That lying LIARFACE! Merrrrghh!

I feel like that one person in the movie theater yelling "DON'T GO INTO THE HOUSE, THERE'S A KILLER YOU IDIOT!"

The dependency hasn't hit her yet, right now it is dormant (because of the things Janus said that Malan was supposed to do: Malan was supposed to stay in the lair with her, stay by her side, etc. - since he removed Maxical from his lair and left her side, it isn't activating as it should).

She knew Malan was the only one that knew for a fact what went on in that lair, and she had to know.

Maxical thought she would know if Malan was lying. She has never been around a pro-liar before. Malan uses just the right amount of truth and known facts woven into every lie he tells that it is impossible to know when he is lying.


Maxical really couldn't stand the thought of Fathis being a thrall, especially if she was the cause.

Another factor - No matter what Janus said about the bloodlust, Maxical has no real understanding of its power. Even as a vampire Maxical believes Fathis's willpower would be strong enough that he'd never harm her. Janus more or less just put it in her (and Uriel's) face that regardless of the man Fathis used to be, he is one of them now.

That's a devastating realization.



That's not just Oblivion lore, either. It's a statement found all across the world too. But, depending on what author you come across, ancients either crave virgin blood or can only stand blood if it's laced with something(alcohol, drugs, etc) because they become jaded.

In any case, virgin blood is highly sought after. It seems like everyone on Nirn is a sex-fiend if it's that rare to come across one, lol If these racier fanfics have any insight, that might be true.

Lol, well there is a war on, but during the music festival they were feeding like hogs at the trough.

In my story the ancient vampires are territorial over their feeding grounds, any virgins in their territory they consider THEIRS and any vampire caught drinking on them (poaching) is hunted down and killed.

Also in my story - the ancient vampires only crave virgin blood (beyond their control to stop themselves) - but if they want to hide their vampire features for going out in public they have to drink any blood (Clavicus Vile's gift to vampires).

Some of the vampire clans use illusion magic to hide their vampire features, but some either don't have that ability or don't know how to use it. (Example: Janus Hassildor has the ability but has to raise his illusion magic and let his vampire nature out to do it, so he walks around in a cowl all the time to hide his fangs and pink eyes).

Mhmm. I gathered that

Trucking along. Heho, heho just 60+ pages to go!

Aggie has turned into full on vampire mode and naturally survived the bonfire. Partially because the vamp+50% bonus only activated afterwards, partially because Orcs are built tough and apart from two minor deficiencys, old Aggie was the toughest of the bunch. Fortunately for him, fire has not yet learned how to punch.

Gils actually lived? Colour me surprised. At first I was somewhat dissapointed he got out without any consequences. I mean, we fade to black with him drowning, then flash forward to a healer going "You're all fixed now! Have a nice day!" Then I learned that the healer was an incompetent and more of a threat to her patients than swords are. Remember folks, always ask for your healer's credentials before consenting to treatment.

I guess the more important bit from this is that the love-triangle is back in action. Who will our heroine choose? The rich guy who is cursed with bad performance? (That explains his sudden and enduring desire for monogamy a lot better than just Maxi being that special.), or the man with a voice of magic? Oh no, a mystery challenger has just appeared! Will Gils fall to the beastly charms, or will he reject his suitor out of boardom?

The fisherman bit cracked me up. Your Aelwin sure has a mouth on him for someone who lost his leg.



And in comes the Dark Brotherhood. Vicente sure is a player. It was amusing, but I have a hard time taking them serious now. Then again, I had a hard time taking them serious in-game. Have you ever noticed how all their spontaneous conversations seem to go:
1: Yo, I heard you screwed up big-time.
2: Yup, sure did. Harhar, but I got out alive. Cause I'm Dark Brotherhood, the most hardcore badasses in the world.
3: Oh, you're such a good assassin. Let's ignore the whole 'stealth'-bit in our job description
4: Welps, got to go murder someone again very sneakily. Sithis, night-mother, other random crap etc.

That really grossed me out, too. Belch.

*

@ King Of Beasts - Thank you so much KOB! Oh yeah, Malan is lying through his teeth. He is a pro at lying and manipulating.

Everything he said had just enough known truth in it that it would connect readily to things Maxical knew were true - then he just twisted the end around to make him sound innocent (and believable/honest).

Maxical is too naive to be dealing with a con like Malan, Uriel was right about that.

Thank you so much again KOB!

*
@ King Coin - Thank you so much KC! RE: vamps and promises, ROFL!!

Maxical has to hope it’s not true. She couldn’t stand the thought of Fathis being a thrall, especially if she caused it. No matter what Janus said about the power the bloodlust has over ancients, Maxical has no real understanding of the extent of its power. She still believes Fathis’s love for her and willpower would prevail over the bloodlust. Knowing he had succumbed to it would shatter what she knows of Fathis and her trust in him.

Thank you so much again, KC!

*
@ Acadian - Thank you so very much Acadian! I loved your comment, I think Maxical did pretty well to remember all the right questions and didn’t let him slide on the few attempts to lie that she caught. Her only problem is that she has no experience with pro-liars like Malan, who know exactly how to weave truth in so to leave the person doubting their own selves.

Thank you so very much again, Acadian!

*
@ Grits - Thank you so very much Grits!

Right now that circle Malan closed inside her is dormant because he took Maxical away from his lair and hasn’t mated her, etc.

Maxical thought she’d know if Malan was lying, she had to know what happened in that lair and Malan was the only one that could tell her.

He was too good a con for her, she still doesn’t know what to believe. Malan used facts she knew as truth to confuse her, and it worked.

Maxical has no real understanding of vampires, she has been getting a crash course between Janus and Malan - but she isn’t correlating that with Fathis even when she thinks he may be a vampire now. She can’t think of him in any way but how she’s known him till now - she doesn’t believe/doesn’t want to believe Janus that Fathis could succumb to drinking blood.

Uriel is a little more world-wise about it, but it was still a shock to him when Janus put it in their faces that (regardless of the man Fathis used to be, he is an ancient now) - and Uriel has made a point in his reign of hating all ancient vampires with “Uriel‘s Law.”

Thank you so very much again, Grits!

*
@ Elisabeth Hollow - Thank you so much Elisabeth! ROFL !!! I know exactly what you mean, I have yelled that to my TV or in movie theaters when Jason or Freddy (or that guy in the “Scream” movies is down there and they hear a noise and go into the basement anyway, ROFL!!!

You are right, that news was devastating to both Uriel and Maxical. Janus was right to bring it out, but it didn’t make him popular with the two people he would want to like him, lol.

Lol, the vampires whose territory it is keep track of “their” virgins and farm girls too. The Imperial City was filled with new blood during the music festival, they were feeding like hogs at the trough during it till the war started.

Thanks so much again, Elisabeth!

*
@ Jack Cloudy - Thank you so much Jack! Er…not sure why, but the Dark Brotherhood does seem to take a beating in my stories.

I blame Rachel the Breton, for her version of them in “Edward the Imperial.” After she skewered them, I could never look at them the same way again. After reading her story, I too began noticing that dialogue you mentioned when playing it through, lol.

My apologies to you (and second time apologies to Winter Wolf, because I know he loves the DB too)

Glad you liked the Aelwin bit though - he practically took over the keyboard and wrote his own part on that, lol.

Technically, you'll fnd as things progress that nothing is about Maxical, everything that happens is pretty much calculations and manipulations by powers around them (just like Fathis and Gils were being manipulated).

Thank you so much again, Jack!

*
@ EVERYONE - I will be going to visit my mom for a couple weeks, leaving tonight. As most of you know, she has cancer. I don't know how I'll stand seeing her and knowing it‘s for the last time, but couldn't take not seeing her one last time either. I'm going to stay as long as I can, but should be back by early December. Thank you all for the friendship and support you’ve given me through this.

Anyone posting stories - I'll catch up when I return.


*

*


Chapter 186: Vows Without Conscience


Malan hadn’t lied, I know that was Fathis’s blood at the Arena. Too much blood to be anything but mortal wounds. And Malan was still impersonating Fathis when the explosion hit. Gils told both Uriel and Owyn that he fought for Fathis‘s remains, Gils would know dead from wounded. And it was truth I was sick at Theryon, I‘ve never felt so ill in my life. Still, just in case…

“I can’t chance you’re lying with Fathis‘s soul at risk, so we need a sworn pact between us. Vow that if you took Fathis’s soul you’ll put it back, that he’ll live with his soul intact from now on. Otherwise face Khajiit justice, a spouse for a spouse so you‘ll always remember what you caused Amiela to suffer.”

“Oh, you’re a bright one, Lassie. You’re negotiating with me now, are you?”

“I have to. If you did that to Fathis, I’d swear revenge on Amiela through eternity.”

“You’ll have that vow if in return you promise Dagoth-Malan not to ever see your Fathis again.”

“I’ll swear it. Someone else can have him, all I care is that he‘s safe.”

“I’ll vow it, but the second I think you’ve broken your end of that, I’ll break mine. Do we seal these negotiations with a kiss? After the inquisition you put me through here, it better have a mystery attached.”

He pounded his chest and raised his hand to clasp mine. For a split second I felt something flash inside me, an eerie feeling of something forgotten. I pounded my chest and clasped his hand.

Malan sealed the vow with a kiss that felt more like he was trying to get something started, keeping my hand clasped and raised throughout…but he vowed. Fathis would be safe, nothing else mattered to me now. The breath eased out of me in relief.

“Well, Lassie, you made a deal with the devil to save your husband. You keep your end and I’ll keep mine.”

Malan was watching me closely when I looked up. “Thank you, Malan. I’ll keep my end of it.”






***


“You have any more vows you want Dagoth-Malan to make Lass?”

He looked oddly hopeful, why would he want to swear more vows? I eyed him suspiciously, leaning closer and looking up into his eyes. They glowed with a hunger for more like Gils’ used to when he was feeling passionate.

“Are you just trying for another kiss?”

“Aye.”

“Malan, I’ll keep my vow to you, but you’re an enemy to the throne. We can‘t be having an affair.”

“You’ll get me aroused talking about us having an affair, Lass.” He proceeded to try and prove it with an onslaught of randy Chimer.

“What are you doing? Quit! Malan, for gods sake! Don’t do this here! Everyone around here listens through walls! Uriel ordered me to lose my virginity once, not keep losing it!”

