Cearbhail:

Okay, it's been a while. I'm tired of sitting on this. So, I had some inspiration and here we go!

Enjoy. =^^=

[Vatu]

Last night was eventful. After I gave the crystal ball with my sister on the other side over to Pra'ja, I immediately turned in for the night. Yesterday had been a whole thing. We graduated, partied, ate a huge feast, I met my sister… all the things. I'm just hoping that today, our orders will arrive by portals. I would like to begin fitting for my armor. That's today's schedule: custom armor fitting. Tomorrow, we're getting our orders. Until then, we're all on free time. And I'm expecting something crazy to happen. One fourth of the people resting here at the Arcane University's Restoration Project are my unit, the other three of the other graduates of the War Mage Protocol Training Program.

That being said, we're all camping outside in tents. Since the Imperial City was bombed by a bunch of flying angels, most of the buildings were reduced to rubble. And even though what mages survived have been going hard at restoring the city, the majority of the city was still in rubble. And with a few hundred soldiers all attending their graduation, we figured we'd just sleep in our tents around the island's grassy exterior. The majority of our tents were down in the Waterfront District. It's where my unit put up our tents. I found it relaxing. I shared a tent with my sister, Nisha. And I slept next to Erandur and Davilia on our left side, and Pra'ja with Primrose on our right side. Between hearing Erandur and Davilia… doing stuff with each other… and Pra'ja and Primrose arguing about Vara, until they started talking about all the stuff they both loved about her… oddly making the both of them best friends… sort of. I spent the whole night with the pillow over my head. Nisha snoring didn't help either. She kicks in her sleep. And so… as you can guess… I'm tired.

And here I am… sitting at the dining tables set up for us graduates, eating my oatmeal with Erandur and Pra'ja sitting next to me. The tiny empath girl from Unit 3 was sitting across from us, laughing at something Pra'ja said. Sitting with her was her two best friends: the Khajiit girl, Erickha Snow-Pelt, one of the northern snow leopards breeds from Skyrim; and the other girl was the Argonian Talia Snake-Fang.

I bring up the Argonian and the Khajiit for obvious reasons… the Khajiit is sitting in front of me, and the Argonian is sitting in front of Pra'ja. And we're all… talking. Talking is a good word. I'm trying my best to keep my eyes on my oatmeal. The Khajiit in front of me dresses like the Khajiit from the most western parts of Elsweyr. Where it's nothing but sand… and heat. It's not exactly warm here… in First Seed. It's still cool out, with a winter chill in the early mornings… which it was. And this girl is just sitting here in a flowy skirt and tie dye fringed bra. I'm guessing it's because she's born with thicker fur, making this kind of weather feel warm even to her. It's just… weird to me. I'm not exactly dressed for cold weather either, but I'm not walking around essentially shirtless.

I'm trying to keep my eyes to myself, because the Khajiit girl is trying to talk to me. Flirting, I'm guessing. I'm the only other male Khajiit here at the moment, and she has her green eyes set on me. She's talking to her friend, but I can see her scanning me. And I already had… how many people trying their best to get inside my pants? Let's count… Pra'ja, Nexa, Primrose, maybe Crassi, Calfire, William, Noria made a pass at me once… last thing I need is an Ohmes giving me a try at a hard time. I can't just ignore her though. Guess I should try to socialize.

I sighed as I placed my spoon down. I glanced up at her, and it drew her attention to me. "Okay, I'm ready to talk now."

"Great!" She purred. "So… you can do this too?" Her eyes suddenly shifted red, her fur standing on end.

I can to a sudden pause. My legs tensed up as I suddenly see her turning into a red-eyed warrior right in front of me.

"You've got to be kidding me…" I was lost in her eyes. "You're a…"

She nodded. "The only one from my entire village. My family is… astonished. No one has… remembered the last time one of us has awoken this skill. It's why I traveled here to the Imperial City. To the Arcane University. The Northern college does not know anything about Khajiits. And I can't stand the heat in Elsweyr. And then… my teacher found out about me. She's one of us too. She's like… the mother I never had."

