Reaper's Genetic Legacy Experiment [Complete]

[LivvieLove]

[The following chapter has characters narrated by @mpart.]

Time For Tea
Anne focused hard on slowly learning more about the gods and mystical pieces of the world over the course of several weeks. She threw herself into it to fill her time - she had too much of it now and her mind was often flooded with negative thoughts when she idled too long. She and Majnun still hadn’t had any luck conceiving. It was starting to bother her more and more. Was there something wrong with her? Were they not doing something right? Was she simply not meant to be a mother?
When she wasn’t invaded with thoughts about becoming a mother, she was avoiding thoughts of inviting her parents over for dinner. She had finally asked Daisy to deliver a letter of hers to them just the week before and now she sat anxiously, wondering if they would actually show up the next day or not.
Despite it all, Anne continued to find reasons to remain cheerful. Majnun remained the perfect husband, even though he would occasionally test her patience where his guests were concerned. He even went out of his way and brought her several new dresses she was free to change into. She’d never owned so many colorful items before, it filled her with joy. No one could tell her she was too bright or that she ‘stuck out like a sore thumb.’
Sheogorath came by nearly everyday to keep her company. He was very quiet usually, and often had trouble conversing normally, but he always tried his best. Anne, while saddened by his self-doubt, never pressured anything from him. She could sense there was something deeper going beneath the surface, but it was not her place to insert herself between him and Alessandra.
She and Sheogorath read books together, mostly on the gods and magic. He would read to her and she would help him with pronunciation. He would help her with understanding what the books meant. It was a fantastic partnership and she told him so every time she saw him.
That day had been no different. By the time the evening rolled around, Sheogorath ‘poof’-ed home and Anne was left with her thoughts again.

Majnun had been busy and for once he recommended she avoid the study. Nyx had come to speak with him, as had Malice that evening. She could hear shouting and crashing from their argument that caused her to jolt as she slowly got ready for bed. She worried for Majnun. She always did. She knew he could take care of himself, yet she still hated not knowing what was going on.
She went to bed early that night; anxiety kept her from doing much else. Her parents would be in tomorrow. Well, assuming they even showed up. All had gotten quiet in the study as Anne slowly climbed into bed. It was almost too quiet. Anne drifted into a somewhat restless sleep.
She wasn’t sure how long she had been asleep when something gently touched her arm. It was a hesitant touch, followed by another one. Anne’s eyes flickered open before her face filled with worry. “My Sheogorath, what are you doing here, little one?”

Sheogorath stood at the side of the bed, his face looked sad and his gaze fell to the floor. “I…” He fidgeted with his hands nervously, taking in short, anxious breaths. He struggled to put together the sentence he wanted to say. “I had a bad dream.” His voice was soft and filled with sadness. He shifted again. “Grandpa’s not home.”
Anne sat up and looked at him warmly. “I’m so sorry, little one. What did you dream about?”
He fidgeted with the bottom of his shirt and kept taking his deep, short breaths. “I made you sad.” He whispered. “Like how I make my mom sad.” His voice shook a little bit with emotion. “I don’t want to make you sad.”
Anne’s face twisted with sadness. Her heart ached for him. She moved gently and patted the bed for him to come up with her. He climbed up the side of the bed and into her lap while she hugged him to her. “Oh Sheogorath, you could never make me sad.” She spoke softly to him. “You shouldn’t worry about that.” She slowly rubbed his back.

Sheogorath hugged her tightly and started to cry. Anne felt her heart break. “I… I… I…” He sputtered on the words as he cried. “I… d-don’t want to… to dis-dis-disap-disappoint you too.”
Anne closed her eyes with the pain his words held and she kept rubbing his back. She hushed him soothingly before she slowly pulled his chin up to look at her. She wiped his tears off of his cheeks with her sleeve.  “You could never disappoint me, Sheogorath.” She looked at him as he sniffled and the sobs still shook his shoulders. “Never. I will always be proud of you.” She said firmly. How anyone could feel anything other than love for their children baffled Anne. It made her feel terribly sad and terribly suspicious at what went on in Sheogorath’s home.
Sheogorath hugged her tightly and cried harder.
She hummed to him and rubbed his back, trying to comfort him.
His breathing calmed down as he took deeper, slower breaths. “I-I love you.”
Anne smiled as her heart filled with happiness at the boy. There weren’t words for how overjoyed that phrase made her feel. “I love you too, my Sheogorath.” She said warmly to him. “Very much so.”
His big, red eyes looked up at her as he struggled to find words to speak. “C-c-can I… c-can I… call you Mother?” His eyes had a desperate longing for acceptance in them that touched her. She almost felt stunned by the innocence of his question, but an unstoppable smile pulled at her lips.
“Of course you can.” She paused and thought about her words carefully. “I would like that very much.” She hugged him closer and continued to comfort the boy who called her ‘Mother’ until he drifted off to sleep. Inside her heart felt lifted. She had been looking for motherhood in all the wrong places - it was right in front of her this whole time.

Sheogorath was sleeping on top of Anne by the time Majnun had wearily walked into the bedroom. He looked over and saw his wife gently rubbing his head. She looked up and smiled softly to him, her eyes looking tired as well. “He had a nightmare.” She whispered.
Majnun smiled to her and kissed her forehead, feeling more amazed by her kindness with every moment he spent in her presence. “Agonin just left.”
Anne nodded and looked down at the sleeping child in her lap.
Majnun slowly unlatched Sheogorath from her waist and picked the boy up, still sound asleep. “I’ll take him back to his home.”

Anne looked up at him with heavy eyelids. “Be safe, my sweet.” She murmured to him.
He nodded to her gently and disappeared into the air.
Her eyes slowly closed and she was drifting off to sleep when she felt Majnun’s presence as he crawled back into bed with her. He pulled her up against him and that was the last thing she remembered before she finally went to sleep.

Anne paced back and forth from the the living room to the dining room. She fidgeted with her hands in between hugging herself tightly. Majnun watched her from the top of the stairs, though she didn’t see him. A smile pulled on his lips as he waited for her to make her rounds back into the living room before sliding down the banister and positioning himself against the archway before she even turned around.

She jumped when she saw him, her breath catching in her throat before she eased and and straightened herself. “What is it, my sweet?”
“If you keep walking back and forth like that you’ll create a little trench.” He grinned.
She sighed and her shoulders slumped since she had been caught. “It’s too early to get ready. I don’t have anything else to do. I can’t read… I can’t paint…” She fidgeted with her fingers in front of her.
Majnun smiled warmly at her before crossing the distance and hugging her.
“What if they don’t show up? What if they do?” She rested her head against him. It helped her feel calm. He always helped her feel calm.
“Would you rather they didn’t?” He would much rather they didn’t. The day he married Anne was still burned into his mind. He would kill them if they stepped out of line.
She shook her head anxiously. “I don’t know. I just wish I could get this over with.” She whispered.
Majnun kept his mouth shut, figuring his opinions on the subject would not be popular with his wife.

She pursed her lips and closed her eyes. “My sweet?”
“Yes, my heart?” They stood locked together in an embrace so familiar to both of them.
“I don’t have to go back with them, right?” It was silly, and she knew it, but her parents had been the only authority she had ever known.
Majnun tightened his hold on her. “Absolutely not.” He paused then, “unless… you want to?”
Her eyes came open wide and she stared at him with horror. She shook her head vigorously. “No! Not at all!” She would hate for him to think she would rather be anywhere else. She looked down and rested her forehead against him. “I’m just worried that… I don’t know.”
“Don’t worry.” He responded levelly. “They cannot make you do anything you do not wish to.”
She nodded. “I just feel badly for leaving them the way I did.”

Majnun scowled and rolled his eyes. He had nothing kind to say on that matter.
She pulled away and looked at him seriously, “what is it? Why are you frowning?”
His face softened and he shook his head gently. “They locked you in a closet, my heart. I promise you that you need not feel bad for leaving. In fact, you should feel bad that I forgot to burn down their house as I was leaving.”
Her face hardened. “Majnun!”
He shrugged loosely, “well, I didn’t. I’m just saying that it was on my to-do list.”
She wanted to stay firm but she felt a laugh coming up along with an overwhelming warm feeling that she always got when she looked at him. “I love you, my sweet.”
“I love you too, my heart.”
“How do you think they’ll be?” She pulled her arms up and folded her hands in front of her.
Majnun gave her a slightly smile, “I think they’ll be groveling on the floor begging for forgiveness.”
Anne frowned, “what makes you say that?”
“If they’re not then I’ll make them.” His face was playful but his tone was serious.
She shook her head. “That’s not how this works!”
He started to chuckle and shook his head. “It never is.” 

Anne took in a deep breath to calm her nerves as she stared at her reflection. She could do this. Her parents were not scary monsters. If she could handle facing off with the God of the Night, she could certainly handle her parents. She looked down at her wedding ring and smiled. So long as she had Majnun, there was nothing they could do to her. The thought was reassuring.
“Are you alright, my-” Majnun opened the door slowly and stopped speaking when his eyes landed on her.

Anne turned suddenly and pursed her lips, “is this too much?” She asked softly.
Majnun shook his head slowly, waiting for the words to form. “You look so beautiful.” He smiled softly at her. “You always do.”
She smiled softly and took in another deep breath. “Thank you, my sweet.” Her voice was softer and her eyes fell to the floor.
He leaned back against the door, but she could still feel his eyes on her. “Sometimes I wonder why you married a crazy fool like me.”
Anne looked up, her face filled with concern. “You’re not a crazy fool, my sweet.” She took a few steps closer to him as she spoke.
He chuckled, shaking his head. “I am though. I’m the god of crazy fools, don’t you know?” He grinned at her, his face showing hints of his insanity hidden in its goofiness.
She smiled at him but her face grew firm. “I still don’t think you’re a crazy fool.”
“That’s only because you have more kindness and perfection in your little finger than the entire world has when it’s compiled together.” He wiggled his pinky finger for her with a smile.
She shook her head, “you’re exaggerating.”
His face was serious. “I’m not.”
She felt her cheeks flush and she smiled at him warmly. “Will you help me with this necklace, my sweet?”
He crossed the distance between them fluidly and slowly adjusted the necklace on her neck as she looked down at her ring again. He latched the necklace into place and for a brief minute he let his thumb brush the back of her neck. A symbol rose to the surface, showing him that his protection spell was still in place. He checked it compulsively every night after Anne fell asleep.
He knew she would be upset from him using his magic on her like that, but he couldn’t bear the thought of being without her. Nothing could harm her with this spell: not poison, not magic, not even the powers of another god. He still didn’t feel it was enough, but it was all he could do without alerting her of his magical presence. If only she would just let him make her immortal.
“Thank you.” Her voice broke him from his trance and he leaned down to press his lips to the back of her neck, reinforcing the spell once again.

