Theryon was isolated from everything except the sun and moons.
Really liked this line for some reason. You can see the familiar world, and yet it’s so far away.

The part about her ego… That shows how dangerous it really is. She’s already becoming malleable to his desires.

The return, nobody has a good reaction, except maybe Hannibal. I used to like Janus, lately not so much however. He kind of screwed up and Malan got her. Eyja… her reaction would be more welcome if Maxical had actually been with someone she loved. Asking Maxical if she’d been turned seemed kind of funny; could they trust what she said either way?

The part about Maxcical’s mother, it makes me wonder if she’d really been killed by a minotaur, or if Malan killed her.

I’ve never seen such eavesdroppers!
No kidding, what is with these people? Maxical should get them all some magazines.

Her blood, what’s she going to do with that?

Now that’s disturbing, I thought her tongue was burning when they were talking! I hope he didn’t hear the important parts! How are they going to fight this guy when he has free run of the palace?

*


I'm glad you picked up on that ego thing. Everyone that knows Maxical should feel a little pause there, because it doesn't sound like her. It isn't.

She is becoming malleable to Malan's nature without realizing it.

Maxical has been fighting his nature in a head-on battle to protect her heart, but not watching for what else it might try. It is sneaking past her defenses by using different tactics, finding her weak points and easing in - getting a foothold in her.

**

Maxical's tongue couldn't burn before Janus left the room, his presence blocked the seal. That is when Malan was eavesdropping.

(Malan followed Janus out so her seal wouldn't give his presence away).

Her tongue was burning in the vault, so Malan heard nothing that was said in there.

(that's why they wait till she gives the okay before getting down to business in that vault).


**

(I love what you said here about "could they trust her either way" - great point)!

**

Janus has Malan's same nature, they are one nature in two bodies - his interest in Maxical is tied up in Amiela being inside her, but not to the extent Malan is because Janus was born after Amiela was dead.

**

Because Janus shares Malan's nature (and hates Malan) AND due to the trick Malan used poaching Maxical - the nature is getting confused on who to defend. So it is defending Maxical.

Yes, the nature is fighting for a balanced union, BUT - it considers Maxical the sacred chosen and will protect her at all costs now.

This is another flaw in Malan's plan of making them split-aparts: Janus is being drawn into the battle between Malan, Maxical, Amiela, and the nature. When Malan is strong, Janus is weak (and vice versa).

Malan is weakening himself with those 'kiss of fires' - and Janus's rage at being duped (plus letting his nature out more often) is making him stronger.

Since they have the same nature, in Malan's weak moments - Janus can take control of the nature (and he hates Malan). So the nature is beginning to turn on Malan.

Hannibal's tome was right, the ancient is seeking that spell to his own detriment, Malan just doesn't realize it yet.


*

Woah Wait, wait, wait.

So Janus is getting stronger, and Malan is getting weaker, and since the nature consideres Maxical being chosen as sacred, it's doing whatever it can to protect her, and since Janus is getting stronger it's siding with him and turning against Malan?

Wait. Since Malan used that trick when poaching Maxical, the nature is confused on who to defend? Oh, wait I see it. Malan's nature turns against him when his actions are against Maxical, but it's trying to keep the union balanced, but is having trouble because of that trick. Now I get it. I think

This is just confusing. Why did Malan have to split his nature in two?! Couldn't he just keep it simple? Didn't he know he'd become weaker if Janus decided to start acting like a vampire? Doesn't it narrow down to common sense? Why is it so complicated

Malan is too confusing. He had to go and make everything so complicated didn't he. I'm not even sure what I'm trying to ask anymore.

Exactly right! That poaching trick has left Malan's nature in a turmoil, and when in doubt it will protect the sacred chosen first.

I won't clog the thread, I swear this is my last post:

I honestly think captain obvious needs to come into the picture and bash Malan in the face with the shield of common sense. It's a bit more than just obvious that if Malan split his nature in two, it would try to protect Janus as well, and while the nature was busy protecting Janus and making him stronger, Malan would get weaker. That's real bad for him, especially if Janus decides to fight him, and the nature is siding with Janus at the moment.

This is for Malan.


EDIT: This question has been bothering me for a while, but I keep forgetting to ask it: How did Malan's wife die in the first place anyway?

I refuse to clog the thread so I've resorted to editing....




Why punch him in the mouth? It's more painful if you electrocute him with a taser...

Just wanted to pop on here and show everyone the wonderful gift I just got from King Coin! The artwork is done by Juliana, who also draws KC's Aravi pictures for him. I hope you all will check out her other work on the site, she is a wonderful artist!

Here is the picture King Coin had made of her (click on image to enlarge it):



http://julienya.deviantart.com/art/Maxical-348304847


Thank you so very much KC, what a wonderful gift! I am bawling like a two year old here!



*

I think we can all agree Malan deserves a swift and decisive mouth-punching.

Hear hear!

What a magnificent opening! Maxical’s isolation was brought to vivid life, and right after this paragraph you showed the danger that Malan was to Maxical with his nature working within her. WOW!!!


Maxical’s delightful voice makes even the heights of magically enhanced passion hilarious to read. The image of a humping and braying Malan made her following thoughts about Fathis and Gils even more poignant.

The whole scene with the rest of the team at the palace was so funny. I love the phrase medley of mangled curses.

Yep, I would be happy to see some mouth-punching!

Woah! AWESOME artwork!! And seriously, why all the hate for Malan! MEH you guys! Elizabeth, I don't agree with you. Sorry

And I quote Grits on the intro. Maxical is going down a bad road, and Malan has blurred her vision. Was her mother killed by pirates? . Yeah, I must read her story on these forums soon. Though I know she wasn't killed by pirates, though.

It is quite the conflict between all these people, and who is stronger, and who is vulnerable.


Hehe, Jelly Janus is Jealous Janus!

"Polish his sword.”


And now Malan is getting in the tub with Maxical? What, Eyja is no longer invited? They seem to be getting awfully close, though. Hmm..

This gives me some worry. And I love this comment, too.

Haha!

*

@ King Of Beasts - Thank you so much KOB! Don’t feel too sorry for Janus, his interest in Maxical is tied up in Amiela’s soul being inside her too. I’m putting you on my payroll, you drew in more comments than my chapter did, lol! You had me rolling with your comments, thanks again KOB!

*
@ Acadian - Thank you so very much Acadian! I'm glad you and KC picked up on that ego thing. Everyone that knows Maxical should feel a little pause there, because it doesn't sound like her. It isn't. She is becoming malleable to Malan's nature without realizing it. Thank you so much again Acadian!

*
@ Darkness Eternal - Thanks for answering that for KOB, I didn’t know the answer, lol.

*
@ King Coin - Thank you so very much KC, and most especially for that awesome gift - the drawing from Juliana! I love it! I love what you said about "could they trust her either way" - what a great point! Thank you so much again, KC!

*
@ Elisabeth - Thank you so much Elisabeth! ROFL! Gee, and he was so well behaved in this chapter! (Just kidding!) Lol.

*
@ Grits - Thank you so very much Grits! …“humping and braying”…SPEW! ROFL! That ruined my monitor, lol. Thank you so much again, Grits!

*
@ Lycanthropic-Legend - Thank you so much LL! You had me choking laughing with your comment, but you also honed in on some key things Malan is up to. Thank you so much again, LL!





*

*


Chapter 190: Malan’s Nature


Malan’s nature taught me how to read Malan behind the masked expressions in his eyes and blanked mind. Despite all the affectionate touches and playfulness was detachment. Detachment from me.

