"You sure that 'friend' of yours is actually coming? You've been sitting here for a long time, handsome."

"Hm? Oh yes, he'll be here. Are you trying to get rid of me so soon, lovely?"

The bar maid's green eyes went dark, like the leaves of a forest, narrowing slightly as she looked him up and down. She looked at him the way that a butcher looked at a cow he knew would make him good money, and it wasn't the first time she'd stared at him like that. She licked her lips slowly, making them glisten in the dim light of the candles surrounding the tavern. The maid leaned on his table, making sure that he could see everything he wanted to.

"No," she whispered, "I don't want you to go anywhere, unless it's with me."

"I'll make sure to take up that delicious offer of yours after my meeting. I'm more than sure that I'll need something to help me relax."

The wench filled his mug with ale, making sure to brush against most of his body as she did so. As soon as his ale was filled, she gave him another look and cocked a hip.

"There's no relaxing with me, baby."

Then she sauntered off to another table while he sat at his own, but he wished more than anything that he could follow those long legs to the nearest room, empty or not. At this point, he wouldn't even mind just throwing her on the bar and fucking her where everyone could watch them. As if the blonde could read his dirty thoughts, she bent to pick something off the floor, giving the man, and him alone, the view of the full moon of her nice, full ass.

"By the Princes..." He swore, digging his nails into the worn, wooden table in front of him. His cock twitched in his pants, demanding attention, but he had to keep in control and in focus. With a scowl, he gulped down his ale and continued to watch the door, trying to keep his eyes off the prize. This meeting better be well worth it for what he was sacrificing.

He continued to wait, trying his hardest not to look at the thing he wanted most, but found his attention split between the door and the maid making her rounds. She came to fill his mug two more times, and each time she continued to mercilessly tease and tempt him with her beautiful body. The man was one more drink away from just forgetting this meeting and taking up that previous offer of company. The last sip of his ale burned his throat as it went down, but it was worth it. He went to stand up, the chair scrapping across the floor. Unfortunately, the sound of the door slamming open drowned his fantasies.

All the patrons moved to look at the newest member of the tavern, a large Redguard man with ebony armor and blood red paint decorating his face. The other warriors in the bar shifted in their seats, noticing the obvious threat this man could become, but the Redguard only had eyes for him. He stomped over to the standing man, seeming more and more pissed off the closer he got.

"He would show up now, the bastard."

Without invitation, the Redguard sat down heavily at the table, crossing his thick arms over his armored chest with a scowl to finish off his brooding look. In a gruff voice he greeted him.

"Sanguine."

Sanguine sighed and slowly sat down, moving his empty mug out of the way so he could place his folded hands on the table.

"You have the worst possible timing, Dagon."

"I came as soon as I could and I made it before nightfall, per your request; is that not good enough for you?"

"Don't get all pissy with me, brother. You were the one that informed me that we needed a serious talk. I thought I would lighten the mood with good ale and beautiful women."

Dagon followed Sanguine's wandering gaze to the young blonde, who winked at the younger of the two, and he grimaced with disgust.

"Honestly Sanguine? Humans? Are you following the sins of your underling?"

"Are you honestly asking a Daedric Prince if he is sinning?" Sanguine wondered, teasing in his voice. Dagon glared daggers at him.

"You know what I mean, you damn fool. We are higher beings; we aren't to mix with lowly mortals."

"Oh, but on the contrary, my brother! I think there is much to learn from these people. Don't you still feel the sting from your fall? The one caused from just a mere mortal?"

And that brought the reality of this meeting into the light. While Sanguine wasn't the most powerful or feared of the Daedric Princes, that didn't mean he wasn't smart and cunning. When Dagon had asked to meet with him, he had meant in their realm where he could show off his superior powers. But Sanguine had only a "simple" request of him. Meet him in the human world. He had business here, and meeting half way would kill two birds with one stone.

That it had. This had been a test Sanguine had cleverly set up. Ever since his fall almost 300 years ago, Dagon had been weak, weaker than any of his brothers. It had taken him so long to gain his power back, but Sanguine had suspected that it was coming quicker than any of them had realized. To have a human form in the human world took a lot of power, and even if he was only a couple horns away from his true form, Dagon had managed it

Sanguine now knew to tread lightly around the Prince.

Dagon's eyes flashed crimson, his raging emotions almost enough to force his true form to resurface, but the dark skinned man took a deep breath and regained himself. He let out a hot breath from his nose, a small tendril of steam coming out, before he turned his dark brown eyes back to Sanguine. He was still angry, but the topic that they were about to discuss was enough to keep him focused. And that scared the younger Prince more than anything else.

"I've come to talk to you about the newest addition to your court. I've heard in recent news that some very interesting things have started to develop with her."

Sanguine stilled in his seat, an unearthly movement that would have unnerved any human, had they been watching. But the action had been short lived. Sanguine went back to his nonchalant attitude, crossing his arms over his chest with a bright grin aimed at his brother. Unfortunately, the Prince had seen it, and it only confirmed his own suspicions.

"Your silence is answer enough, Sanguine. So the rumor vine is indeed true. Why have you not contacted anyone on this matter?

"I'm sorry, but last time I check, Adraria was a member of my court, and mine alone. Her business is mine, and no others. Any changes in my court have nothing to do with you, Dagon."

"On the contrary, Sanguine," Dagon hissed, leaning in closer, "You should have informed me immediately of her changes, especially since she's started to develop some of my court's powers and strength."

Sanguine let out a laugh at that, loud enough that the whole tavern gave them a curious look. The bar maid gave the two men a nervous glance, feeling the tension spilling from them even though she had no idea what they were speaking of. The younger Prince gave her a reassuring look, but turned back to his brother with amusement dancing in his eyes.

"She's developing strength from you? Dagon, I knew you were a power hungry demon, but I didn't know you were that self-centered. Just because she completed one of your trials, you think she belongs to you? We had this fight fifty years ago! It was decided that she belonged to me, and she has risen to power because of me and my people. You have no right to make this accusation."

"She completed only one of your TRUE trials as well, brother! The only thing that secured your victory was that she was blind enough to fall in love with one of your lowly Daedras. He, on the other hand, is a topic for another day."

The Prince of Debauchery scoffed, letting the comment about Kynval go. Adraria was his main concern.

"The circumstances in which I gained her does not matter, Dagon. We sat down decades ago and decided the fate of her afterlife. Whether or not she had taken some strong talents of destruction from you means nothing of her destination. She's staying with me, and that's final."

Sanguine stood loudly from the table, the chair once again screeching against the wooden floor, gaining them even more attention. It was a surprise that all the patrons hadn't hear what they'd spoken about, though maybe they had. Begrudgingly, Sanguine was ready to leave the tavern, without the bar maid, but a hand around his wrist stopped him in his tracks.

