The Jaws of Oblivion
Chapter Six - Weynon Priory
On the way to Weynon Priory, after his battle with the Khajiit Highwayman, Aldric passed by the Odiil Farm which he marked on his map. He wasn't too far from the priory, as he could see a church steeple jutting out through the trees.
He finally came upon a large establishment: a two-story stone building was directly in front of him, and the chapel he saw through the trees was off to the right. A small little adobe with a straw roof sat to the left of the big stone building, probably living quarters he surmised, but he couldn't be sure. Beyond the priory, he could barely make out the great walls that surrounded Chorrol.
Aldric approached the big building, knocking on the door. A man in a brown robe and balding hair greeted him.
"Hello, traveler," the man said, "I'm Prior Maborel. What is it you seek?"
"Hi, I'm looking for a man named Jauffre," Aldric said, figuring it'd be best to cut to the chase. "Is he here? It's gravely important."
"Yes, of course, he is right up the stairs. Come in, come in."
Aldric walked in as the Prior closed the door. He bounded up the stairs in front of him.
"Just go right, he's probably reading," Maborel called to him.
Aldric turned right and approached a man who was also balding and wearing a brown robe, except he looked older and his hair color was lighter. He looked up from his book. "I'm Brother Jauffre. What can I do for you?"
The Reguard pulled out the Amulet of Kings from his pocket. "I've come with the Amulet of Kings, Sir Jauffre."
Jauffre's eyes narrowed slightly. "This cannot be. No one but the Emperor is permitted to handle the Amulet. Let me see it."
Aldric approached the table and handed the Amulet over. Jauffre glanced at the trinket for several seconds before speaking: "By the Nine! This is the Amulet of Kings!" He stood and drew a small dagger. "Who are you? How did you get this! What do you know of the Emperor's death?"
The farmer knew that it wouldn't do good to strike this man down, though he did notice that his hand was hovering on the hilt of his longsword. "I was there when he died. He told me to bring it to you while trying to escape the Imperial City."
The old man sheated his dagger. "I apologize for that." He walked over to the window behind him and looked out. "Things have been crazy as of late. Can't trust many people these days." He turned back to face the dark-skinned man. "As unlikely as you story sounds, I believe you. Only the strange destiny of Uriel Septim could have brought you to me carrying the Amulet of Kings."
Aldric sighed. He had almost killed a man in cold blood, but thankfully his apology put him at ease. He sat in the chair on the opposite side of Jauffre's desk. "He said to 'close shut the jaws of Oblivion.' What does that mean?"
Jauffre scowled as he took his seat again. "His meaning is unclear to me as well. The Emperor seemed to perceive some kind of threat from the demonic world of Oblivion.
"The Prince of Destruction, Mehrunes Dagon, is one of the lords of Oblivion. But the mortal world is protected from the daedra of Oblivion by magical barriers."
"So where does the Amulet of Kings come into play?" Aldric asked, now leaning forward a bit in his chair.
"I'm not sure," Jauffre replied. "Only the Emperors truly understand the meaning behind the rituals of coronation.
"The Amulet of Kings is ancient. Saint Alessia herself received it from the gods. It is a holy relic of great power. When an Emperor is crowned, he uses the Amulet to light the Dragonfires at the Temple of the One in the Imperial City.
"However, with the Emperor dead and no new heir crowned, the Dragonfires in the Temple will be dark, for the first time in centuries."
This didn't look good to Aldric. If the Dragonfires were these 'magical barriers' Jauffre had referred to, and they were gone, Cyrodiil would fall. "There is another heir."
The old man nodded, much to the relief of the Redguard. "I am one of the few who know of his existence. Many years ago I served as captain of Uriel's bodyguards, the Blades. One night Uriel called me in to his private chambers--a baby boy lay sleeping in a basket.
"Uriel told me to deliver him somewhere safe. He never told me anything else about the baby but I knew it was his son. From time to time he would ask about the child's progress.
"Now it seems that this illegitimate son is the heir to the Septim Throne...if he yet lives."
Aldric's curiosity couldn't sustain himself. "The Emperor was attacked by assassins who wore red robes, but conjured bound armor before they attacked. They came in numbers, sir, so I ask where this heir is."
"His name is Martin. He serves Akatosh in the Chapel in the city of Kvatch, south of here."
Aldric pulled out his map, and made a mark with his grease pencil. Kvatch was displayed rather clearly, but he didn't want to lose site of his objective.
"You must go to Kvatch and find him at once," Jauffre continued. "If the enemy is aware of his existence, as seems likely, he is in terrible danger."
"Don't worry, Brother Jauffre. I'll make sure he gets back here safely. But before I go, may I use one of your beds? I'm awfully tired."
"Oh, go ahead...uh, I didn't catch your name."
"Aldric," he said proudly.
"Ah, I see. There's an extra bed across the hall if you go up the other set of stairs. Just tell Brother Maborel that you're staying here." He paused. "And please let me know if there's anything you need. My resources here are limited, but I will help in any way I can."
Aldric smiled. "Thank you, Brother. I appreciate your generosity. I think I'm going to rest up, and then head to Kvatch ar nightfall."
"Sounds good," Jauffre said. "I'll see you later tonight then. Until then, good night Aldric."
He nodded then marched down the stairs to the opposite set of stairs. He took off his shield and sword and lay them on the floor on the opposite side of his bed. He crawled under the heavy cloth covers and was instantly warm.
Yet he couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong.
