A New Sun Rises - Maxical's Adventures, The Truth Behind The Oblivion Crisis Options

[mALX]

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@ King of Beasts - Thank you so very much Kobby! You are right, it was Fathis. I think she is beyond having her heart broken now, with the exception of when she eventually learns that Gils is dead. She'll have help kicking it now that Foxy and Fathis are free, lol. Thanks Kobby!

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@ Acadian - Thank you so very much Acadian! I did take those words directly from the tutorial, hoped someone playing or reading that would remember and picture him saying that, lol.

I was glad that came through that she is toughening up - hoped the changes in her and growth since she came to the Palace would show. Thank you so much again for your kind words here, Acadian!

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@ Grits - Thank you so very much Grits! I was surprised you remembered how the last chapter ended - but you are right. Ever since she came back from Theryon after Malan admitted so much to her - she's kind of known the truth but couldn't stand knowing it; if you know what I mean. She is just now beginning to realize that her denial isn't going to save Fathis. Thank you so much again, Grits!

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@ Ghastley - Thank you so very much Ghastley! You are kind of right, even as they were speaking in the last chapter Fathis was getting his soul back, and Foxy and Fathis were escaping at the same moment Janus was swearing Maxical over to Jak/Malan.

(of course no one knows that yet except the reader).

It hasn't really been far back at all - That is my fault for only posting 2 chapters in 4 months, that is why it feels like so long ago, lol.

And you are very right about that being the right frame of mind for Maxical to stay in.

Uriel tried to motivate Maxical to go save Fathis = if she had gone Malan would have succeeded in seizing the throne and be in it right now.

That is why Uriel wants her to forget about Fathis, because he himself can't concentrate on saving Fathis either anymore.

Thank you so much again, Ghastley!

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@ Darkness Eternal - Thank you so very much DE! Actually, that vision is not foreshadowing of the future. Akatosh was revealing the past she can't remember because Malan has erased her memory of it.

That is when Malan forced Fathis to drink Maxical's virgin blood (to make Fathis swear his soul over to Malan) just before taking her virginity from her.

(Chapter 178, Page 87; The Last Of The Innocents )

Thank you so very much again, DE !!!

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@ McBadgere - Thank you so very much McB! You just had that memory in time! I swear this (below) was written over a year ago, lol.

You are very right, Foxy and Fathis escaping was the turning point for the story. Maxical will have a short delay before she catches up, but from here on out a war is beginning on Malan that he has no idea of - and Uriel/Foxy/and Fathis are going to make sure he doesn't find out about till they want it revealed, lol.

Your kind words meant a huge amount to me, McB, Thank you so much again!

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@ King Coin - Thank you so very much KC! Mind cleaning isn't ominous, it is a good thing - getting rid of any mind control/hypnotism/post hypnotic suggestion/etc. from Janus - he needs it, in one of Malan's parts he brings up that he has Janus under his control (that Janus wouldn't interfere when Amiela tried to kill Maxical = and Janus didn't try to save Maxical). So yeah, Janus needs that mind cleaning.

Actually, as much as I know you hate it - Malan has really messed himself up here exactly like you said = he can't kill Maxical at all now. He has made a bond to her that removes him from being the one that can kill her.

She can take down most enemies, but she can't take down Malan or the Orc; those are the only two she needs to be worried about (and now Malan has eliminated himself from being able to kill her).

AND - because Janus is Malan's split-apart, he can still team up with Maxical against Malan whether she is his chosen or not.

So Malan has made another big mistake here. Malan doesn't think fast enough when a lot is happening. He plots too carefully, that is why Uriel and Maxical were able to turn tables on him here.

You don't have to worry about her heart getting torn anymore (except when she learns Gils is dead) - like Acadian said, this last bit with Malan has toughened her. The only thing that will get torn is Malan's ass when Maxical tears him a new hole for it, lol.

Maxical came really close to failing Uriel by demanding Fathis, if she had gone after Fathis Uriel would be dead right now. That was a huge wake-up call for Maxical.

Thank you so much again, KC !!!

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@ Elisabeth Hollow - Thank you so very much Liz! What a kind thing to say, Thank you!

Maxical is beyond feeling the pain over Fathis for a lot of reasons, she knows now that he's the one that fed on her. What Uriel just put before her in that last chapter was that she has to put Fathis behind her now as if he is dead, and she realized that if she didn't (Uriel would lose his life). She will do whatever it takes to keep Uriel alive now.

Thank you so much again, Liz!!!

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@ Zalphon - Thank you so much Z-Man!!!! Where have you been? It is so good to see you back on here! STAY this time!!! Lol.


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[mALX]

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Chapter 208: The Earl of Imbel



Uriel's eyes were confirming a question I hadn't asked; reaffirming his own words earlier, but not wanting to believe it was true anymore than I did. Words weren't needed, I knew without being told.

