Fate's Games
(A/N: Third up today. I challenged myself with this one. There really isn't much good in this character, if any at all, so I challenged myself to make him into the monster he's supposed to be and then somehow show a glint of humanity to him while still making this paring believable. I'd like to know how I did. And yes, I know he's already married. Of course if you kill his wife he sends you a thank you note saying she won't be missed, so yeah. Of course his sister does the same if you kill him. And I'm pretty sure if you kill his sister, his wife sends you the same type of note. Quite the twisted little family he has. No wonder he acts like he does. Then again his sister also sends hired thugs after you if you kill him, so it seems like an odd relationship between them.)
Wicked
"There's a likely looking filly, even if she is an elf," Erikur remarked to the Dragonborn as they were talking. "You there, serving girl! What's your name, dear?" he called out to her as the Dragonborn watched on in silence.
"Uh, Brelas sir. Do you need a drink? Something to eat?" she questioned, approaching him cautiously. He found it quite amusing, and rather fetching.
"No, no, that's not what I'm interested in right now," he answered lowly. "I just wanted to get a better look at you. I like what I see, my dear. And believe me, I don't say that to everyone. I'm very discriminating when it comes to the female form."
"Uh, thank you sir. Was there anything else I could do for you?" she questioned, keeping her distance from him.
"Oh… not at the moment. Maybe later. Don't go far," he answered.
"Yes sir," she replied. She quickly left, looking appalled. Hmm, so much for that plan. Pity. He'd very much liked what he was seeing.
ES
About halfway through the party he found himself wondering why he hadn't looked away from her once. Not even to speak to the other guests trying to converse with him. She wasn't that unique. So why hadn't he turned away? The Dragonborn approached. Erikur remarked half to the hero and half to himself, "The Great War is passed. It's time the Empire and the Aldmeri Dominion put aside their differences. Prosperity is good for everyone."
"I saw you eying that serving girl," the Dragonborn remarked.
He looked back at Brelas and answered, "Mmm, yes… Brelas, is that the one? I hope you're not thinking of cutting me out, are you?" He chuckled. "I'm warning you, when I get my heart set on something, I'm not easily put off."
"Maybe I can talk to her for you. See if she's interested," the Dragonborn offered.
"Really? Yes, maybe that would be just the thing. She seemed to be playing hard to get when I spoke to her earlier," Erikur replied, raising an eyebrow in interest and slight hope. "Go on, see what she says. Now you've gone and gotten my hopes up again." He slightly surprised at his own reaction to the offer.
ES
"What can I get for you?" Brelas asked, curious as to why the Dragonborn was speaking to her.
"That fellow over there asked me to talk to you," the Dragonborn answered.
"Ugh, Erikur, right? He was talking to me earlier. I could tell what he was after," she answered. And oh how she'd been able to tell. Men like him disgusted her. "I hate working these parties. Some of the guests are nice, but there's always a few like Erikur. Please tell him to leave me alone. Politely. I'm sure you'll have better luck getting through to him than I would."
As the Dragonborn returned to him, Erikur demanded, "Have you talked to Brelas yet? I'm not a patient man, you know."
"Yes. She wants you to leave her alone," the Dragonborn replied hesitantly.
That was when he'd snapped, as was his nature. He was accustomed to getting what he wanted, and this insult was unacceptable! "What?! That little tease. Leading me on and turning cold at the last minute. I don't think so," he stated furiously, though really he knew she'd done no such thing. Not that it mattered. As already established, he got what he wanted.
ES
Eriker threw the goblet to the side, startling the other guests into silence. He stormed towards Brelas, growling, "So, you think you can toy with me, is that it? No, my dear. I have my heart set on you and I always get what I want.
"I-I'm sorry sir, I didn't mean to give you the wrong impression earlier. I meant no disrespect," she answered, backing fearfully away on seeing his cruel and murderous expression.
"Oh don't worry. I'll let you make it up to me. Now, where can we go for a little privacy, hmm?" he replied predatorily, and Brelas's eyes widened in terror. Fearfully she backed away until she could go nowhere else.
He took her arm roughly and she screamed. She tried to struggle, begging, "No! I'm sorry, but I can't go anywhere with you. I won't. Please, I must get back to my duties." She tried to pull away, but his grip was like iron. Desperately she yanked, pulling free, and swiftly walked away towards the crowds who were watching in shock. Perhaps there she would find protection.