“Of course, my heart.”
She looked towards the window. “Do you think they’ll be here soon? Should I check on dinner?”
“It’s all taken care of.” He could sense them approaching but he decided to keep the thought to himself. “Relax, my heart.” He bit his cheek and paused. “Head on downstairs, I’ve got some last minute stuff to finish up in the study, ok?”
Anne looked at him nervously, “a lot of stuff?” She didn’t wish to face her parents alone.
“Just a few repairs I need to finish up, it won’t take long. I promise.” He whispered to her.
“What if my parents get here?” She suppressed the anxiety that grew in her.
Majnun smiled at her, “then you can welcome them in and if they give you even an inch of trouble you come and get me.”
Anne nodded slowly. “Please don’t be long.” Her voice was soft.
He nodded to her and they shared a kiss before he moved back to his study. He sat himself down at his desk and focused on her parents coming up the walkway with his magic.
There were no repairs.
He wanted to see what kind of people he would be dealing with. He would terrify them. He terrified everyone. It was part of his personality. He needed to see that they would treat Anne well even when he wasn’t in the room to scare them into doing so. If not, they would live very short lives. Very short lives, indeed.

Anne had barely stepped downstairs when she saw them through one of the windows. Her heart sank inside her chest and she suddenly found it hard to breathe. She debated going back upstairs to grab her husband yet she remained frozen in place.
The knock on the door made Anne shake slightly. She took in deep breaths and tried to steel herself. Nothing could prepare her for this.

Anne slowly approached the door and opened it, expecting the worst.
Her parents looked the same as they always had. They stared at her with big eyes, likely taking in her dress and hair. The silence seemed to consume them for a moment before Anne finally swallowed. “Hello.”
It surprised her then when her mother nearly burst into tears, “Anne!” She threw her arms around her daughter suddenly and Anne’s eyes went wide. She had half-expected anger. “I’m so glad you’re alright. How did you get here? Have you been eating well? Have you been hurt?”
Anne was a little confused. She had written them a letter explaining how she had been married and living happily with her husband. She shook her head slowly before she stepped numbly to the side, “come in, please.” Her voice was soft and passive. It was all she could manage.
Her parents cautiously entered the house. Her father was staring at her with condescending eyes and her mother was slowly gathering herself from the tears that had started to fall from her hugging Anne. Her mother spoke up again. “Oh, Anne. Why did you run away?”

Anne looked to the floor sadly, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you.” She paused. “It wasn’t my intention.”
Her mother’s brow furrowed and she shared a look with her father - one of strange, condescending concern. “Sweetie… are you… are you feeling ok?”
Anne looked up at them, trying to figure out why they were looking at her in such strange ways. “Yes, I’m feeling fine, why do you ask?”
Her father held up his hands now. “We’re just very glad you’re safe, right, Victoria?”
Her mother nodded firmly then, and Anne couldn’t help but wonder why everything felt so off. She let her gaze travel to the stairs then as she wondered where her husband was. “Of course, Robert. Are you here all by yourself?” Victoria looked around then.
Anne shook her head, “no, I’m here with my husband. He’s finishing up some work-”
“Hus-husband?” Her mother looked at her with wide eyes before sharing a look with Robert. She reached over gently and rubbed Anne’s shoulder. “Right. Of course. You did write to us that you’ve gotten married.” She smiled a forced smile then. Something was very wrong.
Anne nodded very slowly then, “yes. His name is Majnun.”
“Majnun.” Victoria said his name slowly, again, giving Robert an uneasy glance. “That’s an… interesting and unusual name.”

Robert nodded his head, “you said he’s finishing up some work? What… what kind of business is he in?” His voice was skeptical as he began to eye the finery of the house.
Anne frowned, she had no idea how to even begin to explain. He was a god. She was married to a god. His work was still mostly a mystery to her, though she understood it a lot better now than she did several months ago. Yet how do you explain to someone that your husband helps make all the magic in the world usable when that someone doesn’t even believe in magic in the first place? “He… does repairs.” It was the first thing she could think of. It wasn’t false.
“Repairs…?” Robert’s eyes narrowed and he looked around the house. He didn’t seem to believe her.
Anne sighed and nodded, “it’s a little hard to explain, but I-”
Victoria held up her hand and hushed her. “No, of course dear. We understand, right, Robert?” She gave him a stern glance and Robert nodded.
Anne clenched her fists slightly. Her parents were acting so strangely and it was making her angry. What was going on? She let out a breath to calm herself. “Would you like some tea? Dinner won’t be ready for a little bit longer.”
Victoria smiled another forced smile, “how kind of you, darling… how about I get it? Ok?” Anne finally put her finger on it. They were treating her like she was incapable.
“I can make tea, mother. You are my guests.” Anne retorted defensively, yet she still tipped her head downward.
Victoria frowned, “Anne, please don’t trouble yourself. Tea is a little difficult to make, and I would hate for you to… trouble yourself.” Her voice was loose and delicately dancing around the topic that they didn’t think she could handle making tea.
“Sana makes the tea, mother. It won’t take long, and it’s certainly not difficult.”
Her mother’s eyebrows came together again in confusion. “Sana?” She looked around the entryway. “Where is… Sana?”
Anne sucked in her cheek slightly, “in the kitchen.”
Relief seemed to fill Victoria’s eyes, “oh, good!”

Anne lead them into the living room and got them situated while she went to gather the tea. She felt angry at their treatment the longer she was away from them, yet it seemed whenever she was in their presence it dragged up the passive side they always beat into her. Majnun had never, ever treated her this way and she had gotten so used to being treated as an equal rather than inferior. It was almost painful to be dragged back to how things were. She slowly brought out the tea and her mother frowned at her. “Where is Sana?”
Anne sat the tea down slowly and frowned back at her. “This is Sana.” She gestured to the kettle.
Victoria’s mouth came open slightly in disbelief. “The… teapot… is Sana?” She pronounced everything very slowly, took in a very long breath and reached for her daughter. “Anne, I-”

The door flung open suddenly. “Mistress! I’m home!” The vampire face of Quinn sauntered into the living room, stopping suddenly as his disguise fell off of him. “Oh-ho, what’s this? Guests? I love company! Hello company!” He grinned widely at her parents.

Anne wasn’t sure if she was relieved or mortified.
“Are… are you Majnun?” Victoria looked at him with distaste at Quinn’s clothing of choice that day. He caught a glimpse of her staring and wiggled his eyebrows at her while flexing his muscles.
“Me? Majnun? I can be if you’d like but to be honest I’d rather not die tonight.” He pursed his lips in thought. “The last time I tried to take his appearance he beat me within an inch of my life. I’d rather not repeat that experience.” He shrugged before his face lit up. “I’m Quinn! His priest, pest, and Master of Disguise!” He bowed lowly, and when his head came up he winked at Anne.
Victoria’s mouth fell open and suddenly Sana jumped from the tray she sat on and floated over to Quinn with a teacup to fill him some tea.
Victoria looked suddenly at Anne who was smiling sweetly. She reached across and gripped her hand tightly. “Anne, sweetheart, you need to come home with us. Now.” Her voice was firmer.
Anne’s eyes went big. “Mother…!”
“No, Anne, whatever is going on… this is way above your head, sweetie. You’re not capable of making these decisions on your own!”
Quinn shook his head with big eyes then, “I wouldn’t talk to the Lady Anne that way, you’ll anger-” He gasped suddenly as Majnun appeared in the room, his eyes narrowed and his arms crossed against the wall by the archway. “THE BEAST!” He grinned as he jumped back and away from Majnun.

The room seemed to darken at his entry and Majnun eyed them cautiously. Perhaps it was because he appeared out of thin air, or maybe it was the angry scowl on his face, but it caused both Victoria and Robert to grow entirely silence in shock and fear. The silence that enveloped the room was like a thick blanket, until Anne spoke then. “My sweet,” her voice was a whisper of a greeting.
Majnun gave her a gentle glance before turning to Quinn and gripping him by the collar to drag him closer. “Upstairs…” He punctuated the word. “In the study, Eravaeral’s orb has been repaired. Take it to her.” With a fast and fluid gesture he pushed Quinn back and away from him, but the speed of his movement sent Quinn flying back against the floor. Quinn pulled himself to his feet and dusted himself off before rolling his eyes and snapping his fingers - vanishing from the room.
Everyone sat in silence then and Majnun turned back into the room, his face was harsh but he let it soften just slightly. “I believe I interrupted something.” He turned his cold gaze onto Victoria, “please, continue.”
Victoria stood stunned for a moment before shaking her head. “That’s quite alright.” She squeaked quietly.
Majnun stepped closer into the room and the candles flickered in response. “No.” His gaze only grew harsher. “Please continue telling my wife that she is not capable of making her own decisions. I would very much like to hear it.”