There was only one answer why; Amiela. All those tender caresses were meant for Amiela inside me, not me…but I was the one feeling them. Worse, I craved his affection and didn‘t even know why. It was a weakness in me I couldn’t fathom, especially knowing what he planned for me.

Then the answer struck me with a chill. Malan’s nature. How had it slipped by my defenses? It must have changed tactics, sought and found my weaknesses to exploit. But how much of a foothold did it have in me…and would it still be my ally now that it did, or turn me over to Malan?

I glanced up and realized Malan was watching me closely. Dear gods I hope he hadn’t read my thoughts. I babbled out the first thing that popped into my head.

“Malan, please let Uriel’s last months be in peace.“

“Don’t worry your little cat head about what I’m doing.“

“I have to Malan. Once you step outside my bedroom, you stop being the Arbiter I’m under the jurisdiction of. I’m sworn to kill you or any of your army I see in this Palace.”

“You’re laying with your back to Dagoth-Malan and throwing challenges at him without even turning around first?”

“It’s the nature of the beast. You have yours, and I have mine“ I rolled over and looked at Malan surprised. “What was exciting about that?”

“You. You’re fearless Lass, tossing that gauntlet over your shoulder at me. Battle is in my blood, I chose that line because battle excites them. We’re gladiators, live for it. You could be one of us.”

“I can see it now, a giant cat. Imagine the size of sandbox I would need?”

“SNORT!”

“SHH!”

“You‘ve a cunning mind, Lass. It‘s exciting to see it in action.”

“I can tell.” I rolled away from him and sat up before he got ideas. “No, Malan.”

Malan raised his brows in such surprise that I had to avert my eyes before the ludicrous shock on his face could soften my resolve. They fell on the vial of my virgin blood, and I picked it up, staring dumbly at it. Why had I taken it? I wouldn’t have. Malan’s nature had done it. Dear gods, can it control my actions without me knowing?







***


“What’s going on in that cat head of yours, Lass?”

“I can’t, not here. You can’t teach the mysteries here, they’d be overheard. I can’t just cavort with you for fun, Malan. You‘re an enemy to the throne.“

As ashamed of myself as it made me, I heard regret in my voice. A glance at Malan’s eyes showed he’d heard it too. I turned red as a tomato, averting my eyes back onto the vial in my hands.

“Ah, I see. Unless I’m teaching the mysteries you’re consorting with the enemy, is that it?”

I nodded without looking up.

“Come then, Lass. Dagoth-Malan has his duties as Arbiter before him, I’ll have you back by morning. It’ll be like a date, romantic. Theryon has a nice pool that‘s never had a cat in it, we‘ll go for a moonlight swim.”

“A moonlight swim! That pool is indoors, you showed it to me already. You‘re trying to trick me by being charming.”

Malan cupped my chin in his hand and raised my face to his. His eyes were lit with amusement. “You find me charming, do you? Nae Lass, no trick. Dagoth-Malan feels the loss of freedom we had at Theryon with the same regret you do. Things we can’t do here, we can there; and the rest of your mysteries must be taught.” He raised his eyebrows twice like Eyja does.

My face flushed. Malan reminded me of Gils at times like this, somehow managing to come across as charming despite how obvious the direction his flirting was headed. Malan’s ridiculously mobile facial expressions made him even worse.

The worst part of this was, I wanted to go to Theryon with him…wanted what we’d been doing to continue. Even knowing what I did of him, his plans to use me as a body to house Amiela…why?

As I sat gazing at Malan’s grotesquely misshapen face the answer came. The circle inside me moved, and in the next instant his nature flooded through my heart. Malan’s nature had taken over.

Now that I realized it, I knew it was true. I could feel it coursing through me, engulfing and suffocating my will to keep fighting against it. Dear gods, would it stay on my side or play me into Malan’s hands?






***


Malan was closely watching my eyes with a slow smile spreading across his face. Had he read my thoughts? The fear that Malan’s nature might turn me over to him was overwhelming. I pushed against his hand on my chin.

“Uriel won’t let me leave again, Malan. I’ve my own duties for him to fulfill. I‘ll have to wait for the rest of my mysteries now, and then…we can’t ever meet again, it’ll have to be over between us.”

If I thought he’d protest it, I was wrong. Malan leaned his back against the wall, “As you say, Lass. If you change your mind, I’m but a thought away.”

“Janus said that before too. I don’t know what that means.”

“Think something, I’ll tell you what you thought.”

“Geez, that’s kind of putting me on the spot, like a pop quiz or something. Give me a second…”

“How can coming up with a thought be a test?”

“I don’t do a lot of thinking, you know. OH! Here’s one! I had a bottle of Janus’s juices to keep Azura’s seal from burning. It’s gone, it disappeared while you had me at Theryon the first time. I was going to ask you for some, and a bottle to put them in.”

“How is that thinking something? You just said the whole, Lass!“

“Oh. Sorry. But I do need those juices.”

“Sorry, Lass. Can’t have my chosen drinking another vampire’s juices. I’ll keep you supplied with my own.”

“Thank…er, hey wait. Won’t you need me with you to put them in a bottle?”

Malan raised his brows. “Ah, but you said we couldn’t meet. I was going to have young Eyja transfer it to the bottle for you.”

I gaped. “NO! They are illegal, no one can know I use them!”

“Can’t be providing illegal services here, Lass. You’ll have to come to Theryon for them.” He raised his eyebrows twice at me again.

“I’ll have to ask Uriel if I can leave for one night.”

“Only one night! Won’t you need to return for more juices?”

“Not if Hannibal has any scrolls, I’ll duplicate.”

“Dagoth-Malan is an excellent pickpocket. If Traven has scrolls, he won’t have them for long.”






***


Malan’s nature was burning through me like a fire now, and Malan knew it. His eyes reflected certainty, anticipation. I fidgeted nervously with the vial in my hands. The look in his eyes…dear gods, was he calling Amiela out to take over my body?

Panic surged into my throat suffocating the breath, my stomach lurched in rhythm with a heart straining to squeeze the instantly cortisol-thickened blood from it. Fear held me paralyzed, when every instinct in me screamed to run. Would I be lost forever if I didn‘t act?

The nature’s power suddenly intensified into a savage force inside me, wrenching my willpower in a fierce battle for control. I felt my last grip on it slipping under the brutal assault, and then Malan’s nature flooding through me. It was no longer my actions or words. Malan’s nature had completely taken over.

Without hesitation Malan’s nature popped the cork on the vial, tipping it with a jerk so my blood splashed into the air. Instantly the concentration was broken in Malan’s eyes. They bulged toad-like following the droplets as the spray landed on my chest in tiny trails that snaked down my sternum.

“That’s your sacred blood! What are you doing, Lass?”

I breathed relief. That look of concentration...I'd seen it that night at the Temple of the One. Malan was trying to reach Amiela, bring her out permanently. His own nature had just saved me. It was still my ally. His nature must have known what Malan was planning when it made me take the vial of my blood. I set the vial down, glancing up into his eyes.

“Read my mind.” I held an image in my head of my middle finger raised at him.

Before he could the sound of screaming and shrieking came from outside the room.

“AAAAH! I’M BLIND…HELP!”









***


I leaped up, sliding the bolt and barely cracking the door to peek out. It was Janus, completely nude and running around in circles shrieking. Malan eased in behind me, peering over the top of my head.

“What in blazes is wrong with the lad?”

“I…I’m not sure. Can you heal his eyes?”

