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

[EliteCommander]

"No, I think we will be quite alright with whatever accommodations you wish to give us. We are not too particular about such things." Meesei answered to Rukeewei.

Rukeewei had not expected any different of an answer, but he had felt it polite to ask regardless. The rest of the walk did not take long, as it was not too far to the Wamasu's Nest. Although, even from the outside, Meesei could tell that quite a lot had changed in the years since they had last visited. It was the same building, but it could have easily been mistaken for another. The outside was now properly decorated, with a more well-made sign bearing an engraving of a wamasu that looked distinctly like Leaps. The wood was in fine shape, and had the shine of a coating to prevent rot.

Once they were brought inside, they would see that it had been similarly renovated to the exterior. The walls were painted, though not in any extravagant color. It simply had a dark coat of brown to protect the wood and make the walls seem more uniform. There were a few paintings hung on the walls which mostly depicted the local landscape, and a single, somewhat large tapestry that, again, depicted a wamasu. Overall, it did not seem to be a "high-class" inn exactly, but it was clearly attracting a sort of clientele with a bit more wealth than before. There was a reasonable crowd at the tables, consisting of both locals and travelers, and as Rukeewei had mentioned before, his employees were handling the customers perfectly well without him needing to be present.

[Muttonhawk]

Some more catching up and conversation filled the rest of the walk to the inn. Danee-Na continued to steal glances at Karl, Meesei, and Sabine, occasionally asking little questions. She did not ask anything which would have required revealing their nature; most likely the girl had not met many foreigners before.

The Wamasu's Nest, with its many changes, took Sabine's breath away. She was speechless approaching and walking in for all the nice little details that had emerged since the last time they visited.

"Mmm, what a lovely smell," Karl remarked when they walked in. "Sabine has told me about the local food. I was sceptical but...this is nothing like back home."

[EliteCommander]

"Well, feel free to try whatever you like. I can make any local specialty you find yourself curious about. There are only a handful of ingredients too expensive for me to give away. My only condition is that you promise to save room for dinner." Rukeewei grinned in response to Karl. "At any rate, Speaks-With-Thread still has her shop. I wouldn't say she has expanded, really, but her business is much the same as it has always been. It will probably look the same as the last time you were there, if you go see her. Except for the layout; Ariel helped her do some re-arranging."

---

For the duration of their wait in the Wamasu's Nest, Meesei decided to have only a light lunch, as it seemed like Rukeewei was going to be preparing a sizable dinner for all of them. In fact, he left the inn entirely about an hour before he expected Ariel to return so he could go ahead and start cooking.

Being that they knew when to expect her, most of the group was waiting and watching for Ariel and her daughters to arrive when they stepped into the inn. Meesei greeted her with a wave and a smile. "Hello again, I hope your orders went smoothly. Rukeewei left some time ago; he said he was going to head home to cook up our dinner. It is likely done by now, I would imagine."

---

It was hard for Ri'vashi to deny that she was nervous. The Champion and her pack had already paved the road ahead diplomatically, but this was still going to be the first meeting between the top military leaders of each faction. Both the Legate General and Commander Teroiah would be present, from her understanding. They had taken care to set the the meeting in neutral ground, and define the number of bodyguards that each would bring. She just hoped that the meeting would not be as tense as she worried.

Ri'vashi was the first to arrive, by her own choice. She struck a balance between being armed enough to demonstrate her position, but not so much as to appear threatening. Keeping her sword firmly in its sheath, while wearing light mail kept her comfortable without being intimidating. Magical protection enchantments also served to give her some peace of mind. The room itself was located securely underground, and was relatively small and simple. The only real feature of the room was a large table with enough space for whatever maps and documents they needed.

[Muttonhawk]

Karl and Sabine followed Meesei's lead by eating light. They shared a plate of various cheeses with a kind of dried savoury ocean kelp. Karl looked closely at the kelp before finally giving into Sabine's urging and nibbling at it. He was pleasantly surprised at the taste and texture.

The lunch crowd waned after a while. When Rukeewei left, taking Danee with him, the group took the time to settle into their rooms for a while. The rooms were somewhat better furnished than the last time they stayed in them, though they were still merely inn rooms. They all reconvened around a table to wait for Ariel, Aimee, and Joan.

Ariel's demeanour when she walked through the door was a measure more relaxed than earlier. She held the twins by a hand each, though their squirming and talking was no less subdued.

"Hello! Hello," Ariel said. "Sorry to make you wait, I've had a rush of orders this week and they piled up on me at once. It tends to happen when one of the well-to-do families has a wedding and invites their extended families."

During Meesei's greeting, Ariel let Joan and Aimee go before practically slumping into a seat at the table. She let out a relieved breath. "Oh?" Her attention was regained. "Hmhm, I probably should have told him we could have dinner here at the Nest tonight. Oh, well, if he is cooking something on his own for this occasion, it will indeed be special." She tutted. "This is one of the reasons Rukee is such a sweetheart, but I worry he overworks himself sometimes."

Almost as if they knew the routine when their mother would start conversing with friends, Aimee and Joan sat on the floor opposite one another near the table and started a clapping game between them.

---

The only reason she could manage to be earlier than the other commanders, Ri'vashi knew, was because Saras had told her the extent of the Imperial and Dominion's little competitions. Her counterparts would compete to be there earlier, to get the first word in, to make their mark uncontested, and all manner of other inconsequential reasons. On the upside, Ri'vashi did not have to wait for long. Legate General Gro-Tagnud and Commander Teroiah virtually arrived at the same time.

