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The flash of a steel dagger that was being tossed up into the air then caught by the hilt as it fell would be a good reason for most people to keep away from the lone figure that stood leaning against the wall watching as everyone (civilians, guards and adventurers alike) go about their daily business. But apparently, not everyone had gotten the message that this particular person was to be left alone as a figure began to approach the lone figure. Sheathing the blade, the person, a woman, glanced over towards the person approaching and wanted to roll her eyes as she saw that it was a messenger who was daring to approach her. “Pardon me, but are you Lady Ashae of Highrock?” “I am. What’s it to you?” She inquired not really in the mood to deal with the stupidity of people this day. “The High King has sent me to give you this,” the messenger held out a letter of which the woman, Ashae, took to read over carefully. “He has asked me to inquire if you wouldn’t mind going and see if this...Decree... made by the Queen of the Altmer peoples is an honest one.” Ashae read the “decree” over carefully and smirked under her mask. “Return to His Majesty and inform him that I shall go to the Altmer homeland of Summerset. And tell him that when I can, I will send him any and all information that I discover back to him,” She nodded as she pocketed the parchment. Watching the man leave, Ashae turned her gaze towards the sea and felt unwanted tears stinging her eyes as a breeze picked up, moving the edges of her hood as her gaze watched the water ripple. “Well Darien, looks like I am about to go stir up more trouble...” then she frowned underneath her mask as her sorrow showed in her eyes. “I just wish you were here to watch the whole thing unfold...” She closed her eyes as the memory of the first time she had met her friend Darien came haunting back.*******“What brings you to our pleasant little city? The war? The blood? The thrice damned werewolves?” Ashae looked towards the young man whom had spoken to her the minute she had walked up to ask about the one she had been sent to find. This must be the General’s boy, Darien Gautier. She thought as he studied her carefully. “The Lion Gaurd holds the courtyard. Your father sent me to find you.” The young man, Darien, looked greatly relieved to hear those words come from her hidden mouth. “That’s the first good news I’ve heard today,” he smirked as he cleaned off the tips of his gauntleted fingers. “But if you’re here to take me to my father, you can get that thought right out of your head,” he informed her. As he met her eyes again to just barely catch the hint of amusement in her eyes, he spoke once more, “There are beautiful women in Camlorn that still need to be rescued.” He watched as she rolled her eyes at him at that before her arms crossed with what he could assume to be a frown on her face.“General Gautier sent me to retrieve your master key,” She managed as she resisted the urge to shake her head and roll her eyes again at the young man. Playboy, she heard that annoying tiny voice in the back of her mind, what most people called a “conscience”, speak and for once she agreed with it. Now it was his turn to frown, “In all seriousness, I’m not doing anything until we find a safe refuge for the civilians hiding in the surrounding buildings,” he stated point blankly as a slight change overcame her at the word “civilians”. “The inn should be defensible enough and its full of supplies. There’s just one catch.” He crossed his arms.Now Ashae’s interest was peaked, “What’s the catch?” She inquired as he watched her carefully. There was something about her that made him unsure of and attracted to her. “The inn’s locked up tight and the innkeeper was killed trying to reach us,” He saw her close her eyes and shake her head. “Get the key from the body and enter the inn, then shine a signal light. I’ll rally the civilians and get them to safety. We’ll talk about my key after.” He told her as she smirked underneath her mask.“Very well,” She told him as she turned and walked towards the entrance of the building they stood in. “Wait?! Your really going to go out there and do what I just said to do?!” He watched as she stopped to look at him, the hint of a smug “challenge accepted” was in her strikingly blue eyes as she turned her head to face him. “Of course,” with that, she was gone from his sight and he stood looking dumbfoundedly after her. “Did that just really happen?” He inquired more to himself than anyone else as he awaited the signal that proved she had done as he asked (or rather told) her to do.
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Ashae snuck quietly around the darkened city in search of the former innkeeper and was now grateful for her mother’s insistent need to have her eldest daughter trained as an assassin. Stepping lightly as she kept to a crouched state helped her avoid being detected by the other humans who were just milling around while wolf-like creatures, werewolves as they were, prowled around or snarled and roared, even growled. More then a few times Ashae had just barely, barely, managed to avoid being detected by the man-beasts but, with a bit of pepper, their sense of smell was momentarily hindered and she was able to get away. As she came to a spot that looked promising, she was pleased to see that the body of the former innkeeper was leaning against the stone wall of another house and snuck over to snag the key, but after she took the key she looked to the eyes of the innkeeper and frowned as she reached up with a gloved hand and shut his terror-filled eyes just as the rain she had been expecting to come began to fall. "Your sacrifice will not have been in vain," She whispered towards the body before she turned away and looked around the area only to see that the inn was directly across from her. "How convenient..." She frowned as her conscience spoke to her again. "Better then it being across the city," It responded as she chanced a glance over towards the wall near the innkeeper to see that her conscience had taken a physical form, a form of a creature known as a "Dremora" or a Daedra in lazy man's terms."Why are you bothering me, again?" She grumbled in return as it leaned back."You know why. Our prince wouldn't take lightly to one of her favored "pets" being stolen from her by the minions of another," The creature smirked with a hint of smug amusement. "Our Prince has nothing to worry about," Ashae growled low. She really hated it when this creature, who was acting as her conscience, appeared out of the blue to belittle her, make fun of her, or just anything really, but it wasn't like she could really do anything about it when the creature had been specifically sent to her by the Daedric Prince she worshiped to keep her on the right path. "Now speak plainly, Umocus, why are you here?""Ashae," the dremora, now revealed to be named Umocus, frowned as he stood up and walked over to her. "She sent me to check up on you and to warn you. Our Prince knows you tend to stray from the set path at times, but what you are doing now will tempt you down a truly darker path. You must remain true to her, her teachings and the path she oversees for you. You must resist going down the darker path that will soon tempt you...also your father is on his way as he's caught wind that you are back here in Highrock.""Oh for the love of...!" Ashae closed her eyes and snarled. "Why can't that old buzzard's arse just leave me alone?!" She growled as Umocus frowned. "He won't be here for about an hour yet and even then I doubt the Elder Gautier will allow him anywhere near the town until this whole situation is dealt with. Our Prince is offering to buy you some time to deal with this," Umocus waved around, "mess.""Alright, if you can give me just enough time to finish this, then I will attempt to get this over with quickly," Ashae told the Dremora who nodded his understanding. After that, the Dremora vanished and Ashae rushed over to the inn to light the signal for Darien to get the civilians to the inn, of which he was swift to do. Ashae heard him giving instructions down the stairs but as she prepared to walk down to speak with him a dried flower upon the nearby desk had her stop in her tracks and she turned her attention to it for a brief moment. A...withered rose? As she noted the flower and studied it, she felt tears pricking her eyes and scrunched up her face as the corners of her lips pulled back in pain. Mother's favorite... Shaking herself mentally she steeled herself, There's no point in standing around! I have a job