A/N: So, this truly kicked my ass for the longest time. I hope to be able to pick up the pace a bit again.

Chapter 15 — Blindsighted

— A Dragon's Game —

My plan was to take it easy for a bit, now that we could travel anywhere swiftly with Conjuration. Lydia fully supported that.

Apparently, life had a different idea about that, since Babette is at my front door.

"Hi Do'samma!" She grins at me. "Mind if I come in?"

"Of course not." I stand aside and close the door behind her. It feels kind of awkward. It hasn't been that long objectively, but it feels like a lifetime since I considered the Sanctuary my home.

…perhaps the awkwardness is about introducing them to Lydia?

Sure, she knows and is at 100 Affection, but this is still the first time she actually meets one of them.

Anyway, no time like the present.

"Babette, meet my housecarl, Lydia."

"Hey!" Babette chirps. "Nice to meet you."

"Lydia, this is Babette." I continue. "Like me, a member of the Dark Brotherhood. She's a multiple centuries old vampire, who specializes in Alchemy."

Lydia is somewhat wrongfooted. "Ehm, nice…to meet another friend of Do'samma? But I'm afraid you have me at a disadvantage, as I haven't heard that much about you and the…" she looks at me, "Dark Brotherhood."

Babette smiles comfortingly. "Don't worry, we're used to that. Most people aren't supposed to know, anyway. But if Do'samma trusts you with who and what I am, then I trust you." Babette turns to me. "We understand that you're busy, but we've missed you." She frowns slightly. "Oddly, even Festus. He normally only complains about people who're around, but he also complained about you not coming back for enough lessons. I've known him for long enough to know that it means he misses you."

I lead us to the dinner table, and we all sit down. "As odd as it is, I kind of miss the old man too. Absolutely merciless in his teaching, but so much to learn from him. And from you, of course. But I've figured a way to step into Oblivion with Conjuration, and return basically anywhere I know well. I should drop by sometime."

The child vampire's face lights up. "Great! Oh, and before I forget." She digs into her pocket, and pulls out an amulet on a string. "Festus Krex made these. Until now we just had our secret exits, but Cicero was afraid that if we were found, the Night Mother might come to harm. So these amulets allow us to warn everyone if we get attacked. They'll warm up." She holds it out to me. "I offered to deliver yours, cause I wanted to see how you were doing."

I accept it. "Sounds good. Thanks. For the amulet, and for checking up on me."

She shrugs. "I wasn't worried. If you were in trouble, you'd have returned to the Sanctuary. But I still want to know how you're doing. Learned a lot?"

"Could say that. In basically every branch of magic ever. Even met Sanguine last week. In hindsight, that was hilarious, and very useful. At the moment, it was mostly scary."

She nods. "The Daedric Princes are scary. But I've heard their gifts can be great. Never met one myself, though." She tilts her head. "Talking about gifts, while it was nothing bad, Hert and Hern had some weird reaction to drinking your blood."

I frown. "I didn't really know what to expect, but I found it odd they fainted."

"Among other things, yes. But… em… Would you mind if…"

I can't help but chuckle. This kind of uncertainty makes her come across as far closer to her apparent age than anything else. "You want to drink some yourself? Sure, go right ahead. But thinking about it now, it might be a different reaction because I'm dragonborn?"

Babette looks at the ceiling as she considers that. "Might be. Are you aware of how vampirism came to be?"

"Heard some stories growing up as a kitten, but not sure what actually happened."

"If you want the long story, read Opusculus Lamae Bal ta Mezzamortie. It's a book about it. But long story short, Molag Bal wanted to piss in Arkay's soup. And since Arkay is all about life and death, he went about corrupting that. He manifested on Nirn, and found a Priestess of Arkay, Lamae. He raped her, and as he left her broken and dying body on the ground, he shed a drop of his blood on her brow. After she died, she rose as the first vampire, and what we now call a Daughter of Coldharbour, a vampire who received that status from Molag Bal himself."

"That sounds… gruesome."

Babette shudders. "It is. I'm glad it's a really rare thing to happen. But the important part for us is that Molag Bal still claims ownership over vampires. It's uncertain how much power he truly has, but it's confirmed that the souls of slain vampires go to Coldharbour, his realm in Oblivion."

I blink. "I don't understand why that's important. How that makes me different from other sources of blood."

"I'm getting there. As Dragonborn, you're blessed by Akatosh himself. Your soul is a shard of his own. With this connection, the Septim line of Emperors maintained the Dragonfires with a symbolic sacrifice of their blood. This means it must have still had solid connections to the aedric Akatosh. So with your connection being even closer than that…"

"And you think that causes the reaction?"

"Yes, but stronger since you're actually a Dragonborn yourself instead of a descendent of one. Hern and Hert were overwhelmed by the taste, thus their fainting. But they're quite young vampires, so I thought to try it myself, as I'm three-hundred. I'm not among the truly old, but definitely not a neophyte anymore either."

"What was the actual reaction?"

"Hert described it as feeling alive. I'm not sure how accurate that is. But it lasted about a week, during which they didn't feed nor had the inclination to. Their body temperature rose to human levels instead of those of a vampire, and they could feel a faint heartbeat. Still, they were just as vulnerable to fire, just as resistant to cold, and healing just as fast as normal." She grins. "Hert also asked me to tell you that you could visit as often as you like. I think that if you'd asked to move in, they'd be perfectly happy with that."

I shrug. "Not going to happen, but I'm perfectly fine letting you taste some blood."

Babette smiles. "Just a few drops, not a full goblet like they drank. I don't want to be overwhelmed."

I drink the last water from my goblet, and draw a knife.

Lydia looks unhappy about it, but doesn't interrupt as I slice open my wrist. I let it drip in the goblet for a bit, before Healing it up again.

"Here you go, Babette."

She gives a faint smile. "Cheers." Then she drinks, first a sip, then the remainder in one go.

Her eyes widen, a soft "wow" coming from her lips, before she has a full body shiver.

Affection with Babette increased by 15 (55)!

"That was amazing." She whispers. She looks at the goblet. "I pity Hern and Hert that they fainted before truly tasting it." She grips her own wrist, and then frowns. "I feel warmer, but I can't tell…"

I reach out, and she puts her hand in mine.

"You're definitely warmer." I determine. I move the thinner skin on a finger pad to her wrist. "And I feel a heartbeat, I think."

As I look at her, I also see some color rise in her cheeks, a faint blush of embarrassment. "Yeah, it definitely feels different like this. I feel great. Almost… alive."

"If you want to experiment, I could try some healing magic on you? See if you really are alive?"

She shakes her head. "No need. Hert did that to herself, and it still hurt like a bitch, like healing spells always do."

"Anything else you want to test?"

"No. At least, nothing involving other people. I do want to try some running and some of my own magic. See if I'm faster or stronger."

"Want us to come?"

"Nah, I'll be fine. But could I bother you for a bed tonight?"

"Sure. Lydia isn't using hers, anyway."

My housecarl looks away with a minor blush, but Babette only grins.

"Thanks." The vampire responds. Then she blinks in realization. "I look forward to going out into the sun. I can't recall last time I did." She stands up and walks to the door, going outside.

I follow her, with Lydia behind me.

Once outside, she closes her eyes and turns her face to the sun. "This is great."

"Happy to be of service. See you tonight."

"See ya!"

— A Dragon's Game —

Your Alchemy has increased by 12 (45)!

Your Illusion Magic has increased by 4 (37)!

Babette stayed for a few days, and didn't mind teaching me a bit.

While I'm getting decent at Alchemy, the art doesn't quite have the same pull as magic does. While truly high-level alchemy is very potent, I'm hesitant to potentially invest months to get there, only to risk getting stuck without my equipment or potions at the worst time. I'd much rather invest that in magic, since I can't lose that. Or even into bladed proficiency, which even boosts the damage my claws deal.

Even if my maximum power ends up lower than it could have been with Alchemy.

Regardless, that's not even all the skill increases I've had.

Your Bartering has increased by 3 (12)!

…yay?

Selling the excess from my adventures has made me a little coin. And while it can't ever hurt to have a skill higher, this one's underwhelming in the first place.

Basically the same with Speech, which is currently at level 4. Apparently, I haven't done enough convincing people with dangerous consequences if I fail, or something.

Anyway, time to get back home.

I feel the gentlest brush on my left hip, where I've been carrying some of my gold to not show everyone my inventory.

Fast as a snake, I grab behind me, and then I turn around.

A girl, about Babette's size, though definitely no vampire. Imperial. Her attempt at an innocent look only makes her look more guilty, especially because she still has my purse in her hand.

"Um, hello?" She asks.