"Don't you dare walk away from me, you slut!" he shot viciously after her, watching. "Do you know who I am?"
He ran to catch up. She heard him coming, and she turned in fear, pleading, "Please sir, leave me alone!"
"Now you're going to be sorry you crossed me," he threatened. He looked sharply at Elenwen and yelled, "Elenwen! The servant girl has been throwing herself at me in a most disgusting manner."
"Is that so, Erikur? And you with such delicate sensibilities. It must have been most upsetting," Elenwen replied in thinly veiled sarcasm, obviously not believing a word of it. Not that it would matter, he knew. She was looking for alliance, and loyalty to her elven cousin was secondary to that. Ondolemar, he judged, thought differently, but it didn't matter.
He ignored the anger and outrage he felt building up towards Elenwen for the insult, resisting the urge to let loose his fury on her instead, and said, "I demand that you have this wench removed from my presence at once!"
"Well, whatever the truth of it I'm sure a few words with master Relindil will have a salutary effect. Take her downstairs," Elenwen ordered, less than impressed with this bother.
"No!" Brelas exclaimed.
"Yes Madam Ambassador," a Thalmor soldier replied.
Brelas backed away in fear but was seized. "Mistress Elenwen, it's not true! I did nothing. Sir, you must tell her," she pled to Erikur desperately. "You don't know what they'll do to me! Please!" Erikur said nothing in reply, but instead watched after her. And for a moment, just a moment, there was hesitation. Hesitation? Strange, he'd thought he would laugh, but nothing… Nothing.
He shifted uncomfortably, but he didn't have much time to try and decipher why he was hesitating, because just as they pulled her down the stairs she screamed something at him in an elven tongue. He didn't react. At least, not until he saw the shocked and horrified expressions both Ondolemar and Elenwen were giving him. Alarm came then, and he knew what the Bosmer girl had done. She'd just placed an elven curse on him. His eyes lit up furiously, flaming. For that outrage she would pay. She would pay dearly. He scowled. Perhaps he would visit her downstairs…
ES
She wept helplessly, curling against the wall as Master Relindil stood menacingly above her, ready to let loose with an agonizing spell of torture. Just then, though, he stopped, hearing a noise. He left the cell and went to greet whoever had entered. She heard them talking, then a dark laugh from the high elf. The door shut and one of the two left. Footsteps were approaching as she was left alone with whoever had entered. She closed her eyes tightly, shivering. This wasn't happening, this couldn't be happening. Who now?
The door of her cell was thrown open and quickly she looked up. She went white. Erikur! "You," she breathed in terror.
"Enjoying your stay, Brelas?" he asked icily. She began to scream at him in her native tongue, knowing he couldn't understand her. That was for the best, because if he even began to get an idea of what she was shrieking furiously, her life would be forfeit. "Now, now, that's no way to behave," Erikur purred cruelly.
"How could you?" she asked, loathingly. "Now, because of you, I will suffer torture and anguish at the hands of Relindril for the rest of my days! Curse you to walk in Oblivion for all eternity!"
He laughed darkly. "I'm already destined for that," he answered, a cruel glint in his eyes.
She caught the look and blanched. "No…" she breathed as he entered casually and shut the cell door behind him. She screamed as suddenly he lunged, forcing her down. Desperately she screamed and struggled against him, but he was quick, he was strong, he was powerful and determined. "No, please, please sir, I beg you, don't do this to me, don't do this to me, don't do this to me!" she shrieked, sobbing now, knowing exactly what his intentions were. With another scream she surrendered, knowing she had no chance at escape, at mercy, at anything. Oh please, divines, let it end quickly.
ES
She was undressed now, at his mercy, and she just waited and prayed to the gods and goddesses that there wouldn't be too much pain… Except nothing happened… She still felt him above her, pinning her, but nothing happened. She dared to open her eyes, tears spilling from them unchecked as she looked up at him in hurt and misery, and he could almost read her every thought. How could you… How could you even think to do this thing to me? I did you no ill. Who drove you to this heinous act? Was it the alcohol you have consumed? Was it the influence of those you are stupid enough to call friends? Or are you truly that wicked and cruel?
