A/N - This is based a couple of years before the Oblivion Crisis, so Uriel Septim is still alive and Kvatch is still intact. Clavicus Vile is an important character in this fanfic, however he won't pop out straight away, it will be a couple of chapters away from now. But I made sure to make my main character the complete opposite of Vile (Personality wise). I am always updating and correcting any mistakes (like spelling mistakes) I find after I upload each chapter.

I am unsure if Rosalyn is a Breton name, but it's a better name then some of the others I thought of. Correct me if I am wrong.

Rosalyn, Aelius and Branneth are mine, but Cyrodiil and the rest of the characters belong to Bethesda. Sadly.

Chapter One

The Golden Steed

Rosalyn sat inside the Mystic Archives of the Arcane University. The young Breton was sitting alone at a desk at the corner of the room. She was sitting in a stern posture, her long, raven hair tied back tightly into a pony tail. She had been tirelessly studying all day, her blue eyes had became painfully bloodshot. She was pale, like she had not seen the sun in over a month and bags under her eyes proved a serious lack of sleep. Most days, she forgot to eat, so she was too slender for a woman of her age. She had spent five years as a part of the Mages Guild, she spent a good three years as an Associate, before finally advancing to an Apprentice.

As she sat, she felt a small headache coming along, but that did not stop her from reading a rather old book, "Liminal Bridges". She had barely past the first chapter before she was rudely interrupted. "Rosalyn!" Called out a man's annoying tone. Rosalyn sighed heavily, recognising the voice to be Aelius. A frustrating Imperial. She did not turn to look at him, in fact he sounded rather drunk. She had not seen Aelius for a long time, she remembered last seeing him leaving the University over a week ago. "Rosalyn, are you joining me tonight?" He asked, slouching over her. This man had kept asking her previously to join him at a local tavern. She kept declining, but it seems the message has not hit him yet. Ignorance is bliss after all.

"No." She answers, rather too harshly. She hoped he would take the first answer and leave.

A stupid laugh, made her turn around quickly and glare. She watched him, trying to keep his balance, as he struggled to keep his focus on her, his eyes shot from place to place. He was holding a grey, old, mug spilling brown liquid on the wooden floor. She rolled her eyes at him, hoping he would notice her disgust.

He was tall man, taller than Rosalyn by what seemed a foot. He had tanned skin and to some he was a handsome man. Though to Rosalyn, he was a typical barbarian. His hair was unkempt, short and brown. His eyes were a dark green, but blurred and unfocused. He had a strong jaw line and dark, facial hair just coming through his chin. He wore the finest clothes money could buy, however they were ruffled and stained with ale.

"Please?" He begged. "It's just for a couple of mugs. I think it will be fun." He added, walking closer to her. She immediately turned away, back to her book. She tried to ignore him, however it was incredibly hard. "You will only be away from your precious books for an hour. I've been out of the city for a while. I want a welcoming." Rosalyn found his request rather idiotic, as it was clear he already had his welcoming.

She sighed yet again and rubbed her temples. "Aelius, I'm not interested in joining you tonight." She felt what she said was almost to passive. However her headache was getting worse and she needed this man away from her as soon as possible.

Aelius stumbled away slightly, then stumbled back. He then slammed his grey, old mug onto the desk where Rosalyn was sitting. Splashing the brown liquid over the desk and book named Liminal Bridges, soaking the page she was reading. "Sorry." He mumbled lightly.

She looked and snarled at him, his face did not look apologetic at all. He was grinning, like he achieved something. She decided to slam the book closed. She stood, only to feel unreasonably short next to Aelius, even as he slouched. "I don't have to deal with this." She declared and tried to move away from him.

He then grabbed her hand as she passed him. "I'm sorry Rosalyn, I just wanted to spend an evening with you."

She turned back to face him, angry. "I do not want to spend an evening with you Aelius. You're an annoying, frustrating, insufferable man! I have better things to do, than be your company!" She ranted, her blue eyes stared at him with hate.

He let go of her hand, but before she could turn around, he spoke. "I didn't mean to come across that way." He explained in an apologetic way. "I just had a bit too much ale."

She rolled her eyes again. "You annoy me you're sober and drunk." She emphasised, backing away slowly. His face saddened, his unfocused eyes trying to watch her movements carefully. Rosalyn shook her head in disapproval. "The only reason you wish me to be your company is because I do not want to. There are so many women who would date you in a heartbeat Aelius, stop harassing me." She ordered, trying to sound superior to him.

