-Skyrim Tomb-
Once back in the throne room Zirasha moves for the door and heads out into the snow and after a few moments, Tyranius follows. Jeziasi watches them go, before moving to Viperish Night who has settled in his throne and lies at his feet, her head on her paws. She growls softly as Swims-in-Silence approaches her. "No biting, pet." Viperish Night reminds her, though his eyes stay narrowed in anger at Swims-in-Silence. "Remember, she is my pet," Viperish Night warns.
Swims-in-Silence crouches by Jeziasi's side and touches her fur. "It has been a while since I've seen you in fur," Swims-in-Silence hisses. "And still you submit to our son even as this." Swims-in-Silence laughs. "You have gotten good at submitting." Jeziasi's growl reverberates through her werewolf form, her claws scratch the stone but she stays lying down. Swims-in-Silence tilts his head toward Viperish Night. "She still hates me. Do you hate me still?" he asks. Viperish Night's eyes fill with rage and hate and he just hisses at Swims-in-Silence. Swims-in-Silence laughs again and stands, turning to go. His portal opens and he glances back, a feral grin crossing his face. "The heroes have returned. They know the truth, I can see it in your eyes, my mate. They will tell your kitty. Your former allies. And they will tell the world. Everyone will know that you submitted to me."
"Enough!" Viperish Night snaps as Jeziasi shudders and starts to rise. Viperish Night places a clawed hand on her back. "Stay," he says softly. She growls, sending baleful eyes full of hate at Swims-in-Silence. "You seem to want her to bite you," Viperish Night says. Swims-in-Silence turns his head back to the portal and just laughs as he passes through.
Viperish Night stands and tugs on the leash. "Come, pet." Viperish Night says and leads Jeziasi out of the throne room. Once they are near her room, he quickly takes the improvised collar from her neck, and Jeziasi shifts back and turns to Viperish Night. His eyes are stormy tonight, more so than usual. "...That Argonian is of the Hist," Viperish Night hisses. "She dared try to shift my river. As if she or the Hist can make up for the pain they caused me. Cast me from their river, for what I could not control. She even dared call me by THAT name. I threw it away, as the Hist threw me away."
Jeziasi moves closer. "Viperish Night... will you tell me?" At his glare, she takes his hand in her own. "I want to know what they called my son when he was hatched. I will never call you that, Viperish Night. Never. I just want to know."
Viperish Night gazes into her eyes. "Keerasi-Zish," he finally says. "But it is of the past. It is not who I am."'
Jeziasi quietly nods. "I am not what I once was either..." she trails off. "They have come for us at last. They will be at every battle if they can. They will come at us with no mercy, and full intent to kill." Jeziasi thinks back on the battle. How different Theodyn was. She had not known him for long, but she knew he was gentle, kind. This Theodyn was cold, merciless. What had Meridia done to him? Jeziasi closes her eyes as a shudder passes through her. She could not kill her son, so they had to become something perhaps akin to monsters to fight the monsters.
"Egg-Mother?" Viperish Night says. Jeziasi opens her eyes and blinks a few times as the world seems to spin. Her eyes flicker closed and she can feel Viperish Night's hands grip her arms as she sways and nearly falls. The events of the night swirl all around her. Such chaos and death. Coming face to face with one of the four heroes she knew, the things Theodyn had said. Her failures, so very many. Failed to see Swims-In-Silences truth. Failed to steer her son off his course of madness. And even with all the failures, Hircine still returned her wolf to her. And yet, she still had to submit and endure what she must, for they are still missing something. The world seems to roar and Jeziasi straightens up and starts to back away from Viperish Night until she hits the wall. "Egg-Mother?" Viperish Night asks again sounding distressed.
