[IC] Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

[Muttonhawk]

Janius wished he could show his gratitude to Kaleeth for answering his father believably. The thought of moving houses hadn't crossed his mind.

Only Remus' eyes moved to listen to Kaleeth. As she spoke, his eyebrows tensed just subtly enough to imply his annoyance. "Janius, answer on your behalf."

"It's true, father. And Kaleeth can speak on my behalf for these matters. She is my wife, and-"

"-And we. Are. Your family, Janius." Remus cut Janius off.

Janius clenched his teeth and bowed his head forward. He breathed in to retort, likely with anger, and hesitated. He glanced left and right to Julan, Kaleeth, and Aurana. He couldn't afford to make a mess of things so soon.

Remus broke the silence he created once more. "You are in the Empire's employ now?"

"Yes?" Janius answered.

"And you were forbidden from contacting us from the beginning?"

"That's right."

Remus' chest fell and rose. "How could you agree to such a thing and turn your back on us?"

Once again, Janius had to swallow his anger. However, he had to make a choice whether to tell the real truth that he felt no belonging in his own house with his own parents -- a truth Kaleeth was abundantly aware of from Janius' recounting -- or to come up with another excuse. His hesitation left a gap.

"He hated it here," Aurana's voice piped up breathlessly. Janius jerked his head to her, surprised. She was staring Remus down with an angered frown. Her knees had a faint quiver to them. "He didn't want to come back because you two were horrible to him!" She continued. "He told me just before. You never listened when he had problems. You never understood why he got into trouble. Just like you don't listen to me!"

"Aurana, please." Janius lifted a hand. "It wasn't like that. I know what I told you, but you must understand, it has been a long time."

Remus gave Aurana the same look as Kaleeth, except this time an angered flush was creeping up his neck. Aeramina still had her hand to her mouth, but she was wide eyed and shocked silent.

---

Lunise slowed her walking pace as Meesei spoke. She was in no hurry as she was before, even if her naturally wide stride made it appear as such. They were still in the halls of Pircalmo's building, so only rare passers-by would hear them, but Lunise had resumed her resting scowl.

"I did do what I intended with the meeting. It might be the last time I see him for a long time, depending on the future." Lunise gave Meesei a sideways look down. "Your patience is appreciated."

Stopping for a moment, Lunise bowed slightly to look out a window at the sun. "This place you wish to visit, will we be there long?" She looked at Meesei. "Do you require to go there the same way we arrived here?"

[EliteCommander]

Both Kaleeth and Janius would have to think quickly in all of this, while still supporting one another and Aurana. They would have to be careful not to give any contradictions, which would require keeping track of the details. They might be able to get away with minor mistakes, but too much of an error could definitely cause Remus to be skeptical. For Kaleeth specifically, she would have to keep consistent with the tone she was setting for herself. She wanted to be firm, strong. Hesitating too much could make that less convincing.

"There was more than just that reason that went into it, too." Kaleeth added. She was having to make up some of her narrative in her head as they went along, but it seemed consistent so far. "His story is similar to mine, really, from all I heard. A big part of it was duty, wanting a better world. I'm sure you know that the Penitus Oculatus are the Emperor's most loyal and capable agents? He had a choice to stay somewhere he was having trouble being happy, or to take the honor of being trained for one of the most respectable roles in the Empire. Indeed...it's an undeniable honor." She said. The approach she was deciding on was quickly taking shape. It was the kind of trick that she had seen some members of her pack make through the years. The sooner that Remus stopped seeing this as a meeting with his son and daughter-in-law, and instead a meeting with two high-ranking Imperial agents, the sooner the meeting would become much more "kind." At least, that was her theory. She was more than familiar enough with Imperial culture to know how much respect was demanded for Imperial officials, particularly among the nobility. For nobles, loyalty to the Emperor was seen as a strong virtue, and disloyalty could be socially punishing. If they were Penitus Oculatus agents, then he might just be forced to be respectful.

---

"We can be there only as long as you wish to remain." Meesei said reassuringly. "You have shown and told me much about your family, your history. I understand better your situation and reason for fighting. Along with many other details about you. I find it only fair to do the same for you. I find honesty and openness to be a great step towards trust, after all. Besides which, I think there is something I can show you which you may be interested in seeing. The location is not too far; it is still in Alinor."

Meesei kept aware of her surroundings, and everyone in it, as she continued her request. "Is there any safe place nearby that we can use for me to...take us there?" She asked discretely.

[Muttonhawk]

Remus' frown deepened.

Janius let go of his breath. Kaleeth's idea was sound and he was grateful for her quick thinking.

Unfortunately, Remus was not impressed. "You were never interested in honourable service," he said. "What changed you?"

"The people I worked with," Janius responded. He could follow up Kaleeth's angle. "They showed me what it was to work for something greater. They showed me that what I did saved lives and helped the Empire." It had a hint of truth, but for the lycan clans rather than just Cyrodiil. "They showed me how I could belong."

"You could have joined the legion and learned the same things."

"Father, I am not here to prove myself to you." Janius grasped his temper back. "I am my own man, with my own family and my own responsibilities now. I don't need to-"

"Then why are you here!?" Remus spoke over him.

Janius was glad he had an answer. He straightened and swelled his chest. "I'm here to help my sister."

---

Lunise slowed to a stop and looked at Meesei with a small frown. Her pause would have preceded a question, one could suspect. She chose not to ask it.

