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Chapter 11 - The Jagged Crown

The next morning, when Yssha entered the map room to report, she and Marcurio found General Tullius and Legate Rikke in another discussion, so she held her peace until they came to a good place for her to interrupt.

"Tell me again, why I'm wasting men chasing after a fairy tale," the general said gruffly.

Rikke was blunt. "If Ulfric gets his hand on that crown, it won't be a fairy tale. It'll be a problem."

"Don't you Nords put any stock in your own traditions? I thought the Moot chose the king. We're backing Elisif. When the Moot meets, they'll do the sensible thing."

"Not everyone's agreed to the Moot. And not everyone wants Elisif, with war against the Dominion looming. You've been here long enough to know that Nords aren't always sensible. We follow our hearts."

"So what - Ulfric gets this crown and then suddenly he's High King?"

Rikke's self control was good, if strained, Yssha thought. "No, it's not as simple as that, but the Jagged Crown would be a potent symbol for his cause to rally around. But, if we found it first..."

"And if we gave it to Elisif?"

"In the absence of the Moot, it would further legitimize her claim."

"Perhaps ... I'm entrusting you with what resources I can spare. But I'm warning you, if this turns out to be a waste of time and men ..."

"It won't be a waste."

"All right, but make sure you take the Auxiliary here, and remember what I told you about her. You can send her back when you get there and find nothing but old bones and cobwebs."

"The Stonefist's no fool. He's found the Crown. But we'll get to it first."

That seemed like a good time to break in, so Yssha spoke. "Legate Rikke? Fort Hraagstad is clear."

Rikke grinned. "Congratulations - I'm glad you made it, but after what General Tullius told me about your clan and family, I shouldn't be surprised." She cocked her head toward Marcurio. "I assume your friend there helped."

"He is my husband, so of course he did." Yssha gave him a fond look, then turned back to Rikke. "What now?"

"Well, if you want to make your membership in the Legion official, you need to join it formally by taking the oath from Gereral Tullius."

"I do, and will." She turned to the general. "Sir?"

"In joining the Legion, you'll be taking an oath binding you to the service of the Emperor and thus to every citizen of the Empire."

"I am aware of that, sir. I am ready."

"Well then. Repeat after me:

"Upon my honor I do swear undying loyalty to the Emperor, Titus Mede II ... "

Yssha repeated that line, and the rest.

"and unwavering obedience to the officers of his great Empire.

"May those above judge me, and those below take me, if I fail in my duty.

"Long live the Emperor! Long live the Empire!"

"Welcome to the Imperial Legion, soldier," Tullius said, with a hint of a smile. "Just remember, we take care of our own. Once you're in the Legion, you're in it for life. Speak to Beirand, he's normally out by the forge. He'll get you outfitted. Now, if I'm not mistaken, Legate Rikke has a special assignment for you."

That threw Yssha into a dilemma. She meant the oath, and intended to live by it, but ... "Perhaps I should have said this sooner, but it did not occur to me. Ah, you heard the Shout yesterday?"

The general and Rikke both looked puzzled. "Yes, it shook the Castle, so we couldn't miss it," Tullius replied. "Why?"

"I fear I was the cause. It was directed at me."

Tullius looked blank, but Rikke looked stunned. "You? You're the Dragonborn? A Khajiit?"

Yssha gave her the full formal bow. "I am. I hope that will not be too awkward for you. It was not my choice, I assure you!"

After a moment, both of them started laughing heartily. Yssha wasn't sure whether or not she should be offended; she didn't think being some sort of destiny-touched dragon-killer was in the slightest bit amusing. Chaos, given Greats-Grandmother's experiences, being destiny-touched at all was a curse, not a blessing!

Tullius recovered first. "You're telling me a descendant of Ysshaya, Hero of Kvatch and Champion of Cyrodiil, is the Dragonborn of Skyrim? I don't believe that!"

"Good," Yssha replied. "Then you will treat me as a normal Legionnaire? Please?"

Rikke nodded. "As much as possible, certainly. We will, however, at least be understanding if calls on you as Dragonborn keep you from a mission on occasion."

"Thank you, but I shall try to avoid that as much as possible. Something deep within me tells me that Skyrim must be unified before I can fulfill my fate as Dragonborn. And with the Aldmeri Dominion pushing at us, I fear for the Empire's future."

Rikke looked grim. "So do we, Auxiliary, so do we." Then she looked thoughtful. "We will probably be working closely together, so you deserve to know a bit more about me.

"I've been a daughter of Skyrim all my life. I love this land and her people. So do all the Nords that serve the Empire. Ulfric, too, once. He wasn't always a self-serving ego-maniac. He fought in the Imperial army in the Great War against the Dominion. But Ulfric and his Stormcloaks are deluding themselves. If there's any hope of a long term victory against the Dominion, it's in the Empire. The rebels are only inflaming the tension and weakening the Empire by distracting it from its ultimate aim."