Oh, right. That one adult Khajiit was her unit's overseer, right? Their BI? She seemed like a nice one. She taught me how to control my raz'akha. Well, enough that I could control it the one time. It almost killed me. I never had the chance to make a healing enchantment on my armor. Come to think of it, I still needed to make one of those. I might just ask Calfire to help me set up a healing ring or something. With her help, I know I'd be able to create the best enchanted thing to keep me alive. Maybe an enhanced clarity enchantment too? To keep me from being absorbed by Mannimarco whenever I do slip into berserker mode?

"So, you're both…" Talia pointed to me and Erickha. "Ragers?"

Pra'ja punched Talia in the arm. "Hey! Don't call them that."

Talia shrugged. "What… it's just… what we called them in Black Marsh. You should know that."

Pra'ja crossed her arms. "I grew up in Cyrodiil. Not Black Marsh. And Vatu's my best buddy. I'd never call him that word."

Erickha shrugged. "I don't know what I am. Our tribe hasn't seen one… ever. To be honest, I didn't know it did anything for me. I thought it was a cute eye-changing spell. I didn't know it made me… invincible. Or manic."

Talia face-palmed. "Until I told you… everything I knew."

She nodded. "Yup. And to think… I thought the Nords were racist. The way you treated me…" She shook her head. "You'd think I murdered your whole family or something."

Talia looked away, crossing her arms. "It's not important anymore. That's the past. Erickha is my best friend. And Vatu… you're like…" She glanced at me, her fur rising. "my idol, I guess. You're the thing that I want to become. You have a handle on this… thing. So, tell me… how does it work? BI Mana'Akha would only say so much."

How to put it? "It's… um…" I shrugged. "Can you ask J'skar? He knows almost everything about this subject. I'm still figuring it out."

Talia almost chuckled. "Wow, you two are so alike." She leaned on her arm. "I wonder which of you is stronger."

Erickha's fur puffed for a second. "Wait… that's a… good idea. Vatu… I need training. And you… you and I can literally fight each other while in that form and not die!"

Bad idea! Worst idea! I had to shift this away from me.

I glanced over to Pra'ja. "Well, I wonder who's stronger? You or Talia?"

Pra'ja seemed to catch my distraction. She looked excited. But not for the reasons I thought. "I wonder… who's the best mage out of all of us. What if… we had a fighting competition. A tournament!"

Erandur, who was doing his best to ignore us, was immediately up on his feet. "No! Don't give anyone the idea…"

The entire camp ground, all of us eating breakfast at the set up tables, had heard Pra'ja's suggestion though. And as I scanned the entire campground, I found out that everyone had been listening to us talk. And the eyes I could see… were beginning to ponder the same thing. There was no escaping this, was there? We all just graduated, and we were invested in having a good time before our orders came in. What better way that putting our knowledge to the test? To see who the best War Mage was.

Erickha was glaring me in the eye, her red eyes sharpening. "Vatu… I feel the calling. I must know… which of us is stronger. And I need to understand who I am. And you… you already understand this thing we both have. So… I'm not asking. I'm suggesting you prepare yourself."

Shit.

…

[Nexa]

Finally, back in my room. I felt destroyed, both physically and mentally. My hangover was pounding me harder than ever. My training top's enchantment was pushed to its absolute max, and it was barely holding together. And I'm glad I didn't have to trudge back to my room without any clothes. I'm already embarrassed enough as it is. And to have my uncle pound me into almost literal oblivion for an hour… I'm amazed I managed to pick myself up and limp my way back to my room.

The entire way back, I didn't have any help. It was like everyone was warned to stay away from me, and with the nasty glares I'm getting from most of the other Argonians, most of them part of the Shadow Legion, I can tell the rumors of me helping the little red-eyed girl have reached full circle. Everyone knows what I did. But, I'm still the Princess, so hateful glares are the worst of what I'll get. No assassination attempts, no typical teenage bullying… just hateful glares. I'd rather have someone pelting me with Hist sap balloons filled with feathers.