She looked around the ground floor hall they were walking in and walked in a certain direction. "This way," she said.

Lunise led Meesei through an open archway to a compact indoor amphitheatre. She closed the large entrance doors behind her. Magical lights illuminated the entire interior of chairs and desks. Their steps echoed in the vast empty room. The stage itself was empty but for a large sturdy cabinet that materials could be set up on for presentation. There was more than enough space for Meesei to open her portal.

"We are out of sight here." Lunise said. She charged a spell in her raised arm for a moment, scanning the room for life, and then nodded to Meesei.

[EliteCommander]

Kaleeth could not find a place where she felt it would be appropriate for her to speak up. Janius seemed to be developing the story just fine on his own, with the help of the direction she had given him. Aurana too had shown some bravery in being able to speak up during this conversation, but Kaleeth felt that she could be most helpful by trying to give her a more directed opportunity to speak up once more.

"We have spoken to her, learned her opinions, along with what our son learned yesterday. It reminds me of other situations just like hers that I saw back in my homeland. Situations that rarely ended well. The way everything is now, I can't see a way for her to be happy. But, I think she can give her argument better than we can." Kaleeth said, turning her attention to Aurana.

---

"Understood. I will attempt to be quick; the amount of energy I have to put into this is bound to attract some attention. Hopefully, we will be gone before anyone is able to find the source." Meesei responded.

The stage provided more than enough space for Meesei to create her portal, and she already had the destination in her mind. It was a place she had seen during a mission in Alinor, and was remote enough for Meesei to be confident that they would have privacy. Just as before, Meesei had to pour quite a bit of energy into her portal, and it took some time to do so. Fortunately, the minute or so that it took for Meesei to structure the spell was not enough for anyone at the college to track the source of magic to the amphitheater, unless they were particularly close.

Since Meesei could give the destination herself, it did not take as long for her to open the portal, and the moment she did so, she did not waste any time in grabbing Lunise's hand and pulling her through with her.

Upon exiting the portal, the pair was immediately greeted with warm air, soft sand beneath their feet, and the sound of waves gently crashing against the shore. They were standing on a beach in a cove, thought they were shaded by a large rock arch above them, connecting steep cliffs on either side of them that connected behind them. There was a path that would allow them to walk up onto the cliffs farther down the beach, though it was not in view at the moment. The view they did have was one of the ocean, clear and bright blue near the shore. For Meesei, it was a prime example of natural beauty.

As the portal closed behind them, Meesei closed her eyes and stepped forward, taking in a deep breath of the fresh, salty ocean air. Meesei quickly stepped out of her shoes so that she could feel the sand against her bare feet. "I think this is my favorite spot that I have found in Alinor. I do not know if it is entirely unique on the island, but I find it to be nature at its finest. This, well, I would say that this is one of those things which I fight for. I do have my family, my clans. Even if Tamriel was a wasteland, I would still fight for them. But...even if I did not have my family, I believe I would still fight for Tamriel. The core of my faith, the struggle between predator and prey, it is just a part of the overall beauty of nature. The essence of who I am is inexorably bound to the natural world. Places like this...this is what Vile wants to destroy."

[Muttonhawk]

Following Kaleeth's eyes, Remus also turned his gaze to Aurana. Even Aeramina had quietened her chirping sobs to listen.

Aurana was still shivering in fear. She pressed her arms to her sides just to stop them shaking. "I'm...I'm sick...of being inside all the time." The volume of her voice faded up and down. "I want to go out and make friends. I want to learn how to swim in the river, and go fishing." Her words echoed some of the stories Julan had recited. "I want to have stories to tell and meet people. And travel around." Her eyes glistened. "Every night I have been crying because I know I am forbidden to do it. Every time I go out on my own, you punish me for it. I cannot stay inside!"

"You know why we keep you safe here, Aurana, must I repeat myself again?" Remus was unflinching to Aurana's tears. "The city and the wilderness are not safe for you. You will remain where you will live so that you may continue without harm."

With a blink, a line streaked down Aurana's cheek. She met Remus' gaze directly. "But I know that's a lie! That's not why you keep me here at all!"

Remus' held his head back a portion. It was a wonder if he ever blinked.

Aurana pointed at Janius. "You're keeping me here because you didn't want me to die like Janius! You didn't want to spoil this chance for me to carry on the line, or some stupid duty like that!"

At that, Remus' brow lowered further. The furious red was creeping up his face again.

"Well he's fine, alright?! He's safe, right here! And he's done better than you ever did!"

Janius swallowed. Aurana was past the point of no return, but she was not wasting the opportunity to let loose where Janius and Kaleeth would protect her.

Aurana's scathing shouts continued. "I've got a nephew now! And you've got a grandchild! And now that I met him, I heard where he's been and what he's done. He got to do all that because he was allowed to go out and see the world. He got to live!"

A silence pervaded. Aurana was the only one making sound, catching her breath and letting further tears fall from her chin.

Remus was beet red in the face. "You. Do not know. What is best for you. We do, as your parents."

"I won't let you leave it at that, father." Janius was defiant. He took a step forward. "You can't ignore that keeping her locked away is doing more harm than good."

---

Lunise braced herself as she was taken through the portal. She was poised and slightly bent in the knees when her shoes found the sand. She looked around her feet, almost surprised that there had been no complications this time. It only took a second longer for Lunise to process where she was. She scanned around at the cliffs and the water with a relaxed frown.

