CHAPTER III- A typical day in Game of Thrones

"Looks like this is your lucky day," The dark-skinned Blade knight commented, before himself entering the escape route. Excuse me, I beg to differ. "You can follow us, but stay out of our way."

In a matter of seconds, I was alone again in the cell.

I pondered a while, should I follow them?

The Emperor said I was free now, not that I had done anything to be in a prison first of all.

I remember my inner Alazne voice (yes, my inner voice has the same name as my mother. Judge me) shouting at me, at that moment, Don't be stupid, Amaya, just go and be free. The Emperor guy and the knight said you could go. Later you can think about what's happening.

I took a deep breath and entered the tunnel.

It was kinda dark, as I should've expected. The tunnel was hewn out of solid rock, and after some seconds of walking, it led to some sort of ruins, which reminded of the catacombs beneath Paris in that awful sorry excuse for a horror movie called 'As Above, so Below'.

I kept following the route cautiously until I went down a flight of stairs and finally spot the Blade guys and the Emperor.

I quickly approached them, in the next room- slightly more spacious than the corridor I'd been in, but something else approached them as well, coming from the opposite direction I was coming from.

It is odd how things can go from perfectly fine to pandemonium in a matter of seconds.

One moment the knights and the Emperor were running along the corridors just ahead of me and in the other three metallic looking people jumped from nowhere and before I could scream, one of them chased the Emperor, but the Captain blocked the attack in time. I didn't even notice when a second assassin showed up and tackled the Blade Captain with one fatal, noisy mace blow to the head, breaking her skull instantly.

I remember that was one of the scariest moments of my entire life, and I am definitely putting it up on the same list as going inside Goddamn Oblivion. Anyway…

I had to contain myself not to scream my lungs out when I saw the Blade woman fall to the ground. The part that scared me the most was actually the fact that there was no blood.

If I ever had any doubt of the veracity of the dream I was having, said doubts disappeared right there and then.

I was scared that those metallic looking people could get me too, so I hid behind one of the nearby columns and tried to keep quiet, for I am sure they will be waiting for me and my candy ass to appear and won't hesitate in tackling me down if I do.

I heard some more blade clinking, and after a while I heard just silence.

Is it too late to run back to the prison cell? Might be my chance to run off.

But fear immobilized my body, so I didn't move. Just did my best to stay apart from the battle raging on ahead. The two remaining Blades charged against the two assassins, giving the Emperor enough time to escape. He backed himself against a wall.

I looked at him, with my own eyes widened. My eyes screamed 'What the hell is going on?' The Emperor ducked behind a column just as I did.

I kept quiet as the dark skinned Blade ferociously pushed the assassin he was engaging and skewered him in the stomach powerfully enough to pierce through armor and flesh. The apparently magical armor vanished out of existence revealing not a metallic looking man, but a frail one with blood red robes (magic?), as the unfortunate man dropped dead to the floor, making it easier for the knight to tug his katana free and rush to protect his lord.

Meanwhile, the third assassin was so focused on savoring his kill that he remained unaware of the incoming danger. It came as a sore surprise to him when the second blade suddenly sprouted from his chest. I shrieked as the dead assassin dropped down in a pool of his own blood.

And just like that, the battle was over as suddenly as it had started. I noticed I had just been traumatized for life.

"Are you all right, sire?" The dark-skinned Blade asked the Emperor.

Emperor guy glanced at his two standing bodyguards, then at dead one on the floor, "Captain Renault?"

So the girl Blade's name was Renault? I kind of feel bad now, "I'm sorry, sire; but we have to keep moving."

The Emperor stared at the Captain's corpse for a long while, probably thinking how she had given up her life for his. I'd tell you something, although I find honorable to give up your life to what you believe in, I'd never do such a thing. I'd rather save my sorry ass and then live to tell the tale than being a very noble knight.

"How could they have been waiting for us down here?" the white skinned knight asked no one in particular.

