Chapter 18:

Irideth wasn't surprised when Adunaphel and Hoarmurath showed up about an hour after she'd finished breakfast.

But she was glad of it. And glad that Asha had apparently told Sauron she wasn't supposed to eat much more than soup, because she'd noticed the Dark Lord watching her more closely than was his wont. The bowl Halla had given her was small enough that Irideth was able to finish it without feeling too nauseous, which appeared to satisfy the Maia. Still, the girl made certain to sip at the tea (medicinal tea, she realized when she noted the bitter aftertaste) while she puzzled her way through a book passage detailing the geography of the Mountains of Shadow. Irideth thought she might have heard Sauron chuckle once when she face-planted into the pages when she got stuck on a passage full of sentence structures she wasn't familiar with.

The girl had gone without complaint when the Nazgûl had arrived, bidding a polite goodbye to Sauron before following them out the door. She remained mostly silent as they walked while Adunaphel and Hoarmurath spoke quietly to each other, though the girl was aware they were keeping a close eye on her.

When they reached the wraiths' office, Akorahil insisted on performing a cursory medical exam on Irideth. Irideth didn't think her annoyance was that visible, but judging by the poorly concealed snickers she could hear, that was not the case.

When Akorahil was satisfied, Irideth retreated to her usual spot on the couch (the extra few blankets and pillows on it did not escape her notice). It didn't take long for Irideth to fall into her usual routine of organizing and filing reports and studying Black Speech, though she did keep herself wrapped in a blanket this time.

She got tired far more quickly than normal; she didn't think it had been much more than an hour before she found herself beginning to nod off. Irideth took a deep breath and forced herself to sit up straighter, though she had to blink a few times to make sense of the figures on the page she was looking at.

"Go to sleep, Irideth," Akorahil said; he and Murazor were working at the desks flanking her couch. Irideth jumped slightly at the unexpected interruption, turning her head to see the wraith's hooded gaze fixed on her.

"You're recovering from an illness; the more rest you get, the more quickly your health will return," Akorahil said, gentle but decidedly stern.

Irideth, against her better judgement, opened her mouth.

She promptly discovered that Nazgûl, despite having no faces, could certainly give the impression of a raised eyebrow and convey the meaning behind that look better than most eyebrow-possessing individuals.

Irideth closed her mouth and set the papers she'd been sorting in neat piles on the floor. She stacked a couple pillows against the arm of the couch and lay down, drawing a blanket over her shoulders and closing her eyes.


Sithis wasn't the type of being to interfere directly with matters. Not ordinarily, at any rate, not anymore. Things had been different in ages past, of course, but now the Dread Lord preferred to watch things unfold as they would. Between the Daedric Lords mucking about in the mortal plane, either for their own amusement or using mortal champions in their squabbles, and his own children's exploits, Sithis did not often need to extend his own hand in order to achieve his desired ends.

Of course, there were exceptions to every rule.

"Father."

Sithis had sensed Lucien's approach, and he suspected he knew the reason for the man's disquiet. For now, though, he brought his attention to the assassin.

"Yes, child?"

Lucien didn't - couldn't, really - tense or fidget, as he might have when he was flesh and blood. Not that such things were necessary for Sithis to read his former Speaker; nonetheless, the lengthy pause would have made it easy for even the most dense of creatures to see Lucien's unease.

"It's... the lesser daedra, the young one from Illuvatar's realm. He's stirring again, and much more... violently, than he ever has before," Lucien said.

Interesting. "He has come close to awakening fully?"

"The closest he has since you took him into your care, according to Mother," Lucien answered.

Oh. That certainly was interesting.

"It seems the little Dragonborn might be causing more of a disturbance in Eru's tune than I thought," Sithis mused aloud. "How marvelous."

Lucien cocked his head, questioning.

"The Vala seeks his bondmate," Sithis said. "Even in this state, that is his overarching desire. Eru has sealed his realm off so completely from the rest of Oblivion, however, that any attempts at contact from either of them were doomed to end in failure until very recently."

