Chapter XXXVIII: Familial Finagling

A/n: Apologies for the lateness, webnovel decided to be annoying.

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(Reyvin's POV)

"...So yeah, that is just about what happened in recent years." I finish recounting my tale and take a sip from my steaming cup of coffee.

The ghost of my father stares at me with a mix of respect and plain disbelief, though he quickly shakes that off and folds his arms "To think you would be the one aiding a Septim on their path to glory... I am not sure if my father would would be impressed or rolling in his grave right now, especially with how tolerant you seem to be." He says with some mirth.

"Both?" I ask.

He nods immediately "Both."

"Who cares about all that." The irritated voice of my mother interrupts our most manly of moments as she leans close to me and points at my face accusingly "You, young man, should be getting drunk and chasing skirts, not galivanting across a whole province and fighting dragons in honor duels of all damn things!"

"Ely, I don't think..." My father starts.

Only to be interrupted as my mother rounds on him and gives him such a glare that the old war veteran shrinks on himself on instinct "You keep your damn mouth shut! It is because of your idiot self that he even got the idea of doing magic and got himself into so much trouble!"

Vyren Dagoth just nods in defeat "Of course dear."

He quickly stops nodding and glares as he hears me laughing at his trained ass.

Elynea huffs and turns back to me, her expression suddenly much kinder "Now, Reyvin my dear, when are you going to get to making me some grandkids?" That expression of kindness only become that much more radiant as I wince "You aren't planning on making your mother wait for a century, now are you?"

"Gods damn it woman, you are dead!" I point at her "You don't get to pressure my ass."

"That wasn't a no." Her stare turns eerie at that.

"If it happens it happens, it isn't like I am on a timer." I wave her off even as my fear spikes.

"Is that so..." She mutters and it was anything but acceptance.

Vyren seems to pick up on my hint and immediately takes the opportunity for a topic shift "What do you mean you aren't on a timer?" He asks.

"Let us just say that I am no longer quite as limited as you mortals." I grin and push my soul outside my body, immediately startling the duo with just how utterly massive and terrifying I looked.

Naturally that sense of awe was shattered utterly as my dearest mother picked up her slipper and threw it at my head, the action was so baffling that I failed to move out of the way and soon found my face stinging as the crispiest fucking clap I ever did hear resounded through the shrine.

"What the fuck..." I mutter in confusion while palming my face.

"Get back in!" She commands.

"Calm yourself wo- Ugh" She kicks me in the shin.

"Back!"

"Why-" She kicks me again.

"Now." She glares at me.

"Fucking fine." I sigh and shove my soul back into my body.

"Good." Elynea huffs "To think my kid would be doing something so idiotic."

"Uhm... Ely, you do realize that was a mastery level ability?" Vyren asks cautiously.

She gives him a flat stare, once more causing him to back off "Who gives a shit about that?! Souls are meant to be in the body not outside of it you bloody dolt!"

"How do you even know that was my soul?" I ask with some amusement.

"Oh please" She rolls her eyes "Only someone as stuck up as a Dagoth would have their inner self carry three eyes." She sighs dramatically "And to think I once believed the Arens to be the arrogant twats."

Both Vyren and I pointedly look away at that.

Suddenly I feel the energies of the shrine shimmer slightly and sigh "It would seem our time is up."

Before I can get up I feel two spectral hands try and envelop me, absently activating my animus those spectral hands start to feel physical and I hear my mother gasp before leaning even deeper into the embrace "Be safe my child." She whispers.

"I will." I pat her on the back and slowly stand, sharing one last nod with my father I move to leave.

"Reyvin." Vyren calls out and I turn around.

"Should you find yourself in need of aid, do not be afraid to call." He smirks "Sitting here has gotten quite boring and I'd love to see these dragons you keep mentioning."

"Sure thing pops" I snort and give him a wave as I leave.

Just in time for me to go and remind dearest Maven of her place.

