The Eye of Magnus

"Well... that was exhilirating," Brelyna noted, pulling up her hood which had been blown off in the rush.

"Yes, that's one word for it," Onmund replied, looking a little queasy.

We jumped down from our horses, myself giving the others time to recover from our speedy trip, and dashed through the streets to the bridge that led into the College.

It seemed we arrived back just in time. The entire College was surrounded by the same, whirlwind-like energy that had been confined to the Hall of Elements when we'd left. Ghostly remains of the 'magicka wraiths' pooled the ground and there were piles of ashes here and there.

I turned to them as we arrived at the bridge, to give them one final bout of encouragement.

"This is it everyone. You ready?"

"J'zargo is always ready. You should ask Ancano if he is ready for J'zargo." The Khajiit was raring to go.

"I'm not backing down now, a true Nord never does!" Onmund raised his sword to the sky.

"I'm with you until the end." That was enough for me.

"Right then, onwards!" I was about to resume running, when-

"Sauron, wait!" I turned to see Brelyna approaching me. "In case... something should happen, I want to give you something."

"Okay, what is it?" She shifted nervously.

Then, she flung her arms around my neck and kissed me full on the mouth. I felt my heart race faster than I'd ever felt it before, as her soft lips caressed mine. In that minute, nothing else existed, nothing else mattered. It was just her, Brelyna Maryon, the most wonderful and beautiful woman I'd ever met. Then, all too soon, it was over.

I couldn't believe what she had just done. How much courage must she have had to sum up to do that? I was shocked at first, but that shock turned to happiness when it dawned on me: she did feel the same way.

She stood there, shifting nervously, unsure about what she had just done. I gave her my sincerest smile, which she gratefully returned.

"Your gift is much appreciated," I said to her. "If we survive this... when we survive this, I'll have to return the favour."

"I'll hold you to that," she replied, with a wink.

"Off we go then!" I resumed the run across the bridge.

As we sprinted across, I saw the flashes of spells being cast and the glow of a wraith. My companions rushed ahead, unleashing a barrage of spells on the creature, which went down in seconds.

Tolfdir, Arniel Gane and Faralda looked on in utter astonishment. Then greeted us gladly at our timely aid and return. I rushed to the old wizard, who smiled broadly at the sight of me.

"You survived," he said, sounding relieved. Then, asking with trepidation: "You have it then?"

"See for yourself." I held the Staff of Magnus so he could see it.

"My word..." He gazed on it in awe. "Incredible. Let us hope it is as powerful as the Psijiics believe."

"Indeed." I looked around at the meager sum of mages. "Is this it? Where's everyone else?"

"They are in Winterhold, protecting the inhabitants within the buildings. We've been here trying to break through this, but nothing is working. That Staff is our only hope. Let us pray your trip to Labyritnthian was worth it."

"Well, I'll need to thank Mirabelle later," I told him. "We wouldn't have been able to enter without her help."

"She... she didn't make it." The news hit me like a blow to the face. "When it became clear we would have to fall back, she stayed behind to cover our escape."

Another result of a maniac's quest for power. She had given her life for the College and the mages that taught here, to save them from Ancano. Like Savos, I was going to make sure it wasn't in vain.

"Come on then, let's get in there." I approached the whirling wall of magic.

I looked at the Staff. It was time. I raised it to point at the ward, tuned into magic held within it's wooden form and channelled that energy forward. The end lit up with a brilliant light, as a stream of lightning burst from the crystal.

It felt incredible, wielding this much power. I could feel the magicka being siphoned away from the ward, into the Staff and into me. It didn't take long for the ward to collapse and vanish.

I heard a cheer rise from the mages, as I advanced forward. I repated the same process on the next wall, draining the magicka that held it there until it vanished. Yes, with the power I held, nothing could stop me now. I was invincible, possessing infinite power and I-

I blinked and shook my head. I had to be careful not to let this power go to my head. If I did, I would become like Ancano, obsessing over it and maybe even hurting those around me. I calmed myself, reminding myself of who I am, then continued.

