*HIGH KING'S HOST*
HELGEN
SKYRIM
The gathering around the table was one that Llewellyn Dragonborn still wasn't quite used to: each of the jarls of Skyrim was gathered here, along with a few others:
Jarl Balgruuf the Greater of Whiterun,
Jarl Elisif the Fair of Solitude,
Jarl Maven Black-briar of The Rift,
Jarl Dengeir of Falkreath,
Jarl Kraldar of Winterhold,
Jarl Idgrod the Younger of Hjaalmarch,
Jarl Brunwulf Free-Winter of Eastmarch,
Jarl Brina Merilis of The Pale,
Legion General Rikke,
Blades Commander Delphine,
Lord Chancellor Esbern the Wise,
And Imperator Tullius.
"Once again, we are gathered here for war, friends."
Eyes turned towards him, as he had managed to enter the room unnoticed. Seats were pushed back, and the few seated figures shot to their feet at the sight of their High King. Behind him, he was sure that the face of the Arch-Mage of Winterhold was split into a shameless grin. He strode to the throne at the far end of the table and sat, which the others took as their cue to return to their seats around the long table.
"What is our current strength?" he asked.
General Rikke leaned forward first, after receiving a nod from Tullius.
"With the 9th and the 12th with us, we have two full-strength legions: 12,000 ready to march," she reported. "But several cohorts of the 12th are very green. This will be their first real action."
Llewellyn nodded and turned his attention to the man beside her. Balgruuf shifted in his seat, and Llew saw with a pang of shock that the golden hair had begun to go grey, both above the ears, and scattered through the beard that covered the jarl's face.
"Whiterun brings three thousand heavy horse, sire," he reported. "another five hundred or so lightly-armored."
Around the table, each of the others jarls made their own reports, each hold according to their strengths: Solitude had nearly two thousand heavy infantry, trained in classic Nordic style, as did Windhelm. Brina Merilis only had five hundred, and Kraldar of Winterhold even fewer. Those holds were the poorest, but they were still determined to do their part. The Black-Briars of the Reach had put their ill-gotten wealth to work for the High King, and the two thousand soldiers of their levy showed it. Jarl Idgrod was the youngest ruler here, but she was still clad in armor and determined to lead her soldiers from Hjaalmarch. They were lighter-armored than any of the other detachments, but nonetheless brave for that. Dengeir of Falkreath's people were skilled archers, woods-folk who had grown up all their lives in the heavy forests around their home. For the most part, each of the holds' levies were highly specialized, or good at only one thing. But that one thing they were very good at. United, the Nords of Skyrim were a formidable force to be reckoned with.
Esbern folded his hands back into his robes, and sighed before answering in turn:
"We have supplies to feed the army from the royal treasury for a full three-month campaign," he reported. "Any longer than that, and we'll have to begin foraging heavily in whatever area we're occupying."
The door on the far side of the room opened, and Llew felt a smile spread across his face as heads turned to see a young man in red armor enter the room.
"Alesan," he nodded in greeting of his adopted son.
"Father," the prince nodded, and then lifted the scroll he held in his hand.
"As we feared?"
The young boy… no, Llew's subconscious corrected him, young man now, nodded his head.
"Argonian forces have crossed the border in force. They took Narsis five days ago, and Kragenmoor is under siege. King Lleril is rallying the other Dunmer Houses, but does not think he will have sufficient forces to break the siege."
Murmurs ran up and down the table, and suggestions became to come in, fast and furious, ranging from doing nothing to moving the army in force towards the Dunmer border.
"If the Argonians have begun the attack, we must assume that Tiberius is about to do the same," Tullius spoke firmly, once he gained the room's attention. "His army still sits in Bruma, ready to move, and outnumbers our force by two to one."
"Which is why we cannot divide our forces now," Dengeir of Falkreath's lands were the closest to the threat, and it would be his people who would suffer the worst in the war to come. It only made sense that his would be the voice of caution.
"We must, or risk sending the message to our allies that they are on their own," Sarai Gellarus answered before Llew could. "If that's true, then they might as well bend the knee to Tiberius now, rather than shed blood to keep Argonian blades from Riften and Windhelm."
"Jarl Balgruuf."
The hum of conversation ceased at the High King's voice, and the ruler of Whiterun straightened in his seat.
"You will have the command of our western force." There was no question or hesitation in the voice, and the uncertainty in the room eased slightly as the various warriors recognized the voice of absolute decision. "Move the army to the border and give battle if Tiberius attempts to cross it."
"As you command, my king," Balgruuf nodded, and then his brows furrowed, "What, um… what force will I have at my command?"
"General Rikke and the 12th will form the core of your army," Llewellyn answered, nodding at the Nordic woman, "and you will have the levies from the holds. General Tullius and the 9th will come with me and the Blades to relieve Kragenmoor."
"My king," Tullius objected. "If you say march, I will march. There is no need for you to accompany the relief force."
There was a slight growl from the rest of the Nordic jarls at their High King being so contradicted, but Llew lifted a hand to silence them.
"But that's where you're wrong, my friend," he grinned, "The Blades will be coming with me, and our new weapons will do much to even the disparity of numbers, I think. Delphine?"
"The Blades stand ready with the… new ordinance, Majesty," the tall commander reported.
"Jarl Kraldar, the Winterhold contingent will accompany the High King's banner as well."
Kraldar nodded in acknowledgement, straightening unconsciously at the honor done to his hold and steading. Llewellyn stood to his feet, an action copied by all the room's occupants, and began to move pieces around on the map table in front of him.
