When Malik was awoken the next morning, he felt like absolute shit. He'd been tossing and turning in the tent for hours, trying his hardest to forget that he was betraying the woman outside that was guarding his safety. He knew that at least it wasn't for nothing, but that didn't make his conscious any lighter. So he was only able to get a few hours, at the very most, and when the whinnying of horses pulled him from sleep, he wasn't sure if he should be confused or pissed.

With an almost silent groan, the Redguard pulled himself out of the tent, rubbing his tired eyes, and looked around the campsite. Adraria's familiar form stood not too far away from him, though her back was turned as she watched the approaching animals. On the back of one and leading another, Kynval approached them on horse, though he didn't seem too fond to be doing such.

"I'm starting to regret being bound by that damn staff again," Malik heard him say, and could only laugh along with Adraria.

"I told you you could keep watch while I fetched the horses, but you turned that idea down flat, so don't be all snippy with me just because you can."

"Listen here, woman-"

"You got us horses?" Malik interrupted, standing next to the woman's side now, earning him a grin.

"When I was a lowly mortal, I did enough walking around Skyrim to last me many, many life times. We have a long trek into much colder Holds, so you're damn right I got us some horses."

"Don't mind me, you know, the one that actually got these damn beasts for you."

"Don't worry, we won't," the raven haired woman waved off, keeping her attention on Malik, "I'm thinking now that we have a faster mode of travel, it'll take us a week at most to get to where we need to be, instead of two or three."

Malik kept his emotions in control as he let that fact wash over him. Now not only did he have to convince Adraria that her life, which seemed pretty put together, sucked when she was with Sanguine, he had to do it in, at most, a week. This was going to be a challenge.

"You have one chance to summon me every day, and you waste it like this. Here's to hoping you don't come across a hoard of enemies, or you two will be screwed."

Adraria rolled her dark eyes and turned back to her husband, her hands on her hips as she took in his form.

"Your faith in me is astounding. I'm pretty sure the scariest thing that we'll come up against is a- Are there still dragons around?"

Malik's eyes widened when she turned back to him to ask the question, and he could only shake his head. Dragons? No, he was sure those had died off once the Dragonborn had taken care of the World Eater. If there were, they were in deep hiding.

"The scariest thing we'll come up against is the undead, then," she finished, nodding her head in finality, "If we're lucky, maybe a rouge werewolf."

"There are werewolves in Skyrim?" The Redguard's question went ignored.

"You couldn't even wait until nightfall, when the human was asleep so we could fuck next to the fire?"

"You are not getting any action while I'm on a mission, Kynval! If anything, Malik will be getting more than you."

"Okay, no need to include me," the human interjected, ignoring the look Kynval was sending his way, "How about we just pack up and head out? We should probably make it to Winterhold by sunset."

Adraria's eyes sparkled at the mention of the Hold, her toothy grin growing to take up most her face.

"Oh, Winterhold! That I'm actually looking forward to. I used to study there, before I got mixed up with this dumb Daedra over here. I'm pretty sure I saved the life of the Head Mage by dueling with a sneaky looking Altmer there. Maybe even saved the world."

"She'll also tell you that she single handedly killed a skilled dagger wielder and two Daedra at the top of Dagon's shrine with no outside help, so I wouldn't believe much of what she says."

"I saved your life, asshole, so I wouldn't go dismissing my actions so easily!"

The mention of Dagon's name made Malik feel sick, so he ignored it and started to take down the tent and put out the fire. The couple continued to bicker, much to Malik's delight, but a weight lifted off the man's shoulders when the time came for Kynval to be sent away. Not because he didn't like him, because he really did, but how do you convince someone to leave their life behind when the reason you gave it up was standing right next to you?


Adraria found that she really liked her new traveling partner, though she wasn't sure if it was because of his personality or because of the fact that she hadn't interacted with someone that didn't want her blood for about fifty years. Either way, Malik was an interesting character, and messing around with him was fun, especially since he had no qualms in teasing her as relentlessly as she messed with him. By the time they had rolled into Winterhold, Adraria's cheeks were sore from smiling so much.

They'd rented two rooms at the local inn and were sitting around the fire pit, continuing to laugh and talk when Malik finally mentioned it, though she was sure he would as soon as she had said something earlier.

"So, you were a student at the college here? Does it seem to have changed any?"

Adraria raked her fingers through her hair, unstopped since she was using her glamour spell, and bit her lip, looking around the inn and tavern.

"This place seems pretty much ageless, even if there's more homes and people then when I was here last. I was one of the top students here, though Kynval never believed me. We weren't exactly together when I dedicated my time here, though it wasn't for long."

"If you did really save the Head Mage, you must have been talented with magic since you were a child."

The woman puffed out a laugh, shaking her head at his assumption.

"No, not at all. The only thing I was good at as a kid was stealing, and even that talent was sub par. I could only assume that I was just too cute of a kid for them to really bust me for trying to survive. I only realized I was good with magic when I'd come here to steal some expensive potions and found their library. After that everything just seemed so easy. I'd finally found the thing that was mine."

"I understand that feeling," Malik confessed, his eyes downcast, his features flickering from the fire light. Adraria expected him to continue with his story, but he kept his stony expression. She could see ghosts running through his eyes, and she did the only thing she could think to do.

"Before I met Sanguine, I was completely and utterly alone," she started softly, causing him to look at her, "I was just passing by through this small town, eating scraps just to keep me alive. I met my Prince there, and he offered me food, drink, and some company for the night. When I woke up the next morning, in a temple surrounded by angry priestesses, any normal person would have been furious. But he'd left me a message to do a couple things and find him when I was done. He'd also made sure that my pockets were heavy with enough money to find him. I finally had a purpose in my life, even if it was to be short lived."

Her fingers danced over the smooth glass of the Sanguine Rose, her smile small and wistful. The fire made the colors sparkle against the table, making a beautiful shadow. The woman could feel the human's eyes on her, so she kept going with her story.

"For everything I had done, he'd given me this staff as a prize and had called me his Champion. I can tell you, at that moment, that had been the highlight of my life. I spent some time with him in his court, but eventually had to go back to Nirn. When I finally got around to using the staff, I no longer felt so lucky. Kynval was such an asshole to me, and I could tell how much he really detested humans, so what was the point in having something so useless?"

"When did that opinion change?" the blue eyed man asked, leaning forward like a child. Adraria smiled.

"It took a while, after I discovered my magical talent and had gotten myself in trouble. He saved me, even though letting me die would have freed him of me. I decided that I would change his opinion of me then. I struck up a deal that we would cause trouble here in Skyrim as long as he stood by my side. Kynval sure did leave an impression in this world, but it left a bigger one on me. I was no longer alone, like I had been all my life. Even if he could be mean, annoying, and petty, he'd done something not many people did. Care about me."

Malik reached across the table and laid a hand on top of hers, feeling sympathetic for her but knowing not to let it show.

"Look at me, I'm supposed to be this scary Dremora mage, but here I am, spilling my dark past to you."

"I have no room to judge, look at the predicament I'm in. At least your life has turned around since then. You get to live an immortal life as the right hand man to your Prince, and you got the guy. Life couldn't be better."

Adraria's hand turned into a fist under Malik's, and through that touch she could feel him tense as well. She just couldn't help the reaction, and now that she had started, it was hard to just stop talking when she'd never let all this out.

"Life back in Oblivion is not what I would call... perfect. Not when you're a human whose made a name for herself in a world she doesn't belong in. The other Dremora don't exactly welcome me, quite the opposite, in fact. I defend myself as best I can, but it can sometimes be overwhelming. It was easier being a human, when it was just me and my husband."

"Sanguine doesn't do anything about it? He's your Master, he shouldn't let his other, lowly minions, attack you like that."

"There's nothing he can do," she brushed off, shrugging her shoulders and pulling her hand away from the human comfort.

"My Master's word is law in his Kingdom," Malik announced, making the Daedra look up at him, "If he says not to touch or challenge a certain person, even those not under his rule, his Dremora listen. It should be the same in any Kingdom."

Adraria's face was completely blank, not letting her partner see the craziness tearing her apart on the inside. Was that right? Could Sanguine really just command they couldn't touch her, and had just let her suffer all these years? But that couldn't be right. Sanguine was her friend, he wouldn't let harm come to her for no reason.

"You don't know him like I do," Kynval had said to her a long time ago, "You're his Champion, he'll act as human as he can around you. But he's not. Never forget that. I've been by his side for hundreds of years, and I've seen the things he's done, heard the lies he's told the mortals."

"I think we should probably go to sleep. I'm hoping tomorrow we can gain more ground than we did today. And don't think I didn't see you nodding off as we road, because I did. Get your sleep; morning will come early, and I'll drag your ass out of bed if I have to."

