"Hmm, I left for Skyrim with the Legion the very moment I turned old enough for them to take me, so I never knew what happened to them. It's good to know she's not dead, at least. I imagine she about wishes she was, though. She was never one to to just lounge around and do nothing. She'll probably take every excuse she can to pick up an axe and fight until the day she dies." Lorag said, reminiscing over his past. He wasn't a sentimental person, but there were a few things that could call up emotions within him.
Ahnasha leaned her head back and smiled at the suggestion of a bath. "Agreed. I'm aching all over, I think a bath would be...perfect." She said, grabbing his hand and allowing him to pull her up to her feet. She walked over to the other side of the chamber with him and undressed herself before slowly lowering herself into the water. The temperature was the same as before, so at least whatever was heating it was a reliable source of energy. She worked herself into the water slowly until she was sat down with the water up to her shoulders, then quickly dunked herself under completely so she could get her head used to the heat. When she resurfaced, she looked around for a good place for her massage. The depth of the pool varied considerably. On the side closest to the camp, it was deep enough that sitting down would bring the water to her shoulders, but on the far side, it was only a few inches deep at most. Ahnasha walked over to the other side and laid down in the shallow end on her stomach. She crossed her arms in front of her and rested her head on them so she could keep her head above water, then turned to look at Fendros.
"You still get excited to see me undressed, don't you?" Ahnasha commented with a grin. "It's the look in your eyes that gives it away...among other things." She chuckled.
Meesei followed Ariel's lead and moved up to the grate alongside her. Since they could both tell exactly where the patrols were at all times, it was easy enough to avoid them, especially while under the effects of muffle. As Ariel was beginning to disintegrate her side, Meesei pulled her magicka potion from her pouch. She had not completely recovered from her efforts at healing magic from before, so she would need the boost. She quickly drank the potion, then charged a spell of disintegration as well. The spell she cast was concentrated and intense, as it cut through the metal bars at around twice the speed of Ariel's spell. As soon as the grate was free of its housing, they gently lowered it to the ground and crawled inside. Once they were both inside, Meesei turned around and raised up the grate once more. She held it roughly in the position it was in before as she gripped one of the bars in her hand, charging more destruction energy into it, this time in the form of a fire spell. It was concentrated enough that it did not give off much light, and hot enough that it welded the two bars back together, though just barely. It would hold it in place, but a short disintegration spell, or a good kick, would dislodge it once more.
Meesei followed Ariel's lead through the tunnel and into the keep. This time, Meesei used a detect life spell, while Ariel focused on detect dead. The only way they were going to be caught off-guard is if the coven somehow had Dwarven constructs roaming the halls. "You know the layout better than I. Which tower do you believe is the most likely?" She asked in a whisper.
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"Hmm, massages, now that's an idea I hadn't thought of. Sounds relaxing. You should really give me one some time, help me conserve these potions." Ahnasha commented, looking to Fendros with a smile as she finished off her meal.
Janius did not have much care for his family, but Lorag was a different story. In his youth, he had been proud of his ancestors and was eager to follow in their footsteps. "You should know my family, lover-boy, you were raised in the same city. My father, Konesh gro-Dalzog, was the best blacksmith in the city. If your parents ever bought any weapons, they probably bought them from him. He was a legion veteran, just like is father, and his father before him. I followed the tradition. After his years of service, he settled down in Cheydinhal. My mother, Gharzal gra-Yurnol, is actually the head of the Cheydinal chapter of the Fighter's Guild, or at least she was when I left. She would be old now, though. She's probably either retired, or dead. Anyway, you had to be around when she was still the head of the chapter. There's no way you didn't know of her."
Meesei immediately cast a spell of muffle over herself as soon as Ariel warned her they were closing in. Despite the darkness, she could see clearly over the area, so she took in every detail. She made note of places from which they could approach, or defend easily. Just like Ariel, she cast detect dead to get a sense of where their sentries patrolled. While certainly useful, undead had the disadvantage of being predictable, and obviously not too bright. Still, once they identified a foe, they could be deadly, especially in groups.