Leading my merry band of mages, I led the charge into the courtyard, past the statue of Arch-Mage Shalidor and burst through the wooden doors into the Hall of Elements.

The gate was shut, but I kicked it open. There stood Ancano, arms spread out, eyes wild and mad, his bone-white hair and black robes flapping around him, energy from the Eye flowing into him. Except that, now, he seemed to radiate the magicka he was absorbing, like the Eye itself.

The artifact in question was acting more violently. It was rotating faster, glowing brighter and the humming noise it made was like a swarm of angry bees. Chunks of stone were had fallen from the ceiling, and the ground around it was shaking. This had gone too far. We had to act now.

"Excuse me, Mr. Ancano, I must ask that you be removed from College premises." While this was a jest, I was trying very hard to contain my anger.

He turned to me when I spoke. His eyes were glowing brightly, both from the magic he had absorbed and the hunger to possess even more. I'd forgotten how much I hated that arrogant look, and how much it made my skin crawl. He laughed decisively at my words.

"You've come for me, have you?" His tone was mocking and arrogant, his voice echoing. "You think I don't know what you're up to? You think I can't destroy you? The power to unmake the world at my fingertips, and you think you can do anything about it?"

At that moment, my anger for him abated and I came to a sudden realisation. The power of the Eye had completely corrupted him, driven him to madness. I wasn't sure if he could actually handle the power that he held. He was as much a danger to himself as he was to us.

I didn't have much chance of succeeding with what I had in mind, but I think it was worth a try regardless. At least then I could say that I had tried.

"Ancano, can't you see what you're doing? What you've done?" He seemed to falter a little. "This is a power no man was meant to have. You can't control it, no-one can. It's already killed so many and it's going to kill more, if you don't stop. There's still a chance for you to end this madness. Please, just give it up. Let it go. Before it's too late."

I held his gaze as he stared at me. His superior stature seemed to fade away a little. Conflict arose in his eyes, deliberating between ultimate power and doing the right thing. At first, it seemed like he would let it go.

Then, his expression hardened into anger, making it clear the conclusion he had come to.

"No! You are trying to confuse me, aren't you? You want it for yourself!" He flung his arms back out. "This power is mine to control, mine to reshape the world!"

"Then, you leave me no choice." I motioned with my hand.

Tolfdir, Brelyna, J'zargo and Onmund all unleashed a wide array of different spells on the Thalmor agent. Every single one of them struck him dead-on... and had absolutely no effect whatsoever.

"I am beyond your pathetic attempts at magic! You cannot touch me!"

I needed to think. There had to be someway to lessen his power, to make him vulnerable. While the Staff was powerful, I doubted it would have any more effect than the efforts of the others.

Wait, the Staff! Of course! What I needed to look into Magnus's Eye without being blinded. Just like the Augur of Dunlain told me. There was only one thing I could do.

I turned the Staff to the Eye and let loose its power on the orb. To my relief, it worked. The stream of energy that was flowing into Ancano lessened, the Eye glowing less brightly.

"Enough!" Ancano swiped out with his hand and a green bolt of energy shot from it.

I dived aside to avoid it, but it wasn't aimed at me. I heard myself cry out as my companions were paralysed and fell to the floor in the positions they stood in. I knew they weren't hurt, but that didn't make me less angry.

"Still you persist?" He broke off the energy flow and strode to face me. "Come then. See what I can do now!"

"Just try it," I retorted. I raised a ward as the Thalmor sent a lightning spell at me, successfully blocking it.

I noticed that I felt more powerful too. Perhaps the connection with the Eye and the Staff bolstered my own magical abilities. At least I knew now that I had a chance against him.

I responded with a blast from the Staff. It missed and Ancano sent volleys of lightning at me. I ran as the bolts exploded around me, sending chunks of the floor flying. I sprinted halfway around the Eye, counter-attacking with a firebolt.

It struck him, causing him to revile in pain. He recovered quickly, pointing his finger at a chunk of rock. He swiped through the air and sent it flying towards me. I shot it out of the air, reducing it to pebbles. Other rocks received the same treatment, until Ancano resumed a magical bombardment.