Maybe I'd known since I first caught Malan in a lie to me, when I wondered what else he had lied about. The first thought that popped into my head; the only thing that would matter if he'd lied about it. Fathis's soul.

There was no hyperventilating, no crying; it was too late for tears now. Instead I was consumed by a numbing paralysis of every emotion except an icy rage, my mind churned with it. I relieved Uriel the necessity of telling me.

"Malan took his soul." It wasn't a question.

He nodded mutely, and for once didn't tell me to suck it up. When Uriel took my wrist and pressed his thumb down I stopped him, looking into his eyes so he could see the sharp focus in mine.

"I am not faint, Sire. This is a rage so cold it will never die out. Malan is marked on my soul now, I will hound him to the grave. He will wish he‘d never even heard of me when I‘m through, he'll have to pray to Akatosh for relief just to sleep."

Uriel gripped my shoulder bracingly, flooding healing and rally spells through me in silence while my mind roiled with the terrible realizations; until a worse revelation hit with such force it staggered me.

"What is it, Maxical?"

"Janus just swore me over to Fathis! What happens now, Sire? How can Fathis set up his lair if he's a thrall? They can't mate...can they?" Even my love for Fathis couldn't keep the horror from my voice. I couldn't...surely Uriel would suggest another way.

Uriel shook his head. "I would not think so without Malan commanding him. Being Malan's split-apart, there is the possibility Hassildor can direct the action."

"Dear gods..."

The horrifying image of a thrall-like zombiefied Fathis mounting me while Janus sat in a nearby easy chair calling out moves made a scream crawl into my throat that I nearly strangled on trying to suffocate. An oddly high sounding choke was all that escaped.

Uriel reached toward me, and for a second I was afraid he'd shake me like he had when I first came. I braced for it, but instead he wrapped his arm around my shoulder, pulling me against him in the compassionate hug a father would have given.

For minutes we stayed that way in an abstract silence where our thoughts remained in the privacy of our minds; but in that moment our unspoken shared grief formed an unbreakable bond and a new dynamic between us. Warriors beside each other in the worst battles are bonds that never die.






***


There was no doubt in my mind this was karma coming back to bite me in the ass for threatening Janus that way. I'd bullied him cruelly, and I've never been cruel to anyone in my life. This was all my fault.

I've known people who walked around for years building up karmic debts and never had it turned around on them. It hadn't been an hour since I'd been so hateful to Janus, and karma was already leaping on me like a hungry leopard.

“Something else Malan lied about, Sire; he couldn't have been an Arbiter. Arbiters have all the mysteries, he wouldn't have needed to send Gils' to marry me."

Uriel gave a slight nod. "Eyja and I suspected as much this morning on your return from Theryon."

"Maybe I knew, but couldn't bear knowing. As long as I denied the truth I could keep believing Fathis's soul was intact. But, I don't understand. Fathis's mysteries would stay with his soul, but they are protected by Azura. How could Malan access them?"

"Traven's tome may have the answer."

"By Dunmer law I may be put to death for Malan's lie about being an Arbiter. He broke tenets, but I have mysteries I shouldn't. I'll have to plead my case before Divayth Fyr.”

“You cannot go to Vvardenfell while we're at war with Malan, Maxical.”

"Yes, Sire..." I broke off what I was saying as the door opened. Uriel's and my head both swiveled toward the door like two owls. It was Eyja with the handsome man, his injuries all healed now.

They closed the door, but immediately it swung back open; almost aggressively. Janus stood in the doorway looking positively militant. The heartfelt apology that flew to my mind was overridden immediately when to my shock Janus closed and bolted the door behind him. Why was he alone? Where was Fathis?






***


I stared hard at Janus, trying to catch his cowl facing me so I could get some signal from him what was going on. He was very obviously avoiding looking at me, was he not going to tell me what had happened?

Maybe Janus was still enraged by my threats, but now my own temper was growing rapidly. I tried to send him the thought that I'd felt the clicking of tumblers and the nature explode within me like a tsunami crashing to shore; but being deliberately ignored caused the message of thoughts I sent to be so laden with curses that even I lost track of what I’d meant to say.

My eyes blazed ineffectually into Janus’s back, till humiliatingly I caught the handsome man interestedly watching me glare darts at Janus. He had an amused gleam in his eye.

I flushed in embarrassment and spun around; then tried to catch Uriel's attention. His head was buried close to Eyja's, they were discussing something in whispers too quiet for even me to overhear.

When I turned back around Janus's back was still to me, he was refilling his wineglass. He must have downed the last one like a sailor on leave.

For some odd reason that incredibly handsome man was staring at me hard, a look of challenge in his eyes and something else I couldn‘t define. Then his eyes fell to the blood stain on the carpet where I had bled so badly the night Nissy attacked Uriel and I took the blows meant for him.

As I watched his eyes traveled slowly over to my shoes, then honed in on them with interest. I looked down to see what had caught his interest. They looked perfectly normal; well, except for the brown stains where I'd wiped blood from my fingers...virgin blood, just like the carpet stain! Dear gods, was he a vampire?