"We will save capturing a skeleton for when we leave. For now, we need a good way in. How many entrances do you know of? Are there any hidden ones they may not be expecting? I don't expect to actually reach the gas now, but we need to at least get a general idea of where it is." Meesei asked in an almost inaudible voice. As much as she liked to be in control of the situation, she had to put a lot of faith in Ariel for this. She would be guiding her through the coven's lair, so she would have to trust the Breton's judgement. As always, however, she would approach with caution, and did not intend to go anywhere from which she had no quick way to escape.
Janius did not have much care for his family, but Lorag was a different story. In his youth, he had been proud of his ancestors and was eager to follow in their footsteps. "You should know my family, lover-boy, you were raised in the same city. My father, Konesh gro-Dalzog, was the best blacksmith in the city. If your parents ever bought any weapons, they probably bought them from him. He was a legion veteran, just like is father, and his father before him. I followed the tradition. After his years of service, he settled down in Cheydinhal. My mother, Gharzal gra-Yurnol, is actually the head of the Cheydinal chapter of the Fighter's Guild, or at least she was when I left. She would be old now, though. She's probably either retired, or dead. Anyway, you had to be around when she was still the head of the chapter. There's no way you didn't know of her."
Meesei immediately cast a spell of muffle over herself as soon as Ariel warned her they were closing in. Despite the darkness, she could see clearly over the area, so she took in every detail. She made note of places from which they could approach, or defend easily. Just like Ariel, she cast detect dead to get a sense of where their sentries patrolled. While certainly useful, undead had the disadvantage of being predictable, and obviously not too bright. Still, once they identified a foe, they could be deadly, especially in groups.
"We will save capturing a skeleton for when we leave. For now, we need a good way in. How many entrances do you know of? Are there any hidden ones they may not be expecting? I don't expect to actually reach the gas now, but we need to at least get a general idea of where it is." Meesei asked in an almost inaudible voice. As much as she liked to be in control of the situation, she had to put a lot of faith in Ariel for this. She would be guiding her through the coven's lair, so she would have to trust the Breton's judgement. As always, however, she would approach with caution, and did not intend to go anywhere from which she had no quick way to escape.
"All Argonians are connected to the Hist, but that does not preclude other races from interacting with them as well." Meesei answered. "There is a ritual which involves the ingestion of Hist sap, the essence of the Hist. It allows one's mind to be joined with the Hist in a way that can scarcely be described. Variants of this ritual can give the participant visions from the Hist itself, but the specific ritual I am referring to can allow another to interact directly with the participant's soul. We used this ritual on Argonians who were hatched away from the Hist, as they were what we considered broken. It allowed us to guide their soul into coming to terms with past failures and other issues in their lives in order to form a bond with the Hist. I do not know if a non-Argonian can form that bond, but that would not be the point of the ritual, in this case. It could help her to come to terms with her past." Meesei said, trying to give as clear of an explanation as possible. It was a difficult concept to explain to someone who had never experienced the mind of the Hist before.
"Hmph, don't treat me like some old lady trying to rub away her wrinkles. This is medicine, not some lotion. There's no shame in medicine." Lorag said as he grabbed the bottle, more trying to convince himself than anyone else. He uncorked it and intentionally waved the odorous liquid in Janius' direction before beginning to apply it to his knee.
Ahnasha took the bottle from Janius and eyed it curiously. "It makes everything ache." She answered. "It's not that bad right now, but I'm sure it will only get worse. I'll make sure to save this for when I really need it. I'm guessing it works on more than just ankles; I don't see why it wouldn't. These labels look like they were designed for advertising instead of descriptions. I'll ask her when she gets back."
"Hmph, don't treat me like some old lady trying to rub away her wrinkles. This is medicine, not some lotion. There's no shame in medicine." Lorag said as he grabbed the bottle, more trying to convince himself than anyone else. He uncorked it and intentionally waved the odorous liquid in Janius' direction before beginning to apply it to his knee.