She was faintly listening to what Meesei was saying. Confirming that no one else was around made her shoulders lower in some relief, even if her Thalmor uniform made such movements difficult to notice.

Lunise spoke with an airy tone. She was finding other more profound words lacking. "I...should think it more incidental destruction than a 'want,' but...I cannot deny the beauty of this place."

She realised that she was looking out at how the low sun was sparkling off the waters. She realised herself, turning her head to Meesei. She had nothing to say, so her eyes went down to Meesei's bare feet. Lunise looked left and right, paused, and then knelt down to unlace and remove her own footwear. All the while she held a neutral frown, as if flowing along beyond a conscious control.

She stood up with her sock-stuffed shoes pinched between her thumb and fingers. She looked at her pale feet and curled them into the sand. Her face turned up to look at Meesei again.

[EliteCommander]

There was no question that they were angering Remus, but Kaleeth had to keep the firm confidence she had established herself to have. She was meant to be a Penitus Oculatus agent, someone who commanded authority and respect in Imperial culture. That meant she had to keep speaking up, and keep giving her thoughts despite Remus' intimidating nature. Of course, Kaleeth had to remember that she could be intimidating as well. She could be just as loud and threatening, She had seen examples from people like Meesei, Ahnasha, and Lorag for how to act in those situations. Even meeting with the Justiciar Lunise had given her some idea of how to behave as a ranking government official.

"We are parents too, and you can see plainly that we have been parents for a while. The world is a dangerous place; that cannot be avoided. Even places much safer than Bravil can still have dangers. You can't expect Aurana to be able to learn how to deal with danger if she is locked up in a house all the time. What do you think she is going to do when she does become independent?" Kaleeth asked.

---

Meesei hummed a brief chuckle. "I had originally wanted to show you one of the clans, actually. But, upon further thought, I believe the local alphas would be livid if I brought a Thalmor Justiciar into the middle of their homes. They do not know what you have learned, and I believe it would be dangerous to make any mention of you to anyone beyond my most trusted advisors. I had hoped it might give you some comfort to know the strength and capabilities of your allies. But, I could perhaps still show you my own capabilities, if you were interested." She suggested.

Stepping up to the edge of where the waves creeped up onto the shore, Meesei slowly sat herself down where the sand was still dry, allowing the water to wash over her feet. "I thought it might also help to show you more of the family I fight for, beyond my own pack. All of the clans are important to me, from Alinor to the middle of the Empire. I know that, in your vocation as a Justiciar, you have frequently worked with foreigners intent on betraying you. It is rare that anyone outside of the Dominion has any desire or motivation to help the Dominion. It is why I am so understanding of the doubts you had. I had hoped to show you, in person, why I am motivated to help you ensure the health and stability of your homeland, at least to the extent that it does not harm the Empire, or any of Tamriel's independent nations. Perhaps at some point in the future, we can get you another outfit, and I can sneak you into one of the clans?" Meesei suggested, smiling.

"But, for now, I can be content taking a moment to relax. This place is quite isolated, so we can speak freely, or do anything else. The last time I was here, I practiced some of my more destructive magics with Sabine, as there is plenty of space for it." She continued, running her hand through the sand beside her. "You know, it occurs to me that you have never once seen me in my werewolf form. Nor have you seen any of my pack outside their normal forms, nor many of my other allies that you have met with. Yesterday would have been the first time you had seen me in combat, had Areldril not surrendered immediately. The only reference you have to all of the power and influence I claim to possess comes purely from rumors and reports. And, I suppose, my recent demonstration of portals...and a prior demonstration of my ability to manipulate time."

Meesei held out her hand towards Lunise. "Do you know the exact function of my Ring? Aside from serving as a symbol of my position?"

[Muttonhawk]

Remus shot out a finger towards Kaleeth. "You have no say in how we raise our daughter!" He shouted. "You overstep your station and I shall not abide it in my home!"

He had finally lost his temper. Janius did not tolerate it. "I do not appreciate you shouting at my wife, father!"

"Answer her!" Aurana shouted.

"You..." Remus lifted his upper lip. He stomped towards Aurana. "I am putting you back in your room with no lunch today!"

Janius subtly braced, keeping his arms at his sides.

"You will think about what manipulations you have tried to make here and know your place!" Remus' open hand grabbed at Aurana's shoulder. His wrist was snatched by Janius.

Remus flicked his crazed eyes to him. Janius' eyes were stern, staring him down.

"Unhand me!" Remus tried and failed to yank his hand free. Janius' iron grip did not so much as falter. "I said...unhand me!" Remus pushed with his free hand on Janius' chest. "Petulant boy!"

Janius let his chest twist and snatched Remus' other wrist. He slowly faced back to Remus. Their hands shuddered in resistance to one another, but it was Remus' arms that were pushed back. Janius was stronger.

Remus spoke through grit teeth. "If you so much as bruise me, son, you will never be welcome to this place for the rest of your besotted life."

"Besotted?" Janius added incredulity to his defiance. "Listen to yourself. You are sounding like I did when I was a child."

Remus growled and threw his body weight to one side. Janius was pulled but managed to hold on. He gritted his teeth and heaved Remus back. Janius took a step forward, Remus stepped back to keep his balance. The momentum continued. Remus and Janius moved in a stumble until Janius checked him and shoved.

Remus was thrown back into his armchair. He grunted in pain as his elbow struck one of the arms on the way down. He clutched it and winced.

"Father."

The old infuriated Nord brought his head up from his painful cringe, baring his teeth.

