Chapter Text
Evren punched a tentacle away from her and Hermaeus Mora squinted, confused. "What?" she smiled. He didn't reply and drifted towards the wall. Evren was dead tired, but she was beginning to care less and less as long as she had company through out the night. "Ya know, I can just sleep outside during the day, so I don't have to be as afraid of ya," Evren suggested. Hermaeus Mora remained indifferent, and stared at her. "Ye gonna talk?"
Still, he remained silent. Evren groaned and laid back down. "Ye're so borin!" He stared, beginning to appear amused, "what?"
"Tell me, mortal, are you ticklish?" he asked and Evren became suddenly unreadable.
"No," she lied, staring at him as if she was indifferent. Evren was far from that inside. The look in his eye told her everything she needed to know so she could leap away from him and draw her dagger. "No," she chided him and he relented in his attempts.
"Dice?" he asked.
"Chess."
Evren was snoring softly, and Hermaeus Mora had little to do but wait until she returned, likely speaking with Sheogorath. He could feel madness edging its way into his mind. He knew he could easily kill her and be left alone. Mortals meant nothing to daedra. Or at least, they weren't supposed to mean anything.
He let out a low growl of frustration, too quiet to wake Evren up. He didn't want this for himself, but it seemed fate had a different idea, though all he could do was watch the future's never-ending approach.
"I hate you," Herma Mora muttered, "Mephala, I hate you for the strings you have deemed fit to pull."
Evren shifted, and he quickly quit cursing his sibling to keep her from waking. Well, if I am to be stuck here, I may as well find the time to end her. Hermaeus Mora drifted towards her, placing a tentacle to her chest to impale her. He stared, looking through his mind, staring again at the future but not yet harming Evren.
Evren stared at him, glaring with no anger. Hermaeus Mora drifted away from her, suspicious. Evren shook her head, walking away. "So, how've ye been?" she asked, staring out of a window at the world beyond it.
"As well as I could be. And you?" he drifted back towards her and her hands gripped the stone windowsill tighter and closed her eyes.
"I'm doing well," Evren smiled slightly, looking back at the daedra with her eyes shining, "it's good to see ya again." Hermaeus Mora watched, knowing she was full aware he knew. He reached towards her, a shady tendril brushing her face.
"You're hurt. Remember, you are incapable of lying to me."
"No I-" she paused. "I am. I really am. I hate to say this, but I've missed ya a lot more then I let on." Hermaeus Mora took this in, glad she admitted it. "How long?"
"Six months. I have however found someone who may eventually be able to help," he answered and embraced her awkwardly, not entirely sure how to do so without pressing his eye against her as it was not something Evren was likely to enjoy. "I can assure you my love has only grown in the time away from you."
"So ye gonna kill me or continue starin' off into space? Make yer pick," she scowled at him and he came back to the present. He drew away from her with a disdainful snarl.
"You test me, mortal, an unwise decision," he growled, floating towards the other side of the room.
"If ye haven't figured it out, I'm not the wisest, now calm your ass if ye have one," she scoffed and he let out a low whine, "what in Oblivion- okay not the best comparison but still."
"I hate you," he almost whimpered, shrinking into a corner on the ceiling, "I really, really hate you."
"Tell me somethin' I don't know," Evren tilted her head, curious as to why he was hiding away from her.
"Very well. I don't hate you," he admitted. Evren stared, eyes wide.
"Well now that I really did not know nor expect," Evren paused, "thanks?" Hermaeus Mora seemed to visibly relax, drifting towards her. Evren took the time to listen more intently to not only his words, but his voice.
"Perhaps we could both respect each other more?" he suggested, almost shyly, and Evren smiled. His words were still silky smooth, but they weren't deceitful, not as far as she could tell.
"Very well. Where's the sudden change of heart comin' from?" Evren asked, mellow.
"I'd rather this be more bearable, for both of us," Hermaeus Mora answered.
"And if ye can't ever leave?" Evren curled up, looking away.
"Then we must be able to bear each other for eternity. Besides, we will leave. Our only hope is Sheogorath, for now, but he would not let me be stuck in his realm and go insane. He's insane, acting without his mind, but he has self-preservation. He will help," Hermaeus Mora reassured her and Evren shook her head, hiding her tears in her knees.
"You don't know, do you?" she let out a strangled sob.
"I can only see my escape, and the promise of yours, but much of that becomes blurry, the letters shift incomprehensibly and I am unsure as of why," Hermaeus Mora placed a tentacle on her shoulder, "you have not cried in front of anyone for years, Evren, have you not?" Evren didn't reply, only shifting away from him and sniffling. "Do you wish me to leave?"
"Yes," Evren nodded and he drifted out towards the night outside and the monsters hidden away in it, "wait no, stay." She sniffled again, and looked in his direction. He stayed still, ready for her to change her mind. "Is there any reason that it'd be blurred."
"Only the intervention of a Dragon Break, Sheogorath, or something similar," he answered. Evren nodded slowly. "I will find a way for you to get out of here. You implied before that it is my obligation to, as I am why you are trapped here. You are correct."
"And ye wouldn't be trapped here if it weren't for me, would ya?"
"No. I trapped you here and came after Folium Discognitum. I wanted to leave you behind because of the future I saw. I will not. I understand your fear of me, but in a way, I am terrified of you."
Evren ran through the forest, desperate to protect her torch from going out. The daedra were following, afraid only of Hermaeus Mora. He was not currently there to protect her. She was unsure where she was anymore, but the rippling of water was quick to help her guess. Evren couldn't see how close she was to the stream but at this point didn't care, jumping out upon seeing a clearing. Evren jumped too far, tripping and falling partly in frigid water.