Ahnasha took the bottle from Janius and eyed it curiously. "It makes everything ache." She answered. "It's not that bad right now, but I'm sure it will only get worse. I'll make sure to save this for when I really need it. I'm guessing it works on more than just ankles; I don't see why it wouldn't. These labels look like they were designed for advertising instead of descriptions. I'll ask her when she gets back."
I'll be free all of today and tomorrow, Lucius and Leon.
Lorag chuckled. "Yeah, I don't think that one's going to stick, Runt. This bear is more than happy to maul someone's face off." He said, pointing to himself. "A fact these witches are going to be well aware of once we start our raid."
Ahnasha looked around a bit nervously for a few moments. Now seemed to be a good time to bring up what she wanted to say, but it still wasn't exactly something she was proud of. "I...I think I want to stay out of the fight when we raid the coven." She said quickly, her face clearly showing some embarrassment.
Lorag looked at her quizzically, with what seemed to be genuine shock. "What did you say? I must've misheard you, because I could have sworn you said you were staying out of the fight. You going soft of me, Catdog?"
"No, no, it's not that. It's just...I fear for the life of my child. I can take some punishment, but the cub I'm carrying cannot. If I get hit or stabbed the wrong way, it could die. I'll find a way to help, just not in the fight." Ahnasha explained.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it." Lorag answered. Even he recognized that, in some cases, it wasn't a good idea to step into a fight. "I won't give you any trouble this time. Just keep that little kittenpuppy safe."
Ariel's reaction was about what Meesei expected. Separating from Sabine was of course not going to be easy for her, but Ariel seemed strong enough to handle it. After all, she had released her sister with the expectation that she probably would not see her again. She was also curious about how Meesei intended to repair Sabine's mind, which was understandable. "As I mentioned before, anything that is broken can be repaired. Sabine's mind was broken by the torture, but there are ways for another to 'enter' her mind, so to speak. There is a ritual involving the Hist that I have performed many times which could accomplish just that. There are no guarantees, of course, but I have hope that she may be healed. Unfortunately, it is not an experience I can describe too clearly. To truly understand it, you have to experience it. I will answer your questions as best as I can, though. About anything. I cannot say it is likely you will have the opportunity to speak to lycans on friendly terms again, so I understand if you have questions you wish to ask."
Ahnasha looked around a bit nervously for a few moments. Now seemed to be a good time to bring up what she wanted to say, but it still wasn't exactly something she was proud of. "I...I think I want to stay out of the fight when we raid the coven." She said quickly, her face clearly showing some embarrassment.
Lorag looked at her quizzically, with what seemed to be genuine shock. "What did you say? I must've misheard you, because I could have sworn you said you were staying out of the fight. You going soft of me, Catdog?"
"No, no, it's not that. It's just...I fear for the life of my child. I can take some punishment, but the cub I'm carrying cannot. If I get hit or stabbed the wrong way, it could die. I'll find a way to help, just not in the fight." Ahnasha explained.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it." Lorag answered. Even he recognized that, in some cases, it wasn't a good idea to step into a fight. "I won't give you any trouble this time. Just keep that little kittenpuppy safe."
Ariel's reaction was about what Meesei expected. Separating from Sabine was of course not going to be easy for her, but Ariel seemed strong enough to handle it. After all, she had released her sister with the expectation that she probably would not see her again. She was also curious about how Meesei intended to repair Sabine's mind, which was understandable. "As I mentioned before, anything that is broken can be repaired. Sabine's mind was broken by the torture, but there are ways for another to 'enter' her mind, so to speak. There is a ritual involving the Hist that I have performed many times which could accomplish just that. There are no guarantees, of course, but I have hope that she may be healed. Unfortunately, it is not an experience I can describe too clearly. To truly understand it, you have to experience it. I will answer your questions as best as I can, though. About anything. I cannot say it is likely you will have the opportunity to speak to lycans on friendly terms again, so I understand if you have questions you wish to ask."