"You were always inconsistent with me, but I respected you," Janius spoke calmly. "When did I become the better man?"

Though audibly catching his breath, Remus sat staring wordlessly. His mouth relaxed into what looked like an uncomfortable revelation. His eyes followed after a moment. After another several seconds, his breathing steadied and he blinked his eyes to look at the fireplace.

His voice, though roughened by the shouting, returned back to a civil tone. "You must know that I only want what's best for her."

"You know what you have to do, then," Janius answered, turning out one hand. "You've been lying to yourself about this. Admit it."

Remus' face lowered. His shoulders remained slowly broadening and narrowing with his breathing.

"I..." A low-pitched response. "...shall hear you all out."

"Uhm..." A high peal broke the tension. Aeramina pinched the air with one gloved hand. Her elbows were tucked close to her torso. "Perhaps we can talk it through over a lunch, dears. There is much to catch up on." She breathed uneasily. Her corset did her no favours. "Harald, come with me to the kitchen and show me what is in stock this morning!"

Harald shifted his feet just enough to reveal that he was previously sprung to intervene as well. "As you wish, my lady." He clasped his hands together and addressed Kaleeth and Julan. "Will you two be joining us? A civilised setting will be more appropriate now that the root of the matter has been identified."

Janius and Remus didn't seem to pay attention. The worst had passed, at least.

---

Lunise's eyes turned down to the Ring of Hircine and back up to Meesei. She opened her mouth, hesitating. "I will...remind you, Meesei. It has been my assignment to learn as much as I possibly can about you and your capabilities. That much is hardly a secret." She found herself lingering on the ring again. "The Ring of Hircine is not an undocumented artefact. As I understand, it allows you to turn into a lycan at will rather than at the behest of a lycanthropy condition."

Talking professionally caused Lunise to cross her arms as a habit. "And I have seen lycan forms before. Do not mistake." Her mouth twisted apprehensively. "I think it beneficial to both of us that we hide our true capabilities from one another.

[EliteCommander]

For the entire altercation, Kaleeth was on-edge, as was the entire rest of the room. Violence was not something that Kaleeth intended to bring into this meeting, though she was ready to support Janius in anything that happened. Although, it did seem that something Janius did was able to bring at least a small change to Remus. He seemed more open to suggestion than he had been, which was a start.

Kaleeth kept most of her emotions in check, particularly anger. When Harold finally addressed her and Julan, Kaleeth responded with a calm nod. “Yes, we will join you. We came here because we want to make things better, and I definitely want to be a part of that.” Julan, meanwhile, was practically hiding behind his mother, but he did not argue when she said that he would also be joining. Despite his own fear, he supposed that it was too late now to give up.

---

Despite Lunise’s hesitation, Meesei remained casual in her tone. While she was certainly wanting to calm Lunise’s worries, she was also simply looking for a conversation. “Indeed, I know you have been trying to learn about my, and my people, but not all of the stories you find about the Ring are going to be completely accurate. It also does not help that the Ring’s capabilities have changed through the years, at the whims of Hircine. And I cannot even begin to guess at how much is true that you have heard about me. As for the Ring, in its current form, it allows me complete, perfect control over my beast spirit. Most lycans with adequate training can transform at will, though not in rapid succession. I, however, can transform whenever I please, and I can control my werewolf body in just the same way as I do my normal form.”

“And as for my own capabilities…” Meesei began as a smile crept across her face. For one who was experienced enough with Argonians, it might be possible to see the hints of pride in her expression. “I know for certain that your reports on me are not up-to-date, as I have made a discovery recently. If I am being honest, it is something amazing. Something groundbreaking; my own, unique contribution to scholarly knowledge. All of the magic I have learned; the hidden Psijic secrets, the ancient nightblade techniques, all of my destructive and restorative abilities, they have all been built upon the works of others. But this…it is something of my own. And I must say, it is quite appropriate for a Champion of lycans. You do not need to share your capabilities with me if you do not wish to, but you have to admit, you are curious, are you not? I have been hoping for someone new with which to discuss scholarly matters. Or perhaps you would be interested in a demonstration?"

[Muttonhawk]

With Harald and Aeramina out of the room, the heaviness emanating from Remus returned. He had not taken his eyes off the ground and Janius had not taken his eyes off him.

Remus lifted a hand and laid his wrinkled fingers on his temple. "I never thought this day would come," Remus intoned. "The day that you, Janius, would be rightly reprimanding my behaviour."

Janius crossed his arms and tilted his head where he stood. "I'm pretty sure I've tried before."

"You were a rash boy back then," Remus retorted quietly. "Now look at you. Careered, wedded, a son of your own." He was droning so lowly that his pride was hard to spot. "When did you become the better man?"

Taking a breath to think, Janius tightened his lips. "It's been almost a decade and a half, father. A lot has happened. Much has changed."

Remus raised his voice. "Aurana."

Aurana wiped an eye. Her voice as rough from yelling as well. "What?"

Remus flicked a beckoning finger in her direction without looking up from the ground.

She took steps towards him. She unconsciously grasped her forearm and tried to put on a strong face. She was still angry and red-eyed from tears.

"We will talk about your privileges to leave the house over lunch. I need to think first. And calm down."

Aurana sniffed. "Fine. As long as Janius gets to be there."

Remus nodded.

"Would you apologise to her, father?" Janius asked.

"I have more to say on that," Remus responded. "All of you, sit, please."