"Until the disturbance caused by the portal created by the girl's mother," Lucien said, posture straightening as he caught on.

Sithis hummed his approval, creating what to Lucien was an undoubtedly pleasant ripple of energy. "He patched it up as soon as he noticed, of course, but his long isolation has led to him becoming decidedly unfamiliar with the rest of our realms, and the powers and beings within each."

"He couldn't fix it completely," Lucien said.

"Indeed. And fine though the tear in his veil may be, it is enough for things to leak through. Nothing much, but just enough for his eldest son and his bondmate to sense each other again, however faintly."

"Do they know?" Lucien asked. "Do they recognize each other?"

"I doubt the Maia does," Sithis answered. "On some level, perhaps, but they have been sundered for so long I very much doubt he is entirely conscious of what he is feeling, though it has certainly had an effect."

Before Lucien could respond, a new ripple of energy drew the attention of both beings.

"I suppose I had better go put him back to sleep; he'll do no one any favors if he wakes now," Sithis murmured, more to himself than anything.

Lucien nodded his assent. "Should I accompany you, Father?"

"No, my child. Return to your own rest for now. You have done well."

Lucien bowed; Sithis only paid marginal mind, turning his awareness away, out into the vastness of the Void, until he found what he was looking for.

The Night Mother was aware of him before he was fully present, raising her head and closing her eyes, sending him a wordless greeting. The Lord of the Void greeted her in kind, threads of darkness manifesting and winding their way about her shoulders and back. She sighed, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth as she relaxed into the embrace.

'How is our wayward child, my dear Blood Flower?'

'Restless,' she answered, running a gray-skinned hand through the ebony hair splayed across her lap. The Vala did not appear aware of it, though his breathing was much more rapid than it should be. There was a slight grimace on his face, the minutest of twitches running through his body. 'He suffers; he calls for his bonded, but the younger one cannot listen, cannot answer. He remembers being cast out, the sundering, and it hurts him.'

As though in response the Vala jerked suddenly, a small sound barely managing to escape his long-unused throat. The Night Mother hushed him gently, stroking his hair and leaning forward, pressing a kiss to his forehead. 'Will you help me put him back to sleep, my love? Waking now would cause him such pain.'

In answer, Sithis brought his awareness to bear on the young daedra. Two larger dark tendrils emerged, forming arms and hands paler than sun bleached bone. They wrapped around the Vala, dozens of wisps of shadow doing the same, pulling him back to rest against a newly formed chest as the Night Mother began to sing softly, brushing hair back from a scarred face.

Sithis felt the youngster relax, sensed the slight quieting of his soul's turmoil. But he was still struggling, still fighting to wake. Sithis focused a bit more of his power, the shadows at his back and the Night Mother's beginning to wind their way around the Vala, their quiet whispers joining his wife's melody.

"Hush, child," Sithis whispered, newly formed lips nearly touching the young one's temple. "Return to your rest. You will see your bonded again soon. Things have already been set in motion, and your insufferable fool of a father will not be able to stop them."

The Dread Lord's efforts were rewarded with the complete surrender of the body he held, the soul within following soon after.

"Yes," Sithis murmured. "You will walk your father's realm once more, but the time is not yet right. Sleep in peace, Melkor, and know it will come soon."


Irianna was about ready to start ripping her fur out; she'd been poring over the notes Phinis had given her on his latest experiment for nearly two days straight. She'd even gone to visit Nelacar at The Frozen Hearth, but even he hadn't been able to make much of the results.

Which meant Irianna was still only able to communicate with Irideth when the other girl was asleep, and she still wasn't able to even touch her. She had hoped Phinis' latest tests would provide some clues as to how she could modify her own rituals and spells. She needed to figure out something that would enable her to at least give Irideth objects like scrolls and potions; something, anything, to help her escape her captor.

Unfortunately it didn't seem there was any way to do that without entering Oblivion in some way, shape or form. And going by Phinis' research and all the books in the Arcaneum Irianna had read on the subject, the odds of you getting back were not good. By all accounts, most mages who did so ended up trapped in whatever plane they'd been exploring unless they made a pact of some sort with the Daedric Prince who ruled it.