I would like to be able to respond, but it is too late for anything I write to be particularly good. I'll respond in the morning. Goodnight.
Lorag didn't seemed to be obviously impressed by the demonstration, though it was possible he was just hiding any reaction. When Fendros asked if he had any nicknames, he let out a short, but hardy laugh. "No, no one's been clever enough to come up with something that stuck. Catdog tried, but she never got far. She didn't have as much of a talent for it when she first joined the pack. Still, I like to think I've rubbed off on her." Lorag said, giving Ahnasha a light nudge on the shoulder as she began eating on her undercooked meat. "If she was as clever then as she is now, she probably would have come up with something. A bit too late now, though. As far as the Legion goes, my commander never would have allowed anything like that. He was a strict, serious man, to the annoyance of everyone under his command. Don't get me wrong, though, I respected that man to death. He was a Khajiit, believe it or not. One of those Cath...Cat...Cathe..."
"Cathay-raht." Ahnasha interrupted.
"Yeah, right, that. His name was Do'Rhajul, and he was one fearsome fighter. He could use all sorts of weapons, but mostly stuck with blunt ones. I'm not ashamed to admit he was much stronger than even I am now. I don't even know if I could properly wield the hammer he carried, and when he was at the head of a shield wall, there was nothin' getting past him. He led his men with a strong hand, but he was always fair. I don't really know what happened to him, honestly. He was with our patrol when we were ambushed by the werewolves. We all got separated, so I didn't see what happened. If anyone was going to survive that, though, it would probably be him." Lorag explained, thoroughly enjoying recalling his past in the Legion. He wouldn't want to go back, of course, but he had fond memories of that part of his life.
"I suppose that is sensible. Her current traits could not have come from nothing, after all. Still, I believe she can be cured, her mind restored. It shall not be easy, but i will go to any length to ensure the well-being of my pack.It is good that you are so willing to help your sister as well. It will be difficult for you to redeem yourself fully, but you are certainly on the right path. I cannot help but to wonder, though, how will you deal with our eventual departure? We will not be staying in Vos forever, and once we leave, we may not end up returning. It depends on where Hircine sends us. Will you be able to handle being separated from the sister you have only recently reunited with, potentially permanently?" Meesei asked. Her question may not have been easy or pleasant to think about, but it was important to consider nonetheless. Even if Ariel was not of her pack, Meesei did not want to cause her any pain she was not prepared for.
"Cathay-raht." Ahnasha interrupted.
"Yeah, right, that. His name was Do'Rhajul, and he was one fearsome fighter. He could use all sorts of weapons, but mostly stuck with blunt ones. I'm not ashamed to admit he was much stronger than even I am now. I don't even know if I could properly wield the hammer he carried, and when he was at the head of a shield wall, there was nothin' getting past him. He led his men with a strong hand, but he was always fair. I don't really know what happened to him, honestly. He was with our patrol when we were ambushed by the werewolves. We all got separated, so I didn't see what happened. If anyone was going to survive that, though, it would probably be him." Lorag explained, thoroughly enjoying recalling his past in the Legion. He wouldn't want to go back, of course, but he had fond memories of that part of his life.
"I suppose that is sensible. Her current traits could not have come from nothing, after all. Still, I believe she can be cured, her mind restored. It shall not be easy, but i will go to any length to ensure the well-being of my pack.It is good that you are so willing to help your sister as well. It will be difficult for you to redeem yourself fully, but you are certainly on the right path. I cannot help but to wonder, though, how will you deal with our eventual departure? We will not be staying in Vos forever, and once we leave, we may not end up returning. It depends on where Hircine sends us. Will you be able to handle being separated from the sister you have only recently reunited with, potentially permanently?" Meesei asked. Her question may not have been easy or pleasant to think about, but it was important to consider nonetheless. Even if Ariel was not of her pack, Meesei did not want to cause her any pain she was not prepared for.
