I think I shall let you set up whatever scenes you like for the next day. Mostly because I really need to get to bed at the moment. Goodnight.
EliteCommander Member
The Commander of Elites
- Last Seen: 12 hrs ago
- Joined: 12 yrs ago
- Posts: 8958 (1.97 / day)
- VMs: 2
-
Username history
- EliteCommander 12 yrs ago
-
Latest 10 profile visitors:
-
Most recent →
Ashifa ASMR YT,
Gurkenkrater,
Cath,
StarfrostedFox,
Sunflower,
Hibachi90,
Not a Sayan,
Digmata,
Raqueltrper,
Love Dove
Status
User has no status, yet
Bio
User has no bio, yet
Most Recent Posts
For the first time during their conversation, Meesei was actually visibly surprised but the sudden turn that Lunise had made. Even Meesei was not exactly sure what she had done that prompted it, but she certainly appreciated Lunise's relatively emotional display. Perhaps more than she would care to admit aloud. "Thank you, I...shall be looking forward to tomorrow. And may the Huntsman guide you as well."
Eventually, Meesei returned to the barracks in a far more hopeful mood than when she had first left. While Thalmor had a tendency to be cold and disdainful towards much of the rest of Tamriel, Meesei was glad to have taken a chance with Lunise. There were few in the world who could be considered truly irredeemable, and Meesei saw Lunise as someone who could be a great ally, and perhaps even a legitimate friend. She was already showing signs of overcoming at least some of the prejudices instilled in her by the Thalmor, and Meesei was not entirely sure of what to think of Lunise's last farewell. She supposed she would have to wait until the next day to see how a night's rest influenced the Justiciar.
Eventually, Meesei returned to the barracks in a far more hopeful mood than when she had first left. While Thalmor had a tendency to be cold and disdainful towards much of the rest of Tamriel, Meesei was glad to have taken a chance with Lunise. There were few in the world who could be considered truly irredeemable, and Meesei saw Lunise as someone who could be a great ally, and perhaps even a legitimate friend. She was already showing signs of overcoming at least some of the prejudices instilled in her by the Thalmor, and Meesei was not entirely sure of what to think of Lunise's last farewell. She supposed she would have to wait until the next day to see how a night's rest influenced the Justiciar.
Meesei's expression slowly shifted from being solemn, to a moderate grin once more. "I have been even kinder to my friends before, when they allow it. Indeed, I think you may find several members of my family to be more...amicable than you might expect. Regardless, I believe we should both get some rest. It is late, and I feel we both deserve some sleep. It should not be difficult to find me tomorrow, whenever you are ready. I do not plan on leaving the castle grounds."
Walking up closer to Lunise, Meesei reached forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I know we have had our differences in the past, Lunise, but...I am glad to have you with us, truly. Were it anyone else, anyone less...principled than you, then Tamriel might not have as much hope in its future. Sleep well, Lunise." Meesei said before turning and beginning to walk towards the door.
Walking up closer to Lunise, Meesei reached forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. "I know we have had our differences in the past, Lunise, but...I am glad to have you with us, truly. Were it anyone else, anyone less...principled than you, then Tamriel might not have as much hope in its future. Sleep well, Lunise." Meesei said before turning and beginning to walk towards the door.
Meesei held a similar frustration as Lunise herself. She did understand Lunise's reservations, particularly since she likely was having a difficult time trusting anyone at the moment. "As far as I am concerned, Lunise, those documents are yours. I already have all of the information I need from Areldril. They are certainly dangerous, but they could still be useful to you. I would not recommend taking them back to your superiors. I would report the mission as a failure, then find somewhere safe to hide the documents. You need not tell me where, just keep them secure. Trust me, I have as much of an interest as you in keeping the Dominion stable. About a third of my people are Dominion citizens, and I have as much of a responsibility to them as I do to those in the Empire, or other independent nations. It is why I want to help you find a way to stop your superiors' plans without unmaking the Dominion itself...as long as I am able to help."