My head jerked back up. No, he couldn't be. He had no fangs at all; and his eyes were as common brown as my father's, not pink or red.

His eyes then made a lingering trail around my breasts without even an apology! He missed seeing me gaping in shock at his audacity by the sheer length of time he was staring at my undersized mounds.

Finally I looked down to see if maybe somehow the dress was exposing me. I encountered more bloodstains on the bodice, these from where Eyja’s shriek had caused me to spill from the vial of my virgin blood.

Dear gods, he was sniffing out every drop of blood in the room like a hunting dog; did Uriel not notice a vampire was ogling my bloodstains right in front of him?






***


My hands itched to wing something at Janus's head for standing there sipping wine instead of protecting me from his friend's lechery. I sent a fuming glance at the handsome man, but his eyes caught mine and held them with a gleam of mischief that made him look devastatingly handsome. With those wicked imps in them dancing merrily I couldn’t tear my eyes from his. I found myself taking a full notice of him for the first time since he'd entered the Palace hours ago.

No doubt he was a Breton with those fully curved lips and rounded jaw line, and obviously enormously wealthy by his clothing. Unlike Janus, his hair and clothing were all the current fashion...no, better than current. They were trendsetting, and he wore them like a man used to being the one to set the fashion world scrambling to keep up. Everything about him was exquisite.

His hair was long, a glossy soft brown tied casually back with a ribbon at his nape. Women probably vied to bury their faces in it.

He raised one eyebrow and pulled the long ponytail over his shoulder, giving me a cocky half-smile, his eyes never leaving mine.

Had I said that aloud? I couldn't have...did I? Dear gods, he was the most beautiful man I'd ever seen.

The room felt overly warm suddenly, leaving me feeling disoriented and confused. I grabbed up a parchment off Uriel's desk and fanned the heat in my cheeks with it without even looking at what I had. Who was this man? And why was he staring so hard at me, especially with Eyja in the room?

The sight of voluptuous nude breasts in my peripheral vision caused me to look at what I had picked up to fan myself with, a torn page from a 'Bathing Beauties of Skyrim', Janus must have left it in here!

My cheeks felt like they might catch on fire from embarrassment. I threw it down and grabbed up something else...dear gods, had Janus brought his full collection into Uriel's chambers?

I had to force my eyes from the amused twinkle in the man's; and spun toward Eyja hoping she would open a window or bring me something decent to use for a fan. Her eyes were on the gorgeous man, and by her expression she had either mated with him in the past or hoped to later tonight…probably both.

Uriel stepped up to his desk, immediately noticing the strewn drawings of nude bathing beauties. For some reason he looked straight at me as if I had brought them. I glanced down at my hand and found another of them clutched there. He shook his head and signaled Eyja as I tossed the now crumpled drawing on his desk.

It was like a play unfolding. Eyja turned to me as if in slow motion; her eyes were alight with laughter when they sought mine and she raised her eyebrows several times at me before she introduced the handsome man to Uriel.

“Sire, this is the Earl of Imbel.”






***


“Dear gods…” I sputtered out.

Somehow it came as a total shock. I barely heard Eyja introducing him to me, and didn't respond to it; just stood gaping at him with bulging eyes. Everything I knew about him began flooding my mind. No wonder Evangeline dreamed of him. Eyja said he was the best bed partner she had ever had. He'd had a long running affair with Llathasa. Janus said Jak tried to buy Gils' mysteries, and that his spleen nearly ruptured when I sang. Wait, Jak? Yes; the Earl of Imbel is Janus's friend Jak, and the bird...

"DEAR GODS!" I choked loudly as another realization hit me. Janus's friend Jak; I'd fondled his privates at the Arena when I thought he was a bird, I think I might have even kissed them!

Where my cheeks had been hot and flushed they now felt like an out of control fire that no amount of water would be capable of dousing.

Hannibal and Uriel were both staring at my reddened face. Eyja was gawking at me in shock. They were making my embarrassment worse, does no one in this Palace know how to be discreet?

“Are you unwell, Maxical?” Uriel finally asked.

“Yes, Sire. May I be excused please?”

Uriel nodded. I surged forward, knocking over a low table and upending it. Two wine bottles flew in short arcs in opposite directions while the seven candle candleabra crashed loudly to the floor; the hot wax trail lighting up.

“FIRE!” Eyja screamed.

The small platter of glasses had flown to a point just short of the Earl, but sprayed the Breton's pants and left a puddle on the floor in front of him. In one smooth gesture he flicked his hand down the pant legs and took a quick step back from the puddle.

“I apologize, Sire…” I turned toward the door and hadn’t run three steps before walking into another low table with two sets of tiered candles on it. They flew, and I was thrown sprawling forward, bringing the table and the rest of its contents with me.

“ANOTHER FIRE!” Eyja shrieked.