to do! With that Ashae walked down the stairs to head towards Darien who turned to her as she finished her approach. "And here we are, at the inn, all safe and sound. More or less," Darien smirked as he threw his arms wide. "We saw the light and followed you inside," He informed her as she once more resisted the urge to roll her eyes at him. "Now about your master key...?""Ah, ah, ah. Not quite yet." He shook a finger at her and she inwardly huffed in irritation. Of course there's more...there's always something more. She watched him carefully as he spoke."We need weapons and armor to help protect these civilians," He informed her as she clenched her jaws together. "There are catches of Camlorn Gaurd supplies hidden around the city. Gather some and we can arm more people," he told her. "I'll find the catches of weapons and armor," She told him as she turned and left the building. *******Ashae walked towards the wayshrine in Waycrest and rolled her shoulders, "Must have slept wrong last night..." She huffed as she realized that she had a nasty crick in her neck. Rubbing it she finished her approach to the Wayshrine and touched the surface of the bowl that held the odd blue fire, closing her eyes briefly, she focused on the location the decree had stated for all newcomers to arrive at and soon felt the prickly sensation that always came with this strange form of travel. The moment the sensation was gone she opened her eyes and saw a different view of the world around her. “Is this...Summerset?” She asked as she was greeted by green grassy hills filled with flowers and trees and other things, to include dire wolves and other creatures. “Wow...” “Let the Cat fight those monsters! I’m getting out of here!” A voice cried out as Ashae turned to see an Altmer racing up to her. “The Isle’s sprung a leak! Run!” Ashae blinked for a few moments before the man addressed her, “First the Queen issues a decree that changes the status of Summerset from an isolated paradise into a... a tourist attraction! Now monsters! Sea creatures! I’ve never seen anything like them! Well, I say let the cat fight them! Better him than me!” “Monsters? Cat?” Ashae was greatly confused now. “Slow down and tell me what happened.” “Suddenly the ground opened, spewing water and strange creatures! They attacked us! Luckily, one of the newcomers, a Khajiit, leaped in and drove them back. Called himself Razum-dar,” the man was still hysterical with fear but Ashae was just glad he had calmed enough to make a bit of sense. “He could probably use some help, if you are so inclined.” “I’ll go talk to Razum-dar,” Ashae started but then the man fled again and she watched him flee. Looking in the direction he had come from, Ashae frowned as her brow scrunched together. “Not a heartbeat into being here and suddenly the shit starts flying. I wonder what strange adventure I’ll get into this time.” She muttered more to herself then anyone else, not that it would have mattered seeing as how no one else was around at the moment. Walking in the direction the Altmer man had come from Ashae soon noted the dead bodies of very strange sea-beasts and a Khajiit, whom she could properly assume to be named Razum-dar standing among them. The moment he heard her approaching, Razum-dar turned to her and immediately leaped to asking questions. “Have you ever seen such creatures? Raz has not. Probably neither have you,” He spoke as she met his eyes. “You are a newcomer, yes? New to the island of the High Elves? This one has an eye for such things. And you look capable. So, can Raz interest you in some cloak-and-dagger work?” Ashae perked up at that, “Cloak-and-dagger work? Sounds ominous.” “Ominous? No, nothing of the sort. Well, maybe a little of the sort. Depends on how things develop.” He informed her as she watched him carefully. It’s usually how things end up when I’m involved... Asha thought to herself as Raz spoke again. “Raz has come to Summerset at the behest of Queen Ayrenn. To make sure her decree regarding the opening of the island proceeds as she directed.” “So, how can I help?” Ashae wondered out loud as Raz turned fully to face her. “Ask some questions. Determine the mood in Shimmerene and see how the newcomers are faring. Rumors have reached the Queen and she is concerned. So, Razum-dar comes to see what's happening and fights strange creatures. Now Raz is concerned as well.” Ashae knew what she needed to do as the creatures that lay dead did concern her, though she wasn’t exactly sure why. “I’ll ask some questions around the city,” she nodded in agreement towards the red-haired Khajiit. “While you ask questions around the city, Raz can take care of some other business. It may or may not involve scratching and clawing,” he brushed his hands together and smiled at her. “Let’s meet near the entrance to Shimmerene when you have something to report.” He told her as she nodded her agreement and turned to head back towards the city to start asking questions.Later in the day found Ashae sighing as she headed for the cathedral. Since discovering what she had during her questioning and having had met up with Raz, it had been agreed upon that Ashae was likely the best candidate to get into the cathedral and investigate further into what she had read and heard. Just as she was about to pass the building that housed the “Kinlady”, a title Ashae was very unfamiliar with, a bright golden light captured her attention as she felt the familiar hum of her Prince’s energy and turned to see a golden knight as he called out to her, “You there! I have a—damn it! Why won’t this work?” He snarled as she watched him with shock as his voice trigged more memories from their slumber just as he vanished. “It couldn’t be...” Ashae was frozen in place as the familiar sound of the voice echoed in her skull. “...Darien...?” ******* Ashae walked out of the burning building and looked around as members of the Lion Guard cheered, saluted and crossed their arms over their hearts as she forced herself to walk normally towards General Gautier. The man praised her and they spoke a little longer before he pointed her towards his son for more answers as of to why the werewolves and the cultists she had seen in the city had been so interested in Camlorn. As she made her way towards him, Darien turned with the biggest smile on his face and spoke to her. She managed to ask him a few questions before he turned to look elsewhere while she removed her hood. When he turned back to speak with her he watched as her shoulder-length ebony hair cascaded out of the restrictive hood and watched as she pulled the mask away to reveal full lips that were their naturally peachy color showing that she did not wear make-up at all. When she opened her eyes again, Darien felt as if a house cat had caught hold of his tongue. In that moment, as the sun slowly rose she looked as if she were a goddess among men and he wasn’t sure what to say but he wouldn’t get the chance as a voice called out her name. “ASHAE!” “Oh no...” Ashae frowned immediately, “sorry Darien but it looks like we’ll have to talk later!” With that, she turned and raced towards the wall that separated the area they were in and the Cathedral, and just as she vanished from sight (by leaping over the wall), the voice from before caught Darien’s attention and he turned to see his father approaching a rather pissed off looking nobleman. “Where is my daughter?! I know she is here and I will not leave until she is turned over to my custody!” Darien frowned as he watched his father deal with the noble but decided to walk away as the man began to spew out his title and last name. Wondering if Ashae was around, Darien made his way towards the Cathedral and entered it to find Ashae leaning against one of the pillars and gasping in pain. “Ashae!” He called out as she groaned, grasping her side with a hand. “Guess I had this coming...” she managed through the searing white hot pain of what she knew to either be broken or fractured ribs. “Bloodly fucking werewolf...” she groaned as she struggled to stay awake. “Were you bitten?” Darien knelt down next to her and reach out to place a hand on her should while the other touched her side carefully. “No...” she gasped in pain as another blaze of it burned through her. “Fucker threw me around...like a..." She groaned in pain as another searing flame licked through her side, "...toy...” she informed him, “I think...” she gasped for air, “I think some of my ribs might be... might be broken...” She told him as he debated on what to do. But whatever he decided to do Ashae wouldn't know as she soon passed out with him calling out her name.
