** Anyone that read the original Maxical story may remember the feud between the Palace Chef and Ocato over rats in the stew - this is a nod toward that chapter, which was inspired by Treydog and Mrs. Treydog with the “Rat Award” they donated.

Rat Award:

http://a3.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images0...60a6e16d9/l.jpg



** The scene with Alix the Mouse was inspired by another donation from Treydog and Mrs. Treydog which was a different chapter in the original story and became “Alix’s Portrait, by Mrs. Treydog”

Alix’s Portrait, by Mrs. Treydog:

http://a4.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images0...7025ecc36/l.jpg


Alix the Mouse:

http://a4.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images0...e246cc570/l.jpg



Alix the Mouse after Evangeline babysat:


http://a3.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images0...26c119ae9/l.jpg


** There is a cameo mention of Mrs. Treydog in this chapter. Thanks Treydog, Mrs. Treydog !!!!






Chapter 135: Palace Security and the Khajiit



******* Maxical (From Page 67, Chapter 133):


I couldn’t stand to stay in that room with all that had just taken place, especially surrounded with the sounds of passion echoing in at me from both walls. Knowing Sir Damien would probably cross back through my room to return to Uriel‘s suite was another deterrent from remaining. I decided to go visit Evangeline and Alix the Mouse down in the Battlemages Quarters. I never made it that far.

A high pitched shriek that could only have come from Ocato was echoing up the ramp from the bottom of the corridor…where our gauntlet of traps was set up. Oh dear gods, his name had not been among those given permission to be on this floor…and I had promised Uriel not to harass him. I let out the mewling signal to stop combat and hurried down the ramp as fast as I could. The women were yanking his fine velvet clothes off him as I rounded the curve of the corridor. I mewled for them to scatter and they did, taking his clothing with them.

The bottom of the corridor was a bloodbath, but Ocato had no visible injuries…other than being knocked out cold, and for some reason his arm was already in a makeshift sling. From the twist of his leg I was pretty sure it was broken, that was fresh but not bleeding. Dear gods, what had been going on here?

I popped the door open and made a silent sound. One Khajiit woman emerged silently out of a potted tree in the alcove.

“Get Evangeline here, quick. This one was supposed to have permission, and Sire…the Emperor made me give my vow not to molest him. Where did all this blood come from?” I spoke only in Khajiit as we had agreed for security sake.

“The other trespassers. They fought.”

“Where are they now?”

“They fought.“

“What do you mean? Are they…“

“Dead. We didn’t want to upset Sire, so threw the bodies out the window.”

“Dear gods…did you get any identification from them?”

“Of course; we always rob everyone first.” She shook her head at me as if I were addled. “Trespassers. Fair is fair. We have to make a living somehow…”

“But we’ve got shelter and all the food we can eat. And I’ve been keeping you well stocked in the vampire juices…”

“We do for Sire out of loyalty, only the untrustworthy would accept payment for duty.”

“I hope he sees it like that. Get Evangeline quickly before Ocato comes to.” She nodded and scurried down the Battlemage’s corridor.






***


She returned in no time with Evangeline and a man dressed all in white with a high puffed hat…a chef. What was that he was carrying? Dear gods...

“GAAAH! What…what happened to Alix?“ I gasped. Alix the Mouse was…white? “What is that, hair on his head?” Thick wisps of what looked suspiciously like a mini horsehair wig that had been dyed red were sticking out from beneath the cap.

“What is that he is wearing, infant clothing?” It looked like a thick velvet suit and beret someone very wealthy may have bought for a newborn infant. I had a sudden clear vision of the painting in the room Nissy and I shared. Prince Ebel’s first public appearance captured on canvas by the famous Mrs. Treydog…in this outfit.

“Dear gods…“ I got a sickening feeling that somehow I was going to be blamed for pilfering from Uriel Septim’s family storage chests.

“Evangeline, we can talk about Alix later, right now we have to do something with Ocato…er…he seems to have met with an accident. Uriel will blame me for anything that happens to him, he made me give my vow that I would not harm Ocato…or harass him.”

“I’ll handle it. See this spell?” Poof! Evangeline cast a sleeping spell over Ocato that would have knocked out a horse, then grabbed his unbroken leg and cast a feather spell. We helped her drag him through the doorway into the Battlemage‘s corridor.

“Say, Evangeline…I’d sure like to learn that spell, I don‘t think even Hannibal knows that one!” I hinted baldly. Evangeline nodded her agreement.

I turned to Chef, tweaking an imaginary cap on my head in greeting. “Allo, Chef. I was hoping Evangeline would be alone in knowing this, it seems Ocato has become indisposed.” I spoke in Cyrodiilic.

The Chef clapped his hands. “Bravo for you! For this, I make special treat just for you. Tell me what and I make it. You like sweetrolls like the little mouse that bite Ocato?” He leaned over and spat on the prostrate Ocato.

“Oh dear, did Alix bite Ocato?”

The Khajiit sister stepped forward, speaking in broken Cyrodiilic. “Sisters number eight. For sweetrolls, we throw Ocato from window. Dead men carry no tales.” She imitated Chef in spitting on Ocato, then grinned up at him with a wide smile that displayed jagged yellow teeth.

“I bring sweetrolls for all, sisters too! Whole bagful.” The Chef declared, pointing his finger in the air dramatically. Alix squeaked loudly.

“Yes, I not forget you, little Alix.” He crooned at Alix and then handed him to me, turning on his heel and started hurrying down the hall.

“Wait! He can’t be killed! Uriel will blame me if anything happens to him, he made me vow.” He didn’t stop, but I hoped he’d heard. I turned back to Evangeline. “We need to fix this, Ocato’s name should have been on the list. Uriel will have my head over this.”

Evangeline waved me back to the Royal Quarters impatiently. “I’ll handle this. Just get back in there before Ocato wakes and sees Alix.”

“Didn’t the Emperor approve Alix staying?”

“Yes, but Ocato thinks he killed the mouse that bit him. He may recognize him up close, even with the disguise. I‘ll explain later, and don’t worry about Chef. It is a long running feud between him and Ocato. Now go.“








***


“We’d better clean up this blood…” I signaled the three Khajiit guarding the door back out of hiding and spoke in Khajiit.

The older Khajiit shook her head no. “Find out if it is Sire’s enemy first. If yes, we’ll paint their blood on the outside of the door to warn others.”

“You are right, psychological warfare. I’ll help reset these traps, then someone show me whatever you took from the dead guys.”

“All morning Ocato has been setting the traps off. We had to change them around because he was getting wise to the layout. Ask Sire to tell him he’s not welcome anymore.”

“I don’t think I’d better. I get the feeling Sire is going to be very angry with me when he sees me next.”

While we were fixing the last one Evangeline tapped her coded knock. I guided her carefully through the traps so she didn‘t spring them.

“Watch that tripwire. Ocato keeps getting caught in the traps, I think he broke his leg this last time.”

“He did. I put a hardened bandage on his leg. Maybe that will keep him from walking for a while.” Evangeline gave a dour grimace.

The older Khajiit showed me the loot from the four men they killed. They appeared to be pauper robes, and the sickening fear hit me that they may have killed some of the blind Monks.

“Evangeline, have you ever seen robes like this? They are all the same, no identification or documents…or Septims, from what the sisters said.”

Evangeline shook her head no. “I’ve never seen anything like…wait! I have seen robes like this before!”

“Oh dear gods, not…not blind monks or anything right? Please tell me…er…do you think it is possible they were enemies of the throne?”

Evangeline nodded. “I would stake my life on it.”

My breath released in a sigh. “Good. Maybe I won’t be in too much trouble then.” I stacked the clothing up and put Ocato’s on top.

No doubt I’d be in trouble over Ocato getting injured, best confess right away when Uriel called me. When I turned back around Evangeline was cradling Alix in her arms like an infant.

“Er…Evangeline, what…uh…why is Alix the Mouse white and dressed in clothing? Where did it come from?”

Whatever she was going to answer, I never found out. We heard Ocato’s shriek, he had obviously set off the traps again. Dear gods. I looked around and Evangeline and Alix had disappeared, literally. She must have cast chameleon, and covered Alix with it as well.









******* Uriel Septim (From Page 67, Chapter 132)


Uriel awoke to the sound of Ocato’s shrill voice shrieking. “Let me pass I say! I’ve been robbed, held up! Highwaymen, right here in the Palace!”

Uriel felt the bed around him…Nisaba was gone, when had she left his bed? He drew back the curtain to see the sun dipping against the western horizon. How had he slept so long? Uriel pulled his armor on quickly, sheathing his sword before strapping it around his waist and cinching the buckle.

He splashed the cold water from the ewer on his face rather than ring for heated water to be brought up. His hair was barely brushed before tying it back with a ribbon. How had he slept so long? Months of nightmares keeping him from sleep…but he’d had no nightmare this day. Uriel skirted by Ocato’s falsetto tirade and pulled the bell rope to call Evangeline.

Evangeline arrived immediately, as if she’d been standing outside the door listening.

“Did you ring for me, Sire?”

“Yes, Evangeline. Speak to Maxical and find out what she knows about this.”

“Yes, Sire.” Evangeline scurried down the corridor quickly.

Uriel noticed she hadn’t asked what he was referring to. He turned slowly to Ocato, dreading the scene that was undoubtedly coming.

“Have you injured yourself, Ocato?” Ocato had white hardened bandages wrapped the length of one leg and over one arm, which was hanging in a makeshift sling.

“Yes, thanks to your so-called Champion! She did all this to me! I have slipped on soap, had urns crash into me, slid on unshelled pine nuts, been jerked off my feet…see this lump on my head?”

“Your hair appears singed, has it been on fire?”

“YES! I will refrain from showing you the other places I’ve been burned, but they are there. There’s more, she slew what appears to be a minotaur in the corridor…possibly some beastly ritual. Did you know she filled the Palace with her friends as well? There’s gobs of hair in bathing pool, and the whole upper floors positively reek of them! Worse, they’re thieves! My alchemy lab was emptied, every piece of equipment and plants…gone! On my way to report the theft, I was attacked! Robbed by THREE Khajiit! Held me up, right there in the corridor like we were out on the Green Road! ‘Stand and deliver!’ they said to me, and just like that I was trussed like a Saturalia hen. Do you find this funny?” Ocato pointed at Damien, who was doubled over and choking with laughter.

