"Where... where am I?" She asked to herself.
She was on the floor, laying on top of wet, cold grass. It was night time, but the place was... strange.
The only thing she remembered was killing an imperial spy that was trying to find the dark brotherhood's sanctuary, mounting her horse and being on her way back to her house in Whiterun.
But something had happened while she slept.
She'd never been there in her life, and she'd been to quite the number of places.
She stood up carefully and contemplated her surroundings. It was a swamp-ish like place. Unlike anything she had ever seen.
But it didn't matter where she was, she needed to move and seek shelter, or civilization. She needed to go back to her house with her lover.
She walked around the swamp, searching for a way out or a light.
Something, anything.
And then, a golden door opened in front of her, its bright color made her eyes hurt a bit, and she had to cover her sight for a second. She took a better look at the door, and it was beautiful.
It was covered in all sorts of strange markings, letters that were unintelligible to her, probably daedric.
She got closer to the gorgeous door and opened it carefully.
And inside, was a small black room with a black table, and a man with black and red clothes. His expression was serious.
"Ah, you are finally here. Take a seat." Said the man.
"... uh... do I know you?" She asked, confused as hell.
"Soon you will. Now seat down. I have to ask you a few things." Said the man.
"Alright...?" She said hesitantly.
She took a seat, and the man never broke eye contact. Staring at her with a blank expression, he coughed a bit and then spoke.
"Full name?" He asked.
"Benjen Fire-Leaf." Said Benjen.
"Your mother's name?" Asked the man.
"Nera Fire-Leaf... why are you asking me this?" She asked.
"Questions at the end please. Now, how old are you?" He asked.
"Eighteen." She said.
"What can you tell me of your childhood?" He asked.
"Never actually had any. My mum had to send me away because my step father tried to kill me. Spent my life fighting in pits for money till I accidentally killed one of the contestants when I was eleven and the dark brotherhood took me in." Said Benjen.
The man didn't seem to care much about her tragic past.
"Ok. Do you know your true father?" Asked the man.
"No. I'm a bastard child." Said Benjen.
"And do you know who Sheogorath is?" He asked.
"I know that he is the Madgod, and that he favors my bloodline because the Fire-Leafs have always been his champions... well... until Arne The Twisted's son." Said Benjen.
"Good. I think we are done here." He stood up.
"What's going to happen now?" Asked Benjen, she still didn't know where the hell she was, and she needed to go back.
"Now I take you to the palace." Said the man.
The room turned into butterflies that flew away, Benjen and the man were surrounded by golden ethereal dust and suddenly, they appeared in front of a tree inside of a great palace.
"Wait- what the fuck?!" Asked Ben.
"Ah, potty mouth. I knew it!" said a man in front of her.
The man sat on the tree, which was actually a throne, and he wore purple clothes and his hair was white, so was his beard, but his eyes...
Oh... his eyes... they were golden and bright!
Benjen stared at him in awe.
"What!? Do not stand there like a halfwit. Nera taught you better." He said as he stood up from his beautiful throne.
"Oh gods were are we!? Where the fuck is this place!? I need a map or I'll hyperventilate!" Said Benjen.
"Take it easy, daughter!" Exclaimed the man.
"Wait WHAT!? Daughter!?" Yelled Benjen as she almost fainted.
"Whoops, I let the cat outta the bag too quick. Uh... I had a speech and a nice little ceremony. A CEREMONY WITH A LOT OF CHEESE AND CAKE AND WINE BUT I DAMNED IT ALL!" He yelled.
"Why are we yelling!? And there is no way I'm your daughter! You are pale as milk and I'm dark as coal!" Exclaimed Benjen.
"Young miss Benjen, would you please lower your tone." Said the other man.
"I DUNNO, LETS SHUSH IT!" Said the man that wore purple clothes.
Benjen took a deep breath and tried not to faint, it was just too much information.
"I... I need-" she started wheezing.
"Oh don't die now. It took me eighteen years to find you, little heir to the throne of madness, do not die nooooow!" Exclaimed the man.
The heir to the throne of madness!?
"YOU! You- are not making it any better." She had to sit down on the floor and breathe heavily.
"It seems young miss Benjen is having an anxiety attack. Should I bring her some sleep wine?" Suggested the man.
"Yeah yeah, Haskill. You go do that. AND NOW HURRY CAUSE SHE IS GONNA DIE!" He yelled.
Benjen stayed on the floor, staring at the silky red and blue carpet.
"I- I- what the f- I'm dying." Said Benjen.
"Oh, don't be silly. You have my blood, it's gonna take a bit more than a lack of air to kill you." Said the man.
Benjen stared at him, exalted and nervous.
"Are you fucking f-for real right now!? Who are you!?" She asked.
The man named Haskill arrived with the wine. And handed the bottle to Ben.
"Drink in a small measure. You must stay awake to continue this conversation." Said Haskill.
"Yeah, or I'll haunt your dreams so we can keep talking." Said Sheogorath.
Benjen stared at him with terror.
"HA! I'm kidding... but I can actually do that." He said, his voice changed drastically, and it sounded almost serious, a psychopathic tone that made Benjen shiver with fear.
Ben took a swig of the wine and felt better instantly, her breath became steadier and she could finally speak like a normal being.
... if she was normal at all.
"Are you... actually my father? You are Sheogorath?" Asked Benny.
"Ah, yes. I haven't introduced myself. I am the Daedric prince of Madness, Sheogorath, the Madgod. And I am your dad, yeah." He said as he smiled a psychotic smile.
Benjen rose a brow.
"How do you explain the fact that we literally look the exact polar opposite?" Asked Benjen.
"Ah, well, you do not have my face, but you have my blood. Have you ever asked yourself why do your eyes turn golden when you are angry or happy? Or both!" He asked.
"They said I was cursed, a heretic child, because I was a bastard from a family that were devoted to Daedras." Said Benjen.
"Well, they were wrong! You have daedric blood running through your veins... and you have a dragon soul. You are a dragonborn and a demigod, in other words: you might be one of the most powerful mortals alive, if not the most powerful. Or at least you will be. But you need to train, learn to use your power, and survive." Said Sheogorath, his voice a little bit dark now.
The words echoed in her mind.
"Will you teach me?" She asked.
"Oh but of COURSE! What kind of father would I be if I didn't teach my own daughter how to fight!?" He asked.
"I dunno, never had quite a dad role model in my life. But can I go back to Skyrim? I need to see my lover." She said as she stood up.
"Of course, of course, I will send you back. You can come back later, or I'll summon you, depends on my mood." Said Sheogorath.
Haskill approached her and handed her a tiny stone with strange purple and red runes.
"You should be able to reappear here using that rune, if you desire to return." Assured Haskill.
"Good to know. Will this also work if I try to return to Skyrim?" Asked the young woman.
"Yes, you may use it now to return to the mortal plane."
Benjen squeezed the stone and it started glowing with more fervor.
"One more thing before you return, daughter." Said Sheogorath.
"Yes?" She asked as she turned around and faced the Madgod.
"You are no longer a bastard. And you can use the last name Sheothson." Said Sheogorath.
Benjen almost fainted... again.
"Are you serious?!" She asked, perplexed.
"Im never serious! But I mean it, you are my legitimate daughter and my heir." Said Sheogorath.
Benjen thought about it for a minute.
Benjen the Bastard, Cursed Child... and now, Benjen Sheothson Fire-Leaf, heir to the Throne of Madness.
She loved it.
"I will bear the last name with pride." Said Ben.
Oh, Leah needed to hear this.