The Eye really had increased his power exponentially. Even though I was getting a bit of it too, Ancano was still going to be a formidable opponent. Those lightning spells were far more powerful than they should have been, and I'd just have to hope than none of them would hit me.

Blocking his current attack with another ward, I could feel my strength diminishing. I raised my Staff hand and managed to get a glancing shot at the leg. It was enough to make him stumble and leave an opening. Taking my chance, I tossed three firebolts at him. Again, they didn't have much effect, other than some discomfort for him.

Despite this, he still had the energy to send another volley of lightning bolts, sending me scrambling for cover, as he cackled with amusement. I dove behind a pillar, taking cover from the attack.

"Come on Ancano, is that the best you've got?" I called out.

"This is only the smallest fraction of my power!" A flash as another lightning bolt hit the stone.

"Maybe you should use the bigger fraction then!" I jumped out, sending two firebolts at him.

"Pitiful!" He blocked them both with a casual wave of his hand. "I expected more from the mighty Dragonborn!"

"Funny, because using power for your own selfish ends was just what I expected from you." I grinned at him. "Don't you just love happy coincidences like that?"

"Do you ever SHUT UP?" I was blown backwards as a bolt hit me in the chest.

Despite the pain, I rolled to the side to avoid the next blast. He was certainly persistent I'd give him that much. Once again doing a strafe routine, I sent more fire attacks at him. Some hit, some were blocked but they didn't really do much to hurt him.

Then, I had some unexpected help. I heard the small screeches as a pair of magicka wraiths materialized in the room. Great, I'd thought, just what I need right now. They gave a few loops in the air and charged, straight at Ancano.

When they reached him, they began to siphon energy from him. Clearly surprised, he sent wild attacks that completely missed. He began to weaken as they drained his strength, collapsing on his knees. This was my chance. I charged forward, about to perform an assault of my own.

Suddenly, Ancano gave a loud cry. He flung his arms out and a shock-wave of energy shot out of him. The wraiths shook and screeched, exploding in the air. I myself was blown backwards by the force of it, hitting the floor hard. Okay, that was impressive.

"Meddling insects!" He shouted furiously. "None can withstand the power I possess! I am a god!"

"Pretty crappy god!" I called out, leaping aside as his witty response came in the form of lightning bolts.

Right, it was time to show him what I could do, as the Dragonborn. Charging at him, I built the power up in my throat. He tried to beat me off, but I still managed to get close enough to do this.

"FUS-RO-DAH!" Unrelenting Force hit and blew him off his feet, mirroring my previous fall as he hit the floor.

I know you're not supposed to strike a man when he's down, but I think a bit of chivalry could be sacrificed here. I hit him a few times with firebolts, drawing closer as I did. I was going to give him one, good burst from the Staff. I was almost there...

Then, I felt a hard smack as a rock hit my head. Dazed and confused, I tried to find Ancano, but felt a tingling pain as he hit me with a lightning spell. One large jolt sent me crashing back to the floor. Twitching a little, I saw a slightly burnt Ancano getting back to his feet.

"Impressive," he said slowly, "but you cannot hope to match me. Surrender to my power!"

I managed to block the next attack with a ward, but I barely had the power to maintain it now. Quickly scrabbling to my feet, I ran to once more avoid the various attacks that he sent at at me

Diving to the floor to dodge another attack, I realised I'd need to use the wooden rod in my hand to stop him completely. Still feeling a tingling sensation in my chest, I pushed myself back up, pointing the Staff of Magnus as I did. This time, my aim was true.

The beam struck him in square on. He stumbled as I kept up the attack, draining his power from his body. If I could just hold him here, I could stop him for good. He was weakening, he wouldn't last much longer now...

But he was still able to attack. I felt a sharp pain as bolt of electricity hit my hand, causing me to drop the Staff. I went for it, but another sent it flying across the room, well out of reach.