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Ashae huffed as she planted her ass on the bed in the rented room of the local inn. Outside of the fact that she had been running around like a moron all day, and had killed several creatures and a batshit insane Altmer, all she really, really wanted to do was get some sleep but she doubted that would be a thing as her dreams had turned very strange in the days leading up to her agreeing to come to Summerset. Sighing as she lay down for a breif moment, she felt the aching bones in her ribs and back give the sensation of relief as she allowed the pressure that had been on them to be released; opening her eyes from their suddenly closed state, Ashae debated on if she really wanted to get up and take a bath but she knew she needed to. Groaning as she sat up she heard someone snicker and looked over to see Umocus looking at her with a barely contained smirk on his lips. “What?” “Tired?” “Yes.” He frowned then, “How do you feel?” He inquired as she rubbed the back of her neck. “I’ll live,” She replied as she shook her head. “Let me guess, you’ve come to warn me?” “Excellent guess.” “What about now?” “The stakes are tripled in this adventure of yours.” Umocus frowned, “Our Prince fears that this may be the last time for a while you and I may meet. She has sent me to warn you, you already know that are three Princes forming a...” “Court Of Bedlam.” “Apparently they are not the brightest when it comes to naming their little little...arrangement...” “Its the Princes. No one ever said that they had to be creative.” “Point taken,” Umocus shook his head. “Either way, Our Prince has requested that I inform you that she has allowed him to come back to Nirn to aid you in this endeavor.” “Him? You mean?” “I do. He is going to try and speak with you but I have a suspicion that these three other princes will try to keep him away from you.” Umocus placed a hand on his chin with a smirk before turning back to her with a frown. “On a more...personal...note, I also came to beg you to be more careful. I may be a Dremora, but I have come to care about you and you are not just my charge in my eyes anymore. You are like what you mortals call “a daughter” to me. Please, try to be more careful this time.” “I can’t really promise that but I will try for you, Umocus,” Ashae told him as he nodded his understanding before he turned to the tub which was filled with cooled water. Snapping his fingers he warmed it back up before he turned and looked at her. “Take a bath and try to get some sleep. Tomorrow beings its own challenges,” with that Umocus vanished and Ashae prepared to bathe. “Doesn’t it always?” She asked to herself as she cautiously stepped into the tub. ******* “She should be waking soon, Captain Gautier, but please you must be patient. Her injuries are only just healed.” An unfamiliar voice spoke as Ashae slowly came back into the world of Nirn. “I need to see her!” A more familiar voice snapped back, causing her to further awaken despite the foggy haze that clung to her like a wet blanket. “Darien! Be patient!” Another familiar voice barked out as it spoke again, “We will see Lady Ashae soon, but we need to give her time to awaken.” “I-yes father...” Darien backed down as Ashae slowly opened her eyes to see a stone ceiling above her head. “Easy,” an elderly voice soothed as Ashae turned her head to see an unfamiliar, yet elderly, man walking towards her. “You are only just recovered, and in no small part to your Prince.” “How...?” Ashae flinched at the hoarse sound of her voice as her dry throat cracked. “Its not that hard to tell. I could feel her Light surrounding you as I worked my healing magic into and around your wounds. You... hmn... you are not her Vessel, yet you carry a piece of her light within you.” The elder frowned as he studied her for a moment after he helped her to sit up and had given her some water. “What are you, I wonder...” He studied her closely as she took a careful and slow drink of the water. “But that still doesn’t answer my question. How do you know?” The Elder smiled, “That is for another time, for now, you have someone waiting rather impatiently to see you.” “Who-?!” “You’re awake!” Darien’s voice echoed into the room as Ashae turned to see him all but running up with his father in tow. “Good to see your awake. After you collapsed, I was worried that I-err that we might lose you.” “I agree,” General Gautier spoke up as Ashae turned her gaze towards him, “when my son came to find me with you in his arms, I feared the worst and we had the healers sent for immediately. I am pleased to see that you are alright.” “I will be thanks to the quick thinking of both Darien and you, Ser,” Ashae flung her legs over the side of the cot and clenched her jaws as she made to stand. “Are you sure you should be standing?” Darien prepared to reach out in case her legs gave out and she huffed out a laugh.” “My job is never done, this is nothing,” She informed them as she stood and looked towards the healer. “Thank you, Healer of Azura. If there is nothing keeping me bed bound, I should really be on my way.” Darien and his father watched as the healer looked her over before nodding, “You are welcome and no, there is nothing that would make me think you would need to be bound to bed. Just be careful for the next few days. You are only just healed and I would hate to find that you have undone all my hard work.” “I will try,” Ashae promised as both gave each other the respective signs of farewell, but before the healer left he turned once more towards Ashae and frowned. “Ah, now I know what you are, or rather what you are becoming,” he smiled softly, “you are treading a dangerous path Ashae Limavenne, daughter of Maliyna Limavenne. Yet I cannot seem to understand why she has not changed you fully.” Ashae frowned as the healer left and bit back her smartass remark of “because I do her bidding willingly” as it would not do to show how much of an ass she could be. Instead, Ashae sighed and turned away to replace her outfit as Darien and the General turned away despite the fact that she went behind a wall for privacy. When she walked out from behind the wall, she looked towards both men and sighed. “You can turn around now,” And as she sat down to pull on her boots Darien was the first to speak. “What did he mean by all that cryptic nonsense?” Ashae looked up towards the young man and thought over her answer carefully. Sighing as she returned to placing in her boots, Ashae spoke carefully. “Guess there is no point in hiding it anymore," Ashae scratched at the back of her head before looking towards the two men. "I am a follower of Meridia," she told them point blank. "What the healer meant by is cryptic message is... well simply to put it the majority of those who follow Meridia often end up becoming beings know as Lustrants, or immortal beings under her complete control with no free will of their own,” Ashae stood to ensure the buckles on her outfit were pulled tight and securely, “others are usually lucky enough to avoid such a fate and then there are the rare few who willingly chose to become such beings.” “What are you saying, Lady Ashae?” General Gautier inquired as both father and son watched her carefully. “What I am saying is: I am one of those rare few, I am slowly becoming a Lustrant,” Ashae told them as Darien and The General went wide-eyed. “However my Prince is taking a...different...route with making me one of her immortal servants. But that is not something either of you need to concern yourselves with. What you do need to concern yourselves with is the fact that this world is going insane out there and thus one of my many tasks is to figure out a way to put it back together or...at least...figure out a way to keep the Covenant from tearing itself apart despite how fragile it is at this time.” Darien wasn’t sure what to say to what she had just told them, but the words came unbidden anyway, “Why would you give yourself over so willingly? Don’t you enjoy having free will?” Ashae looked to him and frowned, “Free will is good and all and if someone wants to keep theirs then they are more then welcome to. As for me enjoying free will...I’ve personally never really HAD a reason TO enjoy free will. Mine has led me to nothing but misery...to sorrow... thus I no longer desire it.” Asha shook her head, “Meridia offered me something I could not refuse. She offered to give me a purpose to my life and in exchange, I gave up having free will though she is taking it away slowly,” Ashae told the two men. “There’s more to the story, isn’t there?” Darien questioned as Ashae sighed. “There is, but what I have told you will be enough for you to understand that I am bound to Meridia for the rest of my natural life and coming immortal life.” “There must be a way to free you!” Darien frowned as his father watched Ashae sadly. “If there is, I have no desire for it. As I’ve stated, my free will has only lead to sorrow and I am sure that before much longer it will only continue to do so,” With that Ashae threw on her hood and turned to leave the building. “Now, if you both will excuse me: I have someone named Angof to find and send to Oblivion where he blongs,” After speaking those words, Ashae left the two men standing in that room watching after her.*******Ashae moved to the bed after drying herself off and throwing on a clean pair of breeches and a shirt. She was utterly exhausted yet she really didn’t want to sleep. Sitting down, Ashae began to fidget with the ring Darien had given her when he had discovered that her birthday had been the day of Angof’s defeat. Granted it was just a plain old pewter ring that he had made (or well had attempted too) and was a bit curvy and wonky, but Ashae smiled as she played with it around her ring finger on her right hand. Granted she had been given many rings as rewards for her deeds, but she always kept this one and always wore it as something about the fact that Darien had given it to her made it all that more special. Feeling a small smile cross her lips, Ashae closed her eyes before standing and walking over to the window of the inn, she soon found herself leaning against the windowpane and stared blankly out over the nearby fields. “You should be sleeping,” a familiar voice spoke up as Ashae huffed out a short laugh. “You know sleep doesn’t come ease to me anymore,” Ashae replied as a hand rested on her shoulder. “Especially not since...” her voice trailed off as her eyes closed. “I know,” The voice replied as Ashae continued to look outside. “You miss him.” “I...yes, I do.” Ashae frowned as she looked towards the person, or rather the projection, who was in the room with her. “What are you doing here?” Ashae inquired before returning her gaze to the outside world. “I could sense your restlessness. Are you alright?” “If only. The days seem to be growing longer and I dare not sleep because of the...dreams.” “Dreams?”