Author's Comments: I have to admit, I wasn't planning on developing so much back story before the beginning of the events of Oblivion's Main Quest line. However, I am rapidly approaching the beginning of Oblivion's storyline and I think the back story will tie into things nicely. I appreciate the comments that have been given, and will always appreciate others. This story is going to consume much time and effort, but I'm hoping it will be worth it for the end result, provided the storyline and themes work out the way I currently have planned. But no more yapping, here's chapter 6. Hope you enjoy. As always, I do not own Oblivion.

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Chapter 6

Calidus remembered little of how he came to be back at the Imperial Palace. The herbal remedy the healer had given him to dull the pain of his wound had made his most immediate memories seem hazy, and his mind numb. He remembered having both of his arms around the necks of two guardsmen, who slowly carried him through the plazas and the wide streets of the Imperial City to the doors of the palace entrance. Prince Ebel, having gone uninjured, was able to move at a much faster pace with his escort, being hurried ahead by his guards, and he arrived at the palace considerably sooner than the agent did in his afflicted state.

He awoke in a small cot against the wall of a small, undecorated room. He still felt a dull, thudding pain in his side, but he had rested enough that he was able to stand under his own power and block it out of his mind, rising from the cot to walk around. He looked down at himself to notice that his bloodied doublet had been c hanged for a casual tan cloth shirt.

He made his way to the door, pulling it open carefully so as not to aggravate his injury. He stepped into what appeared to be a small lounge, a few chairs and tables interspersed throughout the room, with a row of bookshelves at the far end. He wasn't sure exactly what part of the palace he was in. He certainly hadn't explored this area before.

I may as well make myself comfortable for a while. Calidus thought. If they want to talk to me about what happened, they'll come to me.

He approached the row of bookshelves, carefully pulling some of them out slightly to examine their titles. He found a copy of a book he had always enjoyed, The Mirror, and settled down in one of the chairs to read it. The book had always reminded him of his days as a Legion trooper.

He was in the middle of the book, lost in its pages, when he was startled by a voice that broke the silence.

"You're up. " Ebel said. "We were worried about you. How are you feeling?"

"Better." Said Calidus.

"That's good. I apologize for not coming to check on you sooner. I've been talking to my father and Geldall. I wanted to thank you for saving my life. I didn't get the chance to do so back at the arena. You've been a great friend and companion to me. I'll never forget it."

There was something morose about the Prince's tone of voice, and Calidus could tell that something serious was on his mind.

"I did my job, nothing more nothing less." He replied. "What about the assassins? Have we been able to learn anything about them?"

"No." Ebel replied, shaking his head in slow disappointment. "They were both killed by the crowds before the guards could take them into custody to interrogate them. We have no idea who they were, whether they were acting alone or were hired by some organization, or what their motives could have been."

Calidus grimaced.

"Does that mean we're back to where we started? Knowing that people want you dead but not being able to find out who they are or how we can stop them? Just waiting for the next attack?"

Ebel said nothing.

Again Calidus had the feeling that the Prince knew something important that he was too reluctant to share.

"Is something else going on, Ebel?" he asked.

"It's Geldall, as always. He went ballistic when he heard about the attack. He said that you've gotten too friendly with our family. He said that you've brought nothing but trouble to us. He told my father…"

"What?"

"…he told my father that he thinks you're working for whoever is trying to kill us. He thinks you're a Talos Cult agent, or one of those weird Mythic Dawn people. He's gotten completely paranoid with everything that's been going on. I think he wants you out of the picture because your friendship with my father and I is a threat to him. He's produced an order for your arrest."

"That's insane." Calidus replied. "I've been nothing but loyal and obedient. Why would I have saved you if I wanted you dead? What about evidence? Your father surely wouldn't believe him. Especially without any evidence. He knows me better than that."

"I'm not sure what my father thinks." Ebel said. "But there's an emergency meeting scheduled tomorrow between the Emperor, Geldall, Enman, The Elder Council, and myself. The purpose of the meeting is to decide what action to take in response to the attempt on my life, and that includes what to do about you. Some on the Council know you're innocent and have defended you. Others think you've gained too much influence over the court and want you expelled from the Blades. And then there are a few people, some of the leaders of the Elder Council who…who have called for your execution."

Calidus mumbled a curse to himself.

"That can't be…it makes no sense! I'm the one who's been bending over backwards trying to keep your family safe! I'm the one who discovered the Talos Cult's plot in the first place! I'm innocent of any wrongdoing!"