Dagon had grabbed him, keeping him in his spot. The younger man was ready to snap at the Prince, but the look that he was giving him was enough to stop him from doing so. Dagon's dark eyes were heated, but his face was deadly serious. Sanguine had seen the man throw temper tantrums to get his way, but very seldom was he this serious. It was enough to still the man.

"If she does not truly belong to you, she can do nothing but rip your court apart. You will be stripped of all power, and you will be like a wounded animal. Our more holy siblings will be more than willing to end your life, given the chance."

Sanguine glared at his brother, waiting for him to lose patience in this unbelievable story, but his face never changed. He was set in stone, and that scared him more than anything. Surely, this had to be some kind of trick? It was common knowledge that the servants of the Princes were never to mingle too long in the court of others, but he had only thought that was to stop wars between them. It couldn't possibly be because it would tear them apart, could it? Looking at Dagon's dark eyes, he knew it had to be true.

"You can't possibly be serious."

"I wouldn't kid about something like this, Sanguine," the man hissed, letting go of his younger brother's arm, "Although I do want her power, desperately so, there is a reason behind this talk. She's been causing an uproar in your kingdom, hasn't she?"

Of course she had, Sanguine thought. But he had only assumed it was because she was "just a lowly human". Could it be because she truly didn't belong there? Was she really, unknowingly, tearing his kingdom to shreds?

"Let me take her to my realm to see how she does. If her condition worsens, I will send her back. But if she grows and adds to my power-"

"No."

Dagon blinked at his brother, watching his usual smirk light up the handsome face he wore.

"What do you mean no? Sanguine, I-"

"I have a better idea. A much more reliable one at that. How do I know you won't just keep my most valuable prize for yourself out of spite?"

"You would accuse me of such a thing-"

"Oh, I would not put it passed you, brother. Instead, I suggest we play a game. I do love games."


Her breath was ragged, coming in heavy pants that showed just how tired she really was. Blood rolled in rivets down her face, mixing in with the beading sweat that covered her body in a sheen. She'd had enough, everyone that stood around them knew that, but it went against everything that she knew to give up. However, how much longer could she last?

Her foe slowly started to approach her, the armored boots crunching menacingly on the gravel ground below. Each step seemed to echo in her ear, mixing in with the rapid beating of her racing heart. She only had one hope left. Only one way to possibly win.

With a loud grunt, she did the only thing she could think to do. Gathering her energy, she shot out all the magic she had left in her body in one fiery blast at her attacker.

With ease, the warrior waved the spell away with a laugh, a musical sound that managed to chill her very blood. Her foe finally reached the target, standing above the wounded woman with a victorious gaze.

"Do you concede?" they asked her simply.

The woman glanced up at the ebony clad victor, wanting nothing more than to spit in their face, but she was already a disgrace; ruining her self-respect wasn't worth a single second of satisfaction.

"Yes, Lady Adraria. I concede that you are the rightly won victor, and I, the lowly, beaten dog."

Adraria smiled down at the wounded and beaten Dremora, watching in complete and utter satisfaction while she spoke her speech of defeat. It was something that the raven haired woman had heard many times before, but this woman had been a pain in her side for months. She'd tormented her, tried her best to humiliate her, and disrespected her at every turn. When the time had come, and the demon had finally challenged the human to a battle, expecting to be able to beat her, Adraria had been ecstatic.

Never once had the Imperial lost a direct challenge to her status.

After the demon had finished her speech, she glared up at Adraria, using her eyes to communicate her anger since she couldn't with her tongue. The ebony haired woman could only smile down at her beaten challenger, taking great pleasure in the defeated aura that surrounded her.

"And I, the righteous victor, stand before you, and offer you mercy. You may keep your life as well as your social status, which is in my rights to take away. But take heed, beaten foe. If you disrespect me once more, I will take both from you in the most painful of ways. Now, leave my sights, before I change my mind."

The woman nodded her head stiffly, either from her want not to do so or her injuries, Adraria wasn't sure. However, it gave her a dark pleasure to watch other Dremora's heaving her to her feet and practically carry her away.

Slowly, everyone started to disperse from the battle ground, leaving Adraria alone to bask in her victory. Well, not completely alone.

Footsteps behind her made the woman turn around, goofy smile on her face, to watch her stark faced husband approaching her. His muscled arms were crossed over his thick chest, and although she knew he was happy she had won, he was also very annoyed. Not that that was new, he was usually peeved at her on a daily basis. The fact that she only continued to smile wider the closer he got only seemed to piss him off even more.

"Kynval, if you keep making that face, your expression is going to be frozen like that," she sang, sheathing her bloody sword.

"Good, because its what I usually look like anyway, having to deal with you."

Adraria placed a hand on her chest and gasped, her eyes widening while her face changed to fake innocence and hurt.

"By our gracious Lord Sanguine, I am truly hurt. My husband, thinking so lowly of me, while I love him so unconditionally? That could break anyone's heart, even that of a demon."

Kynval rolled his dark eyes, finally reaching his wife. Usually, he would have said some smart ass remark back to her, but all he did was bring her into his chest and kiss the top of her head. The confidence and arrogance that she had been exuding quickly faded away, leaving her exhausted, but happy. Adraria sighed and moved closer, wrapping her arms around her Dremora.

"Was it even more obvious this time?"

"Not obvious, but I can see it more than usual. How are your wounds?"

The woman grimaced, but shrugged her shoulders, faking nonchalance.

"They sting, but it's nothing to waste thought on. If the rest of my challenges would go as easy, I'll have a somewhat peaceful life."

Kynval held onto Adraria tighter, digging his fingers into her armor as best he could and the woman could feel his anger like a hot desert wind.

Kynval went to say something, to more than likely yell at her like he usually did, but she beat him to the punch, pulling out of his hold to give him a hard look.

"Look, don't start this again. There always has and always will be challenges against me. I appreciate your concern, and it's actually kind of sweet coming from you, but you only make it harder on the both of us."

"How much longer can they keep pulling this kind of shit?" Kynval growled out, "It's been fifty years, Adraria. Your place has been set in stone and there's nothing that can change that. Is it that hard to get it through their thick skulls that you're nothing to mess with?"

The ivory skinned woman gave him a small smile and gingerly touched her head.

"I became something to mess with as soon as these horns sprouted from my head."


Fifty years ago, a deal had been struck between mortal and Dremora Prince, one which involved quite a ceremony and the intertwining of soul and power. Once this ceremony had come to an end, a new member was added to Sanguine's court of mischief and debauchery. However, this wasn't just any newcomer. The Lord Prince had taken the soul of a Dremora tainted human, his most recent and favored Champion, and had not only allowed her to live with minimal responsibility in his world, but had given her a social status that most Dremora could only dream of. Because she had gone through not only one, but two of his amusing trials, Sanguine decreed that she was untouchable and was to be seen as his right hand woman; which was like a slap to the face to his most loyal servants, but there wasn't anything they could do about it.