She turned away again, but he rushed up to her and stopped her in her tracks. "None with looks like yours." He breathed. She backed away quickly. "When I was travelling, I went to Skingrad. I have family there. I went into a local traders and they were selling this beautiful piece of jewellery." He explained almost too quickly. Rosalyn could barely keep up on his words.

"My family are well known in Skingrad, in fact we are rather wealthy." He bragged, she almost rolled her eyes again but stopped herself. It was an annoying habit and she knew it. "So I had plenty of coin, the merchant offered to sell me this piece of jewellery at a discount."

She interrupted him quickly. "Right, you're rich I understand. Where are you going with this tale?"

Almost as if he never heard her speak, he continued talking. "He explained to me, that the piece of jewellery had been for sale for so long. He needed to be rid of it, he was tired of looking at it. He told me a brief story of it too. Told me, the jewellery gave whoever owns it luck. But he did not believe in such things." Rosalyn then raised an eyebrow, curious. "I bought the jewellery, but then I decided I did not need something that granted me luck. I'm rich, handsome and talented. I don't need it." Rosalyn could not help herself, she had to roll her eyes once again at the cocky and vain man.

"So I decided, I would give it to you. I wanted to give you it over a drink." Before she answered however, he pulled out a golden chain from his trouser pockets. It was a beautiful necklace, with a golden, neatly shaped figure. The small shape of a unicorn, but she noticed the unicorns silver, diamond eye. Almost like it was staring at her in bliss. She recognised the figure from books, it was indeed the lucky steed.

Rosalyn quickly believed that this did not come cheap. He must have spent a fortune on the necklace. A necklace as beautiful as that would cost more than a hundred septims. But with an enchantment, it must have cost possibly over a thousand septims. "I cannot accept that." She declined, trying not to sound ungrateful. "That would have cost a fortune."

"Please then, accept it over a drink. That is all I ask." She shook her head, even after a drink with this man, she would not feel right accepting it. She stared at the necklace in his hand. Somehow, the darker side of her told her to take it, but she knew what Aelius would do.

He would use it against her, he would constantly bring it up and make her go on more dates with him. She could not do it. She looked at him with sympathetic eyes before she says "Aelius, I'm sorry. I know you meant well, but to hold something that looks so... Valuable, I- just cannot take it. I hope you understand."

He tightened his fight around the golden necklace and looked to the ground. Rosalyn expected him to be depressed or shamed. However, he was looking at the ground in anger. Rosalyn briefly saw the hatred in his dark, green eyes. She felt slightly nervous and wanted to walk away, but for some reason she did not. He looked back at her, his eyes softer then when he looked to the ground, but still filled with anger. It was like he was trying to figure out what to say, but Rosalyn spoke before he could. "I'm really sorry Aelius. I know you meant well."

"Then why can't you just take the damned thing!" He yelled, both his fists balled in anger. Her eyes widened in shock, she knew Aelius to be an insufferable and maybe slightly obsessive man. But she never knew him to be an angry man. Maybe he just hid it well, or he is just so disappointed she did not accept the gift and lost his sense or it was just the alcohol. Either way, this was not him.

She did not reply, feeling intimidated by the look on his face. He was snarling, his face turning slightly red and his eyes. She had never seen so much hate in someone's eye before. She wondered deeply why he wanted her to have the necklace so much. Surely he could just keep it to himself, it would help him more than it would help her. She did not say anything however and stared at him.

His expression soon softened, then he smiled. Rosalyn wanted to ask him so many things, but felt he would just lose his temper again. "I'm sorry." He simply said, looking to the ground in shame. He was waiting for her to say it was alright or maybe anything other than nothing. He then spoke again, after a small pause. "I just saw this and thought of you."

"Return it then." Rosalyn snapped. It was probably not the best thing to say in the best tone, however she just wanted to leave. "I don't wish to possess it."

Aelius' expression did not change, he turned and left. Slamming the upstairs level door of the Mystic Archives behind him. Rosalyn was thankful nobody was around to witness her being harassed like she was.

Her headache was worse than ever. She sat on a desk nearby and rubbed her temples. She could have taken the necklace and sold it, she could have put the money towards her own home. But to do that, her pride would have been wasted. She refused to be provided an easy life, as tempting as it is.

She looked at the clock on the wall, it was not too late. She cleaned up the mess Aelius made and wiped down the book she was reading. The text was not ruined, but the book was wet and vulnerable. The pages would be easily ripped. Tar-Meena, the Argonian woman who took care of the Mystic Archives would kill her if she found one of her books ruined.