Anne sat up straighter then. “Majnun.” Her voice was firm. “Enough.”
Majnun didn’t remove his gaze from Victoria, he knew if he did Anne would diffuse his anger and he wasn’t ready to give it up yet. After a moment longer he relented and closed his eyes. The room seemed to ease slightly at his change in demeanor. He walked slowly with his fists clenched at his sides. “I am Majnun Keeper.” He spoke through gritted teeth as he walked. “God of Magic and Madness.” He could feel their fear and it filled him with a joy. He would make them so terrified of him that they will never forget his name. Anne may not be happy with it, but he would never let them think of their daughter without seeing his face and his wrath to go with it. “We have not been formally introduced, so I welcome you to the Keeper household. A place which, as you likely aren’t aware, belongs entirely to my wife - the Lady Anne. I ask you to watch your tongue when speaking to her.”
He slowly lowered his gaze and met Anne’s. In her eyes was a mixture of emotions and it diffused his anger and fed it at the same time. He hated seeing her so distressed. He refused to let it happen in her home ever again. He had left them alone too long, but he needed to show them he meant business. He wasn’t going to play nice with them like Anne would. They either cooperated to his rules or they died. He would accept nothing less.
He let out another breath and reached to touch her cheek very gently. “I’m sorry I took so long.” He whispered to her.

Robert grew bold then and he gathered his courage to speak. “I apologize if we offended, we’ve just been very concerned for Anne after she disappeared.”
Majnun clenched his fists. “Concerned?” His voice grew darker and Iri blazed behind him in response to the magic clustering in the air around it’s master.
Anne clutched at his hand suddenly. “Majnun…”
“No, Anne. I will not play nice.” He crossed his arms then. “Where was your concern when your daughter was injured and locked in a closet?!” Anne tried to interrupt him but he kept going. “YOU did not find her in the state that I did. She could barely stand.” He spoke through gritted teeth and the house trembled. “And… you? You… were concerned? How… Quaint.”
The room shifted again and Quinn was between him and Anne’s parents, an amused look on his face. “Funny thing, master! I can’t find that orb anywhere! I turned your entire office upside-down and still haven’t found it. You better help me find it.” Quinn took a step forward then and gave Majnun a solid stare. “Come. Help. Me. Find. It.” He stated firmly.

Majnun glared at him, but closed his eyes and nodded. “Fine.” He couldn’t even bear to look down at Anne as he walked out of the room. He was too angry. Quinn shared a look with Anne that told her he would calm his master before following him up the stairs.

Majnun was seething in the office. He shoved the papers off his desk and growled before he let out a long breath and closed his eyes.
Quinn leaned against the doorway into the study and eyed his master. “You were thiiiis close to having the mistress’s rage on you, you know.”

Majnun clutched the desk. “It’s like they’re asking me to kill them.” He grumbled.
“A testament to your strength. I, personally, think you should kill them. No one should talk to the Lady Anne that way.” Quinn tossed Eravaeral’s orb up and down in his hand.
“You’re not helping me cool off, Quinn.” Majnun clenched his fists and sighed. “I do not want to upset Anne.” He clenched his jaw. “I do not want to upset Anne.” He repeated like a mantra. He didn’t. Why she wanted to keep her parents alive baffled him but he did not wish to upset her.
“Who said I wasn’t helping you cool off? The best deaths happen when you’re calm and cool about it. They can die nice and slowly.” Quinn gave him a grin.
Majnun took in another deep breath, his eyes came open wide suddenly - someone had gotten through his barriers.
Someone, whom he couldn’t decipher, knew the way around his barriers. He only ever showed those he trusted with that.
Quinn gave him a confused look. “What’s going-”
“The barriers! Anne!” He shoved Quinn out of the way and tore down the stairs just as the intruder fell through the ceiling and onto the coffee table.

Victoria screamed suddenly and Anne jumped back.

“Anne! Stay back!” Majnun had her pressed to him in a heartbeat - his magic making him move faster than what any person should. Majnun kept himself between her and the intruder - he would never let them harm her. Victoria and Robert scrambled off the couch and into the corner of the living room, trembling from the occurrence.
The man on the coffee table looked dazed briefly before groaning slightly.
Majnun held his hand out, feeling it grow hot with his magic. “Who DARE intrude upon my home?! No one should be able to get past my barriers!” He hissed through his teeth. Quinn sat across from him, mirroring the movement and fury in his eyes.
“Majnun!” Anne gripped his arm suddenly, “it’s ok! He’s stunned…” She ran around Majnun, despite him grabbing for her and bent over the man lying on the coffee table. “Are you alright?”
Majnun pulled on Anne and pressed her to him protectively, a gesture which she did not fight.
The man looked up and stared at Anne in awe. "Death to the red queen! Sensory blueing. Protective warden. Madman. White queen." He tilted his head slightly. "Would you like some tea?"
Majnun could sense it on him then.
Time Past. Yvaine.
He was a Priest of Time Past.
He slowly lowered his hands, it didn’t explain how the man got past his barriers, but there should be nothing to fear from Time at this point. He had done nothing wrong. “Why is a Priest of Time in my living room?” He reeked of Time-Travel. He was not from this Era.
Anne pulled out of Majnun’s grasp and sunk to her knees as she helped the man sit up. “You fell pretty hard, are you ok?” She asked him sweetly.

The man nodded very seriously. "Thirstiest fowl. Pelting surfboard. White Queen. Daffodils. Daisies. Tea." He pointed at Anne. "Destiny-DEATH TO THE RED QUEEN!"
Majnun froze in place, his eyes bouncing from the man to Anne. “What about Destiny?! What about Daffodils?!” He struggled with not reaching down and shaking the stranger in his living room. It was forbidden for him to touch a Priest of Time. What would Destiny do? Why Anne? He clenched his fists tightly, but Anne held up her own hand to stop him from speaking again
“Slow down, my sweet.” She gazed at him gently. “The poor man could be injured. What’s your name? Can you tell me if you’re hurt at all?”
Victoria and Robert watched with horrified faces, and Quinn kept his stance ready, though his face fell into a grin. Nothing ever went according to plan with Anne around.
The man stared briefly at Quinn before laughing hysterically. "Replacement. Noteworthy crumb. I'm fine. Trampling rupture. White Queen. DEATH TO THE RED-FATE." He jumped off the table and dusted off the debris on his clothes. He stared at Victoria and Robert before a teacup came rushing at him at full speed. He glared at the teapot. "TELL ME." He shrugged and drank it cautiously between laughing at the people surrounding him. 

Majnun gingerly helped Anne to her feet and pulled her to him again, looking over her gently. His spell was still in place and he felt relief rush through him. The moment of softness between them was not missed by Anne’s parents.
Anne looked up at Majnun sweetly before looking back at the stranger. “Please don’t yell at Sana. She makes wonderful tea.” She moved slowly towards the man again and Majnun moved with her, keeping a protective arm around her. “My name is Anne. What’s yours?” She tried once more to speak with the stranger.
The man stared at Sana, perplexed. He took a drink of his tea before throwing the cup at Quinn. He mumbled an apology under his breath. He pointed at his hat. "Mad."
Quinn scowled and grumbled under his breath.
Anne giggled and shook her head, “Mad… Hat…” She smiled. “Can I just call you Mr. Hatter?”
Majnun took over from there. He was not permitted to lay a hand on a Priest of Time. It made him angry. He clenched his fists. He needed inside this stranger’s head.
That was also forbidden. He could not be allowed to know what the future would hold. He desperately needed this man to become sane and tell him what he knows. Fate. Destiny. Anne. What was he missing?
The Priest of Time laughed. "FETCH." He stared seriously at Majnun. "Book. Twisted. Death. Breakneck guidebook. Extrovert. Cowboy. FLOWER."
Majnun looked the stranger - the Priest of Yvaine - dead in the eyes. He knew what the Priest was trying to say.  Anne’s life was in danger. He had gone out of his way to give Majnun this warning. His eyes broke away and he looked at Anne anxiously. “My heart…” He whispered.
Anne looked at him with confusion in her eyes before she smiled at him sweetly. She turned back to the Priest of Time to speak with him. “Mr. Hatter, would you like to stay for some dinner tonight?”

Majnun wanted to smile at his wife and her kindness. He agreed with her for once. They needed to keep the Priest here as long as they possibly could. The more hints he could drop the more Majnun could learn. “Yes, you should stay.” His voice was not gentle like Anne’s.
His eyes were troubled as he looked at the ceiling and laughed. "DEATH. Flower. Baby.” He stepped towards Anne then and pressed a hand to her belly. “Boy. Death keepers. Tick-tock goes the clock." He sighed, stepping back away from her, and gritted his teeth. "Compromise." His face turned into unspoken rage before he stared at the watch that had appeared in his hands. In just a moment he vanished into the air, leaving everyone shaken.
Anne looked over at Majnun, her eyes were big as she held her stomach gently in her hands. She hadn’t understood anything except the one thing that mattered to her.
Their eyes met briefly, worry filling his and hope filling hers. She didn’t even care that her parents were there, or that Quinn was avidly scrubbing at his shirt, trying to get tea out. She ran over and threw her arms around her husband, laughter escaping her throat.

It may not be today or next month, but Anne would have a baby boy.
While Anne would rejoice, Majnun would mourn.
Time was on his side, but time was also running out.


[Mpart is amazing for both reading this chapter, helping me put it together, and letting me borrow her Mad Hatter. The fantastic Mad Hatter (aka Priest of Time) is a character from mpart's stories, and his dialogue was written entirely by her!]

[oshizu]

What an amazing chapter! So much mystery and suspense! Foreboding.

@mpart  I loved Mr. Hatter, he is amazing. I kept trying to see what he looked like, but alas.

Shoeogorath is so adorable. Majnun is so beautifl at this time of his life.
I'm afraid, every update, to learn what the future holds for sweet Anne.

[LivvieLove]

What an amazing chapter! So much mystery and suspense! Foreboding.

@mpart  I loved Mr. Hatter, he is amazing. I kept trying to see what he looked like, but alas.

Shoeogorath is so adorable. Majnun is so beautifl at this time of his life.
I'm afraid, every update, to learn what the future holds for sweet Anne.

Thank you so much! I had a bit of a trying time piecing it together until the wonderful @mpart gave me some direction with the lovely Mad Hatter. He's spotted in her other story (Another Labelle Story) speaking with Maleficent, the present-day Goddess of Death. I do not imagine we've seen the last of him.