“Dagoth-Malan will be less welcome than the pain he’s feeling, Lassie. Let Traven heal him, look here he comes out now.”

“Not again! For the gods sake, Hassildor! What’s gotten into you!” Hannibal grabbed Janus and pushed him none too gently down onto the hall bench. “Sit down! You could have at the least put a robe on!”

“Again? Why would he…” I felt horribly guilty.

Malan silently shut the door and slid the bolt back. “You going to tell Dagoth-Malan what you did to the lad?”

“Er…nothing, I’ve been in here with you. Eyja did it.”

“Did what?”

“How should I know? Er…can’t you read his mind?”

“What he’s thinking is that he can’t tell Traven anything without admitting he’s been letting his nature out right here in the Royal Chambers, Lassie. Uriel’s Law.”

“Your nature is out here, what’s the difference?”

“I’m considered a rogue, Lass. I’ve no public seat to lose, nor on the Diplomatic Immunity program. Hassildor has a lot to lose.”

“Oh.”

“The guilt is writ’ all over you, now spill.”

“I do feel horribly guilty, Malan. But it’s his own fault.”

Malan waved his hand in a circular motion, signaling me to continue.






***


“He wanted to try the ‘kiss of fire’, asked if the juices were spit into the eyes. I said ‘something like that‘. I guess he tried it, more than once from what Hannibal said.”

“BWAAHAA! Why didn’t you tell him?”

“SHH! Janus would teach it to every prostitute in Cyrodiil. That kiss is a special bond between us in our private moments. It’s my secret, and for my mate only…huh? What was exciting about that?”

“You, protecting our union. You’re a warrior, Lass.”

“Oh…er, quit Malan.“ I pulled away before he could get too motivated by my blinding Janus.

He pulled me back to him, raising his voice. “JUICES IN ME EYES, LASS! NOTHING COMPARES!“

“SHH! Stop that! I feel guilty enough!”

“Kiss me with a mystery or I’ll say again.” He grinned wickedly.

“You’re rotten, Malan!”

“JUICES IN ME EYES! NOW, LASS!”

“Malan!”

“Kiss then.”

“Catch me if you want one then.” I ran, darting around the ell in the room and knocking things down behind me to trip him up.

Malan’s speed took my breath, he moved like a feral leopard in graceful leaps over any obstructions I tossed as I ran. He would be a devastating enemy to try and flee from, caught me in no time and took more than the kiss he originally sought.






***


It was realms different than any of our previous mating, and without the use of mysteries on either of our part. His passion was greater…and louder than it had ever been before. No doubt I would take some ribbing from Eyja and Uriel over it.

“That battle line you chose…” I put my hand up with the thumb raised and flagged it forward in the Arena sign for ’good move’.

“Now you’ve gone and done it, Lass. Dagoth-Malan will be looking for your challenge every time I come to you for my mating from now on.”

“I’m a step ahead of you, Malan. I’ve already made a list of challenges to use.”

“BWAAHAAA! HURRY, PUT THE JUICES IN MY EYES!”

“Malan! You are terrible! I should do it so you’ll stop that! And quit making that downtrodden face, too. You’re the biggest ham!”

Malan propped himself up on one arm, stroking my cheek in a gentle caress with the fingers of his other hand. “Your sacred blood, Lass; centuries old I am, you brought Dagoth-Malan something he’s never known.”

“Your nature is jammed full of ideas to please you in ways you’ve never known. It said your palate was jaded.”

“Aye Lass, that‘s truth. Blood and women come easy for Dagoth-Malan. It palls when centuries pass with nothing new to feel, or taste. Ancients need the chosen, a love greater than the time that is passing; and who our own nature gives the ideas to spark the palate to life again.”

“That’s me, Malan. Your nature is inside me, I’m the one it will give the ideas to. But we’ll end once my mysteries are taught. When you stuff Amiela into another, you’ll have her but no nature sparking your palate. She’ll never give you what I can.”



*

“I can’t, not here. You can’t teach the mysteries here, they’d be overheard. I can’t just cavort with you for fun, Malan. You‘re an enemy to the throne.“
As ashamed of myself as it made me, I heard regret in my voice. A glance at Malan’s eyes showed he’d heard it too. I turned red as a tomato, averting my eyes back onto the vial in my hands.’
So much here! And captured so well by your masterful quill.

“I don’t do a lot of thinking, you know.”
Oh, poor Maxical! Even if she does underestimate herself.

Janus spitting his own juices in his own eyes! Priceless!

What a complex web you have woven! Some of the implications really began to come to light at the end of this episode. It seems as if a relevant admonishment to Malan could be, ‘Be careful what you ask for.’

I lost it everytime Malan went "SPIT THE JUICES IN MY EYES!"

XD

Sigh. I was hoping Maxical would keep the nature from taking her over, but at least it's on "her" side.

I laughed so hard at this that my side started hurting and I almost dropped the laptop

If I had seen that, I would have died of laughter and my body would still be laughing. Thank god I wasn't drinking or eating anything. I would have had to repair my computer.

Maxical needs to watch out, she's very vulnerable right now.

I can't help but wonder...

What the hell is going through Malan's mind thorought all of this,

And what the hell is he planning to do with Uriel?




He's so bad at trying to win Maxical that it's sad, and I can only feel pity for the poor guy.....

A bit.....



Well behaved? Since when is Malan...."well behaved"?

When he's acting nice its a pretty good idea to be suspicious.....

Or suffer the consequences of your reckless actions

And about punching Malan in the mouth.....no. Just no. That's not a cruel enough punishment.

Now if you take a taser and shock him with that.....that seems a bit more painful...

Unless he's immune to electrocution

Now off I go.....to plot horrible ways to torment Malan

EDIT: This question is slightly off-topic but....

If you we to take a pair of pliers, and pull a vampire's fangs out with them....

Would the fangs grow back?

This nature isn’t something you can fight forever. It’ll get in as Maxical has learned. I am glad to see that, despite the nature bending her feelings, she realizes that Malan is not her friend. It’s still not pleasant seeing her crave his attention.

There are times where I wonder if he’s having difficulty reading her mind, and other times where I know he heard everything perfectly.
“AAAAH! I’M BLIND…HELP!”
What an idiot! At least his idiocy provided a distraction. I didn’t like where that was going before, and this sidelined the whole thing.

*


@ EVERYONE - It just was brought up to me that I didn't make a few things clear in this chapter, want to clear them up here.

The nature knew Malan was planning to try to reach Amiela and bring her out permanently - that's why it made Maxical take that blood, and why it opened it.

The nature knows Malan can't think/plot while smelling virgin blood. That's why it dumped it into the air, so he would be overwhelmed by the scent and distracted by the surprise of Maxical's action in doing that.

The nature had her pour the blood on her so Malan would not be able to concentrate whenever he got near Maxical. (remember, Malan always gets that "concentrating" look on his face whenever trying to bring Amiela out - just like he did that night in the Temple of the One).

The nature was protecting Maxical, because technically Malan would be killing her by bringing Amiela out permanently.


** EDIT: I edited that passage so the meaning is clearer. My fault, I was watching my word count, lol.

I thought this was chilling. Like recognizing an addiction.


Condescending prick. I’m really steamed!


This was such an uncomfortable moment to experience with Maxical. She has really been coming into her own and has such tremendous spirit. Her shame was painful!


Woo hoo! That was awesome after the very tense blood-spilling part. You gave just the right amount of explanation, even I knew what was going on with your additions.