The cave in some frontier mountain they used as a meeting place offered two entrances to their meeting chamber. Just as well, for the soldiers each side brought as bodyguards only had one chink in their discipline; the glares they gave the other side through their helmets. The Dominion bodyguard was bedecked in their usual ornate banded High Elven armour, made from moonstone and green malachite. The Imperials had their own presence to them, practical though their steel legionnaire equipment was.

The commanders themselves were more distinct in their behaviour.

Gro-Tagnud, the solid seasoned Orcish wall that he was, regarded Ri'vashi without the usual flinch that most express when they see her for the first time. "You must be Ri'vashi. An honour to meet you. I am Legate General Gro-Tagnud." He swung a hand from behind his back to shake Ri'vashi's. He squeezed in a way Ri'vashi knew was a way to test her strength. He had more than he looked himself.

"And you may call me Commander Teroiah," the Altmer leader cut into Gro-Tagnud's introduction almost rudely. Teroiah was unarmed and unarmoured, unless her military dress uniform sufficed to make her look imposing, which it partially did. Just like Gro-Tagnud, she was straight-backed and wholly humourless. However, she had a bite to her tone. "We will be working together, Khajiit," she declared, shaking Ri'vashi's hand in turn. Her hand was not particularly strong. Her little test of strength came instead from the intensity of her eyes boring into Ri'vashi's.

"I can say it's better to have you on our side for a change, Teroiah," Gro-Tagnud commented.

Teroiah's eyes narrowed ever-so-slightly listening to the Legate General. "Tolrog Gro-Tagnud." She drew out his name. "Do not take the liberty of stating I am on 'your side.' Our interest align...temporarily. Do not forget it."

Gro-Tagnud did not speak or blink for two seconds. He cut through the game by speaking. "Let's get started."

[EliteCommander]

Meesei chuckled for a second or two. "Believe me, I could give him a lengthy lecture about the perils of taking on too much responsibility. I know that feeling well. But, at least he is doing it out of love. We are fine friends, certainly, but my intuition tells me he is putting in the extra effort so you can have a perfect evening with your sister." She reasoned.

Meesei started to stand up as she continued. "I think Rukeewei wanted us to be able to have some privacy to be able to speak more...freely." She said before giving a glance towards the children. "Although...I do assume we need to remain discrete around the young ones, yes?"

---

Ri'vashi felt that, at the very least, the meeting was not starting off as poorly as it could have been. In no world would she ever expect these two groups to behave in any way that would actually suggest that they could get along. It was true that Marod and Lunise could be cordial to one another, but she supposed they were trained to be able to put on an act. In this case, Ri'vashi would simply be satisfied if the two commanders could avoid causing a diplomatic incident. For Ri'vashi's own two guards, she had made sure to select some of her least opinionated warriors, so their only struggle was to avoid laughing at the Imperials and Thalmor glaring at each other.

"The commander is correct in that: we all have the same goal here. Neither of your governments will survive to fight over Tamriel if Vile succeeds." Ri'vashi began. "Now, to start, we do already have the basics of the invasion plan to build upon. I am sure that both of you have been briefed on the basics of the invasion already, but just to make sure we all have the exact same understanding, Ri'vashi believes it would be a good idea to go over it together. The first step, obviously, is getting to Vile's realm to begin with. Now, one moment..."

Ri'vashi paused briefly to flip through the stack of parchments in front of her until she could get a look at the pages of notes the Champion had given her to explain the important, more magical details of their invasion plans. "As you know, the threat of direct invasion through Oblivion gates ended with the Oblivion Crisis at the end of the Third Era. Likewise, the magical barriers between our worlds prevent us from opening a portal directly to Vile's realm. However, there are exceptions, and a way for us to get around it. A portal can be made to allow mortals into Oblivion if the Daedric Prince invites the mortals to come of their own free will. This prevents any, let's see...compacts from being broken." She said, reading carefully from her notes. "Although we cannot breach the barriers between Tamriel and Oblivion, we do have the means to breach the much weaker barriers between two different realms of Oblivion. Therefore, Hircine will invite us to enter the Hunting Grounds, and from there, we can stage an invasion of Vile's realm through a portal of our making. Once in Vile's realm, the primary objective will be to ensure that Hircine's Champion can strike Vile himself with the Rueful Axe, which has been empowered by Molag Bal. Those are the basics of the plan as they were given to Ri'vashi. It is up to us to fill in the...many gaps in the plan."

[Muttonhawk]

"It would be safest to remain discrete," Ariel answered and then smiled. "At least until after their bed time." She stood up. "Very well, we should head home, then."

"Do you have a new home?" Sabine asked.

"That's right, we do," Ariel said. "When Rukee and I decided to have children, we knew we would need the extra space. We've been there for so long now that I forgot you haven't seen it yet. It's modest, but it suits us just fine. I shall give you all a quick tour once we're there. Up now, girls! time to go."

---

"Hm," Gro-Tagnud tilted his head to try reading the notes from where he stood. "Let's list off these gaps, then. Connecting the dots from here to Vile, the first unknown is how fast we can get men between the planes." He looked to Ri'vashi. "Reports on the oblivion crisis told of portals spanning eight people standing shoulder to shoulder. Are those the kinds of portals we're dealing with or are they more along the lines of those ones your champion uses?"

