Nate lowered the glass from his lips, feeling a little unnerved by his words. Pointing to the goblet, he asked Sanguine curiously. "When you say that I'll crave nothing else...?" Sanguine stepped closer, lowering his own goblet from his own lips. Nate could barely breath as Sanguine leaned in to whisper to him in a light buttery voice. "I meant it. The second it touched your lips... Your soul was mine. Daedra Wine is made from Daedra blood... My blood. One taste and no amount of mortal alcohol will quench your thirst. It binds you to me. You can't enter my realm without having tasted it." Sanguine's bright purple eyes glinted, his fingers brushing over Nate's jaw as he told him with a beautiful smile. "Are you mad?" Nate licked his dry lips, admitting truthfully. "Honestly? I'm curious why you thought my soul was worth it. Why do you want it? Power?" Sanguine rolled his eyes, chuckling out. "Oh, please. I'm one of the most powerful Daedra in existence. I don't need power. I've got more than I can use. No. I picked you because I can see into your soul. You have a wild soul and I LOVE that." Sanguine backed up to sit on the end of one of the long banquet tables.

Picking a grape off a plater, he brought it to his lips and purred out to Nate playfully. "Other Daedra crave power and collect souls to dominate. It's all about control. I don't think that way. I like having a little fun. The people in my realm are free to come and go as they please. I don't hold them here." Sanguine pushed the grape past his lips to eat before adding with a warm grin. "Controlling people is tiring. I prefer enjoying the finer things in life. Music. Sex. Drinking. I want a long happy life of endless parties and laughter. A realm full of entertainment for all that reside here. Now does that sound so bad?" Nate smiled, glancing around at the humans that were all enjoying themselves. Giving Sanguine a shrug, he asked him gently. "And if they get bored? Endless parties... That's a long time." Sanguine took a swig from his goblet, hoping off the table to gesture toward another road leading away from the area as he said coolly. "As I said. I hold no one here. Everyone is free to come and go as they wish. I even encourage it. Spreads a little merriment around the mortal realm. Creates fun stories that I love to hear." Sanguine strolled back up to him, his hips swaying lustfully with every step. Raising his goblet to him, Sanguine told him in a more serious voice. "And you my friend... I see your story unfolding. I sure don't want to miss it. In fact... I'm looking forward to it."

Sanguine clinked his goblet to his, causing both goblets to refill on their own. Nate took a swig with him, then asked nicely. "Why is that?" Sanguine gestured him with a finger to his throne of pillows. Shooing the guys and gals from the area with a smile, he told them. "Give us minute, friends. I need to have a little chat with my Bard." The people happily moved away, chatting among themselves with excitement. Some even winked at Nate as they passed him. When they were relatively alone. Sanguine laid back across his comfy pillows, spreading himself out a bit. Pointing to a spot next to him, he told Nate to sit. Cautiously moving up, he sat down on the pillows with him. Sanguine turned to lay on his side, then told him with a worried look. "I'll admit. I picked you for a few reasons. I'd tell you why... but it's complicated and frankly, it would just mess with you logically. So. Here is all you need to know." Sanguine took a deep breath, then told him calm and clearly. "The Nine Divines have a bit of a sense of humor. One of their bratty babies was chucked through time. Now, in just a few years. That brat is going to come back and try to end the mortal world. Akatosh already has his chosen in mind to deal with his brat. But... We Daedra know full well that the Nine are fickle. They don't know whether to really save the mortals or end them."

Nate took a drink to calm his shaking hands and stay focused. Sanguine was talking about the end of everything he knew like it was just a board game to be reset. Sanguine kept refilling his glass though, while he continued without pausing. "We Daedra get a lot of crap for fucking around with mortals. But we CARE what happens to them. So, a few of us have been talking. We are picking 'Champions.' The strongest of our followers to help Akatosh's Chosen one end this whole nonsense issue. Funny enough... fate brought YOU right to me. Yet, your destiny is split in two. Something I have not seen in ages, but I'm intrigued." Nate shrugged, mumbling out over the rim of his glass sarcastically. "So what? I'm broken?" Sanguine chuckled, shaking his head before answering with a sweet smile. "No. It means that you have ties in two different destinies. Two world ending ties. Which may be the reason that the Nine are losing hope in humanity. They see these two endings and can't see a way to end both. The mortal realm will end by Daedra or by the Nines doing. But I'm all about spreading a little chaos. So, I don't want either to mess with MY fun. So, my plan is to fuck up BOTH their plans and let the Mortals live a while longer."

