#wait until he learns shes a necromancer 😂

[pocket-vvardvark]

Ok ok so idk why, but I really want to head-canon that Meriano and Vanus knew each other bc he transported ancient relics to the guild. Anyways, idk if I ever said stuff about Angelica, but she takes an interest in translations in Lillandril after hearing about the college of sapiarchs nearby and what they do. She joins the mages guild way later, since she's too young to join the college during her family's stay in Lillandril. Anyways, this nonsense ensues during...idk Greymoor maybe??? Vanus is going to light her ass on fire guys tell her to stop 😭

The early morning sun rose steadily above the light-pink sky–a surefire sign of winter. No matter how cold it became in Skyrim, the sunrises and sunsets were at least pretty to look at. Vanus was never built for the cold, he imagines no mer is. Summerset never experienced winter, it remained cast in vibrant green and rosy pink and lavender foliage forever. Perhaps this was a welcome change, especially since the usual was beginning to become stale. That isn’t why he is here, though. An associate of his that transports relics to Solitude has happened upon a particularly interesting find. An Ayleid slate which is in dire need of translating. Fortunately, his associate’s daughter is quite the formidable translator. He has heard first hand that her skills are not to be underestimated in favor of her age. Whether that is familial pride or the truth, he supposes he’ll find out soon enough. 

Manicured fingernails scrape across his robes, and Vanus jumps at the sudden touch. The woman meets his gaze with a cat-like smile as she faces him–her overwhelming perfume surrounding him.

“Ah.” Vanus clears his throat, “You must be the translator.” 

She doesn’t respond immediately as she gives him a once-over. Her smile is becoming unnerving the longer they sit in silence. Her fingers pull away to pat his cheek, earning a grunt of disapproval from him. 

“I have a name, handsome.” She bats her long eyelashes from beneath her tear-stained smoky-eye.

“Angelica.” He answers.

She hums, “So, you do know it. You know…my father talked an awful lot about you.” Angelica takes a seat across from him, checking her nails. “So did my sister.” She adds.

“Sister?” he quirks a brow.

“Mhm.” She glances up, “Hm, let’s see…what do you call her?” She toys with a strand of dark-red hair between her fingers. “The hero of Nirn? The soulless one? Ooh, ooh, I know.” She grins, basking in his attention. “The vestige.” He perks up in realization. So, this was the vestige’s sister, Angelica. They don’t seem to have much in common. This woman is not at all like Alethia–kind and sweeter than pie. Angelica was more like a nixad, or a banekin, but perhaps twice as stubborn than both. Gregarious and a trickster, the perfect combination for a headache, he thinks. At least he could use her charming personality for social visits with clients, provided that she behaves. 

Angelica tilts her head with a thoughtful expression, and there’s a flicker of hope in his mind that she won’t be terribly rowdy. 

“So, want to have dinner with me?” Well, that squashed any hope he had. Entirely. 

Vanus sighs, massaging his temples, “No, Angelica. You’re grossly misunderstanding this visit if you think I came here for smalltalk.”

She pouts, “Aww, you didn’t? Papa said we would get along, since we’re opposites and all.”

Great, her father filled her head with stories about him. None that were accurate, it seems.

“I’m afraid it isn’t likely we will become closer than…acquaintances. At best.” He harrumphs. 

She crosses her milky thighs, smirking when they catch his attention. Her flirtations would certainly cause him to strain something with how vexing they are becoming. 

“That’s a shame.” She drawls, her eyes lidding dangerously. “I don’t mind the age gap. In fact, don’t you think it adds to the temptation? Or, maybe you prefer something mundane. I could be the perfect housewife.”

Without another word, Vanus shoves the tablet her way. “No chance, Angelica. I’m far too capable a mage to be drawn in by your poorly done act of seduction. It’ll take more than that to tempt the likes of the great mage.” His arrogance excited her, and that only irritated him further.

She rolls her eyes, smiling playfully as she grabs the slate. 

Her eyes take the small stone tablet in, observing it cautiously. Moss gathers on its corners and slightly obscures some words. Hopefully, those wouldn’t be terribly hard to ponder, but that is what her work usually details. Endless pondering upon various observations. 

“Well, well, well…” Her voice trails off, eyes stuck on some letter or worn down structure. “Interesting.”

Vanus looks on, a look of impatience passing his expression when she glances up to meet his eyes.

Gently, Angelica lies the tablet back in its case. “This little thing has spent some time in the ocean, hm?”

“Don’t tell me that’s all you've gathered.” He frowns when she giggles.

A pale hand waves him off, “Oh, please, I’ll need some more time before I dig deeper, my dear archmagister.”

“Don’t call me that.”

Cue another snort, “It’s made from marble, maybe something softer than that. The ocean won’t readily dissolve hard rock, you see? These cracks and formations came from somewhere coastal. But, you’ve gathered that already, I take it?”

Vanus huffs, “Quite so. I expect you to take this seriously. You work for the mages guild already, so I hope this attitude isn’t permanent, initiate.”

Angelica guffaws, “Ah-ah-ah.” She waves a long-nailed finger as though she were scolding a kitten. “Try Expert. I’m no child, Vanus. Even if the years between us say so, I do know my translations.”

“Fine, then at least be agreeable.”

She blows a kiss, “Anything for you, handsome.” He doesn’t have time to scold her, because she gathers the case and makes a bee-line for the mages guild.

His shoulders sag once her profile is done swaying out of the pub. This woman was going to be the bane of his existence for however long he needed to remain on this miserable rock.