Adraria left the table and Malik with a smile, going to the small room she had rented. As soon as she was away from prying eyes, however, it dropped. Her face was blank, and worst of all, she felt numb.

The harder she thought, the more it made sense that Sanguine had just refused to help her as soon as she had come into her horns and power. His servants listened to him to the tee, and knew his wrath if they didn't follow his every command. What would have made her believe it wouldn't be the same if he'd asked them to leave her alone?

Except, he hadn't. He'd told her there was nothing that he could do and let the dogs at her. Thankfully, she'd never lost a battle, but what if she had? Would he have stopped them from removing her rank, or would he watch as she was cast out of her only home there in his realm? What if they wanted to take her life? She was sure Kynval would step in, and he was allowed because they were a pair, but would the Prince have put an end to it then?

The fact that she didn't have a definitive answer scared her more than knowing. She'd always thought of Sanguine as her friend, someone she could turn to when she was in trouble. That could have been a facade after all, and she was never going to know. There was no way she could forget about this night and the questions it had brought up.

And she would never forget the most important thing. Sanguine, first and foremost, was a power hungry Daedric Prince.


It was Adraria's turn to have a restless night that evening. She'd gone to bed early, around eight or nine, but hadn't been able to calm her mind enough to relax. It was late into the night, when every patron was fast asleep, that she wrapped her hand around the Sanguine Rose and let her magic flow through it.

Kynval's form was quick to appear before her, most his body bare because she was sure she had taken him from the warmth of their bed, but he seemed to be just as alert as she was. His hair, which was getting longer and longer by the day, was ruffled like he'd run his large hands through it nonstop. On a normal day, he would make a remark about her interrupting him while he was comfortable in bed, but at the moment, he seemed just as relieved to see her as she was to see him.

The woman could see him about to say something, but she didn't have the patience to wait for him. She just walked over to him, wrapped her arms around his large middle, and kissed him as best she could. It was hard and long, but it felt so familiar, so comforting that she didn't care. When she pulled away from his plump lips, she didn't waste a second.

"I love you," she mumbled, nuzzling her head against his bare chest, taking in his scent. Kynval's arms engulfed her in a hug, completely wrapping himself around her.

"I love you," he said back, just as softly. He placed a gentle kiss atop her head before picking her up and carrying her to the small bed. It took some work, and the man cursed along the way, but they both managed to squeeze onto it, with the woman laying half her body on top of her husband's. But the scene had made her laugh, and just being next to him again was enough to calm her.

"I miss you so much," the ink skinned man confessed, rubbing his hand up and down the ivory skinned woman's hip, "I never thought being away from you, even for the span of a day, would bring so much emptiness, but it does. I guess I've gotten too used to the idea of having you by my side every second of the day it's hard to let go."

"I don't want you to let go," the former Imperial replied, closing her eyes, "Do you think we'll have to get used to this kind of thing? Sanguine sending us out on long quests where we can't be together?"

"I don't know," he answered honestly, his long intake of breath making Adraria's head rise and fall with his chest, "This mission seemed like a huge favor, so maybe he wouldn't have sent you on it if he'd had a choice, but I'm not Sanguine. I don't make the choices he does. He kept us together for fifty years, but we have eternity. I can't predict what he'll do down the road."

"Life was simpler when we were living here, in Skyrim. All I had to worry about was that damn dirty mouth of yours and your insane jealousy."

"My dirty mouth will always be a problem, but you've tamed me quite well. I didn't rip that mortal's head off when I realized you were going to be traveling alone with him, so there's that. You've just turned me into a giant pile of honey."

"I like it," Adraria said with a laugh, cuddling closer to her man. Kynval held onto her tighter, if it was possible, and moved to kiss her mouth.

"I do too. Now, how about I use this dirty mouth of mine to turn you into a pile of honey?"

Adraria turned over with a giggle, licking her lips as Kynval's dark eyes got incredibly darker with lust. Kynval's thumb caressed the red stained lip, entirely intent on devouring those lips. Until the sound of exploding wood pierced the air.

On instinct, the two warriors jumped out of bed, using the same spell to dress them in their armor and arm them with their weapons. And to be safe, Adraria cast a glamour spell on them both, just in case the threat they were facing was mortal. With a nod to show that he was ready, Kynval pushed Adraria behind him out of habit and kicked the door open. His sword connected with the first thing in front of him, which luckily turned out to be one of their foes. Dark black skin swirling with red tattoos greeted them, the bodies of all the patrons at their feet, and Adraria growled.

"Meridia's servants."

"I know she hates sinning, but does she have to be such a cock block?"

"A little help would be great, you two!"

The sound of Malik's slightly panicked voice was enough to put Adraria into action. With a quick glance at one another, the couple separated. Adraria let Kynval deal with the Dremora closest to them while she focused on making her way to her human partner. Shaking out of the shock of seeing more living "mortals", half the demons moved from the circle that they had formed around Malik and came at her, their weapons ready to strike.

With a sneer, the raven haired woman waved her hand, catching the ones running directly at her with a spell of hellfire. Most avoided the direct attack, but two had been caught, and both screamed at the agony of the heat and it wasn't too long until their ashes were swept away in a portal that lead back to their own world.

Glowing gold with her aura and magic no longer being held back, Adraria focused her attention on the woman that was charging her, both hands fisted around Daedric daggers. She was a quick one, whirling around, swiping at the woman while also keeping out of Adraria's range, but she wasn't as battle worn as her foe. With a smirk, the ivory skinned woman summoned a spirit dagger, throwing it at the Dremora's head. Easily, she dodged it, not even flinching when it embedded itself in the throat of one of her companions, but she hadn't been ready for the real blade that slashed through her chest, cutting her easily in two.

Blood sprayed Adraria, though it did not deter her. The last three rushed her all at once, but when they went to strike in unison, the woman was gone. She fell through the floor into her own golden portal, only to reappear behind one, shoving her blade through his chest while also moving his body so that he cut the man next to him. It wasn't enough to kill the second man, but when she threw the now motionless body at him, it made him stumble, right through the blade that Kynval had offered.

"Thanks, darling," Adraria sang, freezing the last warrior on her side and shattering her. Kynval only grunted back and went to finish his side, but she had seen the smile on his face.

When the woman went to turn back around, however, she thankfully caught an arrow that had been aimed at her head, turning to find that it had been shot from the leader. She was alone now, though Malik was down on the ground in a puddle of blood. Adraria growled and threw a fireball her way, but this Dremora was leader for a reason. She brushed away the attack like it was nothing and shot another arrow that split into two, one that Adraria dodged while the other missed its mark.

"Bringing a bow to a magic fight, doesn't seem too fair. Should I go easy on you and use just my fists?"

The Dremora hissed her anger and shot another fast moving arrow, and she only got angrier when Adraria forced its path to shoot right through a minion's eye that had been advancing on Kynval. He grunted his thanks and continued to hack away happily.

"Is this what a former Aedra has to bring to the table? I though that Meridia's slaves would put up a little more of a fight than this."

"Could we not taunt the woman that's almost killed me?" Malik gasped, holding onto his bleeding side. Adraria just rolled her golden eyes.

"That takes the fun out of it, Malik. You'll learn as soon as we finish them off."

"Cockiness from a filthy thing like you will get you killed," the nameless Dremora growled. Her eyes flicked from Adraria to the dying sound of the fight behind her, and a smirk grew on her face.

"Or better yet, your lover."

Malik looked up at that, his eyes going wide to see that the woman was pointing her bow at Kynval, whose back was turned to them both. The leading Dremora smiled and let the arrow sail, watching with a smug smile as it turned into a rain of the sharp projectiles.

Though the look was soon wiped away when a crimson barrier blocked the attack, making the arrows bounce off to embed into her remaining minions. One, however, did make it through; the only thing it did was ping off his armor and disrupt the minor glamour spell. His ink black skin and horns returned, and he turned to look towards the offending party with a scowl.

"You promised you would kill him, why would you lie to me like that?" Adraria wept, sniffling as if she really were sad at the fact that her husband was still alive. Kynval turned his scowl towards her, but remained silent.

"You're travelling with a Dremora from another court?" the woman asked incredulously, narrowing her eyes. They widened and whipped around to look back at Adraria.

"Sanguine's court? Then that means that you are..."

She didn't get a chance to finish her statement. Adraria swept her hand, cutting the demon's throat with her magic, watching happily as her life gurgled away.

"Tell your Master to back off, will you? We don't have time to play around with her lowly servants."

The stranger's harsh eyes were the last thing that any of them saw before she disappeared into a portal, leaving the trio in a dead silence. Literally dead, since every other patron except for them had been killed. Those beasts had been sneaky before they'd exploded Malik's door. Speaking of the poor thing, the raven haired woman wasted no time rushing to his side, moving him around so she could inspect his side.

The Redguard hissed and tried to pull away, but decided against it when he saw Adraria's determined look. When he looked up to see Kynval's intimidating form, however, it would have been preferable to have fought her.