Janius looked back at Kaleeth and Julan. Julan would have to stop hiding, although it didn't seem like Remus would explode again. His piercing eyes had been averted for several minutes now. He seemed almost pitiful.

Aurana and Janius took a seat on a couch opposite Remus.

---

Lunise took a moment to consider Meesei's implications. Her silence skipped over any comments she might have had about what she knew about Meesei from her own investigations.

Lunise turned her head at an angle to Meesei. "Well," she responded as a matter-of-fact to preserve a semblance of superiority. "If you were any other non-elf, I would expect to burst your bubble of pride by pointing you to an elf that had discovered the same thing a millennium prior. However, if there was something I inherited from Pircalmo, it was curiosity."

Her neutral frown belied almost demanding tone. "What is it that you have discovered?"

[EliteCommander]

Kaleeth took her seat right next to Janius on the couch, which forced Julan to come into view. Although, he stayed quite close to his mother and sat down on the other side of her. The time to hide the fact that he was afraid was long-past, though that did not stop him from trying regardless. He tried to keep his expression neutral, which, if it was successful, would likely only happen if Remus was not experienced in dealing with Argonian expressions.

“I am sure there is quite a lot for everyone to say.” Kaleeth commented. “Hopefully, we can all end up better for it. I can answer anything you want to know about me, if you’re curious.”

---

“Hmm, I believe a demonstration would convey it best.” Meesei responded with a tone that could be seen as excited. It was rare that Meesei had the occasion to ‘show-off’, and she had to admit, at least to herself, that she was looking forward to it. Her pack and members of her clan had come to expect her magical prowess, but Lunise was one of the few people that Meesei interacted with who might genuinely be surprised by it. She certainly had enough magical and historical knowledge to be able to appreciate what Meesei was about to demonstrate.

Meesei stood up to her feet, then proceeded to strip down in preparation for a transformation. She pulled her dress up over her head to keep it from touching the sand, then meticulously folded it and placed it down gently next to her shoes in order to keep as much sand out of it as possible. Previously, Meesei had always worn either city clothes or thick winter cloaks in her meetings with Lunise, so this was the first time that Lunise would have been able to see her actual physique. Despite being a mage, Meesei looked like a hardened warrior, though because of her own healing abilities, she did not show the scars that she otherwise would have picked up over the years. Even though she was over forty years of age, she still looked like she could be in her prime. Or at least that her prime was not too far past.

Meesei began her transformation, which, if Lunise had ever witnessed one before, would seem far more controlled than what she had likely seen. The average lycan transformation was somewhat gruesome, and usually showed at least some small signs of a struggle with reigning in a beast spirit. However, Meesei looked calm, even as her body was contorting into its new form. As Champion, Meesei was certainly the largest werewolf that Lunise had seen in person. She towered over Lunise, and she looked strong enough to rip open a metal suit with her bare hands. It could have been intimidating, if that was what Meesei had intended. However, the other detail that set Meesei apart from the average lycan was the depth of her control. She had not exaggerated when she told Lunise that she could control her lycan form in just the same way as her normal body. All of the subtle, non-verbal language that was usually absent in a werewolf was readily visible in Meesei. The way she stood and walked, the small details in her facial expressions, they were all just as distinct as in her Argonian form, particularly since her facial structure was not exceptionally different to the normal shape of her skull. If anything, Meesei now had more tools with which to convey her emotions, since she now had ears that she could move like those of a dog.

Overall, Meesei could make her otherwise imposing werewolf form strangely approachable. It was as if she was just a larger, furry version of herself. She stepped up to Lunise, kneeling down next to where Lunise was sitting and held out her much larger hand between them. “Obviously, I am much more powerful in this form, physically. And because of my Ring, I give up nothing of my mind to take on this form. For the Champion, this form has…almost had no downsides. Were I not a mage, I would almost always have fought in this form, but I have to give up so many of my capabilities in order to access this power.”

Again, Meesei’s smile widened. This time, it exposed a maw filled with even larger, sharper teeth, but Meesei could still keep her expression more friendly than threatening. Suddenly, lightning started to spark between Meesei’s massive claws, and Lunise would be able to feel the unmistakable charge of magicka in the air. For one as educated on lycantropy as Lunise, it was something that should have been completely impossible.

“Until now.” She grinned.

[Muttonhawk]

Julan's efforts were not especially needed by the time they all found a seat. Remus did not move, let alone lift his eyes to look at them.

Janius and Aurana looked at Remus and waited patiently. Aurana was less patient than Janius. Still, Remus did not speak for a time. He slowly slid his fingers from the side of his head until his hand covered his eyes and brow. Only then did he angle his head up, wiping his hand down his face until he was clutching his chin. His eyes opened, though not to look directly at them. He was frowning, wide-eyed, at the fireplace.

"What do you want, father?" Aurana asked.

Remus took a slow breath. "I wish to fill in the gaps."

Janius narrowed an eye. "What do you mean by that?"

"I want to know how you became what you are now, Janius." Remus' eyes moved to Janius, nearly bulging, and then to Kaleeth. "Perhaps -- what was your name? -- Kaleeth...Rei? If you would tell me about yourself, your origins, and how you and Janius met? What led you two to become married?"

---

Lunise lowered her brow when Meesei began to undress. She opened her mouth to ask about it. She wasn't entirely sure what to ask. It was confusing, though requiring nudity to perform some feat of magic was not the strangest thing she had ever accepted.