I turned back to attack, but was hit by a stream of sparks. My body shook from the jolts of energy running through my body. It stopped and I collapsed to my knees, looking up to see Ancano standing over me.

"Your efforts are wasted. Now... die!" He raised his hands to finish me off.

"Oh come on Ancano," I said, grabbing the leather hilt in my belt, " Give me some credit. I couldn't beat you, but at least I had a good stab at it!"

I whipped out my dagger and drove it into his side. He yelled in pain as I yanked it out and stood back up. Now, to see how well this worked. I felt a cold chill rise in my throat. With one word, I let it out.

"IIZ!" To my delight, he literally froze as ice covered his body.

As he fell to the floor, I sprinted to the Staff. I pumped my legs as hard as I could, if I could just make it. I heard the ice break just as I grabbed it, spun around again and pointed it at him.

"No... NO!" He tried to cast a spell, but I was quicker.

Once again, I struck him with the power of the Staff. Due to his wound and the shock from the cold, I think his ability to fight was weakened. But I wasn't going to let up. I continued the bombardment, intensifying the beam, willing it to destroy him.

Ancano cried out as he grew weaker and weaker from the attack. He fell on his knees and I noticed something else. His skin seemed to be flaking, no it was. His auburn complexion became greyer in places, these parts crumbling into dust. He was falling apart, quite literally.

"No, no..." He looked up desperately at me. "Please, please Sauron. Have mercy!"

"You had your chance," I replied. In my other hand, I sent a firebolt at him, hitting him with a whump. "That's for Savos Aren." Whump! "That's for Mirabelle Ervine!" Whump! "That's for the College!"

With one last cry, Ancano fell. As he hit the floor, the remainder of his body collapsed into ash. His robes, blackened and burned, lay crumpled atop them. It was done. Justice was served. Ancano was no more.

Looking at the pile of dust that had once been an Altmer, I almost felt sorry for him. In the end, the power had consumed him and ultimately killed him. But then I remembered who he had killed to achieve this power, how many lives he'd put in danger. This had been for them, to end his power-hungry quest and that was good.

Turning my gaze from him, I looked to my friends. To my relief, the spell Ancano placed on them had ceased and they were getting to their feet. I approached them, helping them to their feet. They were slightly dazed from the effects of the spell. Despite this, Tolfdir still smiled proudly at me.

"Well done, my lad!" Tolfdir praised, as I helped him up. "I knew you could do it!"

"Thank you, sir. But what about the Eye? What should we do now?"

The orb in question, rather than reverting to normal was getting worse. The various shaped panels that made it up had come apart, and were now floating eerily around the bright light held within it. The humming had grown louder, it's glow brighter.

"I... I don't know," the elderly mage said in dismay. "Ancano is gone, but whatever he to the Eye has done doesn't seem to have stopped. I have no idea what to do!"

I felt a slight feeling of panic. There was no-one here to act, no-one to tell as to what to do next. No, that wasn't completely true. There was me. I knew that I had to do what I could to save the College.

"We're going to have to get out of here," I said decisively. "Tolfdir, you get these three out of here. I'm going to stay and try and use the Staff to stabilise the Eye."

"Sauron, that's madness!"

"It's also the only plan we have," I pointed out. "Now, go! I'll do what I can here."

"Sauron-"

"Brelyna, please don't argue with me. Just go!"

"No, Sauron! Look!" I turned to look where she was pointing.

A man in elegant, cream-coloured robes had materialised before the Eye. So, they had shown up after all. When he turned around, I was surprised to see that he was smiling. Smiling at me.

"Now what's going on?" Tolfdir asked, bewildered. I ignored him and ran to meet him.

"Quaranir!" I stopped at him. "We did it!"

"We knew you would succeed," the monk said proudly. "Your victory here justifies our belief in you. You have proven yourself more than worthy to guide the College of Winterhold."

"Wait, hold on. 'Lead the College?' What do you-" I waved the question away. "Actually, never mind now. What about the Eye? It's going nuts!"

"Indeed." He smiled with amusement. "The Eye has grown unstable. It cannot remain here, or else it may destroy your College and this world. It must be secured. Ancano's actions have proven that the world is not yet ready for such a thing."

