"Sanguine?" Sofia’s laugh was loud and bordered on a snort that was cut off abruptly as she saw the dark, serious expression on Kaius's face as he nodded. Something as simple as a nod should never have made her stomach drop as though a ball of lead had been forced through her insides. "As in the Daedric Prince, Sanguine!?"

  "Calm down missy.” As though he was trying to relax a stray puppy before it hurt itself, he waved his hands at her, gesturing about at the strange shimmer surrounding them. "I might have a glamour over us but I doubt your dour friend there will appreciate you shouting through it."

  "So what do we owe the pleasure of your presence?" Kaius asked carefully, and Sofia tried to ignore the way that his hand hovered over the hilt of his knife at his hip. “Are you here to pull some pranks?”

  "Pranks? Pranks?! A Daedric Lord such as myself does not deal in mere pranks." For a moment Sanguine's voice rose to a haughty shriek before he folded his arms like a spoiled child, sighing so heavily that the table shivered. "Truth be told, things routinely get a bit dull in the Myriad Realms and every few years I pop into mundus for a holiday. All my favorite things are on Nirn, but pity all this war and fighting business that seems to be going on these past decades. It's been a while since you mortals let your hair down and had real parties."

  Kaius's expression didn't waver and Sofia saw how Sanguine's eyes wandered to his sheathed knife before meeting hers. There was a promise of endless amusement in those swirling eyes and she found herself convinced that it truly was a Daedra sharing their table.

  "This isn't your usual female friend." Sanguine said, gesturing to Sofia. "While she's definitely a looker, what happened to Vicky?"

  "She's back home."

  "Ah. Trouble on the ol' homefront eh? Even so, I must say that I'm surprised to see you wandering about on the surface. You two always seemed so damned inseparable." Winking, he made some squeezing motions with his hands as though he was trying to move Kaius and Sofia closer together. "Does she know about you two?"

  "Do you think that Sofia would still be breathing if we were anything more than travelling companions?"

  "HA! Here I was thinking you knew all there was to know about the Velmer. Maybe you should ask her sometime, you might never know your luck. Does this one know who you are though?"

  "She knows what I am."

  "Wow, and here you sit?” Panic threatened to consume Sofia as the increasingly overwhelming presence sitting on the other side of the table turned its attention back to her. “You have some balls about you girly. Take some advice from an old daedra though; if you follow this man, do what he says. You'll live longer that way."

  “Also…” The expression that crossed Sanguine’s face was calculating despite the amusement as he smiled at Kaius "Don't think that I didn't notice that you said ‘what’, rather than ‘who’ there, buddy."

  "Just who is he then?" Sofia said, trying desperately to understand and gain some measure of control over such an impossible situation, watching the way how Sanguine reached over with an arm that seemed to extend-and-yet-not, to pick up the bottle. There was also no trace of any sort of drunkenness as he refilled his mug, placing the bottle back with a solid thud that revealed that it had refilled itself in the process.

  "Your friend here is very famous. Quite a big shot actually."

  "That, was a long time ago." Kaius added, taking a cautious mouthful from his somewhat crushed flagon with more than just a little bit of melancholy creeping into his tone.

  "In mortal years maybe, but not for those of us a little more... enduring..."

  He winked at Sofia and she felt even more awkward, especially when her flagon slid over to her on its own accord filled with what was undeniably her favorite mead; Blackbriar Reserve. Neither she or Sanguine had touched it, at least not physically and despite herself she stared suspiciously at how only a few seconds before it had been filled with the potent red wine they had been competing with.

  "It won't bite you know... Although one should always drink in moderation!"

  Blinking, Sofia could feel the onset of a magicka induced headache, or a hangover of epic proportions as she struggled to remove the afterimage of an enormous, clawed hand the colour of expensive wine that made the mug appear comically tiny.

  "Moderation?" Kaius grumbled, continuing to sip his own drink and watching Sanguine with wary eyes. "Getting soft in your old age?"

  "Ha! There's the Kaius I remember. One of my more recent worshippers created his own little bubble in the Myriad Realms and named it ‘moderation’. Nice place, although it can be a bit too… ‘flooded’ in wine from time to time. I might like the odd drink but I don't like being drowned in the stuff..." Leaning forward again in a way that practically folded his torso with his feet still on the table, Sanguine poured another mug from the perpetually full bottle and waved the smell into his face as though it was a pot of stew before continuing. "Anyway, as I was saying. Kaius here is certainly one gifted individual. Slaying monsters, rescuing damsels and saving the world. All that fun stuff."

  "So how did you two meet?"