Teroiah crossed her arms. "Those portals may be of a theoretically arbitrary size depending on the power available. However, one should not expect the kind of permanent oblivion gates of the style seen during the end of the third era. Every daedric prince has their own style in showing their capabilities. I have not heard of an army being sent to the Hunting Grounds before, but we are as likely to get a great glowing stone gate as we are to have a massive cliff racer swoop down from the sky and burst through the earth to swallow the army whole, only to find that the insides of its stomach are the Hunting Grounds after all."

Gro-Tagnud lifted an eyebrow. "What's a cliff racer supposed to be?"

Teroiah scoffed. "It's not important."

[EliteCommander]

Meesei nodded in understanding towards Ariel. She had surmised that the girls would not know about their aunt Sabine's true nature, given the risk that such secrets could hold. Meesei and her pack would not, of course, be affected by the public opinion of the city dwellers in a place on the other side of Tamriel from their home, but even being known associates of lycanthropes could be dangerous for Ariel and her family. It would be best that the secret be kept from the children until they were old enough to be responsible with it, if they ever even learned of it at all. Meesei, Sabine, and Karl followed Ariel's lead out of the Wamasu's Nest. It was later in the day by this point, but both Ariel and Rukeewei were likely leaving their work earlier than usual. Although, with three girls to care for, they were likely experienced at managing their time by this point.

---

Ri'vashi took the time while gro-Tagnud and Teroiah were bickering to refresh herself on the notes that Meesei had given her. Teroiah was obviously the most magically knowledgeable among them, so there was no point in Ri'vashi trying to act as if she had more understanding than she really did. Teroiah would identify a bluff right away. "Ri'vashi is no mage herself; she cannot describe the portals, but the Champion has given her the relevant, practical details. She estimates that it will take several days to move all of our combined forces into position within the Hunting Grounds, but she has not mentioned any expected issues in maintaining the portal from Tamriel. She does mention some limitations to the first portal, but nothing that would affect us. To avoid breaking the 'compact', it has to be an invitation to Mundus, so no Daedra or other beings from the Hunting Grounds can use it to get to Tamriel, and only those from Tamriel can use it to return. The second portal will apparently be much easier to create than the ones the Daedra used in the Oblivion Crisis, since it does not have to bypass any strong barriers, so we can make it much larger. She says it will be...comparable to the size of the great gate used in the famous battle of Bruma. This one's warriors have already been collecting sigil stones for that purpose. If your people have any sigil stones to spare, it could be helpful."

As they were speaking, a sound started to echo through the cavern: footsteps. Ri'vashi was the first to pick up on them. Her ears twitched, and her head turned to face the source once the sound was unmistakable. From their chamber, they could see a short distance down the cave as a figure rounded the corner. It was one that Ri'vashi recognized immediately, and one of the last she wanted to see in that moment. It was Hal-Neesa, wearing an expensive and spectacular violet and gold dress made from pure silk, despite the fact that they were in a literal cave. As she approached, both one of Ri'vashi's guards and one of the Imperial guards moved to stand in her way, but her entire body phased into a cloud of black mist for a few seconds, moving around them and reforming on the other side.

Ri'vashi turned towards the intruder, her hand on he hilt of her blade on reflex. She glared into the vampire's lightly glowing eyes, practically growling by this point. "Hal-Neesa, you were not invited here. Leave."

Neesa was, as expected, unimpressed by Ri'vashi's stern words. "Yes, I know; I'm really starting to sense a pattern there. You people never invite me to the party, and I bore of constantly having to show up late. Now, I am not even going to address the fact that the representative to lord Molag Bal absolutely has every right to be here, because it is enough to say that you will need me. As entertaining as it would be to watch you all fail, it would not be in my best interest for you all to die a horrible death before the Axe can do its work on Vile. So, I need to take it upon myself to keep you people alive."

[Muttonhawk]

On the walk home, the twins Joan and Aimee were a measure more raucous than their older sister. They pointed out things on the street to ask their mother about, they giggled at the little childish jokes they told, and they carried on more or less in their own world. Sabine and Karl couldn't help but grin at their antics at times.

The time it took to get to Ariel and Rukeewei's abode was just a fraction beyond convenient. To get a perfect compromise between both their workplaces was likely impossible with how few options it would allow. All the same, they ended up at a quiet part of the city, away from the noise and traffic of the main roads and its commerce.

The house itself was tall and thin like a townhouse but still appeared Argonian in design. It was a two-story building couched so close up to the houses around it that they almost appeared to be four corners of a much larger bungalow taking up the land. Some wooden beams jutting out between the houses themselves suggested that they were all built at once with the intention of multiple tenancy.

Ariel opened the front door, letting out light from the inside and a truly delicious smell.

"I think we're just in time," Ariel said. "We're home, Rukee dear!"

The interior was more spacious than the exterior made the house look. The ground floor was mostly open, with a few supports and separators cordoning off the areas for the kitchen, dining, the staircase, and a sitting area.

---

"Something that size would still be a choke point to break through, but..." Gro-Tagnud trailed off when he noticed the others paying attention to the footsteps.

Hal-Neesa's entrance caused Teroiah's bodyguard to half-draw their weapons in unison. Teroiah's unimpressed look flashed with similar recognition to Ri'vashi's. She lifted her hand without breaking eye contact with Hal-Neesa. "Stand down," she ordered. The Altmer guards exchanged looks and slowly stepped back into their previous stances.

"This someone you know?" Gro-Tagnud asked Ri'vashi and Teroiah.

"You..." Teroiah angled her head away slightly. "I was under the impression that your prince's involvement ended with empowering the axe."