"I hear you," I agreed. "What's going to happen to it? Lock it up and throw away the key? I advise a big hole to throw it in, chains and locks. Big ones."

"That will not be necessary," he chuckled. "We shall safeguard it... for now. You now have the opportunity to maintain the College, and carry on with your lives. You have our gratitude, Arch-Mage."

What did he just say? Arch-Mage? Me? These words began to sink in, as two more Psijiics appeared and took up positions around the Eye. Quaranir stepped away, moving to join his brothers.

"Wait!" I called out. "I can't be Arch-Mage! You must have made a mistake somewhere!"

"The Psijiic Order doesn't make mistakes," he replied. His tone, however, was gentle and encouraging. "Do not fear, Sauron. We have faith in you. We always have."

"But how can that be enough?" I yelled desperately. "Who has the belief that I can do this?"

"Your father does." I stopped dead, sure I had misheard him. "He has been watching you, ever since he passed on. He believes that you, more than anyone, can do this. He told us so himself."

I was dumbstruck. With everything else they could do, I guess communion with dead souls wasn't so hard to believe. I felt tears well up in my eyes. But Quaranir wasn't finished.

"He gave us a message to send," he continued. "He is more than a little surprised you are the Dragonborn, but he always knew you were destined for greatness. He is pleased that you have become the man he'd always hoped you'd be, and that you remembered all he taught you, not just about magic. He is very proud of you, and he loves you very much."

That did it. The tears began to flow down my cheeks, and I felt smile grow on my face. There was only one thing I could say: "Thank you."

"From all your efforts, we thought one final reward was due to you. Oh, and one other thing he told us: keep a better eye on your foster sister. She's getting into more trouble than she's worth." He smiled wider as I chuckled, and bowed his head. "Good luck, Sauron Dredena, and farewell."

They stood around the Eye, their hands raised to the sky. In their palms, balls of light began to shine. These grew brighter and engulfed the Eye in their glow. They grew so bright, I had to cover my eyes. By the time light levels were normal, they had gone. The Psijiics, the Eye, everything. Like they were never here.

Everyone was silent for the longest time, processing what had happened. Then, they began to cheer and clap as they realised that they were now safe. Ancano was dead, the Eye was gone and the College was saved. Smiling and cheering, they rushed over to me and I was soon shaking hands, receiving slaps on the back and, in the case of Brelyna, a kiss on the cheek.

"You've done it!" Tolfdir said, shaking my hand. "The College is safe again, thanks to your work."

"That's not quite true, sir." They stared at me, puzzled. I then drew Onmund, J'zargo and Brelyna to me, stretching my arms so they encompassed around them. "The College is safe, thanks to our work. Everyone here contributed to keeping the College and Winterhold safe. Some even gave their lives, to ensure our safety. But I couldn't have done this without the help of my fellow apprentices."

"Well said!" Tolfdir smiled at them all. "You've all done your part, perhaps your friends more than any of us. So, congratulations to all of you."

"Thank you, sir," they replied, all looking pleased with themselves. Then, Onmund spoke. "But let's not forget who it was that ultimately defeated Ancano, who led us on the quest to find the Staff and who made sure we all made it back alive."

"Exactly!" Brelyna embraced me, planting another kiss on my cheek. "You can't not accept the credit this time."

"Alright, alright," I admitted, grinning around at them. "Thank you, all of you."

"I daresay your father and the Psijiics are right," the old wizard continued. "There's no-one more deserving to be Arch-Mage, in my opinion."

Still feeling emotional from my dad's message, I began to feel choked up again. "R-really? You truly think so?"

"We all do," Brelyna assured me. "And we don't think you deserve it, we know you do."

"Here, the key to the Arch-Mage's quarters." Tolfdir handed the metal key, which I clenched in my fist. "Consider it, and the robes of the Arch-Mage, to be yours."

I still couldn't quite believe it. Me, the Arch-Mage of the College of Winterhold. I'd need a while to get used to this. For now, I knew just what to do first. I walked to Tolfdir and inclined my head to him, as a sign of respect.