Meesei gave a long sigh at the uncomfortable thought she was about to address. "I will not lie to you, Lunise, I may not be long for this world. For all of the power and ability that I have, the odds I am going to be facing in the coming days are not favorable. What is demanded of me is to lead a charge into Oblivion itself to essentially kill a god. Granted, it would not be the first time a mortal has succeeded in that task, but I am going to be at the forefront of that battle. Even if we do succeed...I have to plan for the possibility that I may not live to see it. The world will still not be safe after Vile is defeated, so I want to be sure that there are still people left to fight for this world if I am gone. I certainly trust that Marod and the Empire will be opposing the Dominion's plans. That much is obvious to everyone involved. But, I do not trust that the Empire will do so in a way that prevents the Dominion from falling into chaos. No, instability in the Dominion would only be of great benefit to the Empire. Regardless of Marod's opinions, his superiors will not care about the Dominion's people. You could help prevent that, and I will offer whatever resources I can give to help you. But we need to have some trust for each other. I am not asking you to part from those documents. Take whatever time you need to hide them, make sure they are safe. Then, perhaps I can start to try to prove to you that I can be trusted?"
Meesei gave a long sigh at the uncomfortable thought she was about to address. "I will not lie to you, Lunise, I may not be long for this world. For all of the power and ability that I have, the odds I am going to be facing in the coming days are not favorable. What is demanded of me is to lead a charge into Oblivion itself to essentially kill a god. Granted, it would not be the first time a mortal has succeeded in that task, but I am going to be at the forefront of that battle. Even if we do succeed...I have to plan for the possibility that I may not live to see it. The world will still not be safe after Vile is defeated, so I want to be sure that there are still people left to fight for this world if I am gone. I certainly trust that Marod and the Empire will be opposing the Dominion's plans. That much is obvious to everyone involved. But, I do not trust that the Empire will do so in a way that prevents the Dominion from falling into chaos. No, instability in the Dominion would only be of great benefit to the Empire. Regardless of Marod's opinions, his superiors will not care about the Dominion's people. You could help prevent that, and I will offer whatever resources I can give to help you. But we need to have some trust for each other. I am not asking you to part from those documents. Take whatever time you need to hide them, make sure they are safe. Then, perhaps I can start to try to prove to you that I can be trusted?"
With Lunise's back turned to her, Meesei charged a spell. Instead of glowing as usual, her hand was encompassed in shadow. Then, in an instant, Lunise would suddenly find that Meesei was standing across the table from her, with small wisps of a shadowy energy dissipating around her as the only evidence of what she had done. It was shadow magic, the craft of the ancient nightblades. It was not the kind of magic that would take one such a long distance as Meesei had been describing, but she believed it would serve her point nonetheless. "I would not be so skeptical, Lunise. Much of the time, knowledge is never truly lost. It merely goes dormant."
"Regardless, you may be correct that tomorrow may not be an appropriate time to leave. I suppose we still have much to decide. But, I would not put the idea out of your mind entirely, Lunise." Meesei said. Letting out a sigh, she raised up her hand and looked down at it, charging the raw energies of shadow magic through it. Her expression rather suddenly turned sullen, regretful. "All of this power, these abilities, they did not come without cost. I was a terrible fool in even attempting to acquire them. I am certainly more powerful now, of that there is no question. But...you can trust me when I say that isolating yourself from your family, friends, and anyone else you may care about can be a terrible mistake. I wanted to bring an end to this war, but in doing so, I nearly lost my own life, and almost destroyed my relationships with those I hold most dear. I want to keep you from making the same mistakes I did, Lunise. I want to let you go back to your homeland and remind yourself of why you are doing what you are doing. Isolating yourself from such things for too long can warp your perspective more than you might expect."
"Regardless, you may be correct that tomorrow may not be an appropriate time to leave. I suppose we still have much to decide. But, I would not put the idea out of your mind entirely, Lunise." Meesei said. Letting out a sigh, she raised up her hand and looked down at it, charging the raw energies of shadow magic through it. Her expression rather suddenly turned sullen, regretful. "All of this power, these abilities, they did not come without cost. I was a terrible fool in even attempting to acquire them. I am certainly more powerful now, of that there is no question. But...you can trust me when I say that isolating yourself from your family, friends, and anyone else you may care about can be a terrible mistake. I wanted to bring an end to this war, but in doing so, I nearly lost my own life, and almost destroyed my relationships with those I hold most dear. I want to keep you from making the same mistakes I did, Lunise. I want to let you go back to your homeland and remind yourself of why you are doing what you are doing. Isolating yourself from such things for too long can warp your perspective more than you might expect."