And for a few years, Adraria lived her new afterlife in peace, training in her magic skills as well as in physical combat against her husband any moment she could. When she wasn't busy training or messing around, Sanguine would summon her. Not because he wanted a drinking partner, but because he relied heavily on her information and advice. Ever since meeting her, he'd adopted a deep thirst for the mortal culture and way of life, which had a stark contrast with his own.

Because of their regular meetings, anger and jealousy had spread throughout his realms, lower level demons appalled that their Lord would sacrifice his time and wisdom with a lowly mortal, but their complaints fell on deaf ears. Adraria was not only his Champion, but a mortal, meaning they couldn't rally against her.

Until the day the horns grew in.

Adraria would never admit it aloud, no matter how brutally she was being tortured, but the day she woke up and found that her head had sprouted large, pointed horns, she'd broke. She screamed bloody murder that had woken Kynval up in a hurried panic, who could only imagine her caught in a horrific murder. When he finally reached her, it took him a long time to process what was happening through his own shock. However, he didn't let himself hesitate for long. As soon as the surprise was pushed away, he wrapped himself around her, bringing her into his chest to let her scream her agony until the shrieks turned into hiccuping sobs.

When the woman had finally calmed down and the tears had stopped their flow, the couple knew they could only do one thing. They summoned Sanguine as quickly as they could, and his initial reaction was the same as Kynval's. He showed his worry and wonder all in his expressions, and the words that left his mouth didn't much help the situation. He had no idea how this had happened and could only offer that the world's magic was forming her to fit in its mold.

As if that wasn't bad enough, his eyes turned pained when he realized the reality of the situation. Adraria was no longer a human, or as much as a human as she had been before. Sanguine had been able to guarantee her safety because she had been one of his human servants. But now that she showed signs that she was truly one of them? She was fair game to any challenge of status that came her way.

Kynval and Adraria stalled for as long as they possibly could, knowing that as soon as she stepped outside and someone saw her state, that she wasn't likely to have a peaceful moment in the foreseeable future. So, for almost a week they trained, harder than they ever had before, making sure that the former mortal was ready to take on any challenge they sent her way.

The first day of her big reveal, she had received five.

She wasn't sure how, but Adraria had managed to win all of them, though her saving grace was knowing that five seemed to be the maximum amount of battles allowed per day, because she couldn't give it her all after more than that. That was one rule Adraria was happy existed.

Months went by like this, where the woman was pushed to her limits on a daily basis, fighting her way through all the Dremora who thought she had wronged them in some way. And every day she continued to win, even if it was by a hair. After each day, Kynval would come to heal her wounds and show her the mistakes that she could learn from for the future. The raven haired woman knew that he was one of the only reasons she survived each day, both with his teaching and his undying support.

It was the fourth month of this hellish torture when everything changed.

Adraria was exhausted that day; she'd gone up against a couple of high level demons back to back, and had only won because she taunted them well enough to get them so furious that they would charge into her attacks. All the woman knew was that she was ready to just collapse into her bed and wait for Kynval to arrive back from his mission from their Lord.

She'd been too busy thinking about falling into bed to notice when he came up behind her. It was only pure luck that she'd managed to move in a way that she narrowly avoided being split in half. Unfortunately, she hadn't come away unscathed.

His sword managed to catch one of her ebony horns, and with the force he'd come at her with, was able to break a piece off.

It was complete and utter agony, like breaking a bone that was ten times more sensitive. She wasn't sure how, but it hurt more than any attack she'd been victim to. Even more than the one that had killed her mortal form.

Her piercing scream was enough to alert almost all of Sanguine's kingdom that something had gone terribly wrong. When it met the Lord's ears, his blood froze in fear, if only for a moment, before he bolted out of his castle, following where the noise had come from. The scene that lay before him he was not prepared for.

Blood was everywhere, splattered on the ground like it had rained heavily from the sky. And in some places there were things thicker than blood scattered about.

Something that Sanguine could only assume was a body lay on the ground, pieces of the form thrown around, like they'd been ripped off with such force that they'd gone flying once they'd been freed.

In the middle of the carnage, surrounded by many Daedric onlookers, was Adraria, though it was almost too hard to tell, since she was drenched in blood herself. But her whole entire body was glowing in magic, though the thing that stood out the most was her eyes. Irises that had been almost darker than the shadows were now glowing gold, surrounded by the darkness that was once the whites of her eyes.

She looked up, her newly changed eyes locking with Sanguine's for only a moment before she looked at the crowd around her.

"I am no longer a thing for you damned demons to play with. Powerful magic flows through my veins. Not Sanguine's magic, not this world's magic, but MY magic. If you dare come after me with ill intent outside of a challenge, I will kill you. I will rip you to shreds, joint by joint, while you beg for mercy I will not give. Challenge me all you want, try and gain my status, but it was bestowed upon me for a reason. Do not underestimate this former mortal again, or you will lose more than just your life."

With that, she walked away, towards her home, leaving a thick trail of blood in her wake.


"Ow! By the Nine, Kynval, that fucking hurts! Are you trying to be an asshole?"

"You're really wearing at my patience," the man growled, looking up at his wife while he dabbed at a deep gash on her bare thigh.

"Well, if you weren't being so rough, we would be over and done with this already! Honestly, is there some kind of stick up your ass that's making you more moody than usual?"

"You're being really mouthy to someone who is trying to help you, and is also in the position to hurt you."

"And you," Adraria replied, matching her husband's gaze, "are being far too sassy to someone whose foot just happens to be directly between your legs."

Kynval's eyes only widened for a nanosecond, but it was enough for Adraria to know that she had won the argument. She smirked at the victory, though it was short lived. Once her husband went back to cleaning up her wounds, her smile was replaced with a grimace of pain.

The gash he was currently working on was a stubborn wound that hadn't disappeared when either of them had performed their healing spells. Ultimately, they'd be forced to try and clean the wound and wrap it up the old fashioned way, no matter how much it hurt. Thankfully, with only a few more curse words and threats, Adraria's thigh was cleaned and covered in a bandage. Kynval patted her gently, earning him a glare, and he stood up to give her another once over.

"That seems to be it, but do you feel pain anywhere else?"

"Besides my whole entire body? Nah, I should be good. I'll just ignore the ever present pain and agony that courses through my blood and soul."

Kynval blinked at his wife a couple times, completely silent for a moment before he sighed, rubbing at his face.

"You're absolutely unbearable today, you know that?"

The words weren't even completely out of Kynval's mouth before he was tackled to the ground by a force to the stomach. He landed on the ground with a pained sound, grabbing the woman that had charged at him out of sheer reflex, not even bothering to soften the landing for himself. He bumped his head, but was only disoriented for a minute. When his vision wasn't an entire blur, his eyes finally focused on the woman that lay atop his own body.