Ahnasha joined the others by the fire with a cut of meat for herself, though this time she took a bit more time with it. The hunters did not have any moon sugar that she had found, but they did have an assortment of spices. She spread them over her meal, then allowed it to roast over the fire. She of course intended to remove it while it was still mostly raw, but allowing it to roast with spices for just a little while would add to the flavor. Before Ahnasha could even answer Janius' question, Lorag, almost predictably, chimed in.
"Heh, you act like they were actually practicing up there. We all know what you two do in your 'alone time,' no need to hide it." Lorag commented.
Ahnasha crossed her arms. "Our intentions were purely innocent this time, Lorag. I know you're jealous because you don't have anyone to share a bed with, but still. Fendros has been making good progress. He's good enough now that I would consider him a good shot. The next step is helping him keep his aim under pressure, then we move on to making him a great shot.
"Hmph, jealous. Right." Lorag huffed. He turned his head to Fendros and gave a slight nod. "Hey lover-boy, how about you give a demonstration of what Catdog's been teaching you?"
Meesei looked over Ariel's expression, examining her features. While more difficult for her to discern than other Argonians, she had grown accustomed enough to humans to differentiate most of their emotions. She seemed to care about the lives of at least some of the coven. Meesei let out a slight sigh. "I cannot guarantee that. I will tell the others to try and strike non-fatal blows, but if they fear for their lives, they will have to go for a fatal strike. I cannot afford to risk the lives of my pack, just as I do not want to risk yours. Killing will not be the first option, though, I can promise that. Speaking of sisters, though, there are some questions I have regarding Sabine. As you have seen, she is a quiet individual. Is is hard for even me to convince her to speak to me. I was wondering what you can tell me about what she was like before she became a lycan, before the torture. At this point, I am not certain she even remembers."
"Heh, you act like they were actually practicing up there. We all know what you two do in your 'alone time,' no need to hide it." Lorag commented.
Ahnasha crossed her arms. "Our intentions were purely innocent this time, Lorag. I know you're jealous because you don't have anyone to share a bed with, but still. Fendros has been making good progress. He's good enough now that I would consider him a good shot. The next step is helping him keep his aim under pressure, then we move on to making him a great shot.
"Hmph, jealous. Right." Lorag huffed. He turned his head to Fendros and gave a slight nod. "Hey lover-boy, how about you give a demonstration of what Catdog's been teaching you?"
Meesei looked over Ariel's expression, examining her features. While more difficult for her to discern than other Argonians, she had grown accustomed enough to humans to differentiate most of their emotions. She seemed to care about the lives of at least some of the coven. Meesei let out a slight sigh. "I cannot guarantee that. I will tell the others to try and strike non-fatal blows, but if they fear for their lives, they will have to go for a fatal strike. I cannot afford to risk the lives of my pack, just as I do not want to risk yours. Killing will not be the first option, though, I can promise that. Speaking of sisters, though, there are some questions I have regarding Sabine. As you have seen, she is a quiet individual. Is is hard for even me to convince her to speak to me. I was wondering what you can tell me about what she was like before she became a lycan, before the torture. At this point, I am not certain she even remembers."
"Understood." Meesei said with a no as they exited the cave. "We need not take any unnecessary risks for this scouting run. I would like to gain as much information as possible, but not at the risk of our own lives. I am a capable illusionist and have the enhanced senses of a lycan, so I should have no issue remaining hidden. The poison gas is of course a point of interest we should investigate, but I am also interested in their undead guardians. Magical constructs such as those are useful, but they have their weaknesses. If I can get close to them, I may be able to get a sense of what type of energies are binding them together. Even better, if we manage to capture one, I could examine it, and perhaps create enchantments we could use to disrupt them. That, of course, would only be possible if one happens to be far enough away from the coven to capture without raising the alarm."
The pair had immediately began towards the coven's lair, but according to Ariel, it was a bit of a walk, so they did have some time to spare. "At any rate, since we have the opportunity now, I had a few questions I wished to ask you. Firstly, this coven, how are you expecting these events to unfold. I know these witches essentially kidnapped you as a child, but it would be foolish of me to think that you do not have personal ties within their group, even if it is only with a select few individuals. I do hope you realize this raid could easily turn to bloodshed."