[EliteCommander]

Rukeewei was finishing up the last touches on their appetizers when he heard the door open. "Oh, welcome back, dear, and girls, and Sabine, and...everyone else." He spoke up from the kitchen, still clearly distracted by his cooking. "Everything is almost ready. I made something special for us; Danee even helped."

After a few moments, Rukeewei stepped around the divider and into the sitting area, clasping his hands together as he looked at the group. "So, are you all hungry right now? It's just one of the appetizers that needs just a few more minutes, so I can go ahead and start setting up the table if you want."

---

Hal-Neesa huffed. "What, did you think that Molag Bal would just hand off enough divine power to defeat a Daedric Prince to a bunch of mortals and just trust them to do it right? No, Molag Bal now has a personal interest in making sure his investment in this little crusade is not squandered."

With no hesitation, Neesa stepped up and leaned forward onto the table as if she had been invited to do so. Though, it was quite clear she cared little for the opinions of anyone else present. "And even if he didn't, you still don't have anyone with anywhere remotely near my level of experience in...anything, really. But particularly not with dealing with Daedric hordes. And I am offering to give you all of that knowledge free of charge; aren't I generous?"

[Muttonhawk]

Sabine and Karl exchanged a quick look and then each nodded to Rukeewei. It was all the time Ariel needed to secure the door and walk by with her interested eyes towards the kitchen.

"My, multiple courses, you spoil us, Rukeewei!" She said with a grin. "Well, while you set the table, I'll find us a drink. Do you think we should open that bloodwine blend we've been saving? This is a special occasion."

Danee-Na revealed herself around the dividers with bundles of cutlery in each hand. She dutifully placed each fistful on the table with a tinny clatter before carefully moving them to accompany each vacant seat.

Aimee and Joan were already clambering up the stairs, saying something in Jel about dolls.

Before long, Sabine, Karl, Meesei, Ariel, and Danee were all seated around the table. All but Danee-Na had a vessel of fine wine, the remainder in the open bottle between them. The light from the windows was already dimming but Ariel kept the room lit with her own magic.

"So, you must tell me," Ariel began. "What have you and the others been up to these past years? Apart from...the usual business, that is. Rhazii must be frighteningly close to adulthood by now. What kind of young man is he turning out to be?"

---

Gro-Tagnud's reaction was to slowly blink his eyes over to what Teroiah thought of Hal-Neesa's statements. Surprisingly, Teroiah was still and suspicious. Her jaw muscles could be barely discerned grinding her teeth, but the rest of her face was deeply cautious.

Gro-Tagnud held his head forward, eyes up at Teroiah. "Do I need to know any...context between you two here, commander?"

"There is nothing to mention," Teroiah calmly responded. Normally her disdain dripped from her voice. Now, it was absent, or at least impossible to read.

"Then I want to see what you have to share, uh..." Gro-Tagnud waved his hand in a circle for a moment. "Hal-Neesa."

[EliteCommander]

By how quickly he was moving around in the kitchen, it seemed that Rukeewei would be ready soon, though naturally, Ariel had likely been anticipating the evening enough that she could not wait for the conversation. Meesei grinned at Ariel's question. "One who is more eager to follow in his parents' footsteps than they are for him to follow. He is talented, and a quick learner. All of the young ones are trained in hunting and fighting so they can defend themselves, though not all have to pursue the more violent occupations. He truly could follow any path he wants and I believe he could succeed with it."

After another few moments, Rukeewei finally started to come out with plates for the first course of their meal, setting them out in front of each of them. It was hard to tell at first glance what exactly he was serving them, but he seemed eager to give it. On each of their plates were six or so morsels, each a few inches long and wrapped in some sort of leaf. "Okay, to start, I just want to reassure you that everything I am giving you all is perfectly safe for non-Argonians. I have made sure to prepare it all properly. I know Argonian cuisine does have a reputation for sometimes being dangerous to outsiders...which is absolutely true. Don't eat everything you find here without being sure about it. Everything I give you, though, is safe. Starting with the appetizers, I prepared bearded blue slugs, wrapped in salt-meadow leaf." He explained. On closer inspection, one would indeed see that within each leaf was a raw, indigo slug with small tentacles under its eye-stalks. Though uncooked, they had obviously been prepared with some spices. Anyone tasting them would find that it had something of an earthy texture, but with a surprisingly citrus-like taste.

---

Apart from her usual superiority, it was hard to tell if Neesa was surprised at all by Teroiah's lack of a reaction. She simply gave the slightest of grins as she looked over what they had laid out on the table. "Well, if there is one thing I can credit the Thalmor for, it is knowing to respect their elders. Regardless, I already know the basics of your invasion plan, so you need not catch me up on it. I will just need to be a part of all of these, uh, military planning talks to keep you from making any mistakes. Or at least too many mistakes. Unfortunately, Vile's realm is not one I have visited personally, but I do know of it. His Plane is called the Fields of Regret, fittingly for those stupid enough to bargain with him. He has styled his world into a tranquil countryside, with cities of glass and other buildings that look like they were made to try to impress an Altmer consort. The backbone of his Daedric army are going to be Skaafin, but keep in mind that Vile just loves to claim souls, mortal or otherwise. He'll have pretty much any and all types of Daedra in his service, so you'll have to prepare for all of them."

"The Champion's notes convey most of what you just said." Ri'vashi interjected. "Anything that scholars know about Vile and his realm, we have already researched years ago. We have not been fighting our enemy blind."