Meesei started to grin. "Would it truly surprise you to learn that I am capable of teleporting vast distances? It is no more unusual than other forms of magic I have demonstrated. As I have alluded to before, I have had the opportunity to study many exotic and archaic forms of magic, and teleportation was something that attracted quite a lot of my attention during that time. It is an interesting subject, as there are several methods for approaching the problem. The ancient nightblades of the second era utilized an entire form of magic that has since been lost to time, called shadow magic, which allowed for short range teleportation. Various groups like the ancient Dunmer, or even the Mages' Guild a few centuries ago, regularly used teleportation enchantments. And of course, the Psijics were able to teleport their entire Isle of Artaeum out of this plane of existence."
Even now, Meesei was not sure that she wanted to divulge the existence of her propylon network, as it was a vital part of the infrastructure they had built to connect the clans. But, she was not lying about her other explorations into teleportation magic, and she felt that she would be able to achieve the same result in a different way. "And I do not believe you need to worry about being discovered at this stage. Your superiors are not aware of what you know, and they do not need to learn. It, perhaps, may not even be wise to report that we captured Areldril. I doubt your superiors would be happy about the failure, but it is not as if every Justiciar succeeds in every mission. Even the most skilled agents in Tamriel will still fail some of their missions. But, that is just a suggestion. We can decide those details when we all come together again to discuss it. Regardless, my primary point was that you can spend at least a few hours tomorrow anywhere you like on the island. At least, anywhere you can properly visualize. I believe it may help to clear your mind."
Even now, Meesei was not sure that she wanted to divulge the existence of her propylon network, as it was a vital part of the infrastructure they had built to connect the clans. But, she was not lying about her other explorations into teleportation magic, and she felt that she would be able to achieve the same result in a different way. "And I do not believe you need to worry about being discovered at this stage. Your superiors are not aware of what you know, and they do not need to learn. It, perhaps, may not even be wise to report that we captured Areldril. I doubt your superiors would be happy about the failure, but it is not as if every Justiciar succeeds in every mission. Even the most skilled agents in Tamriel will still fail some of their missions. But, that is just a suggestion. We can decide those details when we all come together again to discuss it. Regardless, my primary point was that you can spend at least a few hours tomorrow anywhere you like on the island. At least, anywhere you can properly visualize. I believe it may help to clear your mind."
They have not. But, well, propylons aren't the only method of teleportation either...
Julan paused in thought at what his father explained to him, though just like Kaleeth, he had no immediate answers. "Are you...sure they're still like that? Since it's been so long? They could change in all that time, probably."
Rubbing the back of his neck, Julan tried to reason out how to avoid making anything worse for Aurana. He did not have the life experience to look at the problem from all of the angles that his parents had tried to approach, but he did have the unique perspective of a child with experience keeping himself out of trouble.
"Well...let's just make sure they don't blame her. If we talk to them, and they try to punish her for standing up to them, then you can just say that you made her say all those things. Just make it seem like it wasn't her idea. Then, they'll blame you instead. They'll be mad at you, but they can't punish you or anything so...it doesn't matter." He suggested.
---
"Are you asking if I have seen my tribe since my initial departure? No, I have not." Meesei answered, shaking her head. "Both of my parents had died by the time I left the village, and I had no brothers or sisters. I did have a few uncles and an aunt, and some cousins, but I was not particularly social with them growing up. Certainly, I did not leave much behind that would prompt me to try to go back. It was easier for me to leave than it is for most lycans. I have no doubt that my village is surviving as it always has. My successor was capable, and the rest of the clan were a resilient people. They did not need me. For me, and most other lycans, it is best to leave our former lives behind, for various reasons. It is never safe for a novice lycan to remain among civilization, but even afterwards, it can be difficult to go back. We are seen as monsters, as you know, and not everyone is capable of seeing past that. For my village, I doubt they would approve of my devotion to Hircine, though not out of any particular hatred of him. Rather, they would not approve of me placing any other being above the Hist. Otherwise, Hircine is a sort of...neutral force in the world. He is neither good nor evil; he simply exists as a force of nature. His sphere is the natural cycle of life and death. Predator and prey. His only goal is to foster strength among his followers."
After a moment's pause, Meesei gave a quick chuckle. "At the very least, he is not always attempting to conquer Tamriel, as other Daedra are wont to do. For me personally, it does not matter what others worship. Hircine is not a Daedra who demands that all follow him, so if others wish to worship the Hist, another Daedra, the Eight, the Nine, anything else, or nothing at all, it does not concern me. So as long as they can leave me in peace. I do not mean to preach to you, though. I am sure you were well-aware that the Champion of Hircine worshipped Hircine."
