Disclaimer: Bethesda owns everything Morrowind related but for my original characters (Lomé and Khan)
Author's note: This story is written in the words of the main characters; they are talking the reader through what has happened to them. Keep in mind that while Lomé (pronounced 'Lomeh') is a Dunmer and therefore speaks clearly, Khan is a Khajiitt. His accent therefore is very strong and I have written him as such. He speaks phonetically, often explaining what he means after he has actually said it, so be patient with him and simply read what you see. It'll come to you I promise. Each chapter will switch from one point of view to the other, embellishing the story as it goes along. One final note, this story obviously contains a homosexual relationship and will deal with the implications of this i.e.; being in Morrowind where such things are taboo, for the characters as it progresses. If such things are not to your taste please don't flame me, simply click the little back button and find something else to read.
Setting the scene:
Ilmeni Dren entered Balmora as the predawn light was beginning to chase away night's darkness. She skirted the streets with practiced, honed silence and pressed herself tightly against the wall of the Council Club when the night guard passed by. She counted her blessings when they did not notice her.
Sticking to the shadows she drew her cloak about her body, made sure her hood covered her face completely and knocked softly on the Jiitt Ra'Virr's door. The answer was too swift for her to be fooled into thinking she had woken him: "Ahv ya seen de Twin Lamps?"
"They light the way to freedom" she replied before being greeted and ushered inside by polite Jiitt paws. "Come missy Dunmer" her host purred: "Let us git ya sam eats afore wes tolk business."
Lomé
The morning that found me hobbling my way to Ra'Virr's shop was a balmy one; cool and clear aired and sunny. The sandstone bridges spanning the Odai passed easily under foot, as did the cobbled streets of the Commercial district where I was greeted with a hearty "Good morning Sera!" and a salute by a pair of guards as they went on their rounds. They only realised who I was after I had waved in return and tipped my hood to them as I went on my way.
"Do you know who that was?!" one asked the other when they thought I was out of ear shot. Damn elf ears I thought with a chuckle.
"Oh Azura the Nereva…Serjo! Serjo wait!" the other replied before bolting after me, skidding to a stop by my side just outside the Mage's guild entrance.
"Yes?" I asked in my best good natured manner, trying to retrain myself to be accustomed to the company of general society. Words bubbled from the zealous man's lips in such a jumble that he cut himself short when comprehension became impossible and chuckled nervously along with me as my mirthful laughter filled the air between us. "One more try" I placated as the man removed his helmet, ran a hand through his scraggly black hair and took a moment to compose himself.
"Forgive me Serjo. My name is Gratius Kholer; I am the captain of the morning watch in Balmora and I…by Azura I never thought I'd get to meet you in person! You're a hero Serjo…Nerevar reborn and…well that doesn't happen often!"
"No" I replied in measured tones whilst trying not to get wrong footed by the young Imperial's words: "I suppose it does not." My truculence went unnoticed by both my admirer and the comrade that came over and stood by his side before thrusting a hand forth in greeting:
"Atius Tomas at your service Serjo!" he enthused as I obliged him with a strong yet brief handshake, before gathering my cloak about my body to ward off the chill brought on by being in the shade and turning to make my leave. Cheekily I barked an order over my shoulder to the two guards left oddly awed by my passing; simply to see if they would obey the command of a man who, weeks back, they didn't have the decency to acknowledge let alone listen to:
"Back to the watch gentlemen!"
To my immense amusement they snapped to attention, beamed at me and bustled on about their rounds.
I was still stifling laughter when I knocked soundly on Ra'Virr's door. A shuffling came from within the small building, then a purring question: "Ahv ya seen de twin lamps?" to which I replied: "They light the way to freedom."
There was a brief pause in the movement I could hear behind the door, as if the answer coming from non-Khajiitt lips stunned the one within. "Khan? Ya dare Sera?" the voice came again and I stifled a sigh of exasperation.
"No Ra'Virr, Khan is not here with me. It's Lomé Sera. Khan told me that he was uneasy about meeting with Il…" I bit my tongue against speaking the name out loud, reminding myself that my hearing is not unusually acute for my species and therefore the men who populate the roof terrace of the Council Club would most likely overhear my words. "…your contact…so I came in his place."
There was another pause before I heard bolts being unlocked; a paw wisping against a carpeted floor and the hinges of the door creaking at it was pulled open. I was gestured to enter by a clawed hand and lowered my hood as I stepped into the dimly lit shop.