Her jet black hair had created a curtain around them, dimming their view of the lights, though it wasn't like they needed it. Kynval's eye sight was so good, he could see his wife's face even in the pitch black of night. He was happy for some light, though, because it helped him see in perfect detail the stunning sight that was above him.

Adraria's eyes, a deep gold that had taken him a while to get used to, shimmered with emotions he was more than familiar with. Excitement, humor, wickedness. Lust. And his favorite, undying love.

Her full lips quirked up in a delicious mix between a smirk and a smile while her tongue darted out to moisten her lips before she spoke.

"Am I really that much of a burden to you, my sweetest husband? I don't know if I can bare the thought of being far too much trouble than I'm worth."

Kynval repressed the urge to roll his eyes at her comment and instead muttered a quiet "shut up" before he kissed her into silence.

The Imperial hummed in approval while she kissed him back, melting into it while her body continued to meld with his. His simple kiss was enough to make her forget about the ache and sting of her body as she solely focused on the man underneath her. She moved her hands from their useless position on the floor to place them on either side of her lover's face, deepening the melding of their lips while she caressed his soft skin.

Kynval moaned at the soft touch of her hands, wrapping his arms around her middle even tighter, loving the way her tiny body fit so well in his. She didn't fit perfectly, like all those mortal romance epics said; that was just preposterous. Not mortal could fit that perfectly in his arms, but Adraria was small enough that he could completely engulf her body in his own, and that was perfect enough in its own way.

Smiling wide, Adraria pulled back from the kiss, a little breathless. She let out a small, almost silent laugh that sent happy shivers down her husband's spine.

"I love you," the woman said, so tenderly it was like a stroke against the Dremora's skin.

"Ek is lief vir jou," Kynval replied, voice low and gravely, his own body still not accustomed to all these new emotions that Adraria made him feel.

"You guys are so sickeningly sweet, I can feel my teeth starting to rot. It's so magical."

Kynval froze at the voice, eyes wide in horror that someone had intruded on their personal moment. Adraria, on the other hand, only swept her hair out of her face to give Sanguine a bland look, as if he was a small, insignificant bug under her foot instead of a Daedric Prince.

"You're a cock blocking twat, you know that?"

Sanguine rolled his dark eyes at the statement and waved his hand in the air, dismissing the comment that surely would have outraged him, had it come from anyone else.

"You two fuck like rabbits, I'm sure you'll be at it again once I'm gone."

"If you decided to just barge in for no reason other than to be a pain in the ass, I'll have no problem ignoring you while Kynval fucks my brains out."

"Dear God," Kynval muttered, covering his face with a hand. Both his Lord and his wife were complete and utter idiots, and he was pretty sure he was the only sane one in this realm.

"On a serious note, however, I do need to talk to you. Both of you. So, if you could separate...?"

"Fine," the human sighed. She kissed her husband once more, briefly, before she managed to remove herself from him. With a huge, shit eating grin, she put her hand out to the Dremora, offering him her help up.

When they'd first met, she would have been too weak for such an offer. She would have given him her hand, gone to pull him up, then toppled over once his heavier weight pulled at her small body. But now, more than fifty years later? She could easily bench press him, could lift him over her small form and throw him across the room, that's how strong she was.

Smiling back, Kynval took her outstretched hand, gripping around her forearm and used her leverage to get up off the floor so she could turn to look at his Prince.

Sanguine had a strange expression on his face as he looked over the couple, an expression Kynval had never seen before. This wasn't a surprise, however. Ever since he'd been gathering interest in the mortal life and culture, he'd adapted some of their characteristics, like their facial expressions. But there was something about the look he had now that worried the Dremora. He had a feeling he wasn't going to like what Sanguine had to say.

Before Adraria could look over and identify his human expression, Sanguine's mask of sultry cockiness made its return back to his face.

"Now that we're all settled, how about some good, cold ale while we talk?"

The raven haired woman rolled her eyes at his request, though it shouldn't have shocked her that he would want a drink. He threw parties as often as he could just so he could drink people under the table with little to no effort. But she got them all a cold drink, sitting down at their small dining table next to her husband so they could both look directly at Sanguine.

For a couple moments, the trio was kept in silence as Sanguine sipped at his drink, though they all knew he was just sorting through his thoughts. He was more than halfway through his ale when he finally spoke up.

"Screw it, I'm not going to beat around the bush; mostly because I can't think of a more elegant way to put it. Adraria, there's something I need you to do for me. Not as a favor, though I really do need to cash those in soon. I'm assigning you your first mission back to Nirin."

Adraria froze in her chair, going cold like she'd been sent back to Skyrim in the dead of winter. Kynval grabbed her hand under the table, pulling her back to the present while he also tried not to glare at the other man.

"Don't give me that look, Kynval," the Prince brushed off, finishing his ale in one gulp, "I wouldn't be asking her to do this if I didn't absolutely need her."

"He's right, love. Plus, he's my Lord and I'm his servant. Even if I didn't want to, I kind of have to go, right?"

"I wouldn't ever force you to do anything you didn't want to do," Sanguine gasped, "I would just... persuade you."

"Are you trying to threaten me with a good time?" Adraria asked, cocking her brow at the Daedra, resorting to her smart assery now that she had been thrown off. He gave her his signature sultry smirk.

"It's not a threat as much as it is an offer and promise."

"Are you two honestly flirting in front of me right now? Seriously? At this moment?"

Adraria patted the ink skinned man's thigh with the hand that wasn't already holding his. Her stupid smile only made him a little less sour.

"Enough with the flirting, Kynval's ego is getting bruised. Instead, why don't you tell me about what you want me to do, and why exactly I'm the one you want to do it?"

The joy was sucked quickly from the Prince's face then, leaving him starkly serious on a face that was usually morphed into a grin. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, leaving it messy; it was so unlike him.

"We've managed to get ourselves into a little bit of trouble."

"By we, do you mean you?" the other Dremora asked, exasperated.

"I mean, it's my fault that this mission needs to happen, but it's not my fault that it was this exact scenario," Sanguine explained vaguely, making his underlings raise their eyebrows at him.

"When you want to get more literal, we'd love to hear it. But if you're going to explain this situation like a damn fortuneteller..."

"You can't even let me have this, can you? You just have to bust my balls straight out?"

Adraria shrugged. "It's been a long day, I kind of just want to fall into a coma, but your presence is stopping that."

"Fine, fine, here's the story, short and sweet. I owe one of my lovely siblings a favor from a very long time ago. One of their conquests seems to be in a bind, being targeted by more than one kind of danger. My sibling has heard of your story, and of your growing powers here in my realm. They demanded that I have you accompany their servant to the end of their mission, a long ago forgotten dungeon that houses two great crystals of power. Once you've both taken the treasure, you're free to come back home."

