back to his old ways."
Dibella, even though one would think she understood true love the most, doubted Sorex. "Aquillius is very good to her. They are very good friends, but not lovers. I'm almost sure of it. I'll go and talk to her."
"Alright, but don't say I didn't warn you. Are you coming down for drinks tonight?"
"Are you kidding me? I'm probably still drunk from yesterday."
This made him chuckle. "Well, I'll come up and check on you later. I'll bring you some dinner."
"Thank you, Sorex. I'll tell you what I find out." Dibella said as she climbed up the stairs to check on Fastred.