"So, mind telling me what the fuck that was all about?"

"Obviously it was an ex-girlfriend with her crazy friends," Malik snapped. A healing spell started to warm his skin, but the still human looking Dremora had her hand pressed heavily against his side as a silent warning. The young man sighed.

"Look, I don't know okay? I was just sleeping and the next thing I know, that bitch is in my room, pulling me out of bed and throwing me through my own damn door. I didn't think Meridia's servants would have found us so quick, especially since we're not taking a direct route to the temple."

"It would have taken a lot of time and effort on their part to find you, but it's possible. They probably made wards to alert them of the presence of any of your Master's servants," Adraria informed, pulling back and wiping her blood stained hands on her shirt, satisfied with the state of the now closed wound.

"Will they be able to come back?" the mortal asked, pulling his shirt off the rest of the way, though he was still resting against the wall. Adraria took said shirt and started to wipe her face with it to get rid of the Dremora blood. Kynval shook his head in response to the mortal's question.

"Tonight, no. They won't be able to, since we 'killed' them. They won't be stupid enough to send another squad since we annihilated this one. Though, I'm not very happy about leaving you two alone, regardless."

"As long as we stay out of places they'll expect, we won't have to worry much about them," the raven hair woman waved off, going to help Malik up. Kynval was on his other side in an instant, moving him easily back into his room and onto his bed. The man grunted at them in appreciation.

"Still, be on your guard. Even if you stay out of their path, they know where you're going, and you can bet your ass they're going to be heavily guarding those orbs of power. Speaking of, you both are going to wait your happy asses from waltzing in there until I can join you, is that clear?"

"Yes, Mom," Malik replied while Adraria only rolled her eyes. With quick instructions for Malik to sleep it off, the two Dremora left him.

The woman went to head back to their room, but Kynval's hand on her arm stopped her from going anyway, and with a small nod to the door, he lead them outside, carefully stepping over the bodies of the patrons as they did so. The wind had calmed down some since they had arrived, but it was still cold, making Adraria curse. What a turn this had all taken.

"This isn't how I pictured this night going," the raven haired woman joked, trying to lighten the heavy mood that had come over them.

"This is serious, Adraria. I was going crazy with worry before, but this? This is too much.

'What are you talking about?" the raven haired woman scoffed, brows furrowed.

"Didn't you see how easily those servants snuck up on us? If they hadn't caused such a scene, they could have caught us unawares and we'd be just as dead as they are."

Adraria's mouth turned down into a grimace, unfolding her arms as her anger started to warm her good enough. "I don't know if you noticed, but we kicked their asses love. Sure, Malik took a hit or two, but he's fine, we're fine, and they're dead."

"Maybe I can convince Sanguine to let me stay here with you and lend a hand in all the fights I'm sure you'll be running into," Kynval mumbled, seeming to ignore the statement his wife had just made, "Everything will be easier and maybe we can go home sooner."

A stab of rage ran through the small woman, her gold and ink eyes narrowing up at her husband. Her hands formed fists at her sides, and she dug her nails into her skin to try and keep from punching his stupid, gorgeous face.

"Listen, I appreciate your concern, but you're fraying at my nerves here, Kynval," she growled, watching as he stared at her in surprise, "This is my mission, and as much as I love you, I won't let you baby me in this."

"Adraria, I'm only trying to-"

"Help, I know!" she shouted, throwing her hands up in the air, "but did you ever think for a moment that maybe I can do things on my own? You've seen me fight, you know I can kill most things and outsmart the rest, but still you doubt me.

"I don't doubt your abilities, I just don't want you to get hurt like you have before."

"I'm not a mortal anymore! You don't have to worry about me dying in your arms, or worse, dying without you by my side. I'm a big, bad demon, and I can take care of myself."

That was a low blow, and Adraria knew it, could see it in the way that his faced hardened, but she was just so angry. Would she be forever shadowed by that day? Where she had been too weak to do anything, could only watch as he was forced to deal with that pain alone? Even now, he could only see her as a damsel, needing help after every challenge. All she wanted was for him to see the woman who he had married, who he had decided to build a home for, who he said he loved.

"You're right," the man finally replied, almost soft enough to be lost in the wind, "You are the big, bad demon. I'll let you play your part, Adraria. Call me when you are in need of your simple Dremora servant. Then, when this is all over we can go home and maybe forget this thing ever happened."

With that final note, he disappeared of his own accord, and Adraria was left in the cold, completely alone. They would go home, he had said. To that horrible place, with those horrible people, and to a Master who had let this all happen to them.

When she thought of home, she didn't think of Sanguine's court.

She thought of a little place by the borders of the Rift that she had built with her own two hands, and that held a few, but powerful memories of her life. A different life. A different Adraria.

She wished she was that Adraria.


When Kynval returned back to his home in Oblivion, he didn't hesitate smashing his fish into the wall, making it crumble and his fists throb. He wanted to keep going, would have completely destroyed this home if it wasn't for the fact that it was theirs, but he was furious beyond belief.

Didn't that stupid woman realize he was only trying to help her? He knew that she couldn't die in that world, but she could feel pain, and that's all that he wanted to spare her from. Other Dremora didn't have to kill you, they could torture you, bleed you out until you were close to death, then bring you back. Adraria had already been through so much, she didn't deserve that. Yet she continually pushed him away, not understanding that he wasn't their to undermine her authority, but just to be another force at her back.

The man let out another growl and closed his eyes, trying to calm down from the red that clouded his eyes. He didn't manage too well before he heard a familiar voice clear their throat behind him. Sanguine's presence only enraged him more.

"Is there something I can do for you?" Kynval barked out, not turning around to look at his Prince.

"I just thought I would stop by and see how everything was faring. You did just visit your woman, did you not?"

"Everything is fine."

Sanguine scoffed at that. "You weren't even trying to convince me of that lie. I find that more offensive than not telling me the truth."

"What do you want of me, Sanguine?" Kynval hissed, finally turning to look at the Lord, "Adraria is out there fighting powerful Dremora with the help of a useless human, she needs my help but I can't be there by her side!"

"You think she needs the help?" Sanguine inquired, cocking his head to the side.

"Of course! She needs all the help she can get. They were attacked by Meridia's servant directly, and they're no where near her temple yet. Knowing the danger they can be in..."

It was silent for a long time after that, allowing the Dremora to calm down. When he finally lost his temper, he went to speak to his Prince, but the man waved him away.

"Rest. I have... much to take care of. Goodnight."

And like that he was gone, leaving the home like he'd never been there. And it wasn't until Kynval was alone that he realized that maybe saying all that to Sanguine wasn't the best idea.


Malik was livid, completely and utterly beyond pissed. His whole body was tense with the strain of trying to keep his beaten body in bed and not yelling Dagon's name into the sky.

He knew this had to be his doing. He'd told him, very clearly, that he'd been holding the other Dremora back from attacking him. Dagon was doing this to send a message, and that pissed the Redguard off to no end. He had already agreed to their deal, no matter how much it hurt him to go against Adraria. Was there really the need to force it home like this? What if one of them had ended up killing him?

The man growled and rolled out of bed, knowing that his partner had let him sleep a little longer than she'd promised. He was about to thank her for the small kindness when he noticed that she wasn't in the building at all. The only reason he knew that, however, is because he could hear her shouting at someone outside. He walked quietly over to the window so he could listen, and step in if need be. Was she having difficulties with one of the citizens?

"-utterly ridiculous! Do you think me that incompetent?"

"I can only describe to you what I had been told, my dear. If this is too much for you-"

"Do not belittle me, Sanguine!"

Malik tensed when he heard the name of her master and stopped in his tracks, pressing himself against the wall in case they decided to look into the window. What was he doing here?

"Things can change, Adraria. Skyrim is a lot more different than it had been when you were last here, and Oblivion is nothing like this place. If I need to remove you from this mission, I will do so."

"Enough!" Adraria screamed, power flaring around her body and breaking her glamour spell. Her eyes were glowing brighter than he had ever seen them, and Malik could only assume it was from her rage.

"I will not be doubted. Not by you, not by Kynval, and I will not be replaced. When I complete this mission, and that I will, there will be nothing more for me to prove to you. Things will change, and not for the better. Now be gone from me!"

With her word said, she created a portal behind the Prince, from which black hands came out and grabbed him, pulling him back to Oblivion. Before he disappeared, the Redguard could very clearly make out the absolute shock on Sanguine's face. Malik was sure that his own expression matched.

How powerful did someone have to be to purge a Daedric Prince from Nirn?

Deciding he didn't want to be caught, Malik quickly made his way back to his room, deciding that he would allow the woman to "wake" him up when she felt ready to come back in. Best she not know that he had heard part of their conversation.