"I don't know, but it's clear that we're not out of danger yet," The other answered. "By the way, have you seen that prisoner?"

"That odd looking girl? Do you think she followed us?"

The Emperor himself answered, however "I know she did."

"Please, sire. We can't stay here. We have to go." The white Blade rushed. I could distinguish his voice from the other Blade, because this one had a high-pitched voice, whereas the dark skinned one had a much deeper voice.

"Not yet. Let me rest a moment longer."

At that moment I put my hands inside my jean's pockets and to my surprise, I found my phone inside it. I had no idea it had been there all this time! I am actually glad it is here, at least I can play Candy Crush before I die a very painful death in the hands of the magic assassins!

I unlocked said phone, and just stared at my home screen. It was just a picture of the Eiffel Tower (my dream was to go to Paris someday, but I guess I won't ever be able to do so). I noticed that I had no phone signal, which made sense, since I was I didn't know how many feet under the surface and apparently I am in a renaissance fair so I guess they didn't have signal during the middle ages.

Okay but for real now, I am going to die three times if I don't move from this column. The assassins could kill me here, for all I know! I know I'm not a member of the high society of this…whatever this Tamriel place is but I am going to die if I stay here! I have nothing to defend myself with, no weapons, no fighting skills, I'm basically an invitation for murder! And not even the fucking Emperor of this shithole is safe! Why would I be, then? I am very sure I won't be spared for being a wee girl! I should maybe unite with the Emperor and try to tag along with those knights? Maybe I'd have a chance of surviving and finally getting away from this God forsaken prison!

And perhaps find out what's going on!

The Emperor seems like an agreeable fellow, he might let me go with him. Come on, I'm practically a kid, no one in their right mind would let me wander here alone…right? With assassins around, no less.

I slowly moved away from my hiding spot and systematically made my way to the bigger room where the knight guys and the Emperor (and some corpses) were, "Hey guys, I just saw you fight off those assassins and I was like 'Goddamn those guys are good' and I was thinking about tagging along with you?" I started timidly, waving my hand, "Like, I have no weapons, no possibility of getting out of here alive and I'm just a girl-"

Before I could even finish my plea, the white-skinned Blade unsheltered his katana and quickly came towards me, "Dammit, it's that prisoner again! I'll kill her, she might be working with the assassins!"

I shrieked in panic, and quickly pulled out my phone, turned on the flashlight and pointed it directly to the guy's eyes, "I have a magical device and I won't be afraid to use it!" What the fuck? Why? Do I look like a vicious assassin? I can't kill a fucking bee!

"Ahh! My eyes!" The Blade guy stopped coming after me shielding his eyes with his arm. "She is one of them!"

Good job, Amaya. That's what you get for not having that little voice that tells you something is a bad idea. "You came running and threatened to kill me first!" I pointed at the guy, in hope of earning the approval of Emperor guy and the dark-skinned Blade knight.

The Emperor and the other Blade just eyed me like I was being the weird fuck around here. Actually, thinking about it now, I indeed was being the weird fuck there.

"No, Glenroy." The Emperor said, "She is not one of them. She can help us. She must help us."

"I can?" I raised an eyebrow suspiciously.

Glenroy dude quickly recomposed himself, and shot me a death glare, "As you wish, Sire"

"Come closer and don't be afraid, dear child. My guardians will not harm you." The Emperor smiled sweetly, gesturing for me to come closer to him and the corpses on the floor, "What is your name?"

I slowly walked to the Emperor, wondering why the fuck does this old dude keep saying he knows me and seen me in his dreams. When I approached the Emperor, the odor of flesh and blood was very present. The girl Blade, Captain Renault, had her bloodless corpse sprained close to the wall, her helmet was completely ruined due to the force of the mace blow to her head. I glanced at her, but her glazed-dead- eyes glared back at me.

"Amaya." I replied, "Amaya Kedves."