Everything was still and dark as the embers of her torch quickly faded. She looked up seeing a silhouette approaching her, slowly coming into view as it approached her in the moonlight. Evren was almost paralyzed, seeing its pale, thin, face staring at her.
Evren choked back a scream, "Herma Mora, help me."
The daedra who stood before her nodded slowly, smiling as it leaned down next to her. "Goodnight, teddy," it whispered in a child-like voice. It made no movement told her and it's smile began shifting into a distorted, toothy grin. Evren shrieked and it lunged at her, gripping her in needle-like claws that stabbed through her arms.
Evren screamed, tugging away but flesh just seemed to tear faster. "Let me go!"
"Hey, ye heard her," she heard a humorous laugh suddenly turn dark, "let go before I use me forky!" The daedra hissed, backing away from the god.
"Where is he?" Evren spun around with a snarl, meeting the mad god's eyes. Sheogorath tilted his head, "Hermaeus Mora! Where is he!?"
"Oh him? He's back at New Sheoth, let's go!" Sheogorath grabbed her arm and they appeared in the courtyard. "Yeah, found out how to get ya outta there, just the Shiverin' Isles is... becomin' a bit of an issue."
"So where is he?" Evren asked, hugging herself.
"Inside. Come on, come on!"
Evren groaned as she was dragged inside, waving at Hermaeus Mora. "Ye ditched me," she raised a brow.
"No, he dragged me."
"Not surprisin," she stood beside him and looked to Sheogorath who had appeared sitting on his throne. "What now then?"
"Make yourselves at home," Sheogorath gestured around him, "and don't ask for my book again. Herma Mora, you're with me."
"Good luck," Evren chuckled and Hermaeus Mora simply agreed, following Sheogorath away hesitantly.
"Ah, so you truly are entirely alive," Haskill nodded, "my Lord was beginning to worry. Please, come right this way."
"Thank you, Haskill. Ye seem to be the only sane one here that's bearable," Evren nodded, following him down a hall.
"You're welcome. However saneis farfrom the correct word," Haskill nodded, eyes darkening. Evren smiled uneasily. "You can stay here," he gestured to a room and Evren peaked inside.
"Thank ya again," Evren stepped fully into the room and Haskill left her there. Evren closed the door, making herself comfortable in the somewhat small space. Evren put down her things, laying in her bed silently and curling up. Evren was well aware she'd be spending a long time stuck here in the Shivering Isles and she was far from eager to continue it.
Evren turned her attention to the leather-bound journal in her pack, flipping through the torn and dirty pages before closing it and hugging it close to her chest. A tear fell down to the leather cover and she quickly put it on her bed stand, not wanting it to get further water-damaged. Evren found herself curled on her side, eyes closed slightly but still restless before she gave up grabbing a quill and ink and opening the journal to a blank page.
Evren awoke to the same desolate room, realizing how uncomfortable she was without taking off her boots. Evren yawned, stumbling over to the door and peeking out. "Oh, what're ye doin?" Evren tilted her head at the daedric prince who waited at the door.
"Updating you," Hermaeus Mora answered, "and I was going to feed you but-"
"Oh please, give me sustenance," Evren smiled slightly, "and information'd be nice too." Hermaeus Mora gave her the soup he had materialized and she gratefully ate it.
"We have found nothing but a potential cause, though we are unaware of how she has done this. Vaermina seems likely," Hermaeus Mora answered, his eye flickering slightly. Evren backed slightly, noticing how dangerous he had become for a few seconds, "for whatever reason it appears Mehrunes Dagon is helping her. I'd rather not guess why without more information."
"Of course. But why them? What do they have to do with anything? Why do ye hate Vaermina so much?" Evren asked, tilting her head.
"How can I not hate her? She steals the memories of those who have her nightmares. The tampering of memory often gets in my way and my purpose," Hermaeus Mora snorted, "with each memory, potentially valuable information is lost. I don't understand why Mehrunes Dagon is helping her though it is unlikely that he isn't."
"Got it, Vaermina and ye are enemies and she has motive to keep ya here. And me?" Evren frowned, leaning against a wall.
"With me away from my realm, it's possible they've done some research there, if they could findanything useful. If so, they likely know of your future importance," Hermaeus Mora turned around, drifting down the hall. Evren followed but he always kept his eye out of her sight. "I will not share your importance. It is the same as why I tried leaving you behind, or killing you. Your presence eventually will weaken me."
"So they want me to be stuck with ya so that takes into effect?" Evren crossed her arms, looking at her feet as continued down the hall.
"Yes, a fate I wish to avoid but even I am not safe from the stories my books tell," he replied, his silky voice far more gloomy than before, "you are mortal, therefore cannot inflict harm upon me, the only way you can weaken me is through my own will. Daedra-"
They continued walking in silence for a while before Evren looked up at him, "what?"
"We do feel guilt, and shame, and loss. I fear I will be subjected to all."
"Have you admitted these things to anyone before?" Evren asked, tilted her head to see his eye. Hermaeus Mora noticed this, finally meeting her eyes.
"No. But have you cried in front of anyone in years? This is no different," Hermaeus Mora growled and Evren nodded.
"Hiding everything to appear stronger, more alive? Believe me, ya look and sound dead either way," Evren chuckled, and the prince glared at her. Evren smiled at him. "No, I believe you're more conflicted and afraid. Perhaps angry for whatever future you have seen. The daedric mind's too complex for me, however, and I'm not delvin' any deeper than that."
"Good. I hate it when you understand."