Sanguine sipped from his goblet, his eyes never leaving Nate's as he purred out curiously. "What do you say to that, my friend? You wanna be my Champion? Let this party go on a while longer?" Nate looked deep into Sanguine's eyes trying to read his personality. He'd always been told growing up to NEVER trust Daedra. They played with the hearts of men like toys, but Sanguine made the Nine Divines seem just as petty in their views. Looking away at the realm, Nate watched the people having fun. He even saw a few come and go from the realm like Sanguine had said they could. Exhaling heavily, Nate looked back at him and raised his goblet upon telling him. "Fuck them all then. I wanna keep partying." Sanguine clinked his goblet against his, chuckling out happily. "As do I, Nathan. As do I." They both downed their goblets, then Sanguine rose to his feet to cheer out. "Now with that out of the way. How about some mood music? I'm in the mood to dance!" Nate snapped his fingers at Sanguine, stating out a little tipsy. "Sure thing! Let's do it!" Slipping his mandolin around from his back, he tapped his heel against the ground and began to strum a tune that started slow and picked up. Those that recognized the song began to sing along. Others began to cheer and dance. Sanguine danced among the people and sung along with them.

Climbing to his feet, Nate played straight into another song and rocked to the beat. The music made the place come alive. The fog around their feet rolled and swirled around those that danced in it. The fireflies in the air twinkled above them like green stars. The flames in the lanterns swayed to the music. The smell of wine and food was accompanied by the sing and laughter of everyone. Nate had never been to a place that was so free and warm. A few people jumped up on rocks and tables to dance. A few entertainers even began to join in. Fire dancers. Jugglers. Animal trainers that danced with dogs. It was a fool's paradise. It didn't matter if you could dance or not. Whatever made people laugh and got people to enjoy themselves was welcomed here. There were many different races and cultures that started filtering in as word got around. Poor or Rich, everyone was equal here. As more people arrived, a few other Bards joined in with their drums or flutes. The more that came, the louder and more fun everyone seemed to have. Nate's fingers had never plucked his strings for so long and so fast. Hoping up onto a table, Nate danced with his back to a dark scaled Argonian that rivaled him with his own mandolin. The people ate it up as they playfully competed to see who was the better player.

They spun their instrument and pulled out every trick they knew to show off. The Argonian slid his tail over the mandolin strings and Nate laughed as he shoved him lightly. The Argonian laughed in return, then reached out to play Nate's instrument with one hand, while Nate did the same with his. People gawked at how they could stay in tune despite not having complete control over their instrument. Spinning their instrument in union, they returned to playing their own instrument, causing the crowd to cheer. When the Argonian hopped down to grind back against a large Orc, Nate blushed. He was used to seeing gay men... but he wasn't used to seeing it between other races. There was even a female Orc dancing with a wood elf woman. The place was bouncing, and Nate couldn't get enough. He was enjoying himself so much that he didn't care when someone came up behind him to dance against him. It wasn't until he leaned back into them to kiss them that he paused. Sanguine smirked at him, his hands sliding around his hips to pull him back against him. Nate kept playing but was forced to stop when Sanguine distracted him with a long deep kiss.

Sanguine tasted like a smooth sweet wine and he smelled of fresh roses. The music kept going even after Nate stopped playing. After Sanguine's soft warm lips pulled from his, Nate could only force himself to inhale. He'd never kissed a Daedra Prince and had no idea what to think or say about it. Had anyone ever done it and lived? A smile spread over Sanguine's face as he chuckled out. "You should see your face. Although... you're not as surprised as you were to see your fiancée. Moira." Nate narrowed his eyes on Sanguine playfully, asking suspiciously. "You were there?" Sanguine nodded, purring out against his lips. "I was really curious how you would handle her. After all... because of you. The man who really loved her had the courage to try to take her from you." Nate blinked, asking softly. "You planned that?" Sanguine licked his lips, whispering back sweetly. "He asked me for the courage to ask her out... I gave him a reason to be courageous. And people call me cruel." Sanguine tapped the underside of Nate's chin to raise it a bit, before adding openly. "Mortals hold themselves back from things within their control. They are told to ask permission from higher powers. A wild soul seeks no one's approval. They follow their hearts. A mortal that follows their heart can't be caged. Because their unbroken spirit sets them free."

Staring into his eyes, Nate asked him curiously. "Sanguine... When the time comes. How will I find the chosen to help them? And how can I help them? I'm just a bard. An ex-mage." Sanguine turned Nate to face him, the party slowing around them like time itself was fading to a standstill. Sanguine's voice was calm and collected when he told him. "He'll find you. But you will not be as you are now. You'll be stronger. And that all starts... When you go to the Bard college." Sanguine curled a finger around something on Nate's neck, causing him to look down. Sanguine removed his dad's ring from under his shirt by the cord, looking it over as he told Nate in a sudden deep warm voice. "I don't envy the journey that lies before you... but I'll tell you this. The demons of your past are closer than you think. And oh... what a monster they will make." Nate raised an eyebrow, asking a little uneasy. "What do you mean? What's going to happen?" Sanguine cupped his face, stepping up against him to whisper over his lips lustfully. "You, my champion... are going to own the night. And I'm going to help you do it." Nate opened his mouth to say something, when Sanguine claimed his lips in a lusty kiss that was full of hungry desire. Nate wrapped his arms around Sanguine's neck to keep himself from falling backward off the table, while Sanguine's hands went to grab his legs.