“It’s hard for me to explain, but I get this feeling that something will be going horribly wrong before this adventure is all over. And the dreams... I know the Daedric prince of Nightmares, Vermina, is pissed off with me as I am one of the biggest thorns in her side, but this doesn’t feel like her work.” “Tell me about the dreams.” “Where do I begin?” Ashae asked more to herself then her guest. “Just start somewhere.” “Alright,” Ashae nodded as she gave herself a moment to think while not knowing that someone else was listening. “Well in the dreams I often find myself standing alone, atop a tower, I can tell someone has been defeated but I can’t say who. Then I find myself walking towards the edge of the tower and standing there looking out over a beautiful land. As I stand there, I feel someone put a hand on my back and shove me forward, but as I am plunging towards my death, a light blinds me and then I am taken back to the day where I sent Molag Bal running with his tail between his legs...the day I first lost...” She trailed of for a moment, “and then dream, or nightmare, or whatever it is, repeats with someone shoving me off the edge of the tower.” “Have you tried forcing yourself to turn around?” “I can’t control my dreams, they aren’t tangible things!” Ashae snarled at the person who frowned.“Is there anything else?”“All I know is that someone shoves me off the top of a damnable tower and as I am falling I am blinded by a bright light and tranported to that particular day.”“Ashae, surely there is something more.” “I...wait...” suddenly Ashae’s mind froze, “there is...a voice. His voice.” “Whose?” “Darien’s.” “Why would Darien’s voice speak to you in a dream?” Ashae shot a dark look towards the person who threw thei hands up into the air, “Alright! Alright! Don’t bite my head off. What does he say?” “That because I wear the ring he gave me I am “safe and secure”, protected from harm.” The person raised a brow, “Ring? What ring?” Ashae lifted her hand to touch the pewter ring as the person looked at it. “Its just a plain old ring, how would that protect you?” “Darien gave it to me the same day that that idoit named Angof was beaten. That day was my birthday. I had made mention that while Angof’s defeat was a good present it left something to be desired as Angof was easily defeated and for some reason still unknown to me, Darien gave me this ring,” Ashae explained as she fiddled with it. “I still don’t know why he did as, honestly, a drink at the tavern would have been fine by me, but for whatever reason he did, he gave it to me and its been my most cherished treasure ever since.”Ashae’s friend smiled softly then, “You love him.” “That’s absurd!” Ashae huffed. “I mean...yes, he and I flirted a few times, but it never went any further then that.” “Ashae.” “Okay fine! My stupid arse fell in love with the man...” Ashae admited as she turned away with a huff, “but it doesn’t mean anything! Darien is...I could never be with him even if Meridia allowed it. I’m not worthy of the man and he’s...” “The man you have an unrequited love with?” “Yes...” Ashae’s shoulder’s sagged as she pouted. “I care for him, I truly do. But my path is set and despite how I wish I could have just one night with him...to tell him how stupid I feel for falling for him... I never get the chance.” “What’s that old saying,” Ashae turned to her friend then, “Oh what was it? “Never say never” I believe?” Ashae only huffed in response. “Have faith Ashae, you can’t say what will happen in the near future. Who knows? You might get to have that night with him.” “Doubt it.” Ashae turned around but saw that she was alone once more. Frowning, Ashae looked out the window once more and dropped her head. “I don’t think it ever will...” With that Ashae turned, walked to the bed and laid down to attempt to get some sleep after covering herself up.
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Rivenspire was...desolate...to say in the least and its image was not helped by the strange reddish light of whatever was going on in the distance. “What in the...?” Ashae frowned as she shielded her eyes from the sun’s glaring light. But then she shook her head as she clicked her tongue and urged her stallion forward only to be met with a familiar person as he spotted her approaching. “What do we have here?” Ashae turned to see Darien smiling as he approached her while she dismounted, “I think I see a fellow lover of adventure, and I’m betting it’s no accident that you’re headed this way.” He smirked as she struggled to hide her smile. “Am I right? Have Rivenspire’s troubles become your troubles too?” He inquired as she turned to him. “Yes. King Emeric sent me to help restore order,” Ashae told the man as he watched her grip the reins of her horse loosely. “Ha!” Darien barked out a laugh, “easier said than done, I’m afraid. But I’m glad to hear Emeric gives a damn. We thought maybe our dispatches weren’t getting through.” He studied her carefully, checking her over for any signs that she was hiding any injuries, of which she understood considering she had collapsed on him only months before. “I was about to walk to Wayrest myself, but you saved me that trouble. And I suspect you can help me further.” Ashae raised a brow and waited for him to continue as her stallion, as black as a starless night, snorted beside her and beat his hooves upon the ground, impatiently. He was a warhorse afterall, and standing around was not one of his best virtues. “If you haven’t noticed, Rivenspire’s caught up in a civil war almost as bloody as old Ranser’s rebellion. This time, it’s Baron Montclair. He’s apparently decided that he’ll be King of Shornhelm whether the rest of the noble houses like it or not.” He watched as pure shock bloomed in her eyes as that news. “Baron Montclair started the civil war?!” Ashae couldn’t believe what he had just told her, yet she could clearly see the truth writen on his face and in his eyes. “Sure did. Bastard bribed the city guard, attacked the other nobles, and seized half of Shornhelm,” Darien continued to watch Ashae’s eyes closely as her shock turned to confusion and anger. “Now Montclair’s troops are all over, and the Shornhelm Guard’s getting its buttocks kicked. So? Want to help me save the kingdom?” He inquired as she nodded. “All right, you can count me in,” she told him as she spoke in a semi-forced calm. “Think of the glory!” He smirked but Ashae partially ignore him. Her mind was only half there, “...go on to Shornhelm’s chapel and tell Countess Tamrith that I recruited you to the cause. I’ll be along as soon as I can.” He watched as Ashae nodded absentmindedly, but she soon mounted back up and urged her stallion forward, leaving Darien behind to watch after her worriedly. “Something tells me she’s taking this a bit more personally then she has anything else.” He frowned as she kicked her stallion into a full-blow gallop and secretly he began to worry about her more then what he already was. What’s really going on with you Ashae? He wondered as she disappeared from his sight. *******Ashae slowly awoke to feeling gentle restoration magic washing over her and saw one of the Psijic healers mending her wounds. “You’ve really done a number on yourself this time, Ashae.” A familiar voice spoke up as Ashae closed her eyes. “Hey, stay with us!” The voice ordered her as she attempted to stay awake, “please...” the voice begged of her to no avail as Ashae passed out. Only to awaken sometime later to an unfamiliar room around her, causing her to enter a slight panic and thus, as fear gripped her momentarily she felt herself sieze up and prepared to leap up when someone instantly appeared and held her down. “ASHAE! It’s alright! You’re alright!” The voice of the person was instantly familiar yet it struggled to break through the suddenly tight grip of her fear. “Ashae, look at me!” The voice commanded her as her gaze landed on a very familiar face. “Its alright. Breathe.” The person told her as Ashae blinked a few times while her mind finally caught up to the present time. “Where? Who?” She was confused and the person holding her down waited paitently for her to realize who they were. “Darien?” She inquired as he nodded. “It’s me, Ashae. I’m really here. Thanks to you and your Psijic friends.” Darien smiled breifly before frowning. “Do you remember anything from when you rescued me from Mephala’s realm?” Ashae shook her head slowly, she could feel a nasty headache brewing and didn’t think it wise to upset it more. “The last thing I remember was fighting some giant half-spider thing halfway to where you were and then nothing, its all blank after that,” Ashae told him as his brows furrowed. “So you don’t remember saving me, or returning here and collapsing about an hour to two hours later, or the healers having to rush to save you because of of the venom of those creatures?” Again she shook her head and now he was extremely worried. She shouldn’t be having such gaps in her memory... He then began to speak again, “Is this a common thing since your soul was returned?” “I...” Ashae looked away for a moment, but her mind only drew a blank. “I don’t know. I don’t think so...but alot of my memories are... fuzzy,” She told him as he sat on the edge of the bed she was on while she slowly sat up. She rubbed at her face, “Actually, no, its not a common thing at all,” She frowned as she looked towards a window. “This didn’t start happening until I picked up...” “Picked up what?” Darien asked as he studied her carefully. It was apparent to him that time was not her friend as she had just the barest hints of grey or white in her dark hair.