I raise an eyebrow. Then I hold my other hand under my coin purse.

She pouts.

"Oh no, young lady. You can't guilt trip me."

"I'll scream that you're kidnapping me."

"You didn't know I'm a Thane?"

Then I can feel her for the first time, as she grows terrified.

Shit. That wasn't what I wanted. "Not that I'll give you to the guards, if you give me some answers."

She visibly considers that, but nods after a moment, feeling defeated. "Fine."

Judging by her clothes… "You live on the streets? No parents?"

She looks down at the ground. Good going, Do'samma. Real smooth. "It's…" she starts, "It's the only thing I can do after… after ma died." I can sense her pain with What do women want. She's definitely not lying.

I suppress a sigh. "Come, lets sit down. No running away, though."

"Yes, sir." She remains subdued.

I lead her to one of the benches under the Gildergleam, the massive tree in the middle of the plaza between the Temple of Kynareth and Jorrvaskr. "No running." I warn her as I let her wrist go.

She tries to collect herself as she sits down.

"Okay, let's start anew. I'm Do'samma."

"I'm Lucia."

I say, "and you're an orphan, like me."

She frowns, looking at me again. I feel some confusion from her.

"I used to be with one of the caravans. A few months before the dragon attack, my caravan was attacked, and I lost my entire family."

"Oh."

I put a hand on her shoulder. "You're not the only one."

She doesn't exactly respond with tears and hugs, but I didn't really expect it either. She's lived on the streets for months, perhaps even years. She won't trust this easily. But she seems a bit less tense.

"No other family?" I ask.

"My aunt and uncle said I wasn't good for anything, and they kicked me out of their farm. Brenuin has shown me how to beg, and how to find a warm, dry place to sleep." Then her eyes widen. "Please don't tell him! Don't tell him I… that I tried to pickpocket you." She asked, shame radiating from her, with a slight undertone of fear. Not fear of Brenuin, only shame towards him. The fear is for me telling him.

"I won't." I consider her for a moment. Brenuin is a male name. If an adult male can beg enough to live, then a small girl… "You didn't need to steal, did you?"

She looks down again. "I… didn't. But it was just so…" She raises her hands, then looks up as she hears me chuckle.

"Boring? Easy?" I ask.

She looks at me, filled with disbelief. But I guessed right.

"It's good that you're trying to make something of your life, Lucia. More than perhaps remaining a beggar for your entire life. And while I'm supposed to tell you thievery is the wrong thing to do, I'd say your most important mistake was picking the wrong mark."

She raises an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I know. I was rich, and you could spot that I had gold to spare. But you should have known I was a Thane, which makes me too dangerous to rob. Aside from that, you also should have known I fought that dragon, and I've trained with the Companions. And I'm a mage. All of this is public knowledge."

"Why are you teaching me how to pickpocket people?"

I lean closer. "What most people don't know is that I'm a member of the Thieves Guild down in Riften."

Her eyes bug out of her head.

"I haven't exactly stayed in contact recently, but I understand thievery. Even if I grew far beyond the need since."

"Oh? And what's that supposed to be?"

"Magic, of course." I wave to the area in front of me, casting Conjure Wolf Familiar.

It looks around, sniffing the air for enemies, then comes closer to me. I point at Lucia, and it seems to sense my intentions, pushing against her hand with its nose.

She giggles and pets its head.

"It's not a real animal, and it wouldn't remember you if I conjure it again, but there's a lot of magic possible in the world."

Lucia responds. "But how could I learn it? I can't pay for an apprenticeship."

"We'll see. I can ask around, see if I can get you into something just by my recommendation. So, want to test what kind of magic you have a talent for?"

— A Dragon's Game —

I've been training for the past week, mostly focussing on offensive magic. And it shows.

Your Fire Magic has increased by 6 (80)!

Your Lightning Magic has increased by 7 (70)!

Your Frost Magic has increased by 6 (72)!

Your Wind Magic has increased by 12 (40)!

And of course, I learned some new tricks.

Fire: Disintegrate
 Channels a ray of flames at a target, dealing 120 + [Intelligence * 1.0] (985) damage per second of casting.

Cost: 300 (134) Mana

Lightning: Static Shield
You or a touched ally is surrounded by a second skin of lightning for 120 (204) seconds. When struck in melee, the attacker is hit for 50 + [Intelligence * 0.3] (306) damage.

Cost: 250 (123) Mana

Wind: Force Nova
Pushes everyone within 3 (4.2) meters of you hard enough away to push a humanoid by 2 + [Intelligence * 0.1] (50) meters.

Cost: 200 (133) Mana

All of which are totally awesome. Disintegrate replaces Call Lightning in my battle plan against frost-aligned dragons, Static Shield can be kept up for minimal Mana drain while being very strong in melee fights, and Force Nova can give me breathing room if I feel overwhelmed by a group of enemies.

Lucia is currently at the Temple of Kynareth. Despite her having some affinity for Healing Magic, the apprenticeship doesn't go exactly fluent. She's lived on the streets for almost a year now, and she's a bit rough around the edges. She doesn't do well with authority.

Still, it's the best thing I can think of right now. I've bribed her into going with a warm bed and two meals daily, the temple supplying a third.

Perhaps it's the difference between normal people and myself, but her learning speed is nowhere near mine. My magical skills are about to reach level 100, higher than what most mages ever reach in a single school of magic. But she's really just getting started.

There is a knock on the door. Strange, I wasn't expecting anyone.

When I open the door, I see a female in strange, dark armor that seems to hide her features. The only reason I know she's female is that she triggers What do women want, which in her case, is to come in.

"Hello, Do'samma. Can I come in?" Which she also asks, of course. Her voice is gentle and smooth.

I study where her face should be, but I can't distinguish anything. "Who are you?" I ask her.

"Oh, wait. Sorry." She pulls her hood back, and suddenly I can see her face. Dunmer by the skin color and angular features, but instead of red eyes, hers are purple.

There's only one dunmer with purple eyes that I know of. "Karliah." I nod. "Please come in."

Dark Brotherhood and the Thieves Guild in quick succession. Apparently I can't really catch a break. Especially since I haven't met with Thieves Guild members since like, forever.

"Please, sit down." I invite her, gesturing to the dining table. There's nothing hostile about her intent, so it can't be that I've broken some guild rule. And even in a case like that, it's surprising the Guild Master herself would come. She is nervous about something, though. I sit down opposite her. "What can I do for you?"

Karliah takes her hood off completely, spilling her charcoal black hair down her back. She studies me for a moment. Despite the obviously better armor, she seems less intimidating than when I met her first as a fresh thief. "Do you still consider yourself a member of the Thieves Guild?" She asks.

I lean back. Do I? "More of an ally. I won't turn on former friends, but I don't exactly have the time in the day to take jobs."

She nods. "That's good enough for me. I'm here to make you an offer on someone's behalf."

That's… mildly alarming. The Guild Master herself coming as a mere envoy?

Ignorant of my thoughts, she continues. "It's not exactly a guild job, but I'd like you to meet me at Nightingale Hall."

I interrupt her before she can give directions. "On behalf of who?"

She grows visibly uncomfortable. However, What do women want gives me a hint. Well, it tells me outright, but I want her to say it. And stop dancing around the issue.

"A Daedric Prince. Which one?"

She startles at the certainty in my words. She knows I wasn't guessing. Then she sighs. "Nocturnal. She's always been the patron deity for the guild. But the deal she wants to make with you doesn't have any direct bearing on the Guild, even if her terms are favorable for a thief."

"It has something to do with these Nightingales of that Hall you were talking about?"

"The Nightingales are a secret, well-kept enough to prevent more than whispers of our existence from being known. Usually we're recruited from among the senior ranks of the Guild. But unlike the guild, who passively benefits from the luck flowing through the Ebonmere, the Nightingales are more direct in their service."

"And what does this service entail?"

"The Ebonmere is a conduit towards Nocturnal's realm. It is the sacred duty of the Nightingales to protect it from outsiders, in life and in death."

"No deal."

"Huh…?" Karliah's eloquence is massively amplified by her surprise.

"While not without a lot more details, I would be willing to help protect something for a chunk of my life. But as dragonborn, I don't even know whether I can die, nor what my natural life span would be. And even if I die, I don't want to be a bound spectre. I'm a Dragonborn, and my soul is a part of Akatosh himself."

Karliah winces. Then she leans back. While What do women want informs me she's just thinking it over, the action draws my attention to her athletic but definitely… well-shaped body. Her curves are modest, but definitely there.

"The deal is negotiable."

What? Oh, right. Nightingales. "Negotiable?"