Thinking for another few moments, an idea came to Meesei's mind. "When was the last time you have been to Alinor? Would you like to go there tomorrow, just for the day? To relax?" Meesei asked, making no mention of how they were going to traverse half a continent in a single day.
Rubbing the back of his neck, Julan tried to reason out how to avoid making anything worse for Aurana. He did not have the life experience to look at the problem from all of the angles that his parents had tried to approach, but he did have the unique perspective of a child with experience keeping himself out of trouble.
"Well...let's just make sure they don't blame her. If we talk to them, and they try to punish her for standing up to them, then you can just say that you made her say all those things. Just make it seem like it wasn't her idea. Then, they'll blame you instead. They'll be mad at you, but they can't punish you or anything so...it doesn't matter." He suggested.
---
"Are you asking if I have seen my tribe since my initial departure? No, I have not." Meesei answered, shaking her head. "Both of my parents had died by the time I left the village, and I had no brothers or sisters. I did have a few uncles and an aunt, and some cousins, but I was not particularly social with them growing up. Certainly, I did not leave much behind that would prompt me to try to go back. It was easier for me to leave than it is for most lycans. I have no doubt that my village is surviving as it always has. My successor was capable, and the rest of the clan were a resilient people. They did not need me. For me, and most other lycans, it is best to leave our former lives behind, for various reasons. It is never safe for a novice lycan to remain among civilization, but even afterwards, it can be difficult to go back. We are seen as monsters, as you know, and not everyone is capable of seeing past that. For my village, I doubt they would approve of my devotion to Hircine, though not out of any particular hatred of him. Rather, they would not approve of me placing any other being above the Hist. Otherwise, Hircine is a sort of...neutral force in the world. He is neither good nor evil; he simply exists as a force of nature. His sphere is the natural cycle of life and death. Predator and prey. His only goal is to foster strength among his followers."
After a moment's pause, Meesei gave a quick chuckle. "At the very least, he is not always attempting to conquer Tamriel, as other Daedra are wont to do. For me personally, it does not matter what others worship. Hircine is not a Daedra who demands that all follow him, so if others wish to worship the Hist, another Daedra, the Eight, the Nine, anything else, or nothing at all, it does not concern me. So as long as they can leave me in peace. I do not mean to preach to you, though. I am sure you were well-aware that the Champion of Hircine worshipped Hircine."
Thinking for another few moments, an idea came to Meesei's mind. "When was the last time you have been to Alinor? Would you like to go there tomorrow, just for the day? To relax?" Meesei asked, making no mention of how they were going to traverse half a continent in a single day.
Julan did calm down noticeably, even if he could not entirely shake his anxiety. For as long as they were in Bravil, he would likely be nervous about being punished for visiting his grandparents. But, for the moment at least, he could breathe a sigh of relief.
"Um, thank you." Julan responded, still calming from his initial anxiety, but obviously genuine in his tone. "I don't think you have to be afraid of them, I just want to help Aurana. I would hate to be locked up in one building like that. She seems so nice. But...do you really think we might make things worse for her? I really wouldn't want to do that."
---
Meesei chuckled. "Everything you say here, you say in confidence. The most I will say to Marod, or anyone else, is that you are in the process of recovering."
For Meesei, Lunise's descriptions of her friends and family did not sound terribly different from what she had been expecting. Lunise, while not entirely isolated, was also not terribly close to many people. The way she spoke about her friends was almost more like friendly acquaintances. Although, Meesei supposed she could not be completely certain of what her relationships were like. Regardless, Lunise was curious about Meesei's family, and she had quite a lot she could say about them.