"I know that," Ebel replied, his voice high. "And they know that too. It's all political, don't you see? It doesn't matter that you're innocent. Pinning you as part of the conspiracy will eliminate you as a threat to the political ambitions of my brother and some others on the Elder Council. Geldall doesn't want you on my side, because if you're helping me I might be competent enough to keep his power in check once he becomes the Emperor. It's a completely political move!"

"They can't just sentence me and run me through without one scrap of evidence supporting their claims, can they? They have to follow the law…" Calidus was saying, his voice low and breaking with disbelief.

"Remember when you were telling me about how the Tribunal Temple persecuted the Dissident Priests in Morrowind? How they knew the priests were doing right, but the Temple needed a scapegoat to keep hold of the reigns of power? That's what they're doing to you! They don't care about justice! They want a scapegoat. And since they don't have any conspirators in custody, that scapegoat is going to be you. It would look bad if after the attempt on my life, the Elder Council didn't have anything to show for their investigations. That would make for a lot of angry citizens."

Calidus was silent for a long moment, before his eyes looked up again to meet those of Ebel, whose pursed, frowning lips were obscured by his goatee, which had grown longer and scragglier in recent weeks.

"But you're going to be at that meeting, right? You can defend me, can't you?"

"I'm going to give it my best shot, absolutely. But I don't know what good I'll be able to do. They think you've been messing with my mind in the process of tutoring me. Any defense I make for you they can attribute to the amount of influence you've allegedly had on me."

"Emperor Uriel knows I'm innocent too, though." Calidus said. "Maybe you and he together can convince the Council."

"As I said, I'll do everything I can. I don't want them to get away with this. You've done too much for me for Geldall and his cronies to just send you down the river."

"So that's how it's going to be…" Calidus mumbled. Ebel was silent.

"I just want you to know, Calidus." He said after a moment. "This may be your last day in my service. I just wanted you to know that you've been an exceptional friend to…to me…"

Ebel's voice was shaking. Calidus was stunned to see the Prince fighting to choke back tears. He stood up to comfort him, and to his surprise, the Prince threw his arms around him in an embrace. After patting him on the shoulder a few times, the Prince pulled away, his eyes on the ground.

"Listen." Calidus said, attempting to sound cheerful. "It's not over 'till it's over. Regardless of what happens tomorrow, I have a feeling I'll come back from it."

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Calidus waited impatiently in a holding room outside of the Elder Council chambers, the entrance flanked by two armored guards. For the last two hours, the Councilors and the Imperial royal family had been meeting to determine a course of action. Calidus had paced around the holding room, where he had been kept under constant watch since shortly after his last conversation with Prince Ebel. He rubbed his clean-shaven chin with his hand, his mind in a million places at once.

How much longer will they be? He thought. It's been hours. How much more time could they need?

As if in response to the thoughts in his head, another guard appeared at the entrance and addressed Calidus.

"Sir? The Council is finished deliberating. They want you to be present in the chamber to hear their verdicts. If you would come with me."

The guards escorted him out of the room and down to the first floor of the Imperial palace. Calidus kept his silence. He felt no fear, which was a surprise to himself. He had the soundness of mind of a man who had come to accept the fact that his fate was no longer in his own hands, and that he would have to accept any verdict that the Council handed down.

They approached the doors of the Council chamber and entered, Calidus taken aback by the density of the crowd of Councilors, Palace Officials, and the royal family and their retinues. The Council was seated in chairs that made up a broad circle that dominated the chamber. The Septim family, Uriel, Geldall, Enman, and Ebel, stood at the far wall of the chamber, and Calidus could feel the intensity of contempt from the eyes of Geldall, cold indifference from those of Enman, and a touch of pity and sorrow from those of Ebel. The Emperor regarded him with his usual impersonality and professionalism. The guards presented Calidus before the Council and the Septims, and he stood before them, his expression cold and terse, waiting to hear his verdict.

"Publius Galerius Calidus…" said the High Elf Chancellor Ocato, Imperial Battlemage. "You've had quite a history with the Septim family, haven't you? Rooting out conspirators in the Council, Spying for the Blades, guarding and 'tutoring' Prince Ebel. You seem to be great friends with the Prince."

"I'm a soldier, and soldiers follow orders. I've been following orders for decades, now. I have dedicated my life to serving Tamriel and the Septims, and I have done so to the best of my ability. I have spent a lot of time with Prince Ebel, yes, but our relationship has never lost its professionalism. I'm sure the Prince himself can attest to the fact that my orders were to help educate and prepare the Prince for some of the new responsibilities he may gain after Prince Geldall inherits the throne, and that I have done so to the fullest extent of my abilities."

"Are you aware of the specific accusations that have been made against you, and the case that Prince Geldall has made for your apprehension and punishment?"

