Chapter 2 - Three Errands
When Yssha and her team, plus Grams, entered the White Gold Tower, they were greeted with deference, and escorted straight to the Emperor's private office. He rose, smiling, as they were shown in. "Stormcrown! I see the stories of your demise were premature."
"I am afraid not, Majesty. I was killed by a Thalmor assassin, but the Father of Dragons had ... made me immortal. I accepted that, but am still not sure I am ... appreciative of it. My opinion does not matter, however. It is what it is."
He looked from her to Grams, then back. "You ... awe me, Stormcrown. I'm not at all sure I could accept such a fate."
She was pleasantly surprised that he understood her reaction without an explanation. She studied him for several silent minutes, then nodded. "I believe you could, Majesty, but thank your favorite Divine it will not be asked of you."
"Please, be seated. Would you like anything to eat or drink?"
Yssha shook her head. "No, thank you." Then she felt a familiar presence and mind-voice.
Greetings, briinah. May I borrow you to remind my distant successor of his duty? I would frighten him unnecessarily if I were to do it directly.
Certainly, zeymah.
She felt Talos "mesh" with her, and her expression became stern. "You have been neglecting - or perhaps only postponing - a task which is vital to the Empire we are commanded to restore."
"And what is that, Stormcrown?" Titus Mede frowned, but his voice was curious, not angry.
"Your Majesty is not too old to marry and sire a legitimate heir. Your cousin the merchant will not do as Tamriel's next sovereign. Or you may legitimize one of your bastards."
The Emperor paled, staring at her. "How did you know?" Then he nodded. "Oh. Never mind. I think I understand. "
"Your eldest shows promise, if you train him to rule as well as he leads. Do so, or marry and sire a legitimate heir."
Yssha chuckled inwardly at the Emperor's expression, and his quick comprehension. She wouldn't have dared to give him orders on her own, which she was certain he knew. He had neglected this essential duty, and a strong successor would be necessary, though hopefully not soon.
The Emperor stood and bowed to her. "It will be done, Stormcrown. After the war, I ... did not recognize the need. The way things were falling apart, I thought that to be the end of my line, if not of my life and the Empire itself."
"You know better now, and you owe it to your subjects to provide an heir as soon as you can."
Grams chuckle-purred as Yssha sat back down. "I've been telling him that for years." She turned to the Emperor. "So, Titus, will you listen to it coming from her?"
"I don't believe I'm being given a choice any longer," he replied. "Am I the only one who saw her glow while she was scolding me?"
"I didn't."
"Not me."
"I didn't see anything."
"She what?"
The Emperor sighed. "She glowed. Not much, but it's not the sort of thing I could mistake. And it was obviously directed at me, since none of you saw it. She was right, I should provide an heir as soon as possible. My firstborn is not going to like this, and neither are those of my courtiers who harbor ambitions toward the throne themselves, but it has to be done."
"He's a good man," Grams said. "I like him. And he's married, with children." She turned to Yssha. "Legate Gaius Uriel Quentin, actually Mede. Are you familiar with him?"
"Not personally, but with his reputation, yes. I agree, he is a good man and a good leader."
"And on his own merits," the Emperor said proudly. "He, his mother, and Ysshaya are the only ones who know his paternity - or were, until just now. His mother wanted it that way, for some reason she never told me."
"Because she didn't want him thrown into the slaughterfish lake that's the Imperial Court until he could take care of himself." Grams grinned. "She still loves you, Titus. She quit seeing you to keep anyone from using her against you."
"That sounds like her." The Emperor smiled slightly. "Do you think she might be willing to marry me?"
"Ask her yourself, my young friend, but I'm sure you'll like the answer." Grams grinned, standing. "Why don't you take care of that right away?"
"Yes, why don't I?" The Emperor grinned at her. "Matchmaker."
"Well, she is a Redguard noble, so it's to the Empire's benefit as well as both of yours," Grams pointed out. "Love and good politics both ... can't beat it. We'll see ourselves out."
The team's next stop was the Jarl's Longhouse in Winterhold, where they found Jarl Kraldar holding his brief daily audience. As remote as Winterhold was, and as little as it had to offer, it didn't surprise Yssha that Kraldar apparently hadn't heard of her death and revival; he greeted her normally. "Welcome, Ysmir. What can Winterhold do for you?"
Yssha smiled. "It may be the other way around, my Jarl, if you are willing."
Kraldar straightened on his throne. "What do you mean?"
"I have promised to try to find a home for those Odmer who wish to live on the surface, and Winterhold is cold enough for them to thrive." She explained about the Restored Falmer while he looked disbelieving, then thoughtful.
"And how do you know they'd come? We don't have much to offer, since the Great Collapse. Not enough for a large influx, at any rate."