As soon as the door was closed and locked again I took a moment to take in my surroundings. A single flickering purple candle cast its glow about one corner of the small shop. Before me I could make out Virr's usual wares; common looking clothing, armour that needed fixing before being sold, pots, bowls and papers scattered on the shelves and in the half open crates dotted here and there. At the back of the shop near a large door Joshaba was stooped washing a corner of the thick woven carpet. He looked at me, flattened his ears against his head but said nothing in the presence of his benefactor.
Scooping up a wooden smoking pipe and a small satchel of what I assumed to be tobacco, Virr pushed me softly towards the stair case leading up to his private quarters: "Cam ahn Serjo…" the older Jiitt rumbled kindly: "…de meetin' must begin."
Ilmeni Dren stood swiftly from her place at the table when our eyes met across Virr's study come bedroom.
"Madame" I greeted as she strode towards me, took my hands in hers and kissed the back of each before pressing my knuckles to her forehead in a gesture of reverence; one that I realised I was less accustomed to than those shared between myself and Khan.
"Thank you so much for coming here Serjo" she keened after a moment of reverent pause. I gave her hands a brief squeeze before releasing them and leading her back over to her place by the table: "You've no need to supplant yourself to me so Ilmeni, I came here because I want to help this plan you've got in any way I can; not because I wanted praise." As the obsidian haired Dunmer settled herself across from my own seat at the table I began to voice the questions that had been brewing since the first time I heard the phrase "Twin Lamps".
"Why are the Lamps even necessary Ilmeni?"
"Serjo…" she began before I corrected her: "Lomé please." The lady blushed delicately before continuing:
"Lomé…slavery has been part of Dunmer culture for millennia. Since the beginning our kin has felt the need to keep slaves as a sort of status symbol: the more you can afford the more power, prestige…influence you have over your brethren. Keeping slaves also made the running of large plantations, like that owned by my uncle not only possible and practical but also affordable. Slave labour costs nothing…especially when, like my uncle, the masters have the slaves find their own food."
An unbidden flash of anger went through me as Ilmeni continued her tale. I recalled a conversation Khan and I had had days previous when he told me that Orvas Dren knew full well that Khajiitt despaired before they starved to death. Fighting the ire from my visage I kept my eyes squarely on Ilmeni's as she spat her next words:
"The conditions at my uncle's plantation are disgusting. The slaves there are kept in wooden shacks throughout the year. Rain or shine, snow or shimmering blistering heat they have to work from dawn until dusk without a legitimate break. They often sneak off to forage for food or water in the near by fields but if caught they are disciplined severely; forced into a cage in my uncle's Villa without food or water for days."
As she spoke Ilmeni stood and paced, her hands crossed behind her back, her brow furrowed in concentration as she sorted through the information she had to give to me. I struggled for a moment with the idea of joining her; the talk concerning Khan's former life, even though not directly related to his experiences, made me ache with sympathy for him. Keeping these emotions from my face was also challenging but I knew that if Ilmeni learnt of Khan's existence his reason for not meeting with her would be negated; getting too emotionally involved at this point would at best make her suspicious and at worst give the game away. Keeping an objective, impartial veneer of detachment in my eyes I watched her as she paced before asking:
"How do you know all this detail? You sound like you've been there yourself." Her answer shocked me deeply:
"I have been there Se…Lomé…invisibility potion will get you a long way if you have quiet feet and an eye for guards. As long as you don't touch anything you won't be detected. I've followed many slaves into and out of my uncle's plantation; listened to them speaking in Ta'Agra about their suffering; their want to go home to Elsweyr. I've picked up a few words through my time interacting with Jiitt; Virr taught me most of what I know." The brief smile these words brought quickly vanished.
"The worst of it though…" She laughed hollowly: "…is that many of them don't remember their home land at all. Snatched as kittens, as what the Jiitt call 'Ja' and sold into a life of slavery!"
She raked her fingers through her hair and screwed her eyes shut a moment to fight back the emotion in her voice and force her mind back onto an objective plane. I once more bit back a comment about being fully aware of this practice and pressed her once more when silence reigned for too long:
"So what do you plan to do to stop this? To stop your uncle and others like him?" Before she could answer Ra'Virr and Joshaba padded up into the room, the former breathing deeply through his pipe, the latter holding a Limeware platter with a pot of tea and cups balanced carefully upon it.