Jeziasi focuses on her son's eyes. She can still see what she swam towards in those eyes. Nearly lost in the deapths of death and madness. She will not be able to save him, no matter what she does. This will never ever end well. Jeziasi moves toward Viperish Night and rests her head against his, shaking uncontrollably. "I cannot save you," Jeziasi whispers. "You do not even want to be saved. You don't even think you deserve it." Jeziasi wraps her arms around Viperish Night and he nearly starts back before leaning into her and finally wrapping his arms around her as well, tremors coursing through him.
"Egg-Mother, please," Viperish Night says with a broken hiss. "You cannot think I deserve anything. I am a monster, it's the only thing I know of to be, the only thing that makes sense. The only way the world cannot hurt me. I deserve nothing."
"Perhaps neither of us deserve saving," Jeziasi whispers. "But you're wrong. You deserve to be loved."
"No..." Viperish Night tries to say, but Jeziasi interrupts him.
"Yes," Jeziasi says. "And I was not the only one in your life to think so."
Viperish Night closes his eyes. One other had loved him, thought him worth loving despite it all. "Egg-Mother, you undo me," Viperish Night says. "I cannot change the river any longer. Any other path would torture me beyond the brink of madness. There is the only agony outside the river. I cannot bear it."
Jeziasi moves her hand to his face. "I'll ask but once, my son. Is there any way to change this?" she asks, her eyes staring deep within his own.
Viperish Night stills. "I drown, Egg-Mother. I cannot breathe, cannot be why they scream in my head. A clammer of the living, clawing at my soul." Viperish Night pulls back and once more grips Jeziasi's arms with his claws. "I am lost and there is no way out. The only path I see is death. Only its silence calms me, makes the torture stop. They deserve no mercy. They will get no mercy." Viperish Night stares back at Jeziasi, deep within their depths is madness, pain and despair, and icy darkness, but also fear. Such fear that she will turn from him, for he cannot change his course.
"I will follow you into Oblivion if I must," Jeziasi says. "Nothing will change that. The only way I will leave your side is if I die. I love you, and I will love you until the end." She stares up at him, tears in her eyes. "You know the ways this will end. It was never going to be a happy ending."
"How can you love me?" Viperish Night rasps as he lowers his head. "You should not love me. Am I not just a monster, just an abomination."
Not a question, it is what he thinks he is. "Viperish Night," Jeziasi whispers, unable to keep the pain from her voice. "How can I not? I am your Egg-Mother, and for most of your life I never even knew it. Now that I do, I can only love you. Even if you continue in this river, and you will, won't you." Not a question either. Just truth that cannot be denied.
Viperish Night is silent for a moment before continuing. "I only know despair, Egg-mother," Viperish Night says. "Death keeps it from overwhelming me. Death quiets the pain that threatens to destroy me."
"Death also draws you closer to him. Just remember that. Stay your own master," Jeziasi says.
Viperish Night lowers his head. "I hate him. Hate enough to drown him in it. He will not get either of us. I promise we will hunt and kill him. I will bath Nirn in his blood for both of us." Viperish Night's hands fall from Jeziasi's arms and he looks at her one last time before turning and walking away.
Jeziasi watches him walk away. What she has swum so deep for is still in his eyes. She will not swim to the surface, she will drown in his river with him, since she cannot save him. Jeziasi turns and heads into her room.
Zirasha wanders out in the snow, her thoughts seem to consume her this night. She finds her way to the skeleton dragon and leaps onto its mound and rests between its claws, staring out at the predawn night. Tyranius finds her like this awhile later, his armor off for repair. Tyranius studies her. "You turned someone, girl." he, at last, says, breaking the silence.
"She wanted it," Zirasha says. "She knew the cost..." Zirasha trails off, her thoughts returning to what had been bothering her this night. Tyranius just leans against the mound and waits for her to continue. "I love it," Zirasha says. "But Swims-In-Silence never asked me first. Just promised a way to make the fear vanish forever."
"Bargaining with Princes always works like that, girl." Tyranius says. "they are never upfront with us mortals. He danged a carrot in front of your face. One you could not resist." Tyranius shrugs. "Did the same to me. Power was my carrot. Did not like I had to kneel for it, though." Tyranius falls silent, an odd look crossing his face.