The transformation made her more intent to go along with it. She did not flinch at the transformation itself, at least at first. When Meesei's full size loomed, however, she stumbled to her feet and took some steps back in the sand. It wasn't until Meesei began speaking in her beast form with the exact same mannerisms and inflection that she relaxed again.

Then Meesei charged a spell. Lunise's visage twisted into disbelief.

"That is surely impossible," Lunise whispered. Her eyes turned up to Meesei's large grinning face. "Even if that ring gives you control enough to concentrate, the beast spirit is a disruptive element. How are you channelling magicka so?"

[EliteCommander]

Kaleeth would have to continue to lie; there would be no avoiding it. Her actual past would not make much sense with the story she had given so far. There was no hiding that she was a Black Marsh native, just by her accent alone. But, as a Penitus Oculatus agent, she would have to have strong connections to the Empire. Since Black Marsh was an independent nation, that would mean she would have to have some family connections. Luckily, she had been given enough time to form some more of the details of her cover story.

"Well, my father was a traditional Argonian. Tribal, actually. If you've caught any glimpses of my tattoos, that would probably be obvious. But my mother's family has always had strong ties to the Empire, going back hundreds of years. My mother was a...trader, a merchant. She was a part of the East Empire Company. That's not what I was interested in as a hatchling, though. My father raised me to be a warrior. A hunter, really, but in Black Marsh, those two are pretty much the same. That's how I met Janius. He was in Black Marsh on a mission, and his team needed a local guide. That ended up being me. I...can't talk about the details. We're not allowed to talk about missions, even to family. But, Janius was in the area on that mission for quite a while, we spent a lot of time together, and ended up falling in love. I would say we are just made for each other. It took many years before I had the honor of joining the Penitus Oculatus. It is hard to join, but my service, and my family's loyalty to the Empire, probably helped." She explained.

---

"Indeed, a beast spirit is quite disruptive by its nature." Meesei said, nodding in agreement. "Though, an important distinction to make is that my Ring does not merely give me enough control. It gives complete control. That is quite important, for any kind of internal struggle with the beast would make this impossible. Of course, merely having perfect control is not enough to grant me this ability. If it were, I would have accomplished this long ago."

Meesei took a few steps away from Lunise in order to give a safe amount of space to charge an even stronger ball of lightning in her hand. "The beast spirit is disruptive, but it is not purposefully disruptive. It does not try to disturb the magicka in the body; it merely does so by the nature of its existence. Over the years, I have become more adept at manipulating my beast spirit, instead of merely suppressing it with the ring. It is...difficult to explain to someone who has not felt a beast spirit before, but I will try. When a lycan transforms, they have to 'release' their beast spirit. Even with the Ring, I cannot keep it shackled within my mind and keep my lycan form. The beast spirit is a Daedric spirit, a vestige. It is like having two souls in the same body, and when we transform, the energy of its vestige melds with my soul more completely. It changes the energies of my body wholly and completely, to the point that they are unrecognizable. That, of course, changes everything about how magicka flows through my body. As mages, we push magicka through our bodies almost as a learned reflex. Like our our minds control our muscles without conscious thought. Trying to cast a spell as a werewolf would be like trying to...think your heart to stop. Even I cannot break through that barrier, so instead, I figured out how to eliminate the barrier altogether. With the greater control I have developed over my beast spirit, I learned how to modify [i]how[i] the vestige bonds with my own soul, so that the energies of my body remain similar to those of my normal, Argonian form. It is not completely identical, and I would say my magical potential is still greater in my normal form, but, well, it is certainly not weak."

After a moment, Meesei gave another chuckle. "So, the end result is that I am now a werewolf who can shoot lightning at my enemies. And teleport. I believe I am going to give some Vile cultists nightmares. And I hope I will be able to leverage my prowess into helping you for many years. Forgive me for not being humble, but I hope it gives you some comfort to know that you have powerful allies."

Ceasing her spell, Meesei stepped forward, directly in front of Lunise and placed her now-oversized paw onto Lunise's shoulder, keeping a warm expression. "Powerful friends."

[Muttonhawk]

Remus did not make his impression of Kaleeth's story clear. "I see," he said, again after a pause. He gave Janius a look that lingered enough to suggest a question, but he did not ask it.

Janius nervously swallowed when Remus turned his attention to Julan. "And you, my...grandchild. Your parents must be most devoted to raise you while being so busy. How old are you now?"

Somehow, Remus did not convey his intimidation to Julan anymore. Instead of a glowing threat, he was quietly trying to understand them.

---

Lunise held a small tension in her shoulders as Meesei explained. Her initial reaction to the explanation was an acknowledging nod, thrown at an angle to mark her respect though still with neutral frown.

Meesei's advance on Lunise was not met with the same reaction. She tensed up and peered over at Meesei's arm reaching for her shoulder. Her eyes flicked to Meesei's eyes and flashed with brief anger. One of her arms curled. Her fingers splayed as if about to channel magic of her own.

She stopped still. Her anger melted off as she looked at the ocean to their side and let her arm hang loose.

"Forgive me. You are..." Lunise, exasperated, exhaled and tried again. "This is a part in my doctrine where I would commit a violent display of power to assert dominance over someone who was trying to manipulate me with a threat." An audible breath in and out sounded through her nose. "But you're a friend. I know that should not be what you meant to imply."

Lunise pushed Meesei's hand slowly off her shoulder. "It is an impressive technique that you have discovered," she said, trying to belie the upset wavering in her voice while avoiding her eyes. "You should be commended. Studying beasts spirits is difficult at the best of times."