She shrugs. Sadly, the armor prevents anything from being affected by the momentum in eye-pleasing ways. "Come to Nightingale Hall. Talk to Nocturnal. The only non-negotiable part is the secrecy."

"Okay, I might. So I know duties, what are the perks?"

"The Ebonmere itself is part of that. As long as it's open, Nocturnal's influence will flow through it into our world. This typically manifests as luck."

"But I would also benefit from that if I didn't join up."

"True, but Nocturnal is always a bit more generous towards her own. And then there's being a Nightingale Agent. A choice between three powers — Nightingale Strife, Subterfuge or Stealth."

"And what do those do?"

"Stealth is complete invisibility when hiding in sufficient darkness. Strife is a combat power, draining the strength of an enemy. Subterfuge lets you sow discord between allies, both in battle and without."

"That sounds interesting, if somewhat underwhelming."

"Depends on how much she wants you, I think. And if you bargain a lower service, then the rewards may also be lesser."

"Well, I'll just have to see that, won't I?"

"Thanks." She smiles at me. "Would you mind if I asked for a summary of all the things you've done? News is slow to reach Riften, but you had a few very interesting months."

"Sure, no problem. When I left the guild for the Dark Brotherhood Sanctuary…."

— A Dragon's Game —

Karliah is fun to hang with.

Affection with Karliah increased by 25 (35)!

And apparently she reciprocates that feeling. She's talking about her infiltration of Calcelmo's laboratory in Markarth — and why she had to be there is a long story, which I won't tell — when the door opens.

Lucia's back. I hadn't realized this much time passed.

"Hello Do'samma." She greets politely.

"Hey Lucia. Welcome back. This is Karliah, who I've gotten to know a couple months ago. Karliah, this is Lucia. She tried and spectacularly failed to pickpocket me last week, and I couldn't help but arrange an apprenticeship to Danica, the local Priestess of Kynareth."

"Oh?" Karliah asks. "And how's that going?"

Lucia pouts. "Sweeping paths outside is stupid. They get dirty again anyway!"

The dunmer tilts her head. "Then why are you doing it?" What do women want shows that she wants to encourage her following instructions, but that's not going to work.

"Because Do'samma gives me two meals daily and a dry place to sleep for it?" Lucia is far too mercenary for that.

The look on Karliah's face is hilarious, but doesn't last long. And though I really should stop this, but I can't quite bring myself to do so.

"So he bribed you?"

"No, bribery is to make people do illegal things, not to keep them from it."

"Bribery is to make someone do what you want, regardless of law. But what would you be doing if you weren't getting bribed?"

Lucia shrugs. "Either beg of pickpocket enough to eat, I think."

Karliah looks at me with a sharp eye. "Does she know…"

"About me and the guild, yeah."

Karliah nods, then turns back to Lucia. Whose expression shifted to deep thought at our little exchange.

Karliah addresses her. "I'm the Guild Master of the Thieves Guild. You want to join up?"

Lucia blinks in surprise. I'm stunned silent.

We look at each other, then at Karliah.

Then back at each other.

"Ehm…" Lucia says.

"Do you want to?" I ask.

"You weren't trying to force me on the path of being a boon to society?"

I shrug. "I was trying to find you a spot to make a decent living with little risk. This is definitely more risky, but it's your call."

"Every thief gets caught sometime." Karliah says.

Lucia looks at me. "You don't mind?"

"Nah. There'll be people having your back, so you'll be fine."

Lucia looks at Karliah shrewdly. "What do I get if I join up?"

"As Do'samma said, people who have your back. Sometimes we'll have jobs, which are less risky than freelancing around. You may not target our allies, but that's not a long list."

"Okay, sign me up."

"Before you agree, part of the reason I want you is because I assumed you have some talent for healing, hence your apprenticeship with the Temple?"

"Yeah, but learning magic there sucks."

"I'd still want you to stay to at least learn a decent amount of Restoration. It can be hard for a thief to find healing, so having someone specialized in the guild would be great."

Lucia mulls it over. "Fine, but I want you to pay me for it."

"And food, shelter, and a pretense of adult oversight." I add. "I'll be joining you to Nightingale Hall, and I spend a lot of time traveling, anyway. Lucia needs stability."

Karliah considers that. "That's fine. I think I can put you up with Malleus."

I frown. "I thought he was one of Maven's?"

Karliah grins. Being a Dunmer, that looks a lot more intimidating than most races would look. "That's what Maven thinks, too. But while he's certainly very greedy, there are a few things he considers more important."

She continues. "He was married once, and had a daughter around Lucia's age. They died in a bandit attack. So he'll look after Lucia if I ask him, let alone if I pay him for it."

I nod. "Acceptable. Lucia, you in agreement?"

"I want to meet him first."

"Smart. Karliah, will you do that?" I ask.

"Sure. Lucia, is right now suitable?"

"I don't want to miss dinner?"

"Ready when you get back." I answer.

— A Dragon's Game —

I decided I want Fire Nova, so I focus on Fire Magic until we leave.

Your Fire Magic has increased by 4 (84)!

It's two days later when we leave. Karliah agreed that Lydia could also come, being my Housecarl. We stand in Breezehome as I prepare to open the portal to the Myriad Realms of Revelry.

"Karliah, Lydia, got everything?"

"Of course."

"Ready."

I reach for the connection I sense with Sanguine's realm, and tear open a portal to Oblivion, stepping through.

Lydia follows right on my heels, Karliah in full Nightingale Armor behind her.

It's again a clearing in a forest, but a different one. A Banekin spots us, and scurries out of view, being far too weak to fight us.

"Let's stay here for a few minutes, while I replenish my Magicka."

"Sure."

Lydia sits down on a chair, somewhat stiffly. Despite my pact with Sanguine, which should keep all daedra at a distance unless provoked, she doesn't let her guard down.

Karliah, on the other hand, explores around a bit.

Not that she finds anything worth noting before I announce I'm ready for the return trip.

And when we're gathered again, I open the gate to Riften, and we step out.

It looks just as worn down as last time. It's the warehouse where I fought the Skooma dealers, after Wujeeta told me where they were.

I pick the lock, and we leave.

Over the next twenty minutes, Karliah leads us to the south-western city gate.

We follow the road for almost an hour, before Karliah takes us on a trail into the mountains on our left. Half an hour later, we arrive at a large, square obelisk. Karliah gestures, and something black shoots from her hand. When it touches the stone, a strange marking appears on it.

"This is the mark of the Nightingales. And this is how we access Nightingale Hall."

Sure enough, I hear some grinding from the cliff-side. An entire rock is sliding down into the ground, revealing a cave entrance.

"That's a nice trick." I remark.

She smiles at me. "We got plenty more if you join up." She leads us through the entrance.

"Is it that hard to find proper candidates among the guild?"

"Yeah. While both benefit from stealth and cunning, the role of the Nightingales will require you to stand your ground in combat as well, as part of our duties. Even if you're already spotted, and most thieves don't have the stomach for that, while most warriors would become bandits rather than thieves."

"How about mages, like me?"

"I doubt there're many mages like you. But it's very hard to find a mage willing to run with the guild. Most consider it beneath them, and they have less risky ways to make money, some of which probably make a lot more than they would as thief."

"I understand. How many Nightingales are there?"

"Normally, we recruit until we have three. You'd be the third."

"Oh… I thought there'd be more."

"Isn't really needed, at least according to Nocturnal. She personally makes a deal with every member."

"And she's probably got other demands on her time. Who's the one I don't know yet?"

She hesitates, but convinces herself I will join up. "Brynjolf. He's always been a bit odd for a thief. He likes to play the role of the naïve, brutish nord. As a thief, he's great at the subtle parts, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have the strength or skill to pass as a Nord Warrior. Even before he became a Nightingale, I'd have considered him stronger than most adventurers."

Ah, the red-headed Nord I ran a frame job with in the Riften market.

"I thought he specialized in scams?"

"And part of not being suspected is to mislead the marks into thinking he's a brutish Nord who simply doesn't have the brains to pull the wool over their eyes. And he got very good at that. Our main infiltrator by stealth is Vex, but Brynjolf can just walk in through the main entrance, and make most people think he belongs there."

"That sounds reasonable."

"It does, which is why he got invited. Take a right here, we're almost where Nocturnal meets new Nightingales."

She takes me past a doorway, past which is only an unnatural darkness.

"What's behind here?"

"Oh, of course you can't see. That's the Nightingale Armory. But it's enchanted somehow so that only those who have a contract with Nocturnal can enter. I've had mine for so long I tend to forget which parts of the Hall are truly inaccessible without. But we're here."

