Tullius III
It had been three years since he had all but lost in Skyrim. After the fall of Whiterun the war was lost. With the only thing between the Stormcloaks and Solitude being the swamps of Morthal the rebels would have been banging on Solitude's door within a month if not for the Legion's numbers and the allies from High Rock and Hammerfell.
With that help I had to turn back from Skyrim and forsake allies there the way my father did with Hammerfell. I had hoped we could use this Dragonborn as a propaganda tool or even as a human weapon but officially he had disappeared shortly after the Battle of Whiterun.
Aeneas however had found out from a contact, some blacksmith, that the Dragonborn was fighing in Solsthiem. Why he would leave Skyrim for the ash ridden wastes I would never know. Aeneas, if he did know, never told me.
When I had returned to High Rock I fought my way from Daggerfall to the outskirts of Wayrest. Hammerfell had taken Evermore and had set up a position on the other side of Wayrest. I needed to take this city so I could return to the Imperial City and be officially crowned. I could march into the city and be crowned but I wanted everyone to know I would let there be no pretenders to the throne. If this Dragonborn decided to follow in Tiber Septim's footsteps I would stand against him. My son will sit the Ruby Throne one day.
The siege was Wayrest lasted for months. I am unsure how their supplies were lasting so long, but I had found a way into the city. A man named Pepin Theodoric rode to our camps in the middle of the night and asked that his family be spared. He did not care who ruled, asked for no reward, only the safety of his wife and children.
"Tell me how I can fit a whole army in and then I will see about your family." I looked up from our battle plans and gritted my teeth.
"In the sewers, beneath the city." He stammered his words nervously.
"Yes, yes I have already looked at sending my men up through a literal shit creek. You know how the saying goes. There is no entrance within the city that I could fit my men into." I angrily stared the man down. He was wasting my time.
"Sir, that's where you are wrong." He held up a finger trying to interrupt but not having the balls to do so.
"What do you mean? I am wrong…" I snapped.
"I am minor nobility in the city, but my family used to hold a higher rank. We still have our family estates within the city that connects for our family to escape in times like these." He grinned, gaining confidence. "You could fit men in through there until you have a sizeable force and open the gates for everyone else."
"Well then thank you for the information. I will do my best to get your family out of the city.
After the man was sent back into the city I met with King Leovicand, King Julian, King Tiber, and Aeneas.
"Oh, the Theodorics? An old family. I don't know why he is throwing it away to let us into the city." Leovic was musing while sipping on something form his goblet. I wonder if he ruled Daggerfall from his cups.
"Aye, you wouldn't know. He probably realizes Tullius here will be the better emperor and turned cloaks to let us into the city." Julian roared. His temper, Leovic's alcohol, Tiber's brooding, and Aeneas' secrets. What an inner council I had gathered. Julius would have been damned proud to look at my, his younger brother, like this. Then again I would not want to imagine how he or father would feel about what Treb has been up to.
"Look, it is not because he is afraid of Tullius or that he wants to gain more power. It is a sign of how bad things have gotten within Wayrest." Tiber spoke. This was rare indeed.
"I will sneak into the city. I can get the family out and off somewhere before your brother or King Varen discover they are gone." Aeneas spoke up.
"How would you do that?" I asked.
"General, with all due respect if I told you that then you wouldn't need to keep me around anymore." He smiled.
"Aye, I understand that much. What I mean is do you need men or arms? What can I do to assist?"
"Tell me where you want them to go? A court in the capital?" He gave me a wink that none of the others saw. I knew he was not serious. I would not want a known traitor to be in my court or a vassal's court.
"Kings, do any of you want the man?" I looked to my gathered allies.
"No, Camlorn is too small to add another vassal." King Julian replied.
"Shornhelm needs no traitors." Tiber growled. I could respect that decision.
"I will take the man. Put him in some office that seems important but is in reality irrelevant." Leovic smiled over the brim of his goblet.
It took a week for them to get the family out of the city. They had to get inside with a valid excuse. Next they had to meet with the family and inform them of the plan before finally getting them out safe.
When I saw the band of men that Aeneas had taken with him I analyzed every detail. All men: a Nord, a Redguard, two Bretons, and an Imperial, all wearing skin tight black leather armor or a mage equivalent. The Redguard carried two swords, the Nord a sword and shield, one Breton an archer and the other a mage. The other Imperial carried a crossbow and a short sword. I couldn't help but think they were an odd combination. Aeneas carried two daedric daggers strapped to his thighs. I knew little of this man. I should not trust him so.
"Well?" I asked.
"Well what?"
"Has everything went according to plan?" I looked to the spy.
"Oh yes, on top of that, the captain of the guard has come down sick with something and the leaders of the military are in a fight when an argument broke into a fistfight that lead to a dagger being jabbed into one of their skulls." He laughed. How does one revel in such chaos.
"What did you do?" I could not help but ask.
"Do you really want to know?" He shot me a glare.
