"You'll find no better soldiers anywhere else" – A member of the Karthspire Blades.

Karthspire, the day of King Tiberius' disappearance.

'Brother this is foolish; your people need you here.'

Tiberius heard the tones of concern in his brother's voice, but he had made his decision,' I am sure of your leadership until I return. But our family has oaths to Markarth that I will not be allowed to fall apart. Markarth calls for aid and I will ensure they know that their allies fight beside them.'

Lucan was taken aback by this, 'The people will start to lose hope if you leave you have been a great King, worthy of the Valaran Throne and took us out of the darkness that was the Solitude War.'

'I swore to never hear of that incident again,' Tiberius ended the debate with his brother before turning to his guard,' Mauhur, are the men ready to leave?'

'They are my lord, they are waiting for you at the stables,' the Orc was an imposing figure, he was the headsman of Karthspire before he was recruited by Tiberius for the Solitude war and has been at the King's side ever since. Mauhur handed Tiberius his sword and followed him out of the city gate where he addressed the men assembled there.

'Blades of Karthspire, we have all felt the keen blow of the Forsworn and the Thalmor. We have all suffered loss of family, friends and property. So you came here, your families sought a new life but they remembered their homelands. In this time of need will you abandon them, will you abandon those who fought so you may be standing here today.'

The men replied with a resounding "No!"

'Some of no doubt may hold kinship with our enemies, but did they respect you for choosing a safer life, no they burned your farms, slaughtered your workers and dared to strike blows against you. They threaten Karthspire, they threaten Markarth and they threaten the whole Empire.'

The men cheered and Tiberius and Mauhur mounted their horses,' For Karthspire and the Empire!'

Lucan watched passively from the gate as Tiberius led his men across the river and over the hills to Markarth.

The Solitude War was a dark time for Karthspire. The king Lucan Valaran had ordered an assassin to kill his wife's brother and take control of Solitude. A second assassin had killed queen Alda but was prevented from killing the king, leaving him in control of both Karthspire and Solitude. Some say supporters of the former Jarl of Solitude ordered the death of Lucan; others say that Lucan was so filled with a desire for power that he would kill his own kin to get it. The stalemate continued for years in which the positions of Karthspire and Solitude held firm against the forces of the angry Jarls. The stalemate continued until the Steward of Karthspire, Lucan's son Tiberius ordered the surrender of Karthspire and then led the assault on Solitude, cutting down his father in single combat. He then handed Solitude back to Skyrim and ended the war before the Emperor was forced to take drastic measures.

'King Tiberius, I did not expect that you would be here.'

'Trust me Jarl, my grandfather wouldn't have abandoned his allies, I do not wish to disappoint him,' Tiberius and Jarl Torvgir embraced on the steps of Markarth, the great city of the reach.

'Now to be honest I expected more of you, but you can't ask too much of Blades now can you.'

'No, you cannot, the Dragon Knights are spread thin over Tamriel and the Forsworn rats are proving hard to flush out of their warrens.'

'But not even Odahviing accompanies you?'

'I tasked the Dovah to watch over the Dein, the keep. As to protect it and improve the morale of the citizens.'

Torvgir gestured for Tiberius to follow him into the city and onto the main defensive wall of Markarth.

'It is a great alliance, two of the fiercest armies in Skyrim, together in arms,' Torvgir pointed out across the approach of the gates.

'Indeed it is,' Tiberius said, taking note of the tactical advantages and disadvantages of the canyon, 'The Blades and I will hold here, at the gate and will shout down those who try to breach it.'

The Blades detachment that had followed Tiberius took their position along the wall, and Torvgir nodded solemnly before returning to Understone Keep.

Night fell quickly on the valley, confounded by the high mountains on either side. Tiberius guessed it wasn't that late already. At his side Mauhur was muttering a pray to Malacath, Tiberius wasn't keen on the worship of Daedra but an orc's trust is hard to come by and Mauhur was as dependable as any human. Flashes of light in the distance gave away the presence of the Forsworn and Thalmor in the Valley. With a roar the Forsworn charged, supported here and there by Atronachs. There were hundreds of them and there were only a few dozen Blades on the wall. But these were Guards of the Citadel, with no equal save the Dragon Knights.

Tiberius drew Dragonbane and the Blades readied their bows. The Forsworn had engaged the force of guards that Torvgir stationed outside the city, swiftly overrunning their positions and without pause they came within bow range.

'Now!' Tiberius shouted, but the Blades needed no command they were the greatest warriors of Tamriel and every one could grasp the use of at least a single Shout. A score of Forsworn fell in the first volley and the Blades had readied their bows again before they hit the ground. The Atronachs started to attack the walls now, lightning bolts scouring the stone and fireballs raining in a constant barrage. Tiberius glimpsed a cloaked figure among the Forsworn.

'Down!'

The figure unleashed a massive storm of lightning at the gate. The gate shuddered before it cracked and blew open. The Thalmor directed the magical force upwards the stone walls crumbling under the assault and sending the Blades in its path flying back into the city. Tiberius pushed himself back to his feet as the Forsworn pushed into the city and a battle erupted in the marketplace. Mauhur grinned with joy and drew his battle axe. He roared a challenge and bounded down the steps into the melee cutting a Forsworn in half and laughing as he pressed into the mass of fighting men. The Forsworn ran up the steps onto the wall, a crude axe burying itself in the chest of a Blade. Tiberius swept out his shield, knocking a Forsworn back down into the street. He thrust Dragonbane into the chest of another savage before leading the Blades down into the combat below. Mauhur had cleared a lot of ground and was swinging his axe in wide arcs that kept the forsworn at bay. But the Markarth guards weren't faring as well and the right flank had almost crumbled.

'Mauhur, back up, to the keep.'

Mauhur nodded and started to slowly step backwards dropping his axe and drawing the curved sword and shield, the rest of the Blades forming a shield wall alongside him. Arrows flew over them into the forsworn, it was impossible to miss but the shots were often not well placed, and less fell than Tiberius would've liked. The Blades could've held them here but the Forsworn were rushing around the right of the Inn and instead they were facing Frost Atronachs and Thalmor warriors. Much tougher foes by any standard.

'Aim for their hearts.' The Blades followed the order effortlessly and started to stab straight at the Atronachs. Dragonbane was no less useful against the Thalmor as it was against the Dov. A Thalmor in glass armour faced him swinging a steel sword in an attempt to sever his arm. Tiberius parried and stepped forward, bashing the elf with his shield, a clean thrust finished the elf off.

'Fall back on my command.' The Blades had started moving quicker and Tiberius wanted to ensure that they got to the keep quickly. 'Fus Ro Dah!'

The Shout had an immediate effect and the street in front of Tiberius was cleared of enemy soldiers. And with that the Blades turned and ran towards the keep. The Forsworn were being held at the door to the keep but the approaching Thalmor would break their line.

'Clear the door,' Tiberius ordered and the Blades caught the Forsworn between them and the Markarth Guards, 'into the keep, barricade the entrance.'

Tiberius caught a glimpse of the Thalmor that had destroyed the Gate and knew that the chance of victory weighed heavily on killing him. The wizard threw a bolt of lightning at the door which bounced to a Blade and a Guard killing them both. The door shattered as a second bolt hit it.

'Inside my Lord, I will deal with him,' Mauhur shouted a challenge and the Thalmor responded by conjuring a magical sword. Tiberius and the surviving Blades fell back into the keep and the world plunged into darkness as a fireball hit the archway, collapsing the doorway behind them.