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JASH
Each foot of mine went in front of the other when I was assured my prey wouldn’t hear me. Not that any of us knew where the prey would be. The deer could be five miles away or five feet. It wouldn’t do to waste our hours of hunting for one tiny mistake that would see us camping in this wide field.
This field where there were multiple giant camps spread around. What if our tiny mistake gave a giant our kill and made us find another worthy prey to contact Hircine by?
J’zargo held his bow loosely while Alex Casey, Alan Wake, and Saga Anderson gripped their crossbows. It wouldn’t do for the newcomers to ruin the hunt by inaccuracy and I had to take in account my late husband’s poor archery skills. Even though there was a possibility this Alex would be better, it wouldn’t do to test him at such an important time.
I hadn’t needed to turn my head to take note of my companions. The sounds they made were loud to me and announced their every motion. Even the tiniest sound was deafening to me.
With a slight head turn I looked at Dragonsreach in the distance. We would still be able to reach Whiterun just after nightfall since the vague outline of the castle could be seen. My head snapped forward when I saw an animal run past me.
I took note of the deer’s lack of horns and didn’t bother to conjure my bow. The sound of J’zargo grabbing Alan’s arm to stop him from firing his crossbow made me turn to look at the pair.
“We don’t know where this deer is.” Alan said as he loosened his grip on the crossbow. “The werewolf pack we ran across said that this deer was somewhere between Whiterun and Markarth.”
“This one sees that as knowing where the deer is.”
“Forty-nine miles. And that’s if we only count the area around the main road. We could be out here for days at least. We should just pick a deer.”
“Then we’ll be out hunting for days. Doesn’t Jash have at least two properties between here and Markarth?” Saga said.
I’m sure Alex heard the words she had left unspoken. She wouldn’t say outright that they had joined this hunt so that my love would have more time with me before we parted ways. If she had stated her reason directly, Alex would have resented the pity and said so plainly. Now, though, he could act like he didn’t understand the subtext.
“We’re trying to get a god’s attention.” Alex said. “They tend to like extravagant sacrifices.”
“My first meeting with Hircine occurred upon me killing a deer that was beloved by him.” I said and couldn’t help a grin breaking free.
I shouldn’t be feeling any happiness with how my veins froze with the thought of Alex leaving. The pain would break me and yet it was the only force able to make me find the one I would spend eternity with. But any feelings of pain were nothing compared to my utter devotion to my prince.
A devotion I prayed would be enough for him to marry me.
“If I could contact him once that way, I should be able to do so again.” I said once I managed to wash the grin from my face. “It would also show him I remember our first meeting.”
“If Hircine didn’t want a sacrifice, he would’ve appeared already.” J’zargo said.
“Are you sure he actually gives a **** about Jash?” Alex scoffed with barely hidden jealousy.
“I am Hircine’s champion.” I said and held out my thumb protected by my prince’s ring for a moment. “I am not just another mortal to him. He personally chose me.”
With only a tilt of her head Saga managed to catch my attention. I followed her gaze to a deer in the distance. The deer had antlers that nearly dwarfed his body. They were broken and bloodied from countless fights. He was an image of grace that Hircine couldn’t help but be drawn to.
This was the deer we had been looking for all this time.
I moved my hands and everyone understood. Alan and Saga ran in order to get behind the deer. Alex and J’zargo went in opposite directions to make sure the deer didn’t run off course and force us to continue our chase. I took my place directly opposite of where Alan and Saga would eventually end up.
In my hands I conjured a bow and notched an arrow. The power that coursed through my veins seemed to grow excited with this hunt. This hunt meant parting with Alex, marrying Hircine, and a worthy kill.
Either Saga or Alan managed to shoot the deer as now it ran off away from them. In his mind, he was running away from danger to safety. Whenever the deer dared wander off course, Alex and J’zargo made sure the mistake was corrected.
I knew there were subtle differences between echoes. Yet it still surprised me how better this Alex was at firing a crossbow than my late husband had been. It wasn’t by much but that could merely be because he didn’t have the years of practice mine had.
A defiant look shone in the deer’s eyes once he saw me. I held back laughter so my aim would stay true. Of course my prince would adore a creature that became emboldened when he was the prey of a hunt.
My arrow sped through the air into the deer’s throat. The creature didn’t have enough time to make a final sound. As the deer fell we rushed to its side. I tried not to appear as excited as a hatchling at play as I made my way to my fallen prey’s side.
J’zargo looked at the deer with an air of nervousness. Alan looked around as if he didn’t want to be surprised when Hircine appeared before us. There was a look of wonderment in Saga’s eyes. Alex’s eyes showed nothing but his posture clearly indicated he was nervous as intense emotions must be clashing in his head.
After a few minutes I grew worried. Hircine should have shown up by now! He must be watching his champion! Or was he more concerned about putting me in my place before giving an answer? I was going to ask his hand in marriage and he might see such a want as prideful.
Too prideful? An amount of pride that was amusing?
I couldn’t help turning my head to Alex. He had provided comfort to me for so long that the action was pure instinct. It didn’t matter that this was a different Alex or that he would soon be gone. The only thing I cared about now was feeling my anxiety recede like the tide.
His eyes didn’t provide what I needed. I could see the jealousy and guilt over such a feeling.
As one we turned when the faintest of sounds hit our ears. A ghostly reflection of the deer stood mere inches from the fallen creature. Though a simple thing the power radiating from it could only mean this was how Hircine had decided to show himself.
For the sake of appearances I held back a sigh of relief.
“Why have you called upon the Daedric Prince of the Hunt?” Hircine asked, his voice sending a thrill through my veins. “I hope you haven’t wasted such a creature for nothing.”
“You know **** well why we called you.” Saga said as if speaking to a disobedient child.
Hircine looked at Saga with the full brunt of his power. Yet the mortal woman did not even flinch. Instead her condescending look only deepened. When he realized that she would never relent he nodded at her before turning to look at me.
“You have chosen good companions, Dragonborn.” Hircine said. “She is right that I do know the reason for your summoning. I have watched you with more interest ever since your plane of Oblivion came into existence.”
“So why not speak to me before we killed your deer?” I asked.
“If you have grown to be a coward, you wouldn’t be able to talk to me. You wouldn’t be able to make the request you’re about to.”
My Prince had watched me but he knew that bravery was something that couldn’t merely be observed. It was a thing that needed to be continually tested and such assurances needed to be made in person.
“I wish to marry Alex Casey.” I began. “Ever since Scouts-Many-Marshes was returned to the Hist, Alex has been the strength I’ve depended on. The love that has made it possible for me to continue to do great things. But unless I marry someone from this reality, my marriage to him will be imbalanced and cause yet another of his echoes to be erased from existence.”
I knelt on one knee and looked at Hircine.
“It is ours to ask for you to be the marriage I need in this reality.” I said. “It is ours to ask you to be the balance I seek.”
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