Stories of Skyrim

Marcurio

"I want to marry you," she said, loving the way his entire face lit up at the words. "But not like this. You deserve better than me right now-"

"But I don't want better," he insisted, sweeping both her hands up in his. Marcurio pressed kisses to her fingertips, feather-light, feeling the coldness of her skin against his lips.

Lissien allowed the attention, melting into it. "Marc, love. You deserve a woman who can stand before Mara and pledge the rest of her life to you. I can promise to stay with you for the rest of your life, but not for mine. And I don't want that."

"I'll take what I can get," he whispered. "Be it a year, two, or even just today. I'll take it, just so I can say you were mine." Marcurio slid closer to her, his hands sliding into her hair. Lissien leaned into his touch, a soft sigh escaping. She wanted to cry. The pressure built behind her eyes but of course, her tears had long since dried up. It didn't stop the tightness in her throat from choking her every swallow.

"Marc," she murmured, her voice cracking. "When I marry you, I want to be whole."

He wrapped an arm around her back and pulled her close, tucking her head under his chin. Lissien practically curled into his side and stayed there, listening to his heart skip a beat when she began tracing patterns on his thigh. Not to tease, or to start something she could never finish, but simply to thank him. For everything.

-/-

"I've been thinking about what you said."

Lissien froze at the alchemy table, mentally running through conversations trying to pick the one he meant. Marcurio drifted into the lab and made himself at home on the chair behind her, riffling through the open book on the table.

"About marrying me," he clarified, when she remained silent. "And spending the rest of our lives together."

"Oh," Lissien said, carefully avoiding his eyes when she looked around. Marcurio wasn't looking at her though, instead studying the woodgrain on the wall. Her chest ached when she recalled the talk, the space where her dead heart sat constricting with fear. It wouldn't be the first time a lover had realised the inequality of their lives. It would be the first time Lissien would fight to keep one. "What about it?"

Marcurio blinked out of his thoughts, but when he looked at her he wasn't meeting her eyes. Focussing over her left shoulder, he took a breath and very quietly said; "I want you to change me."

Lissien's stomach dropped like a stone. If it were possible, her face paled even further and her hands trembled as they curled into fists. She fell to her knees in front of him, shaking her head. "Marc, no, I could never- would never-"

"Think about it," he insisted, the idea coming to life in his head. He ran with it then, the prepared arguments pushing to the forefront. He knew she'd protest it. Marcurio sprang to his feet and began to pace while he talked, as Lissien stayed on her knees and watched him. "I wouldn't grow old, we wouldn't have to worry about that. We can stand in front of Mara, pledge eternity, and mean it. There would be no time limit, and we'd both be a little broken but it wouldn't matter. Change me. I know what to expect and I'm willing to do it. I mean... unless you don't want me," he finished somewhat uncertainly. The fire in his eyes dimmed and he sat back down, wilting under her long, silent stare.

Lissien wanted to cry. She pushed the heels of her hands against her dry eyes and sobbed, dropping her face against his legs. Marcurio stroked her hair and whispered to her, trying to soothe her. Lissien never thought she would allow herself to get this close to Marcurio, never thought she would feel the tug of want in her gut. Her body might be dead, but her mind and heart were most certainly alive.