(General POV)

Within Mistveil Keep, the seat of Riften's Jarl, a small group of opulently dressed Nords sat around a table and waited for an important guest to grace their halls.

A tall man with a seemingly frozen expression of prideful disdain spoke "Mother, why exactly are we waiting for some uppity mage as if he were the King himself? Shouldn't he be happy to even be received by a Jarl's household?"

Before his mother could answer his younger sibling interrupted with a scoff "You really are an idiot Hemming." Sibbi tosses a piece of bread at his brother "You do not fuck with Reyvin Dagoth and live, not even mother is arrogant enough to think otherwise."

"Shut your whore mouth Sibbi, I wasn't talking to you." Hemming Black-Briar gives him the finger.

The only other woman present, Ingun covers her mouth with her hand and titters "Why you two are delightful, did I perchance put too much in your mead?"

"Ingun." Jarl Maven spoke for the first time, her voice as close to ice as she could make it "If you poisoned your brothers I will have you join the temple of Mara for the rest of your days, mark my words."

Seeing her daughter pale in fear and quickly shake her head, Maven allowed her self a very thin smile, before smothering it utterly and turning to Hemming, her oldest, with an expression of pure disappointment on her face "While I am aware you prefer to focus on trade and your Cyrodiilic contacts, you ought to at least keep your eye on the big players in the province if you ever plan on inheriting my position."

Hemming visibly rolls his eyes "Oh come off it!" He waves his hand in frustration "I know who he is, just not why we are giving him the royal treatment." Seeing his mother almost sigh in relief Hemming just turns silent and starts grumbling about low expectations.

"The reason." Maven's voice tightens "Is that he is the one who we owe our position to."

"Not the King?" Hemming blinks, a picture slowly forming within his mind.

Maven shakes her head "He probably did it for Torygg, but it was his agents and his resources that won us the hold."

"Yes, how convenient that he had his agents ready to 'help' us just as soon as he dealt with the Dark Brotherhood." Sibbi giggles as if deranged "And they say he did it all on his own."

"Make no mistake." Maven speaks again, ignoring Sibbi's disturbing behavior with a practiced ease "Lord Reyvin Dagoth is a monster of the highest order. No one in this city can so much as challenge him, much less beat him, so you will all keep your mouths shut, am I understood?"

Before she can get promises out of her children, Maven is interrupted as the newly named Thane Maul rushes into the hall with a heavy breath. Seeing Maven's expectant look he breathes in and speaks "He is here."

(Reyvin's POV)

"So tell me... Brynjolf." I drawl as I carry the thief by the scruff of his neck, like an uppity cat "What gave you the incredibly bright idea that tailing me was anything resembling a wise choice?"

Giving me a sheepish look from his rather shameful position, the Guildmaster shrugs "I um... wanted to talk to you?"

"Are you asking me or telling me?" I raise an eyebrow.

He raises his hands in surrender "Was just curious what you were doing, I swear!"

Sensing him to be truthful I just toss him onto the ground and before he can bolt I wave for him to follow and say "Well come on then, seeing as you are already here you may as well regale me of the city's woes."

He doesn't seem very willing to talk but at least isn't idiotic enough to try and give me the slip "What do you want to know?" He asks as he steps in next to me.

"Anything that dearest Maven may attempt to hide from me." I answer easily "The state of the food stores, the mood of the people, the Stormcloak loyalists' positions, whatever you can provide. Getting information from the inside is something I have found to be quite useful."

"Well..." He pauses, obviously an act "I wouldn't know much to tell you the truth."

I slowly turn to him with a deadpan "Twice the usual rate."

"Well why didn't you say so to begin with?" He asks with a grin, already rubbing his hands.

Fucking thieves.

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"Ah, Maven!" I enter the hall with no hint of propriety "What a wonder it is to see you again!"

The older woman merely nods and takes a deep breath in preparation.