“The Dawnstar gem. From when you threw it on the ground near my boots,” Ashae frowned. I can remember everything from before picking it up, but there are moments of time in my memories that are missing since I picked it up.” She turned her head to meet his eyes and felt her heart stop in its tracks when their eyes met for a brief moment. But she had to look away to rub at her eyes as she was still really tired and he seemed to sense this. “Ashae?” “Hmn?” “How much sleep have you been getting?” “If I said I’ve been getting plenty, that would be a lie,” she informed him as he frowned and placed a hand on her cheek before placing it under her chin. As gently as he could, he lifted her head up and studied her closely. “The last time you lost so much sleep was when we were in Coldharbor...” he frowned as he scanned her face. “What’s wrong?” She shook her head, “It’s nothing I can’t handle, Darien.” “Ashae.” “Please, don’t. It’s honestly nothing you need to concern yourself over. It’s just a little bit of lost sleep. I’ll be fine,” she told him as he frowned but he had learned that when it came to certain things, Ashae was as stubborn as a person could be. “Why don’t you lay back down and try to get some sleep?” Darien inquired as Ashae looked towards him, “Don’t worry, You’ll have the fearless Darien Gautier here for you when you wake up.” Ashae groaned and rolled her eyes at that, “HA! There’s the Ashae I know!” That brought a smile to her face and he felt a sense of accomplishment. “Go shoo,” Ashae waved him off as he stood to move away from the bed. “I’m sure there’s a “beautiful woman” waiting for you somewhere on this island.” She told him as she lay back down to sleep. But just as she dropped off to sleep (as she passed out again the moment her head hit the pillow) she swore he said something.He waited until her breathing slowed and smiled softly, “the only beautiful woman I truly want is the woman who was beside me in Coldharbor.” He whispered as he approached the bed where she was sleeping now. He saw a glint of something grey in color upon her right ring finger and smiled as he saw the ring he had given her for her birthday glinting there. “Besides, I think I still owe you more then just a round of drinks.” He whispered as he leaned down to gently place a kiss upon her forehead before walking over to a chair to sit and keep an eye on her while she slept and to eat as, since his own wounds had healed, he had refused to leave Ashae’s side the moment he had heard (or rather had witnessed) that she had collapsed.*******Ashae couldn’t believe what she was seeing, “How could he do this...?” She inquired as she paced around in the “basement” of the home of a longtime friend of her family. “First Montclair goes absolutely insane because of the loss of his wife and now my father has joined him in this...insanity?!” “Ashae, I know this is alot to taken in. But maybe you should sit?” Ashae turned to the speaker and frowned, but as she opened her mouth to speak, the person beat her too it. “Please understand that a lot of things have happened since your exile from Rivenspire. Montclair’s grief from first loosing you, he really did see you as a second daughter, and then his wife, its taken its toll on him.” “I...” Ashae sighed as she looked away, “I know, Verandis...but I still...to know that my so called family has just lost their minds is...” “Believe me I know, Ashae.” The man she had addressed as Verandis frowned as he watched her carefully. He was several heads taller then her, but then again he was an Altmer. “At least one of you is still sane and for that I am grateful,” She looked towards him as he reached out and hugged her to him. “I just wish we didn’t have to end this the way it will likely have to end.” “So do I, but it must be this way,” he held her for a few moments more before they pulled away from each other. “Now, you need to head out and find your allies, I will get into contact with you as soon as I discover something that will aid us in the coming battle.” Verandis told her as she nodded and left his home. “She has grown so much from that little girl I knew she once was.” He smiled after her, “But...” he placed a hand on his chin as he thought, “Why is Meridia being so tolerant of me being around her despite my status as a vampire?” “Because you helped raise her,” Verandis turned to see Umocus leaning against the wall with a smirk. “My Prince hates your kind and your Master with a burning passion, however, you intrigue her because of the feelings you invoke from Ashae. Ashae adores you, loves you even, but its that love she feels for you that halts my Prince in her tracks of ordering Ashae to slay you as it is the kind of love a child should feel for their family.” Umocus frowned then. “But know this Creature, Meridia will only stay her hand for a short time and only because of the emotions you invoke within Ashae, her only other champion. Slip up and my Prince will see to it that Ashae obeys her command to slay you.” With that Umocus vanished and Verandis was left standing in shock. ****Ashae collapsed to the ground as tears filled her eyes. “Why?” She asked to the corpse before her, “Why did you have to be so stupid?” She inquired as the tears she had been trying to keep back began to slide down her cheeks while the clouds above finally released their own tears, “Why father? What was the point, why couldn’t you have just left the past where it belonged?” Ashae wasn’t sure how she felt about seeing her father lying before her, dead. He had been killed by her own hand, yes, but only because she had discovered that he had allowed Montclair to turn him into a vampire all because of a single reason. “Ashae!” Darien’s voice called out as he and a few others came racing up to see Ashae on her knees, staring at her father’s body. “Ashae? What happ-?! Is that Lord Limavenne?” But Ashae didn’t answer, though the gasp from beside him told Darien all he needed to know. “Ashae! What happened?” The gasp came from the Countess who watched the sight with wide eyes. “I had no choice...” Ashae barely spoke louder then a whisper. “He...gave me no choice... My Prince... she gave the command and I obeyed.” “Your Prince?” The Countess, Countess Tamrith, inquired before it dawned on her. “You worship a Daedric Prince?!” Tamrith scowled then. “You are-!”Ashae stood up then, fury shining bright in her eyes. At that moment, Darien wanted to step between the two but he did not dare with the feral look that was within Ashae’s eyes. “I am what? Evil?” Ashae felt her blood boiling as she stole the words from the Countess’s mouth. “Dangerous? Well guess what, Countess,” Ashae hissed that word as she visibly shook with rage, “I am dangerous but its not because I choose to worship the one Daedric Prince who answered my prayers for a purpose for my pitiful life! The one god out of ALL of them who took pity upon me and gave me a reason to live after the death of my mother!” “You could have gone to the Divines!” “I did and they were silent! I will not serve silent gods! I willingly serve my Prince as she would not remain silent!” “Then you are evil! As evil as the Daedra themselves!” Ashae snarled then, “Why you spoiled little-!” “ENOUGH!” A voice boomed out loudly causing everyone in the area to see Verandis approaching. “Let us deal with Montclair first then you two can tear into each other about who and what is evil or not. Let us return to camp and get some rest for tomorrow we begin the assult on the Doomcrag.” He told them both as Ashae stepped back a bit. “Fine,” Ashae turned away and used a small amount of magicka (what little of it she knew) to set her father’s corpse ablaze and the began walking away. “I will return to camp after a while. I need to cool off.” With that, Ashae all but stormed off as Verandis sighed. Darien looked to Verandis but the vampire seemed to sense his coming question, “Darien, see if you can’t find Ashae and help to keep her safe while her temper cools, I will see to it that the Countess is returned to camp.” Darien nodded and went chasing after Ashae while the other two went back to camp.When Darien found her, Ashae was sitting on the ground and staring out over the sea and sighed as she heard him walking up. “You probably wouldn’t believe me if I said that the Countess and I used to be childhood friends, not that it matters now anyways. That friendship seems to have died along with my mother and died the same day I was exiled from this place...” “You were exiled?” Darien inquired as Ashae nodded sadly. “Yes, though it was honestly for a stupid reason. But it was my mother’s death... her death was the catalyst for so many of the things that have happened in my life...” Ashae refused to look at Darien. “She was a wonderful woman. For so long I believed that she was invincible with the way she took everything in stride.” A breeze moved Ashae’s hair and Darien sat down next to her to listen. “What happened to her?” “She was...murdered...” Ashae closed her eyes and lowered her head. “I remember it as if it were only yesterday. She had gone to visit one of her friends in Glenumbra and had left my Father and I behind. Halfway there though, her carriage was attacked and she was slaughtered by a group of Molag Bal’s idotic followers. When news of the attack reached my father and I, we were shocked in the least to say. I, being how I am, decided that sitting back and allowing the “proper” authorities to look into who killed her was too slow a process for me and thus I began my own form of investigation.” Ashae shook her head, “What I discovered horrified me. My Uncle, my father’s brother, had been the one to lead the attack on her carriage and he had been the one to slay my mother. When I discovered that I went to the temple where the statues to the Divines were and I prayed for guidance and begged them to give me a purpose, a reason to live beyond what I was about to do, but apparently they had already decided that I was unworthy of their attention and thus, I looked elsewhere.” “To the Daedric Princes?” Ashae nodded, “To the Daedric Princes.” She opened her eyes to look out over the sea. “I knew better then to pray out in the open as any Daedric Prince could have heard my pleas and could have answered, but I wanted it to be a private meeting and bargin kept between only the Daedric Prince and myself, so I began hunting for a shrine.” “What shrine?” “It didn’t matter to me as long as it wasn’t one to Molag Bal as I hated, and still despise, him with a burning passion,” Ashae shook her