I rose from my seat as Joshaba set the table and moved across to finally properly greet my host: "Ra'Virr" I spoke whilst holding out a hand: "Thank you for allowing me to come here. I needed, and still need to hear what Ilmeni has to share about the slave trade. Something must be done." At my words my host's once slightly guarded gaze warmed and he shook my hand briefly before palming his pipe and touching his cheek at first to mine, then to Ilmeni's as she moved to greet him. He spoke in a voice roughened by emotion before moving towards the tea service and waving us to follow:
"Ya bot' be sent by S'rendarr dis day ta 'elp de Jiitt…come…mus' plan naw…"
His pipe back in its rightful place at his lips Ra'Virr settled in a third chair, pulled into place by his ward Joshaba, and rolled out a large map of the Ascadian Isles between us:
"Look 'ere…" he spoke, pointing a clawed finger over the area surrounding Dren's plantation: "Dis be ware de yearly slave market be 'eld…ya no ahv dis Lomé?" I shook my head in the negative. Virr took another deep draw from his pipe before answering:
"Each year ahn de forttent' ahv Last Seed, durin' de Festival ahv de Tiger, dare be a great market brought togeder fer ahll de slavers ta ply dare trade. Many ahv dem stay in Suran ahn work aht ahv de slave house dare. Still more stay wit Dren ahn pick ahn choose ahn buy ahn sell de Jiitt ahn Argonian slaves dat be brought fram de main land. Tis de same every year…Ilmeni watches lang times Sera…"
"There are cages…" Ilmeni continued: "…cages for each kind of slave. One for male Jiitt for example; another for female Jiitt." After a pregnant pause she bit out the words: "And one for their kittens." She took a shuddering breath as Virr's paw stroked her arm to quell the tears she seemed to be losing the fight to hold back before continuing:
"The same is true for Argonians and their young. And any other men or Mer up for sale. The cages are made of wrought iron and are at least twelve feet high. They are usually positioned in a large circle so the slavers can buy and sell and barter easily. There is no food or water provided for the captives." Another choked breath…another pause…
"The slave master, the one in charge of each group of slaves has the keys to the cage doors and the slave's bracers. I've watched them for long enough to know who prefers what kind of slave…oh Azura…" Swallowing back emotion once more Ilmeni took and squeezed Virr's paw:
"Orvas prefers strong male slaves to tend his fields and his Netch herd. The Arvels just north of his plantation prefer a mixture. Men for the fields, women for the house work and other chores. The Ules just outside of Suran prefer a wholly female slave population, especially Khajiitt…" Another squeeze for Virr's paw…
"They say they are more docile than the males when they realise they're not going back to their home or their family…when they're broken as they call it in the trade. They apparently give up and get on with their new duties…oh this should not affect me so…I've known it for so long but talking it through…"
She shook her head solemnly before swiping a hand across her eyes and accepting the mug of tea Joshaba poured for her:
"Thank you dear" she murmured before taking the slightly wrong footed Jiitt's paw and pressing it to her forehead. Joshaba's inquiring look was met with Virr's smile as he explained:
"Dat be Dunmeris fer tankya Ja…de ways Jiitt touch brow ta brow or cheek ta cheek, Dunmer touch de 'and ahv de wan dey tankin' ta dare 'ead." Hearing this Joshaba brightened and flashed a toothy grin to Ilmeni when she released him and met his eyes: "S'ahlright missy Dunmer" he purred, earning a grin and a soft giggle from Ilmeni before Virr shooed his ward downstairs: "Go spend ya day in de sun S'Haba…come back afore dark nh?"
Smiling fondly at the younger Jiitt's retreating back Ilmeni seemed more at peace than she had been a moment previous. When her attention turned back to Virr and I she favoured us both with the grin she'd given Joshaba:
"I love seeing him free…S'Haba was never a slave mind you…but I still love seeing a Khajiitt, a Ja'khajiit free to be what he wants to be…a trader like you Virr. You were kind to take him in." Ra'Virr waved off her praise and drew on his pipe, having pressed a small tuft of tobacco into it and lit it with a near by candle: "Couldn't nat ahv 'eem…ifen dis wan did nat de slavers would…wit mys merchant's visa, de papers dat makes dis wan ah legal trader, mys can take in ahn apprentice…so S'Haba be it."