Hal-Neesa crossed her arms. "Hmm, that so? Well, let's see how extensive that research has been, then. If there is one thing that I do agree with your Champion on, it is that you are probably going to have the element of surprise. This whole invasion is just stupid enough that he'll be far to arrogant to expect it. Which is good, because you'll need it. You're not going to be able to scout the terrain before committing your armies. Best you'll be able to do is prepare your forces to fight Daedra in general. So, why don't you tell me how exactly you're planning to arrange your formations against Daedra, and I'll try to explain all the ways you're wrong."

[Muttonhawk]

Ariel grinned. "Knowing Ahnasha and Fendros, I had a feeling little Rhazii would be just as unstoppable." She closed her smile. "As much as he takes after his parents, however, I hope he will grow up to take care of a more peaceful world."

The conversation paused when Rukeewei presented his food. Everyone was curious to hear what he had prepared, though the initial reactions were varied.

"Mmm, I do love this dish," Ariel began. "It has a refreshing tang to it." She leant to one side. "Danee darling, could you please zip upstairs and let your sisters know dinner is ready?"

Danee gave a big nod and hurried around the dividers to climb the staircase.

Meanwhile, Sabine and Karl were politely smiling, but looking at their food quiet and hesitant. Karl reached out to take one and held it very close to his face.

"I've never eaten slugs before," he said. The corner of his mouth twisted when he discerned the indigo slug's 'beard.'

A wet squish sounded as Sabine bit into one, holding her other hand cupped under her chin to catch what might drip away. Her eyes lit up. She chewed and looked at Karl until she swallowed. "Try it. It is better than chaurus."

Karl peered around. He could perceive enough movement to see Ariel already halfway through another one of the slugs. He breathed out and bit a third of the morsel as quickly as he could. The way he chewed betrayed his unease with the texture, though he did not indicate any desire to spit the food out. "It tastes good," he said through his mouthful. "Not what I am used to, but much better than I thought."

---

Gro-Tagnud's eyes went to Teroiah -- the only other individual in the room with lived experience waging war on Daedra.

Teroiah was neutrally sour but her head head angled away in an odd manner. "Excepting bands of Dremora, Daedric formations in the Oblivion Crisis were loose to non-existent. They relied heavily upon brute physical and magical force with occasional disruptive elements, such as spider daedra and the like. Against the more bestial creatures, such as Clannfears and Daedroths, it was sufficient to break their charges with a phalanx of longspears supported by battlemages capable of slowing or halting them in their tracks. Destructive and protective magic of every form was required in each unit to counter Atronachs which harried them from near and far. Elite elements were many, Xivilai and higher ranking Dremora alike. They are only to be challenged by harrying skirmishers working with either overwhelming magical force or the most skilled of fighters. Preferably all at once."

"I notice you didn't mention Skaafin," Gro-Tagnud asked flatly. "What is it they do?"

Teroiah did not appreciate Gro-Tagnud's curiosity. "Rather a similar case to the Dremora," she hissed. "They differ in personality, but we have notes on the more pertinent differences."

[EliteCommander]

Rukeewei laughed. "Well, that is why we eat them. I've always been glad that the finest ingredients in the Marsh can be found right here in Thorn. It is a port city, so we have trade all over, really."

The slugs were nothing new to Meesei, though they did conjure up quite a bit of nostalgia for her. Their scent alone, much like the bergamot extract, brought her mind back to her childhood. To her village. The memories of traditional Argonian meals with her father were not unpleasant ones, but still bittersweet for her to think about. For the moment, though, she simply took a drink of wine as she sat back, listening to the others. Rukeewei, meanwhile passed a few curious glanced between Sabine and Karl.

"So, um, how did you two meet? I mean, your sister did mention what you said in your letters, but I think stories are always better told in person." Rukeewei asked.

---

"Hmph, and that's why I'm here." Hal-Neesa remarked, thoroughly enjoying every sour look that Teroiah gave. "All that experience you have fighting back against Dagon will end up being a false friend to you if you end up trying to rely on it. This isn't going to be the same. See, the Prince of Destruction is arrogant by Daedric Prince standards, so it's enough for him just rush straight at his problems with overwhelming force, bash in their skulls, burn them alive, and all that nonsense. The Dremora are his dogs, and any Daedra is a reflection of their creator. The Dremora were happy to just throw themselves at all the mortal 'weaklings' with nothing but their own skill and ego. Really, there's a reason that no other being has failed to capture Tamriel more than Dagon. Vile likes to try to be more clever, though, just like his servants. The Skaafin are physically similar enough to the Dremora, except that they look like the unholy offspring of an Altmer and a goat, but they're going to be more clever. Those...'pertinent differences' you mentioned ripple throughout his whole army. They're going to use formations, they're going to use tactics. They're going to have trained the more bestial Daedra and use them more strategically. They may or may not be good strategies, but they're not just going to run at you mindlessly. So, you're going to have to out-think them like any other army; oh, and every single one of their soldiers is still an immortal being who does not fear death, so that still factors into their tactics."

A grin crept across Neesa's face as she paused, reaching into a bag she was carrying, which was just as colorful and out-of-place in the cave as her fine dress. Though, even stranger was the object she produced. It was a fairly large orb that appeared to be made of blackened glass, with a deep red, crystalline interior. Now that it was out in the open, a faint humming could be heard emanating from it if one listened closely enough. Teroiah certainly would have had enough personal experience to recognize it as a sigil stone. "Which is why it would be wise for you to add that same kind of power to your own forces. You see, my lord Molag Bal still has plenty of Dark Anchors at his disposal from his...attempted Planemeld. They may not be able to breach the barrier into Mundus any longer, but with just a little help, they can breach through into the Fields of Regret. I received this stone directly from my master, and it is bound to a matching stone within a Dark Anchor in Coldharbour. Place it at a spot in Vile's realm with even the tiniest of liminal fractures, and my master can call forth a Dark Anchor to create a dolmen on the stone. Then, you will have your own fearless, immortal Daedric allies straight from Coldharbour."

