!IMPORTANT:Author's Note 3:IMPORTANT!
I have gone back through all of the old CHAPTERS (that is, the actual story), and redone some of it. You'll find a longer story pertaining to Aaron's rescue, more thoughts and whatnot throughout, and Aedenrel has indeed been "toned-down." No, as a reviewer kindly pointed out, Aedenrel was NOT supposed to be so very powerful, and I have gone through and redone anything that I thought might have come off that way. So, you may want to go back and re-read for things. Continuity errors have also been fixed, and Aaron no longer willingly drank the honey ale. He drank Mead instead, which has honey in it, but who knows that? Anyways, I'd like to say thanks to both of my reviewers: Caracaos, and DeusExfreak
Aedenrel is not the Grey Fox, she has been demoted to Magician rather than Arch-Mage, and though she is Listener I hope you can deal with it. Thanks again. Please continue with the story. It's right after that little line, right there. And this chapter is a bit ch--o-pp--ed.
It had been two days. Two full days since Aaron had heard Aedenrel come back to Frostspire Crag, and two full days since she had posted a guard and locked him out of her room, and her life. What was she doing up there? The other "children" didn't seem very worried about it at all, but there was something wrong about Aedenrel's sudden attitude change. There was something very, very strange about her new attitude. And she hasn't eaten anything, he thought, since she's gotten back. Unless she had some sort of magical food store upstairs, which he highly doubted.
Anytime he got close to the portal that led to her room, the two guards stopped him. He didn't have a good physical image of them, but he had a feeling that they were shifty-looking people, people that he would rather that Aedenrel didn't associate with. But obviously she didn't care what he thought. Aaron had been wearing a frown for two days. And he had a feeling that things were only going to get worse. Now, it was the morning of the third day, and he was irascible. More than usual.
"Hey, what's she doing in there?" Aaron jabbed the guard on the left with his finger, but the guard seemed uninterested in what Aaron had to say-- demand, rather. He didn't say anything. And seeing as how Aaron as already in a foul mood, he was willing to do anything, no matter how stupid or dangerous it was. "I'm talking to you!" Aaron shoved the guard, hard, and he wasn't surprised to hear the sound of the guard falling backwards, onto the floor. A grin lit Aaron's face, but it lasted only a moment, before it faded again.
And arm came around his throat, and another arm restrained his arms. He tried kicking out, but as he couldn't see, he wasn't really sure if he was kicking at anything, or just wasting energy. A hissing in his ear told him that it was a Kahjiit that was restraining him, and he didn't like the thought of that.
"Settle down now, Imperial. Don't want to be making Aedenrel upset. She's already angry with you." The cat-man shoved him roughly away, and Aaron stumbled to the floor, scowling, and in no better mood than before. He sat there, taking deep breaths, trying to console himself. So this entire thing was his fault, huh? The whole reason she had gone away was because of him, and he was supposed to sit quietly like a good little boy and wait until she summoned him? There was no way in Oblivion that he was going to do that...
Aedenrel wasn't looking very well, as she pored over the fourth tome of Fathis Aren's magical diaries. She sat crossed-legged on her bed, with a frown on her face as she glanced over the book on her knees. Her eyes dull and cloudy, and her muscles ached. There was a pain in her ribs that hadn't gone away for days, and she was beginning to wonder if it ever would. She was hungry, but she was ignoring it. She was tired, but every time she tried to sleep, she found she couldn't. There was something... wrong about everything, everything that had happened since she'd walked out of her house four days ago, so pissed off that she hadn't even thought twice about her actions. Maybe she was still feeling the effects of too many drinks, or maybe... No, Aedenrel couldn't even remember why her ribs hurt, she just knew that they did. And it put her in a bad mood.
The guards that she had positioned on each side of the portal had barely moved since she'd put them there. She knew they had gone to the bathroom, but never was the portal unattended. Never. She wouldn't allow it, until she found what she was looking for. A fog lay over her mind, though, and she could hardly remember...
What am I looking for? She shook her head once, and briefly wondered if she ought to take a break, to eat something. Anything. Her mouth was watering, and she couldn't think properly. It was definitely time for a break. Aedenrel closed the book, and rubbed at her eyes. She winced as a pain shot through her ribs, but she chose to ignore it. There was nothing she could do, she thought, to make it stop hurting.