Two hands reached down to help me up, one of them had a lace ruff at the fancy cuffs of his jacket. The other hand had just a plain jacket sleeve. I took the plain one, not looking to see or caring who it was…just knowing it wasn’t Jak.

Instead of trying to put out the fire I made a lunge toward the door and slipped in the spilled drinks, crashing against an end table and tipping its contents. The candles flew and landed on Uriel’s favorite overstuffed chair. Flames began licking up the trail of hot wax that had sprayed on the seat and back of the chair.

When I tried to stand my shoe caught on the hem of Eyja’s beautiful gown I had borrowed. It tore with a loud “RIIIIIP” sound. I hurried out, just leaving them to put out the fires and clean up the mess.

More karma maybe. All I know is I've never been so humiliated; having that handsome man seeing me stumbling around like a mad cow.



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Jak:



http://knightleyemma.files.wordpress.com/2...t-1989-10-g.jpg




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This post has been edited by mALX: Sep 14 2013, 08:14 AM

[Grits]

I liked Maxical’s icy rage when she finally faced the reality about Fathis. She is beyond hysterics, almost outside of herself.

I wondered when those bloodstains would come back into play, and here they are!

He raised one eyebrow and pulled the long ponytail over his shoulder, giving me a cocky half-smile, his eyes never leaving mine.

Argh, only Maxical would have seen this as a clue, and she was too dazzled to notice!

Yikes, what an embarrassing exit for poor Maxical. I was giggling, though. Naughty pictures and memories of bird fondling, lol!

[Elisabeth Hollow]

Oh my god! Maxical was leaving me in stitches!!!! she's worse than me when a hot guy is nearby! XD

[King Of Beasts]

I'm agreeing with Liz. She's pretty and. I've heard of girls doing pretty dumb things around a good looking guy, but starting a fire? That tops if off

But I can't do but feeling bad for her.



She better keep her guard up though!!

The horrifying image of a thrall-like zombiefied Fathis mounting me while Janus sat in a nearby easy chair calling out moves made a scream crawl into my throat that I nearly strangled on trying to suffocate. An oddly high sounding choke was all that escaped.

Augh. Poor Maxical. She's gotta stay calm, but that must be a scary image for her!

[Acadian]

What an emotional roller coaster for Maxical!

Even when she’s devastated, she is the unintentional Mistress of Mayhem.

I somehow knew that the fury and embarrassment-fueled heat in her cheeks would overwhelm her icy rage and eventually translate to setting fire to Uriel’s chambers!

[McBadgere]

...That's just funny...Yeah, I remember the feeling of managing to say completely the wrong thing at the wrong time...It's like...

Brain: ...Aaand now you know the perfect answer...Total devastating wit and charm in five, four, three, two...

Mouth: Hhhhuuuuurrr...Boobs...

Body: *Drools*...*Smacks head on doorframe*...

Um...Story...Yes...

Excellent stuff...

Loved the way Uriel comforted her...Loves me Uriel do I...

Is Jak really that handsome or is it some permanent charm spell?...I mean...Pffft...Not that good looking ...*Pouts*... ...

Aaaamywho, that whole section with the material-of-an-adult-nature* parchment made me laugh, as did the whole sequence of embarrassments following it...

Brilliantly done...

Love it!!...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds wholeheartedly*...

[Zalphon]

Regarding the story: That commentary on his hair. Women would just want to bury their face in it was wonderful. A very good chapter, Malx.

Regarding my whereabouts: Real life has been a hassle over the past few months. Between moving cross-country, dealing with recruiters, and trying to figure out my goals--I've been busy. But I think I'm settled down until my recruiter actually gets a decent MOS for me.

[ghastley]

Maxical does like setting fire to things and blowing them up, doesn't she? Even ifEspecially when it's unintentional, and just happens to work for her. I imagine this fire will have consequences in the next instalment.

Waiting to find out will be difficult.

[Darkness Eternal]

Hmm. My mistake then. The good news is that no matter if he erased the memory, Akatosh can restore it.

There was no doubt in my mind this was karma coming back to bite me in the ass for threatening Janus that way. I'd bullied him cruelly, and I've never been cruel to anyone in my life. This was all my fault.

Well, Max. Karma's a [censored]. We'll see how badly she treats her

Maxical is having an emotional overload in this chapter. She might just go berserko.

I liked the description you have of the Breton fellow(Jakben). The part where you mention his clothes were extravagant that it seemed the world was behind in fashion was pretty good.

Of course, he didn’t make anything better. Having the hots(no pun) for him, she indeed went berserko! Ha. Only Maxical . . .

[King Coin]

Aww yes. As much as I don’t like the pain this is causing Maxical, I am so glad that she’s finally feeling the rage Malan deserves from her. I’m excited about the possibility of this army Maxical now has permission to recruit/use. I shall be PMing some questions about that.

She’s confused about who Janis swore her to… Why does she think it’s Fathis?

Janus sat in a nearby easy chair calling out moves
Oh my god that’s horrible but so funny! I just see a goblet of wine in his hand while he shouts out.