Adraria knew that Malik had to be suspecting something because of how quiet their whole trip had been, but the woman wasn't sure if she could keep her temper in check if she decided to open her mouth. She had thought that disbanding the wards and slaughtering the bandits that decided to stupidly attack them would help with her anger. Unfortunately, she could only feel it building inside her with every step that they took. Under the guise of wanting Malik to rest from his mostly healed wound, they stopped short for the night. She instructed the Redguard to sleep, giving her some alone time so she could boil.

Kynval had gone to Sanguine and told him of the encounter between the other Daedra. Worse than that, he had told him that she couldn't do this favor without his help, without another powerful Dremora. She wasn't exactly sure what hurt more; the fact that he had betrayed her to their Prince, or that they both had that little faith in her abilities.

When had life gotten this complicated? When had someone had time to plan out her fate and include this much misfortune to her and her alone? Were the Aedra still punishing her even though her soul no longer belonged to any of them?

Huffing, she placed her head in her hands. Maybe they were right. If all of this was wearing at her, maybe she wasn't as strong as she thought she was. Perhaps it was just better if she went back "home" and returned to her Prince's side as his "mortal trophy".

"Don't let their words effect you, Adraria."

Gasping in surprise, the black haired woman whipped around to stare at Malik, who had emerged from his tent and was standing on the other side of the campfire. His features were lit by the flickering light of the fire, and she saw so many emotions raging through him, all directed at her.

"Malik, you need rest-"

"No, you need to listen to me," the Redguard interrupted, slashing his arm through the air to get his point across, "You can't let the words of others dictate your life. At any given chance, people will crush you with their beliefs until you fit the mold that they want."

He walked towards her, sitting down in front of her so his ice blue eyes could glare into her golden ones. He reached across the space between them and took her smaller hands in his, holding her tightly so she wouldn't pull away from him.

"When I was born, I was tossed aside because of these strange eyes. They were known to my tribe of vagabonds as a curse. It was a mark of impurity, and they dumped me before I'd ever known the embrace of another human being."

The way he talked about it, it seemed that the man had already come to terms with his abandonment, but Adraria knew that that wasn't the end of his tragic tale.

"On the brink of death, left helpless in the deep woods, I was found by a wood elf named Torrin, who took me in as his own child. He raised me, taught me everything I needed to know to survive, and insured that I would be fine in the way I was to live."

Malik broke off them, holding onto the Dremora's hands tighter, and Adraria could see the pain clear on his face.

"When you hear stories like that, you would expect me to find that man my hero, to call him a father. But I hated him, because the way he lived his life was just wrong. He thought himself lesser to anyone that crossed our path, taught me to duck my head to anyone who could raise a hand against us. And one day, when drunken Nords decided that he didn't deserve to live any longer, he allowed that to happen. Never once while he was beaten did he raise a hand to his defense, nor call out for mercy. He allowed them to take away his life, and I watched him die before me. Torrin taught me that that was to be my life, that I should bow down to anything and everything because that was my fate."

The grip he had on Adraria's hands was almost painful, but that didn't stop the woman from holding him just as hard, listening to his story and wishing that she could still shed tears. Instead, her gaze and grip held his own.

"I killed those men. Slit their throats and bathed in their blood. I decided then that no one would decide my life but me. I would gain the power to change my fate."

"But you signed yourself away to a Daedric Prince. He owns you, body and soul. How are you free?"

"I decided to make that choice," Malik said softly, taking away one hand to brush it against her face, moving her hair behind her ear as if he was her lover, "Maybe that's what the Gods above had planned for me, but I chose to give my soul for power. And if I was as powerful as you, would a Prince really have any hold on me? Have you ever been forced to do something that your Master demanded of you? You think you owe him, so you do as he asks, but that doesn't mean you are compelled to."

Malik was right, she realized. Sanguine should have been able to make her do his bidding, with or without her permission, but not once had he done so. They had fought, and he'd brushed off her stubborn tendencies until she was talked into agreeing with him by her husband, but Adraria had never had her free will taken away from her. But what did this all really mean?

"To make a long story short, no matter what situation you find yourself in, good or bad for you or the people around you, you will always have a choice. It may not seem like it, but it's just because it's not as obvious as it would seem. Remember that."

He stood up then, though he leaned down and pressed a kiss to the crown of her head before he limped back over to his tent, ending their conversation even though the Dremora knew he was still awake. He had said all that he'd had to say. He could only hope that his meaning would reach her in the end.


The next morning when Malik woke, Adraria was already quietly packing their things, giving the horses comforting pats now and again. When she noticed that he had emerged from the tent, she sent him a nod.

"Good, you're awake. Get ready, we'll have a hard ride ahead of us. We need to make up the ground we lost."

"You mean you're actually going to stop babying me?" the Redguard asked, false shock lacing his words. Adraria didn't smile at the joke, as he would have liked, but she did roll her golden eyes.

"I apologize. I had forgotten how stubborn you mortals are when it comes to your tasks. Now hurry up, or I'll start on by myself."

With a small grin, Malik nodded at her and started to pack his things. Not long after, they climbed onto the horses and rode off, kicking up leaves and dirt in their wake.

Every hour or so, Malik would turn his blue eyes to look at his companion riding beside him. He could tell there had been a change in her mood, though she was no where close to the care free woman he had met before; but there was only so much he could do.

On the other hand, he still had to worry about himself. At this point, he was sure he couldn't muster the courage to actually sabotage the connection she had to Sanguine, even though he knew that there was something strange going on there. And even if she didn't deserve the way she was treated, Malik also knew that the demon wasn't a prize to be won.

The question was, what would happen when they actually reached Meridia's cavern? If he actually split her from the Daedric Prince and brought her to Dagon's side, what would happen to her marriage with Kynval? If he didn't give her over, and the Redguard failed his test, what would happen to him? Everything was swirling in his head, starting off a migraine.

He massaged at the bridge of his nose, sighing very audibly. He could feel Adraria's gaze land on him, and was awaiting her concern of his well being when her horse screamed in pain, and the sound of its heavy body falling to the ground made his eyes snap open.

Adraria grunted as she fell with the beast, hissing as she pulled her pinned leg from under its body, all the while looking around for attackers.

Malik, on the other hand, was too busy looking at the gruesome mess that was the horse's chest. A steaming ice pike was lodged inside, slowly melting away due to the hot, dripping blood of the now dead horse. Were these more of Meridia's servents?

"Malik, get off your horse. Let it run."

"What?! No, get up on it and we can run away."

Her gaze swept to him as she stood, and he could see the fire raging inside her.

"Get off the horse. I will not ask you again. I will kill it myself if you refuse, if that makes it easier for you."

It didn't, really, so he jumped off as fast as he could, slapping the animal and commanding it run. It was already skittish from the attack, so it didn't hesitate. Malik could only watch as it ran away, taking their supplies with it, and leaving him only with his armor and weapon.

Adraria limped over to her charge, closing her hand around his when he went to draw his sword. She didn't look at him, but instead gazed into the tree line, her eyes sweeping back and forth until she saw movement that didn't belong.

"It will be harder for them to find you if you flee into the woods. Leave them to me and find a safe place for us to rest, and I'll find you when I've finished them."

"And if you don't?" the man hissed, trying to pull his hand out of hers. It only locked tighter, and her eyes got more stern.

"Then you won't have to worry for long, will you? Go, now!"

With a growl of frustration, Malik turned on his heel and ran, just in time to feel the sting of ice on his feet. He heard the hisses of the demons behind him, but those noises were soon turned into screams of pain as Adraria's magic engulfed them. He wanted to turn around and help her, badly, but he knew that he would only get in her way, like he had last time. He had to trust her, trust that she could get through this by herself.

If she couldn't... it wasn't going to be his concern for much longer. Gulping the Redguard ran faster through the trees.


Adraria's breath was ragged as she limped through the brush, but that didn't stop her from cursing as she did so.

"If I never see another Dremora again, even my idiot husband, it will be too soon. Screw Sanguine, screw that handsome fuck of a mate, fuck those petty lower class demons, fuck Meridia's servants, fuck them all."

Sighing, the dark haired woman slowed down her pace, taking in a deep breath to try and calm herself. Ranting and raving through the darkening forest would get her no where, and she needed to find Malik. She'd killed all the demons back on the road, but she had no idea if her charge had gained the attention of more as he ran.

Just as she was about to release her magic to track the man's trail, a force crashed into her, knocking the breath from her lungs and making her drop to her knees. She didn't even feel the pain as the hard earth beneath her tore at her skin.

A wave of heat engulfed her, licking at her skin with its flames. At its heel was a freezing wind, numbing the tips of her limbs, causing her body to shake and her teeth to chatter.

It was all over in a second, leaving no mark on her body physically, but it did leave her with a lazy, lingering magic.

Not just any magic though. It was her magic.