Which was not something Irianna wanted to do. Not that that was a possibility, really; not until Irianna had contacted Irideth had it been confirmed that Illuvatar even existed, much less that he had a realm of his own. There were no shrines to him anywhere in Tamriel, no symbols or objects of significance, no orders or cults and whatnot, so there was really no way she could contact him even if she'd wanted to.

So it was back to square one.

Seven months, seven gods-damned months of research and experiments had turned up nothing. It didn't help that most components for Conjuration spells and rituals were rare and therefore expensive.

A knock had the khajiit turning her attention from the notes and ingredients spread out before her. She was met with the sight of Brelyna standing at the door of her room. Colette peered in less than a second later, eyes going wide when she saw Irianna.

"Are you still at it?" Colette asked, incredulous. "Irianna, you haven't slept in over a day!"

Irianna blinked. "Really?" She hadn't thought it had been that long... had it?

Brelyna stepped forward, lips pursed. The Dunmer's sigh was visible in the relaxation of her shoulders.

"Irianna, I know this project is important to you," the elf said, placing a gentle hand on Irianna's shoulder. "But you're not going to get anywhere if you can't focus because you've exhausted yourself. When's the last time you ate?"

Irianna was silent for several moments, considering. "Lunch today. Or yesterday, I guess? What time is it? What day is it, come to think of it?"

Colette exhaled so heavily it was half a growl, stepping into the room and pulling Irianna's chair back, nearly knocking both her and Brelyna to the floor. The khajiit yelped indignantly when she was dragged to her feet by the front of her robes.

"Pajamas, now," Colette ordered, shoving Irianna toward her wardrobe. "I'll go get you something to eat, and then I'm going to make sure you go to bed. I don't want to see you so much as glancing at those notes for at least 24 hours, got that? The last thing we need is you blowing up the Hall of Attainment because you're too tired to keep proper wards in place."

Irianna knew better than to protest when Colette used that tone of voice. She obediently opened her wardrobe, pulling out her nightgown and laying it over her bed. Colette only left when she began removing her robes, practically storming out the door.

"I can hear you giggling back there, you know," Irianna said over her shoulder as she pulled off her undertunic.

"It's not you," Brelyna said, voice mirthful. Irianna shot her a look; the dark elf had a hand over her mouth. The khajiit raised an eyebrow and Brelyna's eyes crinkled.

"Okay, maybe a little bit. But, honestly, it's mostly Colette. I've never seen her getting so strict with anyone."

"She's a scholar of Restoration; she knows how badly we can mess ourselves up when we don't eat or sleep," Irianna responded as she kicked her boots off.

"Yes, but the worst she does to anyone else is make a pointed comment here or there. You she'll actually drag off; I think she'd even tie you to your bed and force-feed you if Mirabelle would let her," Brelyna giggled.

"That's what you get for asking a mage about their research, I suppose," Irianna muttered as she dragged her nightgown over her head.

Brelyna's eyes softened. "Irianna, you're the only one who's shown any interest in her work."

Irianna gave the elf a look.

"First one to show any genuine interest," Brelyna amended. "And you are the only one who's assisted her with research. She considers you a friend, Irianna; she's worried about you."

Irianna grumbled something unintelligible as she lifted the covers and slipped into bed. Brelyna grinned and sat beside her.

"So, no luck with Nelacar, I'm assuming?"

Irianna's ears flattened against her skull as she lay back. Brelyna's face fell and she sighed, laying a gentle hand on Irianna's thigh. "You'll figure it out, Irianna, I know you will. I've never seen Phinis so energetic; you two have made more big strides in the last few months than he has in the past twenty years!"

"It's just... I'm worried, Brelyna. I know it sounds strange, I've never even met this girl, but...," Irianna sighed, staring at the ceiling. "It's almost like something's... driving me, compelling me, almost. Zenithar, I can't really even remember how I learned of her, but now that I do... and the situation she's in, separated from her family, enslaved by a daedra, I just...," Irianna trailed off into a hiss, claws nearly tearing the sheets as she clenched them in her fist.