“And that…that brigand of yours held me at the door with the point of his sword, said you weren’t to be disturbed! AHA!” Ocato pointed a shaking finger at the door.






***


Maxical tapped on the open door and entered, carrying a stack of items in her arms. “I’m sorry, Sire. Er…here is everything taken, and I won’t do it again.” She lay the stack down on his desk.

“My bodyguard doesn’t have time to babysit your litters, Champion. If you must breed like a rabbit, watch them yourself.”

“Huh? I don’t know what you’re talking about…” Maxical looked dumbstruck.

Ocato glared at her and then reached down to snatch his clothing. He suddenly seemed to freeze in position, his hand hovering over the pile. His eyes glazed and his face paled till it appeared he may faint.

Uriel glanced down to see what had frightened him and felt a shock go through him. A crimson robe had slid out from the stack when Maxical dropped them on the desk. More crimson cloth could be seen in the pile.

Uriel pushed the pile over, mentally counting the number of robes. There were three more. A team of assassins, and here in the Royal Suite. How had they made it past the Blades? Past the Legion and his Imperial Army, the Palace guards and the monks? Past the Battlemages, Evangeline…had it not been for the Khajiit women, would they have made it past Damien as well?

“Sire, I…“ Maxical began speaking. Uriel cut her off, his voice harsh with rage.

“You will be dealt with shortly. Ocato, you may well believe I will handle this matter. You may go.”

Evangeline blocked the doorway. “Tell them about someone scalping your horse, Ocato, and leaving a noose made of its tail hairs on your pillow. I saw an Altmer man in a blue robe in Ocato’s bedroom. He looked like a man who’d visited Ocato before, so I thought he must be a relative or friend…but Ocato looked like he’d swallowed a bee when I told him about the man.”

Ocato paled visibly. “Obviously the Palace is filled with criminal element now. If you saw him, you should have stopped him!” He pushed by Evangeline and hurried down the hallway without taking his clothing from the pile.



*

Now you've got me reading backwards trying to find out where the significance of red robes came up already.

You're being totally mean to Ocato, even if your version probably deserves it. Any other character gets an immediate magic cure, but he gets a cast and a sling. You'd think he'd know he was getting short measures.

The Mythic Dawn assassins that attack Uriel and his family in the beginning of the game. The man in the blue robe Evangeline mentioned is Mankar Camoran. (it won't come out till next chapter).

I know about red robes, but does Uriel at this point in the story? Real Damien is aware of the Mythic Dawn connection with Ocato, but has he reported a "red robe = Mythic Dawn" conclusion to the Emperor?

*

Yes, actually it is implied in a few places that Damien briefed Uriel on the Mythic Dawn and the whole plot.

Chapter 70 - Damien sends Eyja to spy and gather info on Ocato, the Mythic Dawn, and Camoran



Chapter 117 - Damien’s joke references the fact that he has already briefed Uriel on Ocato, the Mythic Dawn, Mankar Camoran, & Dagon



Chapter 120 - Damien again references it to Uriel in conversation, showing Uriel knows about Ocato’s plot with the Mythic Dawn, Camoran & Dagon



Chapter 127 - Uriel tells Maxical about the Mythic Dawn, Camoran, and Dagon



*

Well I was a post behind, caught up now but on my tablet. I will comment after the storms pass.
But just so you know, It is AWWESSOOOMMMEEE!!!!!!!!!!!

I couldn’t stand to stay in that room with all that had just taken place, especially surrounded with the sounds of passion echoing in at me from both walls.
I don’t blame Maxical there at all. Especially with how bizarre everything must seem to be with Malan there.

Oh sh!t, the Kahjiit women were killing people? I HOPE they were trespassers!

All morning Ocato has been setting the traps off. We had to change them around because he was getting wise to the layout. Ask Sire to tell him he’s not welcome anymore.
!

Robes? Not Mythic Dawn’s first attempt is it? Oh it must be.

’One Khajiit woman emerged silently out of a potted tree in the alcove.’
I love the image this conjures!

“Of course; we always rob everyone first.” She shook her head at me as if I were addled.’
But of course, silly! Didn’t they teach you anything at the Arcane, Maxical? Oh. . . well, perhaps that was bandit school. Hmmph. . . college girls. . . .

Alix the Mouse in disguise! No doubt helping the chef prepare some sweet rolls flambé.

And the Khajiit women have unknowingly foiled an assassination attempt!

Hehe, for some reason this reinforces the dramatic sense of despair in this particular chapter.




I've heard this before in the story, but "vampire juices" make me laugh, not in a mocking way. It made me smile a bit. Sounds a bit like an illegal drug harvested from vampires.

I promised myself I would not write down the "Dear gods" in the next chapters. The instance with the chef made me laugh. Especially the whole sweetroll and throw Ocato out the window. Sorry if it wasn't suppose to be humorous, but I had a comical sense of it.

And nice touch with Mankar and the robes. A can't wait to see some more Mythic Broads Dawn.

OW!!!...Oh hell that was funny!!... ...

Brilliant chapter...

Loved the chef... ...

Ocato makes me laugh... ...

Looking forward to wherever this goes... ...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds heartily*... ...

Oh, dear Maxical had her hands full in this one. The Rat Award sealed the deal, I’m going back to read the original version!!

This whole chapter I was torn between hooting with laughter at the outrageous Khajiiti stunts and cringing with Maxical’s growing horror at the same. This line:


said it all for me as far as explaining the sisters’ frame of mind.


OMG, you nearly killed me with that line on top of Alix’s disguise. And the whole time I was rolling about chef and Ocato, I was thinking oh, poor Maxical!

Then the red robes at the end were positively chilling. All of the antics thwarted a real assassination attempt. To borrow a phrase from Maxical, dear gods!!

Finally got here to make a real reply...

The entire Malan post was a peek into that mind and so well done we could see the world through his motivations...shiver....I do hope he gets his soon....

The scenes with the Khaajitt women was priceless, hilarious and touching too...yes I'm weird but I saw something there that was very innocent inspite of all they have done for Malan and themselves...The thought of Ocato in a scene from Home Alone was perfect..ly hilarious. And then it ended on a note of foreboding and wondering what the reaction is going to be....

Great write mALX, sorry about taking so long....

*

@ Ghastley - ROFL !!! Poor Ocato, eh? Lol. Thank you so much Ghastley !!

*
@ Athynae - Thank you so very much (for both comments) !! Those storms were horrible, I hope you didn't get caught up in the worst of them, something like 36 dead. We had it bad for a couple short stints and then it blew on without much damage to us at all, thank goodness!

*
@ King Coin - Thank you so much KC !! Yeah, I don't think Uriel realized what he was getting into welcoming a bunch of feral cat thieves and highwaymen into the Palace, lol. They have their own set of rules they live by. Thanks again, KC !!

*
@ Acadian - Lol, Maxical gets a taste of her own meds with these Khajiit women, maybe now she'll be a little more careful in how much chaos she brings around with her, lol. Thank you so much Acadian !!!! You ROCK !!!

*
@ Darkness Eternal - Oh yeah, Maxical curses like a sailor, emphasizing a lot of what she says with a cuss in one form or another. She can lay down a stream of [censored] words in a row, but I was trying to save word count on that chapter, lol. I'll try to cut back on the "dear gods," but she has to curse (that is part of who she is, lol).

Actually, the vampire juices ARE an illegal drug harvested from vampires. Uriel has banned them in Cyrodiil, so the women have been crossing the border into Elsweyr and trafficking them illegally into Cyrodiil.

Thank you so much, Darkness !!

*
@ McBadgere - Lol, I am so glad you liked that !! Thank you so much McB !!!

*
@ Grits - I have actually been considering posting the "Rat Award" chapter on here, it was the original scene where the Ocato and the Chef fued starts, and the whole chapter is a Black Horse Courier Special Edition. I can never thank Mrs. Treydog and Treydog enough for their arty contributions to the original story, they kept me rolling with the stuff they would send in - and Mrs. Treydog's famous portrait of Maxical's (unknown at this time) half sister Rumpleteasza was an amazing bit of photoshopping as well. That portrait will def make it here, Rumple has already given her permission.

Thank you so much for your wonderfully kind words, Grits !!! You ROCK !!!

*

*


Chapter 136: The Khajiit Standoff



******* Uriel Septim (cont.)


Uriel looked curiously at Evangeline. She was trying to warn him about Ocato being a traitor without saying anything to incriminate herself. Maxical had admitted doing something to his horse, Evangeline must have planted that noose to frighten Ocato.

In spite of that, Uriel couldn’t be sure her loyalty was where it should be. She had been Ocato’s bodyguard since shortly after he arrived…and she let the assassins get by her. How?

Uriel pointed to Maxical. “You swore your firstborn to Akatosh, but told me you had none. I want the truth, what did Ocato mean?”

“I have no idea on Nirn what he meant.” Maxical looked genuinely confused, but Evangeline’s eyes flickered guiltily. She obviously knew something Maxical did not.

Damien leaned close to Uriel and barely whispered. “She’s still a virgin.”

“How would you know that?” Maxical spat at him, her fur starting to bush out. Uriel raised his eyebrows.

“The whole void knows, you shouted it out at the Arena. I was there, remember?”

“Oh.” Her fur remained puffed out.

Uriel studied her fuming face for a second, then motioned Damien to take Evangeline to the desk and wait. He signaled Maxical to come with him to the opposite side of the room by the dome window, and barely whispered when he spoke to her.

“It is imperative we work as a unit, now more than ever. There can be no petty bickering among you two. You must put a stop to it now and find a way to get along.”

“But…I think Sir Damien is on Skooma, Sire. His eyes glitter…”

Uriel felt his temper rising along with his blood pressure. “He’s been with me over thirty years, you have my assurance that he takes no drugs.”

“I don’t trust him. He’s watching us speak right now, I think he is listening.”

“From across the dome?” Uriel clasped and unclasped his hand in an effort to contain his growing temper. “There isn’t time for this silliness, now just be quiet and listen to me.”

“Yes, Sire.”






***


“I must know everything about those that wore the crimson robes, when and how they gained entry to my quarters. Find out where they are now. These are Mythic Dawn agents. It has begun, Maxical. It has begun.”

Uriel had expected Maxical to faint, but she surprised him with an intense focus.