"But why me?" Adraria asked, letting a little bit of her hidden frustration seep into her words, "You have hundreds of powerful Demons at your disposal, all of them don't have a problem with the Overworld. Why do you need someone like me-"

"Adraria," Sanguine interrupted, his voice sharp. The woman stopped talking and just stared at her Lord, her eyes a little wide. He'd never used that voice with her, the one that was filled with power that demanded he be obeyed. The three of them were quiet for a heartbeat while Sanguine regained himself.

"Adraria," he said softer, though his gaze was still hard and determined, "Not taking into account my own power over this world, there isn't a single being that's stepped into my realm that is more powerful than you."

He could see that she was about to protest, could see the absolute distrust of his words in her eyes, but he continued to talk before she could say anything else.

"You may not see it, but my people and I do. Did you think that it was pure luck that you've been winning every challenge pressed against you? Did you think that it was hard work and training that let you leave those battlegrounds with your life? Did you REALLY think that my Daedra only continued to challenge you because they wanted your social status? Adraria, they're so furious that a 'mere human' has gained so much power than them, more than they'll ever have, they want to take you down. But they'll never be able to, because of how powerful you really are."

The Prince leaned across the table, taking the woman's hand in his, and a sparking of power fizzled between them. Black and red danced across his skin, and black and gold swirled across hers. The magic touched each other, but never mingled. Both servants looked at their Lord in surprise while he smiled over them.

"See that? That's your own power, separate from mine that has claimed you. It's strong, so strong, and I know it will protect you and guide you through this mission. That's how I know I won't have to worry about you."

Adraria nodded her head quickly, trying to hide how flustered he had made her. Sanguine had always been her friend, but not one that she'd ever come to if she needed encouragement or support. He was really just the one who would help her forget her problems with a drink and a couple laughs to lift her spirits. But to know that he truly care for her that much, and had that much unwavering faith in her let the woman know just how much he cared. So she shook her ruffled feathers and turned her smirk to him, letting it lift her whole spirit.

"Fine, I'm in I guess. But since I'm going to be doing such a huge job to cover your ass, I think you'll owe me a favor after this."

Sanguine guffawed at that, letting go of the woman's hand so he could slam his own against the table. He threw a thumb at her, turning his dark gaze towards Kynval, who had been almost silent this whole time.

"Can you believe this? I'm sending her on a mission so she can bring back treasure and she wants more from me. How do you put up with her?"

Kynval smirked, ignoring the human's huff of indignation, and nodded his head at the Prince.

"Tell me about it, I should tell you about the time she-"

And it was forgotten just like that; the stress and fear from the conversation evaporated quickly while they continued to chat and drink into the late hours of the night. When it was finally time for them to part, the couple waved Sanguine off, welcoming him back tomorrow so they could discuss the finer details of the mission before she was set to head off. Sanguine had a relaxed smile on his face as he left her, but once his feet passed the threshold, it took all he had not to sag with disappointment.

"Forgive me for what I'm about to do, my friends. Whether it ends bad or good, I don't believe we'll be seeing each other here again. I wish there was something more I could have done."


Dawnstar was a hell of a place; cold to the very bone, very unwelcoming, and seemed to carry secrets around every turn. It was almost deathly quiet, even though it was high noon and their should have been the echoing sounds of labor, or even the drunken shouts of the sailors at the port. But there was nothing, nothing but the sound of the biting wind that pushed at his very form, stealing his warmth bit by bit. There wasn't even a whisper of nature around him. Only the cold. He shivered, but it wasn't because of the cold.

Malik's blue eyes wandered over the the closest building, and through the snow he could see that he'd found a bit of luck. Through the harsh wind and sleet, he could see that the swinging sign had familiar words carved into it.

"Windpeak Inn," he mumbled to himself, tightening his furs around his large body while he shuffled over to the inn as quickly as he could. Once he reached the iced door, he found out why there seemed to be no life to the entire town.

They all seemed to be at the inn.

Furrowing his brow, the Redguard pushed hard on the door, managing to get it to budge enough for him to force his large frame inside, and was rewarded with the booming sound of laughter and music. He closed the door quickly behind him, as to not let the chill in, but it didn't seem like anyone noticed. They all seemed a bit too busy in their drinks and food.

"Not what I expected at all," Malik huffed, rubbing his hands together. However, he didn't have time to speculate about how strange this all seemed. He was here to find someone, a Dremora his soon to be Daedric master had requested to help him along in his journey.

The hard part? He had no idea what he looked like. He hadn't even received a name to go off of. He'd only been told he'd know them when he saw them. But in this large crowd? It was going to take some time, especially if the disguised creature was partaking in the rambunctious activities going on around him.

And he thought his mood couldn't have gotten any worse.

Not that there was much else he could do about his situation, though. He had a lot of things after his blood, so he never really got the luxury to lounge around in a town too much before he was forced to flee again. He knew what he had to do. Find the Dremora, get the hell out of here, and get this trial done as quickly as possible so he could go back to some shred of his normal life.

His pushed his long black hair out of his face, taking a sneaking glance at the groups around him. There were the sailors, sat at a table all by themselves while they seemed to be lost in stories from the past. At another table across from them, more than one woman could be seen ogling the handsome men, outsiders that they probably didn't get to see often. A few turned their glances towards him, but he made himself more anonymous with the crowd.

He was supposed to be able to know exactly who this man was going to be, even if he didn't lay eyes on him first, but Malik couldn't feel anything other than the warmth of bodies around him. Had he just not arrived yet, or was it something more petty, like the Dremora not wanting to work with a mortal? The Redguard's blood boiled at the simple thought of that.

"Would you like an ale, my friend?"

Startled by the feminine voice against his ear, Malik turned around sharply, coming face to face with a beautiful woman with a large grin and more than her fair share of drink in her hands. Her ivory skin was a huge contrast to her hair. Black as night, just a shade darker than his own, and long, though it had been thrown up into a high ponytail to keep the locks out of her way. Long bangs swept across her face, though some was in the way of her curiously golden gaze. She gave him a look, and Malik knew that he'd been looking for too long.

"Uh, yeah, I guess I could take a mug. Just to help you lighten your load."

As he took the wooden cup, the woman could only laugh, a joyous sound that rang in his ears louder than the voices around her. Her smile turned into a small smirk and their eyes clicked.

An electric spark shot through the man's body, lighting every nerve in his flesh. But it wasn't lust, though the maid was a sight for sore eyes. That spark had been power, a small taste of it, but power none the less.

Malik looked around the inn, trying to pinpoint if another person had entered the tavern while his back had been turned. He hadn't felt a chill, and no one else seemed to be a new face. So did that mean the Dremora had been here this whole time? Where in the world was he hiding?

"You're not a face I've seen here before. Is there a reason you're visiting Dawnstar, especially at a time like this?"

Ah, yes, the woman. He blushed, feeling guilty for brushing off her kind look, but nodded all the same.

"Besides hiding away from the storm raging through most of Skyrim at the moment? Yes, I'm actually here to meet someone."

