Chapter Text
Evren woke up at High Hrothgar again, after everybody returned. She'd been somewhat lonely, despite having Durnehviir to talk to. Paarthurnax and Arcelia had disappeared the previous day, returning with the floating orb that the Dragonborn stole. Eventually, Evren decided to walk to the top of the mountain and was greeted by Arcelia playing with the dragons. "Fus Ro Dah!" Paarthurnax shouted at the ground and a massive wave of snow crashed into Arcelia and Mallokun. "I think I won."
Evren laughed as she watched Arcelia helping Mallokun get rid of some of the snow that covered him. Mallokun agreed with Paarthurnax. The black sphere that they'd brought back suddenly let out a low growl as Hermaeus Mora appeared. "Hey," Evren smiled slightly, glad to save him. He, however, looked a lot more agitated.
"If you are done with your entertainment," Hermaeus grumbled, "I have left you alone for long enough. What happened in Aetherius."
Arcelia explained, leaving Evren confused. She had no idea they'd been to Aetherius. "And now, we have the soul that he absorbed," Arcelia finished. The orb chirped and bumped her shoulder. "It's been a pest."
The orb floated away, pouting by Evren's side. "It's fine, bud," Evren chuckled and the orb grumbled, "hey, at least you can see me. Remember, don't tell anyone." The orb bobbed up and down and chirped at her.
"The soul of who?" Hermaeus asked.
"No idea," Arcelia shrugged, and the soul left Evren's side, rolling in circles around Arcelia's feet. Hermaeus had a book held in one tentacle, and he seemed to be writing furiously with another. Evren walked over, peering at the pages. Some of it was notes but a lot seemed to be scribbles and curses. Confused, Evren backed away. Suddenly, two tentacles shot out, pulling the orb towards him. The orb screeched and struggled while Arcelia groaned, "just bare through it."
Hermaeus watched as the orb squeaked and gave up. Hermaeus sent a bolt of shock magick through it and the red streaks in the black orb flashed. It started chirping furiously and Hermaeus sent a message for only the orb to hear: "Alduin?"
"Don't dare tell them. This form is humiliating," Alduin grumbled through the link. All Evren saw, however, was a confused daedra staring at a ticklish orb. Hermaeus dropped the sphere and it rolled to hide behind Arcelia's foot.
"That is all. I see Vaermina has moved her forces to help Sanguine though I cannot say why she would want to," Hermaeus Mora spoke, "the attack on Quagmire will be soon."
"Very well," Arcelia nodded and the daedra vanished. Evren frowned when she saw him leave. Arcelia looked down at the soul by her feet. "You're going to have to get used to him."
Evren was confused to hear voices on the path up the mountain. What she didn't expect was to see Hermaeus Mora talking to the orb. The orb clearly noticed her, and Hermaeus looked in her direction confused. The orb paused before letting out a series of chirps. "Very well, Alduin," Hermaeus grumbled.
So that's what Akatosh met by Alduin being alive.
"Your Alduin?" Evren hissed. Alduin bobbed up and down.
"There's no need to mock me further," Hermaeus replied to that. Evren laughed and sat beside him on some rocks. "No, I don't. How do you know about that?" Hermaeus paused, "there are issues, yes."
Alduin chirped and neared the two, perching precariously on Evren's shoulder. Hermaeus sighed, "I heard it from Sheogorath so it's unlikely to be true, but even then, I wouldn't be surprised. Evren always acted like she was hiding something. I expected it to be more than a small matter. Pregnancy, however..."
Hermaeus continued but Evren couldn't hear him. Instead, she collapsed onto the ground, in tears. Alduin chirped angrily when he was knocked off and started hovering again. Evrenhugged her knees to her chest, laughing. Evren only stopped laughing when Alduin floated over to her, smacking her on the forehead. "Hey!" Evren glared and Alduin let out a low, non-menacing glare. "Yeah, sorry." Evren sighed, calming herself down.
"Alduin. What are you doing?" Hermaeus stopped his rant and Alduin chirped, resting on Evren's shoulder again. "By Bormahu, yes, I'm jealous... No, it's not that. I don't want children. I just want..." Hermaeus paused probably hearing something she wasn't. "Yes. I want her."
"I'm sorry," Evren sighed, "I'm not gonna lie, I think I was a little jealous of Arcelia." Alduin started rocking from side to side on her shoulder. "Oh shit. Yeah, you can hear me." Alduin stopped rocking and chirped.
After a while of silence, Hermaeus spoke again, "thank you, Alduin. You're right. It's unlikely to be true. What if, when I see her next, it is, though. What then? What will I know." After a small moment, Hermaeus glared, "I suppose you're right. It makes no difference. I'd be there for the child regardless."
Alduin bobbed up and down, perching on Evren's shoulder again. Alduin chirped and flew towards him, resting against his eyelid. Hermaeus Mora closed his eyes. "Yes. We are brothers indeed, no matter how jealous you are. Unslaad kogaan, mal zeymahi." Alduin let out an angry chirp, confusing Evren. Hermaeus laughed as Alduin laid in the snow by Evren's foot. After another long silence, Hermaeus spoke again, "perhaps it is nobody's fault."
