Azura wondered sometimes if it was egotistical of her to admire the shrine built in her name. Clavicus Vile in particular made fun of her when she brought it up, but she often found herself watching over the statue that so many of her worshipers trekked to. She would meditate over it, letting her power wash over the shrine and listening to her followers. It was strangely peaceful, and she was one of few Daedra who actually appreciated peace.
“Azura? It's happening again.”
Unfortunately, none of the others ever seemed to give her the peace she wanted. Azura opened one eye to find Sanguine at her side, an eternally full mug of strong ale in his hand and an exasperated look on his face. She sighed, gazing at him dolefully.
“What is happening again?” she asked him, in the most patient voice she could muster. Sanguine raised a hand, allowing an image to warp into clarity in front of them. “Ah. I see.”
A mortal man, Nordic from the look of him, lay motionless across the steps of Meridia's shrine. Two more men stood above him, staring down as they spoke.
“And you say he just...fell out of the sky?” one was asking. The other nodded sharply, throwing his hands into the air.
“I'm not lying, I promise! I saw him drop out of the clouds!”
“Huh. It's a shame we can't ask the poor bastard what happened.” With that, the two retreated, the witness muttering about leaving Skyrim for good, and Sanguine let the image fade.
“Damn it all,” Azura murmured, shaking her head. “The poor mortal is the twenty-second Meridia's killed this month. That's more than Dagon, and he's doing it on purpose!”
“Well, nobody's explained to her how mortal physiology works,” her companion replied, shrugging. “I know it well, myself, but I didn't want to break the news. It was pretty funny, for a while.” Azura looked down at him, wincing.
“And has anyone else made an effort?”
“'Course not. I asked around. Mephala laughed at me, Peryite went on about how it's not his problem, and Mora threatened to send his Lurkers into my realm if I didn't leave him alone. Don't even get me started on what Sheogorath did.” He leaned back, looking hopefully up at his fellow Daedra. “You're the reliable one. We all know how much you love mortals--”
“You really ought to keep your mouth closed about my affairs, if you want to continue having lips,” Azura interrupted, frustrated. “I sense Meridia's presence above her shrine. Let's go speak with her.” Sanguine raised an eyebrow, holding up his hands in protest.
“Me too?! I told you, I'm not--” Before he could continue, he felt the air warp around them, and he was suddenly suspended somewhere in the stratosphere. Below him, he could see the outstretched arms of Meridia's statue. Somewhere to his distant left, he could see the Daedra herself, materialized as a glowing orb. He personally preferred her manifestation as a lanky, blonde woman, but he supposed he could work with it. At the moment, she had yet another mortal suspended in midair, and was venting her problem for the twenty-third time that month.
“Guide my light through the temple, and destroy the defiler!” she ordered the man, who was currently trying his best to keep from trembling.
“I'll do as you ask.”
“Good. Now, go!” The unwitting servant instantly began his plummet towards the ground, only to be stopped once again by Azura's hand.
“I'm sorry, little mortal,” she sighed, lowering him gently to the ground. “I'm afraid Meridia is a bit distressed. You are safe now. Go and find Dawnbreaker, if you wish.” The adventurer nodded, his eyes a bit glassy in bewilderment, and nearly tripped over his own feet in his hurry to get away from the insanity. Azura, on the other hand, moved to join Meridia, who had manifested into the woman Sanguine knew and loved.
“I've warned you about meddling in my affairs, Azura,” Meridia complained, her hands on her hips. “Just because you harbor a desire for mortals--”
“Have you been listening to Sanguine as well?” Azura shot a look over her shoulder at the Daedra in question, who responded with what he thought was a charming smile. “Never mind him. We need to have a talk, Meridia.”
Meridia + Sanguine + Azura: "Something Amiss" 1/2
“Azura? It's happening again.”
Unfortunately, none of the others ever seemed to give her the peace she wanted. Azura opened one eye to find Sanguine at her side, an eternally full mug of strong ale in his hand and an exasperated look on his face. She sighed, gazing at him dolefully.
“What is happening again?” she asked him, in the most patient voice she could muster. Sanguine raised a hand, allowing an image to warp into clarity in front of them. “Ah. I see.”
A mortal man, Nordic from the look of him, lay motionless across the steps of Meridia's shrine. Two more men stood above him, staring down as they spoke.
“And you say he just...fell out of the sky?” one was asking. The other nodded sharply, throwing his hands into the air.
“I'm not lying, I promise! I saw him drop out of the clouds!”
“Huh. It's a shame we can't ask the poor bastard what happened.” With that, the two retreated, the witness muttering about leaving Skyrim for good, and Sanguine let the image fade.
“Damn it all,” Azura murmured, shaking her head. “The poor mortal is the twenty-second Meridia's killed this month. That's more than Dagon, and he's doing it on purpose!”
“Well, nobody's explained to her how mortal physiology works,” her companion replied, shrugging. “I know it well, myself, but I didn't want to break the news. It was pretty funny, for a while.” Azura looked down at him, wincing.
“And has anyone else made an effort?”
“'Course not. I asked around. Mephala laughed at me, Peryite went on about how it's not his problem, and Mora threatened to send his Lurkers into my realm if I didn't leave him alone. Don't even get me started on what Sheogorath did.” He leaned back, looking hopefully up at his fellow Daedra. “You're the reliable one. We all know how much you love mortals--”
“You really ought to keep your mouth closed about my affairs, if you want to continue having lips,” Azura interrupted, frustrated. “I sense Meridia's presence above her shrine. Let's go speak with her.” Sanguine raised an eyebrow, holding up his hands in protest.
“Me too?! I told you, I'm not--” Before he could continue, he felt the air warp around them, and he was suddenly suspended somewhere in the stratosphere. Below him, he could see the outstretched arms of Meridia's statue. Somewhere to his distant left, he could see the Daedra herself, materialized as a glowing orb. He personally preferred her manifestation as a lanky, blonde woman, but he supposed he could work with it. At the moment, she had yet another mortal suspended in midair, and was venting her problem for the twenty-third time that month.
“Guide my light through the temple, and destroy the defiler!” she ordered the man, who was currently trying his best to keep from trembling.
“I'll do as you ask.”
“Good. Now, go!” The unwitting servant instantly began his plummet towards the ground, only to be stopped once again by Azura's hand.
“I'm sorry, little mortal,” she sighed, lowering him gently to the ground. “I'm afraid Meridia is a bit distressed. You are safe now. Go and find Dawnbreaker, if you wish.” The adventurer nodded, his eyes a bit glassy in bewilderment, and nearly tripped over his own feet in his hurry to get away from the insanity. Azura, on the other hand, moved to join Meridia, who had manifested into the woman Sanguine knew and loved.
“I've warned you about meddling in my affairs, Azura,” Meridia complained, her hands on her hips. “Just because you harbor a desire for mortals--”
“Have you been listening to Sanguine as well?” Azura shot a look over her shoulder at the Daedra in question, who responded with what he thought was a charming smile. “Never mind him. We need to have a talk, Meridia.”