“They are dead, Sire. The sisters killed them in self defense. They tossed their bodies out the corridor window into the street below. As to when and where, they entered this floor while you were with Nissy and the other sister. They were first spotted coming up the Battlemage’s corridor, just walked right up to the door and used a key.”

“Was that the blood Ocato saw?”

“Yes, Sire. We weren’t cleaning it in case they were enemies. I‘ll tell the sisters to go ahead and paint the outer door frame with it as a warning to the rest.”

Uriel felt a cringing in his stomach. “We aren’t barbarians, of course it must be cleaned. I can‘t have blood staining the entrance to my chambers.”

“It’s psychological warfare, not barbarism. Tiber Septim himself painted the blood of his enemies around the outer door of his fortress. At the Arena we wipe the blood of the defeated on our door into the Bloodworks chute. Oh! We can string those crimson robes and hang them off the dome too, I’ll duplicate a bunch and add them. That will scare the assassins as they approach the Palace and make Camoran think you have defeated an army of them already.”

“Absolutely not! This is neither a fort nor the Arena, now…just be quiet and listen to me. We can no longer assume anyone can be trusted just because they are familiar Palace staff. Tell the women they must not speak to anyone about this, not even Evangeline. I want total isolation of knowledge so it will be apparent if someone knows something they shouldn’t.”

“What about Sir Damien?”

Uriel exhaled loudly. “You, Sir Damien, and Nisaba must all work together. I will not tolerate infighting, have I made that clear?”

“Yes, Sire.”

“The women must be on posted watch in the corridor continuously day and night. Have them work in teams and shift each other to rest between guards. Anyone wearing these robes they are to kill on sight, and I must be told immediately.”

“They are guarding already. We really need light armor, all we‘ve found in the Palace was heavy. Evangeline knows our sizes. Better weapons would help, steel at least. All we could find was iron. Seven shortswords, two longswords, nine daggers, and seven bows with a good stock of steel arrows. We…er…borrowed…that is to say we can make our own poisons. None of us can heal with magic, we could use some healing potions. I can keep some duplicated for us.”

Uriel raised his brows in surprise. “I’ll see you get any equipment you require. Tell the women they will be well rewarded for this.”






***


“It will insult the sisters if you even offer them reward. If someone claims loyalty and then accepts your gold, they can’t be trusted. Khajiit value trust. If they have need of Septims they'll earn it honestly.”

“How? I have need of them in the Palace, they have proven invaluable already. It is critical that they remain for the time being.”

“They've been holding up visitors in the corridor and robbing them, that‘s how they caught those men in the crimson robes. Oh…er…one sister is weaving wigs and toupees from horse‘s tails and selling them. She‘s sold two already.”

“Ocato’s horse’s tail? Theft and robbery? How can you call that an honest living! I can’t have highwaymen robbing people in the corridors of the Palace!”

“Only in your corridor, Sire. Nisaba asked Evangeline who is allowed up here. The way Khajiit feel, if they are here by trespass then they deserve their fate. They have been stopping everyone as they enter. Anyone with your permission to be here proceeds unmolested.”

Uriel ground his teeth. There was a shocking difference in culture between Khajiit and humans he would never understand. “I ordered you not to harass Ocato.”

“I didn’t realize he wasn’t on the list till right before you called me. They’ve been warned now. But since you brought him up; accommodating Ocato coming back and forth makes it very hard to protect you. Plus he keeps setting off the traps every time we lay them in the corridor.”

“Traps?”

“Your corridor door is locked, but Evangeline said every guard and staff member has the key. Someone could pickpocket a key or just pick that lock and gain entry to your chambers. We wanted a way to seal the corridor off so no one can enter without extreme measures. Then we’d know they were up to no good.”

Uriel exhaled loudly. “Maxical, these are jungle tactics! This isn‘t the wilds, it is a Palace!”

She stopped him by reaching one hand up to tug his arm. “Those Mythic Dawn had a key, Sire.”






***


Uriel’s hold on his temper was going fast. “Maxical, I want no more of these Khajiit measures used. From now on we will do things my way.”

Her hand slowly fell to her side, and then as if she’d come to a decision she pulled herself upright and looked directly into his eyes.

“Sire, the women and I have been talking. Akatosh chose Khajiit to protect you at the direst time of your life, there has to be a reason for that. You said the Nine guide and protect you, and there are nine of us. We figured that was a sign. If Akatosh wanted human tactics, wouldn’t he have just chosen a human champion for you?”

His teeth were grinding as he answered. “I was speaking of the Nine Divines.“

“I know that, Sire. But Khajiit are bound to Azura, not Akatosh. Why did Akatosh choose us? There must be some purpose behind it. It’s not just on our shoulders if we fail, but on the head of all Khajiit. We noticed you had no security measures up here, so took it upon ourselves to set some up. Did you realize someone could climb out a window in the Battlemages quarters and access these windows? Nissy tested it and easily made it to your bedroom window in under five minutes. She was able to pick the window latch into your bedroom in seconds. We soaped all the ledges and poured heavy grease over that, then booby-trapped all the windows up here, no one can get in to you now except by that corridor door…er, just don’t forget and open any windows, Sire.”

“Are you telling me Nisaba crawled around on the outside of the Palace dome? One slip and she could have been killed! She is not to do that again, do you hear?”

“Yes, Sire. She won‘t need to now, it‘s done.“

“My head is beginning to throb, just make sure the women begin guarding the corridor.“

“They already are, Sire.“

“I saw no one out there when Ocato left.”

“Nevertheless, they are there. Watch this, the sisters are teaching me about being Khajiit.” She gapped the door slightly.

He couldn’t be sure she’d made a sound, or that he’d heard anything…but three Khajiit seemingly emerged from the walls themselves into the corridor.

“We took all the potted plants from the Battlemages corridors and placed them in all the alcoves up here for cover. And Sire, if you want to leave your quarters, you‘ll need one of us to disarm the traps. We are the only ones that know the set-up.”

“Gods give me strength…”

Maxical caught his arm again as he was turning to walk away. “Sire, there is no denying I get on your nerves. Something about our personalities clashes, probably always will…those kind of things rarely change. Whether we like each other or not, Akatosh tasked me with your protection…I’ll earn your trust in that if nothing else.”

Uriel turned, flagging his hand toward the door. “Go to your quarters, Maxical.”









******* Maxical


“Nissy and I will guard the corridor, we have a lot to do and haven’t much time left before dusk. I took one of these robes, slid it under my cuirass just like you taught me. I’ll need all those scrolls you saw in Ocato’s room quick, and then you can return them.”

“No need for that, I rolled up blank parchment and stacked them exactly as he had the scrolls, couldn’t tell the difference looking at them.” One sister dug under her bed and came out with stacks of scrolls.

“Okay. Now, we are going to dip this robe in that blood and paint the doorways with it. Then I’ll start duplicating it. I’m hoping the blood stains will duplicate too. We’ll need a very long rope…“

“I’ve got one right here.“ The eldest sister reached under the ornate wood trim of her dresser and pulled out a long coiled line.

“That’s perfect! We’re going to make an effigy and dress it in one of these robes, hang it on a noose from the top of the Palace. Oh, Sire said Nissy can’t go out there again, someone else will have to, remember it‘s been greased. Now, who doesn’t mind dressing corpses? I want those stacks of bodies in the Palace district wearing these robes, as many as possible. We’ve got to work fast.”

“Where did Evangeline go?”

“She’s in the hot seat. If she comes out I’ll see if she’ll help us. Here‘s the robe, someone paint the doorways quickly. Let me have a long sword and dagger.”

One of the sisters indicated under the far bed and I went to get them. When I reached under the bed I was surprised to see the vampire juices I’d given them hadn’t been touched. I reached down and felt the bottle in the pocket of my greaves, suddenly realizing I’d barely touched mine either. I should have been out by now, we all should have been needing more. What was going on?


*

MAAAAAAAAAAALX. Why, oh why, do I always get left behind? Oh thats right. I am the fading ghost. The pink wizard. The Ax Crazy Guy. Well, I'm slogging through all of the newer (for me, anyway) chapters right now, so I may troll you with my inane comments in the near future. KEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHEHE.

Wait a minute, has Maxical actually started THINKING in this episode?

She's noticed that Damien's not right, she's explaining things to Uriel in a way that makes sense, and she's giving orders to the Khajjit that make sense too. Most abnormal for her, except that she does do the right things under pressure, or she wouldn't have survived the Arena.

For once Maxical’s silliness is right. She needs to get Uriel thinking. He’ll get to the conclusion on his own.

“It will insult the sisters if you even offer them reward. If someone claims loyalty and then accepts your gold, they can’t be trusted. Khajiit value trust. If they have need of Septims they'll earn it honestly.”
Right. Ahem.

Oh the juices. I wonder if Maxical will work out the significance in time.

I almost forgot about Malan, I was laughing at the crazy defensive measures being taken.

You do a great job of painting the clash of cultures in this episode! Maxical will have the place looking as ominous as the outside of a goblin lair. Perhaps skulls on stakes?

’Oh, Sire said Nissy can’t go out there again, someone else will have to,’
Perfect example of bypassing the letter of Uriel’s dictum by moving the letters around.

And Maxical is putting the pieces together (slowly). We know why the ladies don’t require the vamp juice right now and hopefully Maxical will figure it out soon. I’m still wondering if Uriel will beat her on the uptake of twigging that Malan is right under their noses! How exciting!


Nit: “From across the dome?” Uriel clasped and unclasped his hand in and effort to contain his growing temper. “There isn’t time for this silliness, now just be quiet and listen to me.”
You want ‘an’ here of course.

I was so proud of Maxical, keeping her composure while Uriel was losing his temper. She showed such leadership in this episode. The result will be the Palace looking completely horrifying, but what a plan!

Sending someone other than Nissy out on the roof made me laugh. Her heart is in the right place! Maxical and the sisters not needing their vampire (ugh) juice is a big clue, but Maxical is so preoccupied by her defense plans. Plus there’s the whole Evangeline/Ocato situation. I can’t wait to find out what happens next!

I think Max works like I do, in emergency situations she goes into sort of an automatic 'instinct' mode. For me it's the aftermath that gets me. Wonder if she'll have the same problem????

I really liked the way she stood up and spoke to Uriel, so proud of our little kitty, she's growing up for sure, sniff sniff.

Grits said it


I sure hope she connects the dots soon!

Loved it as always, looks like it's gonna get even scarier.

Ooooh, another excellent chapter!!...