“Okay, once then.” Before he could lunge again I managed to squirm away.

“We already did it, Malan. I can‘t keep contorting…er…cavorting with you.”

“Aye, tease Dagoth-Malan. Stir him up with kisses and talk of affairs. Not bad enough, throw in images of contorting and cavorting.”

“That kiss was to seal the vow only, Malan. Since you asked…there is another promise I want from you. I need your vow that…”

He had his hand up before I could finish, and proved he wasn‘t listening when I paused in talking.

“Seal it with that last mystery you used the other night right before we…”

I interrupted. “I didn’t even say what you‘re swearing to yet! And no more sealing vows with mysteries if this is what it causes!”

His expression was ridiculously downtrodden. It left me feeling I’d been unnecessarily harsh, even knowing I hadn’t been.






***


“Maybe this is a bad time to talk.” I pulled away.

“Nae Lass, the place is wrong for it. Can’t talk openly here, everyone listening at walls. Fresh air, looking out over the Rumare is what we need. Privacy; sit in a garden safe from the war, watch the sun set while we talk.”

“You mean like the garden at Falanu‘s shop? That actually does sound good, but I’m not flying again!”

“Hug your arms tight about my neck and close your eyes.” He scooped me tightly against him.

“GAAAAH! I said no flying! I‘ll fall! I can’t hang onto a bird…MAALAAN!” I dug my claws into his skin and clung for dear life when he tightened his arm around me.

There was a rushing sound that echoed my screams back to me, and a strange feeling of weightlessness. Suddenly with a jolt everything stopped.

“What happened? …Hey, this isn’t Falanu’s shop! Where are we?”

“Her shop is naught but a pile of ash since you burned it to the ground. Recognize it yet?”

“Theryon! How did we get here?”

“That is what is known as Recall. Banned in Cyrodiil for crossing borders, but we’re within them.”

“Why didn’t you bring me here like this the other night instead of your bird ripping me to shreds? I almost don’t even feel travel sick, just a little…funny.”

“Didn’t have this set up then, your sickness last time is what made me think of it.”

“Hey! You said we were going to sit in a garden and look out over the Rumare!”

“We are. I’ll show you on the balcony.” He carried me easily using just one of his massive arms, opening an ornate door to a small shaded balcony with chairs and a table set up. With one foot he shoved a chair against the door to prop it open.

“Below you is the garden. Dagoth-Malan planted everything you see there.”

“You planted flowers?” The image of Malan gardening boggled.






***


“Off to the left is the Imperial City, you can see the whole Rumare from here.”

“Ooh…” The gasp barely breathed out of me. It was stunning from up here, massive. It felt like I could see all of Cyrodiil, like a god looking down at it from another realm.

“It’s breathtaking!”

He pointed to a heavily forested area on the right. “That’s where you grew up, you can see the Inn roof from the parapet over there.”

“How do you know where I lived?”

“Watching my promise, Lass.”

A shiver ran down my spine. Malan said blood came easy, then why watch the promise?

“This other side looks out over Skingrad.” He carried me to the opposite balcony.

This balcony jutted above a sheer drop of miles, looking down over the lush forests and rolling hills of County Skingrad. My claws dug deeply clinging to him, terrified.

“Ease your claws Lass, I won’t drop you.” He pointed to a high mesa on the left. “There’s Janus’s lair.”

Castle Skingrad gleamed like a crown jewel in the sun’s rays. A road snaked from it and through the thick forest directly below us…the Gold Road, the very section where my mother was killed.

Turning my head to the right I could see the Palace tower gleaming in the distance. Theryon hovered dead center over a perfect triangle between the Faregyl, Castle Skingrad…and the Palace; a bird’s eye view of…all the players in his plots?

“I liked the other balcony better, this one scares me.”






***


Malan carried me back inside, but didn’t return to the other balcony. Instead he dove at my lips, trying for a kiss.

I averted my face quickly. “GAAAH! What are you doing?”

“You said we couldn’t mate there, we’re here now.”

I gaped at him. “You said we were going to talk!”

“We can talk about all these things later. Look in my eyes, you see what‘s in me now. Chimer aren‘t made to start and then stop.”

“Do Chimer know what hands are for? I‘ll give you privacy if you want.”

“Nae Lass, you can’t mean it! Over three centuries old! Dagoth-Malan can’t stop unfulfilled, just give one of the other mysteries then.” He hinted which, brushing his thumb lightly across my lips.

I gaped again. “I can’t be pleasuring you, Malan! You’re trying to take the throne! Go to Luther Broads, we‘ll talk when you‘re finished. Just drop me back at the…“ I suddenly got a good look at the room we were in. “Hey, this is the bedroom we mated in! You said we were going to sit outdoors in the fresh air and talk.”

“Can’t now, Lass. Storm.”

“You’re lying! It is beautiful out…huh?” The sky darkened even as the words were leaving my mouth. A huge black cloud took over the sky rumbling thunder threateningly, and with intermittent jagged flashes of lightning.

My peripheral vision had caught a movement of his arm as I was turning my head toward the balcony just before the storm started raging outside. I eyed him suspiciously, then gawked at the expression of pure innocence on his face. I’d have believed it real except for that.

“Malan! You did that, made that storm somehow with some kind of spell! You‘re trying to trick me!” .






***


It was hard to correlate in my mind this teasing Chimer with laughing eyes that were burning with passion now to the giant that frightened me so badly I wet my pants.

“Make it stop, I hate storms. You said we were coming here to sit outside and talk, it was a lie!”

He cast his arm and stopped the storm, then cupped his fingers under my chin to lift my fuming face to his.

“No lie, just wanted somewhere private to talk away from that Palace. Too many ears on walls there. But my kind would burn out there in the sunlight, Lass.”

Why hadn’t I thought of that when he was inviting me to sit in the sun? I‘d have to stay on my guard, he was already starting off trying to con me.

“Okay, I guess. Hey! Why are you putting me down on the bed?”

“Dagoth-Malan needs to heal Lass, you dug your claws in deep. You can’t stand up from that potion Traven dosed you with. Look around you, do you see any other furniture in here to sit on?”

“Oh, how convenient for you.”

“Would you like a touch of this brandy you left here?” He poured himself a snifter.

I eyed him suspiciously. His expression was guileless, much better than I‘ve ever been able to pull off. Dear gods, did he know the weakness the scent of that brandy brought and was exploiting it?

“Dear gods! You read my thoughts when we were mating!”

“Aye. Just wanted to know if you liked it, first time and all.”






***


“You’re playing with the master of that face, Malan. If I can stand I’m getting out of this bed. We can talk outside in the rain or you can fry till you’re crispy in the sun. Next time you invite me here, I’ll know why and won’t come.”

“Aye, just abuse Dagoth-Malan’s good nature.” His expression was oppressed again. I had a struggle within not to feel bad for snapping at him even knowing he deserved my tirade.

Malan’s mobile facial expressions and playfulness were something I had never expected, didn‘t know how to counter them and keep my focus on him as the enemy. Uriel was right about him being an uncanny con. Eyja would have been much better suited to deal with him, I was most definitely too naïve to.

“Stop giving me that hangdog look, you can‘t make me feel guilty. You should have gone into the acting profession, you…ham! Just take me back to the Palace. You never intended to talk, and…I’m out of my league here.”

“You can barely sit up, Lass. Come, lay back down. I’ll stop trying you now.”

He eased me gently down, his breath wafting the brandy into my whiskers. He was toying with me. If this was battle I would know how to counter.

“Malan, I slept with Gils smelling of that brandy for months and was still a virgin when you took me. I know every move you could possibly try, so you may as well give up. I‘d best send Eyja with any messages from now on.”

He gave me a defeated look and started healing himself. When he’d healed, he plunked himself beside me on the bed and pushed the pillow under his armpit so he was facing me with his head propped on his hand.

Gils used to do that when we talked together on our mats. Malan did remind me of Gils in an odd way, maybe it was the use of wiles and cons I’d learned to watch out for so much from Gils. Malan had them in abundance.

“Okay Lass, we’ll talk. But you’re my chosen now, here’s where I have to bring all my mating. And I‘m the Arbiter that must teach you the mysteries of your husband, Maxical.”

“I do want my mysteries, it’s my right to have them. I thought once you had my blood it wouldn’t matter to you.”

“You thought wrong, Lass. It matters.”


*

This part cracked me up. I can easily relate to being terrified of falling, I usually have a panic attack before I go on a roller coaster, and then a mental breakdown when the ride starts. I can't imagine how terrified maxical must be, considering that she's with the man that had threatened to kill her at one point. I half expected malan to just drop her mid-flight, but since he has plans for her, I'm pretty sure he won't just let her plummet to her death. Wonderful chapter mALX. Can't wait for the next one.

Malan reminds me of an old boyfriend I used to have. Once he got a taste he'd use anything to get what he wanted; flattery, guilt, innocence, all but blatant force(thank god)

Maxical needs to stop talking to Malan. For reals, yo. She makes me want to go into this story and go "'EY! HE'S USING YOU! STAAAAHP!!!"

“Uriel ordered me to lose my virginity once, not keep losing it!”

“Can’t now, Lass. Storm.”
“You’re lying! It is beautiful out…huh?” The sky darkened even as the words were leaving my mouth. A huge black cloud took over the sky rumbling thunder threateningly, and with intermittent jagged flashes of lightning.'
Malan the smarmy continues his oily lies and deception with just enough truth to pull the right strings. Here, he even manipulates the weather!

Thank the Nine that Maxical really does understand what he is doing. She also accurately assesses her own limitations as being out of her league in this con game and is properly focused on getting the Oblivion outta there!

Interesting deal she made with Malan. She's using about the only bargaining chip she has on Fathis' behalf.

Hey mALX!!! I haven't had internet for weeks now since I stayed over a friend's house after I moved. I am now using wifi from an unsecured network in my new home, but I don't know how long it might last. Hopefully I'll have some internet of my own by then! I will indeed catch up to this story!

“Oh, you’re a bright one, Lassie. You’re negotiating with me now, are you?”
That makes me really uneasy.

“You have any more vows you want Dagoth-Malan to make Lass?”
He looked oddly hopeful
He wants more than just a kiss to seal it this time I bet.