"We'll drive back the Argonians, and hopefully strike a hard-enough blow to perhaps keep them out the rest of this needless war," he stated gravely, shifting two of the figures back towards Cyrodiil. "Then we will march westward, making directly for Cheydinhal and Bruma."
There was a moment of silence as the commanders and leaders took in the plan of the campaign to come.
"A risky move, your grace," the Jarl of Riften stated slowly. "Much depends on these, hmmm, new weapons."
"Indeed it does, Jarl Maven," Llew acknowledged his one-time superior. "But these are risky times. And the old adage remains true: Nothing ventured, nothing gained."
*VODAHMIN ARMY ENCAMPMENT*
SOUTH OF ELINHIR
HAMMERFELL
"Ahh…"
Serana leaned back on the cushions, panting breathlessly as the sweat gave her entire body a bright sheen in the candlelight. Beneath the blankets, another lump stirred, until Tala's face appeared beside her, likewise glistening.
"Am I that good?" the High Mother of the Vodahmin grinned impishly.
"I was just wondering how many more times we're going to be able to do this."
"What do mean?"
"Well," Serana replied slowly, "we are setting off on a great campaign. Tends to cut down on free time to do, you know… this."
"Wait, war means no more sex?"
Tala's brows furrowed, and her eyes went wide in mock horror. She stood to her feet, and began striding very suggestively across the tent's floor.
"Never mind, I've changed my mind! Send the message out for the army to go home. There will be no war, the Queen commands… hey!"
Tala dodged a pillow, and began laughing as the vampiress tackled her around the waist, allowing herself to be pulled back down on the blankets. Thus lost in one another's affections, the pair almost missed the clank of metal-on-metal as the guards outside saluted, and the tent door was pulled back.
"My queen," a voice began, "I'm sorry for distu- OH GODS UM… I'm Sorry!"
"Nevermind," Tala laughed, "Come in, Nelkir!"
"Tala!?" hissed Serana, grabbing in the dark for a dress robe, or at least a blanket to cover her nudity.
"What?" Tala giggled. "Do you think the boy hasn't seen breasts before?"
A young figure reentered the tent, and Nelkir Balgruufson immediately directed his eyes at a very interesting patch of ground, well away from the two nude figures that reclined on the low couch.
"I've received a message, my queen. Ummmm, from my father, I mean. Lord Icando said to, that is, um… he thought it was best that I… umm…"
Tala took pity on the messenger and reached for a robe of her own, tying the silk around her waist before turning back to the very red-faced boy.
"What was the message, Nelkir?"
Nelkir looked comically relieved as he handed a small scroll to the Witch-Queen of the Vodahmin Covenant.
"It's war, your Majesty," he explained. "The Argonians have invaded Morrowind, and the High King has moved with a small portion of his army to assist the Dunmer. My father and the rest of the army are standing on the defensive at Falkreath, ready to repel any invasion from Cyrodiil."
Tala looked down at the scribbled writing, and moved to a the nearby table to better see the writing by the small candle there. Then she straightened slowly, and handed it back to the boy.
"This is the moment we've been waiting for," she said in a flat, even tone.
"It is?"
The boy blushed all over again, both at his failing to contain his outburst, and the way the young voice had cracked at the last word, betraying the awkward time of life he was going through at the moment.
"I mean," Nelkir cleared his throat, "It is, your Majesty?"
"Send word to my lords Borkul and Piquine," Tala replied, without answering the question. "Tell them to get this army into march. We move out at first light."
"Your Grace."
Nelkir Balgruufson offered a formal military salute as he beat a hasty retreat from the tent, and Tala turned to Serana.
"It'll take them at least twenty minutes to strike this tent," she purred suggestively, untying the robe and letting the garment fall to the ground as she strode back towards her consort.
"Which is just enough time to get into our armor, and not scandalize half the army," Serana laughed, pushing away from the hungry embrace.
"I've been a terrible influence on you, my love," Tala sighed, shaking her head in mock pain. "I've made you horribly responsible."
"And I've made you horribly incorrigible," Serana chuckled, pausing long enough to plant another kiss on her lover's lips.
"I don't know how long this war will be," Tala said quietly, her tone suddenly low and serious as she looked into her lover's eyes.
"But we know our destination," Serana replied, cupping Tala's face in her hands. "And we know our foe. How can we lose, my love?"
Author's Note:
Well, everyone, as the chapter title might have suggested, the Time Has Come. This will be the last "council of talking heads" chapter for a while, and we will probably have several battles and conflicts in the next couple of chapters, of the which I am still editing with battle strategies and tactics.
Hopefully, those chapters will be up soon! As always, your thoughts/ suggestions/ comments/ constructive criticisms are always welcome in the reviews and my PMs, even if it's just "Good job," or "I liked it." You are, each of you, awesome!
ROCK ON, my friends!
- Tusken 1602
Reviewer Responses:
tylermech66 – I would say that greatest is the idiot who does not know he is an idiot.
GalacticHalfling – NO! Super sneaky, our lad Tiberius is!
JimmyHall24 – I am in fact alive! ;)
Blaise Welshman – A lot of people have enchanted items, but for the sake of this story, I'm making them a bit rarer than the vanilla game. Magicians' time and skills are expensive, after all.
Chillingbear, Guest – I'll do my best, but there is no plot armor in this Skyrim.
Spartanzerg75 – Absolutely! Historically, great whopping battles were a lot rarer than most people seem to think.
Rabastan – Altmer? Betray their allies? Surely not.
griezz1 – A even a giant moose can be brought down by enough fleas…
badkidoh, Dumnezeu, Bloodwolf432 – Thanks so much, my friends!