"If this is another trick by some damned demons," Adraria panted, eyes wide as she tried not to let her fear over take her, "I will take pleasure in devouring their flesh and bones."

She tried multiple times to get up, letting filthy words pass her lips as she did so, but she couldn't find the strength to pull herself away from the ground. The strength of what felt like her own magic kept her grounded, not harming her, but not helping her either. It was as if she was encased in a tight bubble, or trapped like an animal in a cage. The feeling of being so helpless made her heart beat frantically in panic.

Thankfully, like a real life angel, the sound of Malik's deep voice cut through her magic bubble, the same time that his hands grabbed her shoulders like there wasn't a cage surrounding her. Instantly, the pressure was gone, and she could move again. It really was as if nothing had happened.

"Adraria!"

He pulled her up and into his arms, checking her body over for wounds, looking just as frenzied as she had felt moments ago. His eyes were wide, showing her most of the whites, and he seemed to be shaking. Did she really look that bad to make him look as terrified as her did?

"Hush Malik, I'm fine. Stop fussing over me."

"Not until we get back to safety," the Redguard mumbled, brushing off her stubbornness like he was a pro, "I did as you asked and found somewhere for us to rest. Let me take care of you, and we'll be even."

Adraria didn't need to be taken care of. She'd told that to multiple people in her life more than a hundred times. But Malik was never deterred by her harsh words. If anything, he only got more persistent. Unless she wanted to be in these god forsaken woods for the rest of the night, she was just going to have to go along with what her charge said.

"Fine, but I'll only go quietly if I can ride you like a horse."

"Are you used to saying things like that to piss off your husband, or are you just that oblivious to your sexual come ons?"

"Shut up and let me on your back, you idiot."

Adraria could feel Malik grinning while he did as she asked, and damn it all if he didn't at least make her smile a little. At least there was still something good on this plain, even if it was a human that was about to give away his soul for power. Adraria tightened her hold on the man and sighed.

"What exactly did you stumble upon that you find safe?"

"A nice, moist cave. There's a family of bears, but they seemed okay with us staying there, at least after we kill them."

"I don't know whether you're joking or not, and that's a little unsettling."

Malik hiked her body higher up on his back, grabbing tighter on her thighs as he carried her through the thick brush. "Not joking at all. I had to arm wrestle the papa bear, then I made love to mama bear. She'd due for my cub any time now."

"I take back every nice thing I said about you. You're the worst. Put me down."

"But how will you make it through the forest on your own?" the Redguard questioned, turning his head a bit so the Dremora could see the mischief in his ice blue eyes.

"I'll seduce the first papa bear I find."

Malik guffawed at that, shaking his head. "If only I had found you before Kynval. We would have made a pair."

"Stick around long enough, maybe you'll end up sweeping me off my feet and I can drag you back to the flaming world of Oblivion."

"Ah, well, I don't know about that-"

A pain in Malik's shoulder caused him to stop talking, and when he looked over, he noticed that Adraria was digging her nails into his bare skin, hard enough to start drawing droplets of blood from him. Her eyes had gone wide, and her whole body stiffened up at once, making it difficult for him to hold her like he had been.

"Adraria? What's wrong-"

"What magic is this? Why does it feel like me?" she panted, trying to take a deep breath, but the energy around her was keeping her from doing so.

"I don't understand what you mean. What's going on?"

"All I feel is me. My magic, pressing against me, caging me, smothering me. I don't understand, but it's not safe."

Malik growled and held onto the demon tighter and started to run, or as best as he could with her tensed body barely holding onto him.

"Hold on. We're not that far away from the house I found. We'll investigate when we get there."

The closer and closer they got to the safe house Malik had found, the more and more Adraria's lungs started to restrict, making it hard to breath, and soon, impossible. Her mind could only flash back to that night, being held in Kynval's arms as her heart started to slow, until she started to die watching as her husband broke right in front of her. For a long time, it had been dark, and she really thought she had died. Sanguine came to her then, ripping her from her mortal form and from the home that she and Kynval had created for themselves.

Their home...

Frantically, Adraria started to look around, her vision blurry around the edges, but she didn't need hawk like vision to recognize these trees, the way they slowly started to open up, even if they were over grown. She'd passed by the trees hundreds of times before, in her previous life. She knew exactly where they were.

They broke through into a clearing, and there it was. The plot that they had carved for themselves out of these trees. Fifty years older, but still the same place that she had been to last. As soon as they made it to the clearing, the vice on her chest burst, allowing Adraria to breathe. She took in quick, deep breaths, like breaking free from the ocean's depths. She felt weak, but that didn't stop her.

Wiggling out of Malik's grip, the pale woman jumped off of his back, landing somewhat awkwardly, but on her feet. There, standing in front of her, was the home they had built from the ground up. Except, it wasn't their home at all.

"Adraria?"

Most of the home had been either destroyed or burned down, with very few frames keeping what little walls were left. This could only be expected after half a century, but that wasn't what had caused the woman to clench her hands into fists.

In the middle of the rubble sat a shrine, glowing black, purple, and gold magic pulsed. There were bones, animal and human, laying all around the alter, but that wasn't what caught her eye.

Atop the shrine was a skull, blackened slightly from the fire that had taken over this place. It could have looked like any other skulls laying around, except for two things. It sparked with a powerful magic, its tendrils of energy sweeping out, searching for someone to come along. And coming out of the top of the skull were two horns, one long and regal, the other broken in half.

Those were her horns.

"Adraria, this isn't the house I was talking about. I don't know what this is, but we should probably get away from here. This reeks of Demon magic."

"This..." the dark haired woman whispered, "was my home. This was the place I had built in my mortal life. This is the place where I was buried."

Adraria walked towards the shrine, easily avoiding the Redguard when he tried to stop her. When she got close enough, the magic tendrils that she had seen before emerged again, wrapping around her wrist as her hand went to touch the smooth surface of the skull. Not only could she feel her own magic, stronger than she knew she herself was, but she felt another familiar magic. Her eyes narrowed and a growl escaped her throat.

"This was my human body, my former skull. And Sanguine desecrated my body to make this abomination!"

"What is it, exactly?"

Adraria turned to the Redguard, her eyes glowing molten gold in her anger. "This is an alter a Daedric Prince can erect to lure in mortals. They give the shrine a sacrifice of their blood to summon him, and he grants them power for their souls. He'll turn them into minions to gain him power."

"Why... why would he use your body for this?"

"I don't know..." she murmured, "Maybe because I was his most powerful magic user? Maybe because I took Kynval from him? I don't know. But what I do know is that he did this to me."

She waved her hand and removed her simple glamour spell, showing her true form. She gripped her horns, feeling how similar the other ones were, and it made her want to cry. That was her, he was using her body for his own gain. He'd been the one to turn her into this, had been the reason she had to fight day after endless day with his other dremoras. He'd been so apologetic about it, and he was the one who had done it to her!

"You don't know him like I do, he said," the woman hissed, eyes narrowing, "He was right. Why didn't I believe him!"

She shouted her rage and went to bat at the skull, to knock it off its throne. As soon as she raised her hand against it, a golden shield bubbled up, connecting with her and sending her body flying across the clearing like a rag doll. Adraria hit a large tree with a sick thud, groaning at the pain that was radiating throughout her body.

"Adraria!" Malik yelled, starting to run over. He stopped when the mage raised her hand, and could only watch as she shakily stood up, spitting blood onto the damp ground beneath her.

Slowly unbuckling her armor, Adraria began to throw her belongings to the ground, caring not where anything landed, only that she was as free as she could be. When she only had on her thin layer of clothes, her golden magic flared around her like a flame to match her molten eyes.

She threw one spell at the shield, and when that did nothing, another, stronger one. They bounced off like it was nothing, hitting the brush around them, and sometimes even bouncing around enough that Malik had to dodge multiple times.

"These creatures want nothing but power!" she roared, gathering her energy before shooting it, "It matters not how they attain it."

Three quick spells in a row shot off, all going in different directions. One shot back at her, but the woman deflected it like it was nothing more than a breeze and continued her attacks.

"And for what? To boast to their brothers and sisters how much of it they have? To one day control the world until another takes their place? It's all so meaningless!"

Spell after spell the Dremora threw at the barrier, though none were working. At this point, Malik was sure that she was just doing it to get all of this pent up rage out of her. Usually, he would be okay with this type of closure, but he'd had to roll out of the way of multiple spells that were turning large trees into splinters, and if the smell of smoke around them was any indication, she'd set half the forest on fire. Adraria was dangerous right now, and there was no way he was going to be able to get close to her to stop her.

But there was someone who could.

Malik's light blue eyes flashed to her discarded rose staff, half hidden by the rest of the clothing she'd ripped off her body. If he could reach it without being engulfed in flame, he'd be able to put the little magic he had into it to summon Kynval. Or, that was the theory. It might not work, but the Redguard didn't really have much of an option at this point.

