From: Sherrian Subject: PORC Tales--Closer and Closer "Have you made contact with your prey, Shaard?" The red-haired spider daedra shifted uneasily. He longed to have his true form returned to him--two legs was getting rather cramped--but he nodded. "Aye, my lord. Azdreth and I have seen her. But we don't dare play our hand yet." The daedra lord reflected in the mirror scowled, twisting his handsome features. "And why is that, might I ask?" Azdreth broke in at this point. He too was growing impatient with this mortal-seeming form, and eager to be rid of it. Two legs were so grotesque, not to mention clumsy! "She is in a town, my lord. It seems not a minute goes by that she isn't surrounded by some fools or others." Sesning his lord's impatience, he added, "You yourself told us not to grab her, lest we be seen by those who know her story, and know who has done it." The lord's eyes--far greener than any mortal's could ever be--narrowed as he considered his minion's words. "You are correct, of course," he told the raven-haired daedra. Then he smiled, a smile that was both razor-sharp and charming at once. "And I take it that you enjoy the chase." Shaard answered with a wicked grin. "But of course, my lord Vex." Azdreth's own smile was cruel. "And we look forward to taking our reward once we have her, as you promised." "I ask only two things of you, my friends," Lord Vex said in a dangerously silky voice. "I want her physically intact--no missing parts, no broken bones, no nasty scars. And secondly, I want her with sanity intact. The two of you could drive Sheogorath to sanity!" The spider daedra snickered lewdly as they contemplated all that they could do with her. "As you wish it, my lord," Azdreth told him. "It had best be that way," Vex warned them. "The last time you disobeyed me was very painful for you, was it not? I will not hesitate to remove all your legs again if you disobey me. And again, I will start with the ninth legs that you are both so pleased with!" And he grinned cruelly as he watched them turn pale and shuddering. "We hear, Lord Vex, and will obey," Shaard said in a trembling voice. "Very good. I do dislike to harm you, for you are my favorites. Now go, I will be waiting." The image faded from the mirror. Shaard regarded his brother. "Let us be done with this!" he hissed. "I grow impatient with this awkward form, and I grow impatient to sate myself with her body!" Azdreth nodded. "As do I, brother, but we must be patient. I thank Sanguine that we are half-breeds, and not so impatient as our lesser brethren, for we would have surely failed in this!" His smile was more of a leer. "But I agree, and the memories of what we enjoyed with her before torment me! Let us be off, now, and see what we can do to move this along." "Maybe we can find a wench to satisfy us in the meantime, eh, brother?" "Maybe, but will be a poor substitute indeed..." No sooner had Nyx sat down with Jeren and Kestral than the barmaid brought over three glasses of brandy. Nyx smiled wryly at her companions. "Now there's self-confidence bordering on arrogance," she remarked to the barmaid. "I told them that I *might* be returning for a drink with them." The barmaid laughed. "And a cheeky pair they are, too! Meghan told me that the other night, she had to give this one--" She pointed to Kestral "--a good cooling off when he wouldn't stop pinching her bottom!" "And a lovely plump one it was, too!" Kestral told her. Nyx couldn't resist asking, "So what did she do?" Jeren laughed. "She said, 'Methinks ye need cooling off, my fine elflord.' And she dumped an entire tankard of ale over his head!" Nyx laughed heartily. The idea of the elven ranger soaking wet with ale made for quite a picture in her mind. "Well, you did deserve it," she remarked to Kestral, who was scowling. "Maybe. Worst of all, your bartender friend didn't even say boo to her!" "Joel isn't for scolding his employees in the open," Nyx told him. "But I'm sure you at least got free drinks. The last time something like that happened, Joel said that the drinks were on him." "Actually, the drinks were on me!" Kestral said with a small smile. Everyone broke up laughing again. "Will there be anything else?" the barmaid inquired, smiling. "You, upstairs with me later?" Jeren teased. She shook her head. "Sorry, sir. I've a man of me own." And she walked off, hips swaying. They watched her depart, then turned their attention back to Nyx. "A poor substitute at best," Jeren said, "for the lovely lady in our midst." Nyx blushed. "I think Annie is quite pretty. Prettier than me, for sure." "It isn't always pretty, my dear," Kestral added. "We're also drawn to your spirit, what makes you who you are." Nyx smiled. "Well, enjoy it while you can. I've a long, rough mission ahead of me." "What will you be doing?" Jeren asked. He sipped his brandy. She sighed. 