The woman, an Imperial it looked like, cocked a brow at the statement, even if her expression was still amused.

"Anyone I can help you find?"

Embarrassment colored his face again. How was he supposed to explain to her that he wasn't exactly sure who he was searching for, only that it was a seriously powerful being? It sounded crazy, even to him, and he was the one looking for the Demon!

"Well, um, I'm not sure how to, uh, explain something as, ah... strange as-"

He was interrupted from his sorry excuse of an explanation by her laugh, though it was deeper than it had been before, like she was truly laughing at something hysterical. She pushed the mugs of alcohol to the nearest patrons, who took it happily, and seemed to wipe a tear from her eye.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to laugh like that. It's just so funny to see you struggling like that, how am I supposed to keep a straight face?!"

She opened her eyes then, and while they'd been an interesting color before, they were more than that now. While they weren't glowing, he could feel the force behind them now. That spark he had felt before hadn't come from the newest stranger to the inn. It had come from her.

She was the Dremora he was supposed to meet with?

With a snap of her fingers that crackled with gold energy, the entire room stilled. Each person was frozen in time, their bodies rigid, even in the middle of something like taking a gulp of ale. the only two people who could move freely was Malik... and the Dremora.

The man looked back over at her and noticed that her attire had changed. She was no longer clad in a wench's uniform, but rather black leather armor, fitting against her body perfectly. At her side she wore a glowing greatsword, but that's not what really caught his attention.

His icy blue eyes were all for the glass staff at her back that seemed to sparkle in the light of the room. That was the Sanguine Rose, the staff of the Daedric Prince of Mischief and Debauchery. If she had that, then it meant that she was...

"You're Sanguine's Champion?" he questioned incredulously. Malik could feel his jaw hit the floor when she grinned at him and folded her arms across her chest.

"Is that so hard to imagine? Oh, you must have been expecting an ugly old maid, since it has been fifty years since my last visit to Nirin."

She joked at the matter at hand, but this was no laughing matter. She probably had no idea how much he really knew about her, about her story that had spread like wildfire through the grapevine of both mortal and Daedra alike. She'd died at a young age to the world of the living, but she'd been accepted into Sanguine's court with open arms and had accumulated more power than most beings could ever dream of. The fact that his soon to be Master had asked for her help could only mean things would not be going as smoothly as he thought.

"It's-it's a pleasure to meet you, Champion of Sanguine's court!"

Malik bowed at the waist, trying his hardest to make up for his awful behavior. He should have known that she was the person he'd been looking for, shouldn't have dismissed that spark so easily when it had smoothed over his skin.

Instead, the Imperial pulled him up roughly by the arm, making him stand straight until his blue eyes connected with her golden orbs.

"Oh, enough of that! I'm more than just the Champion of a Daedric Prince, you know." The roll of her eyes showed just how much she seemed to dislike that title. "My name is Adraria. If you call me by anything other than that, I might have to gut you."

Malik's eyes widened at the joking threat, but he had no delusions that she might have meant that, if only in the slightest. He nodded, only slightly, and Adraria's honest smile returned to her face, though her eyes looked over him with a curious glance.

"When they told me I would be helping a mortal with a mission, you weren't exactly the picture I had in mind, so I understand your own bewilderness."

A small flame of anger thrummed in the Redguard's body at her words, though he tried not to show it in front of such a powerful being. Malik was offended, yes, but not enough to warrant the anger of a being more powerful than him.

"What exactly do you mean by that? You don't think I'm strong enough for this mission?" His tone was snippy, a little sharper than he had intended, but he couldn't curb the annoyance. Adraria rose a dark brow at his statement.

"Men, you're all so sensitive," she mumbled quietly, but continued before Malik could reply, "You don't look like a human who would have a problem against brute force. You're a solid mass of muscle, and I can feel the magic inside you. The fact that our Masters seem to think we need to work together worries me just the slightest."

That was a truth the dark skinned man hadn't been ready for, but Adraria was different than other Dremora he had come across. While she was extremely powerful, she had come from this world, understood what it felt like to start at rock bottom. She was more like him than she would ever know.

"It is... quite a situation we will be diving into. Usually, I wouldn't ask for help, but it is dangerous, and this mission is very important to my Master and I. It will benefit us all if we were to team up."

"Oh, teaming up I have no problem with. Plus, it's been a long time since I caused trouble here in Skyrim. I'll be sure to leave a good impression after being gone for fifty years."

Malik knew that her tale of triumph was old, but it hadn't really occurred to him how long ago it really had been, long before he'd been born. A question formed behind his eyes and in his mind. If she was a Dremora, as all the rumors said, why didn't she look like one? Of all the Demons he had met, they all had skin black as ink and eyes just as dark or red as blood. But she just looked like a normal human here to rest from the storm.

"So, I'm a little in the dark on this mission of yours. I'm not even sure where we're heading, or what we're up against."

Malik rubbed the back of his neck while he looked around the still frozen bar. He wasn't comfortable discussing the matter around all these people, even if they seemed completely out of it from her magic. The Dremora seemed to gather he was uncomfortable and easily snapped her fingers, resuming the activities of the mortals around them. In a second, the cacophony of the tavern bombarded their ears, making it almost impossible for them to have a quiet moment.

"Perhaps we should start our trek, and you can fill me in along the way?"

"What of the storm?" the Redguard asked, arching one of his dark brows. He received a bland look from the pale skinned woman.

"You think that's something that I can't deal with?"

The blue eyed man only cleared his throat and swept his arm towards the door, directing her forward. She gave him a dazzling smile and sauntered forward, pushing her way through the crowd until she reached the door. The sharp sting of the wind filled the bar, but still no one seemed to care, and no one seemed to notice either of them leaving.

As soon as they stepped onto the porch, Adraria let out a long breath, and with the sigh, steam formed around them before it dissipated into the air. Just like that, the restless winds died down, and the only remainder of the former storm was the snow that still floated down from the clouds. It was an impressive spell, and the fact that the woman was powerful enough to cast it was not lost on the man.

"So, where exactly are we headed? Not that I don't mind taking a scenic route with a handsome man, but I don't have fond memories of this place, and I'd rather head back to my realm as soon as possible. I'm sure you want to reap your rewards as well."

Yes, Malik wanted to end this journey as quickly as possible, to gain the power that he rightfully deserved, and to get out from under the Daedric Prince he had been dealing with. The thought of him made the hair on his neck stand on end, but he brushed the feeling off.

"We're headed to the very edge of the Rift, where there's a hidden cavern belonging to the Daedric Prince, Meridia."

It was Adraria's turn to tense up now, and she turned a hard gaze onto the man that made him want to disappear. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been so afraid of a woman that wasn't his mother, but it was easy to see that he really shouldn't cross this maiden.