Zirasha notices and hisses. "Brute?" she asks, followed by, "Tyranius?"
"Damn," Tyranius breaths. "Have to tell pup." At Zirasha's confused look Tyranius adds, "That's why we can't spring on Swims-In-Silence. Us four are enough to take him out but..."
"But?" Zirasha says.
"What if he can take control of the dead from pup?" Tyranius says with a dark look in his eyes. "What if he can control you because he made you? Me because I'm his champion? Pup cause he's his son?"
Zirasha sits straight up. "Tyranius, do not say that!" She hisses angrily. "That can't be true. He could do anything to us if that was true!"
"Why else would Pup and Wolfy hesitate? They knew something was missing. This, this might be it." Tyranius says.
"Bastard set us up," Zirasha says, her fingers curling around the dragon's claw.
"Still a chance," Tyranius says. "Catch him unawares. Might be enough. If pup can get Swims-In-Silence to think he's his, that wolfy will never so much as disobey her son, might be able to pull it off." Tyranius looks at Zirasha. "Has to look real. I'll talk to the pup, you talk to wolfy later."
Zirasha's fingers grip the dragon's claw tighter. "What if it becomes real, Tyranius? Viperish Night... he's more lost in the dark than me," she asks.
Tyranius shrugs. "Pup's the boss. Real or not, follow him till the end, no matter what end that is," he answers.
Zirasha hisses again. "I should not trust a brute imperial like you. But..." Zirasha's eyes lock onto his. "We are pack," she says.
Tyranius laughs. "Long as I don't have to kneel to Hircine, fine by me girl."
Tired in every way, Jeziasi cannot do anything once back in her room but fall into a deep sleep despite her fear of what dreams may bring.
Soft grass, the sounds and smells of the forest greets her as Jeziasi sits up. Hircine had brought her here a few times this past week, giving her much needed peace and rest. This time, he is here though, again in his Arawn form. "My champion," Hircine greets her with a smile. "Your hunt with Meridia's champion amused me."
"My Prince," Jeziasi says, and then frowns slightly. "I did not think..." she trails off.
"It was time, and it will further deepen the illusion you and your son have set into place," Hircine tells her.
"I could have sprung on Swims-In-Silence tonight," Jeziasi says with a growl. "He was right in front of me, my jaws..." Jeziasi trails off at Hircine's disapproving look.
"Jeziasi, you have not attacked because of your instincts. Do you not see what they are telling you?" Hircine lectors.
"To wait," Jeziasi answers. "To stalk him and continue to stalk him. But I do not know why."
"You do," Hircine says as he regards her. "You have developed a near-fatal flaw since you first became my wolf. You see what is in front of you, but some part of you fails to see the truth of it. You must overcome this. You know what it already has cost you. Jeziasi, look at your pack. You see them as that, and that is what they want to be. But what links all of you?"
Sees things...as she wants them to be. As what they want to be. Is that the way of it? Why she failed to see Swims-In-Silence's truth? A chill runs down her spine. "...Molag Bal," Jeziasi whispers. He is the one to create them all. Tyranius is his champion. Zirasha was gifted to be an original. Her son... "He can control them." Jeziasi whispers. "If I strike now I may find my pack with their fangs against my throat even if they do not wish it."
"They may yet be strong enough to resist. But if not the hunt fails," Hircine says.
Jeziasi falls silent, complementing. "How far am I going to have to take this deception?" she whispers. How far can she stand it?
"You know the answer to that, too," Hircine tells her. "This is a dangerous hunt. If your son falls under Molag Bal's sway, it may be lost."
Jeziasi growls softly. "Even then, I will not kill my son, Hircine."