Sheogorath is truly adorable, and I can assure you we've not seen the last of him by far. This next chapter was so much fun to write. I hope everyone enjoys it when I finally gather the pictures for it. It's bittersweet.
Majnun is pretty gorgeous, isn't he? I think... I might have to let his hair go back to being curly in the present time. That might have to happen.
I love my sweet Anne. She's so adorable. I truly don't think there's a terrible bone in her body.
Thank you for the wonderful comment! I hope to have the next update up in a day or two (I have to build a lot for this next chapter, so we'll see how that goes for me). <3

[oshizu]

I forgot to mention that I enjoy every single outfit that Anne wears in your updates.
Is the first white and purple outfit a nightgown? And she looks like a different person in her all-purple dress.
Her white dress reminds me of a wedding gown--I love all the lace detail.

I used to like Anne's father but dislike her mother. Now, I rather dislike them both. Didn't her father used to be more understanding and affectionate toward Anne?

By the way, it was so amusing to learn that you're a Fenris fan. When I first read Risen from the Ashes, I kept confusing Finreth with Fenris, lol.

[LivvieLove]

I forgot to mention that I enjoy every single outfit that Anne wears in your updates.
Is the first white and purple outfit a nightgown? And she looks like a different person in her all-purple dress.
Her white dress reminds me of a wedding gown--I love all the lace detail.

I used to like Anne's father but dislike her mother. Now, I rather dislike them both. Didn't her father used to be more understanding and affectionate toward Anne?

By the way, it was so amusing to learn that you're a Fenris fan. When I first read Risen from the Ashes, I kept confusing Finreth with Fenris, lol.

I love Anne's new dresses! She needed an update. Her old dress was getting old. I also opted to just keep her hair loosely up these days because I didn't like how the other hair laid that much. Her white and purple gown is her nightgown. It looks so much nicer than her old one - her whole wardrobe needed an update just given that she's Majnun's wife and she's no longer tied to the "fitting in with society" lot.

I was always "eh" about Anne's father. I do think he and her mother care about her in their own ways, but I don't feel those ways are particularly good. They both thought she had lost her mind and ran away from them, now they're kind of having to look at it from the magical standpoint.
Majnun is still amazing as ever though. I mean - wait, before I launch into this, I'll just dedicate a little story part of it below this for everyone. XD My game has been up to some whacky things.

<3 <3 <3 FENRIS! <3 <3 <3 My Broody Elf! Ugh. I love that man.
"I'm yours."
(Swoons).

The Blooper Reel
Hello everyone! Just popping in with some random/interesting/funny pictures and stories for you. This save file is sort of a mystery to me sometimes and I think my game may be "broken" in some strange ways when I look at it.
Anyways, I didn't fully get to go into detail about Anne's new dresses/look - screenshot limit! Apologies. Here's another look at Anne's wonderful new purple dress. I love the color purple on her. She also rocks a new yellow lace formalwear dress.

I love seeing her in bright colors. She just looks so gorgeous all the time.

Funnily enough, Majnun and Anne are inseparable both in my writing and in the game. They're so disturbingly adorable that I don't really know what to do about it. I just can't handle it sometimes. Majnun is Evil, Genius, Hot-Headed, Insane and a Schmoozer. Anne is Good, Childish, Proper, Artistic, and Hopeless Romantic.
These two would seemingly not get along very well, yet they just gravitate towards each other. They've never fought. Ever. The one time I tried to make Majnun argue with her (don't hate me, it was a sick curiosity), Majnun said something with an angry tone once, Anne frowned, and the argument dropped from the queue. Majnun then autonomously took it upon himself to apologize.
Yeah. He apologized all on his very own. I knew it was love then.

Now when I leave them alone for too long they're always gravitating to each other.
That is, when Quinn hasn't decided he wants his butt kicked in a pillow fight. Yes. Quinn has challenged Majnun.
He loses every time.

He remains cheerful though.

He's too freaking adorable. <3
Quinn is funny. He always makes funny faces for me.

Sheogorath has a quirky, adorable story. He rolled a wish to have a tea party with his stuffed animals. I wasn't feeling it, so I removed it. Well he rolled the wish again the second I removed it. I felt bad so I decided, "why not?" This isn't the end of the story though. So I was following him around and he set himself up in his room.

And he put on his formalwear and I was "awww"-ing and taking pictures and what-not. I had never had my children Sims actually host a Tea Party before - so sue me.
Get this though - he puts down the stuffed animal and starts to take their order! How adorable is that?


So you know what he did after this? He got the action that he was going to go get it from the fridge downstairs. I thought it was hilarious. Only this house is magical, right? So he goes for the stairs and starts to go down and VANISHES.
I was so confused. I kept clicking on his portrait and he had vanished, his shadow showed up on the second floor in Majnun and Anne's bathroom (directly above the kitchen) where Majnun and Anne were ignoring the world and making out, as usual (you know, same ol' same ol'). Suddenly I hear the fridge opening and I go down a level and sure enough, the Fridge is opening, but there's no one there. I'm laughing and totally not even believing what I'm seeing. I click Sheogorath's portrait again and it takes me to the second floor where his shadow on the ground walks out of the bathroom and towards the door to Anne and Majnun's room, where Sheogorath jumps up from the floor - juice in hand - and makes his way back towards his bedroom like nothing.
Oh it gets better. I was totally entranced by Sheogorath during this period, right? So I'm not paying any attention to anyone else. Sheogorath is adorably carrying back his juice in hand to his little tea party and what does he walk into?

VICTORIA IS PUTTING HIS TOYS AWAY.
Sheogorath just stopped and stared at her for a minute and he looked sad... and all I can imagine is this little boy who was raised in the midst of "Cleanliness" and "Order" and just trying to be a kid so he runs to his dad's house and what happens there? Some strange woman comes into his room and implements order when he was still playing with his toys!
It was like, heartbreaking and hilarious because Sheogorath just stood there for a moment and stared at her - like he was as surprised to see her there as I was!
Doesn't matter though. Sheogorath carried on with the few toys he still had out.

He's just too adorable sometimes.

Anyways, as mentioned previously, Anne is childish. She loves hand puppets. She loves them so much.

This is like her favorite thing to do ever.

Ever.


Oh and Victoria is a pain in the butt. I'm still mad at her for what she did to my Sheogorath.

"Woe is me."
Yeah, that's what you'll be saying when I'm done with you, lady.

Despite it all, Majnun and Anne are amazing.


Annnd that's all I've got for you today. =) Pillow fights, Tea Parties, and Smooches.

[oshizu]

Did you say Majnun's last trait was Schmoozer or Schmoocher?

[PeregrineTook]

Manjun works in repairs.  Nice!
I really enjoy Quinn, but Yvaine is rather awesome.  I'm now not sure which of them I like best.  Yvaine has a lovely Mad Hatter air to him.

[LivvieLove]

Did you say Majnun's last trait was Schmoozer or Schmoocher?

XD
Schmoozer for sure, but her certainly seems like a schmoocher.
It's hilarious. Majnun will roll a wish to "Steal Candy from a Baby" and then he'll pop a wish to "Kiss Anne," "Watch the Stars with Anne," "Hug Anne Amorously," "Travel to x with Anne."
She's officially taken over in his brain and he doesn't care.

Manjun works in repairs.  Nice!
I really enjoy Quinn, but Yvaine is rather awesome.  I'm now not sure which of them I like best.  Yvaine has a lovely Mad Hatter air to him.

Hahaha, well he does do repairs! The Magical Repairman!
Quinn is fantastic! Though I should specify - Yvaine isn't the Mad Hatter. I'm sorry, I just realized now how that was likely not very clear! The Mad Hatter is a priest of Yvaine (the Goddess of Time Past, one of the Sisters of Time)! The Mad Hatter is to Yvaine what Quinn is to Majnun. I love the Mad Hatter, but Quinn will always be my #1. He's just too sassy for words sometimes.


You Guys Are Going To Get Sick Of Me Saying This But...
Ha, this is one of those announcement thingys.
In short (stop laughing at me, I know I'm windy and can't make anything brief ), I'm trying something new with this next chapter.
I'll be experimenting with a new language for this crazy world/story and I'm not sure if it will be well received or not! So feel free to tell me any thoughts or feelings you have on the next chapter (well, once it goes live).
I have one part ready so I'll go ahead and post that one right now (following this little tidbit) and then I'm going in to get the rest of the screenshots for part two. =)
Anyways, the "in brief" part - new language/culture being shown off a bit more, there will be full translations to the few phrases that are used at the bottom of part two. You shouldn't need the full translations of everything (I tried to make things obvious) but I put it there for fun and to be safe instead of sorry.
<3

[LivvieLove]

Saoirse: Part One
Present Day: Dragon Valley
Sheogorath sat rigidly, his eyes locked on the wall ahead of him. His face was stern and in his hand he clutched a ring. The silence in the room stretched on as he sat. He had been sitting rigidly for hours. Days, perhaps. He lost count. It didn’t matter to him. On the outside he was his strange calm.

On the inside, he was seething.
No, it was more than that. It was a beast beating at its cage. It was absolute rage. It was hatred in its purest form. Inside he was screaming. Inside he was breaking. He was a mess. He was the definition of everything he was supposed to loathe. No messes. Messes aren’t order.
A noise moved upstairs and Sheogorath’s head turned slightly, feeling stiff from all the time he sat tensed. Someone was in his house. He squeezed his fist around the ring.
He would kill them.
He would destroy them.
He would make a mess out of them.
He would make the biggest mess out of their mind so he would feel less like a mess himself.
He moved slowly and gracefully. His eyes were sharp and he took each step with a sense of sureness. He stopped and listened carefully, something was still moving in the bedroom of the house.

Sheogorath smiled a wicked, creepy smile as he thought of the torture he would inflict upon the intruder. He carefully ran his hand along the doorway before throwing the door open.
Sheogorath stood stunned by what he saw.
On the untouched bed sat a single, white flower.
It was missing a few petals, and looked worse for the wear. It radiated with an enchantment he remembered being placed on it like it was yesterday.
His heart started beating in his chest loudly and he slowly crossed the room to the bed. It was like someone was mocking him. His magic caused a slight tremor to fill the room as he slowly leaned down and grabbed the flower with his only free hand. He stared at the flower with big eyes, and it happened all at once.
The cage broke.