We pass through a last archway and enter a large cavern. The stone path is built elevated towards a large circle in the middle, under a hole in the ceiling.

A strange darkness emanates from that hole, endarkening the area beneath it as light would have illuminated it. From that darkness spring three bridges, each leading to a smaller stone circle, each of which by all appearances hover attached only by the connecting paths, evidencing magic use.

Karliah stops Lydia at twelve paces from the center circle, me at nine paces, and walks another six by herself, before kneeling.

"Hear me, Lady Nocturnal. I have one with me who is willing to bargain."

A woman's voice sounds, softly spoken but only barely veiling the immense power of the being behind it.

"Your service is adequate, Karliah. Keep it up, and I might someday forgive you for your past failings."

"My future service will be impeccable, my Lady."

The darkness churns, and I feel the Daedric Prince's attention on me. The darkness takes shape, and a moment later I'm looking at the image of a woman. Beautiful, and as pale-skinned as could ever been seen. Her raven locks cascade down the sides of her face, flowing into the darkness cloaking her.

The darkness covers her upper arms, the outer half of her breasts, barely including the nipples, closing over her stomach to hide her womanhood, then again fading to reveal her lower thighs, knees and feet.

She doesn't stand, instead hovering over nothing. I can't see the ground below her, nor the hole in the ceiling above. She holds her lower arms wide, providing a perch for two ravens, whose eyes are far too keen to be mere animals.

"Do'samma. You delayed after I summoned you."

Something in me rebels at the implied expectation of obedience. "We had no bargain compelling me to come, and I had my own business to attend to, Lady Nocturnal. But I have come to hear your offer."

Karliah's mix of astonishment, surprise, and sudden fear is overwhelming. She really thought I'd go to the Prince on my knees?

Think again.

However, she doesn't lose control, and remains silent, not even looking in my direction.

"How quant, a mortal playing his petty games, in the mistaken belief you matter."

"Nothing mistaken about it, since you asked for me. But I can just leave if you don't want to deal with me. I already promised Karliah secrecy."

"That won't be necessary. But as you insist on being crude, I will get to the point."

I am crude? I'd think your dismissive attitude is far more crude than I was.

"My proposal is simple — you will serve as my Nightingale in life and death, and I will lift you up among the mortals. My gifts will aid you in every facet of your life, placing you above all others."

"Not acceptable. If I die, my soul will go to Dibella or Akatosh. I offer servitude for ten years. But I understand I would receive less of your blessing for this. Supplemented by my own power, you will not need to boost my power as much as that of the other Nightingales. Instead, give me access to the magic which is at the core of the Nightingales, even if weak. I will develop it, and grow it's power myself."

"You do not know what you ask for. For this, I will require ten years, and hundred years after the end of your mortal life. You need not be aware of your service in death. If you wish it, I will delay your awareness until you rejoin whatever Aedra owns your soul."

"Then explain to me why it is harder to grant what I ask for, because that price is too high, and I will not make that bargain." Especially because if I turn out to be immortal as a consequence of my dragon soul, then I'd be tied to her for a hundred and ten years straight. Not going to happen.

"You are tiresome. To grant you my magic would require me to invest part of my being into you. In the bargain, I would reclaim this. Without reclamation, there is nothing you could offer me to make it worth my while."

"Look into my soul, Nocturnal. Know it is a Dragon Soul, a shard of Akatosh's own. And beyond that, that I am singularly capable of receiving your gift without costing you power. After all, Dibella granted me her magic without paying a price like that."

"Hm, that is interesting. I can sense the possibility of bestowment, but I am no Molag Bal to read a soul like that."

"And that bestowment, that access is the only thing I request, in exchange for ten years of vigil during my mortal life. And if I cannot fulfill that, I will instead serve twice the missing time in death, after which I will return to my Aedra."

"Very well, but I will add another stipulation. Normal Nightingale duties only cover standing vigil, but you will have to retrieve my Skeleton Key from the depths of Irkngthand, and in a timely fashion. You will then bring this to the Twilight Sepulcher, to re-open the Ebonmere."

"That is an acceptable addition."

"Then I accept and seal the bargain, Do'samma. Retrieve my artifact, Stand Vigil over the Twilight Sepulcher and the Ebonmere, and be capable of my magic. To symbolize your acceptance, stand on the small stone circle to your left, and my right."

I walk past the darkness, Nocturnal altering her position to serve me.

What I feel reaching out to me isn't magic — I sense the raw essence of Nocturnal reaching for me, seeking purchase on me.

"I accept the bargain." I proclaim.

The divine energy of Nocturnal reaches into me, touching my soul like flipping a switch, and I can sense the new potential I now have.

New Skill: Shadow Magic!

The darkness in the center surges, swallowing Nocturnal's avatar, and then fades, leaving nothing behind save for the subtle endarkening that seems normal here.

Well, that was new. I didn't sense the connection establishing anywhere near as accurate when making a deal with Dibella, though admittedly Senna held my attention at the moment. Neither with Sanguine, but to be fair I was already halfway drunk, he might have already made a connection during that Night to Remember-which-I-forgot, or I might simply not have noticed as I was already in his Plane of Oblivion, which is basically saturated with his essence already.

I turn to Karliah, who hasn't moved. "Well, that was exciting."

She turns to me, still upset. "Are you suicidal, to mouth off to a Daedric Prince like that?"

I think back, considering my dealings with Clavicus and Sanguine. "…perhaps? She's definitely not as amicable as Sanguine, but a lot nicer than Clavicus Vile."

Karliah facepalms. "I'd forgotten how insanely many Daedric Prince you've already met just these past few months." She looks me straight in the eyes. "But please don't be so cavalier? I don't know what Nocturnal might have done…."

I approach her. "If there's one thing I've learned about Daedric Princes, and even Dibella, it's that they always act true to shape. While definitely powerful in a way you and I cannot comprehend, they are fettered by their spheres of influence, and cannot go against these. Nocturnal wanted a bargain from me, she's too greedy to give that up easily, and will hold to her end in good faith. That's all I need."

I look her in the eye sharply, close enough to see the tiny black lines in her irises, as though emitted by her pupils. "And I won't allow even a Daedric Prince to run roughshod over me. I am dovah. I do not bow easily. If they don't like it, they're free to stay out of my business."

Karliah deflates, but she's too strong a woman to look down. A touch of gentleness comes to her eyes, though. "I… I might not understand, but I just don't want you to get hurt, okay? We'll be working together as Nightingales. And I… looked a little bit forward to that?"

"I'll be fine."

"Do be careful, though." Lydia comes between. "Even if I think you weren't in danger, please don't anger any Daedric Princes. I like to think I'm a good fighter, but I can't protect you from those."

Karliah follows up before I can reply. "Listen to your housecarl. She's smart."

They're teaming up on me. I pout at them. "Fine, I will not annoy Daedric Princes any more than necessary."

Two very unimpressed women look at me.

Affection from Karliah increased by 10 (45) for getting a good deal from Nocturnal.

— A Dragon's Game —

The Nightingale Armor is part of the standard Nightingale package, which means I don't get it. It wasn't part of the bargain, after all. Regardless, Lydia and I head to Riften.

Near the market, we are suddenly interrupted.

"J'samma! You are my most favored company." The speaker is an Argonian woman. Her clothes are patched up, but of good quality. She's familiar.

Ah, I remember. "Wujeeta, good to meet you again. How are you doing?" What do women want already somewhat tells me, but it's much nicer to let her tell herself.

"Much better. After you helped me, my job got stable, and I even got promoted to overseer." She says proudly. "And most of the Skooma trade vanished over night. You didn't just heal me, but you took away the temptation. I cannot thank you enough."

That's good to hear. If I don't watch it, I might become even more prideful. "Let me introduce you. This is my Housecarl, Lydia. Lydia, this is Wujeeta. I helped her with a little Skooma problem. It seemed small at first, but before I knew it I was wiping out an entire smuggling operation."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Lydia politely replies. "It's always good to hear about the Thane-worthy things my Thane did before I even met him."

I avert my eyes in embarrassment. That praise doesn't feel well-deserved. At no moment did I truly choose to do it, instead I just went with the flow and that's what I ended up doing. "I'm not sure that's Thane-worthy."

"I certainly think so." Wujeeta responds. "Dusk is coming. Please, allow me to buy you and your Housecarl dinner. I might not be rich, but thanks to you I can easily afford it."

She's not wrong, it's getting dark. And I guess spending the night here instead of rushing through Oblivion is timely enough for Nocturnal. And otherwise, she can take a hike. "We are humbled to accept, Wujeeta."

Affection from Wujeeta increased by 10 (60) for not disappointing her minor hero worship.