Then oh my goodness, the eyes!! That was hysterical. That horndog Janus trying to out-lust Malan! And Eyja!! I can’t believe she tried it the second time!

I love how things came together in this chapter with very serious danger to Maxical and yet it also had one of my favorite hilarious parts.

Does sound like Maxical's having more fun than she'll admit to herself...Nature or not... ...

I wish Malan'd stop refering to himself in third-person though...Robert is finding it irratating... ...

Fair dues, I really never know what to expect next (except brilliance of course )...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds most heartily*...

Malan. I love you. And Maxical too and all of the shananigans going through her cat head.

This Chapter: Of naked Janus Horny Hassildor, Juices in me eyes Malan, and nature-fighting Maxical, this chapter was wonderful. She's matured a great deal, I've noticed.



Considering everyone always eavesdropes, I can't help but agree with him. I do thing it's amusing how he refers to himself as "Dagoth-Malan.", hehe. I love it how his craving(virgin blood) proves to be his ultimate weakness, as plotting and scheming is what makes Malan a strong. Through his intelligent and sharp mind, he can change things to his benefit and the disadvantage of others.

Malan

Nits:
"Hs nature must have known what Malan was planning when it made me take the vial of my blood."

I believe you missed a single letter in the first word

*

@ Acadian - Thank you so very much Acadian! Your comment absolutely made my day, and I loved the “beware what you ask for” - very fitting! Thank you so much again, Acadian!

*
@ Elisabeth Hollow - Thank you so much, Elisabeth! Lol, on the spitting juices - I got a kick out of everyone’s reactions to that, lol. Yeah, Maxical just got through assuring Uriel she was safe and then lost it. Thank you so much again, Elisabeth!

*
@ King Of Beasts - Thank you so much KOB! SPEW! Your comment had me dying! You are right about her being vulnerable. She is def in way over her head with Malan. Vampire fangs - don’t know about that, Darkness Eternal is who I turn to with any vampire questions. Thank you so very much KOB!

*
@ King Coin - Thank you so very much KC! I have to agree with you, he reads her mind a lot more than she remembers to blank it. Thank you so much again, KC!

*
@ Grits - Thank you so very much Grits! Your kind words are so appreciated! I lost my keyboard on the “Horndog Janus” - ROFL!

Eyja - Eyja doesn’t care what the job is, as long as the pay is good. She’ll do it as many times as Janus pays her to.

To quote what Eyja said the first day she met Maxical, she will “steal all Nirn, lay it, then murder it if there’s enough gold in it.”

Thank you so very much again, Grits!

*
@ McBadgere - Thank you so much McB! You are right. As much as it shames her to admit it, she is enjoying mating (even if it is with Malan). Thanks again, McB!

*
@ Darkness Eternal - Thank you so very much DE! I have to agree with you, Malan is a blast to write for. Talking about himself in 3rd person - I kind of thought that suited his personality really well, lol.

Thank you so much for that nit! I totally missed that, and so appreciate you caught it!


*

*


Chapter 191: The Nightmare


Janus said the nature would turn my heart toward Malan as powerfully as a bloodlust, but instead it was growing inside me a deep love for itself. That wasn’t supposed to happen.

Malan’s nature was protecting me against even Malan himself, at least for right now. That wasn’t supposed to happen either. The nature’s first defense is always to itself, then the union. Since Malan placed his nature in me without making me his chosen, there was no union.

Obviously that poaching trick had the nature off balance, it was wavering between acting as if it belonged to me and embarrassingly overt attempts at manipulating Malan into creating the union that would stabilize it.

Malan’s nature belonged to Janus too, and hadn‘t he said he accepted Amiela as his chosen…or was that me, since she’s been inside me all this time?

I felt an ominous awareness that Amiela was the central force between the three of us. All of us sharing Malan’s nature, only a wall dividing us. It was like juggernauts on a collision course that would end with me…or end me.







***


“What’s got into you, Lass? You’ve been out of sorts since coming back to the Palace, talking of us ending since we got here. Next minute you’re flinging your sacred blood around like catfish bait, now you’re fighting to keep me. What brought all this on, Maxical?”

Malan had a downtrodden look on his face that matched the tone in his voice, but with Malan I couldn‘t tell if he was putting it on deliberately to con me. My tail stilled its stroking on Malan while I tried to think how best to answer.

“I don’t know, Malan. I think it’s your nature doing it all, but…maybe some of it is me too. Malan, there’s only three mysteries left before your duties as Arbiter end, then we‘ll have nothing. What happens then? I don’t know where I stand, what you want with me.”

“Where does Dagoth-Malan stand?”

“I’m torn, Malan. I’m not cut out for a double life. I mean, at Theryon everything felt timeless. It felt like nothing existed but us, it was fun being with you there. Here I can’t forget you seek the throne, I have to know what is going on.”

“You said the decision would be mine; when my Arbiter duties ended either stay together or part ways. You making the decision for me now?”

“Yes…no. I don’t know.”

“Tell me this then, Lass. What do you want?”

“You, us…our union. Your nature is inside me, I belong to you now. I’m growing attached to you, and the mysteries too; craving what we have together. Through two husbands, you’re the only man I’ve ever mated. It’ll always be you I'll think of, I don’t want to be with anyone else. I don‘t know how we can stay together, but I don’t want it to end.”

“The mysteries create followings for a reason, Lass. You saw that with your man Fathis. It doesn’t have to end, you want to keep what we have then?”

“But what do you want with me?” I glanced up at Malan and was startled to find him watching me closely, that same intense look of concentration on his face he‘d had earlier.

Inside me a roiling of dread began. Surely he wasn’t trying to reach Amiela, bring her out while we lay together still bathed in the sweat of mating?

The minute I thought that, Malan’s nature rose up in me like a feral demon about to do battle. I didn’t know if it was fueling my temper or I was rousing its. For that moment it felt like we’d combined forces. My hair felt like it may spontaneously combust any second as I sat up, searching Malan’s eyes.

Malan gaped, his eyes bulging ludicrously in astonishment when he saw the look in mine. “What’s on that mind of yours now, Lass?”

“That trick you used poaching me, Malan. You didn’t make me your chosen, but the nature you placed inside me thinks I am. It’s protecting what we have, our union; because the one you had with Amiela is dead. You can’t have us both, Malan.”

“What are you saying, Lass?”

“I’m saying Amiela is a threat to our union. The deeper I feel for you, the more powerful in me the drive is to eliminate…“ I choked that back, trying to get control of my tongue.

A genuine shock reflected in his eyes that he struggled to cover quickly with a bland look.









***


For a split second I felt sick inside, wished I hadn’t told him. I’d already suspected he’d lied about wanting to make me his chosen properly, but to have it proven meant…if he lied about that, what other lies did he tell that day? Fathis’s soul? I couldn’t stand even the thought that he had lied about that.

Malan’s nature had become savage within me, igniting my own temper into fairly spitting my words at Malan.

“I knew it! You never wanted to make me your chosen properly, did you? What else was lies, your vows? If all you want is a bodysack with mysteries for housing Amiela, best shop the graveyards for Dunmer widows. You’ll never have mine except with me; and don‘t forget your nature lives in me now too. It won’t let you take it from me or give it to another, or didn’t you think of that either? Now you owe me the rest of my mysteries, Arbiter. Then we part ways.”

Malan looked stunned. “Now what burr got under that cat tail of yours, Lass? One minute you’re sweet-talking me about love, the next I could chill wine with your voice! Ah, ladies time is it? Dagoth-Malan understands. Come, let me sooth your ill mood.”