"This time I believe I do."
"Well Renaud cast a frenzy spell into the midst of their camp. While the leaders were fighting the men all broke out into a fight as well. Who was loyal to King Varen of Wayrest? Who was loyal to King Mance of Evermore? Who was loyal to Emperor Attrebus II? It was hilarious to watch really." He held his stomach.
"What of the guard captain?"
"Abbas slipped something into his food. It was not jarrin root, but it will have him spewing from both ends for weeks." Aeneas laughed yet again.
"So you would have me when this war with subterfuge?" I snapped.
"No I would have you win this war safe. I want you to sit on that throne and not be a damned cripple!" He screamed back. His men all snapped their heads and grabbed at their weapons. "Rest easy men." He turned back.
"Why would you help me? You don't know me, you have no ties to me." My teeth grinded together yet again. Frustration would be the death of me.
"A promise made is a promise kept." He said. That meant nothing to me.
"So you come and speak in riddles, ask no reward, tell me you only want me to sit on the throne instead of Treb but give no reason?" This was beyond ludicrous.
"Fine, I want a reward. There is a building in Wayrest I want. It used to belong to my family but was lost to some raiders decades ago. I planned on buying it back legitimately after we take the city, but now I want it as my reward."
"Fine."
"Fine." He threw his hood over his head and left the command tent. His men followed close to him.
When it came time to actually siege the city we found that the defenses were slacking. Our arrows flew over the walls and men poured onto the ramparts. These men were haggard and tired. Their bodies were eating away at themselves. Most were too weak to fight and were slain by the first man they met.
Then when we had taken the ramparts King Leovic's men were left behind to guard the outskirts of the city and the defenses. I found King Tiber had already taken his forces and was attacking the mercantile district. I sent King Julian to recover the men who had infiltrated the city. Aeneas was deadly but this was not his type of fight. I took some of my personal men and led them through the city towards the castle. The Penitus Oculatus were able fighters against these weakened and disheartened soldiers. Inside the throne room I found King Varen holding a sword to my brother's throat while two of his soldiers were hold Attrebus.
"What do you think you are doing, Varen?" I spoke loudly. The women of the court were pale. They looked even more terrified. I wonder which one it is that Treb took as a bride? Poor girl.
When the king turned to face me I saw that his eyes were wide and bloodshot. He was jittery in a way that made me worry even more about him holding a sword. He could turn it on his own family. The Mad God had claimed this one.
"I am going to kill this bastard." He laughed a wicked laugh. His smile was eerie. My men drew out there bows. Arcturus nodded saying he was ready. He was a damned fine Penitus Oculatus captain.
"Ladies of the court." I turned to face the women. I was calm, I needed them to be calm and they wouldn't be if I was not. "I need you to turn away from the king and my brother and shield your eyes. The eyes of any young lads in the vicinity as well." They all did as they were told. I had clapped my hands together one time as a spoke. When my palms struck each other my men released their arrows. Two found themselves in Treb's knee and the rest covered King Varen's back. He looked more like a bloody porcupine than a man.
Treb, for his part grabbed the king's sword as he collapsed. He had never killed a man on purpose. He had only rode in tourneys or fought in the melee. If someone died by accident the guilt ate him alive. He held it as if to strike me.
"Attrebus, why did you do this?" I looked down at my younger brother.
"You are not the leader the empire needs. You were away fighting for Skyrim and ignoring everyone else." He tried to spit out. His body was going into shock. Spittle was catching on the edge of his lips.
"The leader the empire needs is you? A boy who plays at ruling?" I laughed, a little too harshly. I saw his eyes water. I could not tell if it was only proving my point or if he hurt that bad.
"You are bitter and cold. You care only about strengthening the Legion in case the elves come back. You forget about your people while chasing ghosts!" He screamed.
"Aye, lad. I do worry about the Legion. Without it there would be no Empire. Without it, the elves would have won. Without the Legion there would be no citizens, only slaves." I knocked his sword out of his hands with my own. His grip was weak and it took little to send his sword clattering to the ground.
I knelt before him and looked him in the eyes. "I am sorry this has to happen brother. If you would have just served your role we would be happy. You could have still married the girl and had a little brat on the way. You could have been my chief advisor, but you threw it away for a shot at the crown you knew you could not get."
"Brother, have mercy." He began to cry uncontrollably. He was shaking and hi sobs had went from in pain to he knew he was soon to die.
I grabbed the back of his head, running my fingers through his long, thick black hair. I touched my forehead to his and spoke, "I am sorry Treb I really am, but you lie in the bed you make." My sword entered his stomach and pushed up. He opened his mouth and tried to speak. Blood came up from his throat and all he managed was to cough it all over my face. "I wish things could be different, but I will have no pretenders, Apollos will sit the Ruby Throne." I pulled my sword out and wiped it on his surcoat. Then I wiped my face and stood to face Arcturus. "Send word to Solitude. Help is on the way."