"A mother wolf's devotion knows no bounds. This, I understand. But if the hunt fails and you follow Viperish Night into the depths of Coldharbour, I will strip all I have bestowed upon you and the Wild Hunt will come for you." Hircine says, as a shimmer of his true form can be seen. Jeziasi lowers her head and is silent. She will hunt Swims-In-Silence, but if Viperish Night falls if she cannot keep him from his Egg-father's grasp...she can make no promises to her Prince. "Jeziasi," Hircine says, and she looks back up at him. "One more thing you must know."
Something in his eyes chills Jeziasi to the bone. "I do not want to know this, do I?" she whispers. "But I must, so tell me, my Prince."
"You regain your strength," Hircine says. "You already know you let yourself be hunted, I say this not to further hurt you, but because I do not think you know this," he pauses, searching Jeziasi's eyes before continuing. "You bonded with Swims-in-Silence, do you still think this was a normal Argonian bonding?"
Jeziasi's eyes flare and a chill runs down her spine. Her mind flashes back on those hated memories. The nights her instincts screamed at her, tried to wake her up from the dream she had thrown herself into. And each and every time that happened, Swims-In-Silence would touch her so gently and whisper a single word, sleep. And she had slept, and her instincts had quieted. "I..." she trails off as words fail.
"You willingly went with him, willingly bonded with him, let yourself be hunted, let yourself be leashed," Hircine says, a hint of anger in his voice. "But you would have woken yourself up, my champion. It would have taken you a few days, perhaps a week. But you would have known his truth and snapped your fangs around his throat."
The truth of it flows through Jeziasi. She thought herself utterly to blame for this. All of this, and she was in a large part. But this... "He knew I would realize the truth, sooner or later. And it would be too soon for his plans to be finished. He needed to bind me, leash me. And he needed me to agree to it." Jeziasi gets up and nearly slams her fist into a tree before stopping herself, instead just resting her hands against it, breathing raggedly. "Tyranius was right. I do need to stop blaming myself for all of this," Jeziasi whispers.
Hircine rises and moves closer to her. "You were caught in a trap by a Daedric Prince, my wolf. If you think yourself solely to blame for that, and all that comes after..."
"I am a fool," Jeziasi finishes. "I do not wish to be that, my Prince." she turns and looks at him. "I am still bonded to that monster. Can he control me, still?"
"No," Hircine says. "You took back your strength, and you are now my champion. You can fight and break free of any order he tries to give you."
His eyes, so serious. Jeziasi reads the truth in them. "But if I am Viperish Night's loyal wolf, then I should not have that kind of strength. If I am submissive to my son."
"If he tries, he shows his hand," Hircine says. "But if you resist, you show yours. You walk a dangerous line now. But you know the truth of it."
Jeziasi represses a shudder. "I understand. Prince Hircine, how do I break this bonding? I know I must wait, but when the hunt begins?"
"Killing Swims-In-Silence will break it," Hircine says. "He bonded you in mortal form, so all you have to do is take his mortal life. Be strong, my wolf. The coming days will test you, and Viperish Night."
The forest and Hircine fades.
Tyranius stops by Viperish Night's room and leans against the wall outside of it. "Pup, talk to you?" he asks.
Viperish Night raises his head. He's sitting on the ground trying to calm his thoughts, emotions. Seeing his Egg-mother so upset had shaken him. He could not, would not stop but her tears stung him like acid... and the fact that she would stay with him, love him... "Yes," Viperish Night softly hisses.
Tyranius enters, glancing around once before leaning against the wall arms crossed. Viperish Night looks up at Tyranius. The brutal Imperial, champion of Molag Bal, now content to serve him. Viperish Night tilts his head. "Why?" he asks curiously.
Tyranius studies him. "I may be a brute, but I know what commanders should be. They should be down in the mud and filth with their men. Sure, Mannimarco gave me rank and command and Molag Bal gave me power, but they kept out of the mud for the most part. You don't, and you could easily." Tyranius smirks. "You like being in the mud and blood, same as us."
Viperish Night laughs. "Once, perhaps not. When one becomes a monster, the horrific becomes something altogether different. Darkness seems to be joy, in a fashion." Viperish Night falls silent, thinking. "I wish Egg-Mother could embrace this truth faster. Her pain would lessen."
