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In my younger years I was a fan of moon sugar -- the sweet spice from the grasses of Elsweyr's coast. Moon sugar could be refined into a more potent product: skooma. Unfortunately, this euphoric substance was outlawed during my era. As a young lad, I was a new recruit in the Blades and consuming such substances was strictly forbidden if you wished to retain your membership. I had a good companion, whose identity shall remain unknown, who had connections in the Imperial City South of us (we were still in Cloud Ruler Temple at the time). My friend would take trips to purchase some high quality moon sugar. The journey from Bruma to the city was not a long one; you could see the White Gold Tower from the temple. His supplier was some shifty Redguard who was rumored to have connections to the Thieve's guild, but we already knew our taste for the moon's sacred crystals would lead us to associate with less than reputable citizens of the Empire. Anyway, my friend would carry the moon sugar back and give it to me. I knew a Khajiit down in the cozy town of Bruma not far from the temple. Bruma was Nibenese by heart, but the architecture was heavily Nordic influenced. Anyway, this Khajiit fellow, who will also be nameless, would refine the moon sugar into the ambrosia that is skooma for me. I'd routinely meet at his cabin and he'd always cautiously look in both directions before hissing at me to come in whenever I knocked on his door. He'd lead me into the basement and I'd watch him perform his craft with extreme precision. After a while he'd have the skooma ready for me in empty health potions to avoid any suspicion. Now, as a Blade, I wasn't exactly the wealthiest individual. Blades are not in it for the Septims, you see, but as reimbursement I would pull some strings and keep the town guard off him.
Now, here I was, with the skooma in my pack, making my way up to the Akaviri-style temple. We were obligated to leave our belongings in the hall, as per traditon; a tradition that was soon deemed obsolete I believe. I'd give my companion his share before we entered the hall and he'd hide his share in his bed sack and I as well after we'd smuggle them in the barracks, just in case somebody happened to come across the bottles and mistake them for health potions while I had my eyes off them.
We were both being deployed to the ashen island of Vvardenfell to the east in Morrowind, but before our deployment we were to stay at the town of Cheydinal in the Cheydinhal Bridge Inn, at the market district. Cheydinhal is a beautiful town and the women are to match. It was surrounded by lush countryside and trees that had leaves with every imaginable color on the spectrum.
During the day I would spend my time at Newlands Lodge. It was there I met a Dunmer lass. It was not myself to be interested in exotic races as I mostly kept to my own, but this Dark Elf's beauty was comparable to Dibella's. I introduced myself and it was apparent we were both interested in each other. Her name was Nephiah. She lived in a cottage with her wealthy father on the outskirts of Cheydinhal. Anyway, we walked around town and talked about how I was going to her homeland for quite some time. After a while, we found ourselves outside the town walls, sitting next to a big oak tree on a hill. I had brought my pack with me, the one with the skooma, and I took out the health potion bottles. Nephiah looked at the bottles and asked if I was hurt or if something was wrong. I promptly told her that they were not health potions - they held skooma. I was not one to sugar coat things and I was quite direct. I offered her a bottle and she recoiled. But, me being an Imperial, I was able to persuade her with my speech craft. She took a small sip at first, then the whole bottle; as did I. Within minutes we were welcomed with an intense euphoria. It felt like the nine divines themselves held us with their warm embrace. In that moment, we made love. She was the best I ever had. Her dark Dunmer tone against my fair Cyrodiilic skin was a beautiful contrast, like how a painting needs contrast in order it to resemble something meaningful. That moment resembled something meaningful to me. A very special moment that I will never forget.
I ventured to Morrowind after that day.
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