The inn's sign creaked in the damp wind, the faded paint barely spelling out "Moorside Inn." Lantern light struggled against the thick fog that had swallowed Morthal whole. The horse was stabled, and my legs ached from the long ride. Behind me, Meridia stepped down with effortless grace, as if she hadn't spent hours pressed against my back.
Inside, the common room was dim and smoky. A few locals glanced our way before quickly returning to their drinks. The air smelled of wet wool, peat smoke, and something sour I didn't want to name.
The innkeeper, a tired-looking Redguard woman named Jonna, wiped the counter with a rag that had seen better days.
"Evening," I said, placing a few coins down. "We need rooms. Two, if you've got them."
Jonna looked us over, her eyes lingering on Meridia's radiant presence a second too long. "Only got one room left. The big one upstairs with the double bed. Whole town's twitchy lately—lots of travelers coming through, asking questions they shouldn't."
I frowned. "One room? You sure?"
"Positive. Take it or leave it. Swamp's been bad this season. People are bunking together whether they like it or not."
Meridia's lips curved into the tiniest smirk as she stood beside me, radiating warmth that made the damp chill retreat. She didn't say anything, but I could feel her amusement like a cat that had just cornered a mouse.
"Fine," I sighed, sliding more coins across the counter. "We'll take it. While we're here… any rumors worth hearing? Strange lights in the swamp? Missing people? Anything unusual lately?"
Jonna leaned in, lowering her voice. "More than usual. Folks disappearing near the northern barrow again. Lights dancing where they shouldn't. Some say the dead are walking. Others whisper about that old ruin half-sunk in the mire—says it's been stirring since the last full moon. You two don't look like the usual idiots chasing treasure. Best keep your heads down if you're smart."
I nodded, committing every word to memory. That matched what Meridia and I had come for.
We climbed the creaky stairs in silence. The room was larger than I expected, but the single large bed dominated the space. A small fireplace crackled weakly, fighting the perpetual damp.
As soon as the door closed, I turned to her.
"Alright, spill it. Why are you really here, riding with me like this?" I crossed my arms. "You could've just watched from wherever Daedric Princes usually lurk. What's the real reason?"
Meridia strolled over to the window, gazing out into the fog as if she owned the entire miserable town. She didn't answer immediately, letting the silence stretch.
I pressed on. "And while we're at it… Prince or Princess? I've heard both. You look like a princess. You act like a princess who's too proud to admit she's a princess. So which is it?"
She turned, golden eyes gleaming with that familiar arrogance. A soft, dangerous laugh escaped her.
"I am a Daedric Princess," she declared, voice smooth as polished marble. "My sphere is the realm of light and the pure energies that burn away filth. But in mortal tongues, 'Prince' became the common title for all Daedric Lords long ago, regardless of form or preference. It is a matter of hierarchy and power, not flesh. I care little what worms call me, so long as they remember who holds the Beacon."
She stepped closer, the firelight dancing across her flawless features. "Satisfied, champion?"
"Not even close." I sat on the edge of the bed, watching her. "You still haven't answered why you're actually here. In the flesh. Clinging to me on horseback for hours."
Meridia's expression shifted. She looked away for a moment, chin slightly raised—the classic pose of a being who refused to appear vulnerable.
"…I simply do not trust the mortals in this wretched province," she said finally. Her tone was haughty, but there was a sharper edge beneath it. "Especially not the females. In Solitude they swarmed you like flies around honey. That insufferable High Queen's handmaiden. The bard who kept 'accidentally' brushing against you. Even that merchant girl who offered you 'special discounts.' Disgusting."
I blinked, then slowly grinned. "Wait. Are you jealous?"
Her golden eyes snapped to me. "Jealous? Do not flatter yourself, mortal. I am a Prince—Princess—of Oblivion. I do not experience petty mortal emotions."
"Uh-huh." My grin widened. "So you're telling me the great Meridia, Lady of Infinite Light, came all the way down here, sharing a saddle and now a single room, because you don't want other girls 'hogging' me?"
She crossed her arms, the movement somehow both regal and defensive. A faint, almost imperceptible flush colored her cheeks.
"I am protecting my investment," she declared, voice firm. "You are my champion. My Beacon-bearer. It would be… inefficient if some simpering mortal hussy distracted you from your purpose. That is all."
I leaned back on the bed, chuckling. "Tsundere."
"I beg your pardon?"
"It's a word from my old world. Means someone who acts cold and arrogant but is actually soft and possessive on the inside."
Meridia's eyes narrowed dangerously. "I am neither soft nor possessive. I am simply… particular about what belongs to me." She stepped closer until she stood directly in front of me. "And you, champion, belong to me. Body, soul, and that annoyingly sharp tongue of yours."
The fire crackled. For a moment the swamp outside felt very far away.
I looked up at her. "So we're sharing the bed too, then? Since there's only one."
She didn't flinch. "Obviously. Do not get any improper ideas. I require no sleep, but I will ensure nothing sneaks in during the night. And if you snore, I will silence you myself."
I laughed softly. "Wouldn't dream of it, Princess."
Meridia's lips twitched—the tiniest hint of a genuine smile before her arrogant mask returned. She turned away and began examining the room with feigned disinterest, though I noticed she kept glancing back at me.
Outside, the mist pressed against the window like something alive. Somewhere in the swamps, whatever darkness we had come to face was waiting.
But for tonight, at least, I had the most arrogant, tsundere, and terrifyingly beautiful Daedric Princess in Skyrim watching over me.
I wasn't sure if that made Morthal safer… or far more dangerous.