Hefting him up into his arms, time around them started up again. Sanguine hopped down from the table with Nate in his arms. Forcing him to shrug off his mandolin and bag before tossing him back across the pillows of his throne. Nate scooted across the pillows; his heart racing to the beat of the drums as Sanguine dropped to all fours to crawl after him. No one even gave them a second glance. Sanguine smirked, crawling over Nate to bring his lips to his. Sharing a kiss, Sanguine then brought his lips to Nate's ear to whisper lustfully into it. "This is where you tell me to stop." Nate put a hand on Sanguine's chest to ask him reluctantly. "Does sex with you have side effects that I should know about?" Sanguine giggled, then shook his head upon telling him. "Well... I probably won't be here when you wake up. I've got commitment issues." Nate gawked at him, asking in a guarded tone. "Were you listening when I was talking to Escher?" Sanguine adjusted over him, smugly retorting. "No. I don't need to. Looking through your eyes, I can see EVERYTHING that you are by reading the character of your soul." Sanguine pulled at the strings of Nate's tunic, while telling him sweetly. "That's how I know that you are curious about what being with me would be like. You wanna brag that you've bedded a Daedric Lord." Nate blushed, looking away as he mumbled out guiltily. "I... That... I wasn't going to say anything..."

Sanguine brushed his long hair behind his pointed ear, giggling out as he looked down at him. "I'm used to it. Everyone wants to sleep with a god. They think it will be divine... They all dream of seducing a god and making him his alone. Makes a good story." Nate locked his eyes back on Sanguine, asking innocently. "Are you saying that it won't be? That you aren't attracted to me... even a little?" Sanguine grabbed Nate's wrists, guiding them up around his neck. Then sliding his hands down Nate's arms to his shoulders, he told him in a casual honest voice. "I see inner beauty in everything. But love isn't in the cards for me. Like a rose, my desire blooms and fades. It's my nature to be beautiful... and hurtful. A lot of mortals don't understand that. I don't have the ability to love as you do. I can only desire things." Nate shrugged, smirking as he replied. "I can live that. But you wanna know what I desire, right now?" Sanguine rolled his eyes, telling him a little amused. "I do... but tell me anyway." Nate flipped Sanguine over on the pillows, leaning over him on fours before telling him with a smile. "I wanna top." Sanguine laid his arms over his head, smiling broadly as he purred out in a buttery voice. "You think you can? Could be dangerous. Lots of work... You wouldn't want to disappointment me, would you?"

Nate shifted to lay between his legs, purring over his lips confidently in return. "I'm up for the challenge. Besides... I heard a rumor about Daedra..." A blushing smile spread over Sanguine's lips as he stared into his eyes. Sanguine almost looked young and innocent with those soft purple eyes. Biting his lip, Sanguine teased up to him. "You're a good liar... Lucky guess." Nate's eyes widened, chuckling out shocked. "Are you serious...? I was right?! I just wanted to..." Sanguine dipped his head a little to look away slightly, telling him promptly. "Go ahead." Nate swallowed, then reached up slowly to gently run his fingertips over Sanguine's long curled horns. As his fingers moved over the smooth horn, Sanguine closed his eyes and took slow deep breaths that were intoxicating to hear. He was only kidding about Daedra horns being sensitive... but clearly, he'd guessed right. Curling his fingers around the horn, Sanguine breathlessly informed him. "You have good magical instincts. That will help you in the future. Never lose it." Nate brushed his fingers along Sanguine's jaw to expose his throat, leaning in slowly to press his lips gently to his warm neck.

Sanguine let out a throaty moan, his hand lowering from above to brush Nate's bangs back as he ran his fingers through his silky dark hair. Nate lifted his head a little to enjoy it, listening to Sanguine tell him in a husky undertone. "So... A vampire makes you nervous in bed... but a Daedric Lord like myself... doesn't?" Nate trailed his lips along Sanguine's neck down to his collarbone, teasing him smugly. "You tell me. You're the one who reads souls." Sanguine gently took ahold of his jaw, lifting his head up from kissing his chest to answer softly. "The answer to that isn't marked on your soul. It's something in your heart... I can't see into people's hearts." Nate smirked almost wickedly back down at him, bringing his lips to his as he teased out in a whisper. "Good. Then you'll always have something to wonder about me." Sanguine moved his hand off him to lean his cheek on it, coolly saying with a small smile. "You mortals always find a way to keep me guessing. It's the part I enjoy the most." To Be Continued...