She put the book away disappointed. In deep hopes Tar-Meena doesn't find it wet, it would give Rosalyn a bad name. She wanted to finish reading it, but she moved to another book. Hoping this one would stay dry.

Rosalyn slept at the Arcane University, the only thing she hated about the place was sharing a sleeping area. She slept on the upstairs level of the Mages Quarters. She shared the room with both men and woman. She found it quite revealing and found it hard to rest, as many of the other mages gossiped and giggled most of the night.

Her bed was in the far corner of the room. It was a habit of Rosalyn's to pick the most distant of places. She had a simple chest at the end of the bed (like all beds did), locked with a key she kept with her always. She kept the key on a piece of rope, tied around her neck. It was long so people never noticed it.

She was lucky enough already, as Aelius slept in the basement. She did not want to know what happened if he slept in the same room. After dressing quickly into a white nightgown, she tried to sleep that night, but found it difficult as she heard two younger girls giggling and a man snoring. It was frustrating, but eventually she passed out.

She woke up when mages started talking loudly and some laughing. Getting through their morning gossip. She yawned, her headache was long gone but was replaced by weak eyes. She could not keep them open very well. "Good morning Rosalyn." She heard a female Wood Elf's, high-pitched voice to the left of her.

Branneth has slept in the bed next to Rosalyn for two years, since Rosalyn became an apprentice. Branneth had never caused her bother, or got in her way. Rosalyn thought Branneth was a kind Elf, just with an unfortunately horrible voice.

The elf had just woken up. She had long blond hair, that was messy from rest. Tanned, even skin and lush, dark brown eyes that glowed delightfully. She scratched her head with her unnatural long, finger nails, painted red. Rosalyn often wondered how she could use her hands with nails as long as that. "Morning." She responded, unsure of the time.

She watched Branneth get out of her bed, she was a short, thin elf. She wore a long, white, nightgown. Much like Rosalyn's, just with a different pattern. "I'm practicing some destruction magic today. I can't get the hang of controlling fire." She announced in her high-pitched tone. Travelling to her chest at the end of the bed and unlocking it.

Rosalyn quickly sat up. "Well the key to it, is not fearing it. If you fear casting fire, it's not going to work. You have to prepare yourself." She explained, wanting to share as much information as possible. Her studies are incredibly useful at times like this. "Its the same with controlling ice and thunder spells. Not so much with ice. Tell me, can you cast ice spells at all?"

Branneth looked at the Breton and thought. "I think I managed to do it once, but I can't remember how." She answered.

"I'm sure there is books in the Archives that can help you." Rosalyn suggested, stepping out of her bed and turned to start making it.

"I have read that fire spells, are the easiest to cast. That's why I'm starting with them." Branneth explained.

"They are." Rosalyn agreed. "However, if you cannot control your fear of it, you must start with ice." She finished making her bed and turned to Branneth who was changing into her green apprentice robes.

"That's beautiful!" She suddenly called out, causing Rosalyn to cock her eyebrow. "Where did you get it? Is it real?" Rosalyn had a confused expression, Branneth then pointed to her neck.

Rosalyn went to touch it and felt something smooth. She looked down and saw the exact necklace that Aelius tried to give her yesterday. Shocked and very scared, she sat down onto the bed. Her eyes were wide, Branneth noticed this quickly. "What's wrong?" She asked, with a worried look on her small face.

Rosalyn rubbed her temples and started to feel angry. "I hate him." She fumed. The first thought that came to the Breton's mind was how Aelius managed to place the necklace on her while she was sleeping? Not to mention why he would do something so extreme? Was he that desperate to give her it?

"Who?" The Wood Elf asked, her worried expression unchanging.

"Aelius. He tried to give me this yesterday evening." She explained, holding onto the jewel like she was about to rip it away from her neck. "I told him I didn't want it, did he listen? No. So he forced me to have it. That selfish, vain-"

"Rosalyn..." Interrupted the young elf, Rosalyn immediately stopped her rant and softened her expression. "Why don't you just give it back to him today. He won't be hard to find after all. I mean a man with looks like his never is."

Rosalyn rolled her eyes and took the necklace off, placing it underneath her pillow until she got dressed. She dressed in her apprentice robes, like many other did. She made herself look tidy, her hair was neatly combed into a pony tail. She felt her hair was getting too long, it would be an easy target for someone attacking her with fire spells.

She placed the necklace inside the pocket of her robes. Branneth was still there. "Did he put it on you over night?" She asked, generally concerned. Rosalyn nodded. "That's strange. Why did he do that?"

