"Enter" I command, barely keeping the annoyance from polluting my voice.
Moments later the priestess enters and after a nod from me takes a seat opposite my table.
We stare at each other for a while, unsure as to why I should keep wasting my time I speak first "well then" I begin while crossing my palms and fingers "It isn't every day I receive a divine emissary."
The priestess seems confused by my reaction but then begins her own spiel, almost as if she rehearsed the whole thing "I am Aranea Ienith, High Priestess of Azura in Skyrim." Her lips twist into a motherly smile "You, blessed child, have been chosen to be Azura's sword and punish a blasphemer most foul."
She takes a deep breath and prepares to recite Azura's stupid little prophesy to me but once again, not wishing to waste my time I interrupt with a raised hand and drawl out in a bored tone "Go to Ilinalta's Deep, kill one Malyn Varen, and then bring the star he tried to corrupt to Azura's statue and shrine, did I miss anything?"
Aranea stares at me like I grew a second head before clearing her throat with a hint of shame "You- uhm... did you also receive a vision from her ladyship?" Poor thing looks like I just ripped out her very life's purpose.
I let out an amused chuckle "No." She gives me a baffled look as I go on "What you consider a blessing from the divine I consider just another skill in my arsenal, besides I do not remember volunteering to serve Azura at any point in my life."
A hint of anger appears in the priestess's eyes as she asks "You would deny the very creator of our people?"
"No" I shake my head "I am not that stupid, I am just annoyed by the misconception held by you and your patron that you may command me as you wish, and she is not our creator, I know my history."
"A Dunmer should be honored to be of service" She frowns.
I wordlessly place Mephala's token on the table and stare at her.
"I see..." I sense her Magicka moving about and feeling the token before she blinks in confusion and looks back at me "I was not expecting to meet another High Priest on my quest..."
High Priest? "Well I guess I could be called that, technically..." I allow with a grumble "In any case since Lady Azura is so generous as to offer" I stress the 'offer' "A quest, then I guess that I may as well go and do her bidding." Done with my musing I stare down at the priestess "It will have a cost, however."
The poor old woman who finally looked ready to relax almost glares at me before sighing and asking "What is it that you desire in return for your service?"
"Simple" I smirk "You will sing my praises to all the Dunmer in Skyrim and beyond, I would be a champion of Azura by that point so it isn't even like I am asking you to blaspheme."
She seems baffled by my request "Why would you even need that? Your exploits already make you famous enough."
I shrug and cheekily answer "Just ask Azura."
Moments later the annoyed old woman sends a quick prayer to her patron, and moments after that snaps her eyes at me and looks at me like I have grown a fifth head at this point "You..." She points at me weakly.
"Yes, me" I smirk "The devil himself reborn some would call me." The humor leaves me and I turn serious "So, now that you have seen the necessity of my request will you do it without any further questioning? Or do I need to go full Sharmat version two for you to understand why I might need people not to bring out the pitchforks if I am to ever announce my heritage?"
"Wha-" She shakes her head with a sigh "Never mind, I will do as you ask. If Lady Azura wished to punish you for your ancestry I see no reason she would send me here in the first place."
"Or her punishment could just be unnecessarily convoluted just because she is as petty as all the other Daedra?" I shrug while ignoring the priestess's glare "We might never know."
The old woman realizes I am just fucking with her at this point and raises from her seat "Since you have accepted my Lady's quest I see no reason to remain here, can you recommend a good place to stay while I rest?"
I clap my hands and Alissa, my maid enters "Alissa, please escort the good priestess to our best rooms in the Respite, she may remain as long as she likes."
"...I thought you were annoyed by my presence?" Aranea asks slowly.
I shrug and smirk "How could a Tribunal-fearing Dunmer such as myself ever dare not accommodate one of our venerable High Priests?"
She stares at me for a while but then simply chuckles and follows my servant while shaking her head.
I sigh tiredly, out of the pot and into the fire eh?
'Well, dumbass necromancer won't kill himself' I clap my hands and head to one of the inns in the city, might as well get as much information as I can.
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A quick and generous tip to the local barkeep and I am led to a secluded room in one of the better inns of Winterhold, the young lad quickly leaves me after he points out the room in which the exiled college mage is located.
I knock a couple of times and hear a muffled "Who is it?" From inside.
"Reyvin Flame-tongue" I answer courtly.
Moments later the door opens slightly as an Altmer looks at me, confusion strewn across his face "Why would someone of your standing bother with little old me?"
"You were involved in research concerning the Star of Azura, were you not?"
He flinches lightly and looks down "Yes."
"Excellent" I continue, not at all bothered with how uncomfortable the Mer was growing "You will inform me about every single thing you and your partner did, along your partners magical capabilities."
He is stunned for a moment but then narrows his eyes "And why should I help you? Your words tell me you serve the Daedra!"