"But not stop," Tyranius says as his eyes look at the claw marks in the walls. "Pup, you and Zirasha are different than me. I always was a savage brute, never once questioned it, never once did I feel bad about anything I've done." Tyranius shrugs.
"And us?" Viperish Night asks.
"You know that, Viperish Night." Tyranius answers. "What I know of Zirasha and you, both of you could have gone the other way. Damn world, damn people forced you this way. Your both monsters now. Both know to revel in it is to eclipse your pain, for a while. Always seeking the day the pain is gone."
"More than just a brute," Viperish Night hisses.
Tyranius shrugs. "Highborn Imperial family. Learned to use brain as well as brawn." Tyranius looks down at Viperish Night. "You know the day the pain is gone is the day you lose the part of you that your Egg-mother sees right?"
Viperish Night's hiss turns angry. "She will still stay. Still love me."
"Pup, it's good either way with me," Tyranius says. "But will you still care about any of that, then?" Viperish Night narrows his eyes and Tyranius continues. "Drown everything but the darkness if you want pup. Just saying, she'll drown herself with you."
Viperish Night closes his eyes. "What do you want?" he asks.
"Think I know Swims-In-Silence's secret, pup," Tyranius says. "You are not going to like it."
Tyranius leaves Viperish Night's room a few minutes after, Viperish Night's enraged howl following him as he walks to his room. "Damn it, that could have gone better," Tyranius says.
-Elden Root-
Iveryni watches Theodyn pace back and forth in the meeting room. It seems like a lifetime since they last were here, all together. Softly-Spoken-Crab is sitting on the floor with her staff across her lap. Rufico is leaning against the wall, so silent he seems not to be there. Iveryni finally sits down at the table as they await Razum-dar, and her eyes close, her hand moving to her neck and the scars that linger there.
After the flames engulfed her, after they purified her of any remaining weakness, Iveryni was drawn back to her body and it was a violent reentry. The fire endowed in her soul allowed her body to return to functionality, though she nearly set the room on fire in the process, and terrifying the healer Iriea quite badly. When Iveryni was aligned with her body once more and able to call back the flames, she found herself as she had been in the Deadlands. Older, stronger. How long had passed in Oblivion? Two, perhaps three years. Iveryni opens her eyes again to regard her companions, she saw it had been the same for them as well. Just over six months had passed on Nirn, but the four had traveled beyond that.
Rufico studies his friends with small movements of his eyes. How much time had passed in The Void...time seemed meaningless there. His training had intensified in that place, though now back on Nirn some of his memories of The Void seemed to elude him, like a barely remembered dream. The Void was death, beyond death, and yet he was alive there. The beginning, the end, more than a mortal mind should be able to handle. Rufico had struggled at first until he had become accustomed to it. The shadows beyond reaching, an awareness of Sithis who loomed ever present. Sithis was The Void, and The Void was Sithis. Whispers in the dark from the Night Mother and those brothers and sisters that had joined The Void. Rufico had trained with many, and after they had melted back into the inky darkness. Perhaps they were The Void and Sithis as well. Such would be Rufico's fate, one day. The Void had taught him much, showed him much. It even showed him Jeziasi, when she had been one of the Dark Brotherhood. Strange to think of the hero of Nirn doing such a thing. A murder in a church, carrying out the Dark Brotherhood's will. She sought control, for the wolf had briefly overcome her.
Rufico pulls out of his thoughts, again focusing on his friends. The cool collected Iveryni now seemed wild and untamed like a forest fire, even in silence. Softly-Spoken-Crab, calm as she had always been, but with a spine of steel now. He saw she chose not to kill the Reachmen but felt that she would do so without hesitation when she needed to. And Theodyn... Rufico frowns. His friend had walked down the path of light, but he seemed so cold for it, so unforgiving.