He didn't move a long moment as she gazed at him with such hatred and disgust… Finally he rose from off of her. She scrambled away and huddled in a corner, holding herself tightly and bursting into tears. He scoffed at her and left furiously. She looked after him in disbelief. He'd let her be… Her next guest had been the Dragonborn. And the Dragonborn had released her without a second thought, leading her and another prisoner to safety. The three of them parted ways and she set off towards Dragonbridge.
ES
He gazed into the drink without sipping. Why had he let her be? He could have broken her then and there like a twig. He would have had what he wanted with no regrets, and he would hear her screams and wails of agony and terror. It would have been so… satisfactory… No. No it wouldn't have. Why wouldn't it have been? He tried to think. He'd been genuinely hurt at her rejection, and hurt had become anger. She'd pulled away from him. How had she managed such a thing when his strength surpassed hers tenfold? Unless he'd loosened his grip on her arm. But why would he of all people do such a thing? He grimaced and downed the goblet quickly.
He heard of her escape near the end of the party. Relindil was discussing it with Elenwen and Ondolemar. They didn't think he'd been listening in, but he was. "I shall send a hit squad to Dragonbridge," he heard Ondolemar declare, and the three elves separated. He was gone before they noticed he'd heard, riding towards Dragonbridge as fast as possible.
Why was he doing this again, he wondered? Why was he racing now towards the place she would be killed? Perhaps he wanted to watch it happen. Watch and laugh. But he was wrong, because he heard her scream and saw her trying to flee from them. He saw them surround her, weapons and spells drawn, and attack. She screamed in terror and pain again, but not for long, because before he could ask himself what he was doing, he'd drawn his sword and began cutting down the Thalmor hit squad mercilessly from upon his horse's back. And Brelas was fleeing across the bridge, safe, and he was leaping from his horse and cutting down the remainder while they fought back, spells meeting their mark upon him at almost every turn. But he hardly felt the injuries and blows, and in seconds the last of them was dead, and he was on the ground gasping and panting, trying to stay conscious and praying to the deities he'd never believed existed, and to the one he had forsaken, that some form of mercy would come to him when he died, even if it was miniscule or temporary.
ES
She raced across the bridge, hardly able to believe what had just happened. And on the other side she turned to look back. He was downing the last of the Thalmor attackers. Then he had fallen to the ground on his knees, clutching his injuries painfully and gasping for breath. He didn't turn, he wouldn't bother, and she found herself wondering why. Why wasn't he fighting to rise? Why wasn't he calling for help and begging for mercy from her, or from the citizens of Dragonbridge?
Before she could think she was walking back across the bridge and he was looking her way. He could swear he was seeing a mirage, a hallucination. He had thought she was beautiful before, but to see her outlined against the two moons and the eerie bridge, water almost glowing behind her and wind blowing the trees… Beauty took on a whole new meaning. He scowled and turned quickly away from her. So be it. What better way to die than at her hands.
"Happy?" he spat as she reached him.
"I wish I were," she answered. "But how can anyone be happy when they are watching another living soul suffering and dying?"
"Easily. I've done it multiple times," he replied, scoffing. "People are not as good and decent as you seem to believe. Even those who consider themselves heroes, who are considered by others as heroes, are often the cruelest of them all. What are you waiting for? End it already."
She knelt down and asked, "What drove you to act?"
"How should I bloody well know?!" he shot viciously. "Get out of my sight you slut. Leave me to die already, or finish me off." She turned her head ponderously, anger in her eyes, but then scoffed and lit her hands with a spell. He gasped as it contacted him. "What on Earth? A healing spell?" he asked. "Who are you playing?"
"I never meant to hurt you, sir. I sense you've been hurt enough in your life as it is, without me making it worse," she replied. As soon as her magic ran out, for she wasn't a high elf, she wasn't a natural magic user, she stood and turned her back on him. "Go home and rest. Thank you." He looked after her in shock, staggering up. She disappeared and he looked down around him at the hit squad he'd downed. Humph, probably the most useful thing he'd done for years now. He hadn't known he even still had such skill.
(A/N: Quest References: Diplomatic Immunity. When you release her, considering she survives the escape because the troll can usually kill her if you don't kill it first, there is a chance she'll be attacked by Thalmor in Dragonbridge and killed. Of course this is what I've gotten from comments on YouTube, apparently you need to follow her all the way there, but again, I haven't done this quest yet.)