"Assembling my pack was something that took years, and there is a unique story behind all of them, but there is a common thread between most of them. Even before I became Champion, Hircine communicated with me through dreams. Through my beast blood. It is not something that is entirely unique to me, but neither is it common. It is something that he only does to those with whom he has specific intentions. For me, he helped me find nearly every member of my pack. Lorag was the first. He was a former Legionnaire who was infected during the Skyrim Civil War, then lived out in the wilds for years before Hircine directed me to him. Actually recruiting him was fairly simple. I was one of the first lycans he had seen since his infection, so I needed only prove my strength, and prove myself worthy of leading. If lycans did not heal so quickly, I likely would have given him a few scars. Ahnasha was next, a year or two later. I did not find her, but it was still Hircine who guided her to me. Like me, she worshipped Hircine before becoming a lycan. She was young, frustrated with city life, and wanted to make herself stronger. She was a young woman of only sixteen years, I believe, when she slew a local minotaur single-highhandedly and sacrificed it to Hircine. She was gifted with an audience with an aspect of Hircine himself. He guided her to my pack, and I personally gifted her with the beast blood. Aside from myself, I believe she was the only one of my pack to receive the beast blood on her own terms. The next two, Janius and Sabine, were not so fortunate. Janius was the son of an Imperial noble family, and a member of the Fighter's Guild. He was contracted to clear out a cave of bears, but he and his group were trapped by a collapse and attacked by a nest of giant spiders. I never asked him to describe the details, but I imagine it was a horrifying event. But, he slew all of the spiders and was the sole survivor of his group. Hircine led me to him, and in exchange for his rescue, he joined my pack. Sabine went through...incredible trauma in her childhood. I do not wish to share all of the details without her permission, but she was not infected willingly, and went through a great deal of pain before she finally escaped into the wilds. We were led to one another by Hircine and, over time, I came to think of her as my adopted daughter. Certainly, I love her with all of my heart, with a bond closer than any blood relationship I have had. I helped her overcome her childhood trauma, and...I would say she helped me in similar ways on several occasions."
Even thinking about all that Sabine had done for her over the years gave Meesei a warm smile, but she quickly moved on with her explanation. "Fendros was next. He was attacked while hunting by a feral werewolf. He managed to kill it, but was infected in the process. Again, Hircine led me to him. I collected him while he was still unconscious and helped heal what his regeneration had not already taken care of. He did not take quickly to the pack, but he slowly grew to accept it. Last was Kaleeth, who was something of a unique addition. We came into her village in Black Marsh on business related to the Hist, and over the course of our stay, she and Janius ended up falling rather quickly in love with one another. How she came to be infected as a werecrocodile is still something of a mystery. As we were nearing the point where we were going to leave the village, she went out into the marsh with the intent of trying to commune with Hircine. She does not remember what happened afterwards, but when we found her, she was a werecrocodile. I can guess that she succeeded in her goal, but that is still speculation. Rhazii and Kaj-Julan were, obviously, born into the pack. Rhazii is the son of Ahnasha and Fendros, while Julan is the son of Janius and Kaleeth."
Meesei still needed to answer Lunise's question about their families, but she had been talking long enough that she wanted to give Lunise a chance to respond.
"Um, thank you." Julan responded, still calming from his initial anxiety, but obviously genuine in his tone. "I don't think you have to be afraid of them, I just want to help Aurana. I would hate to be locked up in one building like that. She seems so nice. But...do you really think we might make things worse for her? I really wouldn't want to do that."
---
Meesei chuckled. "Everything you say here, you say in confidence. The most I will say to Marod, or anyone else, is that you are in the process of recovering."
For Meesei, Lunise's descriptions of her friends and family did not sound terribly different from what she had been expecting. Lunise, while not entirely isolated, was also not terribly close to many people. The way she spoke about her friends was almost more like friendly acquaintances. Although, Meesei supposed she could not be completely certain of what her relationships were like. Regardless, Lunise was curious about Meesei's family, and she had quite a lot she could say about them.
"Assembling my pack was something that took years, and there is a unique story behind all of them, but there is a common thread between most of them. Even before I became Champion, Hircine communicated with me through dreams. Through my beast blood. It is not something that is entirely unique to me, but neither is it common. It is something that he only does to those with whom he has specific intentions. For me, he helped me find nearly every member of my pack. Lorag was the first. He was a former Legionnaire who was infected during the Skyrim Civil War, then lived out in the wilds for years before Hircine directed me to him. Actually recruiting him was fairly simple. I was one of the first lycans he had seen since his infection, so I needed only prove my strength, and prove myself worthy of leading. If lycans did not heal so quickly, I likely would have given him a few scars. Ahnasha was next, a year or two later. I did not find her, but it was still Hircine who guided her to me. Like me, she worshipped Hircine before becoming a lycan. She was young, frustrated with city life, and wanted to make herself stronger. She was a young woman of only sixteen years, I believe, when she slew a local minotaur single-highhandedly and sacrificed it to Hircine. She was gifted with an audience with an aspect of Hircine himself. He guided her to my pack, and I personally gifted her with the beast blood. Aside from myself, I believe she was the only one of my pack to receive the beast blood on her own terms. The next two, Janius and Sabine, were not so fortunate. Janius was the son of an Imperial noble family, and a member of the Fighter's Guild. He was contracted to clear out a cave of bears, but he and his group were trapped by a collapse and attacked by a nest of giant spiders. I never asked him to describe the details, but I imagine it was a horrifying event. But, he slew all of the spiders and was the sole survivor of his group. Hircine led me to him, and in exchange for his rescue, he joined my pack. Sabine went through...incredible trauma in her childhood. I do not wish to share all of the details without her permission, but she was not infected willingly, and went through a great deal of pain before she finally escaped into the wilds. We were led to one another by Hircine and, over time, I came to think of her as my adopted daughter. Certainly, I love her with all of my heart, with a bond closer than any blood relationship I have had. I helped her overcome her childhood trauma, and...I would say she helped me in similar ways on several occasions."