"The gods work in mysterious ways sometimes," Brelyna said softly, moving her hand from the khajiit's thigh and gripping Irianna's hand. "I've no doubt you started on this path for a reason. You're making progress; you'll find her, Irianna."

Irianna huffed loudly, turning her gaze to the ceiling and blinking hard. Her eyes were feeling quite heavy all of a sudden...


Irideth was… she couldn't tell where she was. She was standing on a floor made of stone, black and shining. There was something that looked like a well in front of her, an orb, similar to those produced by the Magelight spell Irianna had taught her, hovered a few feet above it. The girl could see nothing beyond this sphere of light; everything was pitch black.

Irideth shivered, wrapping her arms around herself. It wasn't so much the cold (though it wasn't warm here by any stretch of the imagination), but the air was just… everything was so still. And quiet.

"Irideth?"

Irideth barely kept herself from shouting in alarm when she turned to face the voice; she couldn't stop the relieved sound that left her throat when she saw Irianna standing on the other side of the well.

"I need to get out of here," was the first thing to make it out of her mouth.

"Um… well, yes, I agree," Irianna said, glancing around and looking just as nervous as Irideth was certain she had a few moments ago. "Only I don't know where here is. Or how I got here, either."

"Where… wait, you didn't… this isn't you? It's not one of your spells?" Irideth asked, feeling a chill travel down her spine as her gaze moved to the all-encompassing darkness, looking, listening for any sound, any indication of something stalking them from the shadows.

"No," Irianna said, glancing around herself. "I've been experimenting with different components and rituals, but I didn't set anyth… wait, are you asleep?"

"Yes."

"Hmmm," Irianna hummed, bringing a fist to rest against her lips as she stared thoughtfully at nothing.

"…What?" Irideth asked after several seconds of silence.

"I think," Irianna said after another brief pause, "that someone has a vested interest in seeing you freed. Probably several someones, now that I think about it."

Irideth shuddered. "That's… I don't know if I like the sound of that."

"No, neither do I. Daedric Princes can be fickle creatures," Irianna said dryly, studying the darkness more intently. "Have you ever been here before, Irideth? Remember anything like it?"

"I… what? Why would I…?" Irideth began, utterly baffled. But then… "No. No, I have been here before."

Irianna gave the younger girl a worried look. "What?" Irideth asked, sounding more defensive than she would have liked.

"Irideth… I… think we're in the Void."

The Void…then this was where she'd first heard…

'Enough.'

Irideth could have sworn she felt every single hair on her body stand up straight. Irianna's ears flattened against her skull, fur bristling as she peeled her lips back from her teeth and hissed in alarm. "Sithis!"

'I am uncertain I can give you credit for being clever, my child; your knowledge of Oblivion and Aetherius has increased rather dramatically over the past several months,' the voice said, sounding amused. Irianna's tail, fully fluffed out, was sweeping back and forth, and Irideth could see the tenseness in her muscles despite the darkness. 'However, I did bring you both here for a purpose; I would prefer you did not deviate.'

Irianna's gaze suddenly jerked downwards, and less than a second later she was leaping backwards with startled hiss, clawing and batting at something that was winding its way about her body. Irideth tried to go to her aid but found herself falling to the ground after taking one step. A horrid coldness had her turning her head to look at her left ankle; a strangled shout left her mouth when she saw what looked like a black snake had wound around her ankle and was working its way up her leg.

Irideth reached down to try to push the thing off; to her horror, her hand passed right through it. The thing wasn't a snake; it was a shadow, a tendril of darkness that moved as though alive.

And there was more than one, Irideth realized when she felt more stabs of cold, saw more wisps of shadow emerging out of nowhere and wrapping themselves around her limbs and torso, creeping ever upward, closer to her neck and head. The girl opened her mouth to scream, but one shadow wrapped itself around her mouth, another winding over her eyes a moment later.

'Ah, there has been much on my mind lately; I had forgotten the importance of setting. Let's try this again, shall we?'