Adraria could tell that she was going too far, was losing too much of herself to all this anger, but she couldn't control herself. Just like she hadn't been able to free herself from her own magical prison, she couldn't escape this fury.

"Was this the way my life had been mapped out? To be someone's source of power and entertainment? Was I meant to spend most of my life lonely and useless, only to be taken advantage of? What had I ever done to deserve to meet Sanguine that night!"

A large fireball was thrown at the alter, and just like the rest, they were just thrown back, but this time Adraria didn't brush it away. Instead, she let the flame hit her and send her crashing back into the same tree. Her skin burned, but this wasn't an unfamiliar feeling to her. She grimaced at the pain, but it was nothing compared to the anguish of learning what her life had really been all this time.

"I should have left the bar before I'd met 'Sam'. That way, when I'd been fighting those bandits, there would have been no rescue. Just the embrace of death. And I would have been better off for it."

Dremora weren't supposed to be able to cry, but as blood fell from Adraria's head into her eyes, it was the closest she was ever going to be able to get again. She dug her hands into the dirt and poured her magic deep into the soil.

"I'll destroy this thing, whether it kills me or not."

Malik felt as the dirt beneath his hands and knees began to shake, watched as Adraria shrieked as she put all that she had into her spell, and he knew he couldn't delay any longer. He ran left and right, avoiding spikes of hardened dirt that Adraria was causing to shoot out of the ground. As he got closer to the staff, he could see that the armor surrounding it had caught fire, making the glass hot to the touch. But the man didn't have another option. Without hesitation, he grabbed the blistering hot staff, crying out at the pain as he did so, and put what magic, and hope, that he could into it.

A dark portal had formed only a foot from him, and he wasn't sure if it was the fact that he himself had done it, or the fact that it wasn't Adraria summoning the Dremora, but Kynval's familiar body formed in front of him quicker than he ever had before. Quickly, his dark eyes scanned his surroundings, seeing Malik cradling his burnt hand, the fire around them, the spikes of earth, and finally, a blood covered Adraria behind him.

"Is this Meridia's doing?" Kynval bellowed, snarling like a rabid dog. Malik shook his head.

"No, not hers. Sanguine's."

Malik had not seen this rage fill Kynval before, but it took over his whole body now, and it terrified him. But this Dremora could control his rage, was empowered by it. He nodded his head at the other man, then began to walk forward.

"Adraria!"

At the sound of Kynval's voice, the pale woman looked up to see her husband walking towards her, stepping around the spikes that continued to emerge from the ground. The blood began to fall down her cheeks faster.

"You were right Kynval," she shouted, digging her fingers deeper into the soil, "I should have never trusted that bastard. He granted my every wish like a damn dream, and I thought it would have no consequences. But this? This was more than I was willing to give!"

As soon as she said that, the Dremora turned his black eyes to meet with the alter, still surrounded by its protective bubble. More anger fueled his body, but he couldn't let his wife see that. Instead, he walked to the shrine, continuing to side step the magic attacks.

"He won't get away with this, I promise you this!"

"What can we do against him? He's a Daedric Prince, and we're only his servants."

"We're more than that," Kynval calmly spoke, reaching for the skull. The golden bubble gave way to his hands like it was water, "We're the source of his power. And when we take that away, there's nothing he can do to us."

His large hand surrounded the skull, so light in his hands, nothing like the precious head of the woman he loved so dearly. It disgusted him that Sanguine had turned such a sacred item of his into something like this. With a shake of his head and a growl, Kynval closed his fist, shattering the fragile bones in his hands.

As he did so, the magic surrounding the shrine exploded around him, spearing through him like a blade, though it barely hurt. He hissed at the uncomfortable feeling, but stood standing. Both the men in the clearing could only watch as the rest of the magic slithered towards Adraria. While it had been aggressive towards Kynval, it wrapped around the woman like a loving embrace, changing from purple, to black, until it finally reached gold. Slowly, but surely, it was absorbed into her body. All at once, the earthy spikes crumbled to the ground like they were made out of sand, the fire burnt itself out, and Adraria slumped against the trunk of the tree like she was boneless.

"He was so sympathetic to my cause," Adraria breathed, looking down at her dirt and blood covered lap, "He made me believe that we were equals; that we were friends."

Even though the new but familiar magic was coursing through her blood, Adraria was exhausted. Mentally, physically, in every way, shape and form. She just wanted to close her eyes and never open them again. To drift peacefully through the dark.

A hand caressing her cheek pulled her back into the dim light around them, and that hand lifted her head so she could look into Kynval's concerned and loving face.

"Has your anger subsided?" he questioned calmly, letting his warm healing spell brush away the small wounds on her body. The woman nodded slightly, closing her eyes and focusing on the hum of the spell.

It seemed like hours later when it stopped, and while her body looked better, she still felt drained. Her body was sagging, and she wasn't sure how long she was going to be able to stay conscious. Was this her body telling her she'd taken too much and she'd return to Oblivion?

Kynval's familiar arms scooping her up made her wake up a bit, and she looked up at him a bit startled. The demon went to object, but was hush instantly.

"Just rest. We'll take care of the rest."

Adraria looked over the large man's shoulder to see Malik standing behind him. When he noticed her attention was on him, he gave her a sympathetic smile and nodded his head once.

That was all the prompting she needed. Resting her head against Kynval's chest, Adraria was out in seconds.

Kynval motioned to the Redguard silently to follow him and started walking through the smoldering brush around them.

With one last glance at the shattered Sanguine Rose, Malik was quick to run up beside him and disappear into the brush without a trace.


Adraria's skin had turned feverish, even though as a Dremora, she couldn't physically get sick, and sweat was beaded all over her body. Kynval was by her side, changing out the cold rag that he had placed across her forehead when it had lost all its cool. Malik sat across from them next to the fire, only being able to watch as the woman's body twitched and she mumbled words in a different language in her sleep. He saw the tender way her husband took care of her, even if they had been in a big fight before he'd come to save the day.

The Redguard looked down at his hands, rubbing a thumb across a large gash in his palm. He hadn't noticed it before they'd made camp, but the small wound had come when the glass staff had exploded in his hand.

He looked up at the demon couple not too far away and couldn't help but frown at them both. Kynval's time was always limited with them, but he'd been there to carry Adraria until they'd found the perfect camp, and that had taken a couple hours. The question was if he was going to be summoned back to Oblivion or not. And if so, when?

Though he guessed the bigger question was if he did go back, how the hell were they supposed to summon him again when they were in trouble?

The sound of Kynval's large frame sitting down next to the mortal shocked Malik out of his thoughts, making him look over at him.

"She's cooled down a bit, though I have no idea if that's good or not," the black skinned man said gruffly, answering the inquiry he thought the Redguard had on his mind, "This is something more than just a simple sickness, but I don't have any doubts she can fight this. She's strong."

Malik nodded his head along to this. "That I know, but it's not what I'm worried about at the moment."

The large warrior turned his red eyes to the man at his side, cocking a dark eyebrow. "No?"

"The Rose has shattered Kynval. The magic allowing your transport back and forth between worlds has been severed, and you've remained on this plain. But for how long? When will you be whisked away? When we're in the middle of a fight, if Adraria is over come by this sickness? It could be at any point, and its dangerous."

"We can't worry about that right now," the man growled, "We can cross that bridge when we get to it-"

"That's not a good enough answer Kynval, and you know it!" Malik shouted, gritting his teeth, "We've stumbled upon a shit storm, and who in Oblivion knows if just the three of us can make it out of this? You think Sanguine is just going to stand by now that you've destroyed his shrine and ripped yourself away from his commands? He'll come after you, and we already had enough problems as it is."

"You think I don't know all this, human?" Kynval bellowed, standing up and summoning his sword without a thought, "I know how my Prince works, always warned Adraria against him. But we have no other option than to fight if we must. If I am summoned back, I'm trusting you to keep my wife safe and finish this blasted mission for another corrupt Prince and bring her back to me."

"I've been useless this whole time, I can't protect her, I can't protect anyone!" It was like a dam had broken inside the Redguard, and his words started to spill out at a violent rate.

"I haven't been enough my entire life, why do you think I asked for power from a dark and unfair God? This is all my fault; I've been the cause of every bad thing that happened to her. Misfortune follows me where ever I go, and I was stupid enough to let you two get mixed up in all of this."

"Don't be so hard on yourself," Kynval sighed, sitting back down and rubbing at his face, "We were all put into this position unwillingly, and it's not like you summoned any of those enemies to come and fight us. This falls on no one's hands except for the Princes we serve."

"That's not true," Malik whispered harshly, "I turned all of these people against us. I brought us danger, I caused her to get hurt. That was my job on this mission."

"Your... job?" Kynval spoke slowly, making sure that those two words were made very clear to the other man, "What have you done?"

