A Plan Most Grand

By Bekka Mouri

 

(Thanks to Samara for letting me know about a certain someone who hasn’t been in a fic in a while!  Will Mehrunes’ plan work?)

 

            “ Do you think it will work? “ Molag looked down at Mehrunes.

            Mehrunes nodded, “ Yes.  One of my distant cousins is in service for King Zarkon.  I remember hearing it one time from my parents before they died. “

            “ What luck!!!  Do you know what position he holds? “ Clavicus got closer to Mehrunes, pushing his older and dumber brother out of the way.

            “ He is the captain of his King Zarkon’s personal guards.  His name is Captain Dragon.  He is a member of the part of my family who kept the ancient family name.  One hundred some years ago, our family was split by a feud and half of the family took the name I now bear. “

            “ Do you think he will be glad to see you? “ Malacath cut his eyes sideways.

            “ The feud has been resolved and the family remains split by name only.  Part of the agreement that reunited us was that the Dragons would honor the Dagons since the feud was started by their side of the family, “ Mehrunes smiled, “ This is one time I do not mind sharing the hospitality of distant family. “

            “ What do you want us to do, Master Dagon? “ Peryite asked.

            Mehrunes turned and looked towards the palace, which still was quite a bit away.  “ I want you… gentlemen to hide where you can until nightfall.  At that time, I will have prepared a way for you to gain entrance to the grounds and hopefully found out where the slave girl is hiding so I can send you to get her. “

            “ Then? “ Hircine asked.

            “ Then we will take her and escape.  I will make sure the prince trusts me and does not suspect me when the girl is gone, “ Mehrunes looked at the men, “ The plan may take a few days of you sneaking on and off of the grounds.  Use caution and only enter the grounds under the cover of night. “

            “ A few days? “ Malacath arched an eyebrow.  “ There is some danger involved in repeating such a dangerous endeavor but we will be careful. “

            Mehrunes nodded, “ Good.  Now, I want you all to stay hidden during the day and only approach the palace at night.  I will send you a signal once it is safe.  Look for me just inside the north wall. “

            “ Yes, Master Dagon, “ The five men said in unison then watched him proceed to the castle.

 

**

 

            Bekka woke up and looked around the room she was in.  She sat straight up, realizing she had been moved from the room where she had met the Scribes.  She remembered having the attack but everything else was blank.  It wasn’t a normal attack though; it was the kind she had when she knew she was in danger.

            She had been having small panic attacks while waiting for Sarah in her lab.  Those had been brought on by nervousness.  The large attack had been caused by a premonition that someone was coming for her.  She could see his face clearly as it invaded her senses.

            She looked under the covers and found she had been stripped down to her corset and underwear.  Her clothes were hanging on a rack not to far from the bed but just out of reach.  She strained to reach for her skirt, knowing her necklace was in the pocket.  After a few tries, she gave up and fell back to the bed.

            ~Damn it!  I need that necklace so I can make sure…~ Bekka thought, reaching weakly towards the skirt again.  The necklace had become her most important possession in her time on Doom.  It had done exactly what Enova said it would.  It had protected her.

            Not only that, it had helped her see things and know things she would not have normally known.  When it was in contact with her skin, the Daedra Lord that lived in it increased her senses ten fold.  Enova had not told her about this but she found it came in handy on many occasions.  It had been the demon lord who helped her gain her freedom six years before.

            ~Hermaeus Mora!  You have to tell me if that was Mehrunes Dagon in my vision!~ She cried out mentally to the spirit of the necklace.

            The skirt rustled a little bit before the necklace began to move in the pocket.  Slowly, the blood red choker rose from the place it rested in, the green dragon’s eye glowing brightly.  It floated for a moment before falling back down from where it came from.

            Bekka’s eyes grew wide, ~What did you do that for?~

            ~Someone is coming, child,~ Hermaeus Mora’s deep sinister sounding voice echoed in Bekka’s brain.  He spoke to her when he felt like it but he was often silent.  ~But it was Mehrunes you saw.~

            Sarah poked her head in the door, “ Oh.  You’re awake.  How do you feel? “

            “ I’m still tired, “ Bekka placed her forehead in her hand.  “ I was hoping that wouldn’t happen until I was in the harem.  Now, I’m sure my chances are blown to bits, aren’t they? “

            ‘ That will be up to Gina to decide but I’m sure it won’t matter too much.  A lot of people suffer from panic disorder and it can be controlled with medication.  Do you know how long you have been suffering from it? “ Sarah came into the room and sat down on the edge of the bed.