[Muttonhawk]

Karl smiled. Sabine and him looked at one another again, gauging who would talk first. They both almost began at the same time and stopped for one another.

"You go ahead," Karl said with a grin.

Sabine tried not laugh. "It was not like a story book or anything," she began. "Karl moved to where I worked at the time. The scholar's loft is what it is called. A place where academic pursuits are patronised. He researched ancient relics and I researched alchemy. We worked in close proximity and...we were both very shy. We eventually made conversation and became comfortable. Then we started spending time together outside of the loft. I think we both had feelings for each other but were afraid to say it. I needed encouragement from my friends before I could let him know because I was afraid I was too busy. But we did reveal it."

Karl brought a hand up to run Sabine's shoulder. "You were more assertive than I expected."

Sabine flushed red. "I did not know how to do it, okay?"

"How did your admission go?" Ariel asked with a sly smile. "I do not remember that detail being included in the letters."

"It was embarrassing," Sabine said.

"It was cute," Karl retorted. He addressed Ariel. "She asked me very politely if she could kiss me, without much of any pretence."

Ariel grinned. "And how did you answer."

Karl's eyes lowered. "At that point, we had been spending so much time with so much unsaid that we both knew the answer."

"You took a while to answer," Sabine added with her own grin.

"Only because I was taken off-guard. It's not a question you get asked every day."

Sabine looked teasingly. "You were paralysed."

Karl closed his eyes and exhaled from his nose. "We worked it out in the end."

---

The three generals each turned their eyes from the sigil stone to Hal-Neesa. They were silent for long enough that their scepticism was readily apparent.

"Fighting daedra with daedra," Gro-Tagnud's eyes blinked to Teroiah. "Is that going to work?"

"Records of the Planemeld are scant," Teroiah said. "But I know you speak the truth. What I do not know is how Molag Bal's daedra shall behave. If they are anything akin to Molag Bal's usual conduct, I am remiss to fight anywhere near them."

[EliteCommander]

Meesei could not help but to laugh. She took a sip of her wine and pointed a claw towards Sabine. “You claim you are shy, Sabine, but you ask some of the bravest questions I have heard. Even if they are unintentional.”

Rukeewei chuckled along with Meesei. “Well, it may not be story book, but it is definite a story worth telling. I can’t imagine what I would have thought.”

After a few moments, Meesei returned her attention to Ariel and Rukeewei. “I, of course, know how you two met, but I do have some curiosities of my own. Are you finding parenthood to be everything you anticipated?”

---

Hal-Neesa gave an amused huff. “Oh, I remember it well. It was before my time in service of lord Molag Bal, so I found myself against them, as did the rest of Tamriel. You should take my advice when I say that it is better to keep them as allies. The Daedra will not listen to you, or respect you, or particularly like you, but they will obey their master’s orders to bring destruction upon Vile and his realm. Oh, and I shall not pretend my master is offering his aid selflessly.” Neesa laughed. “The greatest master of speechcraft could not make that claim believable. No, every portal opened from his realm to Vile’s shall make it that much easier for him to claim more of Vile’s power when and if he is defeated. A fair price for an army of Daedra, I would say.”

Leaning over the table, Neesa placed down the sigil stone in the space between Teroiah and gro-Tagnud. “Regardless of your thoughts on the matter, it is a condition of Molag Bal’s aid that you bring these stones with you and teach their handlers how to activate them. Use them or pretend you won’t, but both I and my master know what you will choose when you are facing down Vile’s fearless horde of servants.”

[Muttonhawk]

Ariel leaned her elbows on the table and held her wine cup in both hands. She smiled and looked over the divider to the sitting area, where the children had set up for dinner. They were very well behaved now that they were eating.

"There were many things I did not anticipate," Ariel said. "The first being that I could even bear Rukee's children. That was a relief as much as a surprise when we tried. Also, there were some other things I did anticipate and worry about which turned out to not to be impossible problems. Education, disease, and friendship groups, those details. In whole, the outcome was largely unexpected. But when I held Danee in my arms for the first time and looked her in her little face, I realised I had made the right decision." She turned back to Meesei. "I've never quite felt so responsible for anything before. I love my daughters. No challenges since have made me question that or my decision."

Ariel let the nice moment float for a second. She then smirked and her eyes went to Rukeewei. "Still, I think we took for granted how easily we could get a good night's sleep before the girls arrived. Isn't that right?"

---

Teroiah looked down at the sigil stone. She was clearly uncomfortable, even as she tried to hide it. "If we avoid where they fight, stay out of their way, the Daedra may be useful."

Gro-Tagnud raised an eyebrow. "You're going to have to humour me, but with what you said about your Daedric Prince taking power if we use this, it gets me thinking. Is it going to be possible that another three or so military leaders are going to meet like this in the near future discussing what to do about Molag Bal?"

