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| No one answered when they tried knocking at the door, though it seemed unlikely that their attempts to knock were even heard by any that might be near. Instead, Sampson drew one of the huge doors aside and all three stepped within.

"Let Sampson go first, Devilah," Faniel advised, to which the Succubus agreed without protest.

"Hello? Anyone here?" Sampson called. The echoes died away but were soon replaced with the sound of shuffling feet approaching. An old man came in view.

"Hello pilgrim. I am Arngeir. What brings you to High Hrothgar? Has the Dragonborn come?" | | | "I'm no Dragonborn. I am just a traveler on a quest. I bring two companions and seek only to look out from the peak of the mountain. One of us can sense our goal and we thought from such an advantage point she might be able to get a better idea of where we must go."

"Impossible. Only the Dragonborn can reach the peak. You are welcome to look out on our balconies and see what you can. We will host you within if you would like. But you are not allowed to venture to the peak.

But bring out your companions. Let us see what sort of people you bring us."

Devilah stepped out first, swaying provocatively towards the Greybeard. At her appearance, a gasp came from somewhere nearby.

"Come out, my brothers," Arngeir said to the walls. "Surely you've seen a Khajiit before? You must forgive us, travelers. We don't see many Khajiits up here. Especially not as voluptuous as you! May I know your name?"

"I am known as Devilah, Arngeir." said the Succubus, stepping closer. | | | As she walked closer, his eyes widened and he stepped back in fear.

"You are no Khajiit! You are a Succubus! Begone, demon! We have no truck with the likes of you. We are immune to your wiles!"

Other Greybeards came out from a doorway and stood around the two menacingly. A feeling of power emanated from them and Sampson drew his sword.

"A Succubus she is, Greybeard. But she is my mate and my love. You will not threaten her!" | | | Faniel chose that moment to step out from where she waited, watching.

"Put away your sword, Sampson. There is no threat here. Just some old men who have forgotten their manners it seems!"

All eyes turned to the Angel and instantly all the Greybeards dropped to their knees, heads down.

Faniel smiled and walked slowly towards the leader. "Rise, Arngeir. At least you have the good sense to recognize an Angel when you see one."

Arngeir rose, but kept his eyes averted from Faniel as she came forward. | | | "You judge this Succubus, Arngeir. If you know me, you know my faith. Would you judge her? Are you the spotless lamb that can judge others?"

Arngeir said nothing but his robes betrayed a shivering within.

"Speak, Arngeir. What have you to say?"

"Angel... Please... She is a demon!"

"A demon she is. But she sides with the Good now. She is a creation of her Creator, as are you. Nothing Created is beyond saving. Yet you have condemned her only by her nature." | | | "Forgive, Angel. We... we were wrong to do so."

"Yes, you were. But it is not my place to forgive. Nor forget. But let this pass now. Rise, all of you. Look upon me."

At her command, they all rose and, though it obviously pained them, they had no choice.

"I am an Angel, but I am not of your world Greybeards. I seek only to return to my own place. But to do that, I need help. This Succubus and this Hero are my companions. Will you aid me, and through me, them as well?"

"Of course we will," Arngeir said with sincerity. "Worlds without end, we will aid any such as you in anything you require, even unto death!"

To that, all the other Greybeards murmured agreement. Something in Faniel's face shifted, and they all relaxed somewhat. "Now, let's have some light in here." she said, and the room seemed to glow from above. | | | "Very well. That's more like it. I am called Faniel. Through circumstances that you need not concern yourself with, I find myself in your world. What I need is a small thing, but I can sense it. I would like to travel to the peak of this mountain, which I judge to be not too much further. But my companions are tired. Might we stay the night with you and continue on tomorrow?"

"Paarthurnax!" whispered one of the Greybeards. "They will meet Paarthurnax!"

"Silence Einarth! If they are fated to meet Paarthurnax, then so it shall be!"

"Who is this Paarthurnax?" Faniel asked.

"He is our leader. He is a dragon." | | | "A dragon?!" shouted Sampson. "You keep a dragon up here?"

"He is... reformed!" Arngeir explained.

"You see," Faniel said calmly. "Even a dragon can see the Light. You must not judge based on nature alone."

Arngeir looked at Devilah with new respect. "Please, forgive me Devilah. I am humbled and ashamed. But we've all taken a vow of celibacy here. I don't know if you'll find us very... accommodating to your needs."

"Don't be, Arngeir. I may be the only Succubus ever to... become whatever it is I am. You couldn't know. But I'd like to talk further to you or one of your companions." | | | "Arngeir," Faniel smiled sweetly. "I don't appreciate being lied to."

The leader of the Greybeards looked away from her gaze. "Lie? What lie?"

"You are not celibate."

"But... It's true! We've all taken a vow..."

"Oh, I'm quite sure you have. That vow was broken. By all of you. Long, long ago and ever since then. Am I right? Who here can say he has kept this vow?"

The silence was deafening.

"As I thought. I'm sorry Arngeir. I doubt even you knew it, but that vow is pointless. It diminishes your other sacrifices. Relinquish this promise that you have not kept. You do no honor to yourselves with this lie."

Arngeir looked to the other Greybeards, who one by one nodded, acknowledging both their failure and their agreement with the Angel.

"Then I, as the Voice of the Greybeards, hereby revoke the vow of celibacy. We... will not continue to claim that honor. As Faniel said, a vow that is not kept is no vow." | | | Then, turning to one of the others, Arngeir spoke up. "Bolli. Would you mind escorting Devilah to your quarters. As I recall, you are uniquely suited to accompany her, and answer her questions."

Bolli nodded and escorted Devilah down a hallway nearby, while Arngeir dismissed the others and showed Faniel and Sampson to a guest room.

"I'm sorry we haven't a more accommodating place for you. But you are welcome to stay here as long as you like."

"Thank you Arngeir. I'm sorry to have had to put you all through that little scene. But sometimes it's helpful to get things out in the open. Do you understand?" Faniel said softly.

"I do. We have been... I thought I was the only one who was unfaithful to that particular tenet of the Way."

"It is a harder tenet to follow than you think. But now you needn't concern yourself with it any longer. It is not necessary to your Way." | | | Sampson spoke up then as they sat to talk with Arngeir a bit. "You know, Devilah would be more than happy to... help you all out there."

"Oh? The way you spoke before, I gathered..."

"She's a succubus," Sampson said. "It would be the height of cruelty for me to ask her to remain true in all ways to me alone."

"Say," Faniel interjected. "I have an idea."

An hour later, they had settled on a plan.

"Do you think she'll agree?" Sampson asked Faniel as the Greybeard made his way out of the room.

"That's for her to decide. It really depends on if she requires the act, or just the substance. I've not much more understanding of her needs than you have, Sampson. But... I'm hopeful!" | |