“I liked the other balcony better, this one scares me.”
What scares me is that on a whim he can take Maxical just about anywhere he wants. What’s he doing? Oh I see.

Maxical needs to remember what he is when she’s talking to Malan. She seems to forget easily, though she's doing much better now.

Wait… did she just agree to mate with him again?

How noble and so very sad. And then Malan agrees and pushes for bonuses in the same breath! Argh!


ROFL! Of course he’ll say that “once” means “once MORE”! His hand goes up at the same time his trousers go down.
Oh no, his lair! I was rolling while Malan put the moves on Maxical. She may be in over her head with him, but she has a lot of practice at this from Gils!


Exactly! Remember that feeling. That happened!!

Hmm, he's going to teach her the mysteries... I don't suppose he's going to read them from a book?

Oops! Edited.

So, I am here to fulfill my catching up of thhe story!!!

Chapter 184: Revelations Of Treachery:




So, we got Argonian tribesmen coming in? Not the Whet Fang, I hope. And Max still mad about Fathis

"One turned-vampy member (Silarian) sang like a pigeon to the Black Hand, and they ordered a “Purification” in which all the members of the Dark Brotherhood were killed in one night within the sanctuary, turning it into “a sea of blood.”

Silarian, that cur! I bet if Greywyn had killed him or hadn't turned him, the Crimson Scars would pwn the Dark Brotherhood and send all those Sithis-@ss kissing apes into the void! But the sneaky bastards had to kill the Scars as they slept, didn't they? They knew they would be no match for the vampires if they were awake. Also, was Vicente really in the Crimson Scars? I thought the members were made up of vampires that were turned by Greywyn. I think perhaps he was recruited. Hmm.


Chapter 185: Allusions Of Truths As Illusions Cloak Lies
Kick-butt chapter name. But why is Maxical calling to Malan . . .Malan! After all the tons of bull he heaped upon her head and all the crazy stuff she did, she still looks for him and calls to him? Girls like the baddies, don't they! URK!

"Read my eyes, Maxical. I can’t help what I am. The nature makes us do things we can’t live with as men. I’ve had to live with the vampire out, because the man would have killed himself for what the vampire did. It’s the nature of the beast, we can’t help what we are."

On this much I agree with. Vampires aren't men, so why they should be burdened by moral code of man? They aren't human or mortal, so why bother dwelling on such beliefs if they're natural predators who must feed to survive? But hey, mortals will always point accusing fingers on those who are at the top of the food chain. They always do

Though Maxical did hear him out, I am glad to see that she didn't fully go into it and knows what he's up to.



Girls dig the bad guys, King Coin. Didn't you realize?

LOL! But there's "bad boys" and "bad guys." Bad boys come in late for class. Bad guys plot to steal your virginity and place their dead wife's soul inside you.

Chapter 186: Vows Without Conscience.
Maxical is wisening up a bit, and I love that. How she grows from the naive girl to a more intelligent and somewhat wise Khajiit is great. Malan better step up his game and change his tactics, although I think Maxical might sniff out deception . . .unless he weaves deception within deception, and conspiracy within a conspiracy, which only makes it more difficult for one to find out what's at stake. The intelligent vampires are the ones who always have the blame shift to someone else, or do something behind the scenes . Malan, of course, doesn't need that, since he's that badass!

“I have to. If you did that to Fathis, I’d swear revenge on Amiela through eternity.”

I see this Dragon has fangs!



"Well, Lassie, you made a deal with the devil to save your husband. You keep your end and I’ll keep mine.”
Doesn't she understand that making pacts with Malan the Devil will have repurcussions! First it's sweet, then it's sour! So now we see Malan taking up Jesus Maxical to high places, eh?

The flirting between the two was well-written and funny at the same time, and we see Maxical's temptations . . .


Hehe, either way, chicks dig both of them.

*


@ King Of Beasts - Thank you so much KOB! I’m the same way about heights and roller coasters, can’t tolerate either of them! Puking, fainting, shrieking - they’ve had to stop rides to get me off, ROFL! You’re right, Malan won’t kill her right now, not as long as Amiela is inside her. Thanks again, KOB!

*
@ Elisabeth Hollow - Thank you so very much Elisabeth! Lol on the old boyfriend, been there before on that too, lol. You had me rolling yelling, “STAAAAHP!” Absolutely LOVED your comment regarding “bad guys“ later on! Thanks again Elisabeth!

*
@ Acadian - Thank you so very much Acadian! I absolutely LOVE that word “smarmy!” (and how fittingly accurate a description of Malan)!

I think Shivering Isles has that weather spell enchanted on a staff, and Skyrim has a weather shout; figured Malan must have it as well, lol. You are right about Maxical using the only thing she has as a bargaining chip, and that she will go to any lengths to see Fathis is not made a minion. Thanks again Acadian!

*
@ King Coin - Thank you so very much KC! Lol, you were right on what Malan was hoping for, lol. She didn’t agree, Malan had the last word - not that she has much choice in it if he is the Arbiter…and she thinks he is the Arbiter. Thanks again KC!

*
@ Grits - Thank you so very much Grits! You owe me a monitor again, I nearly choked to death on this line:


SPEW !!!!


Close. We know Malan lied about being Arbiter because of this (below) scene (Chapter 178, Page 87) - This is how he knows the mysteries too:


Malan originally planned to only take Gils’ soul (for his Gift mysteries) till Maxical spilled the beans that Fathis was Arbiter (Chapter 155, Page 77)



So it is doubtful Malan will give up Fathis’s soul no matter what vow he made to Maxical, and since he was obsessed with getting the Gift mysteries he won‘t give up Gils‘ soul no matter what.

Pretty much if his mouth is open or moving, Malan is lying. Glad you brought that up, I was wondering if I should refresh that info before this next chapter begins! Thank you so much again Grits!

*
@ Lycanthropic-Legend - Thank you so much LL! She called Malan because he has Fathis in his dungeon and Janus just got through telling her that Malan most likely took Fathis’s soul already (end of the previous chapter). She thought she could tell if he was lying, but was wrong.

Maxical threatened the only weakness she knows Malan has - Amiela. (like she did that day he attacked her and Janus in the Temple of the One). She knows threats against Malan won’t carry far, but as long as Amiela is inside her it gives her a little power. She is bluffing though, because she isn’t positive Amiela is really inside her. Thanks again LL!






*

*


Chapter 187: Getting One Over On Malan


It was obvious Malan held all the power. He was Jurisdictional Arbiter over me, I had no choice but to comply. To be honest I didn’t care if I never mated again. It was nothing I wanted to repeat. When Malan took my virginity it was painful, then drinking my blood and leaving me dying afterward didn’t help me like the experience any better.

Refusing him would mean death…too risky without knowing absolutely Amiela was inside me, or how readily he could remove her. Besides, those mysteries were what defined my marriage to Gils as true, I wanted them. I would go through whatever I had to for an Arbiter’s ruling that Gils was my true husband, validate what we had together.

Gils said if I was firm that ours was the true marriage, the Arbiter would have to find it valid. Even though Gils abandoned me, it was the only true marriage for me. I was very firm, but Malan never gave his decision.

It felt like being the mouse a cat was toying with, and whether it was insight or fear…I suddenly doubted he’d keep his vow regarding Fathis, not unless he was compelled to. I had no standing with him, he didn’t fear repercussions from me.

Andronicus would have shaken him off balance first, then negotiated for respect. I needed to do that, but how? I was sure he was lying about wanting to make me his chosen properly, sure he’d back down if I called his bluff here at Theryon.

“You said that you wanted to poach me properly, but I was too sick to walk by your side at the time. We’re here now.”

“We could do it right now if you weren’t drugged by Traven. Can’t be drugged, under spell, and must stand and walk of your own power.”

Malan’s eyes never flickered or darted like they would if he was trying to weasel out…he could have been expecting the question though, calling my bluff back. He obviously wasn’t off balance yet. I pressed harder.






***


“Getting my mysteries is my right. Since I’m under your jurisdiction as Arbiter, I’ll stay with you just for them. That shouldn‘t take much more than a week. When all my mysteries are taught, we’ll part ways. Then if you decide it’s me you want, you’ll have to make me your chosen properly, no tricks. Otherwise we‘ll stay parted. Until then you’ve promised I’d have every privilege of a chosen. That means you can’t harm me, and that you‘ll be completely faithful to our union. In other words, till they’re all taught there’ll be no trying to mate Amiela; no performing necromancy on me; no turning me immortal, nor using me for your plotting.”

He shifted his position as if suddenly uncomfortable. “What are you talking about, Lass?”

“I’m talking about trust. I have to be able to trust you so I can relax, sleep. The last time I did you necromanced me. Your plots are apparent and transparent. If you’re thinking your nature will turn my heart enough to let myself become a body bag for your dead wife, it won’t. There isn’t enough nature on Nirn for that. And having Janus’s blood make me immortal so Amiela will live forever? Absolutely not. The first time my looking glass shows fangs and pink eyes, I’ll go as loony as Janus’s wife or that Orc.”

He stroked under my chin gently for a minute before answering. “Your point is taken, but I know the task Uriel has set for you.”

“I‘d rather Dagon squash me like a bug than be a giant vampire cat.”

“But your stipulation offers less than a year before Dagon comes, when we could have hundreds together before Dagoth-Malan meets his end.”

“Less than a year? What do you mean?“ I hoped the shock on my face looked real.

“Dagon comes sometime after the beginning of Midyear next. Even if we had naught but an affair that is too short. Immortal we’d have centuries to enjoy it. Ancients love forever, centuries happy go by in a blink. In grief years last an eternity.”

Love and grief…he was talking about Amiela, I was sure of it now.






***


“Love? Yes, let’s talk about that, Malan. Your nature inside me will drive me to love you with the force of a bloodlust, but your poaching trick means you’ll remain detached. I don’t work that way. Unless you make me your chosen, we won’t be having any affair because we’ll be parting ways once my mysteries are taught.”

“Love takes time to grow, Maxical.”

“I’m sure it does when you’re carting your dead wife around and jamming her into people you bed. You’ve got no valid reason to want me immortal without making me your chosen first, unless it’s a plot for Amiela. I’m dead serious, Malan. I‘ll never be used that way.”