[EliteCommander]

Rukeewei replied with a rather enthusiastic nod. "Oh, I did not even realize how many things I took for granted before. Sleep was one of the first casualties, but there is so much more I never even thought about. Even just...living normally is different, especially with raising Breton children. Adult Humans have troubles with sickness in the marsh, but it is even more dangerous for young ones. When she was pregnant, I was having nightmares about protecting our children from dangerous people, or...animals, and those sorts of things, but I didn't even think about having to protect them from just food, water, and dirt."

Smiling, Rukeewei reached over and put a hand on Ariel's shoulder. "It's a good thing your sister is so talented, Sabine. She figured out how to mix a bit of potionmaking into our cooking to improve their disease resistance, and it doesn't even affect the taste enough to notice. They still get sick more oven than the average Argonian hatchling, but I don't really have to worry about them anymore."

Meesei, by this point, was nearly through with her plate of slugs, but was in no hurry to rush the rest of the meal. Although, she would probably need another glass of wine before dessert. "I personally never experienced that stage of parenthood. Although...I do wonder if I will get a taste of it with grandchildren..." She added with a sly grin towards Sabine.

---

"Ah, see now you assume I know more than I do. It flatters me that you think so highly of me, but I hold no such powerful position among Daedric Princes. I do not know what Molag Bal intends to do for the next era or two, and he certainly would not tell a, well...former mortal." Hal-Neesa answered, entirely unfazed by the tone of gro-Tagnud's accusation. "I do not serve him for some foolish sense of loyalty for a being that sees me as little more than an insect, I serve him as an exchange for the knowledge I desire. He gives me authority here because he acknowledges my competence. Truthfully, even I would be annoyed if he made another attempt for Mundus, but if you were hoping that all of the power Vile has been collecting would just...disappear into the void, then you are going to be disappointed. The very moment Vile is defeated, both Hircine and Molag Bal are going to be scrambling like starving dogs over a fresh carcass to consume every last drop of power they can get their metaphorical hands on. With your plan, Hircine will be physically closer to Vile at that point, but some portals to Coldharbour would even out the distribution a bit. Like it or not, this invasion is going to reshape the balance of power among the Princes. In fact, if you refuse to open any of my master's portals, then most of that power is going to go straight to Hircine alone."

The growl in Ri'vashi's expression had not entirely gone away at any point, and now it just became more evident as she glared at the vampire. "And Hircine would be a much better steward of that power than Molag Bal. Not once in Tamriel's history has Hircine threatened our world. Even if you tried to interpret lycanthropy as some sort of 'attack', which Ri'vashi would say is ridiculous, Molag Bal nearly destroyed our world. Hircine will never be that kind of a threat to Tamriel, no matter how much power he has. It goes against his nature."

Neesa simply shrugged. "Indeed, perhaps you all do trust Hircine more than Molag Bal. It's a logical conclusion to make. The 'Lord of the Hunt' is, without a doubt, a much less intimidating title than the "Lord of Domination'. If given power, he will certainly try to dominate something with it. Maybe Tamriel, but more likely another Daedra. The Princes are always bickering and fighting among themselves, you see, so it is actually rather difficult for them to get enough power and time to make any attacks against Mundus. The kind of power that, say, Hircine might get from defeating Vile alone." Her eyes settled on gro-Tagnud, then Teroiah in turn. "Maybe you trust Hircine not to decide to hunt your nations, but I am merely suggesting that you could prevent one, single Daedra from claiming that kind of potential influence by spreading it out a bit more evenly."

[Muttonhawk]

Sabine and Karl did not speak immediately about it. Sabine simply smiled. It was not the first time Meesei had brought up the topic of grandchildren to them, though they did not react with surprise or stress this time.

Ariel's jaw dropped. "Sabine, are you...?"

Sabine shook her head reassuringly. After Karl let out a quiet laugh, she spoke. "Not now. We have spoken about it, between us. We liked the idea more as we continued our relationship. We recently decided that we want to try having children, but not until..." She glanced over at the distracted girls, still eating and giggling jokes in Jel. "...Not until after the project is done." She grew sombre.

"The project?" Ariel asked. "I'm not sure I understand."

Karl breathed in. "Probably a topic for after the children head upstairs. For now, though, we want to wait until things are safer and...well, more certain."

Ariel nodded slowly. After a pause, she looked back up to Sabine and a wide smile grew on her face again. "I'm..." She wiped her finger underneath each eye. "I'm proud of you, little sister. My goodness, I can hardly call you little anymore." She laughed.

---

Teroiah sniffed in and huffed. "I believe that makes the decision rather obvious, wouldn't you say, General Gro-Tagnud?" She pursed her lips.

Gro-Tagnud had not taken his eyes off Hal-Neesa's. For a man much younger than Neesa, he looked with strong sense of potential deception.

On the contrary, Teroiah took his hesitation differently. "Oh, do not embarrass us with your light-handed pandering to our allies blown up huntmaster. We all know dividing power is a better way to keep it in check. There is far more to gain here with this...creature's help than your losses in diplomacy."

The orc general's eyes turned to Teroiah with one eyebrow lifted in disbelief. "Akatosh blushes, Teroiah," he said flatly. "I've met orc chieftains less blunt than you."

"Are you going to say anything useful or not?" Teroiah demanded.

Gro-Tagnud kept his cool. He turned slowly on his heel to look up at Ri'vashi, arms clasped behind his back. "We got a whole bunch of facts here that say we should use that piece of glass here." He nodded his head sideways towards the sigil stone. "If you've got any more facts to add saying we shouldn't, anything that'll accomplish this mission better, we had better hear them."

The legate-general's directness was something to appreciate, given Teroiah's accusations. His head was prioritising strategy, just like Ri'vashi. Gro-Tagnud was not Marod.