"I have to get out of here," Irideth said, sitting cross-legged across from Irianna in the khajiit's room in what Irianna called the Hall of Attainment.

Irianna blinked. "I agree, but… if I may ask, what has you so… raring to go, all of a sudden?"

Irideth's eyes fell to the floor; she clenched her hands in her lap, swallowing thickly. "I… It… he…" The girl paused, taking a shaky breath as she felt her eyes begin to sting.

"He…," she swallowed again. "Sauron… I… I think he tried to hypnotize me. I'm not really sure how to explain it but… something was blocking the bond he created with the collar. I'd been practicing my healing magic and he wanted to…,"

"Wait, practicing your healing magic?" Irianna asked, straightening, the hints of a snarl curling her lips. "Did he hurt you?"

Irideth's hands fisted in the material of her skirt. "No. It… it wasn't him."

A tense silence followed for several seconds. Then a sigh drew Irideth's eyes upward to Irianna's face. "You don't have to say anything about it if you don't want to, Irideth."

Irideth managed a thin smile before returning her gaze to the floor, watching Irianna's tail as it flicked slowly back and forth. "I had been practicing my healing magic and he… I think he wants to figure out how it works, humans in Arda don't have magic. He tried to look into my memory to see what had happened and… he couldn't. I don't know why, I wasn't doing anything to stop him even though I didn't want him to see but… and then when he couldn't see the memory he tried… I don't know exactly what he did, but I just felt strange. Like I was floating, light-headed, dizzy, like I'd been spinning in circles or breathing too fast. When he told me to use the spell again on my arm, I didn't even think of not doing it. I knew something was strange, but it still took me a while to be able to do anything about it."

It was silent for several seconds.

"Well, that's certainly not good," Irianna said. "If he ever figures it out, much less sees your memories of our meetings…,"

Irideth couldn't suppress a shudder at the thought; her heart began racing just thinking about it, and she felt suddenly sick to her stomach. Eru, what would Sauron do to her if he ever found out?

"I've been working with some other mages to try to modify known rituals so I can… send things to you? I guess that would be the word?" Irianna said, drawing Irideth's attention from that horrid line of thought. "Is there anything you can think of that would make it easier for you to escape?"

"An invisibility spell and a horse? Or a giant eagle?" Irideth muttered bitterly, clenching her hands as she felt what would undoubtedly have been a hysterical laugh catch in her throat. She felt tears welling, raising a hand and hastily wiping them away.

"The invisibility we can manage easily enough, once the transfer ritual is completed," Irianna said, pulling a notebook and a piece of charcoal out of apparently nowhere and beginning to scribble furiously. "I can purchase potions and scrolls easily enough. A horse or… You need a way to put a lot of distance between you and Barad… the Tower or whatever you call it," Irianna muttered, waving a hand dismissively. Irideth smiled at her stumbling over the name.

Irianna glanced up at the younger girl. "What is Mordor's geography like?"

Irideth swallowed thickly, brow furrowing as she tried to remember the book she'd been looking at earlier. "The region Barad-dûr is located in, Gorgoroth, is almost completely surrounded by mountains. There's a large volcano, Mt. Doom…" Here, Irideth began sketching a rough map in the air, "about fifty miles west of the tower, which covers most of the area around it with ash and makes growing most crops difficult because of the lack of sun. If you get too close the air is almost impossible to breathe for long. The only ways in or out of Mordor from Barad-dûr are to cross Gorgoroth north-west to the Morannon and the Black Gate, or go south and west to Minas Morgul. You could also go south to Nurn, but that would take me over a hundred miles south and only get me closer to Harad, and I would still need to get over the Mountains of Shadow, and then go north again if I wanted to get back home."

Irianna nodded absently, then after a moment or two held up a very roughly-sketched map that had Irideth laughing at her cartography skills before pointing out a few more details and corrections. When Irideth was satisfied Irianna spent a few moments studying the map before glancing up at Irideth. "You've been giving some thought to this, haven't you?"

Irideth swallowed thickly, feeling her heart begin to quicken again. "I… after everything that's happened, I just… I was… thinking if it's possible."