“Well now you’ve gone and hamstrung Dagoth-Malan, Lassie. You don’t know what you’re asking.”

And there it was, the proof I needed. Malan still wanted me for a container to mate Amiela. What else was lies? Uriel was right. Above all I had to remember his words.


I’m just a means to an end that will avail him. Assume Fathis is alive until there’s proof he’s not. No matter what Malan says or does, whatever it takes…he has Fathis.


My hair felt like it was on fire. It was excruciatingly hard, but I bottled the rage like Uriel taught me, forcing myself to use it fueling my brain instead of my mouth.

“No, you’re the one that doesn’t realize what you are asking. If you really didn’t make me your chosen because I was sick, then you won’t mind doing it right. If you lied about that, what else did you lie about? And you’ve misjudged your nature and me both if you think it powerful enough that I’ll comply with Amiela using my body to mate you. Nothing could ever make me that compliant, it won’t happen. I’ll still stay away from Fathis as promised, that vow between us has to be kept. But once all my mysteries are taught, I’ll either be your chosen or a free agent.“








***


“Free agent! What are ye saying, Lass?“

“You effectively took both my husbands from me with this war. I have Azura’s seal and must be near an ancient as comforter to ease the pain, and I’ll absolutely need one to remove your nature from me so it can’t ever be used against me for any plots. Fathis is off limits because of our vow, and Janus is out since he‘s part of your plots.”

“And?”

I shrugged. “Nothing. Just…the city is full of ancients with this war on.”

Knowing Malan was eavesdropping on my thoughts I held an image of Greywyn Blenwyth in my mind while thinking:


Wasn’t Amiela actually Blenwyth’s natural chosen? I wonder if he would recognize her soul within me?


“Argh! Okay! You’ll have your vows!” He raised his hand, palm facing me.

Malan may as well have said outright that Amiela was inside me. It left me with a sickening feeling, but I needed her to stay right there as protection for me and leverage against Malan.

“And Malan, I’m dead serious about this. If you break any of your vows to me, I’ll swear both you and Amiela as enemies to your graves and beyond. Akatosh will ensure I keep that vow.“ I clasped his hand, avoiding his mouth. Instead I sealed the vow by saluting his cheeks as a business deal.

Malan eyed me bleakly. “I see in your eyes we’ve got more fine points you want to negotiate.”








***


“Just one more. Your bloodlust remains because of that trick poaching. I can’t and won’t…”

Malan interrupted, raising his hand to swear truth. “My house was cleaned the night Vicente attacked you. I’ve a witness to that, he helped me. That’s the night I asked my nature for a chosen, because I knew then I’d be fighting for you. Yours is the only drop of virgin blood I’ve tasted since. Now you can’t go inviting your virgin friends anywhere near me, but I’ll not go hunting. You‘ve my vow on that. What else would you be wanting to know?

“My mysteries.” I handed him the brandy bottle.

I steeled myself for what I knew I had to do, waited till the brandy filled my nostrils before sealing the vow with that mystery Malan had requested earlier. May as well get it over with as quickly as possible.

Malan’s surprise was evident, his reaction instantaneous and overpowering. He forgot to teach even a single mystery. Instead he absorbed mine and took me like a man possessed, keeping my hand clasped and raised in the vow throughout.

Afterward that circle he closed inside me moved, like it was clutching onto me and taking hold. I’d never felt it since that first night he put it in me…till now.

After that, Malan began teaching my mysteries. He never gave any indication what his decision was on which of my marriages he was validating. And Uriel had said to keep Malan away from Theryon, but it was where we stayed for the next week.

Truthfully, I never expected to find any enjoyment in mating Malan. I was wrong. Malan was skilled, and the mysteries…they were a powerful drug that I have no doubt would addict me to him if I wasn’t careful.

Throughout I wished it had been Fathis teaching them so I wouldn’t feel so conflicted by the pleasure Malan wrought in me…so guilty. I had to keep reminding myself he was the enemy, hard to do when one is laying glassy-eyed and his name is the one on your lips when the pleasure comes.








***


Uriel was right, he would have been better served if Malan had glommed onto Eyja instead of me. I don’t know how she could remain impassive through something like this, but for me…inside me was the beginnings of a battleground of conflicting emotions.

Loyalty to Uriel, the throne, to Gils and Fathis. Knowing Malan for the enemy of everything I hold dear. Counter that with this laughing teasing Chimer who was playful and passionate, fun to be with…and who made me feel things I’ve never even imagined in dreams.

As the days passed another struggle within began emerging, Malan’s nature inside me. Before we returned to Theryon and started mating again it had been completely dormant. Now I could feel it working on my heart to love Malan, had been fighting it strongly since that first time we mated again here.

It was a powerful force that gained strength as each day passed, and had nothing to do with his overabundance of charm or skills in the bedroom. Maybe it's from being with him inside his lair, I don’t know.

It’s already driving me strongly to protect my union with Malan. Someone else will need to wield the blade that kills him if much more time passes. I don’t think I can do it even now.

The really ironic thing about it, Malan put his nature inside me to make me compliant to housing Amiela…but his nature considers Amiela a threat to our union and is driving me to get rid of her. His own nature is aiding me in keeping her suffocated within me. Did Malan not realize that would happen?

Had Amiela been inside that soul gem on his breastplate, I‘ve no doubt his nature would drive me to search Theryon for an enchanted weapon whose charge was low to strike on that stone ‘accidentally‘. Bye-bye Amiela. I’d have a freshly charged enchanted weapon to defend myself with when Malan killed me for it.

Another thing his nature was doing was giving me instincts into Malan. I found myself knowing things about him instinctively, what would please him in everything. It was teaching me to be perfect for him, to know every hair on his head and secret thought just like the tome said a chosen selected for him would.

It gave me more insight into the workings of his mind than all the study of him at the Arcane had. But if we didn’t hurry and take him down, it would be too strong for me to turn against him.

Malan made a big mistake in placing that in me if it was to further his plots. I could feel what he was thinking and when it was against…us. His nature was protecting the union even against himself.

Clearly the nature wasn’t made to be divided against itself, or in a one-sided pact. That was obvious even to me. Hannibal said it considers the chosen as sacred. I prayed it would protect me at all costs like it is supposed to.


*

Maxical's getting sharper as time goes by. That's good.

That certainly wasn't what I was expecting from the title, a long week of sex with Malan. Unexpectedly, this is turning into a weapon against him it sounds, she's learning about him. I wonder what he's been accomplishing with the time other than just having fun.

Has Maxical lost her mind?! Uriel is gonna blow when he finds out, and to make the matter worse the dependency is starting to activate. Does Maxical have any idea what she has probably gotten herself into?! On the other hand, it's quite interesting to see Malan's own nature turning against him. I'm guessing that will help Maxical in the future?

‘It felt like being the mouse a cat was toying with,’
Not only an apropos sentiment but an ironic kitty metaphor!

‘My hair felt like it was on fire, but I bottled the rage like Uriel taught me, forcing myself to use it fueling my brain instead of my mouth.’
This red head is really learning!

‘Throughout I wished it had been Fathis teaching them so I wouldn’t feel so conflicted by the pleasure Malan wrought in me…so guilty. I had to keep reminding myself he was the enemy, hard to do when one is laying glassy-eyed and his name is the one on your lips when the pleasure comes.’
Wow, powerful stuff! Her conflict comes through here loud and clear.

‘Had Amiela been inside that soul gem on his breastplate, I‘ve no doubt his nature would drive me to search Theryon for an enchanted weapon whose charge was low to strike on that stone ‘accidentally‘. Bye-bye Amiela. I’d have a freshly charged enchanted weapon to defend myself with when Malan killed me for it.’
I love the cleverness of this as well as its display of what an angry and hurt Maxical can dream up.

What a wonderfully complex web you are weaving here! I am spellbound.

Maxical was awesome in this chapter! She has grown and changed so much and in such a natural way. I was completely enthralled throughout.

Wow, I bet Uriel is wondering where she’s been all week.

I would have to quote the whole next part if I started. Maxical’s thoughts were beautifully and delicately put. I love how there were multiple conflicts here, within Maxical as well as the nature against itself.


I couldn’t resist quoting this one, it’s so Maxical. Love it! What a powerful chapter!

Hot dayum! Malan and Maxical did the Snoo-Snoo? I knew it all along . Janus imposter.

So, Malan does have a heart? Perhaps he can cool off Maxical's hot-head by scratching some off of his heart. But . . . .she gave herself to him? But then again, she's playing the odds! Haha. I love the workings of her mind now. She's more mature, has more insight and is not as gullible now as she was before. Her growth and personal evolution is pretty damn good, and you delivered!



HAHAHA! She still has a mouth on her, though.

I dunno...The things you miss when you're away for a bit... ...

Amazing stuff...Intense...Odd...Funny and Oo-er-ish... ...

Love it!!!... ...

I have no idea what to expect next!!...

Looking forward to it though... ...

Nice one!!...

*Applauds heartily*...

I apologize for it being so long since I have read, but it is definitely noticeable that Maxical is maturing.

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Maxical

Happy Saturalia Everyone!!!!

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And to you, dear Maxical! And a joyous New Life Festival and Fourth Era!

HAPPY LATE SATURALIA!

And OLD LIFE FESTIVAL!

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@ EVERYONE - I wanted to thank everyone for your friendship and support through everything with my Mom’s illness, and your patience in waiting out chapters through this time.

Sorry for the length of this post, it is a catch-up plus a rather large chapter. This one couldn't be broken up, I apologize.

Happy Saturalia to all, and a joyous New Life Festival and Fourth Era!


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@ Elisabeth Hollow - You are right, she is finally starting to grow up! Thank You so very much Elisabeth!

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@ King Coin - ROFL !! You always bring a smile with your comments, KC! Thank You so very much! You are right, what he thinks he’s been accomplishing , he hasn’t succeeded as well as he thins he has. Between Maxical’s strong willpower and Malan’s own nature turning against Amiela, Malan is going to find his plots have not been furthered much at all this week, lol. Thanks again, KC!

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@ King Of Beasts - Thank you so much KOB! Malan’s plan def has a flaw, and Maxical caught onto it pretty quickly. It will def help her to a point, but it will turn on her just as quickly if/when she turns on Malan. Thanks again KOB!