Before the rest of those present can react I start pointing at each of them "And let's see here... the mildly competent one who thinks himself smart." I nod at Hemming, his face reddening "The psychotic murderer." I point at Sibbi, the man smiles and nods "And the slightly less psychotic poisoner." I finish at Ingun, she just pouts.

"Why add an old murderous woman with more ambitions than self respect and we have a whole ass party!" I turn to Maven with a wide grin, summoning an apparition of my inner self on the back of my head and winking at Maul while I was at it, with all three eyes.

(Maul POV)

Fuck, why is it staring at me, why the fuck is it staring at me?!

(Maven's POV)

I painfully grit my teeth as I make sure none of my anger shows on the outside, Hemming looked just about ready to unsheathe his sword and lunge "Is there any reason for this?" I ask before my children can kill themselves like complete idiots.

"Why yes there is, my dear Maven." Dagoth's grin remains unchanging as he stares straight into my soul "For you see" The monstrosity in guise of a young elf begins dramatically "I have just had a most entertaining conversation with one of your citizens, an that conversation has confirmed a rather discomforting suspicion of mine."

'Thieves' Guild.' My mind immediately supplies, much to my irritation "And what does your conversation have to do with this... display?" 'Patience Maven, he will leave soon and then you will be back in control.'

"I do wonder if you really will?" He tilts his head, obviously enjoying the way my hands clenched at his words "In any case." He continues "I have just been informed that there are six whole-ass Stormcloak camps in spitting distance of your city." The joviality disappears from him faster than I can blink "So tell me, Maven, why they aren't dead yet?"

(Reyvin's POV)

Maven's children all look almost surprised by my question, having likely expected me to try and badger their mother for money or something equally worthless. Maven, on the other hand, knows damn well why I am this irritated.

She pauses, considering her words, and speaks "We have been consolidating the city itself, sending troops out seems unwise for the moment."

"Ah yes, because it is tactically unsound, or because you want to preserve your resources?" I ask mockingly, to her growing frustration "Come now Jarl Black-Briar." I goad "You better not have forgotten our deal so quickly after reaping the rewards."

Sibbi Black-Briar giggles like a lunatic "Oh me oh my, how terrifying."

Without even looking at him I make a grasping motion with my hand and slam his head into a loaf of bread, only letting him move after almost making him suffocate in it for a good twenty seconds.

"Let me be perfectly clear here." I speak up in a much less pleasant tone "Just as I have made you the Jarl, so too can I unmake you. Get your forces to clear out the rebels from your hold or I will do it for you, and you won't like the results."

Before Maven can answer, her son Hemming surprises her by standing up "I will do it."

"Oh?" I turn to him with a raised eyebrow.

"Don't look down on us elf." He growls "I said I will do as you ask, now stop tormenting my family like some deranged cultist."

I stare at him for a moment, the tension rising throughout the silence, before bursting into merry laughter "Hah! It would seem someone here has a spine yet." I clap my hands in delight "You know what, clear them out quickly enough in time to join us at Windhelm, and I will craft you an artifact of your choice."

"Hemming." Maven interjects warningly "You have no experience commanding, stop playing the idiot."

"The mercenaries will teach me as I go." The man shakes his head firmly "Court Mage or not, I will not have my family looked down upon like this!"

"Excellent, most excellent indeed!" I do my best impression of Shalazar as I clap my hands excitedly "And with that I bid you adieu" I offer them a flamboyant bow "Oh and Maven" I look up at her "Don't make me come back here again."

Space cracks and I am gone.

(Maven's POV)

I entwine my fingers in front of my mouth as I take deep breaths and let the frustration slowly leave me, completely ignoring my family's shouting as I do so. I knew I was risking a lot by delaying our actions but this swift of a reaction was unexpected.

I really should stop underestimating just how dedicated that damned creature is, and now I will have to buy a dozen housecarls for my boy...

Wait a moment... why the hell is Maul unconscious?

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Maven thought she could hide the product from House Dagoth

Are you that foolish as well?

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