Serana
"I don't want to focus on such things." Serana said.
"You're the Empress, I'm afraid it's your duty to focus on these matters." Amundel told her, "The Aldmeri Dominion won't go away just be ignoring them."
"I did what I could!" Serana snapped. "What else do you want?"
The Count of Chorrol looked shocked at the manner in which Serana had spoken to him. "What do you think you should do?"
"Nothing. I'll do nothing." Serana responded, "We've had this conversation before. I sent all the men I could to Kvatch. Do you want me to go there myself and fight the Elves, and leave the throne unoccupied?"
Amundel sighed.
"Forgive me, I haven't slept lately." Serana sat down, grasping the glass of wine form the table, staring at its contents. It was red…too red. At first she mistook it for blood, but soon snapped out of her cravings. Being a vampire for thousands of years left behind some odd quirks.
"I have some of the Legionnaires coming today." Serana said, "Legate Edward has some news he wanted to share with me concerning the defense of the city."
"If it please, I could address these issues for you." Amundel offered.
"No, I'll take care of this." Serana replied, "I may be a woman, but I am not inexperienced in the field of battle either."
That comment seemed to surprise him. "Really? What wars have you fought in?"
"The Draugr war."
"Ah, that one. A recent one too, hopefully you haven't got rusty." Amundel smirked, "Anyways, if that is all, I'll be on my way now. Good luck in your endeavors, and should you require my presence, I'll be in the barracks."
He left, not giving Serana a chance to reply. It didn't matter, really. She did not need the approval of others concerning her skills in battle. She may not have been a soldier, but give her a dagger and she could open anyone's throat.
Upon drinking, the wine tasted bitter. Almost like blood. Perhaps the mind was playing tricks on her, for she was certain that this was not blood, but Cyrodiilic Brandy. She slammed the bottle down in triumph upon finishing, looking around her room for something to do. The Legate should have been there soon, so she would wait for his arrival.
She read more of the old books that had been there, starting to realize why Valor had liked them so much. He read often during his spare time, and Serana had taken to doing just about the same thing. She picked up "Season's Unending" again, and read part three.
Time flew by faster than she imagined, with almost an hour going by. When she heard a knock on the door, she set the old tome aside. I feel depressed after reading that. Something about the Jarl of Windhelm and his whole family dying hadn't allowed her to be very optimistic.
"Come in."
When the door opened, the Legate passed by two guards outside. Donned in his Imperial heavy armor, he looked slightly fatigued. Serana never understood why soldiers put themselves through this. Did they feel higher than the rest when they wore their armor? Did the honor come with the suit?
"My lady, I came as soon as I could." He said, "I didn't want to leave without making sure the men were all taking care of their duties."
"It's fine." Serana replied, smiling. "Sit."
He did just that. On the chair across the table, he rested.
"You have something you wish to show me?" Serana asked.
"I do, my lady." He laid out a long parchment across the wooden table. She was not sure of its contents at first, but as she looked closer, she soon understood. Blueprints for siege weapons.
"I had the engineers draw up some designs." He said, "They look to be quite advanced, and would serve well in sieges."
"They look amazing." Serana said, "Why have you brought them here?"
"We lack the recourses needed to build the towers. Regaining the taken fortresses of Cyrodiil will be much more difficult should we not possess them."
"So you want materials?" Serana asked.
"Close. We want the funds needed to buy these materials. My lads know of some good shops not far out that could supply us with the amount needed to get this going. Should this war go on for too long, we'll need these."
Before, she would have acted in a heartbeat. Why would she not approve the building of machines that could help win possibly the largest war Cyrodiil has ever seen? But now after offering Clydas so much to build the White-Gold tower…money was scarce.
"How much do you need?" Serana asked.
"Twenty-thousand."
That number didn't hurt as much as she thought it would. "That seems like a fair sum. I feared the number would be larger."
"Don't worry; we tried as best as we could to skim down our needs." Edward replied.
"Take this demand to the Treasury; tell them you have my consent." Serana smiled, motioning for him to rise. The conversation was done; she would no longer have his presence when it wasn't needed.
"Of course, my lady. I'll leave at once."
Later that day, after her time dealing with the court, she was headed back to her room. Little exciting things had happened this day, with only a group of Lords requesting an answer on whether they would evacuate the city. Serana almost laughed at that thought. They're not that close.
She opened the door and walked inside. It was dark, as the curtains that had brought her a view of the Imperial City had blocked the light from the windows. She could still see though, and that was enough to take a seat on a chair and sit there and do nothing. She was often bored of late, confused as of how to entertain herself.
"You look different."
Serana's head bolted frontwards. Her hearing enabled her to pinpoint the exact location in which the intruder was located. He was cloaked, shielding his face, showing only a black figure in a room of darkness.
"Where is the Dragonborn?"
