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JASH
J’zargo’s grin took on a sarcastic air and I couldn’t help but react with a grin of my own. He turned to Alex Casey whose eyes hardened in response and Hircine who had an air of pure indifference to him. Though that was probably due to the limitations of his elk form.
“This one is glad to see his friend!” J’zargo said as he walked away from us. “He has told this one that he wishes to address you!”
“Is he always like this?” Alex whispered as our devotees burst into cheers once more.
“The day the joy fades from his mind will be a worrisome day indeed.” I replied with a chuckle.
Alex made a barely audible scoff. I suddenly felt the immense weight on my shoulders. It was more important than ever to choose the right words so my devotees ran towards me and not away.
I turned to look at Hircine and saw confidence in his eyes. He believed in me and that meant nearly everything to me in this moment. The only thing that meant more was the fact that I had accomplished getting Alex by my side once more. If not for the Daedric Prince I had given my very soul to while mortal marrying me, this feat would not have been possible.
Alex was a different man than the one I had originally married but he was the very same in all the ways that mattered. A contradiction and yet it made perfect sense to me.
“Where did you run off to?” A Dunmer man asked.
“Silence.” A Khajiit woman hissed. “How dare you ask our Prince such a question. He works in ways that us mortals are not supposed to know.”
I calmly held up a hand and the argument quickly ended as if it had never started in the first place.
“Dunmer,” I began. “It is ours to encourage such curiosity. But you need not have voiced your question as I plan to give an answer to all those gathered here.”
It felt odd to talk so formally after having spent years on Earth. It wasn’t as if a hot dog stand worker was expected to talk like royalty. But here I was a well-respected figure and so had to remind everyone of who I was.
Even myself.
“I traveled far outside the bounds of Mundus, Oblivion, and even Aetherius.” I continued. “It was ours to travel where even Sithis dares not travel. But I dared all to be reunited with Alex Casey, my husband.”
My devotees let out another wild cheer. In their eyes I saw a longing for a lover that would be so devoted. Did they merely wish for a lover to endure so much to come to them or would they also do anything to be reunited with their lover?
Alex’s rigid posture reminded me of him in a professional setting. It lacked everything I loved about him and so I could tell how uncomfortable he was in this moment.
“But I could not have Alex without taking another into my heart.” I said and pointed to Hircine. “Without taking Hircine as my husband, Alex could be lost to me once again. I am the Daedric Prince of Balance and Extremes which is reflected by my number of husbands. If my heart is not in balance, I am a broken thing. I did not realize the cracks in my power until recently.”
“Are we supposed to worship Hircine too?” A Nord asked.
“There is no difference between myself and Jash.” Hircine replied and I felt his words warm my very soul. “If you wish to hunt in my Hunting Grounds you may. If you wish to climb Jash’s Mountain than you may.”
“If you are more devoted to me, you will arrive on the Mountain.” I said as the knowledge seemed to have been something I had always known. “If you are more devoted to Hircine, you will arrive in his Hunting Grounds after death.”
“Hail Kysnier!” The devotees chanted and I had to resist reacting to the pain that name still held for me. “Hail Hircine!”
Alex looked like he was about to let out a sigh of relief for not being included in the chants. Oh how precious he could be at times.
“Hail Alex Casey!” The devotees chanted and Alex’s stance became even more rigid than before. “Hail a mortal for being chosen by two Daedric Princes!”
The excitement and devotion in the air made my very essence warm.
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