Another few moments of gentle chatter flitted between us. I got through a mug an a half of Joshaba's sweet tea. Ilmeni removed and hung up her travelling cloak and after a moment's thought I did the same; stretching and returning to my seat when Virr gestured us close again:
"Naw…wes nos abou' de market…wes nos abou' de slavers ahn dare preferences…tolk us trew de plan Ilmeni…"
Onto the map spread between us Ilmeni deposited a number of scrolls and pieces of parchment. The first one she picked up was a hand drawn map of her uncle's plantation. Numbers, which she explained as being the time between guard rotations, were scribbled at the junctions where patrols met. Red blots indicated areas which were not adequately guarded. I privately marvelled at how long she would have had to stay watching the grounds to compile her lists.
The map was pushed aside then to make way for a large leather bound satchel. "Before I open this…" Ilmeni murmured: "…you must swear to me that word of this will not leave these walls." Oaths exchanged, the file was opened, its contents scattered. At the sight of the first document my heart my as well have fallen through the floor.
The emperor's seal; a signature I had not seen since Casius sat me down and explained the Nerevarine prophecies to me all those months back. No…my mind whispered in a moment of abject disbelief. Not again…
"I got this…" Ilmeni continued, breaking me from my stupor: "…from my father's 'private' study. Invisibility potion and a lock pick will get you a long way. I've read everything here four times through and shown it all to Ra'Virr Lomé…there is trouble brewing on the main land and the Emperor wants your help…"
I stood abruptly and began to pace too and fro, unconsciously beginning to wring my hands with suppressed nervous energy: "Carry on…speak Ilmeni I'm fine…just need to move." Nodding uneasily the Dunmer maiden explained the situation to me.
"The Khajiitt of Elsweyr…those under the rule of the Mane at least…have had enough of the slave trains ferrying their people out of their borders. The last few trains, I'm unclear as to how many as Father does not mention numbers in his reports or letters, have been sacked, the slavers mutilated and the slaves freed and taken back across their borders…look here Lomé."
At her call I gravitated towards the table where a new map was unrolled. It was old…brown parchment flecked with black scrawling ink…but I recognised it. It was Elsweyr...Virr's map of his home land to be precise. He smoothed it tenderly with his paws before turning his attentions back to Ilmeni.
"The settlements of Riverhold and Rimmen are the closest to the Cyrodiil border…it is from these settlements that most of the slave trade is carried out. That is not to say that all of the slaves brought there are native to those places…those are simply the easiest for the trains to get to."
A further map was produced; this one larger than Virr's and that of the Isles combined. Virr lifted his map carefully whilst Ilmeni rolled out the larger one, and then settled the brown parchment atop it…the contours matched perfectly. I stared upon the assembled map with something akin to awe: before me lay a map of Cyrodiil, its borders with Elsweyr perfectly aligned. Catching my eyes Ilmeni spoke again:
"The reports the guards included in the file indicate that the attacks happened between here…." She pointed first to a spot on the road passing through "County Bravil": "…and here…" and then to a point south of that, closer on the map to the town of Leyawiin.
"That is obviously directly aligned with the Elsweyr border and lend to the suspicion of the Emperor and my father that the Jiitt are behind all of the problems faced by the slavers. No only that, but the manner of the attacks…how the killings are carried out…they resemble old Jiitt ritual sacrifices made during the Five Year War in the year 3E 396. Only the Cathay-Raht of the Mane's inner circle, his Warrior Guard carried out such killings during that war."
"So it is assumed…" I croaked after a moment to take in all of this new information: "…that this Mane is the one ordering the attacks on the slavers."
"Yes" Ilmeni enthused as I began to pace again: "The Emperor has instructed the Imperial Legion here to try and negotiate with the slavers to stop their trade. Both he and my father fear that if word of the unrest reaches the ears of the wrong people here there would be an uprising…a civil war between Jiitt and Dunmer that would give the Jiitt Mane the leverage he needs to make a play for the leadership of Vvardenfell…or at least to wipe out its resident Dunmer population…"
Her words ended in a breathy sigh, her eyes leaping between myself and Virr who, after taking another deep, deep breath through his pipe decided to join my hurried pacing. After a tense two minute silence my voice once again found the strength to raise a question:
"And what, pray my indulgence Ilmeni, do the slave market and I have to do with all this?"
