Chapter 2:
Palanane marched off as quickly as he could towards the entrance of Allemaigne's Point. Elenwen hesitated for a moment, marvelling at the sight of the fifteen hundred feet tall structure. Seeing the structure up close was an awe-inspiring yet intimidating sight at the same time.
"I really do hate to interrupt your sight-seeing but we must be moving on, the Council is waiting", an agitated Palanane exclaimed.
"Scum, you will regret this disrespect. You are nothing to me but an inferior, lead me on into the Council chambers but do not utter another world to me, otherwise I will take your tongue myself" replied an angered Elenwen.
True to his word, Palanane marched onwards and through the front gates of Allemaigne's Point without a word uttered. As they entered the building, they entered a large lobby area with many Altmer and Bosmer officials marching briskly in and out of the lobby on business of their own. Palanane marched over to a very old Altmer official sitting behind a desk littered with various papers.
"Administrator Loegie, it is a pleasure" greeted Palanane with a bow
The old Altmer looked up and examined Palanane closely before stating "Ah Inquisitor Palanane, I am indeed honoured. What business brings you to Allemaigne's Point, my friend?"
"I am escorting a guest to a meeting with the Ruling Council would you be kind enough to provide me the details on what floor they are residing on?"
Old Loegie began to examine his papers and after a while he said "Floor 341, they are residing in Room 121 for today's meeting. You will be taking the lift I presume?"
"Of course, thank you for the information Loegie"
"Always willing to help my young friend", Loegie returned with a smile.
As Palanane marched on through doorways and halls, it dawned on Elenwen that old Loegie had not spared a second glance on her esteemed presence. Palanane also failed to introduce him to her with the proper respect her title deserved. Her hatred for Palanane was now at boiling point, but something was wrong she could feel it. In all her years working for the Thalmor, Elenwen had always demanded the utmost respect from her subjects and at all times she had received it. Insubordination and questioning of her orders was always met with the harshest punishments by Elenwen which prevented any of her subjects from daring to question any of her orders. Yet the young Inquisitor did not at all feel intimidated by her threats and demands and instead felt what seemed to be too confident that he could get away with goading and disrespecting her. This confidence had seriously unnerved her.
Palanane lead Elenwen to the very centre of the building and into the room with the Great Lift. The Great Lift was an enormous platform, over two hundred feet wide that elevated and relegates its occupants through the use of many chains and cranks throughout the 350 floors Allemaigne's Point contained. Public access was only available until the 320th floor, all floors above that were the private apartments of the High Castellan and the Ruling Council. After a few minutes of standing and waiting on the Great Lift, it slowly began to elevate, the lift never stopped moving, the lift occupants simply hopped off the lift when it arrived on their required floor. By the 310th floor, Palanane and Elenwen were the only occupants of the lift. As the lift hit the 320th floor they too exited the lift.
After a continued march through the halls and doorways of floor 310, the pair finally arrived at Room 121. The door to the meeting room was flanked by two Thalmor soldiers dressed in the standard golden Altmeri armour. As the pair drew near, the two guards barred their pikes across the door.
"Halt strangers, what business do you have to be here", one of the guards demanded.
"I bring Elenwen Mainlech, First Emissary to Skyrim before the Ruling Council as has been requested" replied Palanane.
"This is known to us she may enter" replied the guard.
The guards swung the doors outward, implying the access she now had within. Elenwen hesitated for a moment.
"Well Emissary, after you" stated Palanane in his customary mocking tone, gesturing with both hands towards the door.
Elenwen gave him one long last angered stare before entering into the room. Not a second had passed from when she entered the room, the great door swung shut. Elenwen proceeded to walk down a seemingly very long corridor, the walls adorned with extravagant elvish artwork and sculptures before exiting the corridor and appearing into an enormous room. The walls of the room were made from pure glass providing an excellent view of the entire elven city of Alinor as well as allowing the eye to gaze far beyond the city into the rolling planes of the Summerset Isles.
"Ah Emissary Elenwen, you have arrived", a voice said from the background.
Elenwen turned around to notice the Ruling Council sitting in front of a long golden window beside one of the windows within the room. The voice had come from the Viceroy, Esdorin Sandalar, the representative ruler of the High Castellan. Sandalar was a middle aged Altmer with a sharply trimmed black beard. Beside him sat the five other Council members. Beside the Viceroy sat the Marshall-Militant Kanline Kannobias, a heavily scarred and battle worn Bosmer who was in charge of the Thalmor military. Opposite Kannobias was the Prime Minister, Rimloi Talavarn, the Altmer who was in charge of the Thalmor Parliament representing the concerns of the common people. Alongside the Prime Minister was The Archon, an extremely gnarled old Altmer by the name of Thenlin Benoch who was in charge of Crime and Justice within the realm. The final two members of the Council were Analdrin Mothwie, the youngest member of the Council and held the position of Grand Cardinal and E'sarch Euonlin, the Grand Inquisitor who never went anywhere without being completely hooded and cloaked even in the company of the other Council members. The only Council member not in session was the High Castellan, Ulin Atraxes who apparently was as withdrawn from the Council as he was from public life.