I don’t see how they need to worry about Dunmer marriage law. Uriel’s the Emperor. If they demand Maxical to face some court, Uriel can just say ‘haha no she’s not.’ Plus, who actually knows what Maxical knows and doesn’t?

Handsome man = Malan now?

Ha! I hope she remembers that the handsome man is a vampire. Damnit! Why is she making excuses for him to not be? Gah, he’s already acting like he owns her. She needs to be a body guard now and toss the vampire from Uriel’s throne room. Or make some fuss at the very least. Like, ‘why the hell is this jerk staring at my boobs?’ Maybe he’s using a mind whammy on her. Definitely a whammy. I sure hope Uriel and/or Eyja aren’t completetely oblivious to what’s happening here.

Her fan!

Well, at least she got out of there… even though it started two fires and spilled how much wine?

[mALX]

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@ Grits - Thank you so very much Grits! What you said here:

She is beyond hysterics, almost outside of herself.

What a great way to phrase it! Yes, and despite the fire-setting and stumbling; that was a turning point inside her, in the inter-relationship between her and Uriel, and in how she is going to deal with Malan when she sorts out who and where he is.

Actually, Uriel already knows this is a vampire on his Diplomatic Immunity program, so Jak's reading her mind and sniffing out blood aren't technically a clue except to verify that he is most def a vampire. Thank you so very much again, Grits!

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@ Elisabeth Hollow - Thank you so very much Liz! ROFL !!! Yeah, well she might always be a klutz around a gorgeous guy, lol. She has complete weakness to magic, and he was charming the living crap out of her with spells, lol. Thanks Liz!

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@ King of Beasts - Thank you so very much Kobby! Right and right! Yeah, not a great thought at all! Thanks Kobby!

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@ Acadian - Thank you so very much Acadian! BWAAHAA, I love your title:

the unintentional Mistress of Mayhem

Uriel took the fires much better this time than he did the last, lol. Thank you so much again, Acadian!

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@ McBadgere - Thank you so very much McB! I thought it was funny you brought up Maxical's first entry into Uriel's chambers and starting fires the very chapter before it happened again, lol.

You are absolutely right, Jak was using his vampire charms and spells on Maxical. And don't worry about your looks in comparison to his, I've seen Firth's recent photos - he doesn't even look that good anymore, lol.

Thank you so much again, McB!

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@ Zalphon - Thank you so much Z! Oh, you weren't here for the big discussion on long hair - I think it was on the "Real Pics" thread. - had to throw that line in there, I think Liz said it. Thanks Z!

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@ Ghastley - Thank you so very much Ghastley! ROFL, you nearly ruined my monitor with your comment! We'll see, sort of, lol. Thank you so much again, Ghastley!

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@ Darkness Eternal - Thank you so very much DE! SPEW!!! OMG, you had me dying with this! I guess she did go "berserko" - SPEW!!! Thanks so much again, DE!

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@ King Coin - Thank you so very much KC! What a nice comment! Yes, she has finally gone beyond the pitying herself and is feeling the rage that will carry her battle against Malan (as soon as she figures out who and where he is). Maxical is a street fighter, she fights as dirty as Malan does - he is in for the fight of his life when she finds him.

She locked Janus out of Uriel's Royal Quarters and told him not to return without Fathis, and knows he swore her to someone. She thinks it is Fathis, and now just learned Fathis is a thrall. (No one knows Fathis and Foxy escaped yet).

You had me dying laughing with Janus and the wine glass instructions, ROFL !!!

Uriel can throw his Emperor weight around, but it wouldn't be prudent to use command force against the Dunmer race's culture. He can (and will when the war is over) send a correspondence to Divayth Fyr on her behalf that may weigh with him, but it may just ask to hold off the arbitration till her service to him is complete.

This is not Malan. It is genuinely Jak's soul in charge, Jak's personality - but he is using Malan's body.

Malan's soul is inside there, he will be there hearing what is going on to take over just in case Jak turns on him somehow, but right now Jak has full control of Malan's body.

She suspected he was a vampire, but didn't know it for sure till he was introduced. Uriel knows he is a vampire too, he sent for him to serve the Empire under the Diplomatic Immunity program. He knows it is a vampire - just doesn't know it is Malan in disguise, no one does (except us).

(and you are right, he was using his vampire charms on her).

ROFL on your comments regarding the fan! Lol, thank you so very much again, KC!


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@ EVERYONE - For the next several chapters I will be alternating between what is going on with Maxical, and what is going on simultaneously with Foxy and Fathis and what they are up to.

There will be plenty happening at the same time, and it's the only way I could see to keep everyone up to date on all the factions as they begin to close in on Malan.

I also want to thank you all for all your support, it means so much to me to read your comments, really makes my day!


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[mALX]

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Chapter 209: Redemption From The Ashes


It wasn't till I reached my room that I realized I'd removed Fathis's ring when Uriel was healing and rallying me. I slid it on quickly. Had Jak used his vampire charms on me?