"You are a figure head Lomé…for the Emperor…for the triumph over the blight and Dagoth Ur. If you are openly on the Emperor's side much of the battle may already be won. Few, believe me Serjo, few would EVER stand against you now." A snort of derision was my only response but she pressed on unfettered:
"I am travelling to the slave market tomorrow, as I have done for the past too many years. This year however I intend to free all those I can and send them to a safe house before helping them disappear into the proverbial mists from whence they came…"
"How?" I tersely snarled half way through a stride. "Invisibility draught is ineffective if the user interferes with the environment in any way. You'll be caught with the key in your hand!"
"The potions are a back up this year Lomé. I am going to the market as a representative of house Hlaalu; one of your houses yes Serjo?"
"Of course." I muttered darkly: "I am the Hortator of legend after all." A deeply sarcastic, caustic drawl; but one Ilmeni agreed with nonetheless.
"Exactly! You and I can attend without bother! We are supposed to be there as a service to the house regardless! To maintain the balance between those who support slavery and those who do not. Once there we can scout out possible escapees…I can purloin the keys since I know who carries them and am quite the sneak in the right circumstances…"
"Right circumstances?" I pressed, almost fearful of the answer.
"When the attention of the person whose pocket I aim to pick is diverted by say…the Nerevarine…" The offhand manner with which Ilmeni brought my role to bear on the situation actually drew a rasping laugh from my chest:
"You jest…" I intoned as she shook her head in the negative: "Far from it Serjo…I could not act to free slaves on prior occasions as I had no accomplice. Ra'Virr would never go near that market and, forgive me Virr, would not serve to distract attention anyway being that he is but a trader…" The Jiitt in question purred a litany of what must have been Ta'Agra before his eyes rose from where they fixed on the floor as he paced. He smirked wryly as he intoned: "Tankful fer dat ah be…"
I stood stock still as the pieces slowly drifted into place in my mind. Going to the market…scouting out escapees…getting keys…freeing slaves…those bits I could grasp as being the near side of possible. There was a single flaw in the plan I could see:
"Where are these freed slaves going to go after we've freed them? Surely staying anywhere near the Isles would be suicide…" Ilmeni's face brightened immeasurably at my backhanded assent to be a part of her plan. She waved me closer as she pulled an annotated map of the West Gash out of the bundles of papers and notes covering the table and unrolled it, weighting the corners with glass paper weights provided by Ra'Virr.
"Here, obviously is Balmora…south from here is the Hlaalu owned Shulk Egg Mine; the largest Kwama egg mine on Vvardenfell. East from here is a large wooden bridge spanning the Odai…further south east…" She ran a finger along the map until she reached the rock wall of the Foyada Mamaea: "…is the Vassir-Didanat Ebony Mine."
"But…" I spoke in shocked tones: "…that mine has been lost for an age. The Hlaalu councillors I spoke to expressed their annoyance about the rumour persisting…they thought it was a waste of valuable time."
Ilmeni chuckled: "Let us thank Azura for their impatience. I came upon it quite by accident on an excursion into the West Gash. I've been through its rooms and passages. There were Daedra there, Frost Antronachs but I was able to deal with them using a Scroll of the Black Storm coupled with a Scroll of Hellfire. It is safe now, unknown to the outside world. We can send the freed ones there from the Isles."
Unease clouded my gaze for the hundredth time since Ilmeni and I had been speaking. "How in Azura's name will they know where to go? If this mine is lost to the world baring you my good lady…"
"Lost to the world but for we three…" the lady in question pointed her delicate fingers towards herself, Virr and myself before speaking again: "You and I will free them Lomé…Virr will wait by the entrance to Mamaea…he can guide them from there using the directions I have for him here." She produced a small fold of parchment and handed it to the compliant though uneasy looking Ra'Virr. He opened it, drew on his pipe once again and read the directions under his breath, following them carefully over the map on the table.
Ilmeni left his side and approached me having poured us both a new cup of the now cool tea. "Forgive its lack of heat Serjo bu…" "Lomé" I corrected again and cockily smirked whilst drawing on my magicka for the first time since leaving the mountain to cast and control a Fire Bite spell. I touched a hand to the base of my cup and then to hers, heating them through with the seconds of warmth the spell afforded. At her shocked gaze I raised my cup in a toast:
"I will aid you all I can Ilmeni…to the Lamps…Virr? Will you join us?" The Jiitt in question let a rumbling chuckle leave his lips as he filled his own cup, allowed me to warm it and toasted with us.
It was thus that the quest of the Twin Lamps was begun.