"My Lord Council members", Elenwen stated with a bow. "For what purpose have I been called upon your dignified persons?" enquired Elenwen.
"Spare us the pleasantries, you should know full well why you have been summoned before us or are you as ignorant of this as you are of the province that is under your jurisdiction" the Grand Inquisitor enquired angrily.
"Now, now E'sarch that is no way to talk to our guest here, the Emissary has had a long and tiresome journey. Show a little bit of restraint my friend" the soothing voice of the Grand Cardinal responded.
The Grand Inquisitor fumed angrily beneath his hood but said no more.
"I understand that the topic for discussion in this meeting is the area of my governance, that being the province of Skyrim. But beyond that I know little of the specifics. My escort provided me but vague and cryptic ideas on what this council meeting shall be about. And on that note Grand Inquisitor, a man directly under your jurisdiction, I had expected better not a man who was here to belittle and chastise me for the whole journey to Allemaigne's Point!", responded Elenwen angrily.
The Grand Inquisitor slammed his fist down onto the table.
"Palanane Paxaius is among the Inquisitors finest, you should feel honoured to have been welcomed to Alinor by one of the Thalmor's greatest heroes. Yet as I expected, you carry on squealing like a little fat spoiled orc."
"It seems to me that your little crony's only interest was to criticise and offend me, just as you appear to be doing now Grand Inquisitor. I understand now why…."
"ENOUGH!", Viceroy Sandalar had risen from his chair and his face was bright red with anger. "The Lord High Castellan did not ask me to convene this Council so you could bicker away like the common fools who live in their own reek. To both the Lord Grand Inquisitor and the First Emissary, I advise you silence your tongues immediately!" The Viceroy waited a few seconds staring at each of the members within the room thoroughly before regaining his seat.
"Now Elenwen, the reason this Council has been summoned is as you stated to discuss the Thalmor's future within the province of Skyrim. It is no secret that the Thalmor's influence within Skyrim has been severely diminished and its reputation tarnished. A few of the Council members here believe you, being the person responsible for the Thalmor's interests within Skyrim are the main cause for the recent Thalmor failings within Skyrim. Do you have any evidence to prove the contrary? "
Elenwen looked legitimately shocked by this news. "My Lord Council members, I fail to see how I am the cause for the Thalmor failings in Skyrim. The turbulent nature of the foolish simpleton Nords and their warrior-like culture has damaged everyone's interests in Skyrim, be it the Empire's or the Aldmeri's."
"A coward and a weakling's answer!" shouted the Grand Inquisitor. "There are many examples to suggest you are the one reason for the failings of the Thalmor in Skyrim. Let us start with the death of Ancano. How do you weasel yourself out of the responsibility of his death, Emissary, please tell I pray!"
"Only Ancano can be held accountable for his own death. He attempted a foolish mission to be able to control the Eye of Magnus by himself and expected not to be hindered by the rest of the College of Winterhold. I understand Grand Inquisitor that Ancano was a great friend of yours and a very accomplished spell caster and Inquisitor but you must understand that the responsibility of his life was in his own hands."
This statement just seemed to infuriate the Grand Inquisitor even more so. "Ancano was one of the Inquisitors greatest spell casters and one of the most intelligent we have had within the organisation. I trusted you to use him wisely under your command, knowing how much of a valuable asset he was to the Aldmeri Dominion yet when his need was dire, you let him, myself and your nation down by failing to assist him. It is a known fact that Ancano had informed you of his plans and in this knowledge you should have acted and sent some Inquisitorial reinforcements to assist him!"
"But my Lord Council members, to have performed such an act would have been to have broken the White-Gold Concordat and therefore risk a second open war with the Empire!" Elenwen retaliated.
"That is true", stated the Marshall-Militant, speaking up for the first time.
Elenwen was hopeful she had won herself an ally, but this hope lasted but for a mere few seconds before the Marshall-Militant continued his statement.