"Bring him to me," Aedenrel Lex demanded. There was anger in her voice, a sort of sorrow and tiredness in her eyes that said that she was not to be argued with. Her cerulean eyes had almost fully clouded over. She had eaten little in the past six days, and slept even less than she'd eaten. The pain in her side never went away anymore, and she had taken to wearing a new amulet around her neck; it was a beautifully crafted diamond necklace, with a chain made out of silver. And the diamond was so large, and shining that she could see herself reflected in it. She loved the necklace, though she couldn't remember where she had gotten it from. Probably, she reasoned, she had taken it from a bandit, and forgotten about it. There was no nagging voice in her head to argue with her.
Aaron... Aaron where are you? I can't see, it's dark, and I need you. Aaron, please, please come. Hear me this time, please, please be here when I need you...
Aaron was dragged before her in a spectacular fashion, with a four-guard escort. Apparently he wasn't happy about the situation that he was in, but what did she care about that? She smiled as he crouched at the foot of her bed, and he sat down on the floor, scowling up at her. But there was something more there, in the deep depths of his eyes, something that she couldn't place. What was wrong with this boy?
"Aede--"
"SILENCE, boy." She held up a hand, and it was quite clear, unmistakably so, that he was to comply. Or else. And Aaron found that he didn't want to think about what the "or else" might be. "Now, do you have any idea why I've called you here?"
"Because you've gone INSANE?" Aaron didn't try to hide his displeasure with her, and she was, in his opinion, quite insane. As if she had been touched by Sheogorath. And then some.
"Remove him from my presence." Aedenrel demanded. She was already in a foul mood, and she didn't need his sharp tongue or bad attitude. And she wanted him gone, now. "Take him out on the balcony and leave him there. I want a guard out there, now."
"Yes, Listener." It was the Khajiit that spoke that time, and Aaron decided he was going to be compliant while his guard led him towards the balcony. Of course, at the time he had no idea that the balcony was outside, or that it was so cold. Aaron sat against a wall and waited, trying to think of something, anything really, that could get him out of this situation, which had gone from bad, to worse. If only she hadn't rescued him!
"I'm hungry." Aaron spoke without thinking, and he was sure he was going to be in trouble. If Aedenrel had no problem letting him die of cold out on a balcony, then surely her little minion couldn't care any less about him.
"So am I." It was the Kajhiit again. "I'll bring you something later." Aaron was sure he heard some sort of understanding in the cat-man's voice. But maybe, he thought, he'd imagined it.
The books, Fathis Aren's journals were strewn all around the room, though none of them were damaged. And now there were dark circles around the Listener's eyes, from her lack of sleep. But she was still angry, so very angry, as she studied and read and tossed books around in a very un-Aedenrel-like way. All of her Dark Brotherhood guards knew that she had the greatest sort of respect for her books, they were all carefully organized, and not a page was ever folded, torn, or damaged. Something was wrong, and they all sensed it. But none of them knew exactly what the problem was, or what they could do about it. Something had been wrong for nearly six and a half ways, when this little escapade had began.
Finally, hours later, the Listener fell asleep. One of the guards sneaked downstairs and brought back food. Apparently Aedenrel's "children" were downstairs, waiting. They looked nervous, the guard reported, and they knew that something wasn't "quite right" about whatever was going on upstairs. The Khajiit managed to get Aaron some food before Aedenrel woke up again, and this time she had an even deeper scowl upon her face.
"Bring him to me," Aedenrel demanded, "Bring Aaron to me, now." Her grin was maniacal, and when the Imperial man was brought to her, and forced to his knees before her, she broke out into chaotic and uncharacteristic laughter. It made Aaron wince, and want to cower. She was scary, he thought, when she wasn't herself. "Oh, Aaron, do you know why you're here?" Her voice was sweet, though laced with a sort of malice that he knew he didn't want to be on the wrong side of.
He wanted to reply in a bitter, sarcastic sort of way, but he found himself interrupted, by an insistent but quiet voice in his head. A voice that he knew.
Aaron... Aaron, where are you? I need you. Don't leave me alone here. Please, please help me...
Aaron fought the urge to reply to the voice aloud, instead he held back his emotions, and replied very stiffly. "No, I'm not sure. Perhaps you'd be so kind as to tell me?" Yes, he told himself, be compliant, and don't upset her.
