#krosis

I hope you find some peace of mind in this lifetime (Tell them, tell 'em, tell them the truth) I hope you find some paradise.

I finished the second portrait from the planned series of dragon priests and hope to maintain the momentum.

Morokei is an interesting Dragon Priest. Fought in Labyrinthian as part of the College of Winterhold questline, he's one of very few Dragon Priests to speak to you in your own language. He initially asks if you are Savos Aren- who, as it turns out, faced him once years ago, ending up enthralling two of his friends to keep Morokei contained. You have to put these spirits down to free Morokei, kill him, and claim the Staff of Magnus. Due to said staff, he's a difficult fight for a mage, but less so for other playstyles. He primarily uses shock spells. His name means "glorious" in Dovahzul.

information/powers below v

"Are you sure? Taking first watch isn't an issue for me." Teldryn said.

"Nope, I got it." Theoegil smiled at him, "We can trade off in a bit. Besides, you're an old fart, you need your sleep." She grinned when he scoffed.

"You ever heard the phrase 'respect your elders'?"

"Yeah, I ignore it as often as possible." She imagined Teldryn probably rolled his eyes under that helmet when he went off to his little tent, and shut the opening.

Theoegil's smirk dropped when she glanced at the rest of the group, most already asleep, or nearing that state. She turned her attention from them to the snowy landscape.

She had her reasons for taking first watch, and once she was quite sure everyone was solidly asleep, she silently got up, her hand hovering over the dagger hilt on her belt, and scanned the horizon.

There.

The glint of gold, ducking behind a tree to avoid her sight. A tad too slow, thankfully for her.

She'd noticed they were being followed since they made port, of course inside the city the Thalmor agent wasn't wearing the armor, but there's only so many times you can see the same face before you realize it isn't coincidence. She wasn't sure who sent him or why, or if he was even sent. Matter of fact she was shocked Teldryn and Krosis hadn't also noticed, for whatever this lone thalmor's goal was, he fucking sucked at hiding.

... Or maybe that was on purpose? Lure one of the group out, alone, and take care of them like that?

The thought of waking one of the others came and then went.

This was one altmer, she was the listener of the Dark Brotherhood.

She could handle this.

She silently creeped into the forest, not immediately near her target. She climbed up into the trees, keeping an eye on the forest floor below, then she saw him.

Her bow was drawn and the arrow released before he even seemed to fully realize she was missing.

The arrow slotted itself nicely between his helmet and armor, going straight through his throat. He let out a gurgling gasp, stumbled, and fell dead.

She remained still and silent for a moment, waiting to see if anyone attempted to run to his rescue, or if any other movement stirred.

Nothing.

Just one overconfident moron in the woods.

And now just her.

She hopped down from the tree, the Thalmor seemed to love keeping their orders on them, so she wasted no time searching the body...

She couldn't find it.

She checked again, a note, a journal, anything at all useful to why this person was following them. Hell, if he was following the group or just her even.

After that search also proved fruitless, she got up, looking around. She was suddenly much less sure the body painting the snow red had been acting alone.

It was too dark to notice the slight distortion of a form cloaked in invisibility. Especially when the hidden person had actually taken the precautions to ensure their movement was properly muffled.

She must have moved at just the right time for a dagger meant to go in her throat to instead dig itself into her shoulder, and that? That was pretty fucking noticeable.

Theoegil held back a scream, which proved much harder when her attacker twisted the dagger on the way out. She was fairly certain that blade had gotten very close and personal with not just muscle but bone as well, that was a problem.

But a problem she could handle when this asshole joined their teammate.

The invisibility spell faded, revealing an altmer woman in hooded robes, and Theoegil drew her own dagger.

For the forethought put into this attack, she clearly hadn't thought about what to do if she missed.

Disarming this woman, even while injured, was a joke, and if she knew any spells they must have slipped her mind in the chaos. It didn't take much time at all for the attacker's dagger to be somewhere lost to the snow, and for her to be toppled off balance, with Theo now having the blade of woe digging a thin red line into pale yellow skin.

"Who sent you?" Theoegil demanded.

"We came on our own-"

"Bullshit." She pressed down harder, and saw fear fill the woman's eyes.

"We did! We actually did-we wished to prove ourselves! I wished to prove myself, they were choosing new justiciars-"

Theoegil had heard enough.

