EliteCommander

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Meesei wished that she had clearer answers for Sabine, but she could hardly claim to have perfect knowledge on the Black Books. She had collected some information on the topic over the last few months, but there was not a great deal of information available on them to begin with. They were rare and powerful relics, not commonly found in Tamriel, so there was much she would simply have to discover on her own.

"I am not sure if you can. I have not uncovered any reference suggesting that one of these books can transport two people at once to his realm. Though, I probably should clarify that I will not exactly be transported in the traditional sense. My body will be here, in a sense at least. The writings I found were not too comprehensible on what will happen to my body. They said it would be both 'here and nowhere.' In any case, I cannot be killed in his realm. I believe it is how Mora bypasses the problems created by the barriers between Mundas and Oblivion. If my soul is sufficiently disrupted, I will be sent back to my body, along with any books or items I have collected. In all honesty, I am not entirely certain how I would be able to bring back anything tangible from his realm, but the writings support that." Meesei explained.

Standing up to her feet, Meesei looked upon the book in her hands with some dread. "If you could, I would appreciate if you would watch after me, at least. And explain to any others what is happening if they come into the tent. I do not want anyone to worry for me, and I am not sure if I will be at all aware of the world around me while I am reading the book." For a few moments, it seemed like Meesei might have been waiting for Sabine, or reconsidering her choice altogether. However, in a single moment of resolve, she suddenly opened the book. Although, at first, nothing happened.

"I am not entirely sure how..." Meesei began, but she was quickly cut off when the book seemingly sprang to life all of the sudden. Symbols formed in the air around her, which quickly became tentacles that wrapped around her upper body. To Meesei, her mind was transported into Apocrypha, but to Sabine, she just seemed to sand there, motionless, expressionless, unresponsive. Sabine could see her, but also see through her. If Sabine tried to touch her, she would find that her hand would pass directly through both Meesei and the book. If Sabine spoke, there would be no indication that Meesei could hear her, or any clear way to interact with her at all. There was nothing Sabine could do to bring Meesei back to Mundas except to wait, and there was no way to know for how long that wait would be.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Ahnasha shrugged. "Being that I don't really know Monderyn that well, I can't really say. I mean, my only experience with him has been in the Imperial City, and now. Obviously, those are, uh, very different experiences. I do have a good sense for people, but you know him a lot better than I do. I would have to be around him more before I could get a better sense of how he feels. Maybe at the wedding we'll be able to figure more out." Ahnasha began to grin. "Who knows, maybe I should give him a good thrashing in a practice duel to demonstrate how a Khajiit can really be 'superior.'"

---

Meesei's expression remained just as uncertain as it had been, even without any continued protests. "In truth, I do not know. I have no way of knowing what knowledge I possess that Mora does not, if I have anything at all. I do know many magical secrets, but that does not mean they are unknown to Mora. He is an immortal Daedric Prince, and just because Tamriel has all but lost some of the secrets I know, that does not mean he has forgotten them. Some of what I have read suggests that, for some knowledge-seekers, he simply requires that they fight off the dangers of his realm to gain his knowledge, perhaps to learn fighting styles and other habits of some of Tamriel's more powerful mortals. If I do not possess any specific secrets for trade, then that may be how I earn his power." Meesei reasoned.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

"Okay. As long as you have an idea of what you're going to do, then I'm sure it will go as smoothly as we can make it." Ahnasha responded. Turning back towards the road, she let go of one of his hands, but kept her grip firmly on the other as she started to resume walking. "Now, we can go see if we can find a priest in the temple, then head back and relax in camp. I'm sure the others will want to hear that it went well."

---

"I doubt he does." Meesei answered honestly. "Any Daedra, even Hircine, does not care about the lives of mortals in the same way that we think of as 'caring.' But, they do sometimes respect individuals for their actions, and they do recognize that mortals have the kind of agency on Nirn that they cannot have themselves. Mora will not harm me while Vile is a threat."