"Smart mouth. You'll pay for your ignorance, boy. But I have the answer, Aaron. I have the answer to your dilemma, and I also seem to have the original source of it. It's a shame, really, that you couldn't have told me this yourself." Her tone had more evil in it than he had ever thought was possible. And when she had finished talking, the small voice came again.
Aaron, Aaron it's so dark here. Please help me. Don't go, don't leave me here alone. Please, please help me, Aaron!
This time Aaron was sure that the voice he heard was Aedenrel. Somehow, this was happening again. Once again he was hearing her thoughts, and he had no idea how. "I told you it wasn't any of your business. Why do you have to pry?!"
"Aaron, dear, you don't understand how the world works, do you? Cyrodil sits in my pocket, Aaron. There is nothing that goes on that I don't have a hand in. There is nothing that goes on that I don't know about. I have connections all over this providence. How did you think you could have hidden your secret from me? I told you that I would find out." She cackled again, which made him shake, though he didn't want to.
This hurts so much... I don't know what's happening, Aaron. Can you hear me? Aaron, are you out there?
I'm here, Aedenrel. I'm here, and I can fix this. I don't know how yet, but I can fix this. Hold on.
The necklace, Aaron. The necklace. I don't know what it is, or where it's from, but it's bad. It's bad news Aaron, make it go away. Please Aaron, please make it go away...
"What's wrong with you?" Aedenrel wondered aloud, scowling at him, which he couldn't see. "Or perhaps you're thinking of a way to plead with me. Did you want to tell the story your way, Aaron dear? Try to convince me that what you did wasn't stupid? Well? Answer me!"
Her voice was like venom, and it cut its way through him faster than anything he had ever known. But he had to have a plan! Aaron refused to sit idly by when his friend was in trouble, when there had to be something that he could do for her! Get the necklace, Aedenrel had told him, but how was he going to do that?
"You think you own me, don't you Aedenrel? You think that I'll bow down to you and do whatever you want me to do, when you click your fingers, do you think I'll sing?" Make her angry, Aaron decided, make her angry and she'll take her wrath out on me personally. Then I'll be close enough to take the necklace.
"Bring him closer," Aedenrel demanded, and of course, the guards did as she bid. There was a moments hesitation, and then Aaron found himself before a chair, which he only knew because he had run his head into it when he was brought before her. Aedenrel kicked out at him as he was forced to his knees again. The pain was nothing to him, all he could think about was how to get the necklace off of her. He was sure that it was around her neck, but he was also sure that any sudden movements would have him kicked, or restrained. If only he could get her lackeys on his side!!!
"Aaron, I know your story. I've found it. You can't hide from me, Aaron. You'll never hide anything from me. Remove him. I'll see him again later." Aedenrel waved her hand in a very royal way, and Aaron was dragged back to the balcony. He thought about resisting, but what good would it do? As he sat down against the cold outer wall the Kajhiit handed him a tray of food. Aaron wasn't hungry, though, for once in his life. He had to have a plan, and he had to have one quickly.
Several hours later Aaron was brought back before Aedenrel. It was apparent to her Dark Brotherhood guard that she had taken a short nap, she was looking slightly better. But she wasn't in a better mood. Aaron was compliant this time, and he knew that he would have to sit quietly and listen to her gloat, and tell his story like she knew exactly why he had done it, and exactly what had driven him towards his insane goal.
"I expect you to sit quiet this time, Aaron. Don't interrupt me, and I'm sure that we'll get along just fine at the end. So, Aaron, where should I begin?" There was a smile on her lips, a very, very startling and scary one. "With the journal of Fathis Aren, or with the information I have gathered? It's a difficult decision, I must say. Hmmm..." Aaron heard her tap her fingers impatiently upon the arm of her chair. He wished that she would just get on with it.
"Well, your tale, Aaron Glistel, starts only a few months before the Oblivion Crisis began, believe it or not. I would have been in the Orphanage at that time." Aaron could tell there was a smile on her face, but he knew it wasn't a smile out of happiness.
"You were missing your old friend, Aedenrel, and you would go to any lengths to find her, would you not? You knew that someone, somewhere had to have the information, someone, somewhere had to know where Aedenrel was. So you started asking questions, and you started getting no answers. No one knew anything, which was strange to you. People don't just disappear, now do they, Aaron?"
Why won't you help me, Aaron? I'm sorry, so sorry for everything. I didn't mean any of this...