Eyja's dress I'd borrowed was ripped from hem to waist. I yanked it off and threw it into the corner of the room for Evangeline to look at; then with a hollow ache remembered Evangeline was gone.

It hadn't struck me till now that she wouldn't be back. She was my best friend in the Palace, what would I do without her? I'd never told her how much I loved her. The urge to run tell her now was almost overwhelming...but it wouldn't be Evangeline anymore, it would be that vile Amiela.

I slumped down on the bed wishing I could cry, but no tears would come. My mind felt inert, numb from exhaustion. Today had been a never ending siege on every bit of strength and willpower I had; losing both Fathis and Evangeline in the same day would crush any that was left.

The letter I’d written to Malan was gone from my pillow, but I didn't have to sniff the air to know Malan was gone now, Azura's seal was an excruciating reminder of that.

It had burned torturously the whole time I'd been talking to Uriel. Despite Janus's sulk and my rage at him, his presence had brought me immense relief. Had I not been bumbling around setting fire to Uriel's chambers I'd have yanked him out with me to beg for some of his juices. Beg, because Janus was refusing to even speak to me.

Enemy or not, Malan had acted as a comforter. His ancient aura completely blocked Azura's seal from the overpowering force of its reminder that Gils abandoned our marriage. I hadn't even needed vampire juices. Now the pain was excruciating, and would never stop till Gils came back or I died. Unless I got relief soon I'd not survive it, especially now with my willpower and strength so weakened by all that had happened today.






***


Hannibal entered after a light tap on the door.

“I had to help douse the fires you started. What happened in there, Maxical? Are you unwell?” Hannibal sat down beside me on the bed and felt my forehead. “You do feel a bit warm.”

“I won't survive the pain of this seal without a comforter, Hannibal. I can’t take it anymore. Where is Gils? I'm lonely, why isn‘t he here with me? I want to go home. I want my life back.”

“Maxical, your seal couldn’t have been hurting in Uriel’s chambers with two ancients in there. What happened in there? Does this have to do with the Earl of Imbel?”

I nodded, taking the potions for pain he handed me and downing them.

"I understood you hadn't met the Earl before." Hannibal prompted.

“No. Well...sort of. He was at the Arena in his bird form just before the war broke out, and I…fondled his…you know…his private areas. I think I even kissed and rubbed my cheek on him down there…”

“You fondled a bird’s private areas?” Hannibal's eyes widened and bulged like a startled owl.

“I thought it was a bird, Hannibal! It's Janus's fault for not telling me it was a man."

Hannibal's face contorted into a half grimace. "But to fondle a bird..."

I gasped. "No! It wasn't like that! I didn’t even know birds had private areas or nether regions, don’t they just come from eggs?"

"Where do you think eggs come from? You must have known they left droppings."

"I wasn't kissing his butt, Hannibal; I think he was sitting on it. He was on the roof overhang and that‘s all I could reach on him. His feathers were so soft, and he liked me touching them. Janus was yelling at me to stop, and you know how my temper is; I had to do the opposite. If he'd said it was a man I'd have stopped."






***


Hannibal just rolled his eyes, so I continued.

"Then Malan said it spread like wildfire through some vampire grapevine of gossip that I had molested Jak in his bird form. MOLESTED! And Jak said my singing nearly ruptured his spleen."

"You can't hold that against him."

"Maybe not, but still. I've heard way too much about him, I've even gossiped about him! I know explicit details of how good he is in bed, Hannibal; and that his being caught in bed with Llathasa was the cause of her murder. I can't meet him now, I'd be thinking it all and staring at him."

“I see. So setting fire to Uriel’s chambers and dousing the Earl with drinks has nothing to do with his excessive good looks?”

“If that was the cause, think how much worse it will be after what happened tonight! I just want to stay in my room."

"He will be hard to avoid; he's staying here on his Diplomatic Immunity. He has assured us he will aid in bringing down Malan."

"Diplomatic Immunity! HA! The man was a veritable hound tracking a blood trail in Uriel's Chambers!"

"Well for now he'll be staying in with Hassildor."

"With Janus! He can't, I need Janus to stay in here with me; I need a comforter, Hannibal. I won't survive this seal pain without one."

“I'll ask Hassildor if he'd mind staying with you, but it's up to him. He seems rather upset with you right now."

"I know, I need to apologize to him. I know he'd come if Eyja stayed in here too."

Hannibal all but glared. "Eyja is sleeping with me tonight."

"Urk. Oh. Hannibal, I won't make it without some relief. I need his help, or at least some of his juices."

Hannibal stood up. "Maxical, you know that is illegal."

“Being in pain should be illegal, Hannibal. What other options do I have? Please, just ask him to stop in, and to come alone. I'll need privacy for what I'm going to ask him...er, will you ask him to bring me a glass of brandy? That might take the edge off the pain.”