Sheogorath let out a piercing scream. He fell to his knees as the scream bounced off the walls. He felt everything then. Everything he ever suppressed came rushing forward at an impossible pace.
Her voice. Her comfort.
“I will always be proud of you.”
“It’s perfect to me. Just as you are.”
“You’ll be a wonderful father one day. I know you will.”
“You will always be my son.”
He crumpled to the ground and sobbed. He mourned for Mother. He mourned for himself. What had he become? Four hundred years and almost all of them he felt numb. He tried to shut her out. He tried to shut out Mother so he wouldn’t have to think about having lost her. When did shutting her out turn him into this person? When did he become Alessandra?
That was not how Mother raised him to be.
Treating Mania how he had, that was definitely not how she raised him to be.
Mania. Saoirse.

He had been posted to watch her under his master’s orders some 350 years ago. Her sisters were ordinary, but she was different. She challenged the rules. She broke the caste. She spat on their tradition. Her name then had been Saoirse. Her hair had been long. She had fire in her eyes.
She never lost that fire.
He opened his fist gingerly and stared at her wedding ring. The Sheogorath that Anne had raised loved her immediately. It was not hard. Conversations were hard, but loving her was not.
Loving her made him feel things again though. Things he didn’t want to feel. He didn’t want to feel anything. So he shut her out too, like he did Mother. It was easier to hate her than it was to admit that he had become the person he hated more.
His mind replayed their conversation over and over again. He had shut out his emotions when he was with her, but now he was feeling again. Now all he felt was pain. What had he done?
Her little girl looked just like her and that made him hurt even more.
That was not his little girl.
He was not cut out to be a father.
Alessandra had always told him so. Look at how Fate had turned out - torturing her lineage mercilessly. He hadn't even known of her existence until recently. No, he wasn't cut out to be a father. He clenched his fists around the ring again and continued to sob. He was nothing but a mess. Alessandra hated messes. He was broken. He had always been broken. He never did anything right. Mother loved him anyways.
Mania had loved him anyways.
And he had shut them both out.

“I… I… I’m sorry.” He whispered to the flower he held. “I’m so… so... so sorry.”
His greatest fear was disappointing Anne. Disappointing Mother.
“You could never disappoint me, Sheogorath.”
He could hear her voice in his head as clear as if she were still alive. It only made him cry harder.
His whole body ached with feelings he hadn’t felt in so many years. Rage. Sadness. Anxiety. Jealousy. Pain.
So much pain.
He was broken, but he could feel again.
He would find a way to make this right.

Several days had passed while he remained in a catatonic state. He stared at the ceiling in his bedroom and relived every memory since he lost Mother. He should have planted daffodils every year. He should have sang her song more. He should have danced with Saoirse when they met in the woods. He should have tried harder to work on his conversations. He should have tried harder for his wife. Conversations never came easily to him. They still don’t. They probably never will. Alessandra told him he was insane. He remembered that conversation so clearly. He was insane. He would never be sane. Sane people needed to know everything that could be said before it was said. He had to compensate for it. He was broken. He needed fixing.
No. He stopped himself. He was thinking about Mania. He was thinking about his wife. When did it become fun to make someone he loved hurt? She never needed fixing. She was never a mess on her own. He liked making her a mess. He liked making her a mess because it made him feel better about how in shambles his own mind was. She was so loyal. She was so loyal it hurt her.
Her eyes had been blue. They were blue before she took his master’s appearance. He remembered every detail of her.
Every painful detail.

She stood in the woods that surrounded the Glades and her blue eyes bore into him. He would have to make her forget him. She would cause a scene. Nymphs always caused a scene. They hated outsiders. They hated his master. Yet she stood silent, staring right at him. Perhaps she didn’t actually see him? He was terrible at stealth spells, but he knew one, at least.

Her gaze was unwavering, but her head tilted slightly. “I can see you, you know.” She laughed.
His face was emotionless, the veil fell away from him though. He could dig into her head and make her forget him.
“Yeah, you’re definitely not a tree there, buddy.” She giggled to herself before shaking her head. She pursed her lips. “Maybe a rock?” She teased.
He was slightly stunned. Did she not know who he was? Why didn’t she run? He frowned slightly at her.
Her giggling died down and she tilted her head the other direction. “Strong, silent type, I see.” She made a face at him. “So serious. So firm.” She paused and stepped closer to him.
He clenched his fists in response.
“Do you have a name, or shall I call you rock-boy?” She giggled again and took another step forward. “No, no, that wouldn’t work. Hm.” She put a finger to her lips and she gazed at him with scrutiny. “I’m going to call you Gondir.” She couldn’t stop giggling now. “It means rock-man in Nym.” Her eyes were filled with laughter and she took yet another step. “Unless you’re going to tell me your name, Gondir?”
He stared at her blankly. His orders were to watch her, not talk to her. He fully intended to do just as he was ordered and not a hair more.
“No? That’s fine. My name is Saoirse. No last name though. Not winged.” She pointed to her back and sighed. “I won’t be due up to take my test for another seven days. Seven. All of my sisters will at once.” She frowned harshly and crossed her arms. “It’s really annoying, you know?”
Why was she telling him about this?
She took another step closer to him and he determined that was close enough. He held up his hand, prepared to send her flying back if he had to. She tilted her head again. He could see the depth in her eyes this close. “Ok, ok. Not that close. Got it, Gondir.” She giggled at the name. She mocked him.
His face became a slight scowl.

“Oh, would you look at that! Your face actually moves!” Her laughter was suppressed as she covered her mouth in mock surprise. She became serious then and she met his gaze with her playful blue eyes, a thought was lurking deep within them. “That’s it. I’ve decided.” She spoke then.
He very much wished she hadn’t decided anything. In fact, he wished she would have run. Anything but this. Conversation never came easily to him. He was insane. Alessandra had told him so. He would never be capable of saying the right thing.
“I’m going to make you laugh.” She crossed her arms with determination. “At the very least, smile. That’s what I’m going to do.” She nodded. “I’ve seen you out here before, you know. You’re really bad at hiding, Gondir.” She smiled at him. “I’ve been keeping the Guards away though, so don’t worry. I decided you could use someone to talk to though - and you’re also in my favorite spot in the woods, so it just made sense. Will you be here for long, do you think?”
He couldn’t keep up with her conversation. She talked way too quickly. He couldn’t think fast enough to hold a conversation with her even if he wanted to.
She nodded and started speaking for him. “Yes? Yes. Of course. I-”
Another voice cut her off, calling from a distance. “SAOIRSE! Where ARE you?!”
Her face soured and she scowled. “Laminya.” She grumbled the insult under her breath; Sheogorath was pretty sure it meant something along the lines of ‘stupid.’ “I’m COMING, can’t I have just a few minutes alone?!” She groaned and clenched her fists at her sides, her face filling with anger.

He wanted to laugh then yet he suppressed it. She looked like she might kick something like a child.
She rolled her eyes and let her gaze soften back on him. “Namárië, Gondir. We can talk later.”
He made a mental note to change his hiding spot and watched her disappear back towards the Glades.
That conversation was only the beginning though, and Sheogorath was not prepared for what was to come.

He had shifted to hiding in another spot for the following day. She wouldn’t find him now, he was sure of it. He couldn’t do conversation. He told himself he didn’t want to.
Despite his sureness, she discovered his new hiding spot and he struggled to not to grimace when she approached.
“Nuiri, Gondir!” She greeted him. He wasn’t that familiar with Nym, but he knew the greetings. She was cheerful as ever, and she, unfortunately, brought things to do with her. She sat on the ground and began stitching a hole that was in a shirt. “I see you took heed of my warnings about the guards. Very good.” She grinned at him.
No, he thought to himself, he was trying to get away from her.

Instead she sat down, unfazed and talked to him. She talked to him for a solid hour and a half, almost without stopping. He stood rigidly and stared at her. Yet no matter how hard he tried, she simply wouldn’t go away.
She finally stopped after that hour and a half and looked at him thoughtfully. “You don’t need to stand up so rigidly, Gondir. You can sit, you know. It won’t kill you.” She giggled.
She did that a lot. He shifted uncomfortably before finally resigning himself to sitting.
She clapped. “See, that wasn’t so hard!” She had long since put her stitchwork down and was just staring at him with those playful, blue eyes. It wasn’t hard for her to pick up her conversation again. She had transitioned into talking about her sisters. She didn’t get along with them. Or her parents.
Another hour had passed as he listened to her try to joke with him. She was determined to get him to crack, yet he wouldn’t.
Sheogorath’s head rested back against a tree. She was still talking. How could someone talk this much? Sheogorath couldn’t fathom it. He couldn’t even string together two sentences to speak and she was going for hours.

She had paused, there was a lull in the conversation. He looked at her wearily then. “Don’t… don’t you have anything better to do?” It came out cold. Perhaps she’ll leave him be.
She looked at him with big eyes, stunned.
He never said anything right, but he hoped that was a blessing in disguise.
Instead of what he hoped, a wide smile grew on her face. “HE SPEAKS!” She jumped up and scurried over to the tree he leaned against. “Gondir, you can TALK!” She giggled as she got closer to him than he liked. He started to lean slightly away from the direction she hovered in. “Here I thought you might have actually been a mute!” She reached out and touched his shoulder and he jumped back from her, glaring at her then.
She rolled her eyes at him and shook her head. “I don’t bite, Gondir.”

He frowned; no, she talked. That was worse.
They sat out there for another hour before she finally left him in peace to return to her home. The silence of the forest was a welcome change.

Festivals had started the day after, and music drifted to his hiding spot. It was peaceful. The music, the quiet of the forest, and no Saoirse.
Of course that couldn’t last. She found him again.
He immediately moved to sitting by a tree at some distance from her. Just her initial presence was exhausting. She brought some papers with her today. She smiled at him and greeted him once again. “Nuiri, Gondir!” She giggled at the mocking nickname she made for him. “Have I had the worst day ever! You wouldn’t even believe it.”

