A Series of Daedric Events (a Skyrim fanfiction)

Chapter Fourteen: The Field of Regret pt 2

I feel very, very nervous. Twelve Daedric Princes in one room, under one roof and with only me and Barbas to act as a neutral party. Forget that, because Barbas is definitely more inclined to act in favour of Clavicus seeing as he's Barbas's master. I'm probably the closest thing to a neutral party but I'm easily the weakest one here, physically speaking, and even then I'd probably side with Sanguine because he actually treats me decently. And Clavicus, I suppose.

"Plenty of room to do the fishstick in this room," Sheogorath surveys the room. "It's a very delicate state of mind you know,"

The room is what I can only assume is some kind of council/meeting room, though I can't imagine who Clavicus would have meetings and discussions with. I don't think his sphere of Oblivion, the Fields of Regret, would politically work like our Jarl and Thane system in Skyrim. Or, well, how it used to work. Seeing as all the Jarls are now, apparently, dead.

"Let us be seated. Lucia, perhaps you should take the seat at the head," Meridia gestures at the chair at the head of the table. "It would seem the most fitting,"

I wish I had some weapons on me. Or some proper armour, instead of this flimsy dress. I do have weapons on me - my Daedric rewards. But how would I go about selecting a weapon without offending a Prince? Would I offend them if I used one artifact more than the other? I definitely use Volendrung more than Azura's Star or Dawnbreaker. I've used the Razor more than the Wabbajack or Sanguine Rose. I haven't even touched the Skull of Corruption and I only used the Ebony Blade that one terrible time. I usually almost always wear the Saviour's Hide underneath my usual thick ebony armour because of the extra enchantments it gives me. Am I supposed to eventually use all of them against Hermaeus Mora in one go? How would I even do that? I only have two hands and eleven artifacts.

"Relax," Barbas says quietly to me, as if he can tell that I'm panicking.

I take my seat. On my left sits Azura and on my right sits Clavicus. Next to Azura sits Meridia, then Sheogorath, then Hircine, then Mephala and then Vaermina. Next to Clavicus is Sanguine, then Dagon, then Peryite, then Nocturnal and then Malacath. The table we're seated at is circular so they're all more or less facing one another with me at the head.

Is this a negotiation? Is it a meeting? A war council? Am I hallucinating? Have I died and gone to my own personal sphere of Oblivion to be tormented? Who's to say.

"Hermaeus Mora is my sibling," Mephala says lazily. "Ergo, I know him best,"

"Well then what do you suggest?" I ask her.

Mephala shrugs. "I don't know his weaknesses or how to defeat him. Why would I want to do that to my brother?"

"Then why are you...why are you here then?" I try to keep the exasperation out of my voice. "Why make me your Champion and give me the Ebony Blade? Why not just waltz out of here and go join him?"

Mephala laughs. It sounds like nails on a chalkboard. "I am only playing with you, little Champion. You know how much I love a good betrayal,"

"Can we expect that of you soon?" Nocturnal asks her.

Mephala shakes her head daintily. "No. The only thing stopping my brother from amassing full power and truly taking over all of Mundus, let alone Tamriel, is us. While we stand and live he cannot truly dominate the known realm of existence and beyond. But how much longer can we hold him off? I do not want to be subordinate to another Daedric Prince, let alone my brother,"

"Is it even possible to truly kill a Daedric Prince?" I wonder.

The other Princes look at one another. "There is," Azura speaks up after a while.