"Then we see it the same way, though you put it more eloquently than I did."

The General laughed, as if at a sudden thought. "I wish I could see Ulfric Stormcloak's face when he hears who and what you are, Auxiliary. "I'm sure he will be absolutely furious."

Rikke clearly agreed. "There's a tiny chance it'll bring Ulfric to his senses, but I fear he's in too far to stop now. Likely only his death, or the overthrow of the Jarls supporting him, will end this. Either way, there's going to be a lot of blood spilled."

She shrugged. "We'll just have to see. In the meantime, get your armor from Balimund. Out the arch, and go left . As for our mission, Ulfric's right-hand man, Galmar Stonefist, has located what he believes is the final resting place of the Jagged Crown. We're going to make sure he doesn't get his hands on it. The rest of my men are already assembling outside Korvanjund. I'll meet you there as soon as I finish up here."

"Yes, Legate." Yssha and Marcurio found the smith, and she selected the light version of Imperial armor. Balimund grumbled that he didn't have anything small enough for her, since he was accustomed to fitting men, and Nords at that, but when she assured him all she needed was gauntlets, boots, and a helmet, he was able to find close approximations. He even had the forethought to make holes in the helmet for her ears, which she appreciated; she hated having them held down, which also seriously affected her ability to hear.

When that was done, she studied her map. Korvanjund was northeast of Whiterun, so she could teleport there, and probably beat Rikke. As soon as they got far enough outside of Solitude to be out of sight, she did so, immediately arriving in Breezehome. They descended the steps into the living area, to see Lydia reading near the firepit.

"Lydia?" she called softly, trying not to startle her housecarl.

Lydia alerted immediately, turning and smiling. "My Thane! Welcome home."

"Thank you." Yssha returned the smile, hoping Lydia was learning to read Khajiit body language. "How are you doing?"

"If I may be blunt?"

"Of course, but let me guess. You are bored and wish some action."

Lydia nodded. "Correct in one. I feel like I'm skimping a large part of my duty, as well. I'm supposed to protect you!"

"I will offer you that opportunity," Yssha said slowly. "I stress, as firmly as possible, that I do not wish you to act against your conscience in deciding whether to go or not."

Lydia studied her for a moment. "The cuirass Jarl Balgruuf gave you, but your other armor's Imperial. Huh. You're going against Stormcloaks."

Yssha nodded. "I have joined the Legion as an auxiliary, and am on a mission to help recover an item from Korvanjund. We will undoubtedly have to fight Stormcloaks in the process."

"I accepted this might happen, and Whiterun is officially neutral," Lydia said. Then she flashed a smile. "I have the unique - so far, anyway - honor of being housecarl to the Dragonborn, who is here to save Skyrim, and maybe all of Tamriel. It will be my honor to accompany you, my Thane!"

Yssha purred. "Very well. Prepare yourself, then. We leave after a meal - where would you recommend?"

"Both the Bannered Mare and the Drunken Huntsman have good food, but if you're in a hurry, the Drunken Huntsman is almost across the street."

"Not a terrible hurry, but we should not waste time, either. So we will meet you there. What should I order for you?"

Lydia shrugged. "Whatever they have ready, and a mead, please." She headed up the stairs, looking eager.

Yssha chuckled. "Let us go, then."

A few hours later, the three found the group of Imperial soldiers preparing for the assault. To Yssha's surprise - at least until she saw the horse tethered nearby - Rikke was already there, and talking to a soldier.

"What's the situation?"

"Stormcloaks were already camped out around the entrance when we got here. They don't know we're here yet, though."

"Well, that's something at least," Rikke said. Let's show these rebels what real soldiers look like."

Then she gave a brief pep talk, and they approached Korvanjund, surprising and killing the Stormcloaks outside, then she congratulated the troops, cautioning them not to keep counting on the element of surprise, because it wouldn't last. She went into stealth mode, with the rest following suit. "All right, let's move out," she said softly, leading the way inside.

Clearing the entryway of Stormcloaks didn't take long, and they continued after she posted two soldiers to keep watch for enemy reinforcements.

In the next room, she stopped, frowning. "I don't like the look of this. Perfect spot for an ambush. Ten to one they're just waiting for us on the other side."

"But there isn't any other way through, Legate," a soldier observed.

"Let's not jump to conclusions, soldier. The Legion always finds a way. I'd rather take a moment and look around than walk blindly into an ambush." She turned to Yssha. "Auxiliary, see if you can find another way through. We'll charge in to help as soon as we hear fighting. Try the level above, and hurry."

It didn't take long for the Yssha and the two with her to find a lever, which opened a door and let them ambush the ambushers. As promised, Rikke and the rest entered as soon as the fighting started.

Again, the battle was brief, if bloody, and by the end of it, Yssha was certain of something she'd noticed at the outside fight. She did not like fighting in large groups, because having more than one or two others along severely limited her ability to Shout; there was too much danger of injuring, or at least hampering, her fellow fighters.