"It is only right that you benefit from your own good deeds, even if only in this small a way."

— A Dragon's Game —

The Bee and Barb serves great dinner. It's also nice to catch up with Wujeeta, who begged off for a few minutes to change into another dress more suitable for the occasion. What do women want reveals her attraction to me, but she's shy. I would never have been able to tell without my perk. So I sit close to her during dinner, and rest my leg against hers.

She first considers it an accident, but silently enjoys it, afraid I would move if she drew attention to it. She's working herself up a bit more than I'd have expected, though. Perhaps she's more used to fantasizing than to actual contact.

Well, no reason to disappoint her, is there?

Ten minutes in, while asking her a question, I put a hand on her leg while talking to her, pulling it firmly against my own, and stroking her. To ensure she knows there're no accidents there.

Her scales shift slightly in color, making her look more vibrant. The blues become bluer, the greens greener. She looks down in shyness for a moment, but then relaxed against me as she answers my question.

Affection from Wujeeta increased by 5 (65) for clearly flirting with her, which she longed for but didn't dare to start herself.

She shifts her seat, touching my hip with her own, and starts leaning in my direction.

I encourage her any subtle way I can, and when dinner devolves into drinks, I put an arm around her, holding her gently but firmly around the waist, as she starts leaning into me.

I lean over. "Do you know if they have rooms here, where the two of us could spend some time together?" While talking, my hand wanders down to her ass, and starts firmly groping her.

Despite her shyness, Wujeeta isn't the gentle type of girl. It helps that an argonian's skin would stop many things that would cause minor injuries for the other races.

"They don't." Wujeeta softly hisses in discontent. "But I sleep at the bunkhouse, and Haelga keeps rooms like that."

"We don't have to if you don't want them to know." It's much easier to offer that option if you know the answer beforehand.

"Hah, Haelga might actually give me a break if we do. Lydia, do you mind…?"

Lydia scoffs. "Nah, I don't. You can have your fun, I don't mind. I WILL stand at the door, though. Just to keep Do'samma safe, of course."

Hmm, perhaps… I can't quite tell. "Feel free to take a chair and be inside, though. Otherwise it's a long time standing around looking silly. And Wujeeta doesn't mind."

In fact, Wujeeta would like it more, not that she herself knows. But she knows that she enjoys domineering men, so she doesn't mind me making that statement on her behalf, anyway.

Lydia responds, deeply unsure. "I don't want to intrude…"

I grin at her. "Wujeeta wouldn't, of course, but perhaps someday some woman will try to seduce me to assassinate me in bed. Perhaps it's good to get in the habit to stay inside?"

"You can tell a woman's intentions."

"Only if they would not make me hostile towards her. If woman truly desired to have sex and afterwards kill me, I couldn't tell."

She grumbles. "Fine, I'll stay inside."

Yes! Step one to threesomes taken.

Wujeeta pays, declining me taking over the bill. I don't push, as she did invite us, and wants to see the dinner as repayment.

Coincidentally, that also implies that what we're going to do now isn't. Even if my reading of Wujeeta hadn't told me as much.

— A Dragon's Game —

Wujeeta heads in by herself, and then leads me to a small room with a double bed, with none of the other tenants of the Bunkhouse ever seeing me. As Lydia closes the door behind us, Wujeeta gets a sudden attack of shyness again, and turns to me.

"I… this is my first time, so I don't know…"

I embrace her gently. "Then we'll figure out what you like together." I rub my head against hers, then gently scrape a canine over the tough scales of her back. "I've got a few ideas already."

"Before we start… Argonians are colder than other races. I hope this won't displease you?"

She shivers in my hold, suddenly feeling more pleasure. I roughly grab her ass with one hand. She's got wide hips. The scales make her skin a lot tougher and less soft than the other races are, but nothing stopping me from groping her. I just need to exert a bit more force. "Does this look displeased to you?"

She doesn't answer, instead leaning into me.

I inventory my clothes, along with her dress, then immediately dumping it all on the side.

It turns out the horny lizard hadn't been wearing underwear at all. Not very noticeable with how thick that dress was, but still… significant.

"Oh, turns out you were prepared…."

She hugs me tighter, though mostly out of shyness. She still has to get used to the idea of showing herself to me. "Wasn't planning to waste a chance." Her plans speak of boldness in spite of all that uncertainty.

My hand slides from her ass to the base of her tail, grabbing it firmly. Much thicker than a Khajiit tail, which is mostly fur. I can't even close my hand around the base.

No matter how much Wujeeta wants to fuck, she won't take initiative. I release her backside, and break our embrace. Then I purposefully look down at her breasts. She flushes more, making her scales even more vibrant than they'd already turned, and over her entire body. Truly beautiful, opposed to the drabness colors argonians normally are.

Her boobs are large, but perky, held in place by some tougher scales. While smaller and softer here than on her back and behind, they still keep her breasts in place. No nipples. I reach up, and roughly grope one.

She presses into my hand, and twisting around sideways.

She's a good handful. I'm definitely liking it. I pull her against me, her back to my front. My other hand caresses her waist, slowly approaching her slit. Before entering, I tease around it.

She moans throatily, bucking her hips while pushing her torso against me.

I grip her breast tighter as I enter her slit with a finger.

Her insides are as soft as any other woman's.

I whisper into her ear. "What do you want?"

She presses into me, but aborts her reply before she can speak it.

I roughly squeeze her breast again, scratching against her scales with my nails.

"Oh… I want you… inside." Her embarrassment is strong, but both her relief and lust are stronger.

"And where?" I stir my finger inside her, teasing her inner walls. They're so much more sensitive than the scales covering the rest of her body.

"I- inside, there." She collects her thoughts. "F- Fuck me."

And there we go. What do women want tells me exactly how she wants to be fucked, so I decide to make her desire come true.

I bend her over the rough wooden dresser. She lifts her tail, and I slam home inside her.

There's actually room to spare, but Perfect Fit makes that a moot point.

Wujeeta's loud moan makes me twitch inside her. Perhaps it's because of her scales normally slightly dulling her sensations of touch, but she feels it much more intensely than most women. I slowly start thrusting, keeping it gentle, but making full strokes to let her feel it best.

With one arm, I hug her tail to my chest, while I put the other on her waist. Holding her by the tail gives me all the leverage I need as I continuously speed up.

She's just as warm and wet as any other female I've fucked.

She tries to lock her legs behind me, but with all the pleasure, she can't find the strength. I'll take that as an endorsement.

She gives a loud, throaty sound as she comes for the first time. I feel her pussy contract around my dick, and give her a break to let her ride it out. No reason to overwhelm her.

But as it winds down, I pick up the pace again. Faster this time. The added wetness doesn't take away anything either. Climaxing didn't get her out of the mood in the least, and she moves back against me when I thrust forwards.

She grabs onto the edges of the dresser, bracing against me.

Before long, I climax inside her. I felt her getting close, and she comes with me.

I pull out, and she remains on the dresser, panting. I roll her over and onto the bed, on her back.

"That… was… amazing…" she gasps.

"Oh? And you thought we were done?"

The mix of lust and surprise I can sense from her is delicious.

— A Dragon's Game —

Eromancy has increased by 5 (65)!

Wujeeta lies curled in my side. Lydia shoved her chair against the door sometime I didn't notice, and is slumbering there. Nobody can enter without dislodging her, so it counts as guarding me.

"You're awake too?" She whispers.

"For a few minutes now."

"Oh, if I'm keeping you…"

I give a squeeze with the arm I have around her. "I was just enjoying the cuddling. It's not every day I have a beautiful girl cuddled into my side."

"Oh? Lydia doesn't give you the hugs you need?" Oh, she's teasing me. That's more than I'd have dared hope for.

"Now that I think about it, yes, I have a beautiful girl cuddling with me every day. And that makes life pretty good, actually."

"Even with all the danger?"

I shrug. Slightly. It's hard to shrug while flat on your back with a girl half on top of you.

"I can handle it. And it helps many people."

"Yeah, you do."

I grin. "What can I say, I'm just a sucker for pretty girls like you. I blame Dibella."

She snorts, but I can feel some minor discomfort. Something about Dibella? That makes no sense…

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing."

I sigh. "You don't have to tell if you don't want to. But you can't lie to me."

She's conflicted about something, but I can feel her decide.

"It's Haelga."

"What's with her?"

"She… her Dibellan worship is very different from yours. When one of the men in the bunkhouse got loose hands, she did nothing, and just told the girl in question to appreciate someone having an interest in her. Nothing happened in the end, but that was only because the handsy nord got handsy with Mjoll the Lioness later."

"That's not Dibellan worship. But I'll sort it out, one way or the other."