"Dearest Lady Kedves, they cannot understand why I trust you. They've not seen what I've seen. How can I explain?" The Emperor started, by patting me in the back. I decided it wouldn't be worth it to complain, especially when the knight just glared at how awkward this was getting, "Listen. You know the Nine? How they guide our fates with an invisible hand?"

"Who?" I raised an eyebrow. What now? Nine? Nine riders of the Apocalypse? Ah no, those were four.

"The Nine Divines, you surely know about them, don't you?"

"Yeah, right." Further arguing won't get my sorry ass anywhere. And I really want to get out of this place quickly and find out where I am and how I can go home.

"I've served the Nine all my days, and I chart my course by the cycles of the heavens. The skies are marked with numberless sparks, each a fire, and every one a sign. I know these stars well, and I wonder... which sign marked your birth?" Okay now Emperor guy is trying very hard to get to know me and honestly I have no idea why. I know I am special and shit but really this is getting out of control.

He wants to know my star sign? Well, I was born in early September, so I guess it's…uhhhh, Virgo? I don't believe those things but if he really must know, "The virgin…uhhh…Lady?"

"The signs I read show the end of my path. My death, a necessary end, will come when it will come." Why is he telling me all that? Do I look like I care? "But your stars are not mine. Today The Lady will guide your path to destiny."

Glenroy eyed me suspiciously, he probably hates my new friendship with the Emperor, "Shall we go now, Sire?"

"Yes." The Emperor faced Glenroy, then the other Blade, then finally me, "And Lady Kedves is coming with us."

Lady Kedves…I could get used to that.

I have no idea why he trusts me but well let's go with the flow. I just want to get out of this humid and scary place. Not to mention that I'd rather not be in the same room with four corpses and many pools of metallic smelling red body fluids aka blood. I didn't believe when my mother said that violent video games made me less sensitive to violence until now. If I hadn't spent hours murdering virtual people for fun I'd probably be vomiting right now.

The dark-skinned Blade (whose name I didn't know) rubbed his hands together, "Since you are coming along, you better make yourself useful."

And suddenly he pulled a spare sword from his belt (?) and tossed it to me.

I didn't grab it before it fell to the ground, for obvious reasons like I could cut my hands or worse (and I am not justifying by any means that I don't have the capacity of grabbing shit).

I kneeled to get the weapon from the floor, and shit it was heavy, "Uhh, how am I supposed to use this thing?"

The Blade almost smiled, "Just stick them with the pointy end."

Sure, Jon Snow.

Even if I referenced Jon there, I would later find out that the place I currently found myself in wasn't very different from Westeros. Of course, in the worst way possible.


To be completely honest, the next part of the tagging along thing with the Emperor was a blur. A very scary and strange blur. I don't remember much about what really happened, I just remember hiding behind the Emperor all the time, until we were overwhelmed and the two Blades left me alone with Uriel, with the instructions of protecting him at all costs, before locking both of us inside a dead end room.

It's rather funny that I can't remember much of what happened in that particular time. Maybe I unconsciously deleted those unpleasant memories.

"Uh, your Majesty?" I said, looking around in the room the Emperor and I were locked inside, looking for an exit, "We should probably find an exit and run." I ran my hands and iron sword along the walls looking for some sort of secret passage or button. Like, remember the cell thing? There was a secret button.

The battle outside raged and the clinks of the swords could be heard.

"Why, Lady Kedves? There is no use trying to postpone my demise."

I turned around to face the Emperor in disbelief, "What are you even talking about? We gotta get out of here, those assassins will kill both of us if we don't!" I said, in a hysterical and cracked voice. I felt kinda bad for treating the Emperor that way but hey, I was scared! And the man didn't mind dying? Okay fine but even though I enjoyed death memes I didn't want to die…

"Men are but flesh and blood. They know their doom, but not the hour. In this I am blessed to see the hour of my death... To face my apportioned fate, then fall." How can this old man be so calm right now? I am literally freaking out!