  The way that Kaius choked on his drink and the stare that he gave Sofia was clear enough. ‘Keep your mouth shut’ was written across his face but it was almost as though he hadn’t learned a thing about her. She was many things; smart, beautiful, promiscuous, brave… Quite an endless list in fact, but ‘quiet’ was a word she could barely spell. Sanguine however appeared to be very similar as he drank the wine, smiling with a grin that contained far too many teeth for a human mouth and going to reply before Kaius cut him off.

  "I needed help with something."

  "Tell her the whole truth buddy. It's not nice to leave a woman hanging." A faraway look came across Sanguine's face, and somehow Sofia got the image of a contraption of ropes and harnesses that had nothing to do with executing someone appearing in her mind. "Kaius needed help killing someone."

  "I doubt that Kaius has ever needed help killing anything… Ever." Sofia muttered, not quite as softly as she had hoped.

  "Truer words have never been spoken. But this 'someone' wasn't just 'anyone'..." Leaning forward over his drink he covered his mouth from Kaius's view and his voice dropped into a conspiratorial whisper. "She was a god..."

  Sanguine’s tooth filled mouth stretched even further and his words left Kaius rolling his eyes while pretending to be more interested in his drink. Despite their relative short time together Sofia could tell that he was on edge, but that wasn’t much of a surprise. Everything about the situation was surreally wrong, like that one time she had tried a bottle of wine flavoured with enough moonsugar it was borderline skooma. The room was spinning slightly, the words and movements of those beyond the shimmering magicka twitching with their movements longer synchronised with the sounds of the tavern. As for Sanguine? He was something else entirely, appearing as the short Breton man with brown, curled hair hanging down past his ears, while somehow taking up the entire tavern’s interior at the same time.

  “A god… He killed a god? I find that hard to believe.”

  “Oh it’s true.” If he wasn’t tense before, Kaius certainly was now when Sanguine continued talking while gesturing to him with simultaneously tiny, yet oversized hands. “Look at him? Doesn’t he look like the stuff of legends? The type of person to spit in the eye of divinity?”

  “She wasn’t a proper god.” Kaius added.

  “Too true, too true. A true god like myself is immortal and impossible to kill. Oh sure, you can beat us up, break our physical forms and send us scurrying back home, but we’ll always be around. But there are ways to… let’s say… gain powers for mortals. Some methods are better than others, so don’t go around whacking a divine heart with a hammer and not expect to be deleted from reality. Blood sacrifice and worship seems to work pretty well though, right buddy?”

  Despite the humorous tone, Kaius ignored Sanguine which left the daedric prince pouting for a moment before continuing on with amusement infusing every word.

  “Anyway. True godhood is unattainable, but for you squishy mortals you can get close. At least for most of you, but apparently it's bad decorum to talk about Talos these days.” Snorting, he had another drink before continuing, draining his mug in a single gulp. “I mightn’t like the guy on a personal level but credit where it's due. But overall, for every other case of mortals trying to step up in universal affairs there is the whole issue of being ‘mostly’ invincible. You see, there is a big difference between ‘mostly’ invincible’, and ‘all’ invincible. Mostly invincible means you are ‘slightly vulnerable’ and that is a very important distinction.”

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  “In what way?”

  “It’s typically not pleasant to be stabbed in your ‘slightly vulnerable’ bits. Some people might enjoy it and I’m certainly not one for shaming someone’s tastes and sexual preferences, but typically I’d not recommend it.”

  Even for her, it was obvious the way that Kaius was standing and she could see how the ‘mouthfuls’ of his brandy only appeared as such. He was sipping his drink, watching, waiting for any moment where he would be required to react. That simple fact was equal parts comforting and concerning, especially how she had no doubt that one of the seventeen lords of Oblivion was sharing a table and drinks with them and Kaius appeared ready to fight him at a seconds notice.

  "So you helped him kill a demi-god?"

  "In a way.” Placing his mug down on the table where it refilled once more, Sanguine wriggled his hands as though he was comparing the weight of two objects, or slowly juggling something. "You see, to kill a god; even a half-arsed one like the spider-bitch you need some godly powers of your own. Kaius is powerful, but he needed a bit of ‘oomph’ to finish the job. Some years back, he came to me looking for some of that ‘oomph’. We first met at my shrine in Cyrodiil when he summoned me for a favour from upon-high to help him in his quest. Favours were exchanged, and I gladly gave him my Rose. It was one hell of a way to liven up a stuck-up countess' sixtieth birthday, that's for sure. Very enjoyable and entertaining."

  "I don't remember it being enjoyable." Kaius grumbled, still staring at the daedric prince with a considerable amount of disdain.