"I am aware of the accusations the Prince has made, but I am unaware as to what his evidence is."

"I will let Prince Geldall have the floor to make a statement."

Prince Geldall parted from the back wall and approached the gathered Councilors.

"Thank you, Chancellor. For some time, Blade Calidus has been reporting directly to members of my family. He first worked for my father, Emperor Uriel VII, during which time he allegedly discovered the Talos Cult and their plotting, as well as another organization known as the Mythic Dawn. He was later sent to look after my brother, Ebel. On his watch, my brother was attacked and was very nearly killed by assassins of whose origins we are unaware. My accusations are as follows: That the assassins who attempted to kill my brother belonged to the Talos Cult, and that Blade Calidus is an operative of that cult, intentionally getting personably close to my father and my brother in order to glean information off of them and leak it to the cult. My brother has testified that the agent 'saved' him from the attempt on his life, but I think the real case is that the Blade was planning on making a phony attempt to save my brother, but eventually allowing the assassins to kill him. His plan went wrong when the assassins were never able to approach and were instead beaten back and killed. He has been working his will in the Empire by influencing my brother in order to give himself political leverage, while he has been secretly plotting against the Empire in order to ferment fear and frighten the Septim family into giving him more power over their lives and their decisions."

"That's the most absurd thing I've ever heard." Calidus replied without raising his voice.

"Is it? Why is it that the assassins only struck while you were with the Prince, in an event that was supposed to be completely confidential until the arena matches had already begun? It seems clear to me that you leaked the information to the cult that the Prince was going to be visiting the arena, and you gave them detailed information regarding how and when to strike most effectively."

"I don't know how the assassins were prepared for the Prince's attendance of the arena games. We haven't been able to learn anything about them." Calidus replied.

"It seems to me," Geldall began again, "that the only way for the cult to have such an intimate knowledge of Prince Ebel's schedule and activities would be to receive that information from an inside informant. And what better informant could there be than a personal friend of the Prince?"

"You're crazy." Calidus said in his usual, rounded tone. "This is nothing more than a wild conspiracy theory. You have no evidence to back any of this up. It doesn't make sense anyway. Why would I have even informed the Empire of the Talos Cult's existence if I was working for them?"

"To cover your own skin, of course. To turn everyone's attention outward while you plotted against the Septims on the inside."

"You can't prove something that isn't true."

"The lack of evidence has been noted by the Council." Chancellor Ocato cut in. "However, given the severity of the situation – an attempt on a Prince's life – we've come to the conclusion that we can spare no expense in ensuring the safety and well-being of the Septim family. There are some on this Council who want you to face execution or torture, Blade Calidus…"

"They're fools. If it wasn't for me the Prince would be dead. I've done more to help the Septims than any of you."

"…maybe, maybe not, Blade. We are not going to go to those extremes, however. It has been decided by the Council that until this matter with the Talos Cult has been settled completely, and we have learned more about this organization called the 'Mythic Dawn', you are going to be held in our custody in the Imperial City Prison. It's impossible to prove Prince Geldall's claims true, but it is also impossible to clear you of any wrongdoing. We can't afford to keep you free if you could potentially be a threat to the security of the Empire. You will be stripped of all titles and privileges. From here on out, you are no longer a Blade, nor are you an agent of the Septims, nor are you a Knight of the Imperial Legion. You will be transported immediately to the prison and held there until further notice."

Calidus' heart sank deeper with every sentence that emerged from the Chancellor's mouth.

"Where is the justice, here? I've served the Empire for my entire life and you reward me by throwing me in prison with the lowest degenerates Tamriel has to offer!?"

His eyes found the Emperor, who appeared to be letting out a sigh of moroseness, the wrinkles around his eyes appearing looser and droopier than ever.

"Emperor…you know that I'm innocent. Can't you do anything to clear my name?"

"I will not weigh in on this situation personally, Publius. I have delegated this case to the judgment of the Council and of Prince Geldall. He is taking the reins from me and coming into his own, as it should be. I am an old man, and he is stepping up to rule the Empire in my stead when I'm gone."

"So you're going to let these people send me to jail without a scrap of evidence?"

"I understand your anger, Calidus. But I've had more dreams. Somehow, I believe that this is what the Gods have intended. My visions tell me that all will be well, even if it doesn't seem that way now."

"So you're going to let them lock me up…" Calidus said, his words icy with contempt, "Because of a dream you had?"

"The Emperor is not giving you this sentence, we are." Chancellor Ocato said.

He cast one last look upon the sorrowful face of the Septim family, and the cold stares of the Councilmen as the guards tied his hands behind his back and led him out of the Council chamber, and outside, under heavy escort, toward the Imperial City Prision.