Irianna nodded, then looked down at the map again. "You're right, you will need a horse or something to get you across this much open land; you'll need to move very quickly to avoid being caught. I wonder… there are no spells for conjuring horses, but wolves..."

Irideth blinked in astonishment. "Conjure a wolf? How does that work?"

Irianna smiled. "Wolf spirit, really; most mages use them in combat to attack unsuspecting enemies. I think, though, they're large enough that you should be able to ride one as well. The wolf is bound to your will once summoned, and you could have it carry you out of Mordor, and since it's a spirit it won't tire. Unfortunately, considering the distance you have to go, you'll need to recast the spell several times to keep it from fading."

"Do you have a spell book I could read?" Irideth asked.

"No; I'll see if Phinis or Faralda have one they'd let me take. Meanwhile, Irideth, you might want to learn how to meditate or put up a mental shield, something to keep Sauron from reading your thoughts. If…," Irianna began.

"I know," Irideth snapped, wrapping her arms around herself, shuddering. If Sauron ever discovered she was seriously considering escaping, let alone planning something

The thought was too frightening to ponder for long.


Irideth woke feeling chilled to the bone despite the thick blanket she'd covered herself with. Screwing her eyes shut, she curled in on herself, shivering. Stars, it hurt to even move.

A few moments later she forced her eyes open when she felt something being draped over her. She was just in time to see Murazor tucking a black fleece blanket around her shoulders.

It took her tired brain several seconds to process the image. "Wha…?" she said. Slurred, really, she was so sleepy. Murazor made a sound she recognized as a laugh.

"You were shivering. Go back to sleep, little one," the wraith said as he straightened, moving back over to his desk.

Irideth stared, blinking stupidly at the blanket for several seconds before deciding against further consideration of the matter and lying down.

"Thanks," she mumbled, yawning before closing her eyes again.


"You've been sketching this whole time?!"

"No! Just the past… hour, hour and a half, maybe?"

"Khamul!"

"Oh, come on, Murazor, we've almost finished the new plans anyway. He gave you the updated report you asked for this morning already."

"I like it."

What in the name of…? Irideth thought, opening her eyes and blinking a few times to clear her vision. She was met with the sight of all nine Nazgûl gathered around Khamul's desk. Murazor was grumbling something unintelligible and Hoarmurath and Indur looked to be placating him, while everyone else was examining a piece of paper - a drawing? - on Khamul's desk. Khamul himself looked slightly… hunched, like he often did when Murazor laid into him for something

"Impressive though your artistic ability may be, Khamul, I would prefer it if…," Murazor began.

"You do like it!" Adunaphel crowed while the rest of the wraiths snickered and Khamul shrank further in on himself.

Murazor exhaled heavily after several seconds of tittering and ribbing by his subordinates. "Yes, I think it is quite well done."

This declaration was met with further snickers and not-so-subtle (but apparently good-natured) jabs. Khamul, strangely enough, did not seem to be joining in. He did straighten slightly, though, looking up at Murazor as the Witch King rubbed his forehead in exasperation (how did that even work?).

Was… Khamul embarrassed about something? Irideth thought, tilting her head slightly.

A sudden burning sensation in her forehead made Irideth grimace, raising a hand to rub it purely on instinct. This wasn't a normal headache, though. When Irideth paid more attention to the sensation, she tensed immediately upon realizing the source and jerked her head up to look at the wraiths.

"I'd get away from the door if I were you," she called, voice hoarse but thankfully still carrying well enough. The wraiths looked up at her, a few of them actually jumping in surprise, but they at least heeded her warning.

Barely in time, too. Less than a second after Murazor and Indur had taken a few steps back the door flew open to admit a very, very irritated-looking Sauron.

Silence reigned for several seconds as the Dark Lord entered and shut the door behind him. Then Murazor seemed to clue in and asked Sauron something in Black Speech; Sauron's response was a near growl.