Further hours passed in murmured discussion, pipe smoke and the haze of adrenaline that always comes before embarking on a venture such as ours. The plans were finalised as Virr transcribed small maps on pieces of rice paper for the freed slaves to find their way to him at the Mamaea; he used rice paper over his favoured parchment so the slaves could swallow the directions if they were found en route. It was a necessary precaution to keep those who did make it safe, and our location secret.
It was when we had just finished packing the maps, plans and materials away into a securely locked chest in Virr's study; when Ilmeni had donned her cloak for the journey she planned to make to the mine, that a cacophonous rapping rattled the door on its hinges and a voice bellowed: "By the authority of the Imperial Legion I order you to open this door!" I recognised the voice as belonging to Larris Varo, Champion of the Moonmoth Fort.
Ilmeni's eyes widened in panic as the rapping continued: "If that guard finds me here our campaign is lost!" she whispered intently, looking around for a way to conceal herself.
Ra'Virr took her by the arm, kicked open his wardrobe an bustled her inside amongst the robes within: "Forgiven mes my lady…be still ahn quiet in 'ere 'til dis wan ahn Lomé get de guards away."
From where I stood I saw Ilmeni nod, her nervous eyes catching mine briefly before they closed and Virr shut and locked the wardrobe securely with a muttered incantation. "Cam Serjo" Virr growled to me as he padded downstairs and unbolted the door: "Alrigh!" he called: "Alrigh Sera mys camin'!"
I had made it to the bottom of the stairs when the door finally burst open and Larris appeared. I bit back a curse when I saw a wildly struggling Joshaba caught by the scruff of the neck in his right hand: "I hear…" the Champion began: "…from this Khajiitt here that the Nerevarine is…"
I cut him off mid sentence with a snarled order: "I'm HERE Varo! Release that man!" His eyes met mine and after a moment he complied, sending Joshaba falling into Virr's arms in a coughing, sputtering heap. The two Jiitt pushed passed him after the younger hissed a curse and they disappeared into the sunlight.
The atmosphere between Varo and I was tense for the moments we spent staring each other down. It was only intensified when the Champion spoke, gesturing mildly towards the leather bound folder under his left arm: "Nerevarine, I must speak with you. This is a matter of urgent importance."
Feigning ignorance to the entire situation I nodded; swept an arm out as an invitation to enter and led the Imperial up into Virr's study. If he spoke of anything relating to the slaving problems I knew Ilmeni would want to hear it.
Varo sat himself heavily into a seat at Virr's table. His armour groaned under the strain of the movement but he paid it no heed, sweeping his rich royal blue dress-cloak about his body as he deposited the file before him. His words were brief, succinct:
"There are troubles on the mainland. The Emperor has charged my fellow Legionnaires and I to tackle the repercussions of these troubles here on Vvardenfell."
"May I…" I enquired, pointing to the file before him; his answering: "Yes, of course" echoing through the tense air as I pulled the very familiar file close and opened it out before me. Although its contents was obviously known to me being that Ilmeni's copies were precisely the same, I leafed through the letters, documents, accounts and maps with feigned awe and dread in my eyes. When I finally snapped the folder closed again I met Varo's hard regard across the table: "What would you have me do Sera?" I asked after a pause. His answer was abrupt and terse: "Your duty." It was so abrupt and terse in fact that my reply came through a laugh: "And what is that duty Sera? To whom do I owe a debt so great that I must once more step into the firing line? I've repaid my forbearer's destiny to the people of Vvardenfell. The Blight is gone, Daogth Ur dead. Why should I act?"
Varo sighed deeply. I watched as he stood, removed his cloak and gauntlets and laid them neatly on the chair and table respectively before sitting again and glaring into my eyes:
"You're right Sera. You owe no one anything now. You are a free agent…but you must see that these troubles deserve the attention of one so versed in combat as yourself!"
"You made no mention of combat Varo" I growled in return: "You have shown me accounts of ransacked slave trains; told me that you think Khajiitt are behind it and that Duke Dren and the Emperor fear for the fragile peace that has descended on Vvardenfell in the wake of Ur's fall. You mentioned nought of my involvement in combat, nor will I align myself with a cause that has it as an option should things get out of hand!"