Aww, c'mon Jean-Luc*Cough* Uriel...Work it out!!...



I laugh every time he says this... ...



Aaaargh!!...

And, where the hells is the real Damien?!! ...(I mean figuratively...I know he's locked up in Malan's cell... ...But still... ...)...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds most heartily*... ...

Chapter 135

[quote]“Dear gods…did you get any identification from them?”

“Of course; we always rob everyone first.” She shook her head at me as if I were addled. “Trespassers. Fair is fair. We have to make a living somehow…”[/quote]

Just brilliant. I can hear Patrick Stewart- and see this glazed look on his face....

[quote]“We do for Sire out of loyalty, only the untrustworthy would accept payment for duty.”[/quote]

There is humor- and a great deal more- in that statement.

[quote]“GAAAH! What…what happened to Alix?“ I gasped. Alix the Mouse was…white? “What is that, hair on his head?” Thick wisps of what looked suspiciously like a mini horsehair wig that had been dyed red were sticking out from beneath the cap.

“What is that he is wearing, infant clothing?” It looked like a thick velvet suit and beret someone very wealthy may have bought for a newborn infant. I had a sudden clear vision of the painting in the room Nissy and I shared. Prince Ebel’s first public appearance captured on canvas by the famous Mrs. Treydog…in this outfit.[/quote]

That whole part had me falling out of my chair- and the mention of the resemblance to the painting. I could just see some constipated, overstuffed, little prince…

[quote]The Khajiit sister stepped forward, speaking in broken Cyrodiilic. “Sisters number eight. For sweetrolls, we throw Ocato from window. Dead men carry no tales.”[/quote]

And that set me off once more!

[quote]“All morning Ocato has been setting the traps off. We had to change them around because he was getting wise to the layout.”[/quote]

OK- I had to stop for a while there to compose myself.

[quote]“There’s more, she slew what appears to be a minotaur in the corridor…possibly some beastly ritual.”[/quote]

Speechless- ribs aching….

And then, poor Maxical taking all the blame onto herself- and Uriel’s realization of at least part of what happened….

[quote]Evangeline blocked the doorway. “Tell them about someone scalping your horse, Ocato, and leaving a noose made of its tail hairs on your pillow. I saw an Altmer man in a blue robe in Ocato’s bedroom. He looked like a man who’d visited Ocato before, so I thought he must be a relative or friend…but Ocato looked like he’d swallowed a bee when I told him about the man.”[/quote]

And hooray for Evangeline once more!

Chapter 136

And, though I know he is under severe strain- and that he is not aware of Malan’s ruse… I still want to smack Uriel on the back of the head. “Pay attention to your Champion- you fool.”

Watching Maxical get the bit in her teeth over how to “scare” Mankar Camoran was hilarious. And ALMOST made me feel sorry for the Emperor.

[quote]“It will insult the sisters if you even offer them reward. If someone claims loyalty and then accepts your gold, they can’t be trusted. Khajiit value trust. If they have need of Septims they'll earn it honestly.”

“How? I have need of them in the Palace, they have proven invaluable already. It is critical that they remain for the time being.”

“They've been holding up visitors in the corridor and robbing them, that‘s how they caught those men in the crimson robes. Oh…er…one sister is weaving wigs and toupees from horse‘s tails and selling them. She‘s sold two already.”[/quote]

The culture-shock there was just priceless- and also fascinating.

[quote]“If Akatosh wanted human tactics, wouldn’t he have just chosen a human champion for you?”[/quote]

Come ON, Uriel- you didn't get the Amulet of Kings from a box of Scribs Snacks!

[quote]“Whether we like each other or not, Akatosh tasked me with your protection…I’ll earn your trust in that if nothing else.”[/quote]

That was an incredibly powerful and satisfying bit of dialogue. So proud of our kitty.

[quote]“Oh, Sire said Nissy can’t go out there again, someone else will have to….”[/quote]

And here is a time when her “rebelliousness” is exactly the right thing.

There are just wonderful chapters- showing the roller-coaster upon which you so skillfully conduct your addicted readers. More? Please?

*

@ Uleni Athram - You have been so missed !! So glad to see you !! Thank you so much for stopping by, you know you are always appreciated !!

*
@ Ghastley - Thank you so much Ghastley !! I think the Khajiit women have been influencing her pretty strongly, lol. Thanks again !!

*
@ King Coin - Thank you so much KC !!! You had me rolling !! You ROCK !!

*
@ Acadian - Fixed the nit and thank you so much for catching that !! Your comparison to a goblin lair had me rolling, Thank you so much Acadian !!!

*
@ Grits - Thank you so very much Grits !! Between Uriel's famous Septim temper and Maxical's attempts to not fail at her task of protecting Uriel - I think they've been bumping and rubbing the wrong nerves on each other - a lot of that thanks to Malan/Sir Damien's meddling, lol. I do see improvements coming though. Thank you so much Grits !!!

*
@ Athynae - Thank you so much Athynae !! It is, but I'm glad you noticed Maxical is finally starting to come into her own - a little too strong, but she'll learn from her mistakes under Uriel's tutelage. Thanks again, Athynae !!!

*
@ McBadgere - I love that line especially because you can hear it in game doing the tutorial dungeon, lol. Thank you so very much McB !!!

*
@ Treydog - Now THAT is what I love to hear from you !!! Any time your ice tea flies, it makes me happy, lol. You had me dying laughing with this visual image :



Thank you so very much Treydog, and thank both you and Mrs. Treydog for your contributions to that chapter and the one coming up !!! You ROCK !!

*

*

This chapter gives “The Rest Of The Story” for Chapter 135, so moved up all the appropriate screens to go along with Alix the Mouse’s sections.

All thanks goes to Treydog and Mrs. Treydog for their contributions that made these two chapters possible

And, if anyone is interested I can either link to the “Treydog the Reporter” story in the Black Horse Courier or post it on this thread if anyone wants.


** Anyone that read the original Maxical story may remember the feud between the Palace Chef and Ocato over rats in the stew - this is a nod toward that chapter, which was inspired by Treydog and Mrs. Treydog with the “Rat Award” they donated.

Rat Award:

http://a3.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images0...60a6e16d9/l.jpg



** The scene with Alix the Mouse was inspired by another donation from Treydog and Mrs. Treydog which was a different chapter in the original story and became “Alix’s Portrait, by Mrs. Treydog”

Alix’s Portrait, by Mrs. Treydog:

http://a4.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images0...7025ecc36/l.jpg


Alix the Mouse:

http://a4.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images0...e246cc570/l.jpg



Alix the Mouse after Evangeline babysat:


http://a3.ec-images.myspacecdn.com/images0...26c119ae9/l.jpg




*




Chapter 137: Evangeline Takes The Hot Seat



******* Uriel Septim (From Page 69, Chapter 136)


Uriel indicated a chair for Evangeline to sit in, then pulled another chair up close to hers and sat across from her.

“I want to know about this Altmer in the blue robe you saw.”

“Sire, the Altmer didn‘t place the horsehair noose, I did.”

“But you did see an Altmer in a blue robe. I want to know when you have seen him in the Palace, and why you told Ocato he placed the noose.”

“There were three Altmer that came. One in the blue robe, one in a robe like those.” She pointed to the crimson robe. “The other dressed in fancy velvet like Ocato.”

“Start at the beginning, Evangeline. I want to hear everything about these three Altmer, and in the order and date it occurred.”

“The Altmer in the blue robe was the first, the same night you were accepting your Birthday gifts. He was in chameleon. I was down the hall from Ocato’s bedroom, when the door opened. It closed again, but no one had come out. The Bosmer lad was scrubbing the floors, and a footprint formed on the wet floor, then another. No one was there, so I cast detect life and saw a man’s form creeping down the corridor. He’d come from Ocato‘s bedroom all sneaky-like, so I figured it was one of his…you know, gentlemen callers. I wouldn’t have thought any more about it, but the lad scrubbing the floor suddenly up and disappeared. I cast detect life again, he was following the man. So I cast chameleon and followed them both. They went down into the sewers over in the Talos Plaza, and the Altmer in the blue robe dispelled his chameleon when he reached some kind of living quarters set up down there. That’s where he met the Altmer wearing the crimson colored robe like those.”

“Did you overhear them talking? Any conversation at all?”

“Yes, Sire. The one in the crimson robe was needing funds. He complained that Hieronymus Lex had charged him taxes for living in the sewers. The one in blue said he’d be living in a palace someday…or maybe he said paradise. They called one another father and son, but then others came out in those same crimson robes. It’s some kind of religious cult, I think. Swearing a vow of poverty, if you know what I mean. Some of those cults call the leaders father and the members are called sister, brother, son, daughter…so I don’t know if they were actually related.”






***


“The day the war broke out, that one in the crimson robe showed up in Ocato’s bedroom, begging him for funds to go to Cheydinhal. He said it was an emergency, that he needed to speak with his father. His crimson robe was charred and burned, he told Ocato he’d been in the sewers when they exploded and lost 26 members. Then he said that with the war on it would be a perfect time to carry out their plan. He told Ocato that his father said they would be living in the palace one day.”

“They spoke in front of you?”

“Not knowingly. Since the day that Altmer in the blue robe was here, I’ve spent a lot of time in chameleon. I wanted to learn what was going on.”

“Continue.”

“Well that one no sooner left than the third Altmer came in, the one that dresses like Ocato. He called Ocato traitor to the throne, said he’d go to you and tell all if Ocato didn’t give him diplomatic immunity for him and another man by the name of Vicente. This Altmer said he would tell you the names of Ocato’s partner and that Ocato was joining forces with Dagon to…to k..kill you, Sire.” Evangeline was crying.

“Tell me the rest, Evangeline.”

“Ocato signed two diplomatic immunities and handed them to the man. But that man had no sooner left and Ocato ordered the Battlemages to follow him and assassinate him, and retrieve the immunity papers. He pulled one Battlemage aside and sent her after the other Altmer in the crimson robe. He said for her to bring back proof he had been killed. She brought back his charred robe. The others brought the immunity papers, but said the Altmer was already killed when they found him. Ocato burned them all in his fireplace. He stood and watched till all was gone, so I couldn’t retrieve them. Ocato is your second in command, and I had no proof. Who would believe me if I told? And…if they didn’t, Ocato would kill me like he did the others. So I put the noose made of his horses hair in his bed and said the Altmer in the blue robe, because he was the only one alive to blame it on. I thought it would scare him, and it did. He went white as Miss Maxical. And that way he couldn‘t blame the sweet girls for cutting his horses hair either. I didn’t want to betray you, Sire. If I could have gotten the proof, I would have come to you immediately. Without it, it’s just my word against his…no one would take my word over his.”