"Do not expect that," Yssha said. "Most of the current generation are too sensitive to the sun to want to come above-ground, though some have joined the Skyguard already, and I will pay to have several homes built until they are established well enough to build more on their own. Winterhold will grow, if you permit them to settle here, but I do not expect it to do so quickly."
Kraldar straightened even more, until he was sitting tall and grasping the arms of his throne. "I'd like to meet one of your Odmer before I give my answer, but ... this may be Winterhold's first shred of hope since the Collapse."
"That is not difficult. If you will permit, I will get Odahviing to call a dragon with one or more Odmer riders."
"Be my guest, Ysmir." When she left, he turned to the other three of her team. "Ysmir is ... not what I would have expected of a Dragonborn."
Serana laughed. "She's one of a kind, Jarl Kraldar. She loves helping. She fought Alduin, my father, and Miraak to help others, at the risk of her life and soul. If she can help Winterhold and the Odmer at the same time, she's not going to waste the chance."
"At no risk to herself, which is good. But as I said, not what I would have expected."
There was silence then, until Yssha re-entered the Longhouse, followed by two Odmer. The three approached the throne, and Yssha bowed, followed by the other two. "My Jarl, may I present Marcellus and Leras, of the Odmer."
Kraldar studied the two tall, pale elves. "You are dragonriders, correct?"
"We have that honor," Leras replied. "We were chosen by Odsotkiin - appropriately enough, a Frost Dragon. We are night scouts."
"And how do you feel about Ysmir's plans to settle at least some of your people in Winterhold?"
""If it pleases her to allow it, we will come. The climate seems pleasant, and the College is a definite attraction. My family would like it here, I think."
Kraldar grinned. "I think that's the first time anyone's called the climate here pleasant! Be welcome to Winterhold, then."
"You need not have my permission," Yssha said, troubled by Leras' comment. "I have no authority over you, nor do I wish any. I only make it possible for you to do as, and live where, you choose."
"Authority not claimed may yet be freely given," Marcellus said with a smile. "Our leaders have chosen to give it to you, Favored of Auri-El."
Yssha hid a groan. Would no one believe her, that she didn't want to rule anyone? She wanted to go home as soon as the current war was over, have kittens with Marcurio, and enjoy her family as long as they were with her. At least now she knew she could visit them even afterward, which was comforting, although it still ached that she couldn't be with them permanently.
She turned to Kraldar, becoming all business. "So, my Jarl. It seems we will need at least one house, as soon as it can be built or rebuilt. Since you will have to bring in materials and probably workers from outside, would you consider ten thousand septims a fair advance on expenses?"
"That sounds like more than enough, Ysmir. Should I keep any left over to start a second house, or return it?"
That was easy. "Keep it, my Jarl. The percentage of Odmer coming to the surface may be low, but that does not mean they will necessarily be few in number."
"And she will be repaid," Leras said. "We aren't beggars, merely in temporary need of resources surface-dwellers value. As we find those, Yssha-Ysmir-Dovahkiin will be amply reimbursed for what she spends on our behalf."
Yssha would have protested that she didn't need to be repaid, except for what Leras had said about not being beggars. She would not rob them of their pride, and it would help her aid the orphanages she was sponsoring, from the oldest in Riften to the newest in Whiterun.
The third stop was at Headquarters, where she found Franken and Dovgrahaak conferring in a tall pavilion over a table with a waterproofed map. She smiled at that, as another piece of evidence that dov and joor would come together in cooperation. "Dovgrahaak!" she called.
"Geh, Dovahkiin?" He turned to look at her. "We have one needing your aid."
Yssha nodded. "Ahhunkein. I met him in Stormhaven. He asked vokriivon, and said you knew where his body was. Lead us there, please."
"Gladly." Dovgrahaak crouched so Franken and his bodyguards could mount, then took wing, followed by Odahviing. They landed next to a dragon skeleton, with four Nords in Skyguard colors guarding it.
Yssha smiled. This would only require one Shout, since Ahhunkein hadn't been buried, so didn't have to be called out of the grave. "Ahhunkein, Slen Tiid Vo!"
There was the familiar regeneration, then flare as the dovah's soul re-entered his body. He stood and inclined his head toward her. "My thanks, thuri. Your skies are glorious, but Mundus is my home."
Yssha returned the bow. "You honor me, vahriini. This is my home as well, but you are correct about Stormhaven."
One of the dovah's team ran up - team-leader, from the gold embroidery on his surcoat. "You're okay now, Ahhun?"
"I am fine, Kjeld. Dovahkiin is very good at this. Though I am becoming hungry."
