"The door again opened and closed, and all was silent until Osmic and Nitrah returned a few minutes later." Loki's mother finished reading "Incident in Necrom" to her.
They were a Nord mother and daughter living in Bruma, a city in northern Cyrodiil. They lived in the poorer part of town, they had never been rich and things had become much worse for them the year before. Loki's father had been a soldier in the Imperial legion. He had provided for his wife and daughter but the Empire had executed him because he refused to give up his belief in Talos, the 9th Divine.
"I liked Massitha." Loki said, "The other two intended to steal her share of the gold, but instead she walked away with all of it."
"She was my favourite character too." Her mother replied.
"Mama..."
"Yes?"
"When we return to Skyrim... Do you think I could enroll at the College of Winterhold? Learn Illusion magic?"
"I'm sure you can Loki." She wasn't as sure as her words. Would they be able to afford it? Would Loki be accepted? But she wanted to let her daughter who was yet to see her tenth name day dream. Before she left the room she said one last thing. "I love you."
The last words she would ever say to her daughter.
That night as she lay in bed Loki was awakened by a scream followed by a gurgling sound then insane laughter from another.
"Oh my mother will be so pleased, so pleased."
Loki slowly got out from under her covers, climbed down and under her bed. She looked up, there was a young Imperial man with long red hair, wearing black and red robes with a hand print on them, holding a dagger. Dancing and laughing.
She wanted to scream but she was sure if he found her he would kill her. He stayed for what felt like forever. At one point he helped himself to her mothers alto wine and the lavender dumpling she had been intending to cut in half and share for dessert the next day, a rare treat. After an age in terror the man finally left. Loki crept to her mother's room where her fears were confirmed, her mother lay dead, cuts on her body, a wide cut across her throat. Loki collapsed by her mother's bed and wept.
Six Years Later
Since her mother's death Loki had not returned to Skyrim, she was being brought up in an orphanage in Bruma, the only girl, picked on by some of the boys.
"Reading that stupid book again?" Reman stood over Loki.
She looked up, "It's about a powerful illusionist."
"Powerful Illusionist, that's an oxymoron."
"Someday, I'll take my revenge on the night mother and her pathetic family. Illusion magic will help me to do so."
"You're crazy." Reman laughed.
Loki pulled a scroll from her pocket, just a fury spell that had been sitting a bit to close to the edge of a stand in the marketplace . She opened it and sent a ball of red light flying towards Reman. He immediately tried to punch her, she ducked away, he then kicked one of the orphanage staff. She had to laugh as Reman was restrained by them. Not wishing to be punished for her part in this she left the orphanage. Go where her mother had wanted to take her. The land of her ancestors. Skyrim.
Se headed north but as she crossed the border she was arrested by Imperial soldiers. At first she thought it was about the stolen scroll, or maybe the use of it. But soon found out it was much worse, they had mistaken her for a rebel and were going to execute her.