But I made it back to my room with no interference. Dad didn't even stop by to see my training. I thought he'd like to see me getting punished even further. I guess I wasn't even important enough for him to see me get beaten into the pavement by his brother.

Once I was inside my room, I tried to pull the training top off, but my arms were too sore for me to even begin lifting them. Well… fuck. That's perfect. Don't I have a hearing to go to today? How am I even going to get myself ready to be there? And once I'm there, I get to be harassed by everyone. Fucking great.

There was a light knock on the door, and I didn't even have the energy to turn around and look at it. "Enter!" I tried to scream, but my voice cracked immediately and it threw me into a coughing fit.

The door burst open, and I heard several footsteps entering my room. I couldn't turn to face them, but they were rushing right for me. I guess someone planned to assassinate me after all.

"Okay… fine. Just… end it already."

"We'll make it fast, don't worry." I heavy voice called from behind me. It was one of the Shadow Masters. I think his name was Gizee. So… they're sending the best to kill me, huh?

I felt a hand grip my shoulder, two more grabbing me by my waist.

"These wounds are no joke." A woman called from behind me. "I'll need more salves. Prin? Can you get me some?"

Prin, a Lilmothiit, sounds like, took off in a dash. "Right away, mistress."

Beautrishu stepped in front of me. "Don't worry, Princess. We'll make this fast. Can you raise your arms?"

I was lost in confusion. "Wait… you're here to kill me?"

Beautrishu looked confused. "Kill you? I'm here to get you dressed. Can you raise your arms?"

I shook my head. "I'm too hurt."

Beautrishu exhaled. "You never make this easy for me, Princess." She grabbed my arms and lifted them up. "I have to hold them here. You mind getting her top off, Shadow Master?"

The Shadow Master scoffed. "You think to order me around?"

Beautrishu glared at him. "Excuse me? You may be a Lord, but I serviced the Previous Queen and now I service the Princess of Lilmoth. And right now, you're here as my help."

I was expecting to hear the Shadow Master combat her, but I all I heard was him grumbling as he grabbed the lower parts of my top, sliding it up. I held a laugh as I watched Beautrishu glare him down. The Shadow Master slid my top off over my arms, with Beautrishu slowly guiding them in front of me, protecting me from the pain in my shoulders.

I felt another hand over my back. "Oh dear… I thought the tail was the worst thing. These… these need attention now." I felt a hand on my shoulder. "And your arm is dislocated."

It is? You think I would remember that happening. Maybe that's why I can't raise it?

"This is going to hurt." The woman behind me warned.

Beautrishu smiled warmly at me, gripping my hands tightly. "Just… breathe deeply, dear."

I was about to smile back at her, but then I felt a sharp pain in my right shoulder, and I think I broke a fang biting down too hard. But the pain quickly faded away to a dull throbbing.

"Okay, Princess. Just stand still for a minute. I have some work to do." She splashed my back with some thick Hist sap healing salve and began working it into my cracked back. I haven't seen what my back looks like yet, but I feel her fingers bouncing off my whip scars. I seem to have a lot of them. "Your body is so tense. And bruised. And your back is still bleeding."

"She's young, she'll bounce back." Shadow Master Gizee said with certainty. "And she earned those marks."

Beautrishu glared even harder at the Shadow Master. "Thanks for your assistance, Shadow Master. I think Raine and I have this covered from here. If you could inform the Warlord that his only daughter will be ready for the hearing in two hours, that would be great."

I could hear the hesitation in his voice, but the Shadow Master eventually turned on his heel. "Yes… of course. I will be leaving now."

We all stood there as he walked out of the room. Once he was gone, far outside of earshot, Beautrishu rolled her eyes. "What a fucking moron." She barely whispered the word, just keeping it loud enough that I could hear her say it. She smiled at me. "Don't worry, Princess. We'll get you sorted."

Raine, the White Robe working on my back, brought her hand to my shoulders. "Your shoulders, your neck…it's all tense. Every bit of you is tense. Now that I have your back sealed, let's get you on the floor."