"Then, as my first act as Arch-Mage, I name you, Tolfdir, to be Master Wizard."

"Oh my..." He appeared shocked at first. Then, he smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Arch-Mage. I am honored that you would choose me. I shall be here to provide advice, should you need it."

"Thank you. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to go and get changed." They stood back and let me leave

With the robes of the Arch-Mage folded under my arm, I approached the door that led to the Arch-Mage's chamber, turned the key in the handle and pushed the door open. I climbed up the stairs, stopped and looked around. There were Savos's robes, folded on his bed, waiting to be worn. I carefully picked them up, feeling the soft material it was made of.

It was oddly fitting, now that I thought about it. I had Savos Aren's circlet, amulet, robes and now his quarters. It felt strange, having all of this. It almost didn't feel right, like walking on his grave. I thought that I wasn't worthy enough to accept this position, like I had before. I was tempted to ask them to pick someone else.

But my father's message lingered in my mind. He believed in me, as did the Psijiics, the other mages. Brelyna. If they thought that I was good enough for the job, then I'd take it and do it proudly. For them.

I set the Staff of Magnus against the wall, along with my bow and travel bag. I slipped out of my Novice robes, folded them away, then donned the robes of the Arch-Mage. They were certainly comfortable and warm. I was ready to accept the responsibilities and duties that came with them.

I could feel that was a magical enchantment upon them, the kind that allowed me to recover magicka faster. It was even stronger than the one on my Novice robes. That would definitely be useful.

There was a knock on my door. I think I knew who it would be.

"Come in!" I called. The door swung open, to reveal my friends.

Brelyna was the first to reach me. She ran up and flung her arms around me with such force, I was almost knocked off my feet. I returned the hug, looking to see her face lit up with that radiant smile I always liked seeing.

"Congratulations, Sauron," she said proudly, stepping back. "You really do deserve this. Those robes look good on you."

"Thank you, Brelyna." She glowed at this.

"Yes, well done Sauron," Onmund congratulated, shaking my hand. "You saved the College and ensured Skyrim still has a place for magic. Even though some won't thank you for it."

"Too true, my friend, too true." I laughed and looked to the Khajiit. "Anything to say, J'zargo?"

He shifted and shrugged. "J'zargo was hoping to be named Arch-Mage. Still, there is always next time." He gave me a smile. "J'zargo is happy for you, Sauron. He believes you will make a fine Arch-Mage. Perhaps, even more so than J'zargo himself."

"High praise," I remarked, chuckling a little. "Thanks. Now, as promised..." I went to the wall, took the Staff of Magnus and handed it to him. "Here you are, for one day."

J'zargo stared in utter shock. At first, he laughed unsurely. Then, when he realised that it wasn't a joke, he approached, looking the Staff up and down. It was like he was trying to convince himself it wasn't a trick.

"You... you mean it?" he asked.

"I do. I always keep my promises and my promise to you was that I let you borrow the Staff of Magnus, for one day."

His spirits raised a little. He reached out tentatively, about to take the Staff in his hand. It stopped just short of the handle, remained for a few seconds, then dropped to the Khajiit's side.

"No, J'zargo cannot accept this." Now, it was my turn to be shocked.

"W-what? Why not?"

"Because, J'zargo has realised something." He took a deep breath. "In many ways, J'zargo and Ancano were alike: ambitious, eager to prove ourselves and desiring power. Ancano got this power, but it drove him mad. It made him hurt, even kill, those around him, to keep it. In the end, it destroyed him. J'zargo fears that, if he takes this, the power will consume him too. He does not wish to hurt his friends... or be responsible for their deaths."

I couldn't believe what I was hearing. And it was coming from J'zargo. At that moment, I felt an overwhelming sense of pride and respect for him. Not many people, especially him, would have admitted that. I placed a hand on his shoulder.