[EliteCommander]

Seeing that the first course was nearing completion for most of the group, Rukeewei excused himself momentarily to get up and serve them the next one. Meesei, meanwhile, was grinning towards Ariel. "Oh, I can certainly sympathize with you on that account. I do remember when I realized that Sabine was no longer a child. It is a...strange feeling, overall. It is your entire goal as a parent to raise a child who can take on and thrive against the challenges of the world you are raising them into, and yet you still dread the day you succeed. For me, it was like building a home, yet I never wanted to see it finished. Yet, whether you want it or not, that day does come. Just try not to dread it too much, and be sure to cherish all of the moments you do have."

The next dish that Rukeewei brought out might have seemed even stranger than the first, if only because it was more immediately recognizable by its appearance. The centerpiece of their dinner, coiled up in the middle of each of their plates, were snakes. Although, much like the slugs, there was more to them than what they could see from the outside. "So, this next one is a variant on nagahssee. That is, um, how would I translate that...snake roll, I think works well. Some types I do not think would be too palatable to outsiders, but I think this one is better. It is a snake skin, stuffed with a variety of steamed vegetables, fish, and of course, snake meat. With a side of pumpkin stew."

---

While Ri'vashi did feel justified in her growing resentment for Hal-Neesa, that did little to help the current situation. To Ri'vashi, she was a snake and a manipulator, but her experience showed through without a doubt. With just a few arguments to cast doubt over their minds, she had already twisted Teroiah's mind into giving her exactly what she wanted, all while making Teroiah think it was her idea, and her choice. Neesa was playing to her reading of their personalities, and was doing it well. The Legate General seemed to be a rational sort, but Ri'vashi could not think of an argument against Neesa that would not require them to take on faith that Hircine would be more trustworthy with Vile's power than Molag Bal. Or, more accurately, trust that it would be less risky to give more power to Hircine, rather than spreading the power between him an a known evil like Molag Bal. As much as Ri'vashi wanted to fight against it, stirring up an argument now would be unlikely to work, and would cause more harm than good.

"Ri'vashi does not support it...but she has no useful arguments to add. The daedra will make our attack easier, Ri'vashi cannot deny it. She is sure you understand the risks of strengthening a Daedra like Molag Bal." She said, turning her gaze to stare daggers through Hal-Neesa's eyes. "Just remember, much of this 'power' we are discussing are the souls of lycan dead, trapped by Vile. Your master will not touch them, and that is not negotiable."

For the briefest of moments, the look in Neesa's eyes betrayed her satisfaction upon Ri'vashi's reaction. "Oh, I'm sure he wouldn't even think about it. Actually, that's a lie; he definitely would. But, your master will hold a much stronger claim over their souls. It would be a waste of Molag Bal's time to focus on them."

Without wasting a moment, nor giving Ri'vashi any more time for input, Neesa continued. "Now with that out of the way, this is something we can actually start to form a strategy around. The stones will be best placed in locations with at least somewhat tangible liminal fractures. Between realms of Oblivion, such imperfections in the barriers between realms are common. Any average conjurer should be able to detect them. The lycans have those flying beasts: the werevultures, bats, and the like. They will make for adequate scouts to locate Clavicus Vile himself, and identify potential dark anchor sites along the path to him. Molag Bal will not be able to simply call down every anchor at once, but you will be able to fight from anchor site to anchor site, calling in reinforcements at each one until you reach Vile. Or until you die, but preferably the former."

[Muttonhawk]

"I am unsure I can imagine it for my daughters just yet," Ariel replied to Meesei. "It's just...Sabine, I hope your upcoming challenges pass quickly and without trouble, for I can vouch for parenthood. Same goes for you, Karl. To hear you two planning this..." She drew in her arms and excitedly grinned. "It makes my heart swell!"

Karl smiled back. "We're looking forward to it as well. Even with all the other changes it will bring."

The appearance of their next dish was once again received politely by Karl and Sabine. However, Rukeewei's description visibly piqued Karl's interest. Sabine gave him a curious look, prompting him to elaborate.

"It sounds somewhat familiar," he said. "Again, not the same, but...Back in Wayrest, we had this food which was a roasted sheep's stomach stuffed with vegetables and grains and other things. My mother liked to serve it with a pumpkin soup as well. I haven't tried snake meat before but at least it's more familiar than slugs."

Sabine giggled. "The pumpkins here are different as well."

Karl shrugged. "All the better. The food has been wonderful so far. we will have to visit you more often, Rukeewei."

---

"I have a better idea," Teroiah picked up almost immediately once Hal-Neesa finished. "If we are assaulting unknown terrain, there can be no guarantee of a position to fight our way through as one bulk force. Especially if our opposition are as organised as you advise, creature. Our chances are better formed by keeping Vile's Daedra unfocussed and separated. If we can launch rapid strikes out to wheresoever these 'anchor sites' are, we need not worry about defending those positions or digging in while we wait for other Deadra to push the fight for us. Once Molag Bal's forces have a way in, they will be a distraction keeping other forces away from the axe. Our momentum will then only be stopped on our terms as we advance."

"That depends," Gro-Tagnud added. "We need to know how long these anchors are going to take setting up, whether Bal can take and hold a beachhead underneath each of them, and if they'll last worth a damn. More importantly, though..." He looked to Ri'vashi. "We'd need to bring together a bunch of people crazy enough to sneak around on their own to try and open up the anchor sites. I've got a few but we'll need more."