“Huh? What are you talking about, ladies time? What’s that?”

“Didn’t you learn these things in school? Dagoth-Malan knows how you lassies get when this time comes…” I cut him off mid sentence.

“NO! Dagoth-Malan is changing the subject, that‘s what‘s going on! And don‘t make any of your cute faces either!”

“You back to sweet-talking now? Calling Dagoth-Malan cute? Never heard that before.”

“You’re not cute! I said your face! ARGH!”

“You leave me speechless Lass!”

“I doubt that. I want the truth, Malan. I laid my cards on the table for you right from the start; you always knew I wouldn’t do that for you. So why are you still here? Why did you stick your nature in me?”






***


I could have spit with rage at myself for the tears that started making their way down my cheeks and my damn voice breaking as I continued.

“I feel like I’m hanging in a balance and you hold the weight that will tip it. You owe me the rest of my mysteries, but…I don’t want to learn them from you if you’re just using me for your plots. This is all one-sided and I don‘t like it.”

“Is that what this is about? Lass, we spent the last week at Theryon and could have done it up proper any time. I told you I was ready, ‘twas you said to wait till the mysteries were taught. Ancient protocol forbids us to take unwilling chosen, the okay has to come from you. I had to wait because you said to.”

Malan raised his hand to swear the truth of his next words, stunning me speechless. “I give you my word, it’ll be done proper the next time we go to Theryon.” His voice rang true, he wasn‘t lying.

I stared dumbly at his raised hand. Did he mean it? Was I wrong about him? My hand slowly reached up to clasp his.









***


As my lips were brushing Malan’s in the vow, the sound of a slamming door and Janus cursing jarred my already jangled nerves. I jumped nearly through my skin. Malan snorted.

“Don’t eat yourself up in guilt over the lad, think of it as revenge for what he did to your man Fathis.”

“What do you mean?”

“That spell he put on Fathis that made him impotent. Didn’t you wonder why Fathis couldn’t raise his sword with you?”

Stunned, I sat gaping at Malan. “What? That’s the spell Fathis was talking about? Dear gods, I thought Fathis had no desire for me, I broke with him over it! Why would Janus do that to Fathis?”

“He wanted your blood pure, Lass.”

It was hard to sleep after that revelation. Inside me was a rage like I’ve never felt. Ancients think nothing of destroying other’s lives, for whatever benefits their lusts. Janus was no better than Malan.

I glared over at Malan and was stunned to see him smiling at me. Genuinely and warmly smiling. No masked expression hiding reading his eyes, he really looked happy.

“What is it?”

“Thinking about our vow, going to Theryon next with you, Lass.” Malan pulled me down next to him, holding me tightly against him and talking quietly into my ear. “Soon we‘ll be together the way it should have been all along.”

My heart gave an odd flip. Had Malan started caring for me?

Malan cupped my chin, lifting my face to his. “Kiss me, but no mystery this time. Dagoth-Malan needs a rest.”




***


That vow, Malan’s happiness…it made me feel safer with Malan. Knowing his nature guarded me was a soothing balm relaxing me. I fell into an exhausted sleep right there on the thick carpet of what was once Prince Ebel’s playroom, Malan’s arms holding me tightly to him and both of mine wrapped around his neck.

My dreams were disjointed impressions of Theryon; of that alcove in Malan’s lab and the sound of a guttural monotone echoing around me in an unknown language. The stench was inescapable, filling my nostrils till I felt myself gagging. Then there was a horrible incessant shrieking, like a wild beast being slaughtered slowly.

It was one of those dreams that leave you feeling disoriented on waking, my head felt thick and foggy and I could still hear the screaming even as I sat up in the bed. The bed? How did I get into the bed? Dear gods, had I slept through Malan moving me? I checked quickly for Fathis’s ring, it was on my finger where it belonged.

“What’s wrong, Lass?”

“I was having a nightmare; a dying beast, but I still hear it! What is that horrible racket?”

Malan’s eyes were lit with laughter. “Eyja.”

“Dear gods! Is she being murdered?”

“Nae Lass, she’s mating. I can’t tell you with who, you may scream like a banshee from shock.”

“Who could hear it over that if I did?”

“Point taken, guess then.”

“Janus?”

“Nae, she’d be snoring then.”

“Or healing his eyes. It can’t be Hannibal…”

“No screaming now. ‘Tis.”

“GAAAAH!”

“SHHH!”

“Urgh, gross! That’s disgusting, like hearing your parents or something.”

“Don’t worry about that, Lass. I’ve not heard a peep out of him. That is all Eyja.”

“Dear gods, no sound at all? Do you think she killed him?”

“Nae Lass, why would she still be screaming if he was dead?”

“Maybe she doesn’t know yet…you know, Rigid Morkus.”

“SNORT!”

“SHH!”

“That racket would cover the slaughter of a village, Lass.”

“Geez, how long does it take? Maybe we should pound on the wall and tell her to polish his sword already.”

“SNORT!”

“SHH!”







***



It was late the next morning before Azura’s seal on my tongue burned me awake. To my shock, Malan was gone. I sat up, looking around at the empty room.

“Malan?” I hurried up, running around the ell and calling Malan. Nothing.

A glance around the room showed he’d left no juices for me. Inside me was a strange empty feeling. Probably just missing Malan, I was used to him being there every time I woke these past two weeks.

Then the thought struck me…dear gods, had he removed Amiela while I slept? Maybe he did, doing it so we could be together…wait. If it was for us, then where was he?



*

Wait.....does that mean Maxical is falling in love with herself



ROFL This is definitely my favorite part in the chapter.



Hell no you've never heard that before! dude, you look like a ogre broke your face and then tried to put in back together.



Did the guards trap him, or did he just leave?



You know mALX, I'm usually a villain fan, but Malan is really hurting Maxical emotionally, and that really gets me mad. He seriously deserves a painful death, or a swift kick in the nuts.

BUT WAIT.....

I'm not saying I hate him. Malan is a pretty badass villain. I've got to admit I'm rooting for him a tiny bit.....

But right now, he really deserves a a smack-down

That whole "Eyja and Traven having sex" scene was friggin' HILAROUS, but I completely lost it at ths part:




D-E-D lol

Brilliant write, as ever...

An amazing job of capturing her confusion over her emerging feelings...

Nice one!!..

*Applauds heartily*....

Maxical’s considered perspective in the opening paragraph was ominous indeed, and a wonderful way to open this episode.

“I knew it! You never wanted to make me your chosen properly, did you? What else was lies, your vows? If all you want is a bodysack with mysteries for housing Amiela, best shop the graveyards for Dunmer widows. You’ll never have mine except with me; and don‘t forget your nature lives in me now too. It won’t let you take it from me or give it to another, or didn’t you think of that either? Now you owe me the rest of my mysteries, Arbiter. Then we part ways.”
Here, I wanted to cheer!

‘I stared dumbly at his raised hand. Did he mean it? Was I wrong about him? My hand slowly reached up to clasp his.
Oh crap, what have I done.’
Oh crap, I was thinkin’ the same thing! What an emotional roller coaster you have crafted.

‘My heart gave an odd flip. Had Malan started caring for me?’
You paint Malan so well, and describe Maxical’s confusion so vividly that I can understand why she asks this – even though we know the answer. Malan has to be one of the most complex and magnificently portrayed villains evaahh! I remain in awe of how you keep us on a knife’s edge, even though in our heads, we know what an oily and scheming merchant of misery he is.

