Elisif POV:

Tullius makes his displeasure of letting the Khajiit live known, but eventually retires back to Castle Dour. I'm about to retire to my chambers when the door to the palace burst open, the mercenary riding on a tiger out of oblivion. It's gigantic, but stops and lowers himself before me. The mercenary hops off, pats the tiger on the side, and tells me, "Here's your first hostage. The other leaders are coming, but it'll be a few minutes. If it pleases her grace, a meeting room needs to be prepared and my brother needs a place to rest.". The tiger seems to notice me and he bows as much as he can. I nod and clap, two servants leaving to prepare the meeting room.

I point towards the stairs and tell the tiger, "Down the stairs is a room of beds, choose one and fall into it.". He roars and rushes down the stairs. I quickly turn and walk towards the meeting room, the mercenary behind me. "I'll introduce each leader and what they are when they walk in, but don't start the meeting right away. Well, that's my advice, her grace doesn't have to follow it. Letting them mingle and telling the hostages where to go will get them to like you, but you don't have to do that.". I nod and open the door, the room already prepped for the important meeting to come. I sit down and motion for the mercenary to sit beside me.

As we wait I ask her a few questions. "Do you have a supreme leader?". When she shakes her head I ask, "How do you lead then?". The Khajiit sighs and tells me, "The Khajiit that's been a leader the longest has the most say, the leader who has been a leader for the shortest amount of time has the least say. Everyone else has roughly the same say.". I furrow my brow and ask her, "Are you the youngest or oldest?". She shifts in her seat and tells me, "I was the youngest until Ulfric's soldier killed the Alfig leader. So, I have some say, but don't count on me to sway them.". I nod and ask her, "How do you move up in the ranks?".

Her face darkens and she tells me, "Only the death of a leader can bump the others up.". I nod, but before I can ask anything else the leaders begin flowing in. The mercenary leans over, points towards a tattooed Bosmer, and tells me, "Moar, the Ohmes leader. The oldest leader. He's smart, strong, but aging rapidly. Nobody would question if he died in his sleep.". She points towards a similar Khajiit, but this one has a short tail and fur. "Mobar, the Ohmes-raht leader. The next leader, he's angry, dumb, and injures himself by accident almost every day. He could easily fall down some stairs and end up breaking his neck. By accident, of course.". The mercenary tells me.

The bright Khajiit points at two normal looking Khajiit and tells me, "Shaar and Sharr, brother and sister. Shaar is the Suthay leader, and Sharr is the Suthay-raht. Both of them are violent and angry, it wouldn't be a surprise if an assassin slit their throats.". She then points to a Khajiit a little smaller than her with dark fur. "Sinir. The Cathay leader. She's wild, crazy, and it wouldn't sadden anyone if she went missing.". She smiles, points to herself, and tells me, "I'm the Cathay-raht leader. Should harm come to me only my brother would mind, but you'd lose a good alliance opportunity.". She clears her throat and keeps listing off the leaders.

The next leader she points to is wearing armor made of bones, only his white tail is visible. "The Tojay leader is named Husir. He is wise, smart, and quick. It would be hard to make his death look like an accident, but he is known to drink too much.". The next leader wears the same outfit as Husir, but the tail is jet black. "Husbil is the Tojay-raht leader. She's unremarkable and is known to do idiotic things. She could easily try to jump from roof to roof and end up dead.". The mercenary yawns, but keeps telling me the leaders. She points at two that look like pet cats and says, "The new Alfig leader and the Alfig-raht leader. They're both female and named Nataba and Natabe. A dog or hawk could easily eat them.".

She points at two surprisingly tiny Khajiit and tells me, "Shamed is the Dagi leader, another drunk. Shahed is the Dagi-raht leader, damned skooma addict. A disgrace.". The mercenary lets out a small laugh, and I know at once she probably drinks the drug by the bottle. The strange Khajiit points at a tiger looking Khajiit. "Sclaw is the Phamar leader, and might I say hunting accidents are always tragic.". She points at another tiger looking one and tells me, "Swalce is the Phamar-raht leader, and known to attack people. If he attacked the queen we would be forced to kill the poor beast.". She scratches her face and keeps going down the long list.