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@ Acadian - Yours is another comment that totally made my day! Thank you so very much for your kind words Acadian, they meant so much to hear!

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@ Grits - This made my day, Thank You so very much Grits! That second part was the hardest, trying to strike a balance of how much was needed to be said to get the full impact across without surpassing that balance and it being TMI or something - really tried to be delicate and hoped it came across that way. Thank you so very much Grits, it meant a lot to me to hear that!

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@ Lycanthropic-Legend - Thank you so much LL! Lol on Maxical’s mouth, and thank you so much for your kind words about her development! That means a lot to hear!

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@ McBadgere - You miss a lot and friends miss you being here too! Great to see you back on here McB! Thank you so much for stopping in, you are appreciated!

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@ Zalphon - Thanks so much for stopping in to see me Z! Hope your Holidays were happy times!


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Chapter 188: Scenes From My Days At Theryon




*** Brief catch-up to where we left off:


Malan’s nature inside me was a feral force rapidly gaining in power. As an ally it was oddly comforting, fusing itself to the leopard in me to unlock dormant instincts; igniting and honing a cunning and stealth I’ve never known. Strengths needed for survival. I dreaded going against it when time came to take Malan down. No doubt it wouldn’t let me harm him, but would it just set up a barrier against me or become an active enemy?

The nature inundated me with an overload of secret knowledge of him; what would please him to hear, bring out his playful side or made him laugh. I learned which touches endeared, what touches aroused. I learned he was driven by ego and lusts to such a degree that it was a weakness, one that could be manipulated and exploited to lay a trap for him.

The thought struck me strongly that Malan had somehow tricked his own nature when he placed it into me without making me his chosen. An imbalance was created, and his nature was actively striving for that bound union it was supposed to be achieving. Maybe I could trick it too, fool it into thinking that whatever I did against Malan was to help ‘us’.

It absolutely wanted rid of Amiela, considered her a serious threat. For my own protection I needed Amiela inside me. The nature was keeping her neutralized so she couldn’t act and Malan couldn’t reach her, it was the perfect solution if I could just convince it to leave her right where she was. Ancients communicate with their nature somehow, I needed to learn how.

For all Malan was playful and romantic, even charming…below the surface his aura oozed impatient anticipation, excitement that had nothing to do with me. My instinct was he saw his plots so close to fruition that their outcome was tangibly felt, that he could barely wait for them to unfold completely.

No doubt that plot was for Amiela to emerge permanently in my body. It felt like walking a tightrope suspended over the lava lakes of Oblivion, isolated in his lair this way. I had no idea how necromancy worked, what to watch out for…or how to get back to the safety and protection of the Palace till Malan brought me home. Theryon floated in the sky high above Cyrodiil, the fact that I was virtually stuck here was a fear that nagged in the back of my mind continuously…but was my own fault. In trying to second guess and counter Malan’s plans, it was at my own insistence we stay here.














Day One:



I woke from a dreamless exhaustion to find Malan deep in thought, staring abstractly at a blank spot on the wall and absentmindedly tracing patterns on my stomach with his finger. His mind was working hard enough that he didn’t notice my eyelids had opened…probably adjusting his plots around since I made those ultimatums.

My instincts were raised, and Malan’s nature within me was rearing its feral hackles in defense of itself. Whatever Malan was plotting did not bode well for me. I reached up and jangled the row of earrings dangling from one of his oversized ears to distract his mind.

“What are you thinking so hard about?”

“The mysteries you lack. Knowledge is power, Maxical. Power to leave Dagoth-Malan like he’s left you now.”

“Huh? But if you weren’t teaching me my mysteries, what was all that we’ve been doing?“

“These I taught were the ‘Givers‘, thought you should have them first as they’re for the woman.”

“For women! Malan, do you think I’ll be mating with women? Huh? What are you laughing about?”

“They’re to bring you more pleasure, not to mate women; although you would create your own following with them if you did.”

“Oh. Wouldn’t that put the test to Janus’s immortality.”

Malan’s laugh boomed out. “That it would, Lass.”






***


“Malan, the only mysteries I want are the ‘Gifts’ from my marriage to Gils! And aren’t you supposed to give some special mysteries from you as Arbiter’s gifts to the marriage you validate?”

Malan looked like he‘d struck gold. “I forgot about those! You‘ll have to visit here at least seven more times for your training.”

I sat up, gaping at him. “You’re an Arbiter, how could you forget your duties? Is this some kind of trick?”

“You leave me speechless, Lass! How can wanting greater pleasure be a trick? I have my duty before me, but these can‘t be trained at the Palace where others could listen in. You’ll need to come back here the seven times for them.”

That was the second time he mentioned seven visits. It very well could be to give his nature time to turn my heart, since being here in Theryon seemed to supercharge its power within me…but suspicion grated with a sudden fear that the seven days had something to do with necromancy, raising his dead wife’s soul inside me permanently.

“Teach them to me now, while I‘m here. When you bring me back to the Palace it has to be over between us, Malan. I can’t keep cavorting with the enemy, not when you seek the throne. Once I leave here I can never return, or see you any more. Whatever mysteries I‘m owed have to be taught now.”

“All at once? You’ll press poor Dagoth-Malan to his grave, Lass.” He tried to look downtrodden, but it didn’t work.

“Liar, your libido is legendary, Malan. Evangeline said they should erect a monument to you after all the mating I told her I heard between you and those Khajiit sisters.” I reached up and jangled the row of earrings again.

Malan snorted out a laugh. “Well now you’ve gone and done it, given Dagoth-Malan a swelled head you have.”











Day 2:


Malan spent the morning of our second day taking me on a tour of Theryon. I’d never seen an Ayleid palace before, just drawings of ruins in textbooks.

Theryon was made up of enormous rooms and endless corridors, and everywhere one looked were treasures Malan had pilfered throughout his centuries. They were breathtaking; items that had been held by gods or formed by the Daedric Lords themselves, armors made of the scales and bones of dragons, art and sculptures I’d read about in Hannibal‘s ancient tomes.

Their history and age was a scent that rose off them, filling my nostrils with the pleasure of their nearness. To be able to actually touch them was an exquisite sensation of headiness.

Malan knew the history of each piece and proudly detailed it, then kept me laughing by telling how he acquired them in anecdotes that made his grand thefts sound like mischievous pranks.

In Malan’s throne room I spied the painting Mrs. Treydog had made of my golden armor, and pointed at it.

“Aha! I knew you’d stolen this!”

“I’ll have the armor itself before this war ends.” Malan stated as if the deed were as good as done. Inside me the challenge flickered to get my armor before he did.

“Evangeline said Ocato screamed and fainted when…” I broke off mid-sentence.

One of the stone blocks beside me glowed a pale blue light when my pointing arm neared it.

“What is that?”

“Like all Ayleid structures, Theryon is powered by Welkynd and Varla stones.”

“Powered?” I reached out and tentatively touched the stone. It glowed warm under my hand. “GAAAAH!”

With a grating sound the wall beside it slid away, opening into a huge laboratory with a surgical area much better furnished than the Arcane’s. There were rows of candles on two spellmaking altars and between them an Ayleid well for restoring magicka. Beyond that was a fancy surgical slab that looked more like an altar, well lit with Welkynd stones. It had rows of vials and Ayleid casks lining it.






***
























***


Another block glowed blue beside the altar. Malan lurched forward to stop my arm when I reached to touch it, but the wall was already grating open. Inside was a tiny room, the ceiling barely higher than Malan’s head.

“Phew! It stinks in here.” That stench jostled an unreachable memory.

Growing down along the back wall was Daedric roots so large that I barely recognized them as Harrada, Spiddal grew beneath them and Bloodgrass sprouted from a huge urn on the right. On the left was a crudely made altar that had what looked to be Daedric symbols on it. Sitting on one end of the altar was a large mouthed vase with odd looking instruments and some plants I didn’t recognize in it.

A paragraph in Daedric writing was carved into the wall above the altar. Something about this room felt oddly familiar. Involuntarily my finger reached out and traced the symbols on the wall.

A shiver snaked down my spine and the thin fur on my arms felt like something crawled beneath it. Why did I remember doing that before?

A feeling I was about to be sick surged into my throat, maybe from the smell in the little alcove. I clutched Malan’s arm when the nausea hit, my other hand flew to cover my mouth.

“Let’s leave before you lose your stomach, Lass.” He tugged me toward the gapped doorway.

“Wait, what does that say?” I pointed to the Daedric paragraph on the wall. “I slept through the classes on Daedric writing.”

“So did Dagoth-Malan, Lass. Come, best get you some air.” He pulled me out of the room and touched the glowing stone. The wall grated closed. With a wave of his hand the wall section glowed orange, he had magically sealed it from being opened again.






***




I had an unsettling feeling he was lying, knew what the Daedric writing said. A tingle of fear nagged that I’d been in that room as a child. Maybe that’s where he implanted Amiela in me.

Malan helped me to the rail, but the sheer drop from the balcony on this side frightened my heaving stomach out of vomiting. This balcony was on the Skingrad side of Theryon. It jutted straight out from the bottom wall, nothing below us but the funnel shaped point of glowing magic stones whose power could be felt strongly here in a humming vibration.







http://i434.photobucket.com/albums/qq67/Ma...eryonatdusk.jpg









Day 3:



I’d forgotten it till Malan brought up wondering what I’d done to escape him that day at the Arena, and when he did it was while we were in the middle of mating. I could tell something was distracting his mind before he slowed to a stop. He hesitated before speaking, and instinctively I knew he was wondering if I could be trusted for what he was going to ask of me.

“Ask what you will, Serjo Malan. What else is there than I be here for you?” Because he spoke so much like Fathis, I said it automatically in Dunmer using the ages old traditional formal responses that Fathis had taught me. From what Fathis said, Dunmer in Cyrodiil never spoke the formal language anymore.

Malan was surprised, and like Fathis was greatly pleased to hear his mother tongue spoken properly. “Ah Lassie, you bring my homeland to mind, ease Dagoth-Malan’s exile. That kiss of fire you gave that day at the Arena. It’s safe for me here…I want to feel it again.”

“Kiss of fire? Huh?”

“That trick you used to escape me at the Arena.”

“Oh, you mean the juices?”

“Aye. Give it with a mystery, you know which.”