The sound of someone choking on blood was somehow unique to each person, and a chorus that all faded into each other once you took enough lives.

Theoegil was still for a moment, silent. Her shoulder hurt terribly, but there was more on her mind.

These two had not been any high ranking officials, but they'd known to single her out. To specifically lure her and how to do so.

She knew that dossier Zuni had found wouldn't be the only documentation the Thalmor had on her.

But how many of their members knew of her, had her name on a personal hit list?

How were they so much closer to getting rid of her than she was to getting justice for her parent?

She had to be more careful.

And she needed to get up instead of bleeding all over herself here. Her healing potions were in her bag back at camp.

She expected everyone to still be asleep when she returned.

Instead she found Krosis, seemingly getting ready to go search for someone, probably her actually.

The dragon priest's eyes snapped to her, "Wher wert thou? Art thou well?"

"Yeah I'm Uhm-I'm okay, I just saw something and went to check it out." She was trying her best to keep her voice normal, thanking her red and black armor for not showing blood so easily. The situation had been handled and she didn't see much of a reason to stress Krosis out over this... Or maybe she just didn't want to admit how foolish she'd been trying to handle that situation alone.

"Thou soundest as though thou art in pain." Krosis noted, rushing over, "What happened? Where art thou hurt?"

"..." Theoegil went quiet for a moment before, "... There were. Thalmor agents following us, one got me in the shoulder-" And in an instant, yet exceedingly gentle, Krosis was checking over her shoulder to see the injury. The glow of a healing hands spell bathed over them as Theoegil felt the pain lessen as the bone and flesh knit itself back into proper form. She let out a relieved breath, "Thank you."

Once she was healed, Krosis' tone turned serious, rage barely concealed, "Wher aer they?" She asked.

"Dead, they only got one lucky hit in." She assured, "I'm fine now, really."

"... Good." Krosis sounded somewhere between glad they were dealt with and slightly disappointed she didn't get to kill them herself, which absolutely did not make Theoegil fall in love a little bit more whatsoever.

This crush was going to be the death of her, and she would be happy to let it.

"It was... Bold of them to attack you so close to the camp." Krosis stated, "Either they underestimate thee, or they have a plan."

"I think it was the first thing, but even if they have a plan I have nothing to fear with you watching over me." She grinned, "There's no way they could take on both of us at once."

"They would not make it past me to have a chance to harm ye." Theoegil entirely believed that, and had to bite back a dumbass remark about how that would be easiest if she moved her sleeping bag next to Krosis'. "You should rest, I will stand watch."

Theoegil felt like she was probably blushing, she hoped the glow of the fire kept it from being noticeable. It was incredible how easily that offer made her feel that much safer, in contrast to her fear and anxiety from earlier. "Thank you." She smiled at Krosis, before heading to her sleeping bag-and realizing Krosis was also heading that way.

After she got changed into some sleep clothes and laid down she realized Krosis had sat down, maybe two feet in front of where she was sleeping, bow in hand and ready to spring into action if necessary.

Krosis turned to her for a moment, "My silhouette should keep anyone who may try to attack from seeing thee, thou canst rest easy."

And without even thinking about it, looking at this woman she very much already had feelings for, bathed in warm firelight, so close she could see the reflections in her eyes but not close enough to touch, like some ethereal guardian spirit, Theoegil couldn't help but say what she was thinking, "You're gorgeous."

Krosis stilled, staring at her for a moment, seemingly caught quite off guard by those two words. It was always the compliments that Theoegil thought were the simplest that seemed to surprise her. It felt like the most natural thing in the world to say, how could she not?

"... I am just in my sleep clothes, I would hardly call them gorgeous."

She paused, gathering her thoughts before she spoke again, "It's not the clothes that make you gorgeous you know, it's just. You, you are, and I mean that. You're... Absolutely mesmerizing and I feel like you should be told that more. I don't get how people aren't just... In awe of you all the time, I know I am. Your hair, your face, the way you carry yourself, the way you speak, all of it, it's just-you, and you're incredible." Screw trying to seem cool or nonchalant or trying to impress her, Krosis was beautiful and she deserved to know it, and Theoegil would say it over and over again until it stuck if she had to.

"... Thank you." Krosis' voice was soft when she spoke, "Thou should rest."

"I'll see you in the morning, Krosis."