  "That's only because you don't appreciate a bit of public nudity." The burning gaze of the daedra returned to Sofia. "I wasn't the only one that he approached. As potent as a smidgeon of my essence is, he needed a bit more than I could provide. So, he approached a few of my kin for their support."

  "Mephala, Namira, and Peryite." Even such words had a power to them all on their own and Sofia shivered despite herself as Kaius spoke them aloud. Mephala, princess of Murder, deception and Secrets. Namira, goddess of decay, darkness and rebirth. Peryite, lord of pestilence, infection and contamination. A powerful trio of daedric princes with all the terrible association of what ‘gifts’ they could provide someone like Kaius.

  "Don't forget about good ol' MD."

  "I doubt that he would consider anything I have ever done, being a favour for him."

  "Oh, I know that.” The laugh from the daedric prince was terrible but somehow jolly at the same time. “Dagon was pissed when you took his Razor. Heard him screaming and yelling even from my side of Oblivion."

  "Pretty sure I am on his shit-list anyway." Somehow, the way that Kaius merely seemed to shrug and sip his drink again was extremely foreboding. The connotations that Kaius had personally drawn the ire of the Daedric Prince of Destruction by stealing an artefact from him was more than enough to fill Sofia with dread.

  "The big red guy? Nah..." Sanguine waved his hand at Kaius and chuckled. "He's not one for holding grudges. Brother-mine might be MAIM!! KILL!! BURN!! all the time but nothing sticks for too long. You did miff him a little with the whole 'stopping his invasion' thing and killing most of his followers, but dangle something shiny in front of him and he'll lose interest before you know it. He likes change afterall, and you have proven yourself pretty damn good at changing things."

  Sofia couldn't help but giggle at Sanguine’s expression and the way he strutted his arms in front of his chest and imitated what could only be Mehrunes Dagon. At least until a tap to her leg returned her to her senses. Normally such a strange fuzziness would have been as a result of the potent alcohol that she had drunk so far, but between the flagon of Sanguine’s wine and a few mouthfuls of Blackbriar Reserve she was still very much sober. Being in the presence of a Daedric Prince was intoxicating in its own way, and Kaius had subtly, and lightly kicked her ankle when her mind began to wander too far.

  "Bally-boy on the other hand loathes you." Stretching his back, Sofia felt her stomach roll as she saw the way that the daedra somehow managed to brush his fingers against the ceiling as he lifted his arms above his head. Despite still appearing human, and a short one at that, Sanguine’s dimensions were all wrong. A headache inducing appearance that Sofia’s mind was trying, and failing to comprehend. "He's pissed that he hasn't been able to bend you to his will. Just between you and me, buddy… I think he’s worried about you getting yourself killed and being stuck with you for all eternity. Some of us daedra don’t want that sort of trouble on our hands, but don’t worry too much though. In certain circles you have some influential friends."

  "Get it?” Sanguine leaned again, smiling out of the corner of an all-too-large mouth while somehow nudging Sofia in the side with an elbow without getting out of his seat. “Circles? Of hell?"

  "I doubt it. Last time I checked I didn’t have anyone owing me any favors.” Any other time, Kaius's attitude and insolent tone would have been highly antagonistic, but when directed at a literal daedric prince it was terrifying. “Especially to the likes of you.”

  "Oh, how you wound me so.” Mockingly, Sanguine pressed a hand over his heart while showing a mouth that was now full of razored teeth. “Survive a few hundred years and you’ll be surprised how endearing someone like you is to my family. Azura has always had a thing for heroes that catch her eye. Don’t ask me why though. I might be the god of kinks but my sister seems to love getting involved with mortals as much as I do. Also, don't let it go to your head but Boethiah appreciates you slaying that bitch down below. Vaemina a little too. Do you have any idea how annoying it is when your followers mistakenly start giving praise to a different god?"

  There was a snort like a draught horse and Sanguine pressed a hand to his chest. "I have never had such an issue myself, as there's not too many gods or potential gods out there interested in drinking and fucking. However, the amount of times that Bo' lost worshippers to ‘her’ was pissing him right off."

  "Just who was this 'god' that you two keep talking about?" The question couldn’t be contained any more even despite Kaius's unspoken warning. The stare that he gave her though was somehow even more terrifying than Sanguine seated across the table.

  "No one of any importance."

  "Not anymore at least." Sanguine added with a laugh, a hand somehow coming to rest on Sofia’s shoulder that was somehow normal sized, but large enough to cover her entire shoulder and part of her chest and back. "The bestest advice I can give you in regards to our good friend here is; unless you want to die the most spectacular death possible, don't mess with anyone he loves. Otherwise you’ll be lucky to even end up as a footnote in a dusty book somewhere."