'Should I tell them any of it? I guess it can't hurt to at least tell them what I'll be doing, if not where I'm going.' "The Mage's Guild wants me to hunt down a spider daedra that escaped a summoning. The person summoning shouldn't have been doing it, but when was the last time that stopped anyone?" Jeren started, nearly knocking over his brandy. 'De ja vu,' Nyx thought. 'That was Joel's reaction.' Kestral's gray eyes widened. "What-" "You're going-" "One at a time!" Nyx said. "Yes, you heard me. It's not like I haven't dealt with them before. I had to deal with two at once, so one will be easy enough." Seeing their expressions, she teased, "Oh, come on. It's not what you think." 'Actually it *was* what they think, but damned if I'm going to tell them that!' Kestral looked at her in awe. "Two, and you yet leave to tell of it?" She nodded. "I didn't kick their butts so much as I escaped. And with those two, that counts for as much of a victory for me." She shuddered. Jeren nodded. "My. Do tell us more. We've never met any, you see." "Be glad of it. You both are quite good looking, and they'd have found you both very appealing. I'm sure you know about their...urges." "We've heard stories," Kestral said dryly. "Were you afraid of them?" Jeren asked. Nyx nodded. "I'd have to be insane not to be," she told him. "Although I wasn't sure what I feared more, being their dinner, or being their dessert, if you get my meaning." Kestral smiled. "I think we do." "What was worse is that I found out that they were half-bloods--spider daedra-mortal crossbreeds." She shuddered. "Why is that worse?" Jeren asked her. His eyes were glued to her face, absorbing every word. Nyx drank her brandy. "Well, they're smarter--not that spider daedra are stupid to begin with. And they're more stable, more focused, and they have greater patience. And that makes them very dangerous. Fortunately, those crossbreeds are rare. Thank Mara!" She closed her eyes. "If you don't mind, I'd rather not discuss it further right now." "Fine by me," Jeren said. "We didn't mean to torture you with old, unpleasant memories," Kestral told her. He cleared his throat. "Might we come with you tomorrow? We've never encountered one." Nyx began to say no, but stopped herself. She knew that if she refused, they would keep at her till she changed her mind. Nyx sensed a stubborn streak to these two. So she said, "I'll give it some thought, and I'll let you know in the morning." She stood up. "Where are you going, lady?" Jeren asked her. "You just got here!" Kestral protested. Nyx smiled, shaking her head. "I have things to do before tomorrow, so I have to go." For an instant, Nyx thought she saw a crafty gleam in Kestral's gray eyes as he said, "Well, could we at least get a thank you for the brandy? Maybe a hug?" But the look was gone as quickly as it was there. 'I must have imagined it,' she thought as she let Kestral wrap his arms about her. She hugged him back, even as a shudder rippled down her back. 'He seems familiar somehow, especially the way he holds me.' Kestral released her, and she hugged Jeren. The spellsword also seemed familiar in some vague, almost unpleasant way that sent a shudder down her spine. 'If he tries to kiss me, he's gonna get a big surprise,' she thought grimly. But he didn't. In fact, they both had behaved like perfect gentlemen. "Well," said Nyx, still trembling a little, "Thanks for the brandy. If you see me tomorrow after dawn, it means I decided to take you along." Before they could reply, Nyx picked up her cloak and left the inn. For the first time since she had met them, Nyx wanted to put as much space between herself and the handsome pair as she could.