Softly-Speckled-Crab meditates, delighted to feel the Valenwood gain. In the roots, in a place between time, she had trained with those The Hist brought her from times long since past. Illusions or actuality? Softly-Speckled-Crab still did not know. It had been a dreamlike state much as Azura's communications in the past to her had been. Softly-Speckled-Crab had trained with Argonians, Wyrd Sisters, Bosmer. Life magic grew within Softly-Speckled-Crab and she strove to feel the force of it. The beauty and the inevitability, for all, returned to the marsh in time. Softly-Speckled-Crab could feel the great Elden Root tree, and through it her dear friends. Iveryni felt of newly born fire, Rufico of the beginning and the end, Theodyn like icy cold light. Softly-Speckled-Crab frowns slightly. She had felt Viperish Night as well. She had needed to speak to him, to feel him. He felt like icy death, but the smallest seed of his life magic still was buried under the river. Kept alive by Jeziasi who felt like life and fire combined. Softly-Speckled-Crab's spine hurt for Jeziasi. Being so close to the icy darkness would in time diminish her fire, and yet she still swam in the icy river for her son, for the impossibility of saving him, for after speaking to Viperish Night, Softly-Speckled-Crab knew that mercy would have to be bestowed upon him, to end this horror. He could never return to the marsh even in death, for the Daedric corruption was so much a part of him.
Theodyn talks around the room, finally sitting in a chair at the table. He can feel the eyes of his friends as they regard him, regard each other. Attempting to see who they once knew into who they were now. Theodyn tries to calm his emotions. He did not expect such fury at Jeziasi, standing at the necromancer's side. How could she? She was the Vestige! She was to protect Nirn, and instead, she was on Viperish Night's side. On Molag Bal's side. Theodyn's eyes tighten. He would put an end to her...or nearly. Then deliver her to his Prince, and that would be after he killed her abomination of a son. At the back of his mind, Theodyn knew his thoughts were somewhat harsh. He had felt sorry for Jeziasi, once. Even for Viperish Night. But he had stepped into the water and Meridia's light engulfed him, burning away any such mercy. Theodyn frowns. He had seen another man in the light, briefly. Meridia's former champion, Darien. He had told Theodyn to keep his mercy and kindness, not to let the light burn it away. That Jeziasi was worth it, despite it all. But the light had swept him away and Theodyn's kindness and mercy as well.
Razum-dar walks to the meeting room and stops outside of it, placing a paw on the door. He had been notified when they had arrived, been told that they had done battle with Viperish Night in Skyrim. Razum-dar's thoughts turn to her for a moment before he pushes them aside and enters. Four sets of eyes fall upon Razum-dar and Razum-dar regards each of the heroes in turn. All appear older, and so very different. Where there had been untested young adults now stood battle-tested warriors, heroes, just as Jeziasi had been, once. How would this war change these four? Damage them?
Theodyn is the first to speak. "Did you know?" he asks Razum-dar.
Razum-dar feels old all of a sudden and he leans against the wall and crosses his arms. "This one found out a week ago." Razum-dar's nose is still tender from Jeziasi's vicious punch.
"What happened, Razum-dar?" Iveryni asks.
"We seek to know the why of it," Softly-Speckled-Crab adds.
Razum-dar is silent for a moment before speaking. "After Craglorn Queen Ayrenn determined she was guilty of treason, she was imprisoned deep in Elden Root. Viperish Night's former mentor abducted her months ago." Razum-dar growls low in his throat. "This one had his eyes out for where he took her, but nothing until the battle at Greenshade."
"So you know only that?" Theodyn asks. "All this time, you never uncovered the full truth behind all of this?"
Softly-Speckled-Crab moves from the floor to Theodyn's side. "Theodyn," she says softly.
Theodyn looks sharply at her. "He needs to know," Theodyn says.
"Not the way you were about to tell him," Softly-Speckled-Crab says as she looks deeply at him. "Is there no kindness left in you? You were the kindest of all of us," she says.