Serana darted for the other table five feet away, where her dagger was. She grabbed it almost quicker than a God himself; unsheathing it and sending a strike to powerful it would have taken a horse's head off. The man caught her arm however, and laughed.
"How easily you judge." He said, "You don't remember me, do you?"
"Who are you?"
Lifting the hood from his head, the face of a Breton was revealed. He did not look that old, in fact, he looked only slighter older than Valor was. His skin was fair, and his hair long and curled. It was dark, so it blended in well. His blue eyes shone through the darkness however, and Serana almost felt as if she knew him.
She tried to wrench her arm free, but couldn't. "Have we met?"
"You forget too easily." He laughed now, releasing her arm. "You wouldn't remember me if we did?"
"Well, as of now, I guess I would." She backed away quickly, holding up her dagger. "Who are you?"
"He who walks in the shadows." He replied, "I've remained unseen for quite a while, of course you wouldn't know that. I've watched you for days, making sure it were safe to approach. Where is Valor?"
"Do you know him?" Serana asked.
"More than you do." The man replied, "We go back, but that doesn't matter. I've been looking for him ever since I heard about the war."
"Which one?" Serana asked, referencing the two that now took place.
"The Civil War." he said, now smiling. "No longer scared? Good. You wield a dagger well, but it will take quite a few years for you to master it."
"You speak as if you're a master." Serana pointed out.
"There's a reason for that." He replied, showing the two daggers underneath his cloak. "Prefer a spear, but daggers are good too."
"Can you tell me who you and why you're here, already?"
'I'm known by many names. In Skyrim they call me He-Elf. In Elsweyr they call me Moon Rider. In Black Marsh I'm known as Swamp-Dweller. And in Valenwood I'm known as the Black Arrow. But when we last met, you called me Claiborne."
"Did I?" Serana asked, raising her dagger again. "And when was this?"
"Put the dagger down, it will be of no use, I have not come to harm you." Claiborne replied, "In Skyrim, I was a Legionnaire with the Dragonborn. When Valor showed you off to General Tullius, I was the Breton standing next to him."
Serana suddenly remembered now. It was directly after Valor had killed Harkon and become lord of the court. The Breton had been consulting general Tullius on matters concerning destroying the few remnants of the Stormcloak Rebellion.
"I remember." Serana now set her dagger back on the table. "Why are you looking for Valor?"
"In truth, I was looking for whoever was sitting on the Dragon Throne. Valor is off at war now, from what I here, and that leaves you. The Empress Consort of the Imperial Empire. I come from Skyrim."
"What's a Breton like you doing there?" Serana asked. "They don't necessarily like your people there…the Nords."
"No, they don't." Claiborne responded, "But fate decreed I settle down and stay. Still, my duties as a Ranger forbid me from staying out of this conflict. My old friend needs me, and I rushed to help him."
"He's all the way in Kvatch." Serana said, "He's nowhere near here."
"In that case, my matters belong to you." Claiborne said, "High Rock needs you."
"The Empire needs me." Serana said, "But I have no help to give."
"Untrue, Cyrodiil possess over twenty-thousand legionnaires." Claiborne said, "Skyrim fifteen-thousand, and High Rock once had ten."
"Valor only had ten-thousand, and half of them are dead now." Serana responded.
"Valor had five, but Lord Althalos has fifteen."
"Althalos is dead." Serana snapped.
"Oh is he?" Claiborne smirked, "Lord Althalos resides in the Cyrodiilic Highlands along with his Counts and over Fifteen-thousand men in the snow. He is waiting for something, what I'm not sure. But I do know this, Althalos is anything but dead."
"How do I know you aren't lying?" Serana asked, "How do you know this?"
"A Ranger sees things." Claiborne responded, "I have many eyes and ears in Cyrodiil, even among Althalos own forces. He is not dead, and he is planning an attack against the Aldmeri Dominion."
"What do you want me to do?" Serana asked, "Lord Althalos tried to take my crown!"
Claiborne cocked one eyebrow.
"I mean…Valor's crown." Serana corrected herself.
"He did, but this is an enemy that the Dragonborn has no hope of defeating. His dragons will be of no use, and the Empire will crumble at his feet. He needs help, and Althalos can give him that."
"What are you saying?" Serana asked, knowing the answer.
"A truce. Send Valor this message; tell him what I have said. Talk sense into the Dragonborn of legend, and let him see the error of his ways." Claiborne said, "This will be a war unlike any other, and if the Dragonborn stands alone, the Empire stands alone."
New chap up, pretty sure i failed Biology midterm, so chap was delayed.
Anyways, Claiborne is in fact not an original character of mine, it belongs to Hjalti Talos. If you couldn't tell, i gave him Valor to use and he let me use Claiborne. For some reason i imagined Prince Oberyn while writing him...not sure why.
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