"That is true" he repeated, "however you should know the White-Gold Concordat was solely created purely so the Empire could bow to our needs. Breaking the Concordat in the dire most of needs is seen as acceptable by the Council, and in this case down right necessary. If we had sent out Inquisitor agents to assist Ancano then it is likely we would have been able to seize control of the College of Winterhold as well as this Eye of Magnus. Indeed it would have risked war with the Empire, but with this Eye of Magnus on our side, victory in such a war may have been guaranteed. Instead now The College of Winterhold is firmly opposed to us, creating a dangerous enemy towards us and now has spread the word to the world that the Thalmor are nothing more than deceitful liars. Such an outcome could not be more terrible".
"But my lords I…", Elenwen vainly continued.
"There is no 'but'", the Marshall Militant continued. "I have to concur with the Grand Inquisitor you are weak and frail but contrary to him, I don't believe this is your greatest failure. When you were summoned before the Dragonborn alongside the Stormcloak and Imperial factions to discuss the dragon problem within Skyrim, you willingly evicted yourself from the negotiations purely because Ulfric Stormcloak felt uncomfortable with your presence. As a consequence the warring factions are now at peace with each other; this is an outcome you could not let happen. As a result instead of our two enemies destroying each other's armies and in doing so strengthening our position, they are now consolidating their power and rebuilding their strength. Elenwen you know our plan was for the Empire and the Stormcloaks to destroy each other before we moved in and took over the ashes of that country. How do you propose we do that now?!"
Elenwen bowed her head; she knew she could not provide a solid answer to him.
"Furthermore", The Archon continued, "There are reports of the Blades, one of our greatest enemies is being rebuilt within Skyrim and that the Dragonborn has aligned himself with them. Why have you not ensured that the Blades were destroyed, another job the Inquisitors could carry out in secret. Not to mention when the Thalmor Embassy was attacked leaving many of our troops dead as well as many valuable prisoners escaped. And then of course the assassination of Emperor Titus Mede II caused by the resurgence of the Dark Brotherhood, which you once again allowed to happen!"
"But Titus Mede II, was our enemy why not rejoice in his death" Elenwen exclaimed.
"Titus Mede II was weak. He would never had the guts to start a conflict with the Aldmeri Dominion, he bowed to our every demand allowing us to control the Empire as our puppet government. This new Emperor, Atenus Mede, is nothing like his father. He is bullish and militaristic. I would not be surprised to see him fighting back against our demands. "The Archon finished his statement and sat back in his seat.
"If Atenus Mede would reinstate Talos as one of the Divines, then that could prove a catastrophe for the Aldmeri Dominion. It could potentially see a reunited Skyrim and that indeed could prove to be a true nightmare" the Grand Cardinal said.
Elenwen knew she was balancing on thin ice. "My lords I understand I have done wrong this past year, but I have proven in the past seven years to be a vigilant and competent Emissary of Skyrim. Allow me the chance to right my wrongs", Elenwen pleaded.
"That is afraid not possible" the Prime Minister said. "Your incompetence is not just felt within the Council but throughout the Aldmeri realm. Parliament has conveyed and the Ministers have announced that the will of the common people is to have you removed from your position. You are tainting the reputation of the Thalmor."
"It is settled then", the Viceroy stated. "In the name of our High Castellan, Ulin Atraxes I forthwith remove the powers of First Emissary of Skyrim from our lady Elenwen Mainlech. "
Elenwen's heart sank. After eight years of hard and loyal service in a role she most dearly loved, she had been coldly and quickly removed from office as First Emissary. Elenwen was nearly in tears. Her comfort came in the Grand Cardinal.
"Do not worry Lady Elenwen, we are not as cruel as you believe. We have arranged a most comely house to be built on the shores of Sunhold, a home which will allow you to live out your days in peace providing you stay away from the public eye and political affairs."
It was plain to Elenwen to what the Council was doing. They were buying her off in order for her to never be heard of again and so they would be able to erase her completely from the history books without arousing suspicion. But what other choice did she have, she could not argue against the decision. Elenwen was on the brink of tears.
"I accept your proposition my lord council members…. But I must know who is to be my successor?"
At this, the Grand Inquisitor burst out laughing. "Why my dear Elenwen, I did not arrange your escort up here for nothing. Why I thought it was a good idea for you to be acquainted with your much more worthy successor. You shall live safe in the knowledge that the glory of the Thalmor will be restored with Palanane Paxaius as the new First Emissary to Skyrim!"
At this Elenwen collapsed, all dignity forgotten. She could hear the High Inquisitor laughing with absolute glee and in the back of her mind the mocking chuckle of Palanane Paxaius could be heard laughing in glee alongside the High Inquisitor. There was no better way to destroy whatever dignity she had left completely.
