Azure looked around the room with her lips pressed together in a firm line. The room was filled with Counts, Countesses, and nobility mingling as if they all known each other for years. Never before had she felt so out of place; she was a former thief for pity's sake! What could she possibly have in common with these people? She could offer that her parents may have made a few wines for them in the past...She shook her head as the burning sensation in her stomach began to bloom. She wanted to go home. She already felt like a fool in her red and burgundy dress, her jet-black hair cascading in a ponytail down her back.

"Are you alright, Azure?" A voice asked her from behind. She turned around to see Martin standing there in his Emperor robes, the Amulet of Kings shining brightly around his neck.

"Mar- Your Majesty." She said, correcting herself. "I am fine."

Martin cocked an eyebrow at her. "What's with all the formalities?"

Azure didn't look him in the eye. "I'll tell you later; when you're not busy."

"What do you-"

"Emperor Martin," A group of older noblemen approached him with young women standing behind them.

Must be their daughters...Azure thought.

"We would like to congratulate you on casting down Mehrunes Dagon and stopping the Oblivion Crisis."

Martin shook his head and smiled in that gentle nature of his. "I couldn't have done it without help." He remarked, looking straight at Azure. The nobles and noblewomen gave Azure the once over, and she swore that not one lip wasn't curled in scrutiny. The burning sensation in her stomach grew stronger; and she avoided their harsh gazes. The nobles began to swarm around Martin, slowly shutting Azure out.

"Your Majesty," One of the older nobles began, "Forgive my boldness, but since you are the only Septim left, isn't it of the utmost importance to continue your bloodline?"

The young women behind them giggled, and Azure felt sick.

"Yes, you are absolutely right."

The older noble beamed. "In that case, you should meet my daughter." He said stepping to the side to reveal a lovely young Breton woman with dainty hands, delicate features, and the glossiest blonde hair you could ever imagine. "This is my daughter Aurielle Bastion."

Aurielle's cheeks flushed as Martin smiled at her. "She is a lovely woman."

Azure decided right then and there that she needed a drink. She surreptitiously snagged a bottle of Tamika's Vintage off the server's table and ducked behind a curtain in a small recess of the dining hall. She popped the cork and was ready to knock it back when she heard two voices from the opposite side of the curtain.

"Did you hear him, Jeannette? He called me 'lovely'!" Aurielle's voice came excitedly.

"Of course, Aurielle! Such a handsome Emperor only deserves the most beautiful woman! But did you hear the rumors?"

"What rumors?"

Jeannette lowered her voice, unbeknownst to the fact that Azure was there and eavesdropping. "Rumor has it that the Emperor and the Champion of Cyrodiil..." she lowered her voice a little more, "Had something...'more'."

"'More?'" Aurielle echoed, "You mean that half-Imperial, half-Redguard mutt had an affair with the Emperor?"

Azure winced and felt her stomach burn even more intensely. How could a complete stranger say such hateful things when they haven't even met?

"They say it's just a rumor, but I wouldn't be surprised." Jeanette said with a scoff.

Aurielle gave a snorting laugh. "What's there to worry about, Jeanette? Give me a night with him, and I'll make him forget about that gnarled mixed-breed hussy."

"Right you are, Aurielle!" Their laughing voices trailed off as they stepped away from the curtain. Azure set the wine on the ground, her thirst suddenly nonexistent. She emerged from behind the curtain and cast an invisibility spell. She snuck up the stairs and went out onto a balcony.

So what if I'm gnarled? At least that means I actually did something rather than sitting on my arse and gossiping and sipping tea! She screamed in her mind, I do feel something for Martin, but I'm not having an affair with him! The most he's ever done to me is kiss me! Just once! And what's wrong with being a mutt?! Her mind was screaming, her heart was racing, and her eyes were stinging. She could feel the warm tears travel over her cheeks. She never thought that words could hurt worse than an arrow shot into you by a Skeleton Archer. Or a Scamp raking its claws across your back. Or a Spider Daedra biting into your leg with its venomous fangs...

Besides, Martin wouldn't kiss me if he didn't feel something for me...right? She thought back to just after the Battle of Bruma. Martin had placed a hand on her cheek and tenderly pressed his soft lips to her chapped ones. Azure brought a hand to her mouth and felt her face grow hot, suddenly self-conscious about her lips. "I bet Aurielle has much softer lips." Azure sighed glumly. "And she's petite. Don't men favor smaller women?" Azure had wide hips, but when it came to her rear she was lacking. She looked down at her hands, marred with scars from her thieving days. "Aurielle's hands seemed to have none." She glanced down at her breasts. "A large chest means you're packing more fat, right?" Azure felt disgusted with herself. She hadn't given a damn about what people thought until tonight. Why did her insecurities decide to surface now?