Before the mortal man could reply, a strong wind began to grow around them, whipping harshly at their skin. Cursing, Kynval went to protect Adraria from the onslaught, but had to stop in his tracks.

She no longer lay there, motionless and looking beyond ill. Instead, the woman stood there, with her arms held open as she called the wind to her, embracing it like she would a child. As it closed in on her, the breeze started to take form, a red mist that swished back and forth in the arms of the female Dremora.

It touched her skin like a familiar lover, gently caressing her arms and face, seeming to feel good enough that Adraria closed her eyes. A spark of power flared in their small campsite, making the hair on Malik and Kynval's arms to stand on end.

It happened very quickly. The red wind started to slowly disappear from in front of them, but made their marks on Adraria's pale skin. Blood red marks covered her where the mist had been touching her. Red crescent moons tattooted themselves on her, different patterns on each arm, before the tattoos started to mark her face as well.

The moment was over soon, the power spike gone, and Adraria's golden eyes opened to look at the two men in front of her. She seemed to be herself, but with a more grand air around her. Her calm eyes slid to look at Malik, and the Redguard was caught frozen in her gaze.

"You taste so much like your Master, it's hard to believe I didn't suspect from the very beginning, my friend."

"Adraria, I-"

"What exactly is going on?" Kynval interrupted, anger slowly seeping back into him, "I don't care what he's done at the moment. Care to explain what just happened with you?"

"These are the marks of my power that have been kept from me," Adraria's eyes turned to slits then, remembering all that had happened before she'd passed out, "Sanguine's shrine gives him power through a sacrifice, but part of that power also belongs to me. I'm sure he never thought that I would come in contact with it. What a careless mistake."

Malik went to say something again, though he wasn't sure what simple thing he could say that would calm their anger towards him, but was cut off again, though this time it was by a black portal that appeared between them.

"Step through the portal, and all your questions will be answered."

"Dagon?" Kynval questioned, looking at his companions.

Adraria nodded, already half way in the portal, "Malik's Master."

Malik was quick to go after her, afraid of Kynval's temper once he finally put all the pieces together. Once he was clear through, the scene change didn't seem much better than the situation he had been in before.

They were no longer in their private campfire, but instead in an aged temple. A large statue of the holy Meridia stood before them, though the bodies of her servants lay around her, as if the fact that they'd fallen in her temple kept them from returning to Oblivion. It might also have been the fact that two other Daedric Princes seemed to have been the ones to slay them.

Sanguine and Dagon both stood at the foot of their sister's statue, two podiums separating them from one another. They could only assume that this was where the orbs of power would have lay, except that Dagon had hold of both of the glistening orbs.

Kynval was last through the portal, his anger and sword as ready as it could be, and didn't seem to be too floored by the sight of the two Daedric Princes.

"While it hadn't gone exactly as I had hoped, I find Adraria before me, Malik. Truthfully, I wasn't sure I could trust you with this mission, but here you both are," Dagon's voice boomed, drawing attention to the Redguard, "The success seems even sweeter by the fact that you seemed to hate doing it as much as they hate you now. I think you've earned this."

Quickly, the older Prince threw one of the power orbs towards the Redguard, who caught it easily from the air. He gripped it tightly, but couldn't find the nerve in him to actually take it into his body. Instead, he turned to Adraria, though her eyes were all for the two Princes standing not too far before them.

"And you, Dagon? What sick pleasure does this give you, exactly?" she asked calmly, even if her fury was as palpable as her power.

"It does not give me pleasure to watch you squirm and feel harm, my dear," he answered, "If I'd had my way, you would have come to me willingly and joined me, adding to not only my power, but your own. It was your own Prince that made up this sick game."

Both Kynval and Adraria turned their attention to Sanguine. He had that ever present grin on his face as usual, but Adraria could tell that not all was well with him, not that she cared.

"You see," Dagon continued when his brother did not, "I had told him of the danger you possessed left on your own. He could have given you to me as easily as he breathes, but you know your Lord Prince. Everything is a game to him, even the lives of his own people. He turned this trial into his own personal bet, with the stakes your afterlife. He wanted proof that you didn't belong in his court. But it seems, by the power marks that stain your skin, that he only ensured his loss decades ago. And here you are, ripe for the picking and torn away from his influence."

"Explain Sanguine," Kynval growled, stepping forward threateningly, as if he could do any damage against the Dark Prince that had made him. Though, maybe he could now, since he hadn't been summoned back to his side. If the demon concentrated enough, he couldn't even feel the pull of his Prince. Only that of Adraria.

"All any Daedric Prince wants is more power," the younger brother spoke for the first time, "And when you fell into my lap, so full of magic, life, and willingness to serve in my realm for only the company of my servant, I couldn't pass that opportunity up. With your bones, I made one of the most powerful shrines to strengthen my ranks. But as I gained power..."

"So did I," Adraria finished, pushing down the urge to touch her horns, "I became a demon like you, gained powers far above my ability, all because of you."

"It helped that you also had my blessing inside you, even if you did serve the wrong man," Dagon interjected, "You began to grow, and grow, and I knew that if I didn't take care of you, you would tear apart Sanguine's kingdom."

"She already has," Sanguine gritted out, now turning his gaze to Kynval, "I could tell as soon as you were summoned back here that you no longer belonged to me. I felt you free her from that shrine, and when you did, connect to her instead, like she was your master. It was a small uproot in my world, but it was one nonetheless. Adraria obviously does not belong to me."

"Usually, something like these events would leave us no other option but for us to kill her," the older brother stated.

Kynval raised his sword and stepped in front of his wife, eyes determined as he watched the two Princes. "Not only will you have to fight her, but me as well."

"Calm, you thick skulled warrior," Mehrunes Dagon scoffed, gathering his crimson power in his hand and flinging Kynval to the nearest wall, falling into the other bodies they had left in their wake.

"Kynval!"

"You have no choice in this matter, my dear. Your destructive purpose in life belongs in my realm. Even if Sanguine would allow you back to his Kingdom, you would destroy everything and everyone there. Come with me, and you can grow. I can teach you, and we will rise back to the power I belong in."

With each word, he had come closer and closer, standing before her and his servant. His hand went out to her, the glowing orb resting in his palm.

On the other side of the room, Kynval started to stand, but the blow he suffered had been severe. He used his sword as an aid, stabbing it into the ground so he could stand up better. "Adraria, don't do it."

Malik gripped at the twin orb in his hand, trying to keep the shame from washing over him. He had done this to her, had torn her from Sanguine, even if it had been a good thing, and lead her to a man that was far worse. But what other choice did she have? If she refused, she would only be slaughtered. She couldn't take on a Dark Prince like this. Only another Prince could do that.

Adraria squared her shoulders, and though her gaze stayed on the orb, she spoke to Sanguine.

"Was I anything more than just your temporary Champion? An adviser, a friend, anything?"

He was quiet, but only for a second. "The only thing that matters to a Daedric Prince is power. You should know this Adraria."

Dagon smirked, offering the orb even further to her, watching it glow as it neared its other half.

"Take the orb, break open its power, and we'll take out not only Sanguine this night, but Meridia as well."

That's right, these did belong to another, didn't they? The power structure between all the Princes was sure to change today, with Dagon becoming the victor in the long run. But it was always going to be this way, wasn't it? Destiny was Destiny, and it reached its goal one way or another.

With a deep intake of breath, Adraria gently took the power, feeling its fragile seal beating with her own pulse, waiting for just a small touch of magic to seal her fate.

Her fate, her ever steady destiny. If she only had the power to change it.

The power...

The orb was heavier in her hand now, its pulse speeding up with her own. She did have the power. Or she would.

"Malik," she uttered, catching the heartbroken mortal's attention.

"Yes?"

"Do you promise to protect all that you have wronged with the power you will gain?"

All eyes were on the pair now. Kynval, defeated. Sanguine, closed off, but filled with remorse. Dagon, waiting expectantly. Malik, guilty.

"That's all I ever wanted to do. I'm sorry I had to wrong you in the process."

She laid her free hand against his face, very gently it was almost as if she wasn't even touching him.

"Do not worry," she spoke, forgiveness in her words as she smiled, "It will be your highest duty to make it up to me."

So quickly it was hard to track, Adraria's hand no longer cupped his face. Instead, she reached down to where the orb was held in his own hands, snatching it away from him.

"My destiny will not be set in stone, and my fate will not fall with either of you!"

With the flare of her knew found magic from the shrine, Adraria poured everything she had into the twin orbs in her hands, watching them with glowing golden eyes as they exploded and mixed with her magic. The aura of them was strange at first, the energy belonging to an all powerful woman Adraria had never met, but this magic was flexible. Just as the rain mixed with the stream in which it fell into, so did the power, and it found its way to the source.