Even thinking about all that Sabine had done for her over the years gave Meesei a warm smile, but she quickly moved on with her explanation. "Fendros was next. He was attacked while hunting by a feral werewolf. He managed to kill it, but was infected in the process. Again, Hircine led me to him. I collected him while he was still unconscious and helped heal what his regeneration had not already taken care of. He did not take quickly to the pack, but he slowly grew to accept it. Last was Kaleeth, who was something of a unique addition. We came into her village in Black Marsh on business related to the Hist, and over the course of our stay, she and Janius ended up falling rather quickly in love with one another. How she came to be infected as a werecrocodile is still something of a mystery. As we were nearing the point where we were going to leave the village, she went out into the marsh with the intent of trying to commune with Hircine. She does not remember what happened afterwards, but when we found her, she was a werecrocodile. I can guess that she succeeded in her goal, but that is still speculation. Rhazii and Kaj-Julan were, obviously, born into the pack. Rhazii is the son of Ahnasha and Fendros, while Julan is the son of Janius and Kaleeth."
Meesei still needed to answer Lunise's question about their families, but she had been talking long enough that she wanted to give Lunise a chance to respond.
Julan had been a bit more silent on the way back to the Aetius manor than he had been speaking to Aurana. Not only was it stressful to go back to the manor in the presence of his father, but he did have a worry in the back of his mind that her parents might unexpectedly be awake, which could get her in trouble. Fortunately, it did not seem like they had any trouble getting back into their house. He supposed he would only really know if her parents found out when they contacted her again the next day.
Julan was content to stay quiet on the way back to the castle, but his father seemed to have something else in mind. Now that Aurana was gone, he was not sure what Janius had in mind. A part of him was afraid that he was still in trouble, and that his parents had only avoided bringing it up because Aurana was present. It was a fear that certainly showed in his expression as he looked up to his father. "Um, okay. Is there...anything wrong?" He asked.
---
"Hmm, I have to wonder if the ideals of your leadership that threaten us now existed in the beginning, behind the scenes, or if they developed later?" Meesei mused. She did not wish to linger on the subject of their current troubles for too long, so she decided to shift the conversation in a somewhat different direction. "History says that they came to power off of their great successes defending against the Daedra hordes. Certainly, they performed a great service for their people at the time. Indeed, in a short time, the Thalmor were able to create an impressive, unified nation spanning most of southern Tamriel. In terms of their public policies and goals, I would find the Thalmor to be effective rulers...apart from the notion of 'Elven superiority'. Though, no doubt you would expect that objection from me."
Though Lunise's story was abbreviated, it gave Meesei a good sense for how her life had progressed. Meesei's knowledge of history could fill in some of the gaps for events that Lunise was likely involved in. While Meesei was sure that there were plenty of interesting stories from her life, it would likely be better to ask about those later, when it was less likely to remind her of what she had lost. "As for my life, it has progressed in a shorter time frame, of course, but I could fill tomes with my life story. I am currently...what is it now, forty-four years of age. I have been serving Hircine since my seventeenth year, shortly after my father died unexpectedly. I was placed into his role, and immediately into a crisis. My village's hunters were unable to find enough prey to sustain our needs, and our Master-Hunter suspected that there was a curse or some other magic to blame. I never found evidence of a curse, but I solved the problem by communing with Hircine. At first, I merely bargained with him, much like a business deal. But, I was soon inspired to serve him. I became a lycan willingly, and gladly. My motivations for serving him seem so...distant now. What Hircine demands of his followers is strength and skill. The ability to be a dangerous predator, and even more dangerous prey. I was young, and a mage far beyond my years, so I am sure you can see why that appealed to me. I was powerful, and wanted to prove that I was the strongest, like so many others that age. Of course, I actually succeeded." Meesei said with a lighthearted chuckle. "I have been Hircine's Champion for just under sixteen years now. I claimed the title by killing a lycan hunter in service of Clavicus Vile. The war had not yet started at that point, though Vile's plans were already in motion. Back then, we had clans scattered all over Tamriel, much like we do now, but they were much smaller and entirely disconnected from one another. It was my idea to organize our clans more closely, so as to be able to coordinate our attacks against Vile more effectively. Then, I proceeded to lead a war effort that has consumed almost half my life, but even knowing that, I would do it again. There is now a chance, however small, that my people, lycans, could one day live a kind of life they have never known in the history of Tamriel. One where they do not have to live in fear. If I had to sacrifice my life to make that happen, I would do it. For them, and for my own family."