"The floor?" That's an odd request.

"I need to massage you. And I didn't bring a message bed."

"I'm a mage." The voice of the Lilmothiit running back into the room said. "I can summon one from the massaging room."

"Please and thank you." Raine sang.

A flat bed popped out through a portal, and I was directed towards it. I was practically lifted up and placed on the bed by Raine and Beautrishu. And once I was in place, I felt some healing Light on my back. Raine began pushing some of my pressure points, rubbing my back in the process. It felt like the best fucking thing I've ever let myself do. I could sit here and let this happen for the rest of my life. I hope my life becomes this nice one day.

Beautrishu stood in front of me, looking over her checklist. "Let's see. While the White Robe is tending to your recovery, we have some things to go over. So, the hearing you will be attending is set in two hours. It was going to be later, but… we have another matter you must attend to after the hearing. You will be assisting the Queen and the Warlord with the selection of the Shadow Squad."

"I get to help with that?" That sounds serious.

Beautrishu nodded. "It is your squad, so you will be part of the process of finalizing who will be on it. Before that though, we need to make sure you attend to your Second Breakfast. You have to at least eat something. I see you held your first breakfast down, so… that's a good start. And after the healing balm and massage are over, your tail restored… you should be able to eat a quick meal. A heavy protein oatmeal has been selected for you with a side dish of Sap Sauce. You will be eating it to completion. Your stomach should be ready for it by the time we're done."

Sap Sauce? That's one of the rarest dishes only given to soldiers on the brink of death. Fuck… this is serious. A Hist allowed its sap to become a think soup for me? I should be honored to be able to eat that feast.

I decided to just let this happen and I relaxed my body as Raine and the Lilmothiit continued massage me. My legs were rubbed, my tail was pulled on, while Light was being fed into it. And Hist Sap was rubbed on this small stubble that was my tail, and… I'm guessing the Hist Sap was given by the Hist with the exact purpose of growing my tail because it basically started pulling out of my stub like it was just trapped inside my butt. It was still a light green, almost nothing to look at, and skinny, frail… but at this moment, I look like that too. I'm too skinny and frail to keep myself up on my feet. So… yay. I'm complete mess. If Vatu could see me now… I'm sure I'd get all the sympathy points from him. But I don't want to win him over like that. It's cheap. I'd rather win him over by kicking his ass in a martial arts competition. I'm pretty sure that's how I'll have to win him over.

And I just continued to lay there, letting the White Robe rub my sore body, covering it with a healing salve and rubbing it in. Most of my soreness was screaming at me, but I was too entranced at the feeling of Light inside me. I'd been trying my best to learn how to use my Light. I was one of the few Shaowblades born with the ability to wield Light. It appeared when I was barely a little girl. Ever since, I've been trying to figure out how to use it. I wasn't raised as a White Robe though.

The White Robe finished her task, tapping me on my shoulder. "There you go. Try to get up."

I groaned as I pushed myself off the table. Everything hurt, but now… I felt able to move myself to the point of rising off the table, standing on my own feet, and breathe through my now not broken ribs.

I rolled my shoulders, happy that I could just as easily rotate them again. "I feel brand new." I nodded my thanks to the white-scaled woman. "Thanks, Raine."

Raine bowed. "I am here to serve, ma'am." She started walking away with the white-furred Lilmothiit. "Come, Prin. Let's tend to our next patient."

The door closed behind them, leaving me alone with Beautrishu. "Shall I call for your meal, Princess?"

I shook my head. "Just… give me a minute, okay?" I turned to my bed, sitting down on top of it. "It's been a very… tough few days. Oblivion, week."

Beautrishu nodded. "I understand, Princess. I can't begin to imagine what it's been like. All the pain you've been through. And your father, shit on his future grave, doing all this to you. And for what? Protecting a little girl? Shameful is what it is."

I laughed at Beautrishu's favorite insult. "I like that you're so comfortable with me that you'll insult my father to my face while cursing."

