An Prolonged Love

Fandom: Elder Scrolls Series (Skyrim with DLCs)

Author: CatandKaraForever

Rating: T

Genres: Romance, Adventure, Action, Fantasy

Serana's Point of View:

Allea fidgeted with the buckles of her leather armor. The leather plates were leaf shaped, her own design and due to her half-Altmer blood.

"We don't have enough security," she said flatly, "The dignitaries won't trust us. We'll be attacked. Our guards won't be able to stop assassins."

I put my hand reassuringly on her shoulder.

"No," I said, "Don't think like that. We have Kira here, we have the entire Diamond City guard, we have us, all the dignitaries said they're bringing their own guards. Everything will be fine."

"What if the Diamond City guards are compromised? We can't take any risks, Serana. We've got too many important personages in one tiny town."

"Don't worry," I said, not completely sure what else to say, "You're just being paranoid."

"Paranoid? We've got the ruler of every province of Tamriel coming. Can we EVER have enough security?"

"We don't actually have someone from every province. The Dominion didn't respond, remember?"

"Well I know that," she said, "But still we've got someone important from practically everywhere."

"It'll be fine," I assured her.

"Greetings," Allea said, her gaze sweeping across the large room where the dignitaries were gathered, "As you know, my name is Allea. I am a Jarl of Skyrim. I rule Diamond City and the deepest depths of Skyrim, some of which lay below us, the city of Fal Zhardum Din, Blackreach. I apologize for pulling you away from your duties, I understand how important they are."
She pursed her lips in thought for a moment before she continued. I stood next to her, the silent watcher, monitoring the entire room for signs of trouble.

"The reason I summoned you here is to extend an invitation to you, at the most, and information at the least. El-lee? Perhaps you would help explain the nautical parts of this?"

The Argonian woman nodded as she rose from her seat and moved to stand on the other side of Allea from me.

"At this time, there is a ship docked in Dawnstar, positioned to depart the region immediately around Tamriel through the Sea of Ghosts. The ship has a safe passenger capacity of three dozen, and that's when sailing light, without more than about a month worth of food and water weighing it down. With a full cargo bay of food and water? Two dozen at the maximum. The ship has a small amount of armor, light iron plating which will protect from arrows and likely crossbow attacks. Anything stronger will likely do damage, at least to the armor if not the ship itself. The armor only protects the hull."
"Thank you," Allea said with a nod to our naval commander, "Though I would like to next extend the invitation, I must first explain the purpose of this entire operation."

"Just get to the point, Nord," I heard Velth Redoran say, "We don't have all day."

Ulfric whirled on him, staring him down. I watched in shock as the middle-aged dark elf seemed to shrivel under Ulfric's strong gaze.

"As I was saying," Allea said with a tone of annoyance as she continued, "The purpose of the operation is to go on an exploratory mission beyond the borders of Tamriel. My wife and I."
Here she paused, gesturing to me.

"We believe that there must be other land besides Tamriel out there. With as large as we believe Nirn to be? It seems extremely unlikely that there's not."

Empress Salrina Conunceia of Cyrodiil nodded her agreement.

"That makes sense," the woman said, a thoughtful smile on her face, "What is your plan for the operation? And..what directly does this have to do with us?"

"We intend to chart any land we may discover," Allea explained, "While we could just send physical copies of any new maps to the leaders of the provinces, certain leaders…"

She paused, giving a pointed look to Velth.

"Are let's just say...distrustful and paranoid of deception."

I remembered then Velth's reputation for paranoia and distrust.

"Therefore," Allea began again, "Serana and I decided, along with my half-sister, who regrettably could not be here this evening, that the rulers of each province could elect their own cartographer. One per province, along with two guards per cartographer. Like the cartographers, the guards would be hand picked by the rulers. In addition to the cartographers and their guards, there would be several other members of this team. Captain Salazar."

"Yes, milady?"

"Bring them in," Allea said.

The captain nodded, leaving the room. When he returned, he wasn't alone. Melodia followed him in, her sparkly gold dress trailing along the stone floor. She had long, loose sleeves on the dress but I had helped forge it. The dress looked harmless, but it was actually armor, Daedric quality. The sleeves concealed a pair of hidden wrist blades which she could trigger by flicking her wrists sharply enough. Her hair was pinned up in a sharp bun, and she had a cool-headed seriousness about her. All in all, aside from Allea she was looking like the most beautiful woman I'd ever seen, but I supposed some of it was likely the natural seductive qualities of Sirens influencing me. Behind her came Arissa. Arissa was wearing a set of elven-colored ebony armor, an ornate elven saber resting on one hip. Her hands hung at her side, and she had a gold and ruby circlet on her head. Behind Arissa came Vilja, wearing a set of leather armor not unlike the one Allea was wearing. She had no visible weapon, but there were a pair of daggers concealed in her boots, one in each. Behind the Imperial woman came Inigo. He was wearing a set of jet black leather armor, not unlike the dark brotherhood armor in shape, but it had a symbol on its chest, one which had become the flag of Diamond City and Fal Zhardum Din. The symbol was a woman with dragon wings as she cut down a great serpentine beast. Inigo wore his two swords, but they were visibly tied. Only me and Allea knew the truth. Were Inigo to yank at the blades, the ties that made them appear restrained would fall free, and he would be unrestricted in his movement and attacks. Our friends formed a line against the wall next to Allea, their hands behind their backs.