"Stop talking in riddles! We need to get out!" I threw my arms up, and continued desperately, "We are gonna die if we don't!" I continued, my voice raucous. "And I am definitely not ready to die!"

"I go to my grave now, Lady Kedves. A tongue shriller than all the music calls me." The Emperor had a soothing voice, which kinda calmed me down for a bit, even if he talked nonsense, "You, on the other hand, have a path yet to follow."

"I just don't understand what you're talking about!" To be honest, I almost cried at that time. For fuck's sake I hate crying.

"You don't need to understand, dear child." The Emperor smiled kindly, "Just follow your heart and do what is right."

I couldn't do anything to prevent what happened after the Emperor uttered those last words to me, for a secret door opened behind him and an assassin leaped into Uriel, piercing his stomach with a long blade. The blade literally went through the Emperor's belly.

I stood there motionless as Uriel's body slid through the wall behind him, painting the bricks with the most vibrant red color.

The assassin didn't savor his victory, he simply charged into me with his blade up, but I was quicker and in a swift and mighty move, I shoved my sword into his chest.

I watched the still alive assassin fall down into a pool of his and Uriel's blood, twisting himself in pain, then I walked to him, kicked his blade far from his gasp and proceeded to thrush my sword into his skull, screaming like crazy, until I could no longer distinguish any of his facial features.

Once I thought it was enough, I left my sword sticking from the corpse and sank to my knees by the wall where the Emperor was laying, and pulled his bloody body into my lap. "Oh my God! Oh my God!" Holy shit! "Shit, shit, shiit!"

I knew I couldn't do much due to my painful lack of skills in healing or whatever and the best I could do is comfort him. "I knew better," he panted, his eyes finding mine as he brought his right bloody hand up to clasp mine. "Yet I decided not to warn you. It was destined for you to be here in this very moment."

"I'm sorry," I said. I didn't know to say, I just watched the blood pouring out from his horrible wound soak both his robes and my favorite hoodie. "I am sorry for failing you…"

His words were kind. "You have nothing to be sorry for, Lady Kedves." I was surprised he remembered my name even at this hour. "There was nothing you could do," he continued. "Not being here alone brings me comfort, though," he smiled as he reached around his neck with his free hand.

"Hold on just a little longer," I looked around in hopes of finding Glenroy or the other Blade I didn't know the name. They were nowhere to be seen. I let the dying man squeeze my hand as much as he wanted to. I guess he's scared too, "The Blade knights will know what to do! I need to find a way to make it stop bleeding…" I tried to stop the bleeding by placing my free hand's sleeve on top of the wound, but there was no use, the piece of clothing couldn't absorb much blood.

My eyes widened as he placed his beautiful-and bloody- red necklace on top of my heart. I quickly grabbed it with my free hand and observed it. A fine piece of craftsmanship indeed. At that time I didn't know why he gave me the Amulet.

Before I could speak, he did, "I can go no further. You alone must stand against the Prince of Destruction and his mortal servants. He must not have the Amulet of Kings!"

"What Amulet? This one?" I pulled up the bloodied necklace, eyed it curiously and then eyed the Emperor.

"Yes," He nodded, his blue eyes flickering with the little life he had left, "Listen carefully," he continued, words being difficult to utter, "Take this to a man called Jauffre, at Weynon Priory. He knows what to do. Jauffre knows where he is."

"Who?"

"My son. The last Septim. Find him, and save this land. I know you can do it." The man urged, as a little stream of blood ran out of his mouth.

"I cannot!" I exclaimed, my voice growing week as I fought back tears, "You don't understand, I shouldn't be here at all!"

"Ah, sweet child, but you really should be here, and because you are here now, I can go in peace," He coughed weakly, struggling to continue breathing. I pulled a strand of hair that had fallen back to place behind my ear, "I am sorry you have this burden bestowed upon you now, but this is your destiny. You alone can close the jaws of Oblivion."

"Oblivion?" I mumbled, not understanding what he meant. Even if I was confused as fuck, the Emperor smiled as I said, "I will never forget you."