[EliteCommander]

"Yeah..." Julan began. Fortunately, his hesitation could be easily attributed to his residual fear of Remus from his shouting a few moments prior. With the way that Remus had asked his question, Julan did not actually have to say many direct lies. He could simply tell the truth, without giving any of the important specifics.

"They are busy a lot; always going on important missions. We, um, me and my brother, can't usually go with them anywhere. Since it's dangerous, and they're doing things we're not allowed to see. But we do have a big family. Well...I guess you'd just call them friends, like Rhazii. But I still see them as family. Usually, not everyone is away at once, and my parents don't always leave at the same time. They still have time to spend with me doing things; I'm learning a lot, and becoming a great hunter." Julan explained.

---

"It is difficult to unlearn the habits that have kept you safe for so long. More difficult still, I imagine, to decide if you should even be unlearning them at all." Meesei responded, showing some understanding of Lunise's situation. "As I said, I merely want to show that you are not going to be working with amateurs. The resistance to those trying to destroy our world is going to have teeth. Literally and figuratively."

Closing her eyes for a moment, Meesei began to shift back out of her werewolf form, causing her to once again shrink below Lunise's height. Again, there was no struggle in the transformation, and hardly any signs of pain. Once it was over, she continued the conversation with barely a few moments of an interruption. "And I suppose you would not have quite the same comfort being around a werewolf as I. Conversations with transformed lycanthropes is a daily occurrence for me. A werewolf in a good mood can be something like an...overgrown puppy, which is rather amusing, if I am being honest. At any rate, I apologize if I caused you any undue stress."

[Muttonhawk]

Remus nodded, remaining cringed and wide-eyed.

"He's thirteen years old," Janius added. "We often hunt due to being on the road."

"Good." Remus murmured. His eyes wandered over the floor. "Good." He quickly nodded. "I...never did teach you any of these things, did I?"

Janius turned his eyes away. He didn't answer.

"We left you to learn on your own."

Remus and Janius shared an awkward silence.

Footsteps upon the wooden floor grew in volume outside of the room until Harald emerged at the entrance to the sitting room. He held his glove hands together. "Dinner is being prepared and will be ready shortly. I invite everyone to come to the table when you are ready."

Remus stood, in no rush.

---

Lunise closed her eyes, shook her head, and faced Meesei again. "I would see it a courtesy to warn me when you intend to transform around me." While still pushing back a quivering anxiety, Lunise spoke with appropriate severity. "I...recognised you through your beast form. That much I saw. It's proof your ring works, and so I should expect safety. However, my limited first-hand experience with transformed lycans is not something I would soon forget. Neither would I forget my more expansive experience with those that have tried to leverage me."

Extending an arm to the ground behind Meesei, Lunise craned her head to one side and cast roiling orange magic into her palm. Meesei instantly identified it as innocuous, confirmed by her folded clothing flying into Lunise's arm as she crooked it to secure the pile. Some sand fizzed off its surfaces. Lunise held the pile out, looking stern. "Your apology is accepted nevertheless."

[EliteCommander]

Kaleeth stood up shortly after Remus, taking Julan's hand in hers to prompt him to follow. Remus did not seem to be in a hurry, but there was little reason to stay where they were, so she followed along with the others into the dining room. Unsurprisingly, it showed just as much of a high-class style as the rest of the manor. With the connections that the clans had formed and the places that the pack had gone, it was not the first time that Kaleeth had been into a wealthy home, but it was still a rare event. It still made her somewhat nervous to be around all of the expensive items, particularly knowing that Remus' attention was on her.

Kaleeth followed Harald's direction to take her seat, with Julan taking a seat right beside her. Since Kaleeth was not entirely familiar with proper Imperial table manners, she decided to do nothing but wait for the moment. In her mind, she was already working on making up excuses for any unusual behavior that Remus might notice.

---

Again, Meesei nodded. "I understand your reservations. Lycans were, after all, designed by Hircine to be both dangerous predators, and dangerous prey. Although, I would like to help you become more comfortable around us, over time. We are going to be allies in this, and I expect you may need to spend more time around my people. I will be courteous, but not all of my people may share that courtesy. I can assure you that any lycan you would be interacting with will have the necessary training to control themselves. Even the children in my pack are in no danger of acting against their will, short of their lives being seriously threatened. Indeed, there are non-lycans that live among the clans, and who enjoy the same privileges and status as their lycan brethren. I hope we are never forced into it, but if something goes wrong and you are in need of a safe place to hide in Tamriel, my clan is open to you. I would so love to be able to show it to you; it is a beautiful place, even moreso than this tranquil cove we are in now."

Meesei took her clothes when Lunise offered them to her, though she did not immediately act upon receiving them. Instead, she held them under her arm as she turned her head and looked out over the water. The way Meesei stood and acted did not so much as acknowledge her own nudity. It was a part of lycan culture that Lunise no doubt would have learned about in her research, though this was the first time she was faced with it. "Speaking of the cove, would you like to join me for a swim?" Meesei suggested after a brief moment, pointing her thumb towards the water.

[Muttonhawk]

The long table in the dining room centred just as ostentatious an array of decorations as other rooms in the manor. Gleaming polished silverware and candelabras reflected sparkles into the darker areas of the walls and ceiling. Harald had set up cutlery, crockery, and everything surrounding eating for each of them near one end of the table. Everything but the food.