"This is the team that went to war with the True Believers, and battled the Khazad," Allea explained, pointing them each out in turn as she continued, "Inigo, Arissa, Vilja and Melodia. And you already know someone from that team. My lovely wife went to fight with them as well."

The other rulers, aside from Velth, nodded in respect.

"You may have noticed the fleet of carriages outside," I chimed in, having wanted to be part of the meeting all along and help explain.

"What? The carriages we brought?"

"No, Empress Salrina," Allea said with respect, "The others. The armored ones. Those are meant to provide safe transportation from Diamond City to Dawnstar for the cartographers and their bodyguards. We were planning that any dignitaries planning to participate in the operation dispatch cartographers and their guards to come here, to the city. The groups could depart for Dawnstar on will, however the ship would not depart until all participating cartographers have arrived."

"Jarl Allea," Empress Salrina said, "I will dispatch a cartographer to Skyrim as soon as I arrive back in Cyrodiil."

Allea nodded respectfully.

"I look forward to seeing them."

"And I too," Queen Mannira Tleldam of Hammerfell informed us, "Will join your expedition."

Allea nodded again, her gaze going to King Ernonan Ottuilie of High Rock. The Breton nodded at her.

"As will I."

Her gaze next went to Warlord Bagrol Ulfinag of Orsinium.

"The Orcs will stand with your expedition," the orc growled.

"As will this one," Ahvazi of Elsweyr said slowly.

"King Tuunros Nightmire?"

The elf nodded, "Yes. The Bosmer will join you."

Amuei Theerteus of Black Marsh nodded his agreement.

"I will send aid to your expedition."

Allea turned to Ulfric, who nodded to confirm he would join.

"Are you all daft?"

"I beg your pardon?"

Velth looked angry.

"This is obviously a trap. The intention is to lure our best cartographers onto a boat in the middle of nowhere, to slay them. If this expedition goes along as planned, Skyrim, nay, simply this pathetic undead Nord girl will have a strategic advantage over every other province."

My fingers twitched, as it was incredibly tempting to fire an ice spike through Velth's skull right then and there due to the way he was insulting Allea. Ulfric rose to his feet, his fists clenched. I saw Inigo's hands drop into the position he adopted when he was preparing to draw his swords rapidly. Arissa rested her hand on the pommel of her elven saber, staring down the Dunmer. Allea was the only one who didn't look alarmed in this whole situation, as even Melodia had her wrist primed to flick to deploy her wrist blades, and Vilja was sitting on the ground, her hands on her boots. There was a release on each of her boots, to open a compartment so she could pull her daggers. Her hands rested on the releases, but she wasn't engaging it. The other dignitaries were moving towards the exit, their guards forming a line in front of them.

"Everyone just stand down," Allea said calmly, "There's no need for bloodshed. Master Redoran, I realize that you don't trust me, or anyone for that matter. But there is no need for your brash accusations."

"Allea of Skyrim."

It was an intentional slur not addressing her by any other title.

"Nords flying that insignia," he said, pointing to a flag which bore the same logo as the one on Inigo's chest, "Slew my family in cold blood. My wife, my two daughters, my son. They made me watch as they burned them alive. Slowly."

"Master Redoran, this is the first I've heard of such an incident. While I'm not going to accuse you of being a liar and say that it didn't happen, those Nords were not operating on my orders. We did have an issue a couple of months ago with a cell of extremely...let's just say racist members of our forces. We finally tracked them down about one month ago. We slaughtered them in cold blood, they didn't give us a choice however."

"I don't trust you," Velth said again, "But I see no indication in your behavior that you are lying. Very well. For the sake of Morrowind, there will be no further issues between the two of us. At least..not that I initiate. A cartographer will be sent."

I relaxed, letting the magic in my hands fade away. Everyone else visibly relaxed.

"Master Redoran, I offer my condolences for your loss. I know what it's like to lose family," Allea said, and I could feel Illusion magic seeping off of her, my guess was she was trying to further calm him down with a spell, "But I'm glad that this didn't come to bloodshed."

"And I apologize for my..brash behavior. I let my emotions get the best of me. When I had my little...outburst, I wasn't thinking about Morrowind I was thinking of myself and I apologize."

My wife waved it off. I glanced at Melodia out of the corner of my eye and she nodded subtly. The Siren had been training in the art of her Siren charm magic and I'd had a hunch she had helped too. Her nod confirmed it.