head. “For many long days and sleepless nights I wandered around looking for a shrine, but despite how I bad I was starting to feel from all that wandering, from how tired I was because of those sleepless nights, I only continued walking until, finally, my exhaustion and depleted energy from being starved caused me to collapse near one of the many temples that are dedicated to Meridia.” Darien watched her with shock but she continued to speak, “when I awoke from whatever slumber I had fallen into, I was swiftly informed by one of the priestesses of that temple where I was and that when they had found me I was damn near death. It took weeks for me to regain my full strength, but when I did, one of Meridia’s priests came to me and informed me that Meridia herself wished to speak with me in private.” “And that’s when you made the bargin with her?” “Yes and no. I made a deal with her, yes, but choosing to become one of the Lustrants in her service came later. The bargin I made with her at that time, involved something more. That bargain would allow me to strike down the bastard who killed my mother, and would then I would leave Rivenspire to worship her in her sacred Temple for the rest of my natural life. Unfortunately, someone beat me to killing that rat bastard and thus it forced me to find another way to fulfill my oath to Meridia, or I was until someone knocked me out and I was used as a sacrifice to Molag Bal.” Darien felt his jaw drop then, “How are you?” “Alive?” Ashae looked towards him then, “My soul was stolen from me but my body was left intact, even I cannot say how I am alive but I am. Its just another reason I chose the path to become a Lustrant. Its another reason I despise Molag Bal as much as I do. But then again, I could still be alive because I still have an oath to Meridia that has to be fulfilled in someway and My Prince is not one to let a debt to her go unpaid for very long, just throwing that out there.” “Why are you telling me that?” “Something tells me you’ll try to do something like that.” And as she would come to find out in time, he would.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Ashae opened her eyes and was greeted by the familiar sound of a silent room. Or well, she was until she realized someone someone was snoring off in some corner of the room, but when she made to move she whimpered as the pain in her head that had been a dull throb, exploded into a full blow hangover, and the person awake swiftly, “Ashae?” Darien’s voice called out to her as she felt his hands encasing hers. “Take it easy,” He urged her softly as she looked to him. “Where...are we?” “Your home. I brought you here after I found out that you had been drinking and that you had had one to many.” Darien informed her softly, knowing that anything above a whisper would cause the aching in her head to become worse. “Why in Oblivion was I drinking in the first place?” She whined as she covered her face with a pillow. “Because you were celebrating something with someone. Most like celebrating Countess Tamrith’s ascension to the throne of Rivenspire,” Darien pointed out as Ashae’s head continued to pound. “Speaking of which, you are no longer an exiled noble.” “I dont remember anything about that,” Ashae kept her face buried into the pillows. “Probably because when she announced that your exile has ended, you were already five mugs deep. Also, you have a really nice place. Love the view.” “What?” “We are in Daggerfall Overlook. You know, the home that the king of Daggerfall gave to you.” “How did we?” “Wayshrine, by the way, you are lighter then you look.” Ashae didn’t know if that was a compliment or him stating something she should take into consideration. “So, outside of the pounding headache I’m sure your feeling, your “Nan” is preparing breakfast.” That brought a smile to Ashae’s hidden face. “I’ll meet you downstairs. Try not to take too long.” Darien smirked as he left Ashae alone to sit up and smile. The person he had referred to as “Nan” was actually the chef of the place and, like the rest of the others who worked here, had come to work at the Overlook voluntarily, but it wasn’t like Ashae didn’t pay them, she was in fact one of the more generous Nobles out there towards those who worked for her. Ashae frowned as she realized that she would have to double their pay now that she had finally been given her family fortune back in thats to her returned status as a Noble of Rivenspire. “I’ll have to double all of the pay of my people.” Ashae nodded to herself as she stood and walked over to her dresser where she saw a note left next to a small cup of water, along with some of the tea that served as a form of “birth control”. Upon seeing that, Ashae’s brow furrowed, but then she read the note and went redder then a sun ripened tomato and about choked on the water as she reached the part of why the tea was left on her dresser. “Meridia’s Holy Light!” Ashae swore as she felt her cheeks burn and she was sure that somewhere deep within the Colored Rooms the spoken of Daedric prince was slightly entertained at Ashae’s embarrassment. Ashae shook her head then, but drank the tea anyway before dressing in her “casual” outfit of a noble’s shirt, trousers and knee high boots (she refused to wear a dress even if it was to save her life). After smoothing out her shirt and pants, Ashae brushed out her hair before heading down the stairs to the long table where Darien was already sitting and eating.“There is the young Lady Limavenne now!” Ashae turned to see Nan walking over to the table and smiled. “Good morning to you as well, Nan,” Ashae greeted the older woman who smiled. After Ashae was served her meal, she and Darien spoke about a few things before they were interrupted by a herald announcing the arrival of the former Countess now turned Queen of Rivenspire. “What did I do now?” Ashae wondered before apologizing to Darien who only shrugged as he watched her leave.*******Ashae awoke from slumber to find Darien passed out in a chair and smiled as she watched him sleep for a moment. As he sat there, snoring, Ashae shook her head and made to sit up, which after managing to do that successful, she decided to test her luck with standing but it seemed to her that the moment that that thought crossed her mind just so happened to also be the same moment Darien woke up from slumber and his gaze flitted over to see her sitting up. “Finally wake up?” He teased as she nodded. “Good. You had me worried there. Its been almost three days since you last woke up.” “Three days?!” Darien nodded as Ashae’s surprise sounded clear in her voice. “I guess the venom, combined with the way the Dawnstar gem was somehow draining you of energy, took their toll on you.” He stood and walked over to her and sat down to run his fingers along her cheek before leaning forward to rest his forehead against hers as their eyes closed. “Don’t scare me like that again, I don’t know what I would do without you.” “I can’t make any promises,” she told him as they pulled away. “But those words are also coming from the man who rushed headlong into battle how many times and had to wait until I came around to save him?” “Hey now. You didn’t always have to come to my rescue,” He smirked as she rolled her eyes. “I got my chance to save you once or twice if I remember correctly.” “That you did,” Those two times would be times she would never forget. Then he changed the subject and had Ashae looking towards him. “You still have the ring I gave you?” He inquired as she nodded. “Why wouldn’t I? Its actually one of my most cherished items,” She watched as wonder crossed his face before he smiled. “There’s actually a reason why.” She looked away from him as embarrassment crept up onto her cheeks and caused him to frown in curiosity. “Why?” “I...” She bit her lip in thought. How could she tell him that she had fallen in love with him? “...Might have...” “You fell in love with me didn’t you?” Ashae turned to him and nodded while trying (and failing) to hide her surprise at how quickly he figured it out. “It doesn’t surprise me,” He smiled softly back towards her, then he shrugged but when she went to ask him a question, he answered swiftly before she could even ask her question. “I fell in love with someone too.” “Oh. Who is she?” Darien smiled again, “Well she’s smart and beautiful. She is a women I would really hate to get on the bad side of,” he watched her raise a brow to that, “Honest! I would!” She looked away as he continued to list off the traits of the person he had fallen in love with. “...and I am sitting on her bed speaking right now.” Ashae turned to him with surprise clearly written on her face. “Me?” “Yes, my beautiful hero of Coldharbor.” He said as he leaned forward and kissed her forehead. “It is you. It was always you.” “What do you mean by that?” Ashae inquired as he sat back. “From the first time I saw you in Camlorn, there was something about you that drew me to you. I wasn’t sure what it was at first, then I saw you without your hood and mask and I felt that pull grow stronger,” Darien reached over to take her hand into his. “And then we met twice again in Cath Bedraud.” “I still say we end up meeting in the strangest of places.” Darien smiled then, “I think Maphala’s realm really beats any other.” “I’m not counting that one considering I, one, dont remember it, which is probably for the better because I have enough nightmare fuel as it is, and two, I had to ENTER that realm to save your ass so it doesn’t count.” “You’re not going to let me live that down are you?” Darien smiled as she shook her head. “I’m keeping tabs on how many times it has to happen and its in a journal called: Let’s see how many times I can save Darien from trouble. And I’m supposed to be the one in distress.” Ashae smiled then, “Boy,don’t we just have that one ass backwards.” Darien laughed then and it was a sound Ashae enjoyed hearing. But then their attention turned towards the door which opened to reveal a Psijic healer. “Ah, good your awake. This will be much easier then.” “What will be?” Ashae was confused until the healer told her what they had been doing. “...So...you mean?” “I am afraid so,” the healer spoke as Darien even looked shock. “The venom running theough your body, being Daedric in nature, is killing you but slowly and now that you are without a proper link to Meridia, and