Uriel took her hand gently between his two. “I believe you, Evangeline. But there are four crimson robes on my desk. Four assassins in the Royal quarters. They made it past my Legion, my Imperial Army, the Palace guards, the monks, the Battlemages…and you, Evangeline. I need to know how that is possible.”

“I know when Ocato is on a tirade, the Legion and Palace guards make themselves scarce, and he has been raging since he returned from battle. He ranted that you undercut his authority with the troops by changing his orders, then found his horse had been balded…then he learned there were Khajiit living in the Palace.”

“Go on.” Uriel prompted.

“Well, Sire…the Battlemages were out in field last night, every last one of them. Two of the monks are going deaf…”

“And you, Evangeline? Where were you?”






***


“I don’t know what time they passed my door, Sire.”

“It was this mid morning.”

“I was below Palace in the kitchens for at least an hour, and had to bandage up Ocato several times...”

“What were you doing down in the kitchens? What are you not telling me, Evangeline.” Uriel leaned toward her, feeling her cringe under his intense scrutiny.

“Okay, I’ll…I’ll tell. I was with Alix, Sire. Miss Maxical asked me to watch him this morning while the women were busy.”

“Alix…Lencolia?” She shook her head no, but Uriel noticed she jumped at the name and her pupils dilated briefly. He got a sickening feeling in his stomach, Alix a traitor with Ocato?

Uriel squeezed her hand tightly. “No more secrets, Evangeline. I want no more secrets in my Palace. Tell me what you know about Alix Lencolia.”

“It’s not anything you could be thinking, Sire. Alix Lencolia…he is my son…was my son. Maxical has no idea…no one does.”

“She’s telling the truth.” Damien mumbled under his breath.

Uriel leaned back and blew his breath out loudly. He leaned back in to Evangeline and took her hand again. “You said you were with Alix. The Alix Lencolia I know would not let four assassins walk past him to my chamber.”

“I was not with Alix Lencolia, Sire. It was Alix, Miss Maxical’s pet mouse…the dearest little thing.”

Uriel ignored Damien’s snort. “How does watching a mouse keep you from seeing four assassins passing your room?”

“I don’t know exactly what time they passed, Sire. But if neither Alix or I detected them, it was either when we were below in the kitchens or when Alix was fighting against wearing the outfit I was trying to put on him. He threw a tremendous fit, and such a racket he made. I was bent over him trying to button his little jacket…”

“Get off the floor Foxy! There is nothing funny about this, she played dress up with a mouse and four assassins slipped past her!”

“Sire, they got by your whole Palace, but you can be assured they would not have gotten by me. You may take that as a vow. Miss Evangeline, what did you mean when you said, ‘for neither Alix or I to detect them’?”

“Alix knows who is allowed up here, he squeaks if there is an intruder…although he has taken a terrible disliking to Ocato and squeaks for him as well, we think he‘s been doing it deliberately because he seems amused when Ocato falls into the traps.”

“Foxy, if you are unable to contain your laughter then I’ll insist you leave. Go on, Evangeline.”






***


Well, Sire…well, the mouse has quite a temper. I won‘t say Ocato didn‘t provoke the bite he got, shrieking as he was. Ocato was going to kill Alix, so I had Chef catch a mouse in the kitchen and I gave it to Ocato…told him that was the guilty mouse. Ocato killed it, then he put it in the stew. Chef got mad at that, there was a terrible scene between them. That‘s why I was down in the kitchens.”

“And then?“

“Well, I had to disguise the mouse so Ocato wouldn’t realize he’d been tricked. The Khajiit women suggested dressing it up like an infant, and Ocato would think it was Khajiit…you know, because of the fur. We decided to rub flour in its fur and make a red wig for it, make Ocato think Miss Maxical had a baby because….well, because he hates Miss Maxical.”

“A Khajiit baby!” Damien choked out.

Uriel ground his teeth. “I find no humor in this, Foxy. The whole Palace is going mad, that Khajiit is going to bring it down in less than a day!”

“I’ve got to see this mouse.” Damien pulled the door open and immediately spotted a man in a long white jacket carrying a suspicious sack entering the bedroom of the Khajiit women.

“Trouble, Sire.” He hissed.

“That’s the Chef, Foxy! Put your sword away.” Uriel strode out. “Chef! What are you doing on this floor?”

“I bring the sweetrolls for the little mouse that bite Ocato, and for the dear Khajiit women. If Miss Evangeline busy, I bring dinner up?”

“No stew!” Uriel and Damien both said emphatically.

“Ah, Miss Evangeline tell you then. Next time he come in my kitchen, no more Ocato!” He made a motion of slitting his own throat with his hand, then stomped away.

Uriel edged closer and peered in.

Maxical was handing out sweetrolls to the Khajiit women. Uriel choked. Sitting up on its hind legs on the bed was the largest mouse he‘d ever seen, it had to weigh at least a stone. It appeared to be wearing Prince Ebel’s infant suit for public appearances. Bright red hair was sticking out of the tiny beret tied on its head. Some flour misted off the white fur when he moved.

“God’s give me strength…”


*

*Does dance*...Oh yeah, the mALXie's back!!...Oh yeah, oh yeah...

Excellent chapter!!...

Loved it...Creepy Altmers in blue robes calling each other father and son...Hmmm...Seems familiar... ...

Evangeline's not so retiring is she?...Going down the sewers like that!... ...

Love this story...Is cool...

Your Uriel Septim is sooo believable...Total brilliance...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds heartily*...

I had to read it twice because the first time I got so tickled reading about Alix that I missed most of the rest of it. I do love Alix the Mouse....he is definitely perfect for Max....

I am not quite sure exactly what it is about Uriel that is so magnetic but your characterization of him is on the mark to how I have always pictured he would be. The interaction between Evangeline and him is very good.


I am so glad my coffee cup was empty when I read this, it caught me off guard and the ensuing laughter woke my eldest daughter 15 minutes before she was scheduled to get up for school, darn side effects of reading in the morning...hehe.

I loved it, every word. I can't wait for more....

What a joy this chapter was!

’He complained that Hieronymus Lex had charged him taxes for living in the sewers.’
This was so unobtrusively slipped in that it could have been easily overlooked; but it had me rolling!

”Sire. Alix Lencolia…he is my son…”
Ah, now I begin to see why I like Evangeline. She is the adoptive grandmother of dear Maxical!

Oh, Cato keeps some bad company: Mankie Camoroon, Vincente of the long teeth and half a contingent of Red Robes. Eeep! And we still have that Malangering hen in the fox house.

The picture you painted at the end, of chubby Alix on the bed being served sweetrolls with his red wig and flour dust was truly a masterpiece! I love Alix the Mouse and he always steals the show when you feature him!

*Cracks knuckles*. Time to catch up!

Okay:



I loved that part. "The whole void knws! You shouted it out at the Arena."



Nice touch there, mAX. Very gruesome and yet subtle, not entirely barbaric! But nasty nonetheless.

I found it cool with the vampire juice being under the bed where the sister found it. Sipin' on that vampire juice.

I sent you PM by the way.

Uriel could have been telling a lot of us to get up off the floor, I’m sure! This chapter was hilarious! Like Acadian said, the image you created of Alix the costumed mouse being stuffed with sweets was priceless.

Then there was Evangeline’s revelation about Alix her son, which gives her tender care of Alix the Mouse a poignant edge.

OMG, don’t get me started about a mouse in the stew!! Awesome chapter, I loved it!!

Ocato put a dead mouse in the stew? Gross!

I find no humor in this, Foxy. The whole Palace is going mad, that Khajiit is going to bring it down in less than a day!
He’s got that right! Maxical’s got a reputation to maintain.

No stew!


I agree with Uriel’s last line regarding the mouse! Brilliant!

I must say you're going out of your way to make Ocato a sympathetic and lovable character. It leaves me wondering why Uriel hasn't had him terminated with extreme prejudice already.

Oh dear.



There is just so much about that which is PERFECT in its portrayal of Lex….



Well- it was actually pretty funny- as long as you aren’t the one being stalked by the assassins.



Right. In fact- there may be a decidely vegan trend in the palace for a while- esp. of Ocato DOES "disappear."



And me also- to recover from laughing. I begin to think that sentence was invented for Uriel to use in regard to Maxical.

And- of course- the bombshell that almost gets lost in the... um... stew- Alix (NOT the mouse) is Evangeline's son.

*

@ EVERYONE - I have compiled a kind of combo synopsis of the story and Faction Update - it is on page #1 (about halfway down the page) of this thread if anyone would like to glance over it and get a better explanation of the characters, some of the terms that are unique to this story - or where some of the players we haven't heard from in a while are.


@ McBadgere - Thank you so much McB !!! Evangeline's hatred of Ocato would give her the energy to do a lot of things, lol. But actually she is probably about 50 now in my story - just looks a lot older than that. Thanks again, McB !!!

*
@ Athynae - Thank you so much Athynae !!! You def caught one of my own favorite parts, and it always tickles me when anyone is led to spew while reading, ROFL !!! Thank you, Athynae !!!

*
@ Acadian - Thank you so very much Acadian !!! I can't take credit for Lex taxing Raven Camoran - that one actually comes from the game itself !! When you do the Thieves Guild questline "Untaxing the Poor" if you actually read the tax list Raven Camoran is on it, ROFL !!! (link):

http://www.uesp.net/wiki/Oblivion:Waterfront_Tax_Records

I got such a kick out of that - had to include it, lol. Thank you so much, Acadian !!

*
@ Darkness Eternal - Thank you so much DE !!! You did catch one of my fave lines in that chapter too. She can't remember when she tells anyone anything - but sure will if someone else does, ROFL !! Thanks again Darkness !!!

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@ Grits - Thank you so very much Grits !! Alix the Mouse became a staple in the original version of the story - wreaked probably as much trouble as Maxical did, lol. More of Evangeline's story will come out, she kind of deserves a happy ending.