"Not a problem," Kjeld replied, signalling his men. "We got an elk and a bear." As they hauled the carcasses toward the dovah, he continued. "Stormhaven?"
Ahhunkein tore a chunk out of the bear before answering. "Tasty! Nicely textured coat, too. Cleans my throat going down. Stormhaven is a place Bormahu created for Dovahkiin to rest between lives and her followers to spend their afterlives."
"Oh? You don't go to Sovngarde?"
"That is for Nords and those who think like them. Stormhaven is ... more peaceful, as Dovahkiin prefers. A haven from the storms, as its name says."
"There're times I'd agree with her, believe it or not." Kjold grinned. "Even a Nord warrior likes a bit of peace and quiet, as long as it isn't excessive."
Yssha chuckle-purred at that. "Yes, even the Companions like a peaceful evening in Jorrvaskr once in a while. Although it is interrupted by a friendly fist-fight or two on occasion."
Kjeld grinned. "Yeah, you're the Harbinger, right? Glory of the Nine to you!"
"Thank you, but only until I can find another who meets my predecessor's ideals. I have too many other responsibilities to do the position justice."
"It's going to be hard to find another who measures up to Kodlak White-Mane," the Skyguard said.
Yssha agreed. The twins were a possibility, as long as they worked together, she thought, but the Companions weren't her only problem. She also had to find another Arch-Mage, and another Thieves Guildmaster. True, she had good backup both places, but it wasn't right for an immortal to hold the highest position and block others from their opportunities forever.
She changed the subject. "Ahhunkein, I am curious. How is it that you were killed, but your team appears unharmed?"
"I am unsure myself," he replied, between bites. "When we were attacked, I found a sheltered spot and had them dismount, then returned to try to find where the attack was coming from. I found two Thalmor mages and a few soldiers. I flamed them, of course, but the mages warded themselves. The soldiers could not, equally of course, so they died, and ... this part I do not understand, but the mages became much stronger, and their next attack killed me. Nor am I certain it was my flames which killed the soldiers ... at least one of them, possibly all, fell before I Shouted at them."
"They were gone when we got back to Ahhun," Kjald said, frowning. "The mages, anyway; the soldiers' bodies were still there. It was like they were only interested in Ahhun, and didn't care about us."
"That sounds all too damned familiar," Marcurio growled. "Miraak, and the dragons whose souls and power he stole. Not that I know any spell that'll do what his Shout did, but ... I think we need to talk to Tolfdir and Urag."
"If anyone knows of such a spell, it will be them," Yssha agreed. "And we bring Grams into it as well; she has all the resources of the Arcane University at her command, if they are needed."
"It sounds like there's some resemblance to the Vampiric Drain spell," Serana said, "but that one just heals the caster; it doesn't add extra strength. Still, it could be a base for a new spell usable by a strong enough mage."
"Then we definitely need a conference," Yssha decided. "Tomorrow morning, at the College."
Interlude - Decision
Secluded in the Aldmeri King's heavily-warded private office, the First Spymaster made her report, starting hesitantly. "Sire, what I have to tell you is almost unbelievable, and highly disturbing."
"Get on with it - with a warning like that, I suspect the damned Dragonborn is involved somehow."
"Yes, Sire. When the decision was made to assassinate her, I activated the four agents I had infiltrated into King Balgruuf's palace staff. They were armed with enchanted and poisoned daggers, and ordered to kill her at the first opportunity. That happened about two weeks ago, though I only received word this morning."
"So far, I hear only good news, nothing disturbing."
"Only one of the four made it out before Dragonsreach was sealed. He reports that the Divine Crusader herself confirmed the Dragonborn's death, then paralyzed the assassin and had him taken for questioning. Before my informant fled, he saw Marcurio pick up the Dragonborn and begin to carry her toward the stairs. But the guards were closing in, and he barely made it out.
"Gossip in town that evening said the Divine Crusader had assured King Balgruuf that the Dragonborn would return, so he waited to see if that were true, rather than returning at once. It's a good thing, too, because he was able to report on the execution of the other three the next day, and that the Dragonborn was at breakfast with the King the following morning."
"That is not possible," the King said flatly. "They must have healed her before she died, despite what her greats-grandmother said."
The Spymaster shook her head."Too many people heard the conversation after our informant had to flee. They are convinced Akatosh has granted her the immortality of the winged dragons, and she can die only temporarily."
The King scowled. "Talos worship is bad enough, but an immortal Khajiit to be worshipped as well? Unthinkable. Keep trying to kill her, and if the most drastic means fail, find some other way to take her out of action permanently. I don't care how you do it, and I don't want to know, either. Just do it."
"Yes, Sire. It will be done." The First Spymaster had no idea how, at the moment, but given a totally free hand, she was sure she could find a way.
