"Hello, Elenwen. Hello, Rulindil," General Tullius said as the Thalmor emissaries entered the room. "I'm glad we could arrange this meeting." That was a lie, of course. Tullius hated the woman as much as anyone else in Skyrim. "Now, what is this all about, exactly?"

"You know quite well what this is about," Elenwen said, glancing at the general and Legate Rikke. "We demand the execution of your Khajiit legate, Harimau. He openly worships Talos, associates with the Blades, and has killed twelve of our justicars in the last week and a half."

Tullius frowned. "You want us to execute the most powerful person in Tamriel? Not only is Harimau one of our best soldiers and the main reason we defeated the Stormcloaks, but he's also the Arch-mage of the College of Winterhold, the Harbinger of the Companions, the destroyer of both the Thieves' Guild and the Dark Brotherhood, killer of Miraak, member of the Dawnguard, and the Dragonborn, savior of Nirn."

Elenwen hesitated for a moment before going on. "That doesn't change the fact that he's a criminal and an enemy of the Aldmeri Dominion. Regardless of good deeds that he has done in the past, he must be destroyed. Do you know what he's done to our soldiers?"

Rikke scoffed. "If you think you can kill him, go ahead. We don't have a death wish."

Tullius tried to contain his amusement at Elenwen's blood red face. "Now, now, Legate," he said. "Be respectful of our ally. She does have a point, though, Elenwen. Even if we wanted to execute Harimau, I doubt we would be able to. He's a master of both magic and physical combat, not to mention his mastery of the voice, or his ability to call for help from a dragon. Besides, he's pretty popular with the people of Skyrim, and I don't think we could handle another revolt without his help, especially if the aforementioned College, Companions, Blades and Dawnguard were against us."

"What do you expect me to do, then?" Elenwen asked. "Stand by while he violates our laws and slaughters our soldiers?"

"Maybe if you pulled out of Skyrim," Legate Rikke said under her breath.

"Legate!" Tullius said with mock scolding. "We can't very well ask our allies to leave a province so vitally important to their cause. No, we'll have to find a different solution. Besides, knowing Harimau, he'd probably follow you. Why don't we see what the Dragonborn himself has to say on the matter? He's staying in his estate here in solitude right now."

"What?" Rulindil said, speaking for the first time. "He's here?"

Tullius once again tried to keep himself from laughing. If he remembered correctly, Elenwen had sent him a complaint about Harimau infiltrating the embassy and freeing their prisoners before putting the interrogator into his own shackles and force feeding him sweet rolls until he vomited. Harimau had gotten a raise for that. "Yes, he's here," Tullius said. "Would you like me to call him in?"

Elenwen gulped, but nodded. "Yes, bring him in."

Tullius stepped outside the room and whispered something to a guard before coming back in and shutting the door. "He'll be here in a moment. In the meantime, would anyone like some sweet rolls?" Rulindil stood up and ran to the lavatory.

"Ah, Legate Harimau," General Tullius said as the dragon bone clad khajiit entered the room with his housecarl behind him. "Good to see you. I believe you are acquainted with Elenwen and Rulindil. They're here to discuss your recent activity with the justicars."

"Which ones?" Harimau asked. "The ones I decapitated, the ones I burned to death, the ones I stripped naked and shouted into a frozen river, the ones I shot in the kneecaps, the ones I led into a giant's camp, the ones I beat to death with an amulet of Talos, the ones I-"

"We get the idea," Tullius said, almost cracking up. "Let's get on with the negotiations."

Elenwen spoke first. "Harimau, you are an enemy of the Aldmeri Dominion, and by extension, the Empire. We demand you cease your resistance to our rule and turn yourself in for arrest."

Harimau blinked. "Blow me."

Tullius was unable to control himself, and he and Legate Rikke fell to the floor laughing.

"I will not stand for this insolence!" Elenwen said. "This cat has challenged our authority for the last time! Tullius, we demand that you turn him over to the Thalmor or face the consequences."

"I'm afraid we can't really turn him over to anyone," Tullius said. "Technically, though he's currently a resident of Skyrim, he's still a citizen of Elsweyr, which is part of the Dominion. Harimau, would you agree with me if I said that the Thalmor can legally do what they'd like to you if they can capture you?"

"If they can capture me, yes," Harimau said. "However, I believe that they might have some trouble with that. Until then, if I remember correctly from the law books in the College's Arcanaeum, the Cyrodilic Empire cannot punish me for crimes that solely affect the Dominion."

"So you see, then, Elenwen," Tullius said, "Harimau hasn't done anything against the laws of the Empire, only the Dominion. While you have the right to arrest him for that, we do not. I'm afraid that the matter is entirely out of our hands."

"I can't believe this," Elenwen said. "The White Gold Concordat-"

"The Concordat says nothing about the persecution of citizens of the Aldmeri Dominion, nor did it force the Empire to illegalize Talos worship," Tullius said. "It simply gives the Dominion the right to persecute citizens of the Empire who violate the Dominion's law against Talos worship."

"I assure you," Elenwen said. "My superiors will be informed of this treachery, and you will be punished!"

"I doubt that," Harimau said. "If the Thalmor send more soldiers, it just means that I'll have to find more ways to kill them. I welcome the challenge."

"Mark my words, cat," Elenwen said. "You will face justice."

"Mark my words, elf. All three of them."

"What are you talking about?" Elenwen said.

"Fus."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Ro."

"Oh, shit."

"Dah!"