I took Evangeline Beanique out of the Palace (due to a game-glitch she can be found standing over Ocato's bed in the Thieves Guild Ultimate Heist Quest) - and stuck her in one of my mods (The Fortress) - and promptly fell in love with her. She looked scary mean when I saw her in game, but in my mod (at least to Maxical) - she was so sweet that I had to write her into the story. Thanks again Grits !!!

*
@ King Coin - I may have to post the original version of Ocato and the mouse in the stew - Treydog started it by posting that "rat award" in a comment on the thread. Next thing I knew there was a whole Black Horse Courier article about the Palace Chef, Ocato, rats in the stew, lol. Thank you so very much KC !!!!!

*
@ Ghastley - Lol, agreed. Uriel prefers knowing who his enemies are and what they are up to - and using that knowledge to his benefit. (friends close/enemies closer). Thank you so much Ghastley !!

*
@ Treydog - Thank you so very much Treydog!! You have only yourself to blame for the rats in the stew story, lol. For anyone interested, below is the two Black Horse Courier articles that Treydog inspired with his "Rat Award" - and thank you so much Treydog for your and Mrs. Treydog's contribution to the original Maxical story !!! :



** There is no need to read these two Black Horse Couriers below, just posting them in case anyone is curious about the original "Rat Stew Incident"



*

*


Chapter 138: Uriel And The Assassin



******* Uriel Septim (From Page 69, Chapter 137)


Evangeline was still waiting in the chair when they returned. Uriel shut the door and bolted it, but walked to the opposite wall from her and stood looking out the window. The stress of the past hour could equal that of a month before the Khajiit came. He couldn’t endure it much longer.

“Sire? If I may…” Damien was standing beside him, Uriel hadn’t even heard him come up. He waved his hand to continue, not even wanting to speak. His head was beginning to throb already, and he’d only been awake a little over an hour.

“Your Champion makes a good scapegoat, but is she really at fault or is it simply that you can’t tolerate her? Four assassins made it to your chambers through your Legion, your Blades, your Imperial Army, City and Palace guards, through the Blind Monks, Ocato, and the Battlemages. Twenty-six assassins lived in your sewers. Your Legion didn’t question them, only charged them taxes. Thirty assassins with only one target, you. Your Champion had thirty targets, all are dead and you are alive.”

“Her success was accidental, incidental. I can’t rely on that, and neither can Cyrodiil.”

“She may have prevailed unconsciously, but the rest consciously failed you. You say the 26 assassins in the sewer killed was incidental, but what if Akatosh thinks the damage to the city was incidental because all he cared about was stopping the assassins from reaching you?”

“My Blades could have accomplished the same and left the city intact.“

“Where were they when four assassins reached your chambers? Akatosh didn’t bestow a Champion on you as a bonus, he had to because you had no one else. Those assassins could have succeeded without impediment, Sire. Irritating as she is…you are alive today, and because of her thirty assassins lay dead.”

“You forget, I have the protection of you and your men. There is no one I trust more.“

“You left yourself uncovered. I was away, yet you placed all my men in the field. When I arrived I passed not one guard.”

Uriel chewed his lip quietly for a minute. When he ordered all Damien’s men and the Battlemages into the field his focus had been solely on the war, his whole army below floors standing at the ready in case the Palace was breached by the vampires. How had the assassins got by both the army and the Palace guards? Could there be sleeper agents among his Palace staff, people he had trusted for decades? Foxy was right, he had left himself wide open…a major gaffe.






***


He was stinging under his own blunder when he answered. “I expected my staff to pick up the slack for your men’s absence, they have kept this Palace running smoothly for over thirty years.”

“Who cares how smoothly the Palace runs? This is wartime and you have known these assassins were coming for months. Your staff needs to be shaken out of their slumber, because those assassins could easily have climbed in your bedroom window from the Battlemages floor and bypassed those Khajiit. If nothing else Maxical is thinking of your security, which is more than any of your staff have done.”

“My staff has been more than sufficient these many years.”

“They never were. You’ve had the same staff since the Imperial Simulacrum, and they are ill equipped to handle even your security. Name anyone on your staff who has lifted a finger to ensure you live, and I’ll tell you now there isn’t one. Even Evangeline sought her own safety above yours. They are lax and complacent at best, gobbling at your table till you need them…then they save themselves.”

“There has been no reason for them to handle my security, you and your men had that detail well covered.”

“We have, till now. But the gods have placed your fate in their hands. What provision have you made for a successor? Ocato is a traitor whom your whole staff despises, yet he will rule Tamriel when you are gone. You know as well as I do that time is now, Sire. Why are you not taking measures to ensure the rule of Tamriel does not fall to him?“

“My sons will rule.”

“You well know they will fall with you. You can‘t alter the path the gods have laid out for you.”

“Are you suggesting I appoint Maxical?”

“Absolutely not! But you can’t mean to leave your throne to Ocato, surely!”

Uriel turned away and looked out the window. Damien was right, but tampering with Ocato would mean Camoran replacing him with an unknown. The thought of Ocato ruling over Tamriel, though…

Had Fathis lived…the thought that Fathis would predecease him had never crossed his mind. For the first time Uriel realized his end would be met without his friend by his side.

“He was a great Battlemage.” Uriel was thinking about Fathis, didn’t realize he’d spoken aloud till Damien answered…obviously thinking he had been referring to Ocato.

“So was Jagar Tharn, and both traitors to the throne. Sire, you could create a position over Ocato and place someone you trust in it.”

“Camoran would see through that, he’d know I was onto Ocato‘s deception.”

“I am not an assassin for nothing, Sire. Whatever fate befalls you, you must know I will see Ocato follows immediately. You should have someone you trust ready for the position.”






***


“Are you suggesting yourself?” Uriel’s brows raised in surprise.

“I am. For decades I have proven my loyalty to Tamriel and yourself. There is no one more capable or with an equal going concern for this country now that Fathis has passed.”

“You are as infamous as you are famous as an assassin, and have technically been declared dead, Foxy. The people have to accept whomever fills the position.“

“Your staff alone has already proven the people won’t accept Ocato. Give me an identity and I will provide documentation proving I am that person.”

“False credentials will be readily discovered.”

“Not if they are from one of the distant provinces. Make my identity from Mournhold or Red Mountain, where none can prove or disprove their existence. My face is unknown, simply removing the mask would reveal an identity that is not famous or infamous.”

Uriel turned back to the window, his thoughts suddenly wandering to visions of his dear Gemile. How long it had been since he’d thought of her…but in that moment he knew what his path must be. Not even Damien could know this…especially not now, knowing he sought the throne.

“I’ll have to give this matter more thought at a later time.” Uriel assumed that would end the conversation.

“There is little time left to delay making decisions. If your fate befalls you without naming a successor I will act regardless until the Council provides someone, because the only thing keeping Ocato from the void is that you still live.

It wasn‘t like Damien to continue a conversation after Uriel ended it. He couldn’t keep the irritation from his voice when he attempted again to turn the conversation.

“Odd, Maxical said very nearly the same words to me, she said ’the only reason Ocato still breathes is that you have not acted on his treachery yourself. From her tone one would believe she thought her skill with the sword enough that she’d be capable of taking down a Battlemage of Ocato’s caliber. It was one of the very few times I’ve been in charity with her.”






***


“I’d put my Septims on her over Ocato in battle. She fights dirty, uses street moves. She’s already crippled the man without a battle even taking place. Her bravery can’t be questioned, you said yourself you had to restrain her from charging out to her own death to save Traven. As for loyalty, she is Khajiit. You have never witnessed true loyalty till you have a Khajiit love you, and those women all love you…including Maxical.”

“She brings disaster wherever she goes, she can’t help herself, Foxy. She is a disruptive force that has already turned this Palace to chaos in less than a day. Look what she has done to Evangeline, the woman has become a blithering fool, you must see that yourself.”

“Evangeline was mentally tortured before Maxical arrived, did you really think she was dressing a mouse? Her breakdown is over the baby she lost, and if she doesn’t start pushing that mouse around in a pram soon I’ll eat that stew Ocato dumped the rat into.”

“Why now, then?”

“Nothing started now. For decades she’s crept into Ocato’s bedroom at night, watching him sleep and envisioning ways she’d kill him. The thought is there, all she lacks is the dagger and the guts. He’s connected to the loss of her child somehow. Did you never wonder how she looked ninety before she was thirty?”

Uriel stared at the diminutive woman sitting meekly in his chair, stunned. “Is she safe to have in the Palace?”

“Perfectly safe, as long as you are not Ocato. Sire, these things have always been there, but you haven’t seen. They are coming out of the woodwork now, so you’ll know where all the allies stand when the dust clears, and who is the chaff that must be cut. What you see as chaos is enlightenment, and you have little time to glimpse what it reveals. I have to keep you alive, it is a much easier job when you are aware of what surrounds you.”






***


Uriel caught Damien‘s arm. “Speaking of which, why is it I learned from Maxical that you raised Alix Lencolia? Why did you never mention it?”

“I’m still not going to.”

“What do you mean?”

“There is a fine line between business and friendship. I take my job seriously, never jeopardize the mission or compromise the end result. I have to keep you alive, one slip and I’ve failed you. I won’t let that happen. Do you trust me less because I didn’t reveal something personal about myself decades ago?”

“No. Forget it was mentioned, Foxy. I’m out of sorts today.”

“You were this morning too. I thought the Dream-Catcher would have helped that. You can call them to you anytime, no need to wait till you are retiring for the night. Sometimes an hour with one is just the touch needed to ease over the rough spots in a day.”

“I never realized you knew so much about Khajiit, you’ve never mentioned them these years or have any among your own agents.”

“That you’ve seen.”

“True.“ Uriel nodded, glancing out the dome window at the darkening horizon.

“The war will be starting soon, and I must finish with Evangeline. Nisaba and Maxical will be joining us to watch the battle tonight. As you have championed Maxical for nearly thirty minutes and seem to be an expert on Khajiit, I’m sure you won’t mind if I leave her entertainment in your capable hands. She is under orders to make an attempt to get along with you, somehow between yesterday and today she has taken quite a dislike to you.”

“Perhaps she thinks I should bathe.” Damien gave a brief smile.

Uriel glanced up to catch Damien’s eyes with the humor in his own. “No, she thinks you are on Skooma.” He wasn’t disappointed. Damien’s lit up with amusement and he barked out a laugh.

“Ha!”

“I thought you may see the humor in that. You may find the conversation challenging, though. Traven is out there fighting again. She spoke not a word last night, cried like a child watching his dugout throughout the night.” Uriel started to turn toward Evangeline, but paused at Damien‘s response.