By this point, Meesei felt that it would be at least somewhat awkward to continue to hold on to Lunise so tightly, though she also did not let go completely. She kept her arms around her, but pulled back enough that she could at least look Lunise in the face. Meesei was smiling. "What about you? Your friends and family back home, what are they like?"
Julan was content to stay quiet on the way back to the castle, but his father seemed to have something else in mind. Now that Aurana was gone, he was not sure what Janius had in mind. A part of him was afraid that he was still in trouble, and that his parents had only avoided bringing it up because Aurana was present. It was a fear that certainly showed in his expression as he looked up to his father. "Um, okay. Is there...anything wrong?" He asked.
---
"Hmm, I have to wonder if the ideals of your leadership that threaten us now existed in the beginning, behind the scenes, or if they developed later?" Meesei mused. She did not wish to linger on the subject of their current troubles for too long, so she decided to shift the conversation in a somewhat different direction. "History says that they came to power off of their great successes defending against the Daedra hordes. Certainly, they performed a great service for their people at the time. Indeed, in a short time, the Thalmor were able to create an impressive, unified nation spanning most of southern Tamriel. In terms of their public policies and goals, I would find the Thalmor to be effective rulers...apart from the notion of 'Elven superiority'. Though, no doubt you would expect that objection from me."
Though Lunise's story was abbreviated, it gave Meesei a good sense for how her life had progressed. Meesei's knowledge of history could fill in some of the gaps for events that Lunise was likely involved in. While Meesei was sure that there were plenty of interesting stories from her life, it would likely be better to ask about those later, when it was less likely to remind her of what she had lost. "As for my life, it has progressed in a shorter time frame, of course, but I could fill tomes with my life story. I am currently...what is it now, forty-four years of age. I have been serving Hircine since my seventeenth year, shortly after my father died unexpectedly. I was placed into his role, and immediately into a crisis. My village's hunters were unable to find enough prey to sustain our needs, and our Master-Hunter suspected that there was a curse or some other magic to blame. I never found evidence of a curse, but I solved the problem by communing with Hircine. At first, I merely bargained with him, much like a business deal. But, I was soon inspired to serve him. I became a lycan willingly, and gladly. My motivations for serving him seem so...distant now. What Hircine demands of his followers is strength and skill. The ability to be a dangerous predator, and even more dangerous prey. I was young, and a mage far beyond my years, so I am sure you can see why that appealed to me. I was powerful, and wanted to prove that I was the strongest, like so many others that age. Of course, I actually succeeded." Meesei said with a lighthearted chuckle. "I have been Hircine's Champion for just under sixteen years now. I claimed the title by killing a lycan hunter in service of Clavicus Vile. The war had not yet started at that point, though Vile's plans were already in motion. Back then, we had clans scattered all over Tamriel, much like we do now, but they were much smaller and entirely disconnected from one another. It was my idea to organize our clans more closely, so as to be able to coordinate our attacks against Vile more effectively. Then, I proceeded to lead a war effort that has consumed almost half my life, but even knowing that, I would do it again. There is now a chance, however small, that my people, lycans, could one day live a kind of life they have never known in the history of Tamriel. One where they do not have to live in fear. If I had to sacrifice my life to make that happen, I would do it. For them, and for my own family."
By this point, Meesei felt that it would be at least somewhat awkward to continue to hold on to Lunise so tightly, though she also did not let go completely. She kept her arms around her, but pulled back enough that she could at least look Lunise in the face. Meesei was smiling. "What about you? Your friends and family back home, what are they like?"
© 2007-2026