Rosalyn tried to remember what he was saying to her the previous day, but he mind was strangely blank. "I don't know. I think he's obsessed." She answered honestly.

They both left the upper Mages Quarters soon later. Rosalyn hoped to catch Aelius later in the day, as she wanted to research more on how to control fire spells. She found herself at her usual desk, upstairs at the Mystic Archives.

Later that day, she had not learned much of fire spells. She missed breakfast and lunch, but it did not phase her in the slightest. She was used to feeling hungry, but she knew she had to grab something for her dinner and maybe some water as she had not drank much all day.

She did learn however, that the most powerful fire spells can easily lose control. So a mage must learn to control emotions before casting one. It was amazing how emotions can control spells as much as they do. She took a few notes, hoping to pass them onto Branneth later in the day.

"Good afternoon Rosalyn." Greeted a voice from behind her. There were a couple of people inside the Archives that day, but nobody ever really spoke to her. She turned and found herself surprised.

The Imperial Master-Wizard, Raminus Polus was speaking to her. It had been two years since she spoke to him. It was when she managed to gain all the recommendations, from all the stationed guild halls around Cyrodiil. A harder time, it took her three long years to do. But when she achieved it, he was there to greet her and give her the tour of the University.

He was mostly a busy man, so she rarely saw him around. He was a middle-aged man, with green eyes and graying hair. He wore fine, blue mages robes and had a positive look about him that could make anybody feel welcome. "Master-Wizard!" She jumped and stood. Unsure of what he wanted to speak to her about.

"Tar-Meena had visited me recently with some good reports about you." He explained. Rosalyn found herself breath, not realising she was holding it. "She wrote how devoted you are too your research and how much time you spend in here. In fact she visited me personally and recommended you for promotion."

Rosalyn's mouth was wide. It seemed so long since she had been praised on anything. "She also explained how neat you keep this place, while others put there books back in the wrong place, or just leave them lying around. You always return the books back to their original position." He mentioned. She had no idea what to say, her mind was blank.

"Would you like to sit down, over there?" He pointed towards an unoccupied desk. She nodded and quickly walked over, sitting down with her legs crossed. She tried to look professional, but she could not help a small smile playing on her face. He sat opposite her and smiled back. "She mentioned to me, she would like you helping out around the Archives. She would like you to be an assistant here. All you would do, is check out books, make sure their in their rightful place, keeping it clean."

"I would be honored." Rosalyn replied quickly without hesitation. "I love spending time in here." She added, a huge grin on her face. She could not believe it, she was eventually getting somewhere in the guild.

"Great. I would also like to promote you to Journeyman. You will get paid for your duties, but now we expect you to pass any knowledge you learn to the guild. We expect a report every week." Rosalyn nodded, trying to note mentally everything he says. Her excitement was over the roof, she could not keep her mind balanced. "You will also be moving in here. Tar-Meena will show you to your quarters. She will also give you your new robes and any more information. Any questions?"

Rosalyn could not think straight, something she had done a lot of lately. "Erm... Yes, does it always have to be new information?" She asked, feeling a little silly, but the question had to be asked.

Raminus laughed softly. "No, we understand that it's hard to come across new things. We just like to make sure that everybody is keeping busy and not just abusing the free services of the guild."

Rosalyn could not imagine anybody doing such a thing. Why would anybody just join to get a free place to sleep when there was so many things to learn? "Of course not sir." She replies, her smile not moving.

"Keep up the good work Rosalyn, I'm sure you will be in my place in maybe ten years time." She highly doubted it. But was grateful for the compliment.

"Thank you for the opportunity sir." She thanked. She knew that most people who were promoted got moved to a guild hall in one of the city's across Cyrodiil. She was glad she was stationed at the University.

Raminus stood. "There is one more thing." He mentioned. "If we have tasks we need help on, we will need you to help us. It's compulsory I'm afraid. But we will not bring you out of your expertise however. We won't ask you to help with a group of rogue necromancers. We will mostly just ask you to research on a topic we need help on." He explained best he could.

Rosalyn nodded. "I understand sir. I will try to give the best help I can."

Raminus smiled and nodded back to her as she stood. "If there's not any more questions I will be going. I have many assignments to attend to before dusk."

"Yes sir, thank you again." He smiled and left. Rosalyn quickly decided to seek out Tar-Meena.