"So you went to the beggars, because they're always a good source of information. And they told you to go to a bar, to seek someone out. While you were searching, months had passed. Aedenrel had been released from the Orphanage, but she had nowhere to go. She had been there the entire time, right under your nose, but no one knew. Or did they know, Aaron, and they refused to tell you?"
"Aedenrel was in some sort of trouble, though, and you didn't even know it. So you searched all the bars and taverns, and you searched all of the shops, all of the underground, all of the secret places you thought might hold a clue. But while you were searching, she slipped through your fingers, away. Aedenrel had left the city, in search of her dreams and for a place named Weynon Priory. You probably walked right past her and didn't know it."
"But you found a clue. One that lead you to Anvil. And without thinking, or double-checking your information, you made your way to Anvil. Did you even look, I wonder, did you ever look into your informer, or did you follow their advice blindly? Wasn't there any warning at all, about something terrible going on in Kvatch? But you didn't even stop to think. You followed blindly."
"At the same time, back in the Imperial City, the place you had left, the Emperor was assassinated. He had escaped from a jail cell, though the details of which one were kept secret. Hours later someone climbed from the sewers, and in their possession was the Amulet of Kings. This person was headed to Weynon Priory. It doesn't really matter, though, because you never made it to Kvatch in the first place, now did you?"
"There was a gate to Oblivion opened in Kvatch, and it seemed that you couldn't go that way. So you turned back. I wonder, now, if you ever thought about the people that passed you on the road that night, when it was dark. How do you know you didn't pass her? Strange how the Gods play their games, is it not? But when you arrived back at the Imperial City, things had changed. A new fear had taken over Cyrodil. People were afraid to travel, people were hesitant to give out information. The "Hero Of Kvatch" was the only good news. And no one knew this Heroes' name."
"Because when the boy arrived at Weynon Priory, something terrible happened. The boy collapsed, and there was no way that he was going to be able to travel. But Jaufree needed someone to help him, to play the part of the errand-runner. And who do you think that fell upon? Aedenrel was at the Priory, in good health and ready for adventure, no matter how stupid it sounded. And she had always been possessed of an unfair amount of luck, so she took the task assigned to her. She went to Kvatch to find the illegitimate heir of the throne, Martin Septim."
Aaron... Aaron, can't you hear me anymore? Oh, where are you? Why don't you answer me? I'm sorry, for everything, Aaron, I swear I'll make it up to you, if you'll just help me... Please, please help me...
"Things only got worse for you, though. Aedenrel was running all over the face of Cyrodil, and under all sorts of new names. You were always two steps behind, weren't you Aaron? Always in places she had been but never where she was going. Until you got a lucky break, from a drunk beggar in Cheydinhall. One whom always sang about "Cliff Racers." Oh yes, he told you that Aedenrel had business with a man named Fathis Aren. It was dreadfully important, and she would definitely be there in a few days. You could make it if you hurried!"
"So you were pissed, and upset, and you decided that you were going to be there when she got there. Unfortunately, your beggar had his information wrong. You barged into the Wizard's lair, and he laughed at you. Aedenrel wasn't there at all. You had, however, given him the heads-up on her arrival, lucky you! And for being so incredibly helpful, the Wizard gave you a gift. He stole your sight. One moment you could see, and the next moment you could not. Was it strange, I wonder, having your vision disappear just in an instant?"
"Little Aaron was upset, then, after going through such trouble as he had, he was in a blind rage and he somehow managed to accidentally find his way out of the Wizard's lair. So bruised, battered and cursed, Aaron dragged his beaten body back to Bravil. He had enough gold to afford the only open house in the city, so he slumped into the bed there and fell asleep, hoping that his vision would return."
"But it hasn't Aaron, no amount of time will make it return. You're as stupid as I've always thought you were, hoping that things will come to pass simply because you wait for them to, or simply because you wished hard enough for them. No, the only things you can ever get in life, are things you work for, and--" Aedenrel stopped suddenly, and sighed. "Oh, now I've grown tired. Gloating is so, so exhausting, and I've wasted so much time with it. But there's good news, at the end, Aaron, so much good news." She waited, waited for him to pry the information out of her, for him to question with all of his curious heart.
"...What's the good news?" He kept his tone even, but inside he was panicking. He had known that there was something bad at the end of this story, some sort of punishment, some sort of lesson that he couldn't hope to get away from.
