She was in his arms, and he was afraid that if he opened his eyes, she would fade away as she had for the last millennia.

Mora had thoroughly enjoyed his suffering when he presented her to him for the first time, and somehow, each time he saw her over and over again, it flayed every wound he fought to close open. No doubt just as Mora had intended.

His heart began to beat rapidly, and all common thoughts fled. He was enraptured by her again, but this time, he was touching her. He could feel her heart beating against his chest, and her breaths ghosted across his skin.

"Miraak," she paused and took a shuddering breath as her body shook. "You're alive."

She was truly here.

"You're here," he breathed harshly. His mind fighting if this were reality or fiction.

So many regrets swirled around his mind, and he wasn't going to add to them.

He brought his lips to hers and kissed her softly at first before his hands trailed over her body. He tangled one gently in her hair as his kisses became more fervent.

A soft moan left her mouth as their lips parted for a fleeting moment, and the sound grounded him. He placed a kiss to her forehead before taking a small step back to keep himself from kissing her again.

They needed to talk and delaying it would be ignorant. He could control himself.

"How are you here?"

Orion looked lost in thought for a second before her icy blue eyes cleared. "A book in the temple by your study brought me here," she answered him gently.

He brushed away her tears with the pads of his thumbs before taking her hands in his. "I grieve that you had to see the temple that way." She only nodded. "As you saw already, restoration is underway."

"Yes," she said and wrapped her small hands tighter around his. "Miraak, how am I to free you from this plane of Oblivion?"

Her face twisted with worry, and the fire of her soul began to burn in her eyes. Her soul was calling out to him, and he pulled on the tether harder. Her eyes widened but the fire didn't dull. It only grew brighter.

"Everything is set into motion," he answered her. "We only have to let everything fall into place."

Her chest rose and fell heavily with a deep breath, and before he knew it, she was wrapping her body around his again, almost like a viper coiling around its prey.

"Tell me," she demanded as her hands danced across his chest. "Why did our people attack me and accuse of me of being a false dragonborn?"

A sigh blew from his lips as he tucked his fingers under her chin to force her to look upon him. "Hermaeous Mora. He is a fickle master."

Her lips pressed together, and he could almost see the gears grinding in her head piecing everything together. "And I suppose he wished for us to fight?" she said with a shake of her head before trailing her fingers up his neck. "What a pity that would have been."

Her arms snaked around his neck, and she tugged him down to her eager mouth. Her silken lips took his breath away, and he knew he would never tire of her.

Her hands tugged at the clasps of his robes, successfully undressing his torso. Her nails gently traced every scar before her mouth left his and began peppering kisses down his neck.

He had no doubt that this was reality now. Mora would never allow him to indulge his fantasies.

He gently tugged her back up to his lips, giving her one final long kiss before stepping back. He wanted nothing more than to continue what she had started, but it was unwise.

Orion was in Apocrypha, and if the Daedric Prince had his way, he would enslave her in his realm just as he had enslaved himself. He could never allow that to happen.

Her swollen lips were set into a pout, and worry flashed across her eyes. He kissed the inside of her wrist and pulled her against him once more.

"Not here," he said and planted a kiss in her blonde hair. "I cannot allow you to become ensnared here."

She nodded in her agreement. "Always the rash one," she laughed, and the sound of her laughter caused him to smile.

"I will join you in Tamriel shortly. It is only a matter of time before I am free of this decrepit place."

Her lips captured his once again, quickly. He answered her in kind before she broke away.

"I cannot wait to have you with me, dii faasnu kinbo (my fearless leader)."

His breath left his lungs as he watched her turn and walk away. "Mal dovah," he said as he watched her disappear from Apocrypha and depart from his sight.