Pausing for a moment, Meesei picked up the Black Book from her bag, but did not yet open it. Instead, she simply stared at it, running her hand across its cover. "I have heard all the tales of what can happen to those who seek Mora's knowledge. But, that is by no means a guarantee. Even Vile himself will sometimes deal favorably with those who seek him. Daedra cannot betray everyone who decide to deal with them, else they would have no worshippers, and therefore little influence. I cannot pretend that it would not be a risk to read this book, but I have experience with Daedra. Experience that I can use to protect myself. Based on the writings I've gathered over the last few months, this book will essentially transport me to Mora's realm of Apocrypha. It is a source of near limitless knowledge, and while I could just explore it randomly in the hopes of finding what I need, it will more likely be up to Mora what to reveal to me, and when. Usually, Mora likes to learn something from those seeking his knowledge."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Ahnasha was quick to bring her lips up to Fendros', though she was not sure how long she left them there before Fendros finally pulled away to speak up once more. She gave a nod, then pulled him in close for another hug. "I'll be honest, I was worried about you there for a while. I'm still a little worried about your father, but it wasn't all bad. It was actually kind of good. Now we just have to make sure this wedding goes just as smoothly."

Grabbing Fendros' hands in hers, Ahnasha paused, uncertain. "Saying we do get to speak to your parents again...how do you think we should handle it? Now that we've seen them, and have an idea of what they'll be thinking, I think we can try to figure out what might work best. And not just to convince them of anything, but to show them who you are. You're your own, independent man now, not the child they remember. Your father...I mean, I don't want to insult him, but he seems aggressive, and stubborn. If you hadn't have held me back, I definitely would have given him a good punch to the gut for striking Llarasa. That was uncalled for, unacceptable. Still makes me angry just thinking about it. If he does happen to show up for whatever reason, I could foresee him putting you in a bad position. You might have to decide whether or not to stand up for yourself, or go along with a lie or something, and that won't be my choice to make. It's yours."

---

"Under normal circumstances, I would agree with you." Meesei responded. She brought her hand up to the side of her head, contemplating as she stared down the book. "But this situation is far from normal. Mora does not give knowledge for free, and I certainly doubt he would do so now, but he has already shown himself to be in opposition to Vile. If the books on the topic are at all credible, then scholars in the past have had their minds consumed by madness searching through the volumes of knowledge found in Apocrypha. But, none of those scholars were at all important to Mora. For myself, he obviously does not care about me, but he has to recognize that I am the leader of Vile's primary opposition. To try to take my soul, or something of that nature, would be in opposition to Mora's goals, while granting me more power would help him. Even if Mora is entirely selfish, then he may give me what I need for his own benefit."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Fun fact, Clinton won the popular vote in this election. Electoral college said otherwise.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

I've cast my vote, but it's all I can do. A part of me wishes the whole world could cast votes, because then Trump wouldn't stand a chance.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Ahnasha smiled at Llarasa. "I look forward to it. Honestly, I don't know much about what's going to happen with this whole wedding business; I've never been one for ceremonies like that. I suppose it will be up to Fendros and the rest of you to guide me along."

Taking a few more steps down the stairs, Ahnasha gave Llarasa another, quick hug. "Thank you again for all of your support. This day wouldn't have been nearly as good as it has been without you, and Monderyn. Hopefully, tomorrow will be even better. We do need to go and find a priest, but...thank you."

---

Meesei looked to be almost embarrassed by Sabine's discovery of the Black Book. With the ordeal she had just put herself through, it took a few moments for her to collect herself enough to respond, which did at least give her some time to think of a good answer. Even she had to admit that there was no easy explanation for why she would have such a thing with her. "Honestly, at this point, I wish I could give you a clear answer on that. That book has been a point of contention in my mind ever since Mora left it with us. My first instinct was to destroy it, but I doubt that is even possible. I initially brought it along with me to get it away from the clan and to find a way to discard it, but now I do not know if there would be any way to do so safely, so that it does not fall into the wrong hands. I am wondering if it would even be wise to be rid of it? I mean, that book is a relic of the Daedric lord of knowledge. Through it, I could access a myriad of powerful secrets. Thinking back on my fight against Do'rhajul, about how...powerless I felt against him, I wonder if the knowledge would be worth the risk. If I am the strongest of Hircine's hounds, then we cannot stand against them right now."