"Remember my words." I felt his grip soften into my hand, making his hand slip from my gasp, "Remember…"

"Hey!" I felt the Emperor's body go limp in my lap. Right then and there I let a few tears run free, "Don't die on me! Please!" I shook his body, but the Emperor's glazy eyes told me he wasn't coming back. "Please, come back!"

I was petrified about the fact that had just happened that I didn't notice the dark-skinned Blade knight unlock the door and rejoin me. I didn't look up at him, for I was too busy rocking the Emperor's corpse and crying.

That had been my first death. The first of many people I couldn't save.

The Blade walked to me, and extended a hand to help me get up, "I wasn't fast enough. The Emperor has fallen."

I didn't take his hand, which led him to try to pull me away from the Emperor's body I was so desperately holding into. Finally I gave up and rose from the floor, facing the Blade. Now I could see that his shiny armor was covered in blood.

I glanced at my clothes because they felt wet against my skin, and to my surprise-not really- I was soaked in Uriel's blood. Even my jeans. I wouldn't be surprised if my face was also filthy. I cleaned my bloodied hands in my hoodie. The metallic smell of blood was so unnerving.

I sniffed, "It was not me, Mr. Blade, I swear!"

"Baurus is my name, not 'Mr. Blade', He said dryly, probably guessing I wanted to know his name, "I know it wasn't you," I thought he would kill me or I don't know, "Nothing can be done now."

"Where is the other knight?"

"He fell in battle, may his soul find peace." I could make out that the knight was fighting back his tears, for his voice sounded thicker, just like mine, "I see the Emperor gave you the Amulet of Kings."

"Yeah, he did." I raised the Amulet so that Baurus could see it. I actually didn't remember that I still had the Amulet in my hand, "You can have it. Clearly you are more capable of delivering his last wish." I handed the piece of jewelry to the knight.

"No." He pushed the blood red Amulet back to me, "The Emperor saw something in you," He closed my hand with the Amulet inside, looking me in the eyes, his brown eyes emotionless, "Which means you should be the one to deliver his last wish, whatever it might be."

"You don't understand! I have no idea what to do! I don't know what I am doing here, and the only one who probably knew just died!" I covered my eyes with my hands (with the sleeve of the hoodie, actually) to clean off the tear traces from my cheeks.

"Maybe you will find out soon, I don't know." The Blade knight walked pass me, pushing me aside and kneeled beside the Emperor's corpse. "Those things eventually reveal themselves," In a respectful way, Baurus closed the deceased man's eyes gently, with the tip of his fingers. I wouldn't ever guess such a brute man could be so gentle.

We stayed in silence for a while, both of us probably thinking about what to do next, until Baurus eventually continued talking, "Did he ask you to do something with the Amulet?"

"He told me to find some guy… named Jauffre." Baurus' eyes widened when I said the dude's name.

The Blade savored the name, "Jauffre? But why?"

"You know him?"

"He is the Grandmaster of my order, the Blades."

I did my best to remember everything Uriel had said not ten minutes ago, but my mind was so confused it took me a while to actually remember anything I was told, so I basically spilled out all the info I remembered, "The Emperor said… he lives in a place called Weynon Priory, and that I should give him the Amulet because this damn piece of jewelry can't fall in the hands of some guy called 'Prince of Destruction' and I have no idea who the fuck that person is!"

"Slow down, I can barely understand what you are saying," Baurus turned to me, still kneeled beside the dead Emperor, "Prince of Destruction? He means Mehrunes Dagon?" I did a ¯\_(ツ)_/¯, meaning I had no idea who the guy with a weird name was. "Anyway, Jauffre can help you with what?"

I took a deep breath, okay Amaya you can do this, "Finding the last son." I continued, trying my best to saying everything slowly now, "The Emperor said this Jauffre dude knows where this other heir is."

"There is another Septim? Then there is hope after all!" Baurus stayed with his head lowered for a while, then rose to talk to me, smiling faintly, "If anyone would know about such a thing it would be Jauffre."