I’m glad Maxical learned about the spell of perpetual softsword that Janus inflicted on Fathis. She can now readjust her thinking about both Janus and Fathis.

‘It was late the next morning before Azura’s seal on my tongue burned me awake.’
Wow, this sentence is not only horrifically appropriate and efficient, but it simply oozes with cool! As Maxical ponders waking alone and the feeling of emptiness inside, I find my curiosity drawn right back to the dream she just had. . . .

Uh-oh, Malan’s nature is getting out a lot more in this. It’s sickening how much control it has now. She’s begging Malan to be with her, despite everything she knows about him. It’s also imperative that it keeps Malan’s wife under control as well.

YOU IDIOT!!! Don’t tell him his weakness! …Wait, something good has come from this. She’s finally opening her eyes to Malan’s true nature…
…and it seems like she’s backtracking…
His voice rang true, he wasn‘t lying.
You know he’s lying. Arrrgh!! She’s so close!!! She said it right here: Ancients think nothing of destroying other’s lives, for whatever benefits their lusts. That nature is protecting her from Malan’s wife but making her easily manipulated by Malan himself.

Her dream sounded horrible… I hope it wasn’t of her mother’s death.

I won't clog the thread but.....

I have a question!

Is Amiela a bigger threat than Malan, because it seems like Janus, Maxical, and Malan are all pawns in her game. Malan seems to be in somewhat the same position with Amiela as Maxical is in with him(he's desperately trying to keep Amiela around, (or bring her back to life in this case) like Maxical is trying to keep him around, but his case is at a much more severe degree...).

Another question! Is Malan truly evil, or is he just a bit insane because Amiela died, and his own hunger for power has fueled the urge to fulfill his promise to her, which seems to have been bent on domination as well....
I'm just wondering, because sometimes it doesn't seem like he's wholly evil, but that might just be him being deceptive.

End of questions. Also, I gotta agree with KC. Why the in oblivion would Maxical reveal to Malan his biggest weakness?!

You hit the nail on the head with question 2, Malan is deceptive. I wanted him to be almost likable, that the only time anyone saw his evil side was when they were on the receiving end of it. I wanted his evil to be a concept we only got glimpses of when he allowed it.

You have a very good point about Amiela. Malan was always evil, but (as Janus told Maxical, Amiela's evil matched Malan's or was worse). Amiela is the driving force behind everything Malan has done since she died, including the attack on Janus Hassildor - using Dagoth-Ur's blood to make Janus immortal ; and Malan's original cocktail of blood to make Janus a split-apart - so Malan would have access to Janus's blood at any given time to ensure Amiela never died again (once Malan used necromancy to bring Amiela back).


EDIT: The nature considers Amiela a threat to the union - it has been trying to get rid of her since Malan brought Maxical back to the lair. The nature was threatening Amiela so Malan would remove her from Maxical. Maxical tried to choke back the words but it was too late, Malan realized what was going on. Malan realized immediately that he'd made a stupid mistake in planting his nature inside Maxical. Now he is going to adjust his plots to ensure Amiela's safety and get away from his nature inside Maxical...if he can.

This whole chapter had me breathless. Maxical’s emotions and confusion feel like a spiral moving more tightly toward the center. The whole part up to the nightmare made my jaw drop. Awesome!

ROFL, Eyja and Traven. Rigid Morkus!! Hilarious.

Maxical’s empty feeling when she woke up alone came through so well. Even though I know the answers, her doubts are so convincing that I’m still questioning myself. I am in pure awe over this!

In case anyone is interested, I've put a chapter summary up on page 1 of this thread.

It has Malan's plotline posted separate from Maxical's chapters - the Malan plotline one will keep up with his plots, how they are having to change each time he makes a mistake or Maxical messes one of his plots up.

That one will also tell why the nature is doing something.

I've marked the places on there where Malan made mistakes (and why), and the couple times Maxical or Janus have inadvertantly thwarted him so he had to change his plots and adjust them around the roadblock. (and told what his new course of action was due to the change in plans.

I just thought it would ease it some for you if you had a printout of his plotline to kind of keep an eye on what he is planning for Maxical and what she is doing to thwart him.

To be honest, I enjoyed writing it because (it is a way for me to keep up with Malan's plots, lol).

Too, it really put it in my face what all Maxical and Janus have put Malan through since Chapter 68 - without even realizing it most times.

Malan removing Amiela is where everything starts happening fast towards Maxical swearing war on Malan. Once she does that, all H is going to break out for Malan. She will hound him like a dog till he drops.

I really appreciate you all, and hope you all enjoy this story. It means a tremendous lot to me that you all said such wonderful things about Malan on the bad guy thread! Thank you all so much!

I am inclined to agree with King of Beasts. I may advocate tyranny in all of its many forms (in fiction), but I have a special distaste for things such as that. Not only is it unnecessary, but it also shows sadism which makes a character unlikable for me. Dagoth Malan, may your death be swift!

It's official.

I've had a nightmare about Malan.

What have you done to me, mALX?!?!

-sobs-

I just wanted to read a story!

:]

Watch, now that nightmares have been mentioned, I'm going to end up having bad dreams about him

Anyway,

What was the nightmare about...

If you actually had one...

I don't know! I was iceskating in a library (no joke) and Malan just popped up and said something like "Dagoth Malan eats the souls of children"

I don't know. And the chocolate pudding rained down... wait. I think I'm confusing my dreams.

Nevermind. XD

At least the dream isn't that scary. When I have nightmares they usually involve me being murdered. Watch. Im going to end up having a nightmare that Malan murdered me tonight

What did he look like?


Oh, And WTH were you doing ice-skating in a library?!

I DON'T KNOW! It seemed really normal at the time, lol.

He looked all pale and bulked out and bald.

That's so descriptive

I know what I'm going to do the next time I visit a library though

And we should take this conversation somewhere else so we don't clog mALX's thread

*

@ King of Beasts - Thank you so much KOB! Malan took Amiela and left Maxical. Now that his own nature is turning on him, and with both Janus and Maxical carrying it - if he wasn’t so close to taking over the Palace he’d be getting the H out of Dodge.

On your question - Amiela's evil surpasses Malan's. She is the driving force behind everything Malan has done since she died, including the attack on Janus Hassildor. Thank you so much again KOB!

*
@ Elisabeth Hollow - Thank you so much Elisabeth! ROFL! Eyja isn’t quiet in anything she does, lol. Your nightmare sounds like Pizza dreams, lol. Thanks again, Elisabeth!

*
@ McBadgere - Thank you so much for your kind words McB! It is so good to see you back on the boards!

*
@ Acadian - Thank you so very much Acadian! I absolutely loved this comment, you captured everything Maxical was going through so well - and nailed the truth about Malan at every turn! Thank you so much again, Acadian!

*
@ King Coin - Thank you so very much KC! Yes, the nature is definitely out of whack. It is see-sawing back and forth between trying to create the union that will stabilize it and acting like it belongs to Maxical. Don’t worry, when in doubt it will protect the sacred chosen first.

That was no dream, but the impressions of what was happening around Maxical. Thank you so much again, KC!

*
@ Grits - Thank you so very much for your kind words Grits! That really made my day!

*
@ Zalphon - Thank you so much Z! And thank both you and KOB for jumping to Maxical’s defense! She needs friends like that!

*
@ EVERYONE - It means a tremendous lot to me that you all said such wonderful things about Malan on the bad guy thread! Thank you all so much! I really appreciate you all!