Irideth didn't understand much of the ensuing conversation, but she did pick up enough to understand that the source of Sauron's frustrations were trade issues with Nurn; he'd apparently just come from a meeting with the agricultural and economics ministers.

Irideth didn't even notice her head had been drooping until it had hit the pillow. She didn't bother trying to raise it again, it was spinning so badly she wouldn't have been able to follow anything even if she'd wanted to.

Not to mention I'm less likely to attract Sauron's attention if I'm sleeping.

Taking a deep, quiet breath, Irideth sank further into the pillows and closed her eyes.

She must have fallen asleep, because she sat up with a start, nearly leaping out of her skin, when the blankets were pulled off and less than a second later a large weight settled itself behind her. Heart pounding, Irideth turned around. She felt her eyes going wide when she saw that Sauron, who had removed his crown and outer robes at some point, had apparently thrown himself down on the couch behind her, lying down and stretching himself out over the length of it. Baffled, Irideth blinked for a moment before turning and beginning to slide to the floor; if the Dark Lord wanted the couch, she wasn't going to argue with him.

She let out an involuntary yelp when an arm slid around her waist and dragged her back up.

"Don't. Move," Sauron said, voice just shy of a growl, but thankfully with little heat behind it; Irideth could sense that the anger wasn't directed at her, anyway.

The Maia turned her so she faced him, pulling her to him and tucking her against his chest before pulling the blankets over both of them.

Irideth was so utterly stunned by this behavior she didn't have any idea how to respond. She remained frozen as Sauron wound his hand in her hair, running his fingers through it absently as his other arm pulled her against him a bit more firmly. This close she could feel how tense he was, could hear that his breathing was slightly roughened.

Not daring to look at his face, Irideth took a quiet breath and relaxed as best she could, bracing one hand against Sauron's chest as she curled into him, closing her eyes as she buried her face in his shoulder. She kept her focus on her breathing, keeping it deep and slow both to give herself something to focus on and to keep herself from tensing. Though the warmth Sauron provided, a bit excessive though it was, was helpful with the latter.

Eventually, assisted by that warmth and Sauron's continued stroking of her hair, Irideth found herself dozing off. She opened her eyes when she heard Sauron exhale heavily, felt the muscles in his chest relax. He continued stroking her hair, though a bit more slowly and with a slight increase in pressure. Irideth blinked in surprise, but she leaned into the touch nonetheless. She felt more than heard Sauron laugh softly, burying his face in her hair for a moment as all tension seemed to bleed right out of him.

When Sauron pulled back Irideth managed to raise her head enough to catch sight of Ren and Adunaphel at the far side of the room, shoulders shaking with silent laughter at her predicament. She furrowed her brow at them, mouthing an exaggerated what? and looking pointedly at Sauron without moving her head.

They only started laughing harder.

Exhaling heavily in annoyance, Irideth glanced at the Dark Lord's face. He was smiling at her, eyes more than half closed, apparently amused. And far more tired than Irideth had ever seen him.

Irideth let her head fall back to Sauron's shoulder, closing her eyes as she curled into him again. As his arms tightened around her in response, Irideth thought absurdly of the little stuffed cat Adina always kept beside her when she slept.

And then she found her mind wandering to the lullabies Mama would sing to her youngest daughter, and sometimes to all her children, when the winds were howling outside or the thunder was particularly loud in the deep of night.

"The sky is dark and the hills are white

As the storm king speeds from the North tonight.

And this is the song that the storm king sings

As over the world his cloak he flings:

"Sleep, sleep, little one sleep,"

He rustles his wings and gruffly sings

"Sleep, little one sleep."

On yonder mountain side a vine

Clings to the foot of a mother pine.

The tree bends over the trembling thing

And only the vine can hear her sing:

"Sleep, sleep, little one sleep;

What shall you fear when I am here?

Sleep, little one sleep.""

… And sleep she did.


A/N: This is going to be a LONG story, we're talking 60-100 chapters easy. It'll pick up a much more 'adventuring' angle once Irideth is back in Skyrim, but I'm not planning on having her back there until she's in her early twenties. She's around ten now, so we've got a bit of a way to go.