“I’ll have my entertainment when daybreak comes and she greets him in relief he survived.”

“You’ll be disappointed. As it happens, she had tripped and fallen onto him, catching her hair on the button of his robe. We merely witnessed their attempts to detach her hair. From what I’ve learned since, Traven ran out of magicka and had to be raced to the healers. He may never be able to breed again.”

“I had no idea that was an issue.”

Uriel felt the tension easing. Foxy had not been himself today either. For a time he had even begun to suspect him of duplicity. At last the comfortable camaraderie between them was beginning to return.


*

Thanks for providing that summary into your first post. I’m sure new readers will find it helpful!

And a fun read down memory lane with the old BHC articles about Maxical’s mischievously mousy mishaps.

Now, on to your new episode. I was well into it and wondering why Damien was sounding so. . . good? Then mALX, the Mistress of Plotweaving struck. He is trying to manipulate himself into the throne! *Slaps forehead* Of course I knew that was Malan’s objective, but the way you sprung it on me was unexpectedly brilliant. For a moment, I was almost drawn in by the charming slime devil.

“Thirty assassins with only one target, you. Your Champion had thirty targets, all are dead and you are alive.”
Who cares how it happened. This made me want to cheer for our ferociously funny fabulous feline.

“Are you suggesting I appoint Maxical?”
Oh my!

“Evangeline was mentally tortured before Maxical arrived, did you really think she was dressing a mouse? Her breakdown is over the baby she lost, and if she doesn’t start pushing that mouse around in a pram soon I’ll eat that stew Ocato dumped the rat into.”
Wow, there’s a load of meaning stuffed into that wonderful passage!

I can see the banner now!!

Maxical for Emporer!!!

ROFL! I was kind of caught up in the same thing Acadian was...why is the demon Damien being so nice about Max???? And now we know...

Poor Traven!!!! Not able to...now that's just sad.

A lot of info about Evangeline too, yes. Now I am curious what Ocato had to do with Alix being taken from her....hhmm....Ocato needs to be covered with honey and laid before the ants....

Great write mALX just wonderful so looking forward to more...

Excellent stuff!!...

Loved the BHC articles...Very funny... ...

More Uriel!!...Almost there!!...AAARGH!!...Figure it out!!...AAARGH!!... ...



NOOOOOO!!!!... ....

Got to say though, Malan seems to be able to impersonate Damien amazingly well...Vampires is well impressive!!... ...

And he almost tipped his hand with that "Appoint me successor" line... ...

Definately going to be a sad day when this goes the way of the game... ...

Brilliant stuff mALX...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds heartily*...

Order of the Rodent Slayer, awesome!! Those BHC articles are great! I can picture the guards flailing around covered in mice.


At first (in the chapter) when Malan was praising Maxical I was going, huh? What is False Foxy doing? Then I realized! He’s making his move for the Ruby Throne!!



This was so sad. Fathis is missed. I’m sure he would like someone to get him out of that pit!



Oh! He’s thinking that these are his final days, and that means Martin will be the last Septim standing! Whew, I never even considered that he might mention Martin to False Foxy. That was close! I love that once again Malan will be (maybe) thwarted by his own ambition.



Oh nooo! But of course Malan is an expert at manipulation. It was fun to see him at work in this chapter.

THANK YOU for the update on the first page, it’s great to read through for some reminders. I keep forgetting what Gils is doing, and now I remember again. But the one I'm most anxious about is Fathis! I enjoyed reading through your synopsis very much!

“Her success was accidental, incidental. I can’t rely on that, and neither can Cyrodiil.”
Gotta agree with the emperor there.

Oh, Malan is making the emperor distrust his staff. Distracting him from the real threat standing right in front of him. Nasty. Getting lined up for the throne too I see. I’d rather have Maxical in charge than Malan! That’s really saying something too!

Poor Traven! I’m glad you gave him a pretty active role in your story. I found his performance in Oblivion lacking.

Aw crap. I was hoping Uriel would catch onto Malan before Malan could catch onto Damien.

Geez, that's a big sign you put up there. Impossible to miss.

Now, thanks to your kind help, I've been able to do some reading(My eyes are twitching). I will point out the things I like about the story, some of the elements I haven't mentioned before. You have so much going on this story that it's mind boggling, in a good way.

First off, Maxical. Nuff said. She's a white ginger khajiit of a special breed, growing up and trying to make her way into the world. The main protagonist certainly has some amicable qualities to her, pledging her virginity to the Fathis fellow. And quite funny. Though, she of course, is bound by love which causes her to break the promise she made to Mr. Aren.

Malan. What a creepy fellow, this one. And apparently, the author of one of my favorite books in Oblivion(And the first one I ever came across sitting on that bandit camp). A true megalomaniac obsessed with the thought of power, domination and immortality. He certainly fills the bill of what most people would perceive and consider as "evil" or "the bad guy". The fact that he is directly related to Dagoth in a way is pretty cool. Not to mention his mystical powers and ambitious army he created. Did I mention he was a vampire?

Seridur-Gay. Haha, who would of known? I always figured there was something..off about him. And it wasn't just his vampirism. Apparently, he hid something else.

Hannibal Traven is also pretty cool. Never thought much of him in the game, but in the story he does serve some purpose as an expert of vampirism and necromancy, and surely acts under the command of Ocato when it comes to keeping things together. Glad you explored him too!

The fact that you add characters that were either scrapped in the game, or you simply expand upon their personality makes you deserving of my kudos.

Now, onto the story, huh?

A rodent problem in the Imperial City. Very predicable, considering they have a giant boat sewer beneath them. It's like a medieval New York with mutated vermin!



You know stuff went down when guards are injured by large rats!



That man deserved every single nible on his face. One of the most hated Dunmer in Cyrodiil. At least the rats loved him, right? Haha, brilliant! Especially the "kitty kitty" part.

Sic Semper Rodentia. Love that banner. Kinda reminds me of ratatouille(The movie) with the chefs and all the rat problem haha!

*

@ Acadian - Thank you so very much Acadian! You nailed everything I hoped would hit with that chapter! You ROCK!

*
@ Athynae - Thank you so much Athynae! Ocato's end could never be slow enough to make up for some of the things he's done, lol. Evangeline's story will come out soon. Thanks again, Athynae!!

*
@ McBadgere - Thank you so much McB !!! You are right, Malan is slicker than a [censored] [censored] in a [censored] !! Thanks again, McB !!!

*
@ Grits - Thank you so very much Grits! That line where Uriel stops to think about Fathis is one that just came out in the writing of that chapter, it hit me the same way. WOO HOO !! You caught the Martin reference !!! Thank you so much Grits !!!

*
@ King Coin - Thank you so much KC !!! I love the way you phrased that line about Malan catching onto Damien - witty !!! Thanks again, KC !!!

*
@ Darkness Eternal - Thank you so much Darkness! That book 'Immortal Blood' is what gave me the idea for Malan's character being made from a cocktail mix of vampire bloods - I mean, why was the author gathering all those clan's blood if not to make a super vampire?

I hate to admit that I love the Malan character. I really studied Dagoth-Ur's character to make Malan - it was hard not to like Ur even when you had to kill him at the end, he was charming even through some of his nefarious plotting, right up till battle - and that is what I based Malan on, and hope it comes across that way.

I do really like using things the game has created but scratched for whatever reason, and especially glitches. Malan is a big one of the scrapped characters. Some of the glitches: Azzan being from Sutch, Evangeline standing over Ocato's bed, Vicente following M'raaj-Dar around, Manheim being naked under his apron - whenever I use a character I look them up, if they have a glitch like that it gets written into the story somehow and a reason given for it.

Thank you so very much, Darkness !!!

*

*

Chapter 139: Armed And Ready



The light tap on the door sounded too polite to be the sisters. “Come in, Evangeline.”

“Sir Damien?” I vaulted off the bed. “What do you want!”

“You were sleeping in full armor?”

“And with enough candles lit that the blind monks could see I’m a white Khajiit.“

“I may go blind from the brightness in here myself, Lass. But…with all that armor and that helmet I can’t see any white fur. The only thing showing is your cheeks, and they look…pink.“

“There are no pink Khajiit, that should be a clue. And in case you don’t realize it‘s me, I’m armed.“ I pulled the dagger from my waistband and flashed it.

“I wouldn’t have believed there were white Khajiit before I saw you.“ He pointed at the thigh-high top of my left boot. “Isn’t that a dagger sticking out of your boot too? Good gods, were you actually wearing those boots in bed?“

“Yes, and they have pointed steel toes and spurs.“ I showed him the plated point on the tip of the toe and the wicked looking rowel spinning off the heel.

“What is that…thing around your neck? A spiked dog collar?“

“A dog collar! No! Er…well, I’m not sure. But I washed it before putting it on.”

“I would hope so. What are those, metal spikes sticking out of those…what are they, knee pads?“

“Those are steel spikes, sharp as a razor. They are called ‘Bravil Ballbusters.“

“I can well imagine.“

I lifted my pillow and showed him another dagger and a set of steel knuckles. “In case I can’t reach the other weapons. And here under the mattress is another dagger. You‘ve been warned now, so think twice before you make another ‘mistake’ with me again.”

“I just have one question, has Nisaba agreed to sleeping with you…thus?”

“Actually, she is pretty scared, and says the brightness in the room will keep her awake. Now why are you here?”






***


“Uriel sent me to escort you to his chambers.

“I don’t need an escort.”

“I’m obeying orders, he said I must escort you…and that we must work out the rift between us. My apology earlier was sincere, Maxical. If made in haste ‘twas out of embarrassment. Humans don’t have the gift of vision in the dark as Khajiit do, the mistake was an honest one.”

“I heard your embarrassment loudly through the wall.”

“Now, I’ll admit I take my pleasure where it is offered…but never what’s not freely given.

“I guess me clawing and kicking wasn’t a clue it wasn’t being freely given.”

“I must admit it surprised me, a woman invites you to her room for pleasure then…och, now…okay, I’m going to tell you something personal about myself that not even Uriel knows. It’s true I’ve got a soft spot in my heart for Khajiit, have ever since I lost my dear wife. They know it, can sense when someone has a special feeling for them. You saw for yourself how these women took to me.”

“She was Khajiit?”