I posted a chapter by chapter summary of Malan’s plot lines on page one (1) of this thread in case it can be helpful to anyone.








*

*


Chapter 192: Revelations



Malan was gone. It felt lonely and too quiet without his booming jovial presence. Time with Malan passed without notice, he was so entertaining that even the mundane seemed fun with him. I felt empty inside without him.

For the first time since I’d come to the Palace, no one was desiring company. Uriel and Eyja were both snoring so loudly they could be heard through my bedroom walls. Janus’s room door was open, he wasn’t in his room.

Hannibal’s sleeping form didn’t budge even after I called his name. He was probably dead from his night with Eyja, I seriously considered holding a looking glass below his nostrils to see if it fogged.

Instead I grabbed the tome on ancient vampires off his nightstand and brought it into my room to study it. It was marked at the chapter on chosen as if I was meant to flip it to that page. I scanned down the page till one passage caught my eye.

“The lairs belonged to both the chosen and the ancient. No women can enter a chosen’s lair without her permission.” I mouthed the words. “Hmph! Can’t do much about it if she’s inside you.”

The tome said that Malan was supposed to stay by my side while I slept, or leave his guard to watch over my sleep as a signal to other ancients. Wait, Malan left me while I was sleeping. Where was his guard?

Azura‘s seal wouldn’t be burning a hole through my tongue right now if they were in my room, even in vapor form. I twisted the Life Detect ring on my finger, glancing first to the doors, then up at the glass dome above me. There was no army guarding. Why was I sleeping unguarded?

The image of that night in the Temple of the One came hauntingly back. That bone-chilling sight, the pink outlines of thousands of giants reflected by my Life Detect ring. This ring.

Malan’s army stood guard all that night. Janus said that signaled other ancients that I belonged to him. He put his guard on me that night, why wouldn’t I have one now? And where was Malan?






***


Back then I thought that guard was for Amiela, but after seeing how happy Malan was last night, that vow…his emotions were real, unguarded and genuine for the first time since…

The memory flashed in my mind of that night Malan first raised Amiela inside me, that kiss. It felt like coming home from a long journey, he kissed Amiela with the hunger of centuries parted. His emotions were raw and genuine. I’ve never felt that from him again. Not till last night.





All along? My stomach lurched with sickening clarity. He was talking to Amiela. His vow to make me his chosen…lies, or I'd have a guard on me while I slept.

Amiela was in me that night at the Temple when I was guarded all night. That guard, Malan’s happiness and promises…all for Amiela. And she must be gone from me, or I’d have one now. That nightmarish dream…waking up in the bed. Malan performed necromancy on me while I slept.





An undercurrent of dread hung over me, realizing how naïve I’d been thinking any of it was for me. It had always been for her, all of it. Malan was romantic and intimate in every word, every touch. He never said he loved me outside of during our mating, but showed it in so many other ways…and I was the one feeling it. I believed it, wanted it to be for me. I felt everything he meant for her, and he knew it…manipulated me by exploiting that weakness in me.





Uriel said that. It shamed me that I hadn’t remembered that, or any of his warnings while I was with Malan. I’d failed Uriel, and with his worst enemy. He’d been right about everything.






***


What other vows had been lies? A sickening feeling twisted in my stomach. Fathis. All those times Malan said Fathis was dead he was in control of the situation. But that night in the Temple of the One Malan was backed in a corner when he said if I just waited, I’d be with Fathis.

And then I knew it was the truth. Fathis was alive, and Malan had him in that dungeon. But was Fathis a vampire? My breathing began to hyperventilate remembering Janus’s words that day. Malan had me in his lair three days before he took my virginity…my neck and wrist ravaged…tearing wounds like vampires new to feeding…





The fear in me boiled up into a keening that strangled against my throat, but with it came the memory of Uriel shaking me like a ragdoll and ordering me to suck it up.

It took every bit of strength and willpower I had, and I was shaking from the strain it took…but I smothered the keening back, choking it down into a horrible groaning inside me.

Uriel had ordered me to bury pain and fear inside me, turn it into rage and use it for thought and action. He was right, I needed to think about everything Malan said that night in the Temple.

Malan said to wait, his plan was for me to be with Fathis. Since Amiela was inside me, that must mean Malan planned to use Fathis’s body for himself. He wanted Amiela immortal…wait. He’d want to be immortal too. That means he’d make Fathis immortal, if he hasn’t already. But Fathis knows all the high security access codes, doesn’t that mean Malan would have to keep Fathis’s soul intact? I breathed in relief.






***


Malan was too close to realizing his dream of the throne, he won’t leave this Palace. But what was holding him back? He could have moved on it all this time…

And then it hit me, Malan’s own words that day he raised up Amiela inside me.





You’re almost back, we’re almost there. Malan promised Amiela she’d be by his side when he reached the throne. That had to be the promise he was talking about. He really was trying to raise Amiela up inside me last night.

Malan’s own nature saved the throne and upset his plots by defending me. He was one step from the throne when he had to remove Amiela from me. I’d bet that’s why his eyes were gleaming in excitement last night, he thought it was a done deal.

I tucked the tome under my arm and hurried to Uriel’s chambers, he needed to be warned. His chambers door was bolted, but Janus opened it at my scratch. The burning of Azura’s seal on my tongue was immediately gone as I stepped in, and I sighed in relief.

Janus glared through painful-looking red rimmed eyes before averting his face, and all but growling out the words, “Uriel is sleeping, and doesn’t want to be disturbed.”

“Oh.”

It was all I could do to attempt pleasant conversation with him after learning what he did to Fathis and me. I buried my rage with a strenuous effort and said nothing about it, reminding myself that Uriel needed Janus’s help rescuing Fathis and taking down Malan. I needed him right now too, standing near him brought the only relief available from the burning pain of Aura’s seal on my tongue.

“Good morning, Janus. I hope you slept well.” I forced out.

“Is that some kind of joke?”

Janus’s tone grated on my temper, I forcibly bit back the retort that sprang into my mind and sought a pleasant tone.

“Well, I see someone woke up on the wrong side of bed this morning.”

“Oh, I guess you think that’s funny, rubbing my nose in it?”

Stunned, I gaped at him. “Huh?“

“How could anyone sleep with all that racket?“

My temper fizzled out and I breathed relief. Janus‘s surly temper was not directed at me, but lack of sleep.

“Oh, you mean Eyja? I know, I thought a village was being slaughtered. I plan to write instructions on sword-polishing on this card and give it to her as a joke.”

“It wasn’t her noise that bothered me, I’ve used her services enough that I’ve become used to it.”

Dear gods, was this over his burned eyes? I dared not bring them up.

“Oh…er…haha. You must be deaf then, I‘m pretty sure I am now.”

“If you are deaf, you have only yourself to blame.”

“Me? What did I do?”

“He poached you by fraud, his heart will never turn. You said you had no intention of sleeping with him again, there was no need because your blood had changed. What was all that racket then? Were his eyes burning?“






***


Janus blew his temper on me, after all the holding of my own I had done. Obviously the presence of his worst enemy mating loudly in the next room was a huge source of agitation to Janus. It was all I could do to keep from spitting in his face.

“They probably were, he likes it. Instead of pleasure seeking and eavesdropping on our passion, why didn’t you rescue Fathis like you vowed? You knew Malan was occupied here, and have access to his the lair.”

Janus looked like he may turn giant and go on a rampage through the Palace. I tried to put a calming hand on his arm. He jerked it away.