"It's hard not to be comfortable with you, Princess. I did practically raise you. Did I ever tell you? I was your mother's best friend. We had similar training programs. I was born a Lady, born to the roll of serving royalty… and she was born into the Lover's training program… a… different kind of profession that also played a part in… servicing royalty. And training often allows a young child like ourselves to become… acquainted with some forms of royalty. During my training, I was assigned a young Shadowblade, assigned to them as a playmate. We were the same age after all. My job was to make the young Prince… entertained. And your mother… was also assigned to the Prince to keep him… satisfied. I would do things like clean up after the Prince, and even do his stupid dares whenever he got bored. Your mother on the other hand… once he became of age… he started having other things for her to do. And you can guess… it ended with the two of them falling in love. And once my best friend was now the Princess of Argonia… she selected me to be her servant… her best friend. I was honored to be by her side. And when you were born… she asked me to help take care of you. When she passed… I… I knew you'd need more attention."

I just sat there, listening. Beautrishu never mentioned mom. Ever. This was a first for me. Dad never talked about her. Julanza even strayed away from talking about her. I never knew mom was a courtesan. We called them 'Companions', but their role was simple. Make royalty feel satisfied. A very honorable job… if not messy one. It was nice to hear someone talk about her.

"I see more of her in you day by day." Beautrishu said happily. "The same spirit. She'd often break the rules if something actually mattered to her. Stood up for me whenever Shadowblades wanted to use me for their entertainment. And of course, just her standing up for me caused the Prince to defend her whenever the Shadowblades tried to make an example of her. To be honest, I'd be dead long before now were it not for her. A lot of Ladies and Lords don't survive young Shadowblades when they get bored. Murder is still murder, but asking a Lady to test some poisoned food? Or collect a poisonous flower? Or even play some stupid game that ends with one of us dying? No one would shed a tear at my passing as long as it pleased your father. Your mother was one of a kind. Probably because she grew up in the same situation as me. She wanted the best for you. I've tried to provide that. So, to see you here, being treated like an outcast… for something as simple as defending a lost little girl… is sickening to me."

I chuckled at the thought. Yeah… that's the situation. I was being treated like shit… but it was more than that. I did kill a few people to get my friends out of here. But… I only did it to protect them. I probably could have handled Jinlanzhin a lot better. I could have easily bribed him with a date with me. It would have worked, but… I opted for killing him instead. I might have been able to enlist his help. I guess I'll never know now.

"Beautrishu… you're really the best thing about this place. I wasn't tailed, or beaten for helping a girl escape Lilmoth. I was tailed and beaten for killing Jinlanzhin. I was helping Nisha escape and then… Jinlanzhin just happened to see me out of the crowd. He came to me, spotting Nisha… knew she was the one with the death order… and got in my way. Almost drew the crowd on us. So… I killed him. I could have done so many different things, but I resorted to the quickest thing I knew… and I killed him. And while we escaped, I helped kill two other guards. People… who were just doing their job. People just like you. I thought nothing of it, which is the worst part. I was only concerned with getting the Khajiit girl out of Lilmoth."

Beautrishu just stood there, silently listening to me.

I sighed as I lied down on my bed. "And it wasn't because I liked her… or cared for her safety. She's just… the sister of this guy I like. I care about him… and so… by extension… I care about her! I actually… cared about a red-eyed little girl, whose only crime was being born with the ability to change the color of her iris and take a punch without flinching. Not even old enough to know how to do it either. Knowing her brother… changed me. I understand so much more than I did while I was training here. It made me a different person. But at my core… I'll still resort to killing someone before considering my other options. This punishment… is a lesson I have endure."

"And endure it… you have." Beautrishu finalized. "But now, we have other things to need attending. Your second breakfast is already on its way, Princess. Please stand up so I may try this dress on you. I need to make adjustments based on how thick your stomach will be after your oatmeal."

"I won't fill in that quickly." I retorted.

Cearbhail:

Good thing Nexa has one loving parent in her life. Anyway, we get to go back to two Khajiits trying to rake each other's throats out. Happy days!