            Bekka shook her head, “ I don’t remember really.  I think I have had them all of my life. “

            “ Tell me what makes you think that, “ Sarah picked up Bekka’s chart and took a pen from behind her ear.

            “ I used to have these unexplainable crying fits when I was in school.  The kids were so mean to me because I wasn’t skinny like them.  I guess those were panic attacks and I just didn’t know what they were at the time, “ Bekka pulled her knees to her chest.  She gasped and looked down at the bandage the rested just above her bosom.

            “ You did that while you were having the attack.  Tim tried to pull your hand away but your arm was locked.  It’s a good thing your nails aren’t that long or you could have hurt yourself even worse that you did, “ Sarah looked over her glasses at Bekka, “ Do you remember doing it? “

            “ No, “ Bekka whispered, shaking her head.  She couldn’t tell anyone about her visions.  It would make them all think she was crazy.

            “ Hmmm, “ Sarah chewed on the end of the pen.  “ You have a very severe case of panic disorder, probably amplified by your time as a slave. “

            ‘ My chances are blown, aren’t they? “ Bekka whispered, a tear slipping down her cheek.

            Sarah placed the pen back behind her ear and patted Bekka’s hand, “ With the proper medication, you will be just fine.  Who knows?  Maybe this will be the best place for you.  Harem life is relatively stress free except for the occasional attempt by Zarkon to touch us, but he’s easy to avoid.  You just have to make it through initiation. “

            “ I’m not afraid of that, “ Bekka sighed, “ It was just the meeting all of these new people and… “

            “ You will be just fine but I think I had better get you on something before you have another attack, “ Sarah stood up and went to the door but turned.  “ Oh!  I totally forgot.  You said something before you passed out and I was wondering what you meant by it. “

            “ What did I say? “ Bekka looked at Sarah.

            “ You said someone was coming to get you.  What did you mean by that? “ Sarah moved back to the bed.

            Bekka looked down at the bed, “ I don’t remember saying it. “

            Sarah shrugged, “ Oh well.  It must have not been important then. “

 

**

 

            Captain Dragon walked through the hallway of the palace.  A servant saying one of his family members was waiting for him had summoned him to the foyer of the great castle.  From what the servant had said, the man was from the Dagon half of the family.  Captain Dragon was bound by honor to show hospitality to that side of the family due to an old feud that had ended with that agreement.

            ~Damn ancestors,~ Dragon thought, ~All this over a piece of land.~

            He entered the foyer and froze in his tracks.  The man standing there could have passed for his twin.  He wore all black and a long black cape.  At his waist was a belt that bore the crest of the Dagon family.

            “ Mehrunes Dagon I presume? “ Dragon found his voice and continued to approach the man.

            Mehrunes arched an eyebrow, “ You know my name, cousin? “

            “ That I do.  I think the whole bloodline, Dragon or Dagon, knows who you are.  You live on the land that split our family over a hundred years ago.  You are also one of the richest men on Doom, next to his majesty, of course. “

            “ Really?  You have been able to keep up with such things living behind these walls? “ Mehrunes looked his cousin over.

            “ I still communicate with the family from time to time.  What are you doing here, if I may ask, “ Dragon crossed his arms over his chest.  ~What does this bastard want?  I have heard his sanity has been very questionable since his parents' death.~

            “ I was just passing through and I wished to spend a few days with you, cousin.  It has been so long since I have seen a member of the family besides my sister. “

            “ How is Namira? “ Dragon asked.  He knew how the girl was.  She had gone insane after witnessing the gruesome death of her parents.  Mehrunes had put her in a mental institution shortly afterward.

            Mehrunes smiled, “ She is doing good considering the state she is in.  She keeps blathering on about the nightmarish creature she claims killed our parents.  It was such a shame she had to such a horrible thing  when she was so young. “

            “ How old was she at the time anyway?  Wasn’t she just eleven? “ Dragon asked another question he already knew the answer to.

            “ Yes indeed.  She was just a child, “ Mehrunes sighed.  He then looked at his cousin, his eyes bright with fire, “ Why do you keep asking me these questions a fool in the streets could tell you the answers to? “

            Dragon stepped back, “ I beg your pardon, cousin.  I was just trying to make conversation. “

            “ Please try to make conversation about other things than our family’s dirty laundry, “ Mehrunes said stiffly.