“I’m sorry for losing my temper Janus, but best you look at yourself to blame for all of this, including this war. Fathis would have ended my virginity anytime, but YOUR spells kept him from it. YOUR spells are why Fathis confronted you at the Arena, and that brought Malan and started this war.”

“That doesn’t explain why you’re sleeping with him now!”

“I have to! Malan is the Arbiter of Dunmer law, he holds my life in his hands because of my marriage to Gils. By law, he has to kill me unless he takes me for himself. Fathis married me to protect me from the law, but YOUR spells kept him from his duties as husband.. That I’m with Malan is YOUR fault!”

“Those lucky bastards! How do they come up with this stuff?” Janus stomped off fuming.

Janus ignored the accusations of his responsibility in all this, but I noticed he hadn’t denied putting that spell on Fathis. He had to have done it.










***


Uriel’s bedchamber door was bolted so I couldn‘t spill my ire to him, and Janus leaving meant Uriel would be unguarded if I left too. I slid the bolt locked and slumped down into the chair Janus had warmed, pulling a quill from the jar to start my card for Eyja.

Why had Malan told me the truth about Janus putting that spell on Fathis? It was probably the only time Malan’s mouth was open that a lie didn’t come out. Malan never does anything without a reason. It must avail him somehow that I hate Janus, but how? What reason would he have to want me hating Janus? I’d bet it had something to do with Janus being his split-apart, sharing one nature…

The quill ground to a halt, leaving an ink blotch on the card.

The same nature that was inside of me. The same nature that turned on Malan last night and protected me against him. I wonder if Janus and I formed an alliance and turned on Malan as a pair…maybe that is what Malan is afraid of. Maybe the same thought occurred to him.

Malan removing Amiela from me after all this time must mean I’m free from his plotting now. Threatening Amiela must have really upset his plans, at least temporarily. Uriel said Malan never gives up his plans, he just adjusts them…

The tip of the quill snapped off. I jammed it back into the jar holder, frowning.

Malan never discards a plan, he’s been working on the same plots for centuries. That makes him predictable, and makes it easier to anticipate his next move.

He was a hairsbreadth from his dream of the throne, he wasn‘t going searching for another body to put Amiela in. Malan would find someone in this Palace. But who? Eyja? I’d have to know who Amiela was inside to stop them.

According to Hannibal’s tome; this Palace might be my lair, or at least the Royal Quarters were. No other woman could enter it without my permission, but Eyja was already here.

I pulled a different quill out to finish the last lines on Eyja’s card, then signed it, “A concerned citizen” and dropped it into the incoming mail basket.

Malan was moving on his plots to take over the Palace. I needed to find him and stop him. Wherever Amiela was now, there was no doubt in my mind that was where I would find Malan. Malan underestimated me.



*

So, Malan packed up his dead wife and left Maxical? I'm sorry, but its kind if funny when you think about it


Someone REALLY needs to tase Malan though.

It's nice to see Maxical finally realized Malan doesn't care.

Malan is bad to the bone though. I should make a deal with him. If I bring his wife back he has to make me emperor

My best guess is Malan is going to stuff Amiela into Malvulis next. Isn't she part if his plots in case Maxical doesnt work out? How do I still remember that (if I'm correct about Malvulis being part of Malan's plans)



Well good morning to you to Mr. Sunshine, I see you've slept well

Malan is a no good, dirty, rotten... GUHH.

Amelia too!

As a wise man once said, I've got a bad feeling about this... ...

Yay!!...Bye bye Malan...(Even if it is only for a while)... ...

A fantastic chapter...Excellently done...

I love all the internalising Maxical is doing...Joining the dots and all that...

Love this story... ...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds heartily*...

Thank you for the superb ‘Last Chapters Update’. Very helpful! And who will be the next ‘Amelia Receptacle’ indeed? I’m gonna make some guesses. Ey yi yi yi yi yi ja? Hmm, just can’t see stuffing my dead wife into her – too many visitors. Nisaba? I’m thinking probably not; that cat’s already indentured onto Malan's vampire juice payroll. Evangeline? Yup, that’s my bet; her mouse nurturing has well prepared her for the task and there's plenty of unused space inside her head.


It is heartbreakingly fascinating to peer in as readers – knowing we’re a half step of ahead of poor Maxical as she struggles to catch up to what we know. By Akatosh’s fiery wings though, she is catching up and sorting things out.

‘Janus’s tone grated on my temper, I forcibly bit back the retort that sprang into my mind and sought a pleasant tone.’
Gosh, just look how far our little kit’s come? (Even if her resolve only lasted a moment or two.)

‘...pulling a quill from the jar to start my card for Eyja.’
Oh my! She’s really going to do it? I can’t wait to see Maxical’s tips on sword polishing for Eyja! Didn’t Eyja write the book on it? Oh, broken quill tips, is she giving up? Oh. She draws another quill from the ink quiver and completes the task! Lol. This was actually a wonderful task you crafted to keep her hands busy as she pondered the puzzle.

And we still have to wait to learn the answer to the missing Amelia puzzle.

Well, if Traven wasn't impressed with Eyja, who is supposed to do this for a LIVING, then-

Waaait. Is Maxical ALLOWED to give tips out?

Malan’s nature’s been hard at work with Maxical, she’s really fallen for him. No guards though, I can’t help but feel more comfortable there isn’t a vampire standing over her as she sleeps!

Centering Maxical’s thoughts and giving them lots of space gave them a lot of extra weight that they might not have had otherwise. Good style.

Malan’s tricks with his nature are showing, Maxical’s realizing what’s happening, had he done it right, I don’t know if Maxical would have been able to do it on her own.

So what did Maxical write to Eyja? “Keep it down, you sound like a village being slaughtered?” But seriously, can Eyja be there because Maxical isn’t Malan’s chosen, or is there something different about Eyja?

*Smashes through the computer screen and crashes the party*

AH!!! So I had my back teeth smashed into four pieces and ripped out of my gums. All four of them! And I got three more to go, so I haven't been able to truly dedicate my time in the forums, since I've been sleeping and playing video-games like a bum. Anyways, I am here and let the reading begin.

Chapter 191: Nightmare.
I had to reread this chapter twice because I was mind raped by Malan and Janus' nature and how it affects Maxical, ehe, but I got it.

Malan is so damn confusing . .. to Maxical, that is. He now makes her think that he cares for her when in reality we all know what he wants, and that's Amiela. Conniving sob! My hero! And now she wants him! After all that he's done.

Let's sing-a-long: "Nice guys finish laaaaast! Bad guys have a blaaaaast! Take his money, snatch his honey . . .let's kick his @SS!"



Yeah . .. right . . .hard to believe, but it might just be believable.



Silly King of Beasts. Evil is an illusion!

Thank you so much for the plotline summaries. I am intrigue-impaired, and I really appreciate being able to go back and check my memory!!

It was wonderful to watch Maxical putting the pieces together and using the advice that Uriel gave her, even though her revelations had her in an emotional upheaval. Yay Maxical!!

I also wonder where Malan has taken Amiela. Eyja is well-known to the palace crew. It will be interesting to see if her braying laughs and blood-curdling shrieks of passion continue. I wonder if Janus will go sniffing after Amiela in her new receptacle, too. Hmm, much to think about!

Blimey...You as well...What are the chances, both you and Darkness Eternal having all four wisdom teeth and needing three more removed?...Hope it's not a contagious thing...I got the dentist meself tomorrow... ...

Lycanthropic Legend and Darkness Eternal are same people Didn't you know that? I thought everyone knew.