Ahnasha nodded. "I...I do think it would be best if I kept away from the most direct dangers. I don't like it, but I have to think about more than myself. I wouldn't be able to handle it if harm came to our child because of my pride. Don't think I'm just going to be useless, though. I can find ways to help that won't put me in the direct line of fire, and don't think this will get you out of our training. Even when my belly looks like I swallowed a melon whole, I'll still be teaching you how to shoot."
She gave him a genuine smile, then a quick kiss as she stood up. For a moment, she looked out across the sky at the sun that was quickly setting over the horizon. "Maybe we should get back inside. We can get some dinner, rest by the fire, or maybe take another of those very relaxing baths. If that fails, I'm sure we can find some way to mess with Lorag while he can't walk. It would be too easy." She said with a slight chuckle.
The pair had immediately began towards the coven's lair, but according to Ariel, it was a bit of a walk, so they did have some time to spare. "At any rate, since we have the opportunity now, I had a few questions I wished to ask you. Firstly, this coven, how are you expecting these events to unfold. I know these witches essentially kidnapped you as a child, but it would be foolish of me to think that you do not have personal ties within their group, even if it is only with a select few individuals. I do hope you realize this raid could easily turn to bloodshed."
Ahnasha nodded. "I...I do think it would be best if I kept away from the most direct dangers. I don't like it, but I have to think about more than myself. I wouldn't be able to handle it if harm came to our child because of my pride. Don't think I'm just going to be useless, though. I can find ways to help that won't put me in the direct line of fire, and don't think this will get you out of our training. Even when my belly looks like I swallowed a melon whole, I'll still be teaching you how to shoot."
She gave him a genuine smile, then a quick kiss as she stood up. For a moment, she looked out across the sky at the sun that was quickly setting over the horizon. "Maybe we should get back inside. We can get some dinner, rest by the fire, or maybe take another of those very relaxing baths. If that fails, I'm sure we can find some way to mess with Lorag while he can't walk. It would be too easy." She said with a slight chuckle.
"It will just be you and I. It would be best to keep our group size to a minimum to avoid detection." Meesei answered as she began to gather her belongings to prepare. She dressed in her usual clothing, then filled her satchel with a few useful potions, including a magicka potion and one of Ariel's invisibility potions, in the event of an emergency. In addition, she collected one of the enchanted bone necklaces and put it around her neck, then approached Ariel and offered the other to her. "Here, take this. It bears an enchantment which connects it to the one I am wearing. Both of them can be used to find the other, in the event we get separated. If there is nothing else, we should get moving. You should take the lead."
Ahnasha had calmed down considerably, but she was still greatly conflicted. She knew what she was proposing was dangerous, but it seemed like the only real option. One thing he said was certainly true, however; Meesei could definitely be of help. "I...I know. You're right, and I'm not going to step into anything blindly. I am afraid, but..." She began her gaze moving from the ground up to his eyes. For a few moments, she looked at him silently before slowly wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him a very long, very passionate kiss. She eventually pulled away with tears still in her eyes, but a more content expression on her face. "...but I won't be giving up. It will take time, it will take effort, but we will surely be able to figure out something. I don't know what it will take, but if we set our mind to it, we will do it."
Ahnasha had calmed down considerably, but she was still greatly conflicted. She knew what she was proposing was dangerous, but it seemed like the only real option. One thing he said was certainly true, however; Meesei could definitely be of help. "I...I know. You're right, and I'm not going to step into anything blindly. I am afraid, but..." She began her gaze moving from the ground up to his eyes. For a few moments, she looked at him silently before slowly wrapping her arms around his neck and giving him a very long, very passionate kiss. She eventually pulled away with tears still in her eyes, but a more content expression on her face. "...but I won't be giving up. It will take time, it will take effort, but we will surely be able to figure out something. I don't know what it will take, but if we set our mind to it, we will do it."
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