"I'll ask. I'll stop in to check on you before I bed down. If you need me in the night I’ll be in Eyja's connecting room.”

“Thank you, Hannibal.”






***


When I stripped off my camisole I noticed the stains of dried blood on my skin beneath it. I needed to bathe before going to bed, but the tub was empty. A search of the floor showed all the ewers on this floor were bone dry as well. The Royal Quarters must have been sealed before they could be refilled. Going to the Battlemage's floor to bathe was out as well then. I couldn't stand the thought of climbing into clean sheets while dirty, so lay down on top of my bed.

Hannibal had loaded me up heavily with potions, but they barely scratched the surface of the pain. It was unbearable. I began sending Janus thoughts, since he swore he was just a thought a way. I apologized; begged him to come talk to me. I made every promise I could think of if he'd just stay with me, make the pain stop.

No knock came on the door, Janus ignored my pleas. Instead an excessive amount of screeching and braying from Eyja made me realize Hannibal had compounded my embarrassment by telling them why I was floundering around red-faced and lighting fires in Uriel’s chambers. Even Uriel was laughing. There should be a law of some sort against physicians blabbing their patient’s issues that way.

The potions made me overly drowsy. I must have eventually fallen asleep, because I woke hearing Uriel's door opening and muted male voices. With a start I realized someone was grasping the handle on my door and opening it. Janus’s Colovian accent floated through my door.

The release from pain was instantaneous, filling me with relief and gratitude...and joy. He had come, I was sure that meant he'd stay.

Janus's face showed around the door looking even more angry than he had earlier, if that was possible. I ignored it, extending my arms toward him in warm greeting.

"You've come! Oh Janus, I've needed you here so badly. I'm so sorry for earlier, please forgive me for...ARGH!" Someone else stepped through the door. Dear gods, he brought Jak with him! I yanked the covers over me and sat up.

“What is HE doing here? I’m not dressed, he'll have to wait in the corridor!”






***


“Traven shaid you wanted a glash of...hic...brandy.” Janus mumbled, blowing enough wine fumes my direction to realize he was heavily drunk. His friend Jak waved a bottle of Uriel’s brandy. His eyes were lit with amusement. I turned away, feeling the embarrassment flaming my cheeks red.

“A glass, Janus; so you could leave me some juices. I’m in terrible pain from the seal. I really need to talk to you alone, Janus; what I have to ask you is private. Can't your friend leave so we can talk for a minute alone? Here, you're too drunk to stand. Come lie down beside me before you fall down." I reached to tug him down beside me, but he staggered back a step.

"We...hic...shomethin' to tell you."

"We! You mean you and him? Janus, did you find Fathis and swear me over to him?.”

Janus averted his face so all I saw was cowl. His voice sobered suddenly, the slur was gone when he spoke. “I’ve sworn my rights to you away, if that's what you're asking.” The raw edge in his voice sounded worse coming out of the cowl.

“Please take your cowl down, Janus. You know I like to see your eyes when we're talking. Now what is going on?”

He never did take his cowl down. “Before we met I'd already sworn vows to my friend; if I released you it would be to him.”

I thought I might explode, and all thoughts of apologizing sizzled in a flaming wake of rage.

“Like I was your property to give away? You stole me from my husband, Janus; from my life! Now you're honorable suddenly? What of your vows to me? Where is Fathis? And you promised to be 'a thought away'; but Azura tortured me these hours while my thoughts burned holes in walls, where were you? And this friend, does his aversion to Khajiit match yours?”

I saw some movement in my peripheral vision and turned to see Jak waggling that bottle of brandy with an enigmatic look in his eyes. I gaped at him, my face feeling like it may combust into a fiery inferno at any second. I turned immediately back to Janus and gaped at his cowl.

“Oh dear gods, Janus. I can only hope you are not saying what I think you are.”






***


“Traven explained why you were embarrassed. I should have told you it wasn’t a bird. I know Jak, he’s a good guy. He’s liked you since the music festival, you gave him a ring. He saved your life from Vicente, earned the right to be here. I’m going so you two can talk. Goodbye Maxical.”

“Hannibal told everyone? Oh dear gods!“ I pulled the sheet up over my head, but pulled it back down in time to see Janus reel and stagger through the connecting door to Eyja's room.

The sound of the latch sliding across from his side followed. Did he think I was going to break in there and beat him to a pulp?

I averted my face, but out of the corner of my eye watched Jak's movements as he set the brandy and two snifters on the nightstand. He slid the bolt on the entry door and then on our side of the connecting door Janus had just left through; then produced a talisman and an ornate metal burner that he filled from a tiny sack of ingredients and lit.

Jak went to each door and window, waving the smoker and talisman like a Moth Priest while chanting quietly. He did the same over the bed. At my gaping he explained.

"Blessing our lair as sacred grounds. The ingredients cleanse and protect it, and us while we're in it." He disappeared into the ell for a few minutes; then returned and poured the brandy, handing me one and downing the other. He refilled his, then sat down on the edge of the bed and raised it toward me.