It had begun. Why did the master want her? He couldn’t fathom it.
Yet, after relaying that her sisters had purposefully destroyed her dress and her mother had criticized her stitchwork she grew quiet and focused on the paper in front of her. The quiet was not silence, however, as music was still playing. Why wasn’t she enjoying the festivities with everyone else? He thought about asking, but her conversations were far too much for him as it was. Too overwhelming. Too many things she could say and he could never keep up.
That was when she started to sing.
Her singing was even worse than her talking. She sang to the music while she worked, occasionally stealing glimpses at him with a bright smile.
He was grimacing as she sang, so she sang louder.
Her singing was painful to him. She wasn’t musically gifted, but at the same time it also reminded him of things he locked away in himself. Mother used to sing often. She was so good at it too. He gritted his teeth. Saoirse was testing his patience. He would bear it though. It didn’t last much longer. She was called away that time, and he felt relief once again in her absence.
Looking back on it now, it wasn’t relief, it was just numbness. She made him feel things that he didn’t want to feel. It definitely wasn’t relief that he felt then, but emptiness.

It was later in the afternoon the next day when she joined him in a new part of the forest. How did she find him every time? He was just supposed to watch her. He couldn’t imagine the master would be happy that she’s been talking to him as much as she had.
She used her usual, teasing greeting. “Nuiri, Gondir!” She giggled the same giggle.
He sighed and looked numbly in another direction. He had to say something today. For once he didn’t think about anything and he just let it come out. “No singing.” He clenched his fists. Perhaps that would send her away.
Did he really want her to go away?
She stared at him for a moment and he actually felt something strange in him at the thought of upsetting her. The feeling dissipated as she grinned then. “Gondir! That’s not nice! My singing is lovely. Perhaps you’re DEAF.” She giggled again.
Oh, he wished he were.

“Perhaps I should sing LOUDER?” She laughed and laid down on the ground. Slowly as her laughter died she turned to look at him with fire in her eyes. “Alright, no singing. I can take a hint. If Gondir, who does not say anything, can find a voice to tell me my singing isn’t good then I can take a hint.” She giggled. “My youngest sister is good at singing, you know? Agh, I’m so tired of talking about them though. It’s unfortunately all I have in my life right now though. Soon I’ll take my wing test though, and I’ll be placed into a proper caste and I can have a husband and lots of children. Do you have a wife, Gondir?”
She looked up at him, but she did not expect an answer. “You do not wear a ring, so I will take that as a no for that question. Being married is all I’ve ever wanted out of life. I don’t care what caste they put me into. I really don’t.” She paused before adding. “I take that back. I couldn’t bear being put into a caste that would prevent me from having a family. I just want to be someone’s wife. Someone’s mother.” She closed her eyes slowly.
He stared at her blankly. He really couldn’t figure out why the master had posted him to watch her. Had he been watching the wrong girl all along? He bit his cheek. No. This was the girl. Certainly she realized there was a probability that she would be placed into one of the castes that prevented marriage and children? There were several of them. Sheogorath may not have been that well versed in Nymph culture, but he did know that.

She interrupted his thoughts - as always - to speak again. “It’s less of the wife thing so much as the mother. I just want kids of my own. I want to be a better parent than my parents are. I would love any of my children, no matter what.” There was a bitterness in her voice.
Silence fell upon them then and they stayed in that silence for a half an hour that time. Sheogorath found his mind scrambling to come up with something to say. Why he felt the urge to say something was a mystery to even him.
The silence ended and she excused herself to get ready for the festivities that night. He told himself it was better that he said nothing, as she wouldn’t understand him anyways. Yet he couldn’t bring himself to actually believe it.

He had almost made it through the next day without seeing her. He frowned at the thought as he leaned against a tree. The forest felt almost too quiet.
He knew then that she was rubbing off on him too much. He used to enjoy the silence. Silences were more like order. That is what Alessandra always said. She told him he was better off being quiet. Saoirse wasn’t quiet. She was the exact opposite.
Certainly he didn’t miss her, did he?
Something grabbed him suddenly. “ROAR!” She growled loudly.

He jolted forward and nearly sent her flying backwards before he stopped himself. He glared at her as she bent over with laughter. “Nuiri... Gondir!” She breathed. “Your FACE!” She laughed far too hard, as she leaned against the tree for stability. “That was SO funny! If only you could see yourself!”
He clenched his fists. He could have killed her. Master would have been so angry. He turned on his heel and started walking off into the forest. Why was he so angry? Why did she bother him so much? He wanted to be left alone!
Didn’t he?
She was walking in step beside him now, looking up at him with her playful, blue eyes. “Don’t be mad, Gondir!” She pleaded playfully, still laughing slightly from earlier.
He looked forward and away from her while he continued to walk. She was smaller than he and struggled to keep up with him at a normal pace.
“Hey! Slow down!” She was clenching her fists now. “I-” She squealed suddenly.
Her foot hit a trap that had been left by Nymph-Hunters previously. The rope tightened around her foot and flung her into the air upside down while she squealed and fought against it.
Sheogorath turned and looked up at her as she hung upside down. Her face started to turn red and she clenched her fists. “LAMINYA!” She cursed at the trap.
Perhaps it was the moment, or the way she had started to yell at the rope, but Sheogorath’s lip twitched into a smile and then further into a grin. A low chuckle started to escape him before it became a full-out laugh.
“GONDIR!” She cried. “GET ME DOWN FROM HERE!” She was angry. She looked like she might throw a tantrum.

It only made him laugh harder. He fell to the ground and clutched his sides while he laughed.
“I’M GOING TO KILL YOU!” She squeaked while she flailed her arms.
He finally snapped his fingers and the rope broke, sending her rapidly to the forest floor. He was still laughing as she growled and punched his arm before laying back down on the ground next to him.
He tried to control the laughter, but it only resulted in him remembering her face and laughing harder.

She crossed her arms and made a stern face at him. “I’m mad at you now, Gondir, just so you know.” She said with a pout to her lips.
It came out then as he gasped for air between laughing. “Sh-Sheogorath.” He laughed. “My name… my name is Sheogorath.” He took several, solid breaths in as he tried to calm himself.
She looked at him then, struggling to keep her face stern. “Sheogorath.” She repeated the name and a slight smile pulled at her lips, she forced them back into a frown. “I’m less mad at you now, but I’m still mad.”

He finally calmed down and they lay on the forest floor next to each other. She turned and looked at him with a big grin then.
He looked at her wearily, his face had finally returned to its usual calm.
“I got you to smile.” She grinned at him. “I guess I can forgive you, silly Gondir-” She paused then and straightened herself, “I mean, Sheogorath.”

He couldn’t figure out why, but he liked it when she said his name.

[oshizu]

Last year, when you did a poll of what we want to read, I believe that I asked for more Sheogorath, so I'm very happy to read about how he and Mania came to be and then not be.

The Nymph language was quite minimal and not distracting and I love the way Mania slowly works her way under her skin.

My only part that confused is that Mania looks so much like Anne. When I saw the image under the part where Mania asks him if he's deaf (Oh, he wished he were), I actually thought it was Anne.
But then I looked back through the last 3-4 chapters at images of Anne and their eyes are quite different, so I'm not sure why I think they look similar. It's definitely my problem, hmmm.

it is a wonderful chapter! More Sheogorath and I've even started to like Mania...

Edited to add: I meant: the way Mania slowly works her way under his skin.

[LivvieLove]

Saoirse: Part Two
He waited for her the next day. It was a day before her wing test. He imagined she would have a great deal to talk to him about. Yet, as hours passed, she still had not come.
He actually felt a bit of disappointment. He even had thought about saying one thing about watching out for traps. He had planned that in advance. Yet she was not there.
He frowned to himself and began to wander around the outskirts of the woods. He wasn’t good at conversations and this just proved it. The one time he goes and opens his mouth without thinking while trying to be friendly and he scares her away.
Isn’t that what he wanted?
He was supposed to watch her. Something must have happened. He would need to go find her. He decided on it. He turned then back towards the direction of the Glades and stopped suddenly.

She stood several paces behind him in the clearing. She smiled at him with a smile that didn’t touch her eyes. Her hand came up and she waved halfheartedly. Her other hand held a jug which she sat down on the ground. Something wasn’t right but he couldn’t put his finger on it.
She walked slowly over to him, “hello, Sheogorath.” There was no playfulness or teasing.
He frowned and she got closer to him. That was when he saw it. Her cheek was discolored slightly. Bruised. His eyes narrowed and he pointed to his own cheek that reflected hers.
She looked at him before recognition filled her eyes, “oh? That?” She shrugged. “I annoy my father sometimes. Don’t worry about it.” She smiled at him again, this time it did touch her eyes a little.
He furrowed his brow, but he couldn’t think of anything to say. He couldn’t think fast enough to ask if she were even ok.
“I was hoping I might find you out here today. Have much longer on whatever it is you’re supposed to be doing?” She changed the subject as she turned and picked up the jug she had brought with her originally.
Sheogorath couldn’t think fast enough to answer, but he shrugged, a movement she caught with her eyes and she grinned widely - all else forgotten.

They walked in silence back towards the Glades, it was odd for her to be so quiet and it left him struggling to think of something to ask. What, exactly, did he want to ask? If she was seeing someone. That was it. Why? He couldn’t figure it out. Too many branches of conversation required. Too many thoughts. His mind was scrambled. 
Music interrupted his thoughts as they got closer and Saoirse stopped walking. She sat her jug down and looked at him with something different in her eyes. “I’m not ready to go back there yet.”
He stopped and stared at her in his usual way as he waited for her to tell him why, yet no such explanation came - instead it was question.
“Will you dance with me?” It was a quiet request from a very not-quiet woman.
The question itself sent shockwaves of memories through Sheogorath and he clenched his fists. “No.” He said immediately. Thoughts of Mother teaching him to dance went spinning through his head and he scowled. “Absolutely not.”
She looked sad and her brow furrowed slightly. “Not even one dance?”
“Stop.” He put his hands to his head. “Don’t ask.” He scowled harder. “Leave me be.” He was being overwhelmed with things he didn’t want to feel. He wouldn’t be a mess right now. He glared at her then. Why did she have to inflict these emotions on him? He never did anything to her. He clenched his fists and took off in another direction of the forest. He half expected her to follow him. Maybe a part of him even wanted her to.