"I know how to make the curse go away, Aaron. I know exactly what you need to make it disappear. But there's a catch. I need you to do something for me before I do something for you." If he could see, he would have been able to tell that she was wearing a wicked grin. One that had gotten him into trouble many times before, and would probably continue to do so in the future. He was afraid to even ask her what it was.
"...What?"
"That's a good boy, Aaron. Do exactly as you're told, and you'll get what you want. Now, listen closely. Come here, so you can hear better." Her hand came on his shoulder, directing him towards her. He found that his ear was level with her mouth, as she began to whisper at him. He tried not to let himself blush. "Pledge yourself to me, Aaron. Swear that you will do as I command, while I search for what should already be mine. Tell me that you'll follow me into death, when I ask you to. That's all I need from you..."
Aaron considered it for a moment, giving himself time to think clearly. If only she knew already that I would follow her, that she needn't ask, that I would do so without thought... "Anything you wish, Aedenrel, I am yours to command..." Aaron knew he had sealed his fate. Without thinking he made a mad snatch at her neck, and the half-Wood-Elf seemed startled. Startled enough that when he gave the necklace chain in his hand a sharp tug. He felt the chain snap, and he leaped backwards, to find himself out of harms way. The sound of swiftly moving feet met his ears, and he knew instinctively that Aedenrel had passed out, cold and hard.
"Mister Glistel, I think it would be wise if you would drop that necklace." Though the voice sounded non-threatening, Aaron was sure that he didn't want to become the necklace's slave. He was also very, very confused.
"I don't-- What-- Aedenrel--" He found that he couldn't make a complete sentence, he was so panicked, worried and upset. He let the necklace chain slip through his fingers, and listened to the loud clack it made when it hit the ground. But he was so worried, so exhausted that he could think of nothing but getting to Aedenrel, and at that moment there was a very large Kajhiit in his way. "Please--"
"Everything will be fine, Mister Glistel. Take a deep breath. Aedenrel is alive, you have done everything in your power to help her. Please, sit down, calm yourself. Can I offer you some sort of food?"
Aaron was silent as he sat on the floor, willing himself into silence. Inside, his feelings were a jumbled mess. But he knew he would have to be calm and silent, if only for Aedenrel. Always for Aedenrel... So she knows my story after all, he thought bitterly. It doesn't prove anything. It didn't make everything better. It didn't return my sight. Bitterness, regret, sympathy, worry, Aaron felt himself slip into a familiar position, drawing his knees close to his chest, and wrapping his arms around them. He wouldn't let himself feel bad about this. Somehow, he would get through this, and everything would be okay. He had to keep telling himself, repeatedly. And hopefully he would begin to believe it.
The two Dark Brotherhood minions were moving Aedenrel from her throne to her bed, and they were doing so carefully. Someone pressed a cup into his hands, and he forced himself to drink it, though he hardly tasted the wine. The atmosphere in the room was tense, and no one was talking. It was a long, long time before someone dared to break the silence.
"What can we do for our Listener?" It wasn't a Kajhiit, so Aaron had no idea who was speaking. Not that it really mattered to him. She was all he could think about. "What does she need, to recover?" No one replied. The silence remained, the air strong and tension-filled. There was nothing he could do for her, Aaron had found. All he could do was wait, and pray to the Gods that she would make it through.
Hours passed. And more hours. Aaron was glad he couldn't see, for once, because he feared that he would be staring at the clock. She had woken only once, asking what had happened, and then she had fallen asleep again. There had been plenty of food passed around, but Aaron found that he couldn't stomach anything. Waiting. It was killing him.
"Someone should go downstairs," one of the Dark Brotherhood minions muttered. "To tell all of those people what's going on. They're looking worried, and I'm not sure I want to deal with them." Of course, they were hinting at something, anything to get Aaron out of the room. And Aaron suddenly found he wanted to be out of the room, to deal with the people downstairs.
"I'll go." With a grumble, he stood up, and made his way to where he thought the portal ought to be. He wasn't quite sure how it worked, so he stamped his foot. And apparently that worked, because he felt a familiar "whoosh" before he fell on his ass on the ground-floor. "Ouch."
"AARON." It was the voice of Kym, the girl he had met in Anvil. "WHAT is going on up there? We haven't seen, or heard anything, and those guards, they won't tell us anything! What's happening?"
"Aedenrel..." He found that his voice had failed him, that he wasn't quite sure how to explain his situation to someone who wasn't personally involved. So he took a deep breath, and began to explain as best he could.