She exhales in relief. "Thank you."

— A Dragon's Game —

Less than fifteen minutes later, I leave our room in the Bunkhouse. It's nearly empty. There's a few people eating at a table, an unhappy girl is sweeping the floor, and a tall, admittedly beautiful blonde Nord woman sneers at me as I enter.

"What do you want? The Bunkhouse is a place for the working people."

I'm not even that well-dressed. Still wearing those mage robes I found in Helgen. Though perhaps that's just it, — some nords don't like magic.

"I am Do'samma. I've visited the Temple of Dibella in Markarth, and I heard around town you worshipped Dibella as well?"

Her demeanor shifts instantly. Her body language switches from annoyed to flirty in a heartbeat.

But inside, nothing changes. The shame, hate and anger under a thin veneer of self-control remains the same.

She asks. "Oh? Want to take this somewhere private?"

I nod. "Yes." Even if not for the reasons you expect. What happened to you?

Be calm, my champion. With your aid, I will right what went wrong.

My eyes widen. Dibella herself. I try to… think aloud in my head. How can I serve, my Lady? And how is this even possible?

"Svana!" Haelga shouts. "I'm upstairs. Handle the place."

Dibella continues. You have used enough of my divine power that I can communicate with you directly, if briefly. A mortal body isn't made to contain divine essence, and doing this too often would kill you. But I ask that you let me speak with Haelga. She did not ill-intend, but was misguided about my worship, which brought her and hers much suffering. I want to offer her one chance to correct her actions.

You have it, my Lady.

Know that you have my favor, Do'samma.

Affection from Dibella is increased by 10 (30)!

Eromancy has increased by 10 (75)!

I still feel the warmth of her presence. I can let her take over at any moment.

Haelga, meanwhile, led me to what appears to be her room. "So handsome, what were you thinking of?"

"Our Lady wants to speak to you, Haelga."

I surrender control to Dibella. Instantly, the room fills with her Divine presence.

And I am in pain. My skin burns, as my body cannot hold the power of the Divine.

"I am displeased, Haelga." I can feel my throat and mouth move to form the words, but it's not my voice. Dibella's voice is musical and smooth, but strong and clear.

Haelga pales. "B- but…"

"But it is not too late. As disgusting as your attempts at worship are, the attempts where honest."

"I- I d-don't understand, m-my lady." Haelga stutters. "I did everything I knew I should…"

Is it me, or is the pain increasing? My Health is dropping, anyway.

Dibella sighs. "My daughter, if I could have spoken to you before, I would have. But my worship is not about sex. It is about affection, and affection has not guided your actions. Beauty on the outside reflects the beauty within. It is discordant for the outside to be pleasing at the cost of the inside."

"I- I… what do you mean?"

"That man who took your first time didn't worship me. Everything he told you was a lie. He hid his evil even from himself, but not from me. So I spoke to Stendarr, who spoke to his Vigilants, who purged Nirn of that man's evil. Partly for what he did to you, partly for what he did to others."

This pain is actually getting pretty bad. I know instinctively that I can take back control whenever it pleases me. But I'll let Dibella keep control. I still have over half my Health left.

"But then, then I…" A completely different terror overcomes Haelga's being.

"Yes. I see you understand. Every time you told yourself you needed to sacrifice happiness for what you considered worship, you hurt yourself needlessly. I'm giving you one last chance, Haelga. Right the wrongs you did. While I would normally prefer to give more chances, you are in a position to deal far too much damage for that."

"I accept, my Lady."

I'm pretty sure I'd scream if I were in control right now. Third of my Health left… I'll take back control when I'm at a tenth.

"My time is running out. Write to my Temple in Markarth. I will speak with you further through my Sybil, because this talk has brought enough suffering to my loyal champion. If you are ever desperate, leave Riften, and go to my Temple yourself. Bring Svana if you do, as you are responsible for her."

I collapse as Dibella returns me my body. I'm shaking all over.

Haelga swiftly blinks her tears away, and rushes to help me get up.

"Oh, I'm sorry Champion."

I get my feet under myself.

"Dibella said it hurt you… for her to talk to me?"

"Yes, it hurts. But that's okay."

"No, it's not!" She shouts. Her inner negative emotions are… stirred up. But they are shifting. While I can guess, I don't know what Dibella meant. "It's not okay, that you have to suffer because I made mistakes!"

"Dibella did nothing I didn't offer her of my own free will. At any moment, I could have taken back control."

She hugs herself. "But if you had to hurt for my sake, that makes me an even worse person…"

I grab her in a hug, but she remains stiff. "No, that means Dibella thinks you're worth it, and I trust her."

"But I'm not. I'm not worth it, I showed that, I did everything wrong."

"And you can change for the better."

"I wish I could believe that."

"Dibella believes it."

She finally relaxes, and allows herself to burrow into my embrace.

"Thank you."

"For...?"

"F- for being here. For enabling Dibella to put me straight."

"You're most welcome."

She gives a soft whine and hugs me tight, but then she stiffens and jumps away.

"Svana!" She shouts. "I need to go apologize to Svana for… for so much. You can stay if you want, Champion, but…"

"It's all right. I was planning to leave town. You be safe, all right?"

"Yes. And thank you again!" She rushes out through the door.

I follow a bit slower. I heal myself with a bit of magic, but the pain lingers. It makes sense, in a way. Why would mundane healing overcome Divinely inflicted pain? Even if the Divine in question didn't actually want to inflict it.

When I pass the common room, I see Haelga tearfully apologizing to a very confused Svana.

They'll be all right.

And my Eromancy boost even gave me a new spell, which I want to experiment with. Oh well, I'll have to do that later.

Mirror Feeling
For spending the cost every 10 + [Charisma * 0.2] (47) seconds, you and your sexual partner experience each other's tactile sensations. Caster may limit this to one-way.

Cost: 20 Mana

— A Dragon's Game —

We head out late in the morning, Lydia by my side.

I've been here before, of course. When I went to Cragslane Cavern to clear out the Skooma traders. I thought I was strong because I had spells that dealt 100 damage.

For a slight cost increase compared to back then, I can now deal well over a thousand, in two different ways.

And I was alone, while I'm now walking side by side with my own Housecarl, who also happens to be my best friend.

She blushed when I told her that.

More than she blushed the last few times during… other activities.

And thinking about friends… I forgot to visit Sapphire. I really should be better than that. Ah well, I'll probably be back here later. Nocturnal wants her Skeleton Key back, after all.

But for now, Shor's Stone. Glad that it's good weather.

Fort Greenwall is quiet, as always. The Stormcloaks have a light presence here. There aren't that many soldiers, and I'm actually pretty convinced Lydia and I could take them all, working together. There are no direct passes to Cyrodiil, and probably few bandits. Besides, the Fort guards the road between Riften and Windhelm, the heart of Stormcloak territory. It'd only ever be an issue if Riften has already fallen.

You now have 40 Affection from Haelga!

You now have 20 Affection from Svana Far-Shield!

I smile as I notice Haelga had time to process the events of this morning. Well, a bit, at least. And someone else is also happy about the new Haelga.

Witnessing how much Dibella can improve multiple lives with just a few words… it makes me respect her even more. I wish I could.

It's dark about half an hour before we reach Shor's Stone, but we push on. Summer is almost over, we're heading towards fall.

But I have more Frost Resistance than a Nord, and if I use the Mask to also become a Nord, I'd be immune, so I'm pretty sure I'll manage.

We enter Annekke's inn. She does a double take before greeting me.

"J'samma! Welcome back!"

"Good evening, Annekke. I was around, so I thought I'd come spend the night."

"You better know you're always welcome. And who's this?"

"This is my Housecarl, Lydia."

She raises an eyebrow. "Housecarl? Someone's moving up in the world."

Lydia answers. "And he's Do'samma now. He's had to explain to a lot of people."

"Congratulations." Annekke responds, stilled in surprise. "But I heard about a Do'samma. That means that that dragon…"

"Yep, that was me." I reply.

"And another one near Bonestrewn Crest, north of here." Lydia adds.

Annekke's eyes almost bug out of her head.

"Wow…" Then she chuckles. "Well, you came a long way since I taught you which end of the sword is which. Sure, you went bandit hunting soon after, but a dragon… It's just…"

"Well, that second dragon was a lot closer than acceptable. Lydia already chewed by out about that."

Annekke smiles. "I'll get you two food and drink. Can I hear your stories around my hearth tonight?"

It's good to have friends around.

— A Dragon's Game —

Eromancy has increased by 3 (78)!

In the bed in the room Annekke gave us, Lydia cuddles up to me, head pressed in my neck, and body draped over my right side. She's sweatier than usual.