She didn’t.

He fidgeted outside the forest with unease in his gut. Today was her wing test. She would get her wings and her title. She would be assigned a job and a life. She would likely never be able to talk to him again. His lip twitched upward into an awkward smile; she wouldn’t be able to talk at him again, his mind corrected.
Watching her would get a lot quieter and easier. It still made him unsettled. He didn’t like how they parted. It was for the best. He was broken. He was always broken. She should not have asked to dance with him. She was not Mother. Who did she think she was?
He clenched his fists. Why did she make him so angry? Why did she make him feel things at all? He had shut the world out. It was the only way he could carry on.
He wasn’t alone suddenly and a hand touched his shoulder. He jumped, half expecting her playful, blue eyes to lock onto his. 

Instead, it was the frightening gaze of his master. Majnun nodded to him and started to walk forward through the woods, a veil surrounding the area he walked. No one would see him or hear him. Sheogorath suddenly ran to catch up to him, walking next to him under his unbreakable veil. They walked even farther into the city than Sheogorath had dared go before. All was strangely quiet. It was a wing test day. There should’ve been celebration and music, but instead there was quiet that was broken only by a few shouts in the center.
Majnun pointed and Sheogorath saw why all was quiet. It was Saoirse. She was shouting back and forth with a man in Nym. Sheogorath could not understand them.
“She has rejected her caste.” Majnun said levelly.

Two similarly dressed Nymphs grabbed Saoirse by the arms and started to drag her away. The man whom she argued with dusted himself off and stood taller as they yanked Saoirse over to the the nearby building - the Temple. “Dadwen paeth.” It was a command to her. He struggled to pick the words apart. Nym was such a difficult language. Learning the words was meaningless as they often combined two words in odd ways to express a phrase.
Majnun translated for him, “take back what you say.”
Saoirse struggled against the men that held her, her fists were clenched, but this was more than just anger he saw. “Vá!” She shouted back at him.
Sheogorath knew that one. I will not.
The man shook his head and muttered an order under his breath. “Filaithra enni.”
Majnun’s face was emotionless, and Sheogorath’s was twisted in confusion as he tried to keep up. He could barely keep conversations in his own tongue. Something... to me?
Majnun spoke again. “You are dead to me.”
“Ma!” She spat as she spoke. Good.
The man spoke faster than Sheogorath could even hear and waved her away. Sheogorath looked to Majnun for a possible translation and received it. “You have twenty-four hours to change your mind or be casteless.”
Casteless wasn’t an option amongst Nymphs. It was caste or death.
They threw her into the temple and sealed the door shut behind her.
Majnun started to walk forward and Sheogorath almost didn’t realize it until the veil was nearly off him. He increased his pace to keep up with his master as they approached the temple.
Sheogorath said nothing as Majnun slowly broke through the door’s physical barriers, allowing him to walk through them without them opening. Sheogorath followed him through before Majnun let the barriers on the door go - making them solid once again.

The dark of the Temple surrounded them, but Sheogorath could hear her crying. Majnun removed the veil from the two of them and walked forward in the big hall.
She was crumpled onto the ground and she wiped away her tears. “Hlarinyëd, Dannen Gwaithios.” She whispered to Majnun as he approached.
“I am not trying to conceal myself.” Majnun laughed insanely as he stepped forward, a knife appearing in his hands. “No, savpano dess, if you will indulge me.”
She did not look up at him, but she kneeled straighter as she faced away from him. “I’m listening.”

He gripped her by the hair suddenly and held the knife to her throat. “Amraam imlë; inthani.” The language rolled off Majnun’s tongue as naturally as it did the Nymphs. “Brigolnè?”
Sheogorath bit his cheek. He only caught the last part. Are you afraid?
Saoirse was unfazed. “Cardagni.” That one Sheogorath understood. Kill me, do it.
Sheogorath stepped forward. Would he plead for her life? Why? Did she mean something to him?
“Berina.” Majnun said through gritted teeth. “Dambeth.” Answer me.
Sheogorath clenched his fists.
Saoirse remained level and said nothing.
“It will not be easy.” Majnun responded as he tightened his grip on her, pressing the knife further against her. “Carhenia?”

“Die now. Die later.” She shrugged. “I understand. I accept. Mabni ilċeg.” She paused. “Leave nothing.”
The knife disappeared from her throat suddenly and she eased very slightly before Majnun brought the knife up behind her and sliced off her hair. Her eyes went slightly wide with shock momentarily before they closed. Majnun gripped her hair as it burned away in his hands. Her skin began to darken. “I name you Mania and reform you in my image. You shall be a follower of Madness until your dying breath.”
Saoirse - now renamed - opened her once-blue eyes to reveal bright golden ones - yet they were still hers. She turned to face them both and smiled her familiar smile. Sheogorath had a painful realization in that moment.

Mania Keeper had been born, and he was in love with her.

Sheogorath sat on his knees in front of his master. He had never done this before. He had never objected to anything his master had ever done. He struggled to find words fast enough. They weren’t coming. He clenched his fists before two words found their way out. “Not her.”
Majnun shifted forward in his chair, looking at him with an amused expression. “It was our agreement.” His voice slid up an octave. “She wants to try for my high priest position. Let her.”
Sheogorath lifted his eyes then, growing bold and he stared into the face of his master - his father. “Please.” No one had ever survived it. Rumor had it that Quinn barely survived his two days of the ritual. No one had ever survived the week it took to be Majnun’s high priest. The few who tried had left bloodstains that could never be removed.

Majnun shook his head, but his face was slightly softer. His voice started out high and slowly lowered as he spoke. “I know… that you are fond of her.” He paused and shifted back again. “I would recommend not being here tomorrow.”
Sheogorath shook his head. He would be there.
“Suit yourself.” Majnun shifted and stood. “You will not try to stop her.” He commanded.
Sheogorath clenched his fists and looked to the floor. He would not disobey a command.

Mania kneeled in front of Majnun and took the goblet from him without fear. Her golden eyes met the master's with ease. She had no fear of death. She had no fear at all.

“This is stupid, Mania, what are you doing?” It was his brother that spoke. Aleccas stepped forward and looked at her with a confused expression. It was no secret that she and Aleccas had started seeing each other in the month she had been there.
Sheogorath said nothing on the matter. He was broken. Aleccas was not.
Aleccas could say the words Sheogorath only wished he could say. Aleccas didn’t suffer from the same insanity. He was arrogant and selfish. He was lucky.
“For crying out loud, Nia! Don’t throw your life away!” Aleccas clenched his hands into fists.
Sheogorath bit his cheek, and Majnun looked to him and nodded. He stepped over and shoved Aleccas back against the wall before his gaze snapped back to Mania.
If she were to die he wanted to see her one last time.
Mania took in a breath and spared a glance their way. “You don’t understand, Aleccas. I want this.”

Sheogorath could see it in her eyes: the determination. She really wanted this. He remembered she gave him that same look the day she told him she would make him laugh. She had.
It had been unintentional, but she had.
Sheogorath had to relent. If anyone could do this, it was her.
His other brothers, Kefka and Deliro, stood by the door to the sanctuary that Mania would be locked into after drinking from the Chalice of Madness. They struggled to keep straight faces and not look at each other goofily.
Mania finally turned back to Majnun and stared into the goblet. His master’s voice boomed in the air. “It’s time.”
Aleccas broke out of Sheogorath’s grasp. “I’m not going to watch you throw your life away.” He spat before he tore out of the room. Sheogorath turned and stood straight, keeping his face as emotionless as he could.

Mania was unfazed. She was always unfazed. Her eyes spared him a glimpse. Her playful eyes that held more determination than he’d ever seen in someone before. The moment ended, she put the goblet to her lips and succumbed to the madness.

Sheogorath sat outside the door to the sanctuary. He hadn’t left the door since she had entered. He stared at it blankly, waiting. The first day he could hear her screaming. He had cuts on his palms from clenching his fists too tightly. Her screaming had stopped after the second day. He couldn’t figure out which was worse - the sound of her screaming in agony or the horrifying silence of uncertainty.

Aleccas had continued to be a petulant child and avoided the Madhouse entirely. Sheogorath soured at the thought of him. He claimed to love her, yet where was he? Kefka and Deliro would drop by occasionally to keep Sheogorath company, but it seemed he was even worse company than he usually was, and they never stayed long.
He sat for the seven agonizing days, not moving from where he sat. His magic kept him going. For once, his scrambled brain seemed to collect itself to thoughts of her. He had lived his life numb ever since Mother had died and Mania stirred emotions in him that made him uncomfortable. At the same time though, he didn’t mind.

By the time day seven rolled around, Sheogorath was was just a step away from madness himself. His gaze was unwavering and he clutched his hands together in front of him to keep himself from fidgeting. His master had come down and leaned against the wall while they waited for the time to pass. Majnun summoned a clock that filled the silence with ticking.

It had been too quiet.
It was still too quiet.
He began to tap his fingers obsessively to the sound of the clock ticking. The hours felt like eons. The seconds felt like days.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
His mind thought of only the worst. Sheogorath’s nerves were frayed. He had already lost Mother. The thought of not seeing the playful determination in Mania’s eyes summoned feelings in him that he could not bear. He didn’t want to feel this. He didn’t want to feel any of this. The pain was too much. The uncertainty was too much. He could hear her giggling in his head. It annoyed him so much at the time. Her constant chatter. This was too quiet. He almost couldn’t take it, yet he sat rigidly and waited. He needed to be there when the clock chimed. He needed to know that she lived.

The clock chimed a haunting sound.
It was a sound that nearly stopped his heart. He stood up immediately, his gaze transfixed on the doorway.
“Time’s up.” Majnun’s voice was dark and gravely.
Sheogorath clenched his fists to his sides and the door began to creak open at Majnun’s command. They stared into the pitch-black room, looking for any sign of movement.
Sheogorath took a hesitant step forward, then another. He squinted his eyes until his magic helped him see in the darkness. Her form was illuminated on the ground. He did not even look to his master for approval before he surged towards her body.