“You started something, you know. Every ancient in town took to sitting on low eaves in bird form trying to get women to fondle them. Maxical, the thing to do when you fall off a horse is to get right back on it. It takes away the memory of the fall and leaves a good memory behind.”

“Huh?”

“We need to hurry and mate before Malan stops us. He is near, and will fight for his lair. We have to seal the blessing on it.”

I'd smelled the faint odor of cow manure just before he'd burned the incense, he wasn't lying. Remembering the horror I'd anticipated with Fathis being a thrall...surprisingly, I was relieved to have Jak instead.

“I need a bath, I spilled blood on myself.”

“I know. Don’t wash it off, I want it.”

“Okay.” I slid over in the bed and pulled the sheet open for him to slide in beside me.



*





This post has been edited by mALX: Sep 19 2013, 12:38 AM

[King Of Beasts]

Malan's soul is inside there, he will be there hearing what is going on to take over just in case Jak turns on him somehow, but right now Jak has full control of Malan's body.

I wouldn't trust Jak if Malan is waiting to spring up and take control at any minute...

I gasped. "No! It wasn't like that! I didn’t even know birds had private areas or nether regions, don’t they just come from eggs?"

"Where do you think eggs come from? You must have known they left droppings."

Maxical should study the anatomy of birds a bit more

Where'd she think the eggs came from?!

Jak said my singing nearly ruptured his spleen."

"You can't hold that against him."

She should REALLY consider tormenting Malan with her singing, lol.

"I know, I need to apologize to him. I know he'd come if Eyja stayed in here too."

Hannibal all but glared. "Eyja is sleeping with me tonight."

Someone's jealous



I loved this chapter mALX! I was laughing quite a bit during the time reading it, lol

[Zalphon]

One question about this chapter. Can vampires get drunk?

[ghastley]

I'd smelled the faint odor of cow manure just before he'd burned the incense,

She gets so close, every time, but never quite connects.

But with a plot this twisted, it would only confuse her. I can't figure out what Malan/Jak's planning next for Maxical, apart from a bit of interlude.

[mALX]

I'd smelled the faint odor of cow manure just before he'd burned the incense,

She gets so close, every time, but never quite connects.

But with a plot this twisted, it would only confuse her. I can't figure out what Malan/Jak's planning next for Maxical, apart from a bit of interlude.

(Malan never does anything that has just one consequence)

1. He wants those mysteries of Maxical's, and already couldn't kill her for them because of that trick she pulled on him made her his chosen. He's going to have Amiela kill Maxical and trap her soul because the mysteries stay with the soul.

2. He needs to keep his lair in the Royal Quarters =

(Uriel was going to have Janus swear Maxical over to another vampire. They would mate her in the Royal Quarters/establishing their lair there. Malan would be blocked from the Royal Quarters because ancients can't cross into each other's lairs).

Malan would have lost his lair/foothold in the Palace and been blocked from seizing the throne.

3. He is dropping back 5 yards and punting = Malan can't get Amiela's soul out of Evangeline right now because Uriel has a trap set around her (Malan will be killed if he goes after her right now). So Malan is waiting it out until Uriel removes the trap.

4. Malan needs time to work up a new plan since Uriel caught onto him so quickly with the Evangeline plot. Evangeline would have brought him to the throne in one step (because she was second in command after Uriel), anyone else will take more planning or a full on siege.


*





This post has been edited by mALX: Sep 19 2013, 03:54 AM

[Elisabeth Hollow]

I did say the "bury your face in it" thing, lol. Long hair is so...so...sexy.

So, correct me if I'm wrong, buuuuuuuut Jak is in Malan's body while he's impersonating Jak, and Jak's real body is still in Theyron.

The cow manure was because, well, it's Malan's body impersonating Jak.

[mALX]

I did say the "bury your face in it" thing, lol. Long hair is so...so...sexy.

So, correct me if I'm wrong, buuuuuuuut Jak is in Malan's body while he's impersonating Jak, and Jak's real body is still in Theyron.

The cow manure was because, well, it's Malan's body impersonating Jak.

You are exactly 100% right. It is Malan's body using illusion to look like Jak. It is Jak's soul/Jak's personality. The real Jak's body is at Theryon - in the dungeons, chained in a jail cell, and a thrall.





This post has been edited by mALX: Sep 19 2013, 04:29 AM

[Acadian]

Poor Maxical. Her desperation is palpable, and matched only by the desperation of JakBeMalan to get those MaxiMysteries from her one way or the other!

So the lesson here is that if you fondle a bird’s privates, he’ll turn into a handsome vampire and slide in between the sheets with you! Heh, well, I guess it’s better than kissing frogs.

I’m still looking forward to hearing about Fathis and Foxy’s feathered flight from Theryon.

This post has been edited by Acadian: Sep 19 2013, 04:47 PM