Varo stood as I did as our argument became heated, his fists clenched as he tried to level off the anger spilling into his voice:
"The Legion has been charged with negotiating with the slavers here on Vvardenfell! We have no intention of starting a conflict!" He held his hands palm out then, the universal "I concede my mistake" gesture, turning his eyes from me for a moment to calm. When he spoke again the ire between us began to dissipate:
"Forgive my words Serjo. I, like you, am worried and perturbed by the news of further strife. Especially so close to the close of the Dagoth Ur crisis…I have not spoken of my intentions clearly and I fear you may have formed the wrong impression of my plans. Please, I implore your patience for a moment longer whilst I explain myself."
My nerves frayed as they were I simply nodded, waved Varo into his seat and paced the length of the room as he took a breath and began again.
"The Emperor has charged the Legion Champions to negotiate with the slave masters on Vvardenfell to try and come to a settlement. The form this settlement will take is beyond me…they will want to keep their business alive…the slaves obviously want their freedom…the Khajiitt Mane in Elsweyr will continue attacking the slavers taking Jiitt from his borders…there are forces pulling from all directions…"
"What is your view Varo?" I murmured as I paced; the beginnings of a plan forming in my mind.
"My view Sera? I am Imperial born and bred. I have no idea why your kind need slaves, I only know that it is custom and was the only caveat the Dunmer really fought for when Vvardenfell was encompassed by the Empire. I can't stand seeing slave traders plying their trade but, as part of the treaty I just mentioned the practice is permitted."
"You want it stopped then?" I pressed as I paced.
"In a word Serjo…yes" the Champion sighed after a beat. Meeting his eyes I walked over to the table and settled across from him once more. "How Larris do you want to see slavery stopped? Would you have me free slaves? Is that your plan?"
He was thoughtful a moment; sitting back and steepling his fingers beneath his chin as he regarded me with interest. "What are you planning elf?" he rumbled after a time earning a laugh from me in return: "Ah Larris, you never did abide by etiquette when it came to me did you?" He smirked knowingly, our banter over the past few months coming back to him: "Twas you who began this tirade Serjo not I. Now tell me, what have you in mind?"
"I cannot say for certain that I have anything in mind. Simply the want to end the slave trade and the…idea of freeing slaves. Tell me this; if I were to free any, would your Legion arrest me for the theft I'd have committed by doing so?"
"No" my counterpart deadpanned. "You have my word on that Serjo and the word of every other Legion hand under my watch." I nodded my understanding, stood and extended a hand which was promptly shaken as Larris stood and gathered his cloak and gauntlets. "If I hear of any…accidents concerning freed slaves, this conversation never happened and they will be ignored by the Legion."
"I thank you for that reassurance. Rest assured that you have my support for your campaign against slavery…for the meanwhile please remain publically impartial to the practice…"
"That goes without saying Serjo. My ear will be to the ground regarding you and your plans…whatever they end up being. You will have Moonmoth to turn to should you need it."
"Thank you my friend." With that the Legion Champion gathered his folder together, whipped on his cloak and stalked out of Virr's shop slamming the door behind him. I took a breath and counted to ten in my head before rounding on the wardrobe holding Ilmeni prisoner and dispelling the wards keeping it locked. The lady within tumbled into my arms as I threw the doors wide and we stumbled into the open air in a tangle of robes.
"Are you well my lady?" I asked when we were finally able to free ourselves from the jumble. "Yes thank you" she replied whilst trying to subdue a coughing fit: "I'm fine Serjo…Lomé. That was certainly an interesting turn of events."
I nodded thoughtfully: "Indeed…perhaps this plan of ours will go more smoothly than I imagined…"
Ilmeni and I waited for Ra'Virr to return so we could share our latest news with him. Once this was done we made our arrangements regarding meeting times and places, shared out the maps Virr had made and parted ways: Virr to attend to his duties in his shop, Ilmeni under the cover of an invisibility draught, to make a dash to the mine to ensure everything was ready and myself…to meet Khan by the river. He needed to hear all I knew.
The dusk sunlight spilled from the sky and cast a golden glow about the world into which I stepped from the dim of Ra'Virr's shop. Colours seemed suddenly enriched, more vibrant than they had been before and I was once again reminded that the land I had fought to save was finally, in that precise second at least, safe.
I wandered in a sort of daze out through the plaza towards the arches separating Balmora from the West Gash, my cloak over my arm, as the prevailing wind caught at my hair and clothing and brought a thousand scents towards me in a rush. The Stone Flowers growing down river…smoke from the torches burning across town…ale from the corner clubs and spices from the houses as their residents began to prepare their evening meals. Then…a familiar one…heather…heather and resin…