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

I'm finally back home. Got home late.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Ahnasha stepped up to the door softly. She was still nervous, but did what she could to not let it show through her voice. "Yes, it would be nice to have you. And it would give you a chance to meet everyone that has been training and helping protect Fendros. I can tell you that he is in good hands, but I am sure it would make you more comfortable to see us all for yourself." She added, waiting tensely for a response. Already, her ears were perked up and attentive towards the faintest hint of any sound coming from within the room.

---

When Sabine stepped into Meesei's tent, she had already started her self-treatment. She had thrown the dress she had worn in the city haphazardly in one of the dusty corners, likely necessitating that it be washed before she used it again, and had the rest of her bags and belongings in a disorganized pile next to her. She was sitting on her knees with her hands over her chest, both of which were glowing with restorative energy. She had taken a length of cloth and tied it tightly over her snout like a muzzle to keep herself from making too much noise when the pain hit, and it was not long after Sabine entered that it started. Meesei isolated a few of the silver particles, then started the process of pulling them out into her bloodstream, where she could then remove them for good. She barred her teeth, lurching forward and closing her eyes as she let out a muffled scream. It was a process that repeated itself for almost an hour. A few minutes to locate the silver, then a few straight minutes of agony, followed by a few minutes of rest to keep herself from sobbing from the pain. Though, her eyes were still filled with tears regardless. All of it just to remove a few small pieces of silver. She did not say a word, but she appreciated the comfort that Sabine provided.

After it was over, Meesei felt weak, and moved around somewhat clumsily. She reached over to her bag and fumbled around to grab one of her potion bottles to take her next dose of Sabine's potions. However, as she was reaching for it, she brushed open the largest of her bags, revealing something both interesting an startling within. Falling partially out of the bag was a black book. The Black Book which Hermaeus Mora had left in their possession after their meeting. Meesei had taken the book and locked it away safely during and after their move to Skyrim, but evidently, she had decided to bring it with her now.

Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

Ahnasha gave a sigh, seeming uncertain, and perhaps uncomfortable. She scratched the back of her head briefly, then stood with one arm across her stomach, holding on to her other forearm. The past few hours with Llarasa and Monderyn had been outright pleasant, especially in comparison to the less-than-pleasant welcome they had received from Fendros' father. Even if it was not something they would be able to do even remotely commonly, she hoped it would at least lead to regular communication with them, without any aliases or secrecy. Fendros' siblings might even get to meet the rest of her family one day.

"I...well there is a lot I would like to talk with her about. A lot of ways I would like to try to reach her. But, hopefully we'll have plenty of time to talk to her later. I'll come with you, yeah. I don't think I'll be near as silent or reserved as our first talk, but I still think you should lead the way. We can just...be direct about it I guess and just ask her to come. If she seems hesitant, we can tell her she could meet all the other people in our pack that have been looking after her son. It might appeal to her to have some assurances that Fendros will be safe." Ahnasha suggested.

---

Back in camp, everyone had settled in somewhat tensely while they waited for Fendros and Ahnasha to return. Given how long it had been, Meesei expected they would be there for a day or two longer. For now, she refrained from mentioning Harriet to Gallus, and would not likely mention her to anyone outside her pack unless it was strictly necessary. Lorag was quite obviously skulking around camp, but luckily, Gallus had not yet asked about his change in mood.

Meesei took her dinner uncooked and early, before heading into her tent alone, with a notably dreadful look on her face. She did not say anything aloud to anyone, but everyone in her pack by this point understood what she tended to do when she retreated off by herself to the edges of the camp. She did not like to talk about it, but that was when she usually tended to give herself more treatments to remove the particles of silver from her body. The more she removed, the weaker her potions needed to be, and the longer Sabine could make them last. However, each treatment still brought with it some rather intense pain. It put it in a state that she did not like others to see, though she never complained when Sabine decided to keep her company.