with really no way to restore that link you already had to her, that process is sped up.” Ashae looked towards the bed where she held the blanket and sheet in a white-knuckled grip while Darien was unsure of what to say. “Is there anyway to slow it further? So that way I can atleast finish what I started?” Ashae inquired as the Healer frowned. “We’ve been giving you potions to slow it down, but we also figured out that whenever Ser Darien or the Dawnbreaker are around you the venom seems to slow even further.” Ashae watched her grip tighten even further. But soon Darien had the Psijic leave, with the promise to ensure Ashae took the potion the man left behind, and turned to the woman he loved to see her eyes closed as her grip all but shredded the blankets. “I survived having my soul torn from me because I was used as a sacrifice. I survived a undead werewolf, zombies, a delusional cultist, I’ve pissed of the Daedric Prince of Nightmares, I went through Rivenspire to slay a delusional madman, slaughtered my own father, and so many more things that I cannot begin to speak of and a damn Daedra in the service of Mephala of all the Princes is the ONE FUCKING thing to bring me low...” Ashae was visible shaking with rage now. “No! I won’t allow myself to so easily be a victim, especially not to Mephala’s little pets.” “I know you won’t,” Darien said as he scooted closer and pulled her into his arms, “but right now you need to let that all out.” And let it out she did while he held her. She broke down and sobbed and that was the one thing Darien hated seeing from any woman, especially from Ashae. *******Ashae shook her head as she traveled around the sandy place known as the Alik’r Desert. “Sand, giant beetles, giant snakes, more sand, zombies, necromancers, even more sand and oh let’s not forget MORE SAND!” She snarled as her horse snorted in agreement with his mistress’s dark mood. As they hid out in a deep cave to wait out a particularly nasty sandstorm that was raging outside but it was already night time so Ashae decided to make herself and her stallion comfortable as best as she could and was now sitting on the ground writing to Darien and was sure the bastard would laugh at her when he next saw her, butthen again when he did see her again she was in a most foul mood that was putting it lightly. “First I deal with a stupid ass Duke who was too cowardly for his own damned good, then I run off and kill a Hagraven to force the Reachmen to run away like the dogs they are, and now Imperial bastards are running loose Covenant territory?” Darien listened as Ashae snarled out her words. “Oh how this day just keeps getting better and better,” Darien watched as Ashae pinched the bridge of her nose as she and the High King spoke. “Please tell me that before this month is done I get to at least kill some of the dumber Imperials.” Darien had never heard Ashae voice such bloodlust before, but with the way her temper was frayed, he could understand it. Maybe I should offer her a massage sometime? He wondered as the Emeric spoke. “You really don’t like Imperials do you?” “Oh I don’t have an issue with them as a race, One of my closest friends is, or rather was, an Imperial woman. No, I have an issue with their politics and their bullshit requirements to get into their army.” “You tried to join their army?” “If I may?” Ashae inquired as the king nodded, “I may be young still, but I was much younger and alot dumber when I tried to join. My...brother...” Darien tilted his head now as he listened, “and I decided to try and join the Imperial Army together. They accepted my brother but turned me away and told me I didn’t meet the standards they had for Nightblades in their ranks. It pissed me off but now that I think about it, I’m better off without all that bullshit.” “I for one am glad they turned you away. You are the Hero the Daggerfall Covenant needs.” “I’m no hero, I’m just a simple woman whose just been at the right places at the right times, though I’ve also been at the wrong place at the wrong time too. My brother was a hero as he payed the toll to become a hero.”“What happened to him?”“Same thing that happened to me only...” Ashae trailed off and became unwilling to speak of it.“I see, I won’t press you for the details. Go, rest up.” The king told her as she nodded and left the area with Darien watching after her. He hadn’t known she had had a sibling, but then again the knowledge of Ashae’s past was barely known to him outside of what she had told him in Rivenspire. So to hear this was something new. The moment he was off duty he immediately went to go find her and was pleased to learn that she had rented a room at the tavern. After learning which room was hers (not that it was needed as for some odd reason he could sense her no matter where she was, which drew his curiosity but he wasn’t about to question it), and knocked on the door earning himself an invite to walk into her room; but as he walked in, he was greeted by the sight of Ashae, back turned to him and she was dressed only in her pants and boots and was drying off her hair. Darien turned to face the door and closed it as his face lit up a beight red. “Well this is an...awkward...way to..see you...” “Hello to you too, Darien.” Ashae sounded half amused at the sudden embarrassment he had in his voice.“Had I known you were busy I would have waited.” “Somehow I doubt that,” Ashae responded with an eye roll, “Somehow I could sense the moment you walked into the building.” “So I’m not the only one?” “Only one what?” “Well it may seem odd but I’ve noticed that I could sense your exact location no matter where you went.” Ashae threw on a shirt she used for the nighttime hours and looked towards him, “How long?” She asked before telling him he could turn around. As Darien turned he noted that she now wore a shirt along with her pants and boots and felt the urge to take them off of her overcome him, but swiftly threw that to the back of his mind. “Since Camlorn, since the day you collapsed and I caught you.” “Really?” Ashae inquired as he nodded. “Hmn...” “What?” “Nothing, just something I will have to look into in the library at the Mages Guild Hall as soon as I can.” “Mind filling me in on what you think it is?” “I can’t really say what it is without first looking it up, but there may be a reason that we are able to sense each other like that,” Ashae shook her head then. “But that’s for another day and its not why you’ve come hunting me down. What did you need?” Ashae inquired as Darien began to speak with her. What the two of them could not know was that Meridia herself had created the connection between them as they would need each other soon enough. That and it was a way for the Prince to anchor Ashae to the whole of Nirn until Ashae could retrieve her soul, but the linking of the two would come with a price even the Prince would not expect.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Ashae froze in her tracks as she looked up towards the looming tower before her, she wasn’t sure why but something about this place screamed at her to stay away, something about it seemed familiar and when it hit her exactly WHY this tower was so familiar to her she had to fight with herself to continue running towards the tower while avoiding Nocturnal’s minions. She had a mission, she had something she had to do, and would be damned if she didn’t see it through. After finding out what was going on, Ashae swiftly went to aid Razum-dar with protecting the Altmer known as a Sapiarch (by defeating Nocturnal’s minions) then, once that one was safe, Ashae rushed over to where she felt Darien at and arrived in time to swiftly cloak herself in shadows before leaping forward and striking the Daedra, that was rushing towards him, down with her “legendary veiled strike” ability that all who called themselves Nightblades knew. “Perfect timing,” he called out to her as they prepared for another round while Darien called out to the Sapiarch telling them something about them keeping the Altmer safe which they did with precision (with Ashae only needing to summon a spectral bow out of thin air once or twice) and soon as the last of Nocturnal’s minions was defeated, Ashae rushed off to ensure their hard work was for not, only to discover that it was exactly that: all for not.Ashae rubbed at her face as she saw the bodies of the two Sapiarchs lying there on the ground, yet she honestly couldn’t say she was surprised. Ashae looked up towards the top of the tower and mental shook herself as she prepared to leave the area, though she felt Darien watching her as she whistled for her ever loyal stallion who soon appared before her. He could tell that something was weighing heavily on her mind but what it was eluded him and secretly it hurt him to see that she was so unwilling to share whatever was bothering her with him but he knew she had her reasons to keep whatever was bothering her from him. When he next saw her, at the place where he swore all the webs and spiders made his skin crawl, she looked about ready to explode with rage. After the matter was settled and Darien and their “mutual friend” were back on Artaum, Darien just happened to be in their room when he noted Ashae’s private journal laying haphazardly upon the table in their now shared room. Since he was the only one who could slow the progress of Daedric venom that was in her veins down further then what a potion could (though she took the potions when she had to be away from him for an extended period of time), they had decided that sharing a room was easier then having two rooms close together. Granted, what Darien and Ashae did at night in their room was their own business (and their nights were pretty interesting to begin with now that they had admitted to loving each other) but if it was one thing Darien knew about Ashae was that she NEVER left things like her private journal just lying out in the open for anyone to read and seeing it lying on the table had him both worried and greatly curious. As he scooped up her journal to put it away among her things, he found that his curiosity got the better of him and soon he found himself leaning against the wall, reading her journal entries and what he found within the pages riled up an emotional storm within him. He read every page with interest, but one entry, in particular, caught his attention.