"I suddenly understand why you like my boobs so much."

"They're just that amazing. And Mirror Feeling works two ways, as you definitely noticed."

She nods. "Anyway, I'm spent, and I'm sleeping right here."

I chuckle, and kiss her on the crown of her head, before brushing her hair aside so that neither of us is laying on top of it. "I wouldn't want it any other way."

— A Dragon's Game —

We leave Shor's Stone early. Unlike yesterday, I don't feel like walking the entire day again, so half an hour outside of Shor's Stone, I make an Oblivion Gate, and we step into a Realm of Revelry. Five minutes later, we exit it again, right outside of Witchmist Grove.

Moira comes scurrying into view, spells readied, but drops them when she recognizes us.

"Do'samma! Nice to see you again. You learned a few new tricks, it seems?"

"I certainly did. Turned out Sanguine was involved with that Morvunskar business. He seemed to like me, so we made a little deal and he lets me travel through his realm."

"Sanguine? Sam Guevenne… How didn't we see this? We're both smarter than that, you and I."

I shrug. "Doesn't really matter anymore, but it's possible that he stopped us from realizing to not bring the evening of being drunk to a screeching halt. It also explains how I've been in several places all across Skyrim in a single evening."

"That makes sense. Anyway, come in! Lets talk magic."

— A Dragon's Game —

Your Fire Magic has been increased by 4 (88)!

We stay a day and two nights with Moira, but then we have to leave. It's time we tackled Irkngthand. It takes us two days to reach the place, but Anga's Mill has space in a shed, even refusing payment.

When we get to Irkngthand, I see a lot more dwarven structures on the surface than in Raldbthar.

There are also bandits, but they're no longer a threat to either me or Lydia. I conjure a Storm Atronach, and toss Fireballs at those showing their faces. Lydia follows me closely, ready to intercept any trying to close the distance. I cast Courage on her to make her nearly impossible to kill.

Only two get close, and she takes both down easily. Some archers try a cheeky shot, but nothing lands. Well, they hit the Storm Atronach twice, but don't deal any real damage. I throw a few Lightning Bolts at it to heal it back up.

Still, the ruins are expansive, even just on the surface. The main gate is closed, and while I can jump higher than I'm tall, that's nowhere near high enough.

So we go around. We meet some resistance, but nothing we can't handle.

We stick close to the cliff side the ruins are built into, and reach the main gate from the backside. By now, there's no resistance left.

Lydia opens the gate, but it's mostly spite for making us go the long way around.

We ascend on some rickety, wooden stairs, but there aren't any bandits left to hinder us. It takes a few more walkways of questionable construction, but we finally find the entrance.

Inside is a small bandit camp, but it's abandoned. Apparently, they all came out to fight us.

I cancel my Storm Atronach. It'd take too much mana to keep it around. Even with my boosted Conjuration Affinity.

The signs of recent civilization fade quickly, though. There's a barricade past which all signs of bandits vanish.

We found the wreckage of a few dwarven automatons, making it clear why the bandits remained near the surface.

And indeed, a doorway later we encounter a dwarven sphere. Lightning cleans it up.

Then we reach a room filled with rotating columns, each with four flamethrowers.

The dwarves built these, and they're still working. Respect for craftsmanship that holds up centuries after their disappearance. Though I can spot one stuck in place because of some rubble.

Still, they're easy to navigate when taking your time. A few mechanical spiders pop out of the floor.

Fire hardly does anything against these machines. I try Frost, but it's hardly any better.

Lightning works right away, but it cracks the soul gem inside. I really want to save up on those for enchanting later, but needs must. I'd rather be safe than sorry, and we shock any dwarven automatons to pieces.

Once we figure out how to deal with the dangers, we easily pass through, and find an elevator to take us further down.

— A Dragon's Game —

The smell is the first thing that hits me. What died down here?

Well, nothing to it. Better get going. I activate Muffle, but I have no way of similarly hiding the sounds Lydia makes.

We find nothing in the first corridor and room, but then we enter a balcony.

I feel… as if a fresh wind pulls me down there. Not of myself, and I can't feel it on my body. This is my deal with Noctural leading me towards the Skeleton Key.

That's useful, but I'm not jumping. But while I could definitely make it with Whirlwind Sprint, Lydia definitely couldn't.

We continue, and find a Falmer next room. It sniffs the air once, and then turns around.

It's… hideous. There are weird concentric skin rings instead of eyes. It's skin it wrinkled and dirty. The weapons are haphazard, and made from some type of insect chitin.

Its elven heritage can be seen in its ears, but there's none of the inherent confidence that all mer have.

And he attacks us. Lydia engages it. It's wild swing catches on her shield, and she cleanly runs him through. With his sorry excuse for armor, I would have been able to tell if it were a she instead.

We enter a larger hole. Two charge us, but they're no match for us. They fight with a primal anger which might intimidate lesser opponents. But between Lydia's training and my draconian soul, it doesn't intimidate us at all.

It's an odd room. There's an U-shape of higher ground, with the only way forward being a closed gate downstairs. We find three more Falmer there which we dispatch without issues.

One of them is female. Wearing just as little armor as the males, but that's not how I discovered it.

What do women want worked on her. But I sensed nothing.

The perk will show any desires which would encourage me to have mercy. It only hides desires which would cause me to hurt the female. So if everything is hidden from me…. I'm morbidly curious about what her mind might have been like.

I share it with Lydia, more to speak it aloud than thinking she has some wisdom. She doesn't have any indeed, but it still makes me feel better.

We need a few minutes to figure the puzzle out. We find two levers on the top level, which need to be pulled nearly simultaneously to open the closed gate.

I'm glad I'm not alone. I'd never have had the time to go from one to the other, not without mastery of Whirlwind Sprint.

Two empty corridors and another room later, we find another large cavern.

The place is in ruins, more than anything else so far. There must have been independent towers, but they all collapsed. There's still a walkway high above everything else, accessible from the far end.

We use the high ground, to maintain better sightlines. We meet a few more Falmer who try to ambush us, but to no avail.

They don't seem to realize that we have sight, which they lack. It's… odd.

That said, most flee into side-entrances. We don't pursue. We're not here to genocide the local population. If they'd proven capable and willing to talk it out, I'd happily have paid for the way through.

We reach the high bridge. It crosses high above most of the chamber, but Nocturnal's little tug clearly wants us to take it.

We cross a small campsite, showing the remains of a campfire. I wonder if Mercer Frey camped here when on the run. If so, he must have gotten killed soon after.

Hm, it was by the Dark Brotherhood, right? I wonder which of my Dark Siblings did it.

It's getting really late, and Lydia's getting tired. Courage seems to help her stay alert, though.

I think it's the extra Stamina the spell grants. Regardless, she's fine to continue.

We can always stop later, and I can keep watch while she sleeps.

As we continue, the Falmer notice us again, but now they withdraw.

One aims his bow. There have been only very few archers so far. Which is more than I'd have thought, with them being blind and all. But this one is much further off target if he's aiming for us.

Time seems to slow down as it arches through the air, hitting some dwarven structure.

I hear a hiss of steam.

And a huge, roughly humanoid automaton steps forwards. No, seriously. It's three times as tall as I am, and looks purpose-built for slaughter.

I've heard of these things. Dwarven Centurions. They have in-built crossbows, can attack with a spout of steam, or just pummel you into a thin paste.

Great.

I touch Lydia, and cast Static Shield on her. I can't sustain it for long, but I probably won't have to. This should help her in melee while I bombard the thing.

Sadly, we are underground, which means no Call Lightning. However, the good old Lightning Bolt is certainly an option.

129 damage for 9 Mana, limited by how fast I can cast it.

I start casting, but the Falmer also start shooting, both arrows and spells, though their melee fighters don't dare come closer.

That's a problem because between the Centurion and the Falmer, we're now under attack from two sides.

There's little time to think. I activate Magic Ward, aiming towards the Falmer, and stick right behind Lydia to shield her, while I continuously cast Lightning Bolt at the automaton. It seems to disrupt its operation slightly, stopping it from landing a full-force blow on Lydia. It still hits her occasionally, but then the Static Shield retaliates, which causes an even stronger reaction.

Still, I need to heal Lydia during the fight. Perhaps a good thing I'm stuck this close to her. The automaton doesn't seem to consider switching targets. While that's tough on Lydia, she's strong. She can take it.

My healing is getting stupidly efficient. I'm limited to casting Healing once every 4 seconds only due to its duration, but Lydia still heals 260 Health per second, and it only costs me 16 Mana. Per four seconds.