"J'zargo, that's good of you to say so." He perked his head up. "But let me tell you this; you are nothing like Ancano. Sure, you can be arrogant, competitive and ego-centric, but that's not all there is to you. You have a good heart. You're loyal, steadfast, brave and, on top of that, a very skilled and talented mage, with great potential.

"You're not like Ancano. You're better than Ancano. He had the chance to turn down that power, but he didn't and it destroyed him. You've done something very few would have done, and because of that, I know that I can trust you with this." I handed him the Staff again, placing it in his hand. "There. Just try not to break anything."

He gazed in awe at the magical artifact he held. He seemed to be unable to quite believe that he was holding it. He looked up at me, gave a satisfied smile and, to my surprise, placed back against the wall.

"No," he said simply. "J'zargo will leave this here. You know the value of power, Sauron, but you do not let it corrput you. J'zargo feels that you are better entrusted with it, than he. Besides" he said with a grin, "J'zargo now knows that he is a powerful and skilled wizard, what need has he of a Staff? He does not need a staff to prove how great he is. He can prove it, show his own worth!"

"Yeah, but that said, you will need a new one to replace the one destroyed in Labyrinthian," I pointed out.

"Hm, good point," he agreed. "J'zargo will acquire one tomorrow, perhaps. It is too late now, and he needs his rest." He bowed to me. "Good-night, Arch-Mage Sauron. And thank you." With a flick of his tail, he left for bed.

"I think I'll get some sleep too," Onmund said, with a yawn. "Sleep well and congratulations again." Following J'zargo, he left through the door, shutting it behind him.

That left only me. And, of course, Brelyna. She was standing by the tree at the centre of my quarters, staring at the magical lights that floated there. At least, that was the image she hoped to portray. I noticed her eyes flicker to me briefly. She had waited intentionally, to get me on my own.

I could feel my heart pounding against my chest, along with a fluttering in my stomach. My thoughts turned back to that kiss she gave me, to what I'd said before we charged into the College to battle Ancano. What was she expecting from me now? What was I supposed to do.

Taking a deep breath to calm myself, I walked over to her, standing by her side. She turned her head to face me, her eyes glowing as bright as the lights that shone on her.

"So... just you and me now." She laughed awkwardly, then lapsed into embarrassed silence.

"Yep," I replied, as confidently as I could. "You know, you look beautiful in the light." I felt like slapping myself. Why had I said that? Gods, that was stupid!

"Really?" She didn't sound displeased. I looked to see she was smiling. "You really think I look beautiful, don't you?"

"Yes," I mumbled shyly.

"I never really thought about it much myself. So... thank you. That's sweet of you to say so."

"You're welcome." I was relieved that had payed off. There was another moment of silence. I was trying to think of what else to say, but I didn't need to.

"Sauron, can I ask you something?" Her voice was laced with nervousness.

"Sure, go ahead." I tried to make it sound casual, but it probably came out scared. She either didn't notice or didn't care.

"I was just wondering, about when I... you know... before we attacked... when I..." The next part she whispered tentatively, "...kissed you. And from what you said to me, in Labyrinthian and after I... you know... I was just wondering... how do you feel? About me, I mean?"

This was the part I'd been dreading. I knew how I felt about her, how strong it was but I just didn't quite how to say it. I'd never really been in a situation like this, so I didn't really know what to say, or how I should act.

"You know how I feel," I replied. I don't think that was what she wanted to hear and I was right.

"I know but... I need to hear you say it. I need to know." She gazed up at me imploringly, desperately. The same way she had in Whiterun.

"Brelyna..."

"Say it, please."

There was only one thing I could say. One sentence, of three words. Well, one letter and two words. Words that I'd heard spoken by many others, but I never thought I'd say. At least, not to someone like her.

"I love you," I said, as sincerely as I could. "I love you, Brelyna Maryon of House Telvanni. I think I have for a long time, I just didn't realise it. Or know how to say it. Guess I'm just stupid..."

I couldn't keep my gaze on her, so I looked at the floor, waiting for her response. It came, when she took my right hand in her left. With her right hand, she cupped my cheek and lifted my face back up to her own. What I saw made my heart soar like a dragon, high in the sky.