He nodded. “She was. I was but a lad, the happiest time of my life it was. The man that killed her, that was the first murder I ever committed. That’s how I became an assassin.”

“I’m so sorry for your loss…” I felt like a heel suddenly, but was not really sure why.

“It was a terrible mistake, surely you can see that. Come Lass, let us be civil once again. I’ve brought a gift for you, just a small token of my sincere regret.”

“I don’t want anything…is that S’Jirra’s Famous Potato Bread?”

“And strawberries.”

It wasn’t really the bread, it was the reminder of home. It was not knowing where S’Jirra and Alix were, if they were…safe. I turned away from him, suddenly fighting crying. I was shaking from the effort to hold it in.






***


Sir Damien sat down in the dressing chair across from me. “You are worried about your family with this war on, is that it Lassie? I could find them for you, let them know you are safe…bring you a message from them. Would that ease your worry a bit?”

“I can pay….“ It was barely a whisper, my face still averted. He heard.

“Now why you going to insult me after I offer to do something for you?”

“I thought…assassins…Septims…”

“You hiring me to kill someone while I’m out searching for your family?”

“Bwahaa…no.”

“Come, that’s better Lass. Uriel warned me you would cry, but he said it would be from watching Traven fight. Now don‘t go starting up again. You going to eat that before we go?”

“No, not till I know they’re…safe. Er, thank you, Sir Damien.”

“I would offer to shake hands on us starting over, but those gauntlets you’re wearing have some vicious looking spikes as well. Tell me Lass, where would someone like you have…uh…acquired such things?”

“I…er…sort of borrowed them. Everything but the cuirass came from Captain Renault’s room on the second floor, even the spiked collar and the boots with spurs. Oh, she had a bunch of these whips in there too.” I wedged a whip out of the boot and swished it in the air.

“Without going into any detail, might I suggest you may not want to wear that…outfit into Uriel’s chambers?”

“I wasn’t going to, this is just what I’m going to be wearing to sleep in.”

“Isn’t it rather uncomfortable?”

“You would not believe.”

“I think I would. What you be doing now, Lass? You going to undress right here in front of me?”

“Don’t worry, I am fully dressed under the armor. Layered like the beggars do, in fact.”






***


“Now what was that face for? Have I said something wrong?” Sir Damien tilted his head in a way that oddly reminded me of a bird.

“No.”

“Tell me what it is, Lass. We’re friends again now, remember?”

“It’s nothing…just sometimes your accent, your dialect…sometimes it sounds different. I don’t know which is the mask and which is the man.”

“You’re a bright one, Lassie. Some day I’ll tell you the whole, but only after you and I have become good friends.”

“We’ve met before, somewhere. Or maybe just spoken…I can’t remember when. Your voice brings a memory that is just out of reach. Just…someone I thought nice, who made me smile. A chance encounter, am I right?”

“Well now you’ve startled me Lassie. Us assassins have to keep our identities secret, we do. ‘Tis why the mask.”

“You’re safe, I can’t remember the face that goes with the voice…but there was no mask, that much I remember. I think ‘twas a handsome face.” I cocked an eyebrow at his square jaw below the mask, the thin lips framed by it. It didn’t fit the voice…there was nothing familiar about that face at all. “But yours isn’t the face in the memory, that much I know.”

“A whole province shares my accent, Lassie. Right now we’d best be thinking about protecting the Emperor from assassins, and getting to his chambers before he loses his temper. It gets pretty short where you are involved.”

“I know.”






***


Uriel seemed to actually be in quite a good mood when we arrived, and immediately proved Sir Damien had told the truth.

“It appears you two have come to an understanding, good. Foxy, you will get to see first hand Nisaba‘s idea in action. You recall we discussed…MAXICAL! What is that? Why am seeing stacks of bodies in crimson robes?” He spun around and glared directly at me. “Maxical? Do you have an explanation for what I am seeing?”

My stomach lurched in a sickening way, but not just from drawing Uriel’s anger again. Once again the sight of thousands of vampires surging toward us caused a feeling of panic to close my throat with a strangled gasp.

No one mentioned if Hannibal would be in the same place as before, and I was afraid to ask and irritate Uriel any further…but in case Hannibal was in that same mound, I watched it with the same fear I had the night before.

Sir Damien had been standing by my side, but when the vampires began fighting with themselves I heard him asking in a confused voice what was happening. His voice sounded like it was coming from quite a distance away. I never heard if anyone answered him, because just then the stack of bodies Hannibal had been in the night before was toppled. I pressed my face against the dome window, feeling the panic rising as it seemed to be taking an extraordinarily long time to right the bodies…why was it taking so long? I hoped it wasn’t Hannibal, wished I knew if it was or not.

My legs felt like they were made of jelly by the time the bodies were stacked back onto that pile. I felt like I might faint if I didn’t sit. Just as my legs were beginning to fold under me and I felt myself sinking down, I saw it.

A dark shadow was moving rapidly across the rooflines. It reached the parapet of the city walls before the streetlamps illuminated it. A chill went down my spine…Jak. It was Jak the bird. He dove lower and coasted over the heads of the fighting vampires with angry cries that went unheeded in the frenzied fighting below.






***


“That’s Jak! That pet bird I was telling you about, Sire.”

“Malan. We expected this move would bring him in.”

Nisaba was tensing beside me, I could feel her aura changing. Her eyes had become overlarge rounded pools of black that were beginning to spill over and trickle tears into the thick fringe of lashes under them. I grabbed her hands and squeezed them tightly to stop their shaking.

“It’s okay, Nissy. Sire’s not going to harm the bird Jak, he’s talking about a very bad vampire. Isn’t that right, Sire? You aren’t going to hurt the bird, right?” I tried to catch Uriel’s eye but couldn’t, he was staring at Nissy. Why would he hurt the bird?

Nissy wouldn’t be tugged from the window. She drew her arm back from me and looked up into Uriel’s face. Hers was torn in a combination of feral fear and a cornered animal, I could hear the sound of it rising in her throat and see her fur beginning to spike.

Uriel’s eyes looking into hers flickered with a lack of understanding. Mine were pleading unseen by him…dear gods, he didn’t call her in here to watch him kill her mate…did he?

Uriel spoke so quietly I had to strain to hear his words. “Forgive me.”

The standing clock whirred as the pendulum chain rose up the housing, the arm ticked into the hour followed by the click of claws unsheathing.






***


Nissy:


http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq67/Ma...pg?t=1242079702




*

Armed and ready is right; Maxical does nothing half way!

Wow, that DamienMalan is smooth as silk here and, again, almost likable. Then I remember how and where he gained his in-depth knowledge of Khajiit women. Grrrr.

And we learn of an unexpectedly delightful kinky side to Captain Renault.

The end here was. . . oh my. Spiked fur and unsheathed claws. What a cliffhanger!

“What is that…thing around your neck? A spiked dog collar?“

“A dog collar! No! Er…well, I’m not sure. But I washed it before putting it on.”
So much for being threatening!

Whoa. Captain Renault.

And Malan is doing too good of a job here.

Poor Nissy! I hate these vampires. Maxical better get her before something happens to her.

Now that's protection! All she was missing was a chastity belt...

I really don't like Damien/Malan style....plus it sounds like he's picked up a Nord accent somewhere, been talking to Brynjolfr for some reason???? lol

It's time for Malan to meet his end without a doubt but I do so hate that it is going to hurt Nissy.

Wonder how many claws she'll sink into Uriel before Max gets between them.

Great write mALX, as always. Isn't it time to let the Fox out of the hen house????

More please.

You had me going hmm at the thigh-high boots and dog collar. It made me miss haute!

Malan’s strawberries and S’Jirra’s Famous Potato Bread had me fuming. He is such a manipulator!


OMG, Captain Renault!! And she’s so strict in the tutorial! I can’t stop laughing.



Oh NO!! Poor Nisaba! This is terrible for her, and for Maxical!!

Loved the whole description of Maxical's outfit...Made I laugh...And that it all came from Renault was just priceless!... ...

The whole chat with the Malan/Foxy seemed to be underpinned by some creepy soundtrack music...Or was that just me?.. ...Gosh darned vampires... ...



Gotcha!!... ...Oh wait... ...

*Sigh*...

Love this story!!... ...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds heartily*...

As always, it was a pleasure to read

Ooo!

Those are steel spikes, sharp as a razor. They are called ‘Bravil Ballbusters.“
Haha. Sounds as painful as Necrom's Nut-crackers. I lol'd

Love the vampires. Nissy is cute, for a pixilated bipedal feline

So Malan the badass is wearing the "clothes" of Damien? Nice. Very nice. I may sound totally random here, but I am dead serious, if I had a son his name would be Damien. I just thought I throw it out there, Damien is a pretty cool name in my opinion.

Things aren't looking good for Max. Maybe she can teach these fangers a lesson soon enough!

*

@ Acadian - Thank you so much Acadian !!! Captain Renault gets the Ocato treatment in my story, one of the few women to get it, ROFL !!! Thanks again, Acadian !!

*
@ King Coin - ROFL !! She was wearing it because he bit her neck, lol. You had me rolling with your comment !!! Thank you so much KC !!!!!

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@ Athynae - Thank you so much Athynae !! I really should have added a chastity belt, but knowing Maxical's luck there wouldn't be a key, ROFL !!!

The accent changes are when Malan slips out of the Damien character role accidentally, he is distracted by the smell of her blood and can't keep his mind on who he is supposed to be playing, lol. His dialect is the same when he is Malan, but the voices are different since he has taken on Sir Damien's voice. Thank you so much Athynae !!!

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@ Grits - Ooh, thank you so much Grits !!! Malan is a manipulater, not much of what he says is truth, I am so glad that did come across!

I'm also glad I'm not the only one that noticed Captain Renault's "domineering" side in the tutorial, it is what I based her character on in the story, ROFL !!! Thank you so very much Grits !!!

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@ McBadgere - Thank you so very much McB !!! That was a real Gotcha on Malan, trapped with Uriel to watch his army slaughter themselves, he couldn't stand to watch it, lol. Thanks again, McB !!!

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@ Zalphon - Thanks Zalphon !! Welcome back!

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@ Darkness Eternal - Thank you so much Darkness !! I struggled between Bravil or Bruma for those ballbusters, ROFL !! Finally figured Bruma didn't need them, and Bravil was a dirtier place so may fight dirty too, ROFL !! Thanks again, DE !!!


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