As they prepared to move on, Rikke whispered, "Be careful, men. There's bound to be more up ahead."

But what they found this time was a dead Stormcloak and an equally-dead draugr. A discussion about the draugr showed that none of the Legionnaires knew what those were, and Yssha sighed, turning to Marcurio. "If you or I spot what looks like an Overlord or worse, we ignore the soldiers and other draugr, and concentrate on the boss. These men don't know what they're facing at all."

Marcurio nodded agreement, and cautioned Lydia. "Don't get between us and the boss, if we find one. We'll be using stronger spells, and maybe a Shout."

She nodded as Rikke opened the door and spoke. "And this must be the Hall of Stories."

"Oh ... I've heard of this," one soldier said. "These walls are supposed to show the history of the ancients who built this place."

"Too bad we can't read these carvings," another commented. "Who knows what secrets we'd uncover?"

Rikke chuckled briefly. "One thing at a time, soldier. Focus on our primary mission. We're searching for the crown. Looks like we weren't the first ones here, either. Even if these carvings tell us where the crown is, I'm sure we're going to have to find a way through this door."

She looked at Yssha. "See what you can figure out, Auxiliary. I'm going to check out these carvings over here. Let me know if you find something."

She moved to study the carvings, as promised, while Yssha and her two looked around. She and Marcurio, recognizing the puzzle door at the far end, knew what they were looking for, and Yssha gave a purr when she found an ebony claw near the body of a dead Stormcloak. "Legate!" she called, holding it up. "We have the key."

Rikke joined them, looking puzzled. "Key? It looks like a stone claw. I assume you know how to use it."

Yssha nodded, turning the claw over to look at the symbols. "Fox-Moth-Dragon," she murmured. then set the rings to those positions, inserted the claw, and turned. After a brief wait, the door sank into the floor, just like the one at Bleak Falls Barrow.

"Good job!" Rikke exclaimed. "All right, everyone! Keep your guard up. Let's move out!"

Another dead-end faced them. Again, Rikke sent Yssha and her team out to see if they could find a way through: "All right, Legionnaires! Spread out and see what we've got. Auxiliary, do what you do best. See if you can find some way to get that gate open."

This time it was Lydia who found the lever, and pulled it when Yssha nodded. The clank of coffins breaking open was familiar to her and Marcurio. Yssha let out a brief yowl. "More draugr - get back, and try to get ahead of the soldiers when the draugr are finished off."

She approached Rikke when the draugr were down, and the Legate was about to open the door. "By your leave, Legate?"

Rikke looked annoyed, but replied politely. "Yes, Auxiliary?"

"Marcurio is a combat mage, and I have some competence with Destruction spells, as well as my ability to Shout. Since we have no other battlemages along, I think we should take the lead."

Rikke didn't hesitate. "Sound tactics. Go ahead; we'll give you half a minute until we follow."

"Thank you." Yssha cat-grinned. That should give them time to find, and perhaps even destroy, the chief draugr, with no one in the way.

She and her team entered, to the sound of coffins opening, but she and Marcurio spotted the draugr on the throne almost immediately. It was still dormant - they weren't quite in range to awaken it, perhaps - so she cast Flame while Marcurio sent lightning bolts to strike it.

That woke it up, and it charged with a scream, which she met with "Fus ... Ro Dah!", shoving it back against the throne, until she and Lydia could cut it down physically while Marcurio kept up the magical battering.

When it went down, she realized it must have taken longer than she'd thought, because the sounds of battle surrounded her. She searched the remains, taking what it held, including a crown that might be what they had come for, and rejoined the battle.

Eventually, things slowed down enough for her to begin exploring around and behind the stone throne. A chest of loot, of course; those were becoming routine, to the point she was expecting to find them - and then, at the far end of the room, a Word Wall! She approached, wondering what she would learn this time.

A blue glow emerging from part of the carving ... Tiid. Time ... yes, time. What the shout meant, or what it would do, were still mysteries, but she had another dragon word, and one of Power.

When she re-emerged into the now-still area in front of the throne, Hadvar was there, grinning at her. "Heyla, Dragonborn - good greetings! I'm glad we're both alive to see this."

"As am I," Yssha responded. "I am glad you got to Solitude ahead of me, as well - it saved me much explanation."

Hadvar laughed. "Well, I only had to take a carriage back, once I got to Whiterun. From what I hear, you had to make a few side trips." He grimaced. "Had a few problems myself, like a bandit attack and the carriage losing a wheel, though. Anyway, it's good to see you again."

Rikke approached, then. "Sorry to interrupt the reunion, but our mission is almost accomplished, and I'd like to finish it up."

She turned to Yssha, this time with a wide smile. "Take that crown back to Solitude, soldier. We'll stay here and see if we can find anything else that could be of use."

"Yes, Legate." Yssha, Marcurio, and Lydia looked around until they found the "back way out", and left.