"Why on earth does your Master want to mess with Meridia? They do realize what a pain in the ass she is, right? She hates everything evil and undead, half of which her siblings stand for. What could possibly possess your Master to want to mess with her?"

"There's supposedly two orbs of power in the cavern, one belonging to life while the other is the power of the afterlife. My Master can transfer the energy to match his own, and one of them is enough for him. He just can't trespass on another Daedra's land, especially one as holy as Meridia. That's where our presence comes in."

"You do understand that I'm a Daedra, right?"

He'd heard word that she was, that she was an evil being just like all the rest, but looking at her now, he couldn't see it. She looked like a normal human, a young woman who had no idea what she was getting herself into. But appearances were deceiving, since he was a hard looking man, but was really too weak to protect the people around him. So he shouldn't judge.

"Your reputation proceeds you, Adraria. The power you've gained is strong enough to break through her shields of protection, and it doesn't break any treaties because it's not the Lord themselves stealing from her. Also, it helps that you look like a mortal. Her minions might be a little lax since I've gained a new follower who is a beautiful woman who looks harmless."

"Look like a…?" Confusion clouded the raven haired woman's face for a single moment before recognition lit her features. A smirk overtook her lips then and a deep chuckle rumbled in her chest.

"I forgot all about this glamour spell. It's such a simple spell that I forgot I was using it."

Black wisps of magic started to surround the woman's body, completely covering her from head to toe. The magic violently swirled around her until the spell wore off, revealing the Dremora underneath. Malik's light blue eyes widened in surprise when he noticed the physical changes to her previously human looking body.

Her eyes, which had been an interesting color before, we're now the brightest gold he had ever seen, swirling pools of liquid embedded in the darkest of onyx where ivory should have been. Her lips were stained a dark red, and when she smiled at him, he noticed her four canines were sharper than a saber cats, reminding him of some of the vampires he had faced. And sat atop her head was a pair of horns that grew towards the back with a curve to its end, though one seemed to have been broken.

When the Redguard didn't say anything about her change, Adraria cocked her head to the side, a little grin on her face as she licked her lips.

"So, how easy does this mission sound now?"

Flustered, Malik ran his hands down his face and made a loud noise. No, the fact that she did, indeed, look like some form of Dremora would not help, especially since he'd had some Stendarr servants watching out for him, but he could only hope that their combined force would be enough to see this mission through.

"We'll... work our way through it," was what he finally decided to say, turning back towards the main road that would lead them to their destination.

Adraria giggled behind him and caught up with him, her strides easy and relaxed. It seemed that she wasn't one for silence, because they hadn't been on the road for five minutes and she was already asking him questions.

"So, I get that your Master wants more power, because all Princes do, but why exactly did he decided to start this perilous mission now, and why pick you? It seems like an important job, and while I don't doubt that we can complete this, it's unlike a Daedra to delegate a task like this to someone who isn't their minion yet. It seems... backwards."

"Trust me, don't I know it," Malik laughed, giving her a large grin, "I'm sure there's an ulterior motive to this, I have no illusions to how Daedra work and what their deals mean. But... I don't have much of a choice when it comes to doing this."

A serious look overtook Adraria's features, and the Redguard almost begged for her smirk back, especially when she asked the question.

"Are you indebted to your Master already? Or does he already hold something over your head to help him with his cause?"

Malik shook his head grimly, making some of his long hair fall into his face to shield his eyes.

"No, it's nothing like that. I was the one that approached him, summoned him really. I need something only he can give me, and it's not like I can just back away from this, even if I'm a little in over my head."

"What is it that you want that he can give you?" the raven haired woman asked, though she wasn't looking at him anymore.

"Same thing he wants. Power."

"That's exactly what gets you mortals in trouble," the Dremora sighed, running a hand through her hair as best she could with her horns in the way. Malik huffed.

"I know that, but I don't have a choice. You were in my position not too long ago either. Bartering your soul for something else in return, and it's not like you didn't gain what I want along the way either."

Adraria's sudden outburst of laughter made the man jump, giving her a confused look while she wiped a tear from her strange eye. Her sparkling smile was back on her face now, but her posture was far from playful.

"You and all of the other Princes seem to know my story so well, but it seems the ink of my tale has been blurred while I've been gone. First off, Sanguine had nothing to offer me when I first met him, he was just a stranger with good booze that set me off on an adventure that showed me who he really was. And when I finally signed away my soul, it wasn't for power, or for gold, or what you see before you now."

"Then what did you give it away for?"

That's when the woman gave him a smile so deep and sincere that Malik's heart stopped in his chest and he realized just how beautiful a creature the woman was before him.

"Love. Unconventional, but love the same. I never asked to be the servant of a Daedric Prince, or have all these powers I have now. Hell, I never even asked to fall in love, but it happened. And though my life hasn't been the smoothest since my death and rebirth, I wouldn't change a thing."

"I hope I can say the same thing once I'm done. It can only get easier from here if you're my example."

Adraria laughed again. "You'll just have unimaginable power. I have to put up with my husband's bullshit on a daily basis. I'm sure I'll come to regret it someday."

After that, the two walked in relative silence, only once in a while striking up a conversation when Adraria had a question or just had something to say. Thankfully, their journey was uneventful, with no enemies popping out of the woodwork to try and kill them. Malik could only hope that it continued to go this smoothly.

When the sun had just started to set, the duo decided that they should make camp, since they were unfortunately no where near an inn. Quickly finding a nicely hidden clearing not too far away from the main road. Malik took up the job of setting up a tent large enough to fit them both if need be, while Adraria waved her hand around and created a low burning fire that warmed the whole entire camp.

That was going to be the best thing about traveling with a Daedric mage; they had so many useful spells at their disposal.

While the Redguard was finishing their sleeping set up, he could feel Adraria's eyes on his form, watching him like the saber cat he was sure she was. It was a little unnerving to be watched so closely, and when he turned around to match her gaze, she had a wistful look on her face mixed with a smirk.

"You remind me a lot of myself, you know?"

"How is that?"

The woman shrugged her shoulders, brushing her silky hair out of her face while her golden eyes sparkled from the fire.

"Before my life was interrupted by the force of evil, as I like to say, I lived life a lot like this. Like you are now. Just moving around from Hold to Hold, country to country. I thought I had been living a fulfilling life."

"Then you realize how alone you really are," Malik finished, sitting down next to his partner while Adraria nodded her head. Her slim fingers were tracing the edges of her rose staff, that real smile tinting her lips again.

"I shouldn't have judged your motives for doing this, Malik. I don't know your life story, just like you don't know mine. If you're bargaining for power, I'm sure it's for a good purpose, even if you're dealing with a Daedric Prince."

"Aedra don't give out favors to mortals so easily, or I would have asked them."

Adraria's grip tightened on her staff, and her easy going attitude went ice cold.