Inside Adraria's body, she carried three separate powers from three separate Gods, but before she ha signed her soul away, the Imperial had been a force of reckoning all on her own. She possessed a gift, given to her by those who made her and also those who had abandoned her. Again and again, she had been mislead. But from this point on, she would become her own support. The three powers mixed together until there was only her, and Adraria was no longer just a simple Dremora.

Power like this... this was the power of another Daedric Prince.

Dagon screamed and went to attack, but the force of her magic blew him away, back to the side of his brother, who could only watch with wide eyes.

"I will no longer be controlled, by either of you or the Gods that claim to have created me! I am my own Lord Prince, and by this, I will create my own will! I am Adraria, Daedric Prince of Defied Fate, and Everchanging Destiny. With this power, I will rip apart the strings that hold together Divine Will. And I Will you... to begone from me!"

With a wave of her hand and a tsunami of her magic, a golden portal opened up behind the two other Princes, grabbing at their hands and ankles, pulling them back into their own world.

Dagon let out a feral growl, trying his best to resist the pull, but the golden hands had too good a hold on him. They pulled at his face, his shoulders, his legs, until he was thrown back. Sanguine didn't rely on his strength, but his power to resist, if only for a moment.

"If it means anything... I am sorry."

"If only I could believe that," Adraria whispered, loud enough for him to hear.

"If only," he repeated, then let go. Behind him the portal closed and the temple was reduced to the silence that it had held before they had entered.

Once they were gone, Adraria rushed over to Kynval, helping him back up all the way and checking him for injuries. He stopped her mid examination and crushed him mouth to hers in a kiss.

"I can't believe I almost lost you again."

She smiled against his lips and let out a shuddered sigh. "I had no idea if that was going to work or not, but I'm glad it did. Are you okay?"

"I have a Daedric Prince as a wife, of course I'm okay. Do you think the sex is going to be even better now?"

"Enough of that!"

They laughed together for a while, until the presence of Malik reminded them that they weren't alone, and the also had other things to deal with.

With Adraria's help, they walked over to the main, who seemed very unsure of what was to happen to him now.

Adraria held out her free hand as an offering to him, just as Dagon had done to her moments before.

"I meant what I said. My forgiveness is not so easily given. I expect hard work and complete servitude from you for my friendship."

"Nothing would make me happier... My Lady Prince."


Bush and bramble moved and groaned as a small body pushed through them, small and feminine curses coming through the small mouth of an elf. Scratches from branches marked her skin, but she seemed not to mind. However, she was frustrated beyond belief.

"You're such an idiot. Why would you believe that stupid legend? Looking at it now, it doesn't even make sense. Those Nords probably just made it up on the spot when you offered them money. Stupid, stupid wood elf."

Sighing, the woman gripped the heavy soul gem in her hand, feeling its warm magic. It pulsed in her hand with a very large soul, seeming to ask for a freedom that she couldn't give. She was too weak to do anything. That would change as soon as she found this Daedric Prince. IF she ever found her, that was.

The thick brush soon turned into a small clearing, and just as the Nords had said, there sat a house, broken and crumbling beyond repair, but it was there. In the middle sat a shrine, just as broken as the house surrounding it.

Before the elf could find anymore holes in the logic of this story, she rushed over and placed the gem on the shrine, pricking her finger with the dagger she had brought, and smeared it in a badly drawn circle around the gem.

For a couple minutes, she stoof there, watching the shrine and the gem. Nothing happened. Maybe there wasn't enough blood? Maybe the soul, despite the size of the gem, wasn't large enough for the Princes liking?

"Or maybe, you idiot, it was a lie," the elf berated harshly, close enough to knocking over the shrine in fury.

She turned away, grumbling that she would find those Nords who had lied to her and make them PAY, when a voice sounded from behind her.

"Come now, do you have so little faith in me that you would turn your back on a Prince?"

With a squeak, the elf whirled around to look back at the shrine, but as soon as she did, the secenery around her had changed. Instead of the black forest she had been in seconds before, she found herself in a modestly sized temple room. In front of her was a small staircase, the steps leading up to and intricately carved throng made of gold, veins of ebony and ivory embedded into it. Sitting in the throne, with her legs thrown across one of the arms while her back rested against another was a woman. Her black hair spilled over the side of the throne, long enough that it was inches from touching the floor.

With a quick glance, anyone would think her mortal. Until they saw the horns curving from her head, though one seemed to be broken. The thing that really set her apart, however, was her eyes when she looked at him. Black where white was to be, and pools of molten gold.

"Are you going to sit there without greeting your Prince?" asked a guard at one of her sides, a Redguard man with ice blue eyes that glowed with Dremora power.

"My Lady prince!" the elf stuttered, dropping to her knees at the base of the stairs, though she made sure to keep her brown eyes on the other woman.

Another man stood at her other side, skin as black as ink with glowing tattoos across his skin, identical to the other guard's; marks of their Prince no doubt.

"None of that. I'm not your Prince. At least not yet." Adraria held the soul gem in her hand, inspecting it by the dim firelight of the room.

"This is a good soul," she murmured, even if everyone heard her, "A hero in his own rights, he accomplished much in his life. While not his most gruesome death, this wasn't what he was expecting. But it was his fate, was it not? To end his life... and become part of mine. Your future, on the other hand, is very blurry."

"I wish to change that!" The mortal stood up quickly then, taking a step forward with excitement, though she backed up when the two men moved forward. "I wish to take back what is mine and-"

"Hush, child," Adraria waved off, trying not to roll her eyes, "I care not what you wish. You came to the wrong Prince if you wanted wishes granted."

"But I was told you would change my fate..." she trailed off, shoulders rounding in disappointment and eyes starting to well with tears.

"That always seems to be the rumor that is spread around isn't it? You are close though. I am Adraria, Daedric Prince of Destiny and Fate, but I do not grant it like it is something so simple to give as coin."

The woman got up then, walking towards her newest summoner. The elf stayed right where she was, but even though she was a step higher than she, she could tell that they were the same height. It was strange that a woman like this had become a Dark God, but she could feel her power and kept the thought to herself.

"I give you the power to change your own fate," Adraria corrected, "What you choose to do with that power is up to you. But power comes with a cost, does it not? But I am not a cruel Prince, or not as cruel as others I know."

She brushed the back of her hand against the mortal's face then, and while the stroke was soft, it burned with her power. The elf held herself, as to not flinch away. This seemed to make the Prince smile.

"Use my power and fulfill the wish that you imbued this soul gem with. If you succeed in this mission, you are free from my servitude."

"And if I fail?"

"Then of course, you spend your afterlife with me."

"I... agree to these terms, Prince Adraria."

"Excellent," the demon said, her two first fingers against the elf's forehead. Crimson marks appeared quickly on the skin, but soon disappeared as the power went into the elf. When Adraria pulled away, her servant looked up with wide eyes.

"Try your best, little elf. I will be here, watching and waiting." And with that, she cast the elf from her court.

It was silent for a couple moments. Until Adraria started to giggle like a drunkard. She turned back to her guards with a wide smile on her face. Malik gave her a curious glance while he frowned. None of this made sense to him.

"Why would you even give her the false hope that she could get what she wanted? You showed us the pathways of her future. Most of them end in her failure. Your word won't spread if you take people like her."

"Idiot, were you not paying attention? There were a lot of failures, but look how far she got in them. She made sure Adraria's name was known, even if there was no specifics for her summoning. You take chances like that to make sure your control can go farther, even if its by inches."

After all these years, those two still barely got along, even though Adraria was sure that most of the time it was just them bonding. Shaking her head, she placed a hand on both of their chests, gaining their attention again.

"There were still some successes in her future. But I don't care about her soul or her influence."

"Then... why did you accept his offer?"

That's when a huge grin broke across her face. Adraria held the soul gem up to them both, offering them a look inside, though they couldn't see what she could.

"Do you know who is inside here?"

"No?" they both said in unison.

"This, my dears, would be the Dragonborn, Savior of Skyrim. The soul that no God, Dark or no, has been able to get their hands on in 100 years."

"You sneaky little vixen. You knew he would bring that to you!"

Adraria quickly kissed Kynval on the mouth to quiet him before she turned around, magic glowing gold in her hands.

"Hush now dear, we have a man to bring back from the dead. And a LOT of bragging to do."


And it is over! Thank you all so much for sticking with me all these years, reading about my favorite duo, and now trio. Back when I started this story, I couldn't have ever imagined it would go this far. But I'm super proud, and glad that everyone seems to like reading it as much as I liked writing it.

I'd like to thank everyone for commenting, and for the support that I got from you, as well as the people who helped make this possible.

I hope to see you all in the future, on the back of a new and exciting story.

I also just recently just got an AO3 account (My name is WithLovingRegards) where I'll probably put different fandom things when I finally get around to writing them.

See you guys around!

Jaquie