I honestly had no idea why those Septims were so important. Sure, they were the royal family and shit but kings rose and fell all the time. From my experience, bastards weren't very well seen in society. Probably that's was why Uriel kept his secret bastard son- in secret, duh.

"What should I do now?" I asked, glancing at the Blade knight. He was taller than me, but not too much.

"Exactly what the Emperor told you," That was predictable, I should hire this man as my psychologist because I will surely need one, "Go to Weynon. You should head there now, as fast as you can."

Just then, Baurus decided it would be a good idea to put a hand in my back and gently take me to the secret door thing from where the assassin came from, but I wasn't going that easily, "Why? I am hallucinating right now, I will wake up in no time."

"You are not hallucinating, girl." I stopped walking, and consequently stopped being pushed around.

I turned to face the Blade again, visibly angry, "Of course I am!" I laughed in frustration (I do that often), "There is no reasonable explanation for…this." I gestured my clothes, then the dead Emperor, then Baurus himself, then the entire room, "But if this is real…I must've died and this is some sort of purgatory for my sins."

Yes, I had my ticket to hell guaranteed multiple times. Not worth mentioning everything but I am the kind of person who laughs at inappropriate things at inappropriate times so yeah.

He raised an eyebrow in disbelief, "Did you, now?"

I sighed and calmly told the whole story of how I ended up in a random prison to the Blade, even if he didn't understand very well what I was talking about. I even pulled out my phone for extra credibility, though it was weird to explain phone shit when even I didn't know.

Baurus was the first person I told the truth. I have no idea why I did it at that particular time, but honestly I am glad I did because he is one of the most loyal men I've ever met, and a very true friend. Divines bless his pure soul.

"Judging by your odd clothing, accent, strange pocket…uhhh…device and the fact that the Emperor trusted you blindly, I strangely believe your far-fetched story." You do? I didn't expect that, "Listen, even if you were not supposed to be here, you are here now, so make it count by heading to Weynon."

"You won't come with me?"

"No," He replied, turning his back to me and gestured the fallen Emperor's corpse, "I need to guard the Emperor's body until someone from my order arrives."

"Okay, I'll go alone then, but there's one problem," I fiddled with the ends of my hair. It was greasy so it was not a pleasant thing to do. I better wash soon, "I don't know where this Priory is."

"Just following the Black Road, close to the city of Chorrol."

Just wonderful, places I've never heard of and roads that probably don't exist, "Where the hell is that?"

"West of the Imperial City."

"Imperial? What's that? You are the second one who says that word… 'Imperial'." I asked, hopeful to find some long expected answers. Now I know that there's a city full of Imperials. Delightful, "Are you an Imperial too?"

"No, I am a Redguard." Redguard? So dark-skinned people are called Redguards here? Good to know. So there's Imperials and Redguards, better remember that for future reference, "Enough with the questions, for you now have a very important task to accomplish," he took something from somewhere in his armor (I don't want to know from where exactly), I observed as he handed a piece of folded paper, like a map. "Here, take my map of the province. It's a special version given by my order where all places are marked." He gestured the door from where the assassin had come, "Just follow the secret door and in the end of the path, use this key to enter the sewers. Good luck." He also handed me a small shiny iron key.

I took a quick look at the folded piece of map I got, and decided to open it when I leave this place. I proceeded then to head to the secret path, determined to get out quickly, for now I had a mission to accomplish. Yay me.

I walked the two steps that led to the passage and turned around to face the Blade guy, to create a dramatic effect, "Thank you for believing me."

Baurus simply nodded.

I put the Amulet and the folded map inside my right side jeans' pocket, opposite from my phone.

Gotta make it count.

Gosh, I really like the way I finish my chapters, it sounds so mysterious! You're a genius, Amaya.


Here's the chapter! I hope you enjoyed :))) Next one will come up soon! Don't forget to R&R!