"No, they seem to love putting us in tough situations where its almost impossible to over come and calling that your destiny. You can pray and pray and pray all you want, but they never seem to help. Daedra have conditions, but they pull through."

"Have you ever met an Aedra before?"

"Princes, no!" the woman laughed, pushing at Mailk's hard shoulder, "I'm pretty sure I would burst into holy flame. But I know their kind and how they work. I've met Meridia, and she used to be an Aedra. She's not a fun person to be around."

"It's a weird day when the holy Gods are what you really have to worry about."

"Don't miss understand me, the Princes are just as bad, they just hold up their end of a deal. You just have to learn to outsmart them."

Malik cocked a brow at her. "Is that what you did?"

"Somewhat," she teased, "Sanguine had to be out drank, my husband is just pussy whipped."

"What about you, how do I outsmart you?"

"I'll tell you when I figure it out, but I've lived with her for fifty years and I still don't know."

The sound of the deep voice made Malik jump up, weapon at the ready as he aimed it at the intruding Daedra. The ink skinned man just glared him down, huge arms crossed over his chest. Adraria didn't look surprised in the least, but her dazzling smile lit up her face. That's when it clicked.

"Your husband is a Dremora?"

She shrugged. "I told you it was unconventional love."

The giant of a man turned his glare down to his wife, who still had eyes for the Redguard in front of her.

"I thought you promised to summon me as soon as you met your partner."

"I didn't promise that, per say. Just nodded at you when you kept worrying at me."

The Demon growled down at the raven haired woman, and Malik could feel his annoyance rolling off him in waves.

"You're such a pain in the ass."

"See what I have to deal with, Malik? Can you believe I gave up my mortal soul to live with him for the rest of my life?"

She sounded exhausted, like she really regretted her choice, but Malik saw how her eyes gleamed, and how that smile turned into a huge grin. There was no question that she was deeply in love with the man. Unconventional indeed.

"Such a shame," the Redguard chuckled, sheathing his sword. The Dremora's gaze turned back to him.

"See, Kynval? I could have had an easy life with someone like Malik at my side, but I chose you. You should be entirely grateful."

"I will kill him where he stands if I so much as think he's touching you," Kynval grunted out, knowing that Adraria was playing with him, but still not happy about it.

"You'll do no such thing. Malik is my friend, and you'll treat him as such. Sit down and we can have a nicely cooked meal."

"Why do I have a feeling being your friend is almost more trouble than it's worth?"

"Exactly. Try being married to her."

For the next two hours, the trio ate and talked, with Kynval becoming just a tad more friendlier towards the Redguard when he learned that they both had the same fighting style and love for heavy weapons, which made Adraria roll her golden eyes. Malik had been dreading teaming up with a Dremora servant when his Master told him of the arrangement, but now that he was here, relaxing by the warm fire, the man felt at home. It was something he hadn't felt in a long time.

Unfortunately, Kynval's time seemed to be limited, and with a long parting kiss to his wife, disappeared in wisps of black magic, leaving the two partners alone again. Malik offered first watch, giving Adraria the chance of sleep, and soon silence was the mortal's only companion.

He watched the night around him, sword sitting in his lap, ready for battle if it came along. He seemed vigilant, his eyes swiveling around their entire base, but he was searching for something in particular. Well, rather, someone in particular.

It took about an hour, but finally, his Master showed up, walking through the thickness of the forest in his true Prince form. His dark skin mixed with with the night around them, but his armor glowed maliciously around him, illuminating his features. Malik couldn't help but tense at his arrival.

"What exactly is it you want, Dagon? Since when do you think it's a good idea to check up on me?"

The Prince smirked at him, leaning against one of the thick trunks of the trees as he stayed mostly out of sight.

"I'm not here to check up on you, I have confidence in your abilities, especially with Adraria by your side. I just came to update you. Things have changed."

"Changed how?"

"This quest I sent you on has turned into a game between Sanguine and I," Dagon explained, "As you're well aware, Adraria belongs to Sanguine's court, but I want her and the power she can bring to my Kingdom. So from here on out, I need you to persuade the woman to cut her ties with my brother."

Malik's heart froze in his chest at those words and he instinctively looked over at the closed tent, where the person in question was sleeping peacefully. He looked back over at Dagon with a heated glance.

"You want me to betray the trust she has in me to convince her to join you? You expect me to do that to her?"

Dagon stood up straighter, using his height to try and intimidate the mortal, though it didn't work. He growled, narrowing his glowing eyes.

"I do, actually, because unless you would like to retract on our deal and lose the power that was promised to you, you will do exactly what I say, when I say it. You will convince her that her life in my brother's court is more trouble than its worth, you will create situations where Adraria will be forced to destroy the things and people around you, you will break her mind and show her that she can only leave everything behind. When you find those power orbs, you will make her choose the one that belongs to me, and she will have no choice but to walk into my waiting arms."

"I-I can't do that," the Redguard hissed, clenching his fists at his sides, "This is between you and Sanguine, and if you don't believe that you can win her powers truthfully, you won't use me to help you win. This isn't what we agreed to, and I won't do it. Not to her."

As soon as he finished speaking, Dagon's blade was at his throat, tickling the skin with the sharp blade, though the scariest thing was the Prince's eyes.

"You think that living this life right now is hard? The only reason you don't have hoards of Daedra after you is because I am using my power to keep them at bay. All the things you have to worry about are out of my control. But defy me, boy, and I will take away my protection and my promise of power to you. You will have the whole underworld after you as soon as I leave, and you will die in vain and break that promise you so want to keep. Is your moral high ground worth all of that?"

Knowing that he had won, Dagon let Malik push him and his weapon away in anger. The Redguard spat at the ground at the ink skinned man's feet, but his eyes were defeated.

"I'll do what you ask of me, but this is it. No more twists and turns to this story. As soon as we finish this, you power belongs to me. You will no longer contact me, and you will not call my soul when I die."

"That was our agreement, was it not? I have enough minions. I don't need you, I only need her."

And just like that, the Daedric Prince vanished, leaving Malik alone in the now too loud forest. With a grunt, the mortal whipped around and punched the tree behind him with all his might. He ignored the throbbing pain in his bones and swore, resting his forehead against the rough bark.

"I'm sorry Adraria," he whispered, eyes closed, "but I don't have a choice. I can only hope you'll forgive me."


So, after a year and a half, I've finally finished the final installment of Dremora Debauchery. This is only the first part, because all together it's pretty long. Side note, for some reason I'm having a problem saving and uploading documents here, so I couldn't edit as much as I wanted to without getting frustrated, so please bare with me if there are any mistakes. I plan on fixing them when the site decides I can. I just wanted to upload this as soon as I could.

The second part of this will come out no later than a week from now, hopefully sooner if I can finish editing it all.

I'd love to hear your feedback, and I hope everyone is excited for the rest of this! Thank you for sticking around so long for this, and I hope it's worth the read.

-Jaquie