“Offer a bottle of Cyrodilic Brandy and My Lord Sanguine might speak with you” – one of the worshippers at Sanguine’s shrine told Lena. “But don’t be offended if he doesn’t” – he hastened to add, looking her over.

“Actually, I think I shall be offended if he doesn’t” – Lena replied to the horror of the worshipper.

She placed the bottle on the altar.

“Ah… another mortal has come to beg for some excitement… Oh – hello! What brings you here, Wolf?”

The worshippers stared at Lena with envy and disbelief.

“I need to speak with you, Sanguine” – Lena told the statue. “Privately” – she looked around at the glaring faces of the worshippers and glared back at them.

“Very well, meet me in The Three Sisters’ Inn in Leyawiin – the upper floor room. There’s also something we need to do at the castle there.”

The worshippers got up to leave.

“No, you don’t!” – Lena jumped in front of a Bosmer who appeared to be their leader. “Sanguine is to meet me, not you, and in private. Meaning: you are not coming!”

“Nobody is meeting My Lord in private without my blessing, and you are certainly not getting it!” – the Bosmer retorted, baring his teeth in a growl.

“Oh yeah? Watch this!” – Lena bared her own teeth. She snapped her fingers and summoned a dremora. This was looking distinctly like a toddler squabble.

“I honour my Lord by destroying you!” – the dremora roared automatically, but then looked around and didn’t see any threats. He turned to Lena with a question in his eyes.

“Tell them who is your Lord, please” – she asked him, smiling.

“I serve My Lord Sanguine” – he replied, turning to the Bosmer. The Bosmer paled.

“And if Sanguine wishes to see me privately, do I need a blessing from one of his worshippers?” – Lena asked the dremora with a mischievous smile.

The Bosmer did not need a reply. The other worshippers were already cowering behind the statue, not wishing to offend the dremora in any way – whether he served Sanguine or any other Prince.

“My Lord will meet his lover without your blessing” – the dremora glared down at the Bosmer. It was rather fun to watch.

“Thank you, my friend” – Lena patted the dremora on the arm. “I should better be going – Sanguine will be waiting.”

She dispelled the dremora and mounted Roach to leave. The only thing missing from this scene was Lena pulling her tongue out at the Bosmer. But who’s to say that she didn’t do it after she rode off.

…

“Do you wish to rent a room?” – Shuravi asked when Lena entered the inn in Leyawiin. “I have one on the second floor free.”

“I am expected on the third floor already” – Lena answered with a smile. “Has the room been paid for?”

“For a whole week, yes” – Shuravi looked at her with suspicion. “By a dremora!”

“Thanks!” – Lena replied quickly and was gone before Shuravi could serve her a sermon on the devastating effects of consorting with daedra.

…

“Why did you call me?” – asked Sanguine after they exchanged the usual greetings. “You sounded concerned.”

“Yes” – Lena rubbed her chin. “Do you remember Dylan? That Mazken that’s been following me around back on the Isles?”

Sanguine’s eyes glazed over at first, but then he remembered and nodded.

“It’s somewhat vague, but yes, I remember. There was a lot of brandy involved – and all that felldew…” – he trailed off, smiling to the memories.

“Sanguine – get back here” – Lena tugged at his sleeve, smiling, too. “Focus, please. Dylan. Help him.”

“Help him?” – Sanguine repeated, surprised. “What sort of trouble is he in?”

“He’s lonely” – Lena took Sanguine’s hand. “And you know better than any other how to deal with mortals… and the feelings that come from that.”

“Well… may be I do” – Sanguine smiled. “Daedra don’t feel the same attachment to one another as we can feel towards mortals, it’s ironic. And you’re the first one for him, then” – he nodded. “But why doesn’t Sheogorath just banish him while you’re gone?”

“Because I asked him not to” – Lena went red. “I hadn’t thought it through. So now Dylan will have to learn to deal with it.”

“And naturally you run to me for help!” – Sanguine laughed. “Not Mara, Dibella, Azura, Vaermina, or even Hircine – no, you ask me! Yet each of them could provide a solution, too.”

“Stop it, Sanguine!” – Lena jumped up and sat on his lap. “He needs to learn to deal with it, not drown it in sorrow or something. How do you deal with it when one of your mortal lovers dies?” Lena’s face was close to Sanguine’s, her eyes level with his.

“I grieve, how else” – he answered softly. “It is the way of things. I drink, remember?” – he smiled. “I have been careful of late to only take cursed mortals as lovers – vampires, werewolves, that sort of thing – but some have had the audacity of taking the cure…” – he kissed her.

“And losing their immortality” – Lena finished after a pause.

“Yes” – Sanguine was looking into her eyes again. “But you never forget the ones you loved.”

“You’ll help him then?” – Lena’s voice was but a whisper.

“If Sheogorath allows” – Sanguine nodded.

“He’d better!”

10 Second Seed

“So, what was it you wanted me to do here at the Castle?” – asked Lena. It was late morning and they were still in bed.

“Oh, right” – Sanguine smirked. “The Countess needs a bit of cheering up.”

“Meaning?” – Lena looked at him with suspicion. You could never trust Sanguine in these matters.

“She needs a bit of a diversion, a bit of frivolous entertainment” – he chuckled. “You’ll need to get yourself invited to one of their stuffy dinners, and then you’ll cast a spell and everyone will be naked.”

“What!?” – they laughed at the mental image of the pandemonium in the castle dining room. “But it will land me in prison!” – Lena frowned.

“Nonsense!” – Sanguine waved it off. “You’ll just cast one of your illusion spells – vanish and slip away or something. You assassins are good at that” – he winked. “I’ll give you the Rose as a reward. And I booked this room for a week” – he added, smiling.

“Well, all right then” – answered Lena, letting herself fall back onto the cushions. The Countess could wait.