One thing I’d learned of Malan even in this short time; he was an extremely sensual creature, obsessed with seeking new sensations as if the centuries had left him jaded and numbed and anything less palled his palate for it.

That spell might give me some power over Malan. Hannibal‘s tome said it was addictive to the point of leading an ancient to his own detriment, and Uriel said we may need it to trap Malan.

“It is as you wish, Malan. You need only ask.” I answered in formal Dunmer again.

“It warms my heart to hear the mother tongue in your speech, Lass. Do my neck first.”

“What else is there?” I choked out in traditional Dunmer, smothering a laugh. I found it oddly ironic that a vampire found that such a source of pleasure, but Malan did. The markings of our passion covered his neck. Should Amiela emerge now, Malan would have some explaining to do.








***


I gave the kiss Malan requested, the same I had used on Janus that night at the Temple. Malan’s fangs shot the rush of searing juices in my mouth and I cast the spell. A trickle of the juices dribbled out of the corner of his mouth as I was sliding my tongue across his lips for the mystery. I felt the trail of fire it was leaving across the outside of his mouth as I pulled back from him, my mouth barely hovering over his. As I breathed his name the spell left my fingers with a burning heat.

Malan’s reaction was overpowering, his expression one of intense pleasure before he completely lost consciousness. Then his head lolled back, his eyes became glassy and rolled upward nearly into his head. His heart pounded in such frenzied convulsions that I feared it would pop through his chest any second.

With a shriek I climbed off him quickly, stumbling from the bed screaming, “HELP! Someone HELP!”

Inside me panic was taking over. What if he died? How would I leave Theryon when it was miles up in the air? And Amiela stuck inside me for the rest of my life, just waiting for a weak moment to take over my body!

“MALAN! Please gods don‘t die!” I was terrified, I couldn’t heal him. What would Hannibal do? Wait, what would Uriel want me to do?

Malan’s defenses were completely down, but surely Uriel wouldn’t expect me to attempt killing him, not stuck here and by myself. I couldn’t. I didn’t dare search for Fathis, risk arousing Malan’s suspicion with Fathis’s soul on the line.

Not knowing what else to do, I curled into an upright fetal position next to him on the bed to watch him; just whispering over and over for him not to die.






***


I don’t know how long I’d stayed like that when it struck me that Uriel would want me to test the spell’s effects. How much time had passed already? I started timing, then somehow lost count trying to figure out seconds into minutes.

Malan either couldn’t hear me or couldn’t respond, but Uriel would want to know if he could read minds in this state. How would I test something like that? I couldn’t think of anything, finally just let my mind run like a sieve.


I wonder if mating will cause my breasts to grow? Malan grows to giant, would that make them get as big as Hal-Liurz’s? Is that how hers got so big? Janus is a giant too. Ew, did she mate him? Gross! Maybe she mated a minotaur, they’re big. Ew, that’s disgusting! Don’t minotaurs come from mixing Orc with cows?

If a horse mating only produces one baby horse, what if they poured Skooma on his oats? Would he give birth to a litter?

Do mud crabs mate? Would they do it by climbing on from behind or facing each other? Chickens can’t mate, or I‘d have seen it…


Malan made a thickened laughing sound, then tried to pull me into his arms but his movements were uncoordinated and heavy…weak. Still, that proved he was able to eavesdrop on thoughts. He must have heard everything too, but couldn’t respond.

Inside me the relief was tremendous that he had survived it. I lay down beside him with my head on his chest, listening to his heart as it slowly eased from the frenzied beating.

For nearly an hour Malan lay there, his expression absolutely serene. When he spoke it wasn’t in his normal booming jovial voice, his strength seemed drained and his tongue sounded thickened and uncoordinated. He was more sedate than I’d ever seen him.

Malan misunderstood my fears for his life and the relief afterward. He pulled me close to him and held me tight in his arms, teasing me about being in love with Dagoth-Malan. I let him think it, took all his teasing.

If he was going to act against me, it would be when he thought his nature had made me compliant. For my own safety, I’d rather he make his move now, before his nature turned my heart.


*

For some reason the first thing that went through my mind when I read this was "oops" Maxical is right to be concerned though. Getting down from Theryon on her own doesn't seem like a possible thing to do.

I remember once the dog got out and ran into the streets. My reaction to that was somewhat the same as maxical's when malan passed out(I screamed for help and began to yell at the dog to not get hit by a car), except I ran after the dog and almost got ran over by a guy in a truck. That dog is going to kill me one of these days. So what I'm reluctant to cross streets now. It's not that big of a deal, I'm only never walking anywhere again. Wait, I have to walk the dog. Help me

Malan can't lie to her anymore can he? Tsk, tsk. He should have thought his plan out more thoroughly. Maxical is smart to be suspicious



-In a very sarcastic voice- That's not creepy at all, not the slightest bit.

What was he doing?

And what does the daedric writing in the wall say? If I could see it better I could translate it, but its hard to see in that screen(I'm guessing that I'm going to wait to find out what it days though.)

It's only creepy because it's Malan, lol. A lot of lovers do it to their partners. I found it oddly...intimate that Malan did it to Maxical.



Is there a technique that does this in real life?! XDDDD



She'd be stuck there...in a floating Ayleid ruin in the sky... with no Ancient to keep her from being in pain. Yeah. I'd be flipping out too.

Maxical has Malan on the ropes so far. He keeps having to adjust his plans to honor his promises to her and make her compliant. For all of the knowledge that he has garnered from being an Ancient, he probably never guessed that his own nature could be used against him.

Because it has been a bit of time since your last update, the catch up/summary was very welcome. In fact, it was a delightful treat that Maxical was actually the one sharing her impressions of what has been happening. A great choice on your part to have her write it for us!

Theryon is a very neat place and seems so approapriate. I loved the screenshot you provided of it floating in the sky.

“Wait, what does that say?” I pointed to the Daedric paragraph on the wall. “I slept through the classes on Daedric writing.”
“So did Dagoth-Malan, Lass. Come, best get you some air.” He pulled me out of the room and touched the glowing stone. The wall grated closed. With a wave of his hand the wall section glowed orange, he
had magically sealed it from being opened again.'
I loved this exchange! It shows the short attention span our kitty had at the University while also demonstrating how smoothly Malan turns her query aside.

‘I don’t know how long I’d stayed like that when it struck me that Uriel would want me to test the spell’s effects. How much time had passed already? I started timing, then somehow lost count trying to figure out seconds into minutes.’
Now she’s thinking, but her well-known lack of skill with maths and numbers shines through in a delightfully welcome humorous moment.

‘Do mud crabs mate? Would they do it by climbing on from behind or facing each other? ‘
What a ‘Maxical’ string of thoughts! This one in particular struck me. One of the unpredictable effects of the Oblivion Crisis we discovered is that daedroth somehow managed to mate with mud crabs. After all, that surely is the only explanation why we now find land dreughs wandering the wilderness.

‘Malan misunderstood my fears for his life and the relief afterward. He pulled me close to him and held me tight in his arms, teasing me about being in love with Dagoth-Malan. I let him think it, took all his teasing.’
This is brilliant, mALX. Somehow, Maxical is bumbling and stumbling into how to take down the mighty Malan as only Maxical can!

Maxical's thinking is usually as well-aimed as her archery or spell-casting, but there's indications here of her hitting her target a few times.

Has she invented AOE logic? (I use the term "logic" loosely of course).

HAAAAA.

I'm not going to clog the thread but I can't help but to respond to this:




Two things to say to this:

1. I agree with you about it being creepy because its Malan

2. Lovers do that to their partners. All I can say is WTH?! Maybe it's just me. I'm a "look don't touch" person. This includes poking, grabbing, hugging etc, etc. I especially HATE poking.

I'm extremely affectionate to my lovers most of the time. Unless I'm in a bad mood. Then I make a lot of mouth-punching threats lol

Another week of mating with Malan? I couldn't believe she would have done the first one, and now she's doing another! I hope she's accomplishing something with this.

…staring abstractly at a blank spot on the wall and absentmindedly tracing patterns on my stomach with his finger.
...
Malan knew the history of each piece and proudly detailed it, then kept me laughing by telling how he acquired them in anecdotes that made his grand thefts sound like mischievous pranks.
I feel this way he thinks he’s already won, that it’ll be a short amount of time that Maxical’s body will belong to his wife.

Maybe I could trick it too, fool it into thinking that whatever I did against Malan was to help ‘us’.
Not on her own I don’t think she can, BUT since Malan’s already ‘abusing’ it, I think it’ll become accessible to Maxical that she’ll be able to actively use it against him.

…they should erect a monument to you…
…given Dagoth-Malan a swelled head you have…


In the lab, I think she stumbled upon his dungeon as well, or at least the entrance to it.

And finally Malan’s reaction to her kiss. That is a potent weapon. My first reaction was kill him and figure out how to get down later, but then she can’t do that with Fathis on the line still. At least she remembered to test his mind reading. I really hope he didn’t ‘hear’ her considering killing him, or that she planned to test him. I don’t think he did. Good.

Actually, this is the same one week, not a second one.

She is accomplishing something, though. I know it is chafing you that she is with Malan, but there is good reason for it. This is something that Maxical has to go through that will shape her into the warrior she needs to become - not just to take down Malan, but also to perform Uriel's tasks for him.

Here are some of the reasons:


It is inescapable that she be with Malan to revenge/avenge what he did to her as a child. Otherwise she’d be stuck with Amiela in her the rest of her life.

If Malan didn't make her his chosen she would not have his vampire nature inside her helping her take him down. That nature is teaching her his weaknesses and is giving her power and skills she never had before - cunning, stealth, survival instincts.

Malan’s nature has fused with her leopard ancestry. Through Nisaba, Aravi, and Janus - she has been talking about needing to know how to tap into that leopard when needed like she did in that attack by those prisoners, - Malan’s nature gave her that.

Also, Malan lying to Maxical about being the Arbiter - Right now she believes him and thinks he is the Arbiter replacing Fathis. She thinks she has no choice.

BUT that will help take him down too. That will bring Azura into the battle.


(Not to mention Uriel ordered her to keep him occupied). Do you think when he did that he didn't know what it might entail? He also believes Malan is Arbiter, he knew Maxical would have no choice or face death, so was more or less ordering her to do whatever it took not to die for the Dunmer laws.