  The thought wormed its way into her mind and she could believe that. Her quiet, powerful companion seemed to have everyone's best interests in heart but it was obvious that he was not one to cross in any way. Then, as the pressure of the enormous-but-normal sized hand lifted and Sanguine leaned back another thought crawled into existence. Kaius was obviously tough enough and had zero qualms with literally kicking a Daedric Prince in the leg and apparently hunting down and killing someone of comparable power. His reasons to do so also seemed to be motivated by love or revenge or some sort of combination of both and once more, the sight of the road covered in bodies and blood appeared in her mind. There was a connection there, something tangible but just outside of her understanding without more clues. The question that appeared in her mind was very simple.

  What had the Thalmor been responsible for to merit such hatred?

  "Just when I was enjoying myself." Something almost resembling pain crossed Sanguine’s face as he pressed his mug, again filled to the brim into his temple as though fighting off a hangover.

  "Last drinks is it?" There was no denying the hint of amusement that entered Kaius's tone and subtly, he relaxed a little, his face breaking out into the hints of a smile.

  "In a way. Every time I find a nice establishment and start to enjoy myself it seems I get called away for work." The daedra’s shoulders slumped while idly licking his lips. "Some mortals in Highrock are trying to liven up a party with some good ol' 'guine love and they’re doing their, -heh- ‘damned’ best to get my attention. I'd love to sit back and swap war stories but, as usual I have places to be and parties to crash."

  A hand that was now four or five times the size of what it was supposed to be moved and pushed the bottle into the centre of the table, its form shifting and twisting like a mirage and even changing shape in the process. It was tall and expensive; both bottle and label alike, and where the previous one was long since faded and illegible, this one proudly displayed the word, Shadowbanish for the world to see. Even for a woman as superbly experienced with all sorts, types, and makes of alcohol as Sofia, she didn’t recognise it, but knew that it was possibly one of the rarest and most expensive items in Whiterun that night.

  "A token of my esteem. Don’t drink it all at once and it pairs marvelously well with roast lamb." Sanguine said cheerfully, nodding to Kaius and giving Sofia a heartfelt grin. “It appears that someone else will become the bearer of my not-quite-holy Rose tonight, but it certainly won't be you two. Don't be a stranger though Kaius. I have a lovely little pocket realm set aside for you, if you ever feel like stopping by."

  "I'll consider it." In a tone that conveyed the complete opposite meaning of his words, Kaius smiled, and lifted his drink in toast to the Daedric Prince as Sanguine stood up out of his chair, ignoring the way that Sofia involuntarily gasped at the sight. Everything about him was wrong, from the way that he had to hunch despite the tall-roofed construction of the tavern, and her eyes were hurting as though she was staring at the sun reflecting off fresh snow.

  A mouthful of fangs glinted in the darkness in a smile promising unimaginable self-indulgence and excess, and as she blinked he was gone, the afterimages of an enormous, endless wine-mist cloud the only trace of his existence. The mild sense of dislocation however remained, that and the expensive bottle of wine from a peerless vintage that Kaius was staring at with wistfulness from the depths of his memories.

  "Is this what you consider a normal or regular occurrence?" Sofia couldn’t help but see the way that the tension left his body, especially as he thudded heavily into his chair with a healthy distance between him and the now-vacant third seatat the table.

  "Sometimes."

  Blowing out a breath, Sofia looked about the tavern and noted how everyone was going about their business without the slightest hint of what had happened. The enchantments were gone, the stuttering, twitching nature of the tavern’s interior fading, and with it the tingling headache that had been creeping into her mind while Sanguine had been present.

  "You are going to have to explain a lot about what all that was about."

  "Not tonight." He replied, simply and quietly as though deep in thought by the way he was staring at the bottle on their table. "Maybe once we hit the road."

  Silence fell between them, their eyes mutually staring at the bottle’s presence; the only evidence of who, or more precisely what had happened that evening. Kaius seemed to be staring at the ancient, and somewhat faded symbol of the Imperial Legion marked on the label, Sofia was staring at the maker's mark and assessing just how much risk there was drinking such a gift from a daedric prince.

  "Ah, to Oblivion with it." Reaching over she grasped the bottle and popped the cork, dumping the rest of the mead from her flagon into the pot plant in the process before refilling it with the wine. After everything that had happened and despite how drunk she knew she was about to get, she knew that this was a night she was going to remember. Whether she liked it or not.

  Blood of Dragons Volume 3 - An Evening to Remember