She points at a Khajiit like her brother, only smaller. "Naires is the Senche leader, and he can't swim worth a damn.". She points at a Khajiit like her brother and says, "I can't remember her name, I think it's Z'khar or some other crazy ass name Senche-raht give their kids. Well she's the Senche-raht leader and is older than my mother's father.". She collapses in her seat and tells me, "Thank god that's all, any more and I might have gone insane. I'll tell you the representatives names when they get here.". I furrow my brow and ask her, "Representatives? What do you mean representatives?".

The mercenary gives me an odd look and tells me, "When the Argonians joined us they demanded to have leaders, but we refused. We compromised so they have five representative, one for each tribe. They kind of lead the Argonians of The Beast, but a Khajiit leader can overrule their decisions. So they're like one step below leaders, but still above being a regular member.". I hold in my groan, five more important people to please. The mercenary sees my face, chuckles, and tells me, "You might want to start the meeting. Everyone is running out of things to talk about, the hostages want to be gone, and most of us are exhausted.".

I take her advice and start the meeting, the hostages leaving and the leaders sitting down. I tell them my demands and what I'm willing to give them. All of them seem pleased, but Sharr takes some convincing before he stops demanding more. By the time the meeting's over we've reached the same agreement I made with the mercenary I originally met. The leaders quickly shuffle out, but I notice the colourful one keeps her distance. She lags behind them and while they all go downstairs she begins walking upstairs. I'm the queen and I shouldn't care why she's avoiding her fellow leaders, but against my better instincts I go after her.

I quietly follow her and eventually she makes her way on to one of the multiple balconies that sprouts from the palace. I silently open the door and watch as she leans on the railing, cradling her head in her hands. I close the door without a sound and walk over to her, standing beside her and watching the blood red sun slowly sink into the horizon. "Why aren't you with the other leaders?". The Khajiit jumps at my voice, but settles down and tells me, "I'm not exactly the most-loved leader, Nataba is the only one who is genuinely fond of me. A few of the others tolerate me, but a majority hate me.". She runs her claws through her mane, the bright fur dancing in the light breeze.

I'm confused and ask her, "If they don't like you, why are you a leader?". She sighs and tells me, "A majority of the Cathay-raht wanted me to be their leader, in essence I'm their voice. They trust me to represent their wants and needs well, and so far I've done a good job. But the other leaders despise me, yet I can't quit because all the other Cathay-raht don't want the job.". I can't help asking, "Why do they hate you?". She looks uncomfortable, but tells me, "I suppose you'd find out on way or another, so I'll simply tell you. My fur.". She runs a hand along her pelt, the bright fur fighting both her fingers and the breeze.

My confusion only increases as I ask, "What?". The Khajiit looks incredibly uncomfortable, but clears her throat and keeps talking. "Most people assume I dye my pelt, and I wish it were that simple. To another race it seems fake and impossible, but other Khajiit know the truth. I was born with this pelt. Unnatural pelts are considered signs that the child will be evil, insane, or is a abomination. It's unnatural, strange, and off putting to other Khajiit. Some don't care, but many others stick to our traditions. More than once I've heard another leader whispering how my mother should have thrown me in a well or slit my throat.".

She sighs and goes back to watching the sun. I ask her, "They despise you because they fear you.". It isn't a question, it's obvious. The other leaders fear she'll grow to be evil so they don't want to be around her. She chuckles and tells me, "I suppose so. If they had it their way they'd probably sacrifice me to some Aedra.". I'm about to say something reassuring when a servant appears and tells me dinner is ready. I thank him and turn to leave, but notice the Khajiit doesn't move. "Are you coming?". I ask the mercenary. I suppose I shouldn't care, but the poor Khajiit almost died saving Solitude, she at least deserves a decent dinner.

She shakes her head and tells me, "I'll eat something later, I don't feel like being around a crowd.". I instantly translate that to, 'I don't want to sit between two leaders that want me dead'. I try to leave, I really do, but I can't stand to leave the Khajiit alone. Gazing at the sun and rubbing her mutated fur. I wave the servant away, walk over to the woman, and ask her, "Are you hungry? Answer honestly, I'm your queen.". She groans and nods, telling me the truth. I suddenly tell her, "Come on, you can sit by me.". I struggle with myself to decide if I've made the right choice, but when I see the grin that splits her face I know the answer.