It won't last long, I promise. Maxical has been inadvertently a thorn in his plots all along, when she realizes he lied about being Arbiter (and figures out he took Fathis and Gils' souls) - she will be a raging force against him, and Maxical fights dirty. She will use every means available to her to take him down - including using Daedric Lords and the King of Worms.

Like she warned him that night in the Temple of the One (and also said when he was impersonating Sir Damien) - She will stop at nothing to avenge what he did to Gils and Fathis.


*

The catch-up in Maxical’s words was pure genius. I love the description of how Malan’s nature is working with her own leopard nature as well as providing insight into Malan’s weaknesses. Or I should say it’s providing insight into Malan that Maxical is able to read as potential weaknesses. I am in awe of the changes that are occurring in her, all growing naturally from what has happened and what is happening. It reminds me of getting out of the car to look at a road grade cutaway (bear with me here). At first you just see rocks, then you back up a little and see layers, then you back up some more (watch out for cars!) and see how the layers were built up and altered through time. Gosh, I hope this made at least a little sense.

I love the tension right from the start. Malan’s belly stroking could just be familiarity between lovers, but it seems a little like he’s treating Maxical like his object and she already doesn’t matter (since she was sleeping). Then her ear caress has a hint of the frantic with the word “jangled.” Even though he just Mysteried her into delirium, she has to be on her guard.

Theryon looks as awesome as you have described it.

I love Maxical’s series of reactions after she caused Malan to keel over from the kiss of fire. First she panicked, then she reached for the inner guidance of Hannibal and Uriel, and then she came up with her own plan! And her runaway train of thought was hysterical. It’s midnight here, and I am trying not to wake anyone up with my choking!

What a wonderful chapter! I loved it!

YAAAYYYY!!!! THE RETURN OF mALX!

King Coin! Here is the ending to this story:

Too much?

Anyways! To the story:

That's a pretty cool looking lab right there. And holy crap! A floating Ayleid Ruin? Malan's got it good! And the "brief-catch up" was well-written! Shows how our albino feline is struggling with Malan(the man who's libido is legendary) and herself.

Malan, to me, seems to be getting very close to our deal Maxical, but we all know why. What I loved about this chapter was the nature of Maxical's true instinct. Or the instinct of Maxical's true nature.

The whole chapter oozed with seduction and eroticism. With thoughts of mating with Minotaurs(eww) and with Maxical kissing him and him shooting juices into her mouth . . .oh . . . .my . . . . ..

So sexy that not even Malan could handle it! I loved this chapter and their relationship grows!


Hell yeah!!!!

*

@ King Of Beasts - Thank you so much KOB! All the charm and romantic play Malan is showing with Maxical is ONLY when Amiela is inside Maxical. Remember how Malan treated Maxical when Amiela was NOT inside her. (With hatred) in Fathis’s cell in Malan’s dungeon (Chapter 178, Page ). Malan loves that soul inside Maxical, but he hates Maxical herself. Thanks again, KOB!

PS: You’d be surprised how many manly men do intimate things (like absentmindedly tracing patterns on stomachs) in the privacy of their homes. Even the big tough guys get romantic when no one is around to see, lol.

*
@ Elisabeth Hollow - Thank you so very much Elisabeth! You are right, that was intimate - but he isn‘t thinking about Maxical when he’s doing it at all, he’s seeing Amiela within her.

Also right - his plotting didn’t take into account the nature and how it would react to being split that way. Also right that he is trying to make Maxical compliant and having to adjust his plans.

Malan isn’t keeping his promises to her at all, though. He taught her Fathis‘s mysteries (Givers), meaning he still has Fathis’s soul. Then he proceeded to teach Gils’ mysteries (the Gifts) meaning he still has Gils’ soul.

That’s why Malan didn’t tell her which marriage he was validating, so she wouldn’t realize he had taught both (because then she’d know he wasn’t a real Arbiter, and she’d realize he must have their souls to have their mysteries).

Oh yes, that can be done in real life! Here is how:



Thank you so much again, Elisabeth!

PS: I always threaten the last thing they said. Example:

They say: I need an eraser for my pencil
I say: I’ll show you an eraser in about one second!

(They never know what to be afraid of then, and can’t exactly answer it either. Case closed.

*
@ Acadian - Thank you so very much Acadian! I love the way you phrased that, “…how smoothly Malan turns her query aside.” That’s how I hoped that would come across exactly, like how he oiled and slimed past her the day she was accusing him of taking Fathis’s soul. I want him to come across as slicker than a minnows [censored] in a [censored] [censored]!

Maxical without the guidance of a greater mind - “bumbling and stumbling” - I loved that description! Yes, she is having to rely on her wits now, lol. (halfwits?) Thank you so very much again, Acadian!

*
@ Ghastley - Thank you so much Ghastley! You had me rolling with this! (though I had to look up AOE logic, lol).

*
@ King Coin - Thank you so very much KC!

Exactly right! He is counting on his nature to turn Maxical’s heart toward him and she’ll let Amiela have her - he is looking at this as if it is a done deal. You nailed it!

That was a terrific description! Not as potent because he can still read thoughts and hear, but being incapacitated - if a team of assassins swarmed quickly enough, they may be able to trap him. Thank you so very much again, KC!

*
@ Grits - Thank you so very much Grits! You caught the subtle difference I was hoping would come across - Maxical’s Arena training and growing up with Alix Lencolia she learned to quickly pick up on opponent’s weaknesses and exploit them.

When Malan was impersonating Sir Damien he himself mentioned how quickly she could sum up a person for their strengths and weaknesses, but his ego (one of the weaknesses she noticed) won‘t let him believe that she is any threat.

I loved your rock analogy! I was picturing sedimentary rock when reading it, or the excavation and unearthing of Pompeii where each layer of rock removed revealed a new strata of life.

Malan’s stroking was the familiarity of lovers, but of himself and Amiela. Maxical being there is just incidental because she is housing Amiela.

Thank you so very much again, Grits! You always make my day with your comments!

*
@ Darkness Eternal - Thank you very much DE! That eroticism in Malan is one of the things Maxical realized was a weakness. Hassildor said ancients were creatures of lusts, blood and sex. He was spot on (and maybe needs to look at himself in that too, lol).

Oh yes, KOW is coming soon. They already realized the possibility he was involved somehow when Malan used that extreme form of necromancy on Maxical, they were right! Thank you so much again, DE!


*

*


Chapter 189: Home Again



Theryon was isolated from everything except the sun and moons. I lost track of the days passing; and although I never forgot his danger to Uriel and the throne, I found myself losing sight of the danger Malan was to me.

The thought dwelled as an undercurrent to stop fighting his nature and let my heart turn, especially after beginning to learn the ‘Gift’ mysteries and seeing the pleasure they wrought in Malan.

I remember thinking Dunmer faked their pickiness just to brag about their conquests, but after being with Malan both before and after learning the Gifts…they weren’t faking it. There was a huge difference in the level of Malan’s passion.

There would definitely be no way to mate at the Palace without everyone in it knowing. He was so loud in his passion that I wouldn’t have been surprised if every bull moose in Cyrodiil was on his doorstep when we finished.

It was a powerful feeling, and I fought my own ego that thought he’d choose me and the pleasure I brought him over centuries of an ancient’s love for his chosen. I had to force myself to remember that his trick poaching left his heart with Amiela permanently. I was still just a means to an end that would avail him, would always be. Uriel’s words. They gave me the willpower to keep up the excruciatingly wearing battle against his nature turning my heart.

Still, seeing how much greater the pleasure with the mysteries was for Malan; how much I wished it could be Gils, or even Fathis I was with. Someone I loved, who loved me. Someone who I could trust.









***


It came as a shock when Malan told me how long I had stayed with him at Theryon, we‘d been here ten days now. He still lacked teaching me three ‘Gift’ mysteries. At first I thought he was slipping in his duties as Arbiter again. Then the thought struck me that he held some out deliberately, either to have an excuse to bring me back here again or to keep that hold over me.

Regardless if I never learned them, I needed to get back to the Palace. The Argonian team should be in the Imperial City by now. Malan needed to be away from here for them to rescue Fathis.

Although I planned to watch carefully how Malan activated that Recall spell, I never saw a thing. One minute he was hugging me and the next we were back in my room at the Palace before I realized what was happening.

“Malan, you’ve marked the Palace to Recall to!”

“Aye, had to bring you back sometime. Uriel may have wondered where you‘d gone.”

“I’m sure he has. I better go talk to him.” Dear gods, if he could flit back and forth from the Palace to Theryon in seconds, how would they rescue Fathis?








***


Uriel’s door was bolted, but my light tap was answered immediately by a scowling Janus. I bolted it behind me, then turned to face four sets of eyes all staring at me with different expressions in them.

Eyja raised her eyebrows twice, grinning. Janus looked like he may explode and turn giant any second. Uriel looked wary, and Hannibal looked worried. Eyja broke the ice, diving right into what was enraging Janus.

“Rosy glowing cheeks and sleepy eyes! Someone’s been well mated!”

I blushed.

“PAH!” Burst from Janus.

Hannibal felt my forehead, like checking if I had a fever or something.

“Well?” Uriel asked. What did he mean by that?

“Huh? Er…you want to know if I‘m well mated?”

Uriel’s face reddened like he may blow. Hannibal took over.

“Malan’s nature, has it turned your heart?”

“No! Well, er…no.”

“Well, er WHAT? Tell the truth!” Janus demanded.

Eyja flitted her hand at Janus, then turned back to me. “Do you love him?”

My face flushed scarlet. “No! It’s just…er…well, there are moments sometimes when it feels like I do…”

Eyja held up her hand to silence the medley of mangled curses from Janus. “Do you mean when you’re mating?”

I nodded.

Uriel, Eyja, and Hannibal all sighed their relief. It had the opposite effect on Janus.

“[Censored] [CENSORED]! [CENSORED] [censored], [CENSORED]!” Janus stormed out, his curses echoing in the corridor before I pushed the door shut and slid the bolt locked behind him.

“What’s he mad about?” I pointed to the vault and hurried in. Hannibal came in last, sealing the vault door behind him.






***


Azura’s seal burned fire on my tongue. “It’s safe. Sire, Malan uses some form of Recall to go between his lair and the Palace in seconds. He must have some kind of marker in my bedroom, because that‘s where he just landed with me. I saw no scroll or spell used.”

