Moon-Meeting with Vivec
Amidst the edges of swords, sugar parades, sex symbols and words belonging to dead mouths did Vivec wander upon the Mane. Vivec battled words and theory in languages above three-dimensional thought and was ready to meet the Third Moon once more.
“Welcome second first. Is your lover resting well shame masked fool sleeps clock city is nice this year happy return respond”
“Better, I think, to see you under these circumstances than it was when Nerevar joined your elders in combat through misunderstanding. The affairs of mine are the affairs of Morrowind, that is to say, my affairs are those of this world, that is to say, they are your affairs. The Sharmat is contained, do not ask of him again. Sotha Sil is as he was, as you know, a private man who consoled in himself rather than those around him and his state reflects this. The city and its double are one man and when the man’s problems are shared through the city, the troubles multiply. A pleasure, in several shapes, it is to meet again.”
“Yourself and other and I and us do how state?”
“As well as you know it is.”
“and city”
“As well worded as when I made it”
“and god”
“In front of you”
“and man”
“In front of you”
“and image”
“Irrelevant. You do not ask of common things you have already seen. What is the purpose of this, or am I to make purpose once again?”
Vivec had seen a vision, that of the Red Jewel of Conquest he had seen many ages ago.
“You are clearer than that. Speak as you would, as I do, and not through images of many-meaning”
“Teach the Red King how rule power stolen Love kept right will answer”
“I will teach the Hortator again and again, as I have already and will until he learns. The Ruling King is to come against me and then before me. I have told him this. You know this. The Sword at the Centre is not one that will shake as it was before.”
“Nerevar gone Red King Dragon-Born conquer retort”
“Do not speak ill of the dead.”
“retort”
“He will learn from me when he comes, as he already has. I’ve met him countless times, each one he has learned one lesson whether it be through fire, war, terror or theory. Love is complex and controversial at best. He is the success many others failed to be and I killed one of them too for the Red King to learn before his birth. Do you know my lessons?”
“old words”
“Better than yours”
“how do his teachings go you teach if he fails catastrophe reply”
“Read a book.”
“I was woven perfectly sugar friend my own paradise true no theory speak”
“I was made of powers that were forever unalike. It is not in your nature to talk of rank, speak as you will”
“Time Breaker hurt many lands people still battle learned of land not peace pointless talk”
“The Ruling King is wiser than you think. He has learned your lesson as he did mine. In fact they were the same. Punishment and pain are parts of love, we Velothi knew this better than most, have you not seen my scars from that?”
“Red King 3 Gods Khajiiti walk sugar not ash why not one answer speech”
“To do otherwise would betray our nature. Will you be the one needing lessons?”
“Our lessons came from the same source have you forgotten already reply”
“I have gotten bored. I am a king not unlike your concerns and I have fancied more entertaining talks made of looks that linger and exasperations of another language”
“I have sugar”
“You are sugar.”
A silence remained for some time as the two smiled at each other, until Vivec stated
“I could kiss you”
“would you kill me”
“You are not the HoonDing”
“You didn’t kill him”
“Could I kill you?”
“Yes I would return just as you would reborn again more than twice”
“Then should I kill you?”
“You should kill the Red King”
“You should love him”
“I do”
Silence, once again, in the hair-halls of the Mane.
“Teach Talos again he must do what we cannot time after and through time he must not forget gift for peace farewell”
Vivec, adorned in the sugar-soaked fur of the Mane’s own hair, left to the space that is not a space where he stored the coat; and promptly returned to Morrowind as teacher, thief, king and lover.