This was by far the hardest one to write– I’ve had the pictures done since the holidays but kept coming back to it over and over.
Furb and I talked about it and I found her commentary very helpful. Tricky scene to navigate.
Most of the pictures were taking in Jokerine’s The Lofty Loft.
That little apartment’s one of my inspirations for this whole series. And I forgot to credit Jokerine for all of the Saturalia regalia I’ve dropped into pictures of Cyrelian’s mother’s home. (Yes, I absolutely think Altmer would have huge family-centric Victorian-era type Saturalia celebrations..)
A couple of the shots were taken in The Lucky Skeever by sa547 who is also one of my inspirations. More of this author’s mods are definitely going to be featured!
EDIT: I suppose I should warn that this one is quite NSFW as it is sexytimes, Cyr and Ahtar.
I honestly don’t know if I’ve struck the right note with the dialogue on this one– it seems alright and then I kind of go back and forth on it…
I think this has been my favourite chapter thus far, for a few reasons.
The smut is one of them, obviously, but it isn’t the only one. The setup is gorgeous – one stubborn invalid trying to take care of another, Ahtar reading the strategy book in near-perfect Altmeris, details of the war, their lives, and Ahtar’s past. Just pure and simple moments, where they eat or sleep or play a game together, and uncover a little more of each other.
And then the smut. Which you absolutely nailed, btw.
“What did I cost myself, in that moment?
I knew his words were merely meant to put my embarrassment at ease. Not to grant me license. Any misunderstanding on my part was wholly willful.
Dibella had no role in this. No daedric curse caused it; I did not misunderstand basic Tamrielic; I was not confused; I was not asleep. I sustained myself for a long time on such lies.
Now I have seen it all, having looked into the heart of the Eye: What we were. And what we have become– what we have all fallen to.
So I am no more virtuous than the others of my ilk, when the temptation is sufficient.”
This was such a wonderful setup to it all. You knew it was building up to it, and then this happened. I’m a total sucker for any sort of inner conflict in smut, of which there is a ton with Cyr, due to the whole Altmer/Thalmor thing. You wrote this so well – the religious-y overtones were delicious.
Seriously, there are so many passages in here that I love – I kinda don’t want to copy and paste them all because then you’ll just be reading your own chapter back, hah. I’ll try to paraphrase/pick out my all-time fave parts.
I thought you did a fantastic job of getting the sensory details right, as well as Cyr’s unbridled lust. The lines “This had naught to do with him. To see what I could make this Redguard’s body do” and “the gods know our great sins, and I know mine” were just…oof. Perfect.
Then, a really raw, touching moment afterwards as Ahtar lets go a bit – a really powerful and painful catharsis for him, I’m sure. Here’s something I definitely didn’t catch on my first readthrough, but am noticing now – details in Chapters 9 and 10 seem to suggest Ahtar and Aldis may have been an item, or am I reading that wrong? I definitely didn’t pick up on Erdi, and to be honest I still wouldn’t if you hadn’t told me, but I did pick up on this. If so, what a bastard.
Also, oh Cyr, laying there having an impatient grump while not knowing what to do. That’s kind of weirdly on-brand for the elf, but I like that him and Ahtar had words about it afterwards. I love how even in this chapter you show just how deep a connection they both have. It’s really beautiful. As are the screenshots, btw – the tenderness comes across just as well as it does in your writing.
“You have bad manners, elf,” he murmured, almost a growl, and brushed his lips across the outside verge of my ear.
Oooooh, this bit made me shiver in the best way. I love when Ahtar gets all growly and pseudo-sinister. Totally does it for me. Guessing it does it for Cyrelian too, heh. Like how he went for the ear, too. This aint Ahtar’s first elf rodeo.
(Side note: Also loved the Shrine to Dibella framed behind them in the screenshot as they embraced. Lovely attention to detail.)
I really enjoy the short bursts that you write with screenshots – you get so much across even by saying so little. That’s a skill I could do with learning. I also really like how real it felt. Cyr needing taught how to do things properly, not being very accomplished at taking Ahtar in his mouth, just generally exploring and touching and enjoying each other, taking breaks to ache and cry and adjust in between.
All in all, a really amazing chapter. I think you hit the nail on the head with this one, Syl.
Thank you so much for your lovely comment!
Naw, not Ahtar’s first elf rodeo. Heh. Not-at-all. Aldis– yes, guessed correctly. Aldis is not a nice person, noo. More of the step on your head as he climbs the ladder type.
The religious angle has been interesting because we don’t really know a whole lot about Thalmor, and I’ve had to sort of guess at what they’d be repressive about.
My favorite picture in this set is… argh. It’s in the next chapter, and it’s because of something in the background of the image which I did not even see until I was lightening up the screenshot to be posted. You’ll probably catch it.
Cyrelian is rather an impatient cuss for an elf, isn’t he?
I really loved the house mod that’s the basis for most of these pictures- it’s the Lofty Loft. The scenes upstairs are from The Lucky Skeever.
Oh, and Ahtar says he forgave him. Cyrelian doesn’t believe this. And I’m not so sure about it myself– but I guess I’ll see how matters work out.