Theodyn's look goes colder. "Kindness is just a weakness now. We are at war for all of Nirn."
Razum-dar moves from the wall and stalks to the table. "This one is used to harsh truths. Razum-dar is the Queen's Eye. Speak," Razum-dar says.
Iveryni rises and holds up her hand before anyone can speak. She turns to Razum-dar. "Razum-dar, you turned up nothing on Swims-In-Silence, or Viperish Night's former mentor, in all this time?"
Razum-dar shakes his head. "Not for lack of trying. This one should have found something. Where Viperish Night is at the very least! Nothing, it is as if something blocks Razum-dar's eyes." Razum-dar growls frustrated.
Rufico raises his head to focus on Razum-dar. "Stalks-In-Darkness was a loyal member of the Dark Brotherhood. He would not have done this." Rufico's eyes darken. "His soul was destroyed by the one who did."
Razum-dar turns his eyes onto Rufico. "This one is not liking where this is going. Continue, yes?"
Iveryni moves closer to Razum-dar. "Razum-dar, Viperish Night was taught by Mannimarco," she says.
Razum-dar's eyes move to her. "This one thought him imprisoned in Coldharbour.
"Yes, he aids his Prince again," Iveryni says, "And Molag Bal is the one that destroyed Swims-In-Darkness's soul to inhabit his body, to take mortal form for his plans."
Razum-dar goes utterly still.
Softly-Speckled-Crab quietly adds, "He... went after the Vestige on purpose, after Jeziasi on purpose."
"The Vestige should have known," Theodyn says angrily. "She let him defile her and cause all this."
"Theodyn!" Iveryni snaps.
A growl builds in Razum-dar's throat and he suddenly snarls and flips the table, it crashes into the wall and Theodyn barely manages to jump up in time. Razum-dar turns and stalks to the door. "This one will have to inform his Queen of this."
"Razum-dar," Softly-Speckled-Crab says. "If you do that, everyone will know this truth."
"This one painfully knows that." Razum-dar snarls. "This one's duty is clear. Everyone who fights in this war needs to know the full scope of what we are dealing with." Razum-dar's eyes close briefly before he snaps them open and stalks out.
Iveryni turns her fiery gaze upon Theodyn. "Unnecessary!" she snaps, as the markings on her face start to glow.
Theodyn stalks closer to Iveryni. "The Vestige is at fault! She does not get to get away with this!" Theodyn snaps back as his hand drifts toward Dawnbreaker's hilt.
Rufico's eyes follow Iveryni and Theodyn, both filled with fury and glowing with Daedric energy. A scuffle between them... Rufico smirks. "At fault for sleeping with a Prince," Rufico says as he moves from the wall closer to Iveryni and Theodyn. "Would not mind being at fault of that, long as it was Meridia."
Theodyn turns on Rufico and his fist flies, slamming into Rufico's face and sends him crashing to the floor. "Never say that about my Prince!" Theodyn snaps as he turns and stalks out of the room.
Softly-Speckled-Crab regards Rufico seriously. "You provoked him on purpose. Did not move out of the way on purpose." Softly-Speckled-Crab observes. "You stopped the fight with that."
Rufico rubs his cheek and shrugs as he gets up. "He needed a reminder of who we used to be," Rufico says softly.
"We are not that any longer!" Iveryni snaps, and then at last quits. "I used to be so composed. Now?" Iveryni smiles. "The fire burns hot, as do I." She takes a deep breath. "You don't throw idiotic jokes like that around anymore," Iveryni notes.
Rufico's expression turns cold. "No. It was just a defense for when I was too useless to do anything." Rufico moves to the door and looks back. "We'll have to find out his next target. Only because a Brotherhood assassin was after a Reachmen, did I know of this." he turns and walks out.
Softly-Speckled-Crab moves to leave as well. "I will speak to the Wyrd. I know how nature speaks now, perhaps it will tell us," she says as she leaves Iveryni alone.