            “ I am sorry.  I ask that you please forgive my impudence, “ Dragon bowed.

            Mehrunes waved his hand, “ You are forgiven.  I am sure it is not every day you get to talk to family. “

            Dragon shook his head, “ No.  It is not. “

            “ Now, ‘ Mehrunes looked around the foyer of the castle, “ What do you say you show me around this place since I will be staying here for a few days. “

            Dragon arched an eyebrow, “ I will have to get permission to from King Zarkon first but I am sure he will not mind since you are family. “

            “ Very well.  I will accompany you so I have the honor of meeting his royal majesty myself, “ Mehrunes smiled.

 

**

 

            Zarkon sat on his throne although not very comfortably.  The young woman with the purple streaked hair had left some very tender bruises on his rear end.  A knock on the throne room door made him jump slightly.  “ Who is it? “ He called out.

            “ The captain of your royal guard, my lord.  May I please enter? “

            Zarkon sighed.  It had been too long since he really needed his royal guards since everything had been relatively peaceful.  They seemed to be more for show than anything now.  “ Yes, Dragon.  You may enter. “

            The door opened up and Zarkon’s eyes grew wide.  If it weren’t for the two men being dressed differently, he could have easily mistook them as twins.  He waited for them to get closer to the throne before he spoke.  “ Dragon, I didn’t know you had a twin brother. “

            Dragon bowed, “ He is not my twin, majesty.  He is my distant cousin. “

            “ You look amazingly alike for being distant cousins, “ Zarkon chuckled.

            ~Really now?~ Mehrunes thought, keeping his face still as a new plan former in his mind.  Dragon did look like him and the two men were built the same.  He had not known exactly how he would get the bounty hunters into the castle but the king’s words sent him to thinking.

 

**

 

            “ Do you think he has found a way for us to get in? “ Molag looked up at Clavicus.  The younger of the two men sat on a tree branch that looked over the palace wall and gave him a good view of the north part of the palace grounds. 

            Clavicus looked down, “ I’m sure he has.  He’s a very smart man. “

            Malacath leaned against the side of the tree, “ I think he’s crazy for trying something like this.  It is us who are supposed to be in there looking for the woman, not him. “

            Hircine smiled from the branch he sat on, “ But he wants that woman back very badly, if you haven’t noticed.  After the failures of his other hunters, I think he wanted to make sure we succeed.  If the master isn’t already mad, he surely will go insane if he does not get his hands on that girl. “

            Peryite looked up at the telekinetic Drule.  “ You think he likes her? “

            Hircine looked at Malacath’s younger similar looking brother.  “ Yes, fool.  He lusts for her from the bottom of his soul.  He has since she was seventeen and he was twenty-seven.  I read his thoughts and I know what his true goal is.  He wants that girl to be his personal slave. “

            Clavicus tumbled from the branch he sat on, “ Everyone hide!  There is a captain in the courtyard and he is looking this way! “

            The four men on the ground ducked but Hircine remained still as he focused his eyes on the figure.  He was wearing captain’s clothes alright but there was something familiar about him.  He chuckled and looked down at his fellow hunters before jumping down to the ground.  “ Fools, it is Mehrunes.  It seems he has gotten a hold of a disguise. “

            The bounty hunters approached the front gate of the palace slowly, Mehrunes’ evil grin sparkling in the moonlight as he waited for them.  Once they were close to the gate, he called out to them.  “ I fooled you, didn’t I? “

            “ You scared me half to death, “ Clavicus crossed his arms over his chest.  He looked over his master’s clothes, “ Was this your plan all along? “

            Mehrunes laughed, “ No.  I got the idea from the king.  He said that the captain and I looked so much alike, we could be twins.  His word planted the seeds of this foolproof plan. “

            “ And that plan would be? “ Malacath arched an eyebrow.

            “ I have found where the guard uniforms are kept.  We will simply go there and get uniforms so you can blend in.  There are so many guards around here, I am sure no one will notice, “ Mehrunes explained.

            “ But what about those guards right now? “ Peryite asked, noticing that Hircine was grinning.

            “ I have already taken care of that.  I had a sleeping gas bomb that I used on them and everyone else who was in that part of the palace at the time it went off.  Thank you Hircine for having the forethought to get me to bring  it along, “ Mehrunes smiled at Hircine.

            “ Glad to be of service, master, “ Hircine bowed.

            Mehrunes pushed the gate open, letting the five men in.  “ Now.  Come along.  We have a slave girl to find. “