Her deep, ruby-red eyes shone like the sun. They told me that she felt the same, and that she was about to start crying. Her smile lit up her face, brighter than I'd ever seen it before. Though I was a novice at this kind of thing, I think I knew just what to do next, what she wanted me to do.

Holding her with care, like she might break if I didn't and wrapping my hands around her waist, I closed the distance between her and me, sharing a deep, loving kiss. Her feather-soft lips brushed against mine, returning the kiss nervously. She then relaxed a little, deepening it a little, becoming more confident... and more passionate.

I don't know how long we were like that. Days, weeks, months suddenly it didn't matter. What mattered was Brelyna, with me, here and now. Then, we broke apart. But the feeling didn't go away, if anything it was stronger. We were content to just stand there, gazing into each other's eyes.

Then, I spoke.

"Like I said, I keep my promises," I whispered.

"Yes, you do." She sighed contentedly. "That was... wonderful."

"Mmm-hmm. I thought I was pretty good, not meaning to brag."

"No arguments here," she agreed, kissing me again briefly.

"So, can I take it that you feel the same way about me?" I asked jokingly.

"What gave it away?" I laughed a little at her jest. "Yes, I do feel the same way. I love you too, Sauron. I've never felt this way about anyone before and, to be honest, I didn't think I ever would. I didn't think I'd be good enough for anyone."

"You're not just good enough for me." I held her closer. "You're the best I could ever want. No-one could ever even hope to measure up to you, and they'd fail trying. That's how good you are."

"I... I am? Oh, Sauron!" She kissed me again, causing me to stumble a little from the force of it. "Thank you, my dearest Dovahkiin."

"You are most welcome, my beautiful Brelyna." She giggled at the name I gave her. "Well, it's getting late..."

"Yes, and...?" Her eyes twinkled.

"Well, there is room for two in my bed." Her eyes widened when I said this. "Oh, no! I'm not asking you to do... that with me. Not unless you want to, not that you need to. I just wanted to know if you wanted to sleep with me. No, that doesn't sound right... I mean, do you want to get in bed with me? No, that doesn't sound much better... I mean, do you want to lie with me? Gods-dammit! I mean-"

"Sauron, stop!" She was laughing that musical, wonderful laughter of hers from my babbling. "It's okay. I'm not quite ready for... that yet. But, I would love to sleep in you bed with you tonight. After all, it can get rather cold..." She winked at me.

"Well, alright then. I'll let you have a little privacy," I said, heading to the Arcane Enchanter.

I stared resolutely at it, willing myself not to even peek. She deserved respect and I was going to give it to her. She cleared her throat a few minutes later and I turned back around, to see her nestled in the covers.

I realised this was the first time I'd seen her without her hood. Her short, chestnut-brown hair flowed to just past her neck. She looked even more beautiful without it. Smiling nervously at me, she shut her eyes to extend me the same courtesy.

As I slipped out of my robes, I had a feeling I was being watched. Maybe it was just me.

"Are you peeking?" I asked.

"No." A giggle. "Maybe a little. Why, didn't you?"

"No!"

"You liar!"

"I really didn't," I replied in earnest. "I respect you too much, and I let you have your privacy."

"Okay, okay sorry." She shut her eyes again. "Take all the fun out of it," she murmured.

Satisfied, I finished undressing and proceeded to join her under the covers. She opened her eyes again, kissing me on the cheek.

"That's for not peeking. Thank you." She then snuggled up next to me, allowing me to put my arm around her. "Good-night, Arch-Mage."

"Good-night, my love." She sighed again, closing her eyes and resting her head.

Once again, there was that feeling of rightness, being here with her. Asleep in my arms, breathing slowly, her body pressed against mine. I could feel her heart beating in time with mine, her chest rising and falling with her breathing. Yep, this definitely felt right. I could certainly get used to this.

Slowly, but surely, I drifted off into a very comfortable, peaceful sleep.

So, our tale is almost at the end. Still the epilogue to come, so don't go anywhere!