Chapter Text
"Well shit," Evren stared, eyes wide. The snake began splitting in two in a bloody mess as a young woman emerged, wearing a long, tattered dress with a set of armor draped over it. Her helmet was a skull that resembled a dremora's helmet. It wasn't these things that bothered her but rather her strange childish aura and the fact that she was disturbingly tall.
"Fear me, Mortal," Vaermina snarled, "I do not know how you have entered my realm, but it is irrelevant. You are here now and you are mine."
Evren looked around, frantic. "Wrong," she hissed and took a run for it, knowing well she couldn't escape Vaermina in her own realm. She was just interested in pissing the Dreamweaver off. Sure enough, she was torn from the ground and flung through the air by Vaermina's telepathic grip. "What do ye wanna do?" Evren sneered and crossed her arms, dangling in the air. "I've nothing better to do, anyway. Wanna see who can hold their beer the longest?"
Vaermina didn't look amused but was clearly confused. Perfect for Evren's purposes. However, what was not perfect for her purposes was Vaermina's reply, "I am immortal. I cannot get drunk."
"Fine, such a spoilsport," Evren smirked. This resulted in her being smashed against one of the caves rocky walls. Evren screamed out in pain as she dropped to the ground. "What now?"
"Fool, do you believe you can disrespect me?" Vaermina snarled and held her up by the throat.
"You trapped me in the Shivering Isles against my will," Evren glared, the lack of air not bothering her ethereal form, "is it really disrespect or is it self-respect?"
Hermaeus Mora had left Septimus Signus to fend for himself and didn't bother to try and find Miraak. The only thing he was really concerned about was finding Evren. He was tempted to go to Vaermina but doubted Evren would end up there. Instead, he found himself in the Soul Cairn, seeking the Ideal Masters for answers.
He drifted through the realm, searching for one of the giant purple crystals that they would speak through.
When he found one, he was the first to speak, "Ideal Masters, I request aid."
"What do you want, Daedra?" only one of them replied through the crystal.
"I have temporarily misplaced a soul and am seeking her out. Her writings have fallen from my eye," Hermaeus replied.
"What is her name?"
"Evren Katirci. She had been trapped in the Shivering Isles for years but her soul has vanished," Hermaeus Mora explained to them, growing impatient over a tiny portion of time.
"We can retrieve her from wherever she may be. And what do you have to give us?" the Ideal Master hissed.
"What do you want?" Hermaeus stopped himself from growling.
"The destruction of Mehrunes Dagon."
Evren didn't regret what she said, even as Vaermina began crushing her. Evren squirmed and whimpered, knowing that her lack of regret only angered Vaermina more. She had no doubt that she'd be regretting her words soon but now wasn't the time.
"You will suffer as I use you to manipulate my enemy, and then when I am done, you will die," Vaermina snarled, "do you understand this, Mortal? You are merely a tool in my grasp. Nothing more."
"A broken tool is a useless one," Evren spat and screamed when Vaermina continued to crush her.
"You were a broken tool long before I met you. It makes no difference to that demon."
"You can threaten me all you want but when you threaten him, I will never comply," Evren tilted her chin up, knowing that Vaermina couldn't kill her if she wasn't attached to her body. Evren would not let anything happen to her friend, especially since now, she had begun to miss him more than ever.
Hermaeus Mora knew that only the Ideal Masters could take it from there. After a name had fallen from the books, Hermaeus Mora would not be able to find them. Therefore, the search for her soul was best left in their care. He had found Miraak along the roads in Cyrodiil but didn't appear to the clueless Dragonborn. Instead, he went to check up on the obscure white-haired mage he had decided might be able to help him.
The Ideal Masters would search for Evren as promised. They didn't like crossing him. While they worked, Hermaeus Mora busied himself with finding out how he would defeat Mehrunes Dagon.
He had no doubt the mage would help of her own accord. Her companion was clearly tempted by the Exalted and Most Puissant Lord. Hermaeus Mora had no doubt that she would be forced to come to him. Her fate was obscure, however, and Hermaeus Mora knew that he would have to keep a close eye on her, protect his potential new champion. Granted, she was usually powerful enough to do that on her own.
Kaanviing.
It did not take him long to find out what she was. He had known for most of his life, but even the meaning of Kaanviing confused him. Nevertheless, he was determined to find out just how he would battle Mehrunes Dagon, though it wouldn't be the first Daedric Prince he had absorbed.