Tar-Meena was standing on the lower level of the Mystic Archives, placing a book back on its shelf. She was a lot taller than Rosalyn, with a long tail that looked strong enough to knock a desk over. She was a dark green and brown, with bright, blood coloured eyes. "Tar-Meena!" Rosalyn almost shouted in her excitement as she approached the Argonian. "I want to thank you-"

"Hush, try not to disturb the other guild members. They are trying to study." Tar-Meena hushed. Rosalyn then felt embarrassed, even if nobody really paid attention to her. "And yes dear girl. You don't have to thank me, even without me you would have been promoted. I just made sure you were positioned here, not at some guild hall in Bravil."

"Really? Raminus said it was because you recommended me. Either way, I thank you. Without you I would not have been placed where I wanted to be."

Tar-Meena placed her dark hand on the Breton's shoulder in a kind gesture. "I would not have you anywhere else." Rosalyn smiled. Tar-Meena turned and walked towards a desk, were she handed over a large, blue robe. It looked to have softer fabric then the green one she was wearing. "Here." The Argonian simply said, passing it towards the younger woman. "You are not required to wear it, just try to. It looks more professional."

Rosalyn nodded in agreement before the older woman spoke again. "I'll also be handing over a key to your new sleeping area. It's not much, theirs only a single bed, a wardrobe and a chest. But you will have privacy. Its stationed just upstairs, I will show it to you later." Tar-Meena continued. "My rooms just downstairs, as you well know. Also I will need you to work upstairs too. I do most the work down here, though I will check on you now and then."

"Of course." Rosalyn replied.

Tar-Meena thought for a small while. "Since I'm a Master-Wizard, I will need most help I can get. Also, you know the ground rules. No eating or drinking in the Archives. I don't want my library getting filthy. No taking out books without authorisation."

"I know the rules." Rosalyn interrupted, maybe a little to rudely. She didn't want Tar-Meena to go down the list of rules the Argonian somehow managed to print in her mind. "Do you want me to go collect my things now? Or later?"

"Oh- Yes, yes. Go on now. I have to find that old key- Also remember, I will be giving you a little job to carry out later, you start easy today. Tomorrow it's going to be your full-time job, to keep this place clean and organised."

Rosalyn agreed and left to collect her things. Nobody was inside the upstairs Mages Quarters when she packed her things, it made her feel a little depressed. However glad she was to finally have privacy, away from the loud apprentices gossiping and giggling every morning and night.

Tar-Meena showed her to her private quarters. It was a small room, only barely enough room to walk around. The bed was a nice single, covered in purple bed sheets and pillows. A bedside table, a wardrobe and a chest that fitted underneath the bed. The room was small with one window fitted directly over her bed, covered in purple curtains. It was nice. She laid on her new bed for a small while before unpacking her things. It was strange to have a wardrobe again, she had not had one for years.

She started to dress into her new robes then she remembered the necklace. Only when it fell out of her apprentice robes she did. Then she thought. What if it was the necklace that got her promoted. She found it rather silly to even think that. No trader would sell something that powerful. Not when they could earn great business from it. No she was lucky on her own, no possible way would the necklace give her that much luck.

She placed the necklace inside her new robes pockets, reminding herself she must return it to Aelius either today or tomorrow. She didn't know why she thought the necklace gave her luck, she was not even wearing it.

She wandered back into the Archives, locking her new quarters door behind her. "Rosalyn! I heard the news!" It was Branneth. She ran towards Rosalyn with a smile on her face. "I can't believe you have moved out of the Mages Quarters."

Rosalyn smiled back at the wood elf. "Yes, its been an exiting day." Rosalyn pushed past the smaller girl but she followed.

"I also wanted to tell you that I haven't seen Aelius all day. I don't know where he is."

Rosalyn quickly turned to face the blonde woman. "Has anybody seen him?"

"I don't know." She squeaked. "But I don't really think anybody has. It's not like anybody to just disappear like that."

The Breton shook her head. "Look, just because someone hasn't been seen, doesn't mean they have disappeared. He will probably show up tomorrow, if not tonight."

"I hope he does." Rosalyn noticed her eyes lower. "I want to know why he put a necklace on you while you sleep. It's so strange."

The taller woman decided quickly to change the subject. "Have you had any luck on your fire spells?"

Branneth shrugged lazily. "A little I think. I've never been good at destruction, I've always found my experts in Alteration."

Rosalyn smiled as she listened to the young elf's stories of how she found out she was an expert on Alteration, while hoping Aelius shows his face some time soon.

A/N - That's chapter one done. I hope you liked it, I will hopefully update again sometime this week. Or even in a couple of days. Tell me how I did, I'm always looking to improve on everything, spelling, grammar you name it.

Please Review!

Next chapter – Rosalyn makes a new friend and Aelius has some questions to answer.