As long as she doesn't get hurt faster than 260 Health a second, she can basically keep taking hits forever.

That doesn't mean it doesn't hurt her, though. So while I keep up the Magic Ward, I bombard the Centurion with more Lightning Bolts as fast as I can.

I wouldn't have been able to if the Falmer charged me right now.

But they keep their distance. That means that the Centurion might switch targets…

A blast of scalding steam strikes me, but with my Fire Resistance, the pain is easily ignored. I channel some Healing, but there's not much to heal.

90% Fire Resistance clears most of it up. Well, 88%, but who's counting.

With this much lightning damage, the Automaton is definitely getting jittery in its movements. It starts missing Lydia, so it becomes a lot easier for us to start systematically breaking it down.

In the end, it turns out it had a separate soul gem for each limb, and a Grand Soul Gem in its torso.

Mine now. It's not even broken by the lightning.

When our victory becomes apparent, the Falmer disappear. Perhaps they figured out we'll just let them live if they run.

The Centurion goes down. It definitely wasn't pleasant, but it's down. And the Falmer are also gone, which I approve of. I was tiring of fighting them.

Lightning Magic has increased by 2 (72)!

Fire Magic has increased by 1 (89)!

I heal us both up, and ensure I still have Courage active on Lydia. My mana is pretty low, though.

However, the Falmer now keep their distance from us. We cross several corridors and into multiple rooms, while the dwarven structures seem more and more dilapidated.

Then we pass another door, finding one last huge cavern. At the center is a beautiful statue of an elf.

But the details are… strange. Not angular enough for a Dunmer, not pretentious enough for an Altmer, and too tall for a Bosmer. And not enough technological gizmos to be a Dwemer.

I can only conclude it's a pre-transformation Falmer. They must have been a majestic race before the dwarves transformed them into the pitiful wretches we've just been fighting.

Nocturnal's tug pulls me from my thoughts. I head towards the little pile of black in the corner to the far right, Lydia following a step behind me.

Mercer Frey's corpse is still intact, probably because of the cold here. He lies face down in a puddle of water, perhaps two fingers deep. An arrow sticks out of his back, and I expect Gabrielle might have done that one. She's the best Archer of my Dark Siblings. The edge has a familiar green color — one of Babette's favorite paralysis poisons.

Well, that explains how he drowned in that puddle.

I go through his pockets. I find some gemstones. But far more important, I find the Skeleton Key.

Skeleton Key
The Skeleton Key is a daedric artifact bound to Nocturnal, the Prince of Night and Darkness. It opens any lock its user uses it on.

A person can claim the Skeleton Key, which will unlock their inner potential. Skills increase 100% faster, drawing knowledge and power directly from the Evergloam. This effect cannot teach what no Evergloam inhabitant knows.

Such a pretty little thing.

I'm more tempted to claim it than I thought beforehand. Double skill increase… this trinket's power is immense. Limitless. Sure, Clavicus Vile's mask is nice, but the Key is an order of magnitude better.

I won't, though. First, it goes against a deal I made, and that seems wrong. Something inside me heavily protests at the notion. Even my draconic desire for power is silent. This isn't just my mother having taught me not to lie. This is a deep, primal fear for what might happen if I do.

But I cannot fathom why. Bormahi is the Aedra of Time. Truth is not his domain. Dibella is the Aedra of Love, Beauty and Art. While she requires honesty in affection, beautiful lies can be made in art.

And no other divine, aedric or daedric, has sway over my soul. Clavicus Vile nor Sanguine has a claim, as I carefully dealt with them.

So where does this fear come from?

I don't know. But I will heed it.

And second, it'd probably make Nocturnal really mad at me, and I really don't want that kind of attention. Bad for my longevity. With the dragons flying about, I have more than enough problems already.

"Lydia, we're going."

"Gladly. I'm looking forward to a warm, soft bed." She steps close.

I open a gate into a realm of revelry, and we leave Irkngthand a lot faster than we entered.

— A Dragon's Game —

We wake up at Witchmist Grove. It was after midnight when we returned, but Moira knew to expect us.

Which is why she's cuddled into my side, still snoring softly.

Lydia was too tired to complain about not being the only woman in my bed when she cuddled into my other side.

I don't think she's ready for threesomes yet, but it's a promising step.

It's time to get up, though. I want to get this daedric business over with. Sanguine, then Nocturnal…

Moira groans in disappointment as she wakes when her warm pillow moves away. Lydia is more of a morning person, and doesn't mind as much.

My housecarl also pointedly ignores Moira's suggestions about how we could spend some time with the three of us while dressing.

When we gate away, Lydia has a smug grin for having "won" by not reacting to the horny hagraven.

We arrive in the ratway and head for Karliah. I wasn't able to directly aim for Nightingale Hall, and we need her help to get in there. Probably Nocturnal handling security by not allowing a Gate between her Nightingale Hall and an unaffiliated Realm of Oblivion.

When we reach her, Karliah looks confused. "Oh, you're back already? Something went wrong?"

"Nope, got it right here."

She frowns before comprehension dawns on her face. "Ah, right. Your Oblivion Walker trick."

"Exactly. Want to come with when I return the key?"

"Gladly. I've wanted to end this chapter in my life for a long time now. Let's get Brynjolf as well."

— A Dragon's Game —

We enter Nightingale Hall with the four of us, though Lydia feels uncomfortable just walking into what amounts to a shrine to a Daedric Prince. I might have missed it last time, having been occupied by Karliah and my preparations for Nocturnal.

I seek eye contact, and she feels reassured even without a word.

Best. Housecarl. Ever.

There's some light, nervous banter between me and Brynjolf, but nothing I recall later.

"We're here." Karliah interrupts us. It's impossible not to hear her, despite how softly she spoke. The banter stops in its tracks.

Before us is a portal.

"This is the portal to the Ebonmere, at the heart of the Twilight Sepulcher." Karliah explains. "It is for the Nightingales, when we need to rush to defend it."

I square my shoulders and enter. The others right behind me.

There's a stone, round floor surrounded by very high, smooth walls. There's no route up, and no way out except for the clearly temporary portal I entered through.

I step forward to give the others space. Hm, there's something in the middle.

Looks like a keyhole.

"Well, Do'samma, you retrieved it. You want the honor of returning it?" Brynjolf asks.

I chuckle. "Nocturnal deals in honor now? No, this is just a part of my fulfillment of our deal." I draw the Skeleton Key and stick it in the hole.

It fits as if made for it. Then again, it did the same on the few locks I tested it on. Even the one that looked far too small.

A few seconds pass. Did I do it wrong?

The ground rumbles.

Ah, I did it right.

A moment later, the floor turns intangible, and we have to catch ourself a meter lower.

The middle of the room is now occupied by a black fountain, topped with the Skeleton key. And on the wall behind us is the purple portal to Nightingale Hall.

Everyone just… stands around for a second, as if for something to happen, but nothing does.

It's a bit anticlimactic.

Reputation with Brynjolf increased by 20 (30)!

Affection from Karliah increased by 20 (65)!

Affection from Nocturnal increased by 20 (20)!

Ah well. Time for Lydia and me to get home. I'm completely done with Daedric Princes for now, and I want to enjoy my rest while I can.

A/N 1: Opusculus Lamae Bal ta Mezzamortie is actually an in-game book describing the creation of the first vampire, Lamae Bal. In Skyrim, you need to scour Valerica's study for it, but you can also just find it online. Valerica explains half of the story herself, if you pay attention to her ranting in the Soul Cairn. I'm also going to assume that the true book is a bit longer than the few paragraphs we get in game.

A/N 2: It always bugged me that in the game, Karliah tells Nocturnal that she's offering her two more Nightingales. As if we're somehow her possession and hers to sell. I can't be the only one. Regardless, I decided that Do'samma should get to bargain for himself.

A/N 3: Regarding the Argonian Boobs argument, I'm going to rule that it was a side-effect of the Hist making the lizards more humanoid. To enable them to better mingle, if they so desired. And as emergency fat storage in times of starvation.

A/N 4: Bormah is dragon language for "Father", which they use for Akatosh. The souls of the dragons are pieces of Akatosh' soul, which he split off when he made them. Since the soul of Akatosh cannot be destroyed by mortals, neither can they truly kill a Dragon. Only another Dragon can, through absorbing its soul, which essentially re-unifies Akatosh's a bit more every time.

The "i" at the end is a possessive suffix. It turns "father" into "my father". For Do'samma personally, using the dragon language word refers to Akatosh, while a plain "father" refers to his mortal/physical father. Both bormah and bormahu (our father) are used in-game, though only the second for Akatosh specifically. (By Paarthurnax, who else.).