The guys had sloughed off to go fishing. Azuyia was finishing her biscuits and tea when Yaliu sashayed down the stairs in her strings.

"Mara ... Yollie! Put some damn clothes on! What if they were here?"

Yaliu polished her knuckles and grinned at Azuyia.

"And no, I do not want to hear about it! These are my friends here."

"What has gotten into you, sis," Yaliu asked at the fingernails she had painted silver, "you're even more fun than your usual fun self."

Azuyia's face puffed slightly, and her hand tightened around her cup.

"Why ... do you always ... have ... to do this," she asked.

"What, enjoy myself," her sister replied with an arched eyebrow.

"You know what I mean. Even back home you're … ugh! Famous."

"Sis," Yaliu pulled her hair on top of her head with both hands, "I have been places you haven't, believe it or not. It's true. I've spent a lot of time in Cyrodiil."

"Your point?"

She let her hair fall and put her hands on the table and drummed her fingers. "They have this story there, part of the myths of their divines ... "

Azuyia interrupted her sharply. "Keep your voice down! There are Stormcloaks in this town just as well as Imperials!"

Yaliu's face lost a touch of its hauteur, and yet she still beamed and continued in a soft tone, "Anyway, they tell this story of the three divines and the miller's boy. Ever heard it?"

"Not even at the Southall Collegium," Azuyia shot back directly.

Her sister's eyes narrowed, lips pushed out. "Well, see, this simple country lad stumbles across a crown buried in the earth, one First Seed when they were breaking soil, and he's mystified. What's a golden crown doing out here in the sticks? So he walks down to the picturesque brook under an iconic sky, and no sooner does he pause there when poof! Three divines are standing right in front of him."

"What do these theatrics have to do with anything, hm?"

"Oh, I'll get to it, dear." They sat there a moment in silence, Yaliu enjoying her end of the table as Azuyia continued to stew. "So the miller's boy sees Julianos, Mara, and Dibella."

"This is stupid, Yoll."

"And they each want the crown." At this, Azuyia's gaze got a bit more intent after rolling eyes and steaming. "The miller's boy, terrified, knowing he'll probably die anyway, decides to play dice with it, what'th'hay. 'Julianos, lord of logic, sure I thank you,' he says, 'if I were to give it to you, what might I ask in return?' Have they ever taught you this one at your ... collegium, Zu?"

"No, they haven't. We work with real forces and use our real energy, and not staring off at the stars waiting for a visitation by some folk wisdom."

"That's what you need to learn. So Julianos says, 'That's a good lad. You give it to me, I'll make you the most powerful man on earth. Weapons, armies, land, gold. Whatever you want, it's yours.' And to this the lad thinks, schwiing, cha-ching, toys and more toys. Then he turns to Mara, the goddess of luuuve and feewings," Yaliu got a crafty look in her eyes, "and says, 'Good Mara, would you look out for me if I gave it to you?' To that the kind lady says, 'Wise boy. Gets a little lonely in that crystal castle with your toys all by yourself, hmm? You give it to me, I will match you with your perfect mate for a long and happy marriage.'"

Azuyia had started to smile sourly. "I think I see where this is going."

"Ah," Yaliu replied, "and so our hero, our hero turns to the third divine, Dibel-la," she giggled, "and says, 'Hi, Dibbie.'"

"Oh, gimme a ..."

"And she waves her hand and says, 'Shut up. Like Jules here says, whatever you want, it's yours.'"

"I assume this tawdry version of the primaries excuses your behavior? I mean, that what you tell yourself, that you are touched by Dibella?"

"No, sis," Yaliu said, "but I haven't been touched by Mara, either, unlike someone else I could mention."

Azuyia reddened.