Remus slumped into his seat at the end of the table. Aeramina was waiting with impeccable posture in the seat next to him, her hands folded in her lap. Janius took a seat between Remus and Kaleeth, staring down memories that flooded back with the setting. The cushions on the seats were never something that he thought would feel strange until he sat upon them again. Aurana, in contrast, found her seat on the other side of the table next to Aeramina, still holding some of the anger in her face from before.

Janius sighed. As usual, there were at least three sets each of knives, forks, and spoons in front of him. The complexities to high dining was certainly not something he missed.

"Harald will have the cooks make us something special, to welcome you home, Janius," Aeramina said with a broad smile. "And to welcome you here, Kaleeth-Rei, Kaj-Sulan." She leant forward, placing a hand on the table. "You cannot imagine my excitement! A daughter-in-law and a grandchild! Oh!"

Aeramina's oblivious manner of speaking extended to her mispronunciation of Julan's name.

---

"Thank you," Lunise said, angling her head up. "Having searched for the clans for so long, I would trust a lycan to provide a hiding place."

Lunise, now calming down from Meesei's werewolf form, did not appear perturbed by Meesei's tacit refusal to dress. It was the invitation to swim with her that put her at a loss for a moment. Her upturned head glanced at the water. "A swim?" She peered down at her uniform. "...I...am afraid I did not anticipate bringing the appropriate clothing."

The deadpan words did not sound so absurd to Lunise until she spoke them in front of Meesei.

[EliteCommander]

Julan gave a concerned expression, looking up to his mother beside him. "It's, um..." He began, but he was too afraid of doing something wrong to continue.

Kaleeth too was not entirely sure what would and would not be considered rude in a place like this, but she supposed there would not be harm in correcting Aeramina, at least after she responded to her. "Thank you; it's not often we have special meals. We rarely work in places that are as, um, nice as this. We spend a lot of time on the road, traveling in the wilderness, and that sort of thing. It is exciting to meet an entire other half of my family, I would say. Though, just to give a...correction, our son's name is Kaj-Julan. It translates to 'Ample Benefit'. Roughly. The languages are not too similar."

---

Meesei looked to be confused for a brief moment. "Hmm? Oh, do Altmer share that 'modesty' custom with the Imperials? I cannot always keep track. I travel all over Tamriel, and the customs are not always consistent. Even within provinces. You need not worry about it around me, though. I am a lycan, after all, and a tribal Argonian before that. I will not become embarrassed if you undress." She said, her tone attempting to be reassuring.

Once more, Meesei found a place to set down her clothes, then started to step out into the water. The water was just about to her waist when she turned back around to see if Lunise intended to join her.

[Muttonhawk]

Aeramina raised her fingers to mouth height. "A beautiful name! My apologies for my tongue. The Black Marsh language is ever so exotic. You know, Aurana here has her name in old languages. I am told that her name holds connotations to gold. A treasure! As much an ample benefit, is it not?"

Aurana herself was sat staring at her empty plate. Her mood didn't reflect her namesake in the slightest, likely because she had dealt with her mother's vacuous behaviour every day.

"Mother," Janius lifted a hand to interrupt. "Perhaps, instead of that, you might tell us what is for lunch?"

"Son, where would the surprise be?" Aeramina whined. "This is meant to be special. Let it be special, dear."

Janius pulled the corner of his mouth awkwardly. He tried to think of another way to turn the subject around when Aurana spoke up.

"Can we talk about being allowed out of the house now?"

Remus was leaning the side of his head on one hand. He spoke with just as much authority as before his temper was lost. "Not until after lunch."

---

Lunise stood still until Meesei began treading water. "I do not fear being undressed as some self-conscious Imperial, Meesei!" she proudly retorted to Meesei's back. "It is the principle of appropriate attire! A self-respecting High Elf does not swim in company without showing that she means it. That means a bathing uniform is necessary!"

For such an arbitrary issue, Lunise touted it with stereotypical Altmer arrogance. Still, Meesei had swung her opinion of lesser matters. This matter especially had many holes in its reasoning, especially on the lonely beach they shared.

[EliteCommander]

Kaleeth was not entirely sure how Janius wanted them to deal with his mother. Her behavior was much different from his father's. In a way, his father was easier for her to understand. He was an angry man by nature, and they needed to argue with him to make him understand why he was wrong. His mother, however, seemed so...disconnected from the events around her. It was like she was blissfully unaware of the anger and tension that had filled the air only a short time ago. Kaleeth would have to follow Janius' lead when dealing with her.

Kaleeth did not argue with Remus on the topic of Aurana, but she did make sure to give Aurana an answer of her own as well. "Don't worry, Aurana, we're not going to be leaving before that conversation. I promise."

---

After Lunise's stubborn and proud argument, Meesei could not help but to begin to chuckle. "Is that so? Do you fear the fish might report back to the Altmer in the city? Or do you have a bit more in common with the Imperials than you are letting on?" Meesei said teasingly. "Do not worry, I am only joking. But you need not be shy. Besides which, I think you have had me beat in terms of 'appropriate attire' for this entire excursion. I was the one to wear that dress into an Altmer college. It clashes so much with my feathers."

Meesei ran her fingertips along the water, disturbing its surface. "If we are going to make this into a...cultural learning opportunity, then perhaps I can show you how Argonians have fun?" She said, charging telekinetic energy through her hand to lift up a small ball of water out of the ocean. Across her face, a subtle, mischievous smile started to form.