“Mania?” His voice choked on her name. His brain began to scramble for more words; he didn’t have time to think about this conversation. He had to speak. He had to. He gripped her shoulder and pulled her limp body towards him. “Mania?!” He clutched her shoulders tighter and shook her slightly. “Saoirse?!” His voice broke over her name. He closed his eyes tightly and he sucked in a long, shaky breath. This was too much for him. He couldn’t stand it.
She shifted slightly, a breathy giggle fell out of her mouth.
His eyes came open suddenly and he stared at her with shock.
Her golden eyes opened wearily; she was weak, but she was alive. “Nuiri, Gondir.” Her voice was weak, but she giggled through the phrase nonetheless. 
He looked down at her and far too many emotions flooded him at once. He didn’t even try to think of a response and just smiled at her instead.

“I told you I would get you to smile.” She breathed.
He nodded, his awkward smile still pulling at his lips. She moved to sit up slowly and he helped her to her feet; she gripped his hand for stability even after she stood firmly on her feet. The silence of the room was interrupted by loud, slow clapping as Majnun entered.
Sheogorath glanced at her and she was smiling at Majnun before her eyes broke away and met his. She squeezed his hand slightly. It was a conversation without words; it was a gesture of her feelings for him. Her gaze turned back to Majnun as seconds ticked away. She began to pull her hand from his grasp when he tightened his grip on her hand.

His gaze never wavered from her face and he squeezed her hand back.

Sheogorath stared at the ceiling, feeling a different kind of numb. Time had passed and he remained clutching the flower he once gave Mother. He went through waves of emotion that left him drained and exhausted but unable to sleep - unable to do anything except weep and remember all the moments he had let pass him by.

First it was sadness. He felt like such a failure. He let himself sink so low that he couldn't see a way out. He had been so angry with Mania - with how she had run off on him. He had misplaced the blame of their failing marriage on her and spoke with that blame and anger when she had come home. He had been relieved to see her. He had reacted too slowly. He cornered his master in Bridgeport when he got back from taking Clarissa from the Labelles. He demanded for his wife's return.
His master had laughed at him and asked him why he cared now.
That conversation was burned into his head. He had stopped caring and ruined everything.
Mania was not the reason their marriage ended; he was. He was broken and he only made himself more broken by accepting that fact rather than trying to fix it.
Mania only ever wanted a family of her own. He had always known that since she told him in the forest that day so long ago. She wanted it more than anything and he couldn't move past his own self-loathing to even try to see to her needs.
She was so loyal. She was so loyal it hurt her. If he had just said something - anything at all - she never would've found someone else to do what he could not.
Would not.
So many years of Alessandra beating his insanity into his head. He was broken. He was insane. He needed fixing. He wasn't a good son. He would never be a good father. Not until he was fixed.
The standards were too high. He crumbled under their weight. He disappointed everyone.
Everyone except Mother.
Though he can't imagine she was proud of the man he had become. He was so ashamed. He was so sad. He was so lost. He was so angry.
He could feel it then, bubbling under his skin.
Stephen. The disgusting creature who had dared touch his wife. Mania had likely lured him in. She had a way of doing that. It was just who she was.
He wasn't angry with Mania though. He couldn't be. He failed her. He walked away from her long before she said she was done with him. He shut her out.
No, he was angry with himself and with Stephen. His name made Sheogorath's blood boil. He pictured Mania taking some unknown man to bed with her. Kissing him. Taking him to a new level of intimacy Sheogorath had been too afraid of messing up to try. He gritted his teeth but it was burned into his mind.
He wanted Stephen dead.

It wouldn't be enough. He wanted to destroy him. He wanted to destroy that pig's mind and kill him slowly for doing the thing Sheogorath had always dreamed of doing.
He couldn’t think of anything else. He would find Stephen. He would find him and he would kill him. Mania had been in France when they met, he would start there.
He held up Mania’s ring and then clutched it in his hand with longing.
Sheogorath would find Stephen, and doing so would change Sheogorath’s life forever.

------------------------------------------------------------

Nym Guide:
“Nuiri” - Literal: Afternoon; Implied: Good day/afternoon, meant in greeting.
“Laminya” - Beast-like, stupid
“Namárië” - Farewell, Be well.
“Dadwen paeth.” - Literal: Return your speech; Implied: Take back what you say.
“Vá!” - I will not!
“Filaithra enni.” - You are dead to me.
“Ma!” - Interjection: Good!
“Hlarinyëd, Dannen Gwaithios.”
     >“Hlarinyëd,” - I hear you.
     >“Dannen Gwaithios” - A special name, literally meaning “Fallen One.” The name was used to reference Majnun after he caused the Great War between Nymphs and Werewolves. Essentially, it is a sign that Saoirse knows that a god is walking in her midst and who he is.
“Savpano dess” - Literal: I have/hold a plan/arrangement young woman. Implied: I have a proposition for you.
“Amraam imlë; inthani.”
     >“Amraam imlë” - Literal: to rise above yourself; Implied: Become more than yourself.
     >“Inthani” - Join me.
“Brigolnè?” - Literal: Do you fear? Implied: Are you afraid?
“Cardagni.”
     >Combination of “car-” [do (implied it)!], “dag, dagna” [to slay, kill], and “ni, -ni” [me/I]. When blended together - “Do it! Kill me!” or “Kill me! Do it!” Both are acceptable.
“Berina.” - Literal: Brave/bold; Implied: You are brave/bold.
“Dambeth.” - Answer [implied me].
“Carhenia?” - Literal: to do; to understand. Implied: Do you understand?
“Mabni ilċeg.” - Literal: I take you/your; Implied: I take your appearance/I take after you.

[LivvieLove]

Last year, when you did a poll of what we want to read, I believe that I asked for more Sheogorath, so I'm very happy to read about how he and Mania came to be and then not be.

The Nymph language was quite minimal and not distracting and I love the way Mania slowly works her way under her skin.

My only part that confused is that Mania looks so much like Anne. When I saw the image under the part where Mania asks him if he's deaf (Oh, he wished he were), I actually thought it was Anne.
But then I looked back through the last 3-4 chapters at images of Anne and their eyes are quite different, so I'm not sure why I think they look similar. It's definitely my problem, hmmm.

it is a wonderful chapter! More Sheogorath and I've even started to like Mania...

Yay! I love Sheogorath, he's so adorable, I swear!
I love him and Mania together, and I really hope they can reconcile together. To put it lightly, I hardcore 'ship them.
Haha, you can always say that it's an Oedipus Complex that Sheogorath would find a woman who looks so much like Anne? XD It could be the way she's positioned gives her that "Anne" feel.
I'm glad the Nym has been manageable. You'll have to tell me how Part 2 does, considering that goes a little deeper in.
More Sheogorath? That one I can PROMISE you I'm working on.

[oshizu]

Oh I love the notion that Sheogorath sees Anne in Mania.
Well, but now Saoirse has become Mania and looks quite different.
Which is a good thing for Majnun--I imagine he would be troubled having a high priest that resembled Anne!

As long as you provide the English in context, I had no problem with the other language. I think I would struggle if I needed to memorize a vocabulary list, though, lol.
I am confused by the timing of these episodes--Majnun has lost Anne obviously but it's still far from the present.
Gorgeous image of Majnun when he explains to Sheo that Saoirse has rejected her caste.

Waiting eagerly for more!

[LivvieLove]

Oh I love the notion that Sheogorath sees Anne in Mania.
Well, but now Saoirse has become Mania and looks quite different.
Which is a good thing for Majnun--I imagine he would be troubled having a high priest that resembled Anne!

As long as you provide the English in context, I had no problem with the other language. I think I would struggle if I needed to memorize a vocabulary list, though, lol.
I am confused by the timing of these episodes--Majnun has lost Anne obviously but it's still far from the present.
Gorgeous image of Majnun when he explains to Sheo that Saoirse has rejected her caste.

Waiting eagerly for more!

Mania and Anne are very different people (perhaps it's because I stare at them so often) in my eyes. Whenever I look at Mania I see the exact opposite of Anne, which probably helps me differentiate the two. Sheogorath though, is another story.

As for the timeframe of the episodes:

He had been posted to watch her under his master’s orders some 350 years ago. Her sisters were ordinary, but she was different. She challenged the rules. She broke the caste. She spat on their tradition. Her name then had been Saoirse. Her hair had been long. She had fire in her eyes.
She never lost that fire.

Anne's storyline takes place ~400 years before the present day with Eveline turning into a Young Adult.
Sheogorath met Alice (the mother of Fate) ~370 years before (give or take some) present day (with Eveline blah blah blah Young Adult blah blah).
Sheogorath met Saoirse ~350 years before present day (blah blah Eveline blah blah Adult blah blah). XD

So in reference to Anne, this is taking place ~50 years after where we are with Majnun and Anne. =) Hopefully that helps.
<3
I'm glad that you still find Majnun gorgeous even after he got rid of his majestic curls. Still debating if I'll bring those back or not. We'll see.

I really appreciate the feedback on Nym. I'll keep that in mind in future chapters. I don't imagine there will be lots of references to it, but this was a different chapter for me to write and it was a blast! Thank you for all the amazing feedback!

[PeregrineTook]

So, we've jumped significantly through time, it seems.  I appreciate the previous post with the layout of that as it gives a clearer perspective.  I actually scrolled up a couple of times while reading the last couple of updates thinking that I had simply missed something, but it's just the narrative moving along.
So, we're significantly into the future, but Bear is an immortal dog.  Will we be seeing more of him?  I know, very random question, but I just really enjoy that he's this stoic, mystical figure watching over this storyline.
I liked Saoirse, but I'm not sure about Mania.  Yes, I know they're the same person, but they're also kind of not the same person.  Saoirse had a childlike lingering hope that maybe she could have the happiness that she wants, but Mania has the resolve of everything ends in death.  It will be interesting to see if her rock boy can help her find that hope again.