Evren found herself cold, in the dark. Her thoughts were clouded by Hermaeus Mora and Miraak. They'd been the only good things in her life for years. Still, there was something else she desperately missed, something farther in the past. There were few memories and many of them reminded Evren why she left. She was trapped in her old home with all the expectation. Evren hated being royalty, though that title had long been lost on her. She disgraced her family when she ran to High Rock and joined that Khajiit caravan.
Still, Evren had had a family and they were all just as stubborn as their surnames suggested. Evren smiled slightly, knowing the memories eased the ever-changing nightmares around her.
Evren winced as her brother tugged at her hair. The comb was raking painfully through the long locks. Long hair was Evren's bane but it was just another thing expected of her, just another right taken away.
"Stay still," Tugrul groaned as he pulled her hair again and stuck a pin in it, "there. All done."
Evren stood up and thanked her pale brother, "now that's over with, ye wanna dally?"
"Eh, good idea," Tugrul chuckled, "ye're such a difficulty though. I'll go check to see if they're expectin' us eh?" Tugrul reappeared quickly and shrugged. "We're good for at least 'nother five minutes."
"Good, I hate the damn job," Evren smirked and twirled her circlet around her finger, "I mean, I could just break this and whoops, looks like our dear Princess might not be available."
"Father'd be pissed though," Tugrul shrugged, "best be careful, eh? That old man ain't got nothin on ya when it comes to the weird shit this family does."
Evren scoffed, "really, Brother? Ye think I'm a deserving, and good Princess, ready to be a Queen?"
"Oh, Divines, no," Tugrul wrinkled his nose, "your shit."
"So are you," Evren grinned, glaring, "I mean, where's that person who's going to marry me, cherish me, and wrap me in his arms as I wonder how the fuck I ended up in this dump?"
"Your suitor can do that," Tugrul shook his head, "why do ya think I'm helpin' ye get outta here? I want ya to find a man, not the other way 'round." Evren nodded slowly, her smile faltering. Oh right, just another reason she left. Should she have admitted she loved her brother? Maybe. Did she ever actually need to? No. Tugrul would have ascended above their parents by now but that was no longer her concern. Evren was an adult now and she had found her own purpose journeying across random terrain in search of coin and fun.
Now, Evren couldn't even do that. It was a pity, really. Now, Evren was stuck in Quagmire with a brat of a Daedra. If anything, Evren just wanted to go have some strawberry tarts with Sheogorath and Haskill again, have a chat with that giant eyeball. Evren looked up, her bruises and scratches aching. She was sure she would be in just another place again, more disgusting than the last.
She pushed herself to her feet and glared at her surroundings. It had been a while and yet still, the thunder had not signaled the change in her surroundings. Perhaps the next would be better or worse. Evren could keep this up for a while, if only because she was more in her thoughts than in Quagmire. After hearing something in the bushes, Evren was quick to point her arrow at it.
She didn't know how much time had passed. Surely it was a lot. She saw one of the Hunger emerging, knowing well they shouldn't be in Quagmire. It lunged for her and she released a shadowy arrow. It pierced the daedra, killing it.
The thunder crackled and everything shifted again. Evren promptly vomited all over the edge of the cliff. Looking down, she saw crackling beings scurrying up the stone wall towards her. Ready to run, she turned to see that she was trapped up there. So, Evren ran along the ledge, feeling feet grabbing at her.
She screamed when she was dragged down and fell over the ledge. Thunder cracked again when she found herself in some fields. She recognized this tundra and shot up. A snake slithered around her, glaring suspiciously. "What is this, Mortal?" Vaermina hissed.
"Not sure," Evren muttered and walked along the grasses. Vaermina slithered up her leg and perched on her shoulders. She was by Whiterun and the guards she walked by did not notice her or Vaermina. "So Vaermina, ya still sure about keeping me trapped in Quagmire?"
Vaermina remained silent, slapping Evren with her tail.
The Last Dragonborn glared at the bubbling red energy before him. "What now, Dagon?" Gunnar scowled, "I already told you I'm not going to do what you want."
"Hermaeus Mora has made an enemy out of me, one he shall indeed regret. I will give you power, strength, and a form more fitting for your dragon blood," Mehrunes Dagon offered, "Hermaeus Mora wishes to make Arcelia his Champion to destroy me. You need me, Gunnar."
"No," Gunnar spat.
"Yes," Mehrunes Dagon hissed and Gunnar screamed out in pain.
"Od... Ah Viing!"