Evren suddenly grinned and looked over at Hermaeus. "Now that's something I've been waiting to hear. But, by that logic, it isn't mine either. I'd say it is. How am I supposed to love myself if it's all my fault? I'm the one who did this. You gave me everything and I kicked it in the dirt. Even if now, I would maybe be a bit better, how do I atone for that?"
Alduin chirped and hovered, tapping her foot. Evrenlooked up as Alduin hovered right in front of Hermaeus' eye. Alduin chirped at him a few times and Hermaeus hummed, "she may have pushed me away, but because she expected me to actually go away. I'd argue that it isn't her fault. She chose to push me away. I chose to stay. She's already made her decision involving me and I'll respect that, but I will still choose to stay. I love her and I won't let that go, no matter how much it hurts. She is not mine, not anybody's, but I stay because I believe I'm hers."
Alduin stopped rocking and let out a few low chirps to Evren. Evren curled up, sniffling. "I'm sorry." Evren yelped when Alduin smacked into her shoulder. "What?" Alduin perched again and continued rocking. Evren sighed, watching Hermaeus. Her eyes widened when he saw his eye shinier than she'd ever seen it.
"Yes. I love her," Hermaeus whispered, "I should return to Apocrypha. I have never cried in front of anyone. I'd hate for that to be you."
"No," Evren whispered and reached toward him but he was gone, "I don't want you to go."
Alduin let out a low purr and nudged Evren's hand. She lifted the black and red sphere, giving him a small smile. Alduin chirped again before pressing against her forehead. "Thank you, Alduin, for that," Evren sniffled, "I guess what's saddest is that he's said it all before and it didn't do anything for me. I don't think I believed him then. So why now?"
Alduin let out a hum before chirping and hovering off the edge of the cliff. Evrenwhipped her eyes. "What do you want?" Alduin hurried back and nudged her toward the end. He hovered off the edge again, seemingly waiting for something. "You want me to follow?"
Alduin chirped and bobbed up and down. Evren hummed. "Dur Neh Viir!"
Durnehviir appeared, shaking himself. "You need me?"
"Yeah. Alduin wants me to follow," Evren gestured.
"Alduin?" Durnehviir chuckled, "I doubt that's what he meant. Climb on." Evren did so and Durnehviir flew after the sphere. Alduin floated through the air with immense speed. They flew Northwest, flying over Whiterun and eventually the mountains of Haafingar. They continued before Alduin stopped, hovering above a castle on an island.
"Looks like you were wrong, Durnehviir," Evren chuckled, "where are we?"
Alduin chirped to Durnehviir and he sighed. "I am afraid I know. This is the home of the Volkihar Clan," Durnehviir snarled, "their matriarch, Valerica, fled from them with her daughter. Valerica hid in the Soul Cairn, though I don't know where her daughter fled. I was tasked with guarding Valerica, the task that trapped me there with her. Ruth strun bah. Why are we here, Alduin?"
Alduin chirped and flew in a circle, continuing to chirp before flying closer to the water. There was a small boat passing by, covered partly by a cloth. Luckily, they couldn't see Alduin because of his small size. They watched the boat pass by and Durnehviir hummed. "The Tyranny of the Sun. They must have found a Kel, an Elder Scroll. They must be stopped. What can we do?"
Alduin let out a low whine and drooped slightly. "Nothing, huh?" Evren sighed. Alduin bobbed up and down, letting out another whimper before they started flying back. It took a while before they reached the Monahven. Alduin chirped when he saw Arcelia frowning. Alduin bumped against her forehead and she chuckled. Durnehviir landed, confused when he saw Mallokun staring slightly at them.
"You're going?" Mallokun turned back to Arcelia.
"Yeah. The attack on Quagmire is today," Arcelia sighed, "I think I'm ready."
Arcelia looked over at Paarthurnax, who nudged her. "You'll be fine, Yoli. You're only helping in the assault, not attacking Vaermina," Paarthurnax comforted her.
"Geh," Arcelia agreed, "well, goodbye."
"Good luck," Evren waved as Arcelia was wrapped in a purple void. Both disappeared and Evren watched Mallokun reassure Paarthurnax. Even though everybody was worried about Arcelia, and Evren was too, she was more concerned for Hermaeus Mora. "So, Akatosh?" Mallokun glowed with fire as Akatosh stepped out of him, staring down at Evren. Eyes wide, Durnehviir bowed.
"Not again," Akatosh muttered, "I'm your father, Durnehviir. Please, don't bow. Now, Evren. Do you have something to say?"
"If, when Arcelia succeeds, will I be trapped here?" Evren asked, "I mean, I came here through Vaermina's power."
Akatosh replied, "while your body is trapped within the Shivering Isles, I can transport you there at any time. But, you will not leave this place at Vaermina's death either. Dagon's grip on the Door to Cyrodiil is more powerful. Still, you should return soon. It will only be a matter of days before your soul rips beyond repair."
"Is that to say it's already ripped?"
"Yes, but nothing serious. Once it rips completely, you will be ethereal forever," Akatosh explained, "I'm not concerned. You'll be fine."
"Okay," Evren sighed, "why do you help me?"
"My son, really. That, and I trust Mephala's judgment. She and Hermaeus Mora were always meant to be the same being. Perhaps it's a good thing that they accidentally split," Akatosh chuckled, "that, with the dov, it's a dysfunctional family. Arcelia has found her place in it. Perhaps you will too."