She froze when she heard footsteps approaching around the corner. She cast her invisibility spell again and stood very still. She didn't even dare turn around, intent on remaining undetected. The footsteps stopped, and then started up again, stopping right behind her.

"This is you, isn't it, Azure?" Martin's voice came, but Azure kept her mouth shut. She nearly jumped when his hands rested on her shoulders with exact precision.

"It is you." He said with a laugh.

"How did you know?" Her voice was a mumble.

"I am a Septim. I see more than lesser men." He jested as he dispelled her invisibility.

More than lesser men, huh? Azure thought offhandedly. She looked over her shoulder at Martin. "What are you doing up here? I'm sure that everyone wants the new Emperor to stay and enjoy his coronation celebration."

"Is that what it is?" He smiled at her and her heart began to flutter. "It seems like it has become one giant matchmaking party. All the eligible women were flocking around me, seeing who would win over my hand in the end."

Azure turned to face him. "Did-did any of candidates appeal to you?"

Martin looked out into the night. "One did. More so than the others. Far above the rest."

Azure felt her heart drop into her stomach and she looked down at her feet. "I probably already know the answer, but...who's the lucky woman?"

Martin smiled at her. "You already know the answer, hmm?"

She nodded and swallowed hard. "Yes. You deserve no less. Lady Aurielle is beautiful." Just like you. She added silently to her pile of seemingly unrequited feelings.

Martin was silent for a minute, and then he gave a soft laugh. "You're such a fool." He turned her face towards him and he leaned down, caressing her lips with his. Azure leaned back against the railing of the balcony, shocked by his sudden action. His hand slid across the back of her waist, pulling her closely to his body. He delighted in how he could feel her quickening heartbeat against his chest. She pulled away from him suddenly, her eyes confused and cheeks flaming a deep crimson.

"You," Martin whispered into her ear. "I choose you and you alone."

Azure's eyes grew misty as she shook her head and gently pushed him away. "I-I can't..." She said in more of a breath than a voice. "I couldn't possibly deserve you."

"I do not want you to deserve me. I want you to want me. To desire me. To love me." He tucked her hair behind her ear and looked into her eyes. "I want you to be completely honest; do you want me, Azure?"

"Yes."

"Do you desire me?"

"More than anything."

"Do you love me?"

"More with each passing moment." She admitted. Her heart was beating so hard that it took her breath away. Martin took one of her hands and placed it over his heart, and she was surprised to find it beating almost as strongly and rapidly as hers.

"And I want you..." He whispered, kissing her forehead. "And desire you..." He kissed her neck. "And love you, as well." He finished by kissing her on the lips.

Azure had never felt so weak before now. She used to scoff at how some women would grow so weak and flustered when it came to men. But now, she felt like the biggest hypocrite in all of Tamriel, with her knees weaker than scrib jelly and her face redder than a dremora's back-end. Martin stroked her cheek and smiled at her.

"There was a rumor about us having an affair, was there not?"

She flushed and looked up at him. "Yes, there is."

"With your permission...would you like to confirm a few rumors?"

Later that night, he lay on top of her naked form, completely bare himself. He kissed her neck passionately while running his hands up her sides, her back arching into him as a response.

"M-Martin?" She gasped in her state of pleasure.

"Hmm."

"Y-you're a Se-Septim right?" She asked, trying to stay coherent.

"Mmm-hmm."

"You s-see more than lesser men, correct?"

"Yes."

"When you look at me, what do you see?"

He looked up into her sky blue eyes and smiled. "I see nothing. Nothing but beauty, inside and out."

"But Aurielle said-"

"She does not matter. No one else matters. For tonight, it's just us."

"Just for tonight?"

He smiled as he lifted her legs around his waist. " Actually, I take that back. Forever, it's just us."

A/N: I'm not always in a fluffy mood, but when I am, I use this pairing to vent it. (Wry smile.) I love writing TES IV: Oblivion stories, they're just so fun. I can only do fluff, it seems. I tried writing smut once and ho-ly crap it was bad. So yeah. Fluff. And again, I personally see Martin as a fluff character.