"Be silent or be silenced" I state and he flinches but quickly nods "You will help me because otherwise I will bring your deeds to light and no matter your intentions you will be hunted down zealous Dunmer wherever you go."
He sighs and signals for me to follow him, completely unaware of the two Mephalan agents slipping in behind me and taking positions in the dark corners of the room.
As we sit down he takes a deep breath and asks "Why would you ever serve those creatures? They are all evil!"
I raise an eyebrow "And why do you consider them to be evil? For the sake of argument." I quickly add as he starts fuming.
Once more Nelacar sighs tiredly and begins his tale, he speaks of how he and his friend found the star and how they researched its ability to store many white souls but not a single black one, he spoke how his friend got sick and then tried to break the star's rules and capture his own soul inside, thus becoming immortal.
That is when the madness started... Malyn Varen started to grow paranoid and insane, to the point that he killed a dear student of his in a fit of mania.
"And that is why I believe that the Daedra are evil, to kill the innocent just because you wanted to take revenge on a single person is inexcusable!" The Altmer hisses as he ends his explanation.
I stare at him before breaking out into a fit of amused laughter, he glares at me in anger but I ignore it and just laugh harder "Oh that is rich" I wipe a tear from my eye and look at him like he is an idiot "You think they are evil because they cursed someone who fucked with their very obvious rules? Someone who tried to attain immortality through literal blasphemy?"
He goes to speak up but I continue without a care "What you are doing right now is fuming at the wind for carrying off your clothes, or better yet being angry at the snow for being cold. By our standards all of the Daedra might be considered evil but in truth they are so beyond us that attempting to apply our morality to them is an exercise in futility."
I look down at him with a derisive sneer "All it should have taken you and your friend is one trip to the very available library in the college and you would have understood completely how fucking with someone like Azura usually ends up."
"So you are saying it was our fault?" Nelacar glares weakly.
I shrug in response "I do not care to consider who is at fault in this scenario, merely who is the idiot." I point a mocking finger at him "Your friend made a dumb decision, and your seething won't save him from the consequences of his actions."
Nelacar slumps down in defeat "Very well, what do you wish to know?"
'Truly, the art of gaslighting is a terrifying one' I think as I start questioning him about his friends location, followers and abilities.
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Once more I find myself sitting at the head of my dining table, my students and closest servants finishing their meals around me.
"I will be heading out to Riften sometime soon." I begin as everyone finishes up "The two of you" I point at Marco and Minthara "Will remain here and apply to the college in about a months time, in the meantime you will ask Hjolmir to help you with your physical training."
"I thought we were finally done with that" Marco slumps into his seat.
"Oh you are a good warrior at this point there is no denying that" I nod at him and he smiles lightly "But a good warrior is only more valuable cannon fodder against the true horrors of this world, so I think it best that you keep advancing your skills."
He thinks for a moment and then nods seriously.
I look at Minthara "You keep working on where we left off below ground, don't want you to get led by the nose by anyone with a half-functional mind."
A dusting of red mars her cheeks as she nods quickly.
"Edrassa you will continue with the Falmer project as we previously discussed."
My colleague turned vassal nods with a bored expression.
"Davos" I look at my retainer "What do you have for me?"
My most senior Retainer pulls out a short scroll and begins reading off "Silver Bloods are moving around in Markarth, Ulfric is still opressing the Quarter, rumors of nightmares in Dawnstar, and apparently a meeting of the Jarls is to take place on spring next year or so Ulfric declared to his own allies."
The last bits sets off all kinds of alarm bells in my mind and I mutter "So it begins..." everyone stares at me with at least partial confusion but I refuse to elaborate.
"Davos you will remain here while I go for a visit to the dear Black Briars, send two agents to shadow me and start recruiting for our other project." The other project being a rather uncreative way of saying we need more house members.
He nods and asks "You sure you want to go there almost alone?"
I shrug "More would be unneeded, and I have a task to complete after that, something I have no doubt you have no desire to entangle yourself with."
He snorts "You can say that twice."
"Master" A voice both melodious and raspy echoes from the white and gold robed Snow Elf to my left.
"Yes, Nightshade?"
"I... wi- no, may I request? Yes, request to accompany you?" She stumbles over her words for a while but gets her point across.
"Why?" I ask, not denying her immediately.
"I wish to see and explore more of the world" She answers, her blue eyes glinting with surprising firmness "There is so much to see after the deep- the caves."
"Are you sure that is wise?" Edrassa interjects.
"It is not" I answer immediately and Nightshade deflates "But" The likely ancient Falmer pipes up like a child "I do not coddle my servants and if she wants to accompany me I will not stop her, besides her learning more is beneficial for me and she is old enough to know not to do stupid shit."
Edrassa grumbles while Nightshade bows happily.
"Right then" I clap my hands and some premium wine/mead appears on the table "To another prosperous venture!"
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Maybe Riften is such a shithole due to a severe lack of stone?
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