"I take it you approve of my bargain with Mora then?" I asked pretty much numb to the Madgod at this point.
'Isn't that a concerning idea?' I wondered idly.
"Approve!? I loved every second of it! Inspired work if I do say so myself! And I do! Well I did didn't I? And it's made you quite popular with the ladies too! Why I can practically taste the schemes from those thirsty wenches to get you all to themselves! ESCPECIALLY Mephala, that one will eat you alive." he said with his voice taking on a darker tone at the end.
"Do you mean romantically or like as a follower? The distinction is kinda important." I asked a little worried.
"YES!" he said both answering and not at the same time.
"Unhelpful." I sighed.
"I think you've got bigger things to worry about. Like that giant sword stuck in me floor! It clashes with the drapes and makes my teeth itch! I hate when my teeth itch!" he said as his grip tightened slightly painfully.
"Right, that. Give me a moment." I said and he released me.
I had somehow ignored the massive incredibly powerful weapon stabbed into the stone floors until now. Probably because of the apocalyptical headache I was contending with. There was no mistake though, this weapon was the real deal. I could feel my blood resonate with it just standing here. Like each heartbeat was on the verge of remembering something long forgotten. Even at my size I had to raise my hand high above my head to grip the handle of the blade. Touching it made me feel like my blood was boiling, but in a good way. I suddenly felt filled with a boundless energy and went to tilt the blade out of the ground but it didn't budge.-
I frowned at this and used my other hand as well. This got it moving but slowly, agonizingly slowly as my muscles bulged and my veins strained from the sheer dense weight of the weapon. At three meters long the blade was obviously made for a giant bodied being but I hadn't expected it to weight so much. I felt like I was trying to pivot a fucking house. My face was burning red as I slowly hauled the blade out of the floor and opened the portal to my storage plane. With great effort I flopped it into the portal and heaved heavily from the exertion.-
I earned slow impressed claps from Sheo, Mephala, Nocturnal and Hircine.
"I never doubted you could do it at all!" Sheogorath said happily.
"You knew it was that heavy!" I accused and he chuckled.
"Oh course we did! We placed bets about whether you'd even be able to move it! The ones clapping won." he said still grinning.
"What do you even bet on something like that?" I asked dumbfounded.
"Souls." Meridia said with a disgusted look.
"You didn't join the betting I take it? Not surprising given your personality." I said frankly.
"I have a distaste for treating souls like currency." she didn't even try to deny that.
"I doubt you have come to discuss how bad everyone else is for that choice though. What is the real reason?" I asked calmly.
"You are powerful and share my distaste for most of my kin. I would see you champion me across the land." she said firmly as if accepting was the only correct choice.
"I will have to respectfully decline. I do not SERVE any but myself." I say emphasizing the word serve.
She looks stricken by my reply as if she couldn't understand it.
"You are aware of what I could give you? Prestige, nobility, power, longevity. All yours as my champion." she said acting like I hadn't understood the offer the first time.
"You could give me all of those things true. But I don't want a collar around my throat far more than I care for any of that. Perhaps you can't understand but try. What do you think it is like for someone else to tell you to jump and all you can do is ask how high? It's suffocating. I don't want it." I said seriously.
"So be it. Know that I will not make the offer again." she said with a mix of annoyance and respect.
"Well done, pet. She wouldn't give you the sort of fun I know you desire anyway. I will though. Freely and Thoroughly.~" Mephala said seductively as Meridia walked away.
"I prefer staying alive." I said flatly.
"Oh well~ The offer stands if you ever change your mind." she said before also walking away with a purposeful shaking of her hips.
"See? Popular!" Sheo said nudging me with his elbow.
"Flattered." I said rolling my eyes at him.
It wasn't just the female princes that came either as the others did as well save for Sanguine and Mora. The former because I was fairly certain he was only here for the party and barely registered my existence. The latter because he was off to the side clearly scheming over the knowledge he hadn't figured out was useless to him yet. Honestly now that I wasn't pressured by the gamble on my part it dawned on me that he might not EVER figure out the information was useless to him. If anything he might just hoard it like the rest of his knowledge without actually doing anything about it.-
It was kinda funny how one of the most dangerous beings in existence just didn't act in grand ways. At the worst of his influence you have Miraak who was absolutely in it for himself and only just tied to Mora thus sorta dragging the god into it as well. Mora by himself didn't actually DO anything grand. Not like most of these other princes at least. Most of the gods here had made some sort of play on a large scale on Nirn except Mora and Sanguine.-
Hell even Sheogorath had once taken a whole ass island from the mortal world. The next few hours sort of blurred together after Sanguine offered me a cup of wine while I was deep in thought. I think there was something about a table and dancing? All I know is everything in that timeframe was fuzzy. I did get those gifts that Uncle Sheo said I would though. Granted most of it was gold in the case of the worshipers there and like half the normal daedra. But there were quite a few good things too.