Entry 167
I’ve noticed an odd pattern in my dreams recently. Some nights I have my usual “fall asleep and dream of my childhood friends” but now there are more and more nights I find myself plagued with a nightmare of unexplained reasoning and I know its not from Veremina, though I am sure she is not the happiest of Princes with me right now. I know in Coldharbor when I was losing alot of a sleep, Darien would somehow always find me sitting in the tavern in the Hallowed City, drink in front of me and speak to me, though why he did is still something beyond me. Maybe he was just trying to be a friend? Or could he have truely...? No that thought alone is damning in itself... but maybe. It’s hard to say since he’s gone and I will never see him again... damn fool that he was, but sometimes I like to believe he was my fool. But...now that he’s gone, I find myself cherishing the memories I have of him and our adventures together. If I do somehow manage to see him again, I will need to tell him that the word “Beautiful” and me don’t go into the same sentance. I am not beautiful and I never will be. I might not ever admit this outloud, not even to myself but I miss him. I miss his voice. The way he made me smile though he couldn’t see it through my mask most of the time. I will miss seeing him come up to talk to me just as I ride over the crest of a hill or walk up to speak with him because we just happened to be at the same place at the same time. It hurts to be in any area where he and I crossed paths so many times, even in Daggerfall Overlook. The pain I felt from knowing that he will never again walk into my former home makes my heart feel as if a Dremora has reached through my ribs and is crushing it and laughing the whole while, thus I’ve decided to inform the King of Daggerfall that he must find another to live there.
Darien felt a sting of hurt as he read those words. She had missed him after he had been transported to the Colored Rooms, she had missed him so much that it had caused her physical pain and that alone really stung. Shaking his head Darien continued to read until he came across a more recent entry and this one really caught his eye.
Entry 457 or 458(?)
He’s alive. Darien is alive. I’d know his voice anywhere but I don’t recognize the armor he wore but nevermind that now, he’s alive! The moment I heard his voice, I knew it was him. Even though he was there, infront of me, for the briefest of moments, I know it was him. His voice is unmistakable to me and the odd connection we share, there’s no denying that its him. I know the connection we share allows us to always find each other but he looked like he was struggling to control whatever he was doing (Was it a form of teleportation? It certainly wasn’t a portal, if its one thing I can venture to say its that he doesn’t seem the type to have the patience to learn how portals work). But nevertheless it was him, and his voice alone brought back so many memories I thought I had locked away.
Darien smirked. He wasn’t exactly sure what he had been doing, what he did know was that he had been drawing on his part of their very strange connection and had been trying to “will” himself to where he had sensed Ashae’s location to like Meridia had suggested he try. But it was a few entries later in the journal that really caused his train of thought to go missing as it wasn’t a true entry.
Entry like?
That accursed nightmare came back. For so long I believed it gone but its back and with a vengeance. Why? Why is it bothering me again? Why won’t the damned thing just go away and stay away? Always the same thing too: me standing atop an extremely tall tower, looking out over a beautiful area after something happens and the next thing I know I’m being pushed by someone and finding myself falling to my death, worst still I find myself back to that day in Coldharbor. The day I lost Darien. Who or what is so cruel to force me to relive that day in a nightmare? Haven’t I suffered enough? Or is Fate truly that cruel?
Darien frowned now. But before he could think of something Ashae’s voice reached him. “So now you know why I have been so distant recently.” He looked up to see Ashae standing at the door leaning against the wall. “Why didn’t you tell me?” “Because I didn’t want you to worry,” Ashae told him as she stood up and walked over to their shared bed to sit down. “You have enough of a burden upon your shoulders with Meridia basically ordering you to help me and the fact that you are the only one who can almost completely stop this damnable venom that runs rampent in my veins, that my nightmare isn’t something else about me you need to worry about.” Darien stood straight and tossed her journal over onto the table, “I could have done something to look into it. I could have spoken to Meridia to see if she couldn’t determine the cause.” “She has tried, but even she cannot find who is the cause of this nightmare.” Studying her now, Darien could see how tired she really was and that caused him to worry. Ashae shook her head. “I’ve tried everything I could to keep it away. But the only thing that seems to work are the potions that the followers of Azura drink.” “The Dreamless Potions?” Darien inquired as Ashae nodded. “When I last visited the Abby in Stormhaven, the Abbot noticed how tired I was and asked me about the reason why,” Ashae rubbed at her face. “I told him about the recurring nightmare and Azura herself bid him to give me some of the potions.” “I thought Azura and Meridia didn’t like each other?” “The alliances of Daedric Princes between themselves are iffy at best, but I did several things for Azura willingly and without her telling me to while being tolerant of her followers and that is likely why Meridia tolerates me taking the Dreamless Potions. I can’t say for sure but I think Meridia sees it as a form of repayment, but it could also be that Meridia is concerned about me in her own way, sort of how like my mother used to be...” Ashae trailed off at the mention of her mother and Darien frowned. He knew it hurt her deeply to speak of the woman but now that he could see it, He could say that there seemed to be something more to Ashae’s relationship with their shared Prince. “You see Meridia as a mother, don’t you?” Ashae looked up towards him and smiled sadly, “More so then most. My relationship with Meridia is deeper then just the fact that I was willing to become one of her Lustrants. In fact, you seen one of her Aurorans on more then one occasion when we were adventuring around all of the Covenant lands and I'm sure you've seen him in the Colored Rooms as well.”“I have?” Darien’s brown pinched together as his mind scrambled to figure out who Ashae was referring to. “Yes,” she nodded before looking towards the door. “Umocus, I know you’re there.” “Can’t hide from you can I?” The voice spoke up as Darien saw an Auroran come walking into the room with a smile on its-his- face before the Dremora turned to Darien. “Umocus, meet Darien. My love, I’d like you to officially meet Umocus.” “You've had a Daedra with you?” “Not really with me but he could explain it better... then I can.” Darien looked to Ashae and noted how tired she was and immediately went to sit beside her. “Ashae?” Umocus looked towards his charge and she attempted to wave him off as she lay down. “Just a little bit dizzy is all. Nothing that a lie down can’t fix.” She told him as Darien soon sat beside her and allowed her to rest her head on his chest as he pulled her close. Umocus looked to Darien for explanation and the man told him what had happened. “Strange...” Umocus began to think. “As one of Meridia’s chosen few, nothing like that should have affected her unless... Did you say Daedric Venom?” “From one of Maphala’s Daedra,” Darien nodded as Umocus let out what passed as a snarl. “What about her Nightmares?” “Apparently they are getting worse,” Darien nodded towards Ashae’s journal. Umocus sighed then as he shook his head. “Stay beside her, Vessel of Meridia, I must alert our Prince to the danger Ashae is in. When I know what Meridia wishes, I will return. And see to it that Ashae actually eats something when she awakens. she needs to break that annoying habit of eating only once per day.” Before Darien could respond Umocus vanished and Darien was left wondering what the Dremora had meant by that last bit of information.