“Look for a marker in your room near the spot he landed. Something inconspicuous in a place where it would go unnoticed, like a ring under a dresser.” Eyja suggested. She and Uriel were already scribbling in their notepads.

“Dagon?” Uriel looked like he held his breath.

“Dagon comes sometime after Midyear next.”

“That gives us a little more time than I thought.” Uriel nodded with a relieved look. “Go on.”

“His laboratory has a hidden alcove with a strange altar, it struck a memory in me. I’m sure I’ve been in there before, I remembered touching the Daedric writing above the altar. The site where my mother was killed is directly below the balcony of that lab. I think he placed Amiela in me that day she was killed, years before that night at the orphanage.”

“Did you translate the Daedric passage?” Hannibal stood, looking like an owl sighting prey.

Both my arms extended in an all encompassing shrug. “Ilmiril taught that class. Even Fathis admits sleeping through his lectures. Malan was beside me, I couldn’t copy them down. He cast a tamperproof seal on the door the instant we exited the room. The stench in there turned my stomach.”

“That odor, was it a mixture of decomposition and strong herbs?” Hannibal shook his sheath of notes at me. I nodded.

“Necromancy! The highest echelon; N'Gasta…Mannimarco…” Hannibal plunked down in shock, staring at the sheath of notes in his hand.

“He has the Mrs. Treydog of my golden armor, art and sculptures from the texts at the Arcane, armors made from dragons…”

Uriel waved me to stop. “Get to the important information, Maxical.”

“Oh. That thing I did with his juices at the Arena to escape; he’s requested that with increasing frequency. He can still hear and read minds while under it though, I tested that. I’ve tried to time it, but keep losing count. I’m not sure if it’s three minutes or eight…maybe it’s fifteen. I don’t know, it seems longer each time that he’s totally incapacitated. After that he‘s weak for an hour at least, maybe more.”






***


“What about his nature, have you felt its effects?” Uriel asked.

“Yes. It’s a constant battle, and it’s terribly powerful. You can’t let me know anything if you plan to spring a trap on him, Sire. It won’t let me harm him.” I turned to Hannibal.

“You were right, Hannibal. Malan’s poaching trick has the nature working against itself striving to cure the imbalance of our union. Malan manipulated it somehow to pull this, so there must be a way to communicate with the nature. It considers Amiela a serious threat and is trying to get rid of her. I have to somehow convince it that she needs to stay inside me for my safety. Janus must know how, if someone can ask him.”

Uriel pointed at Eyja, then turned to me. “Have his duties as Arbiter all been met?”

“Not yet, Sire.”

Uriel nodded, then gripped my shoulder tightly in a bracing way. “You’ve done well in keeping Malan distracted, Maxical. Despite his presence the Argonian Tribesmen were able to infiltrate. Although they’ve not found the hidden access to the tiered dungeons yet, they have reached the maze of passages and traps below Theryon.”

“But didn’t Lady Benoch’s maps…“

Eyja interrupted me. “They were hand drawn, and all but unusable after all this time.“

“How are they sending you information, is there an exit?” I asked Eyja, but Uriel answered.

“None they could find. They have been using Recall themselves to return from there when needed.“

“I need a Recall, Sire. I was stuck there, couldn’t leave till he brought me back.”

Uriel nodded, signaling Hannibal to handle it. He turned back to me, his eyes gleaming.

“We need you to keep him occupied away from Theryon, Maxical. Or must I tell you the opposite to ensure your compliance?”

My face burned with embarrassment. “I…er, yes Sire.”






***


“Get him to mate you here.” Eyja gave me a saucy look, arching one eyebrow.

“So you all can listen? Besides, I can’t. He is…er…very loud in his passion.”

Eyja laughed, winking at Uriel. Uriel waved his hand.

“Yes, the Argonian team reported it. That is good, we’ve known when he’s occupied.”

I gasped, turning a bright red. “Even miles in the sky I get no privacy? I’ve never seen such eavesdroppers!“

“Other than yourself?“ Eyja brayed out a laugh. “Tell Malan that Uriel forbid you to leave the Palace.”

“He can’t teach the mysteries I lack here and be overheard, and I want to get them before his nature gets any stronger. Anyway, I can’t stop him from leaving.”

“Do your best. Eyja, give her some tips.”

“Polish his sword.” Eyja said without looking up from her writing.

“I’m referring to teaching her how to get the upper hand with him, get him to do her bidding instead of his own.”

“Polish his sword.” Eyja repeated, this time looking up and winking at Hannibal.

“Oh dear gods! Urgh!” I gaacked. “Please gods don’t let me know about it if you two are…urgh!”

They filed out of the vault laughing. I hesitated in front of the cold storage. After a short struggle with my conscience I grabbed one of the vials of my virgin blood from it, jamming it into my pocket. If Hannibal had some scrolls, I’d duplicate the others and we’d have as much as we needed.

Malan was a vapor in my room when I returned, I felt the relief immediately on my tongue. I locked the bolts, struggling to blank my mind so I’d give no information to Malan. It didn’t work, my mind was so horrified by thoughts of Eyja and Hannibal mating that I could think of nothing else to blank it with.

Malan’s vapor billowed toward me, I heard him laughing before he stepped out. “You don’t have to tell me what you witnessed, Lass. Your mind is churning as badly as your stomach.”

“I nearly screamed, or vomited! I don’t want to know about Hannibal that way, he’s like a parent!”






***


I plunked the vial of my blood down on the nightstand and pointed at the tub, undressing while Malan heated the bathwater. We had already determined he didn’t like me using a fire spell in his vicinity.

“What was with Janus? He stormed out in a rage!”

“He’s jealous, Lass. You gave promises to him, and didn’t keep them.” He sat on the edge of the tub when I climbed in.

“I kept my promise to him, and you of all people know that‘s true.”

“In his mind, that promise is still owed him. Ancients look at promises as binding contracts. And I’m his enemy, Lass. You can‘t go in all rosy cheeked and smiling, bragging about Dagoth-Malan keeping you well mated.”

I gaped at him. “You eavesdropped!”

Malan gave a wicked laugh. “Aye.” He took the sponge from me.

“Hey! Don’t wash my butt before my face! Scrub me from the top down…“ I broke off, eyeing his guileless look suspiciously. “I’ll bet you just like hearing me say that!”

His laugh boomed out, sounding louder in this little room than it had at Theryon.

“AHA! I knew it!” I snatched the sponge back and sat down, handing him the shampoo and pointing at my head.

Malan put on his downtrodden look and made a braying sound. “Hee Haw! Why don’t ye just strap packs to me like a mule Lass?”

“HA! Your nature told me you liked bathing me.”

“Me and my nature need to have a long talk, then.”

I glanced up surprised, but caught the mischief in his eyes. “I knew it wouldn’t lie to me, you do like it.”

After the bath I tumbled onto the bed exhausted. Malan stretched out beside me and pulled me to him. It felt odd, snuggling with an enemy to the throne right here in the Royal Quarters. Dear gods, if I went to sleep he could act against Uriel!

My eyes popped back open. Malan’s eyes had been gleaming excitement since we returned from Theryon, like he was watching a plot unfold. I suddenly wondered what he’d been doing while I was in the vault. Getting some of Janus’s blood?



*

ROFL! You're killing me mALX.



I almost dropped the computer -dies laughing-




I can't help but feel bad for Janus. He's trying so hard to beat Malan to Maxical, but can't seem to get there first



Can't possibly be more boring than history.....



The eavesdropper getting eavesdropped? Maxical doesn't seem to like a taste of her own medicine much....

EDIT: I also have a question. I read something on the elder scrolls wiki about vampire lore. It says :

"Some report said that vampirism can be cured by eliminating the bloodfather of your own bloodline, the one that created your strain of vampirism, but finding and eliminating your bloodfather will be a very difficult task. But by doing this, you can get rid the whole clan of vampire as all other vampires in that clan will also be cured (some of them may die instantly as a result of old age)."

Doesn't that practically mean killing the maker of a certain clan if vampires could wipe out the whole clan. Wouldn't this mean that if they kill Malan, Janus would die too, because he'd be cured of his vampirism and die if old age?

‘It was a powerful feeling, and I fought my own ego that thought he’d choose me and the pleasure I brought him over centuries of an ancient’s love for his chosen.’
What a magnificent sentence – and it shows how much Maxical has had to grow.

‘The Argonian team should be in the Imperial City by now. Malan needed to be away from here for them to rescue Fathis.’
‘I never saw a thing. One minute he was hugging me and the next we were back in my room at the Palace before I realized what was happening. ‘
When these two sentences followed each other closely, I found myself wondering if Malan was (again) reading Maxical’s thoughts. The fact that he can is vexing indeed. Uriel is on the right track though in thinking he’d be wise to pretty much keep his feline champion in the dark about plans against Malan and to use Maxical primarily as a distraction at this point.

“Get him to mate you here.” Eyja gave me a saucy look, arching one eyebrow.
“So you all can listen? Besides, I can’t. He is…er…very loud in his passion.”
Eyja laughed, winking at Uriel. Uriel waved his hand.
“Yes, the Argonian team reported it. That is good, we’ve known when he’s occupied.”
I gasped, turning a bright red. “Even miles in the sky I get no privacy? I’ve never seen such eavesdroppers!“
“Other than yourself?“ Eyja laughed.’
This whole little exchange was hilarious, and Eyja’s irony at the end just capped it off!

“Hey! Don’t do my butt before my face! Scrub me from the top down…“

I believe that information on vampire lore was from a quest in Daggerfall. There are plenty of ways to cure vampirism, but notice that each time there are different vampire clans for different cures. Every vampire clan is different. Each have their own powers, abilities, cults, tribe structure, goals, feeding habits, territory, etc. The killing the vampire who sired you cure was attributed to the nine vampire clans in the Illiac Bay, I believe, and that's one to cure that certain bloodline. The same cannot be said for other tribes. Take Harkon, for example. If bitten by him in Skyrim, and you end up killing him, you still remain a vampire. Likewise for other games excluding Daggerfall.

Also, the Elder Scrolls Wiki is NOT reliable. People come in and change crap there all the damn time. The UESP and the Imperial Library is reliable.