Hello everyone. Back at it with a new chapter. I admit I was disappointed once more with the lack of feedback. but I won't give up until we meet that goal. so once more, can we get 5 reviews on this chapter? If you do, I'll drop the next chapter within 48 Hours.
Pelinal Whitestrake doesn't own Elder Scrolls or Harry Potter.
6 hours After the Battle of Anvil.
The citizenry was in a mess, it wasn't enough that the Thalmor Invasion had left the Town in disarray. Now Aragorn was dealing with a massive headache, with only Skingrad left as the last stronghold of Cyrodilic resistance. He would coordinate with the eastern army to take the city in a pincer attack. But he knew that if the reports coming into his desk are anything to go by. It would be Anything but simpler, as the Dominion would possibly try again if not launch an all-out invasion of the heartlands. Yay for a second great war. Or World war according to his Royal Majesty. Him and his damned books.
He looked up as one of his enlisted men brought in an elf, a Bosmer that only had cuffs on him, unlike the whole get up for most of the Thalmor that had been taken, prisoners. Yet here he was.
"Sir, this one claims to have Information that you would find valuable. He has cooperated so far and what has given us checks out." The infantryman said.
Aragorn made a motion for the Elf to sit down and to remove the cuffs from him.
"What's your name."
"Borgas." The elf answered.
"Aragorn Nibenay, now, what's this that I hear of you having valuable information?".
The elf looked at the window, where he could still see the same ship he was part of a few hours prior. " I served on board that ship. I was Lord Norafirns servant."
Aragorn raised an eyebrow " An honor that must have been."
Shaking his head, Borgas answered, "With all due respect. I was made the servant because I was not a High Elf. I was worse than scum in the general's eye."
"Then what made you serve on the Ship?"
"My commander and best friend, Llorva. She is very different from the other men and women who make up the Majority of the Dominion's ranks. We met back before the Oblivion crisis started. We remember, we remember what life was like before the Thalmor took over Summerset." The elf said, his tone lighting with passion as he spoke.
Aragorn nodded as he picked up a document and continued to listen. Only stopping to ask "Borgas. Strange name for Bosmer, or any elf for that matter, considering it is a Nord name. The name of the Last of the line of Ysgramor."
"My father's side of the family is of Nordic descent." The elf answered cordially.
Aragorn gave him another nod. The general put down his document and gave the elf a serious look "You claim to have valuable intel. Why?"
The elf looked at the man and said: "Llorva is the Key to overthrowing the dominion, she is a descendant of Queen Ayrenn Arana. "
Aragorn narrowed his eyes at this bit of information. That name wasn't just important because it belonged to some Queen, Ayrenn Arana was the founder of the second Aldmeri Dominion, and perhaps the only Altmer who could challenge the legitimacy of the Thalmor as the ruling party, but was also the only mer alive who could claim the Crystal throne of Summerset.
This bit of information was a game-changer, yet at the moment, it was entirely useless to Aragorn.
But he knew the value of information of this magnitude, and while it wouldn't help win anything immediately, he could definitely see the benefit of having this tidbit in the future.
"I can also contact her at any moment." The elf added. "Clouds are gathering over the Dominion. Their initial purge, while successful in some parts, only grew to cause more resentment. More friction between the people. But we also need outside help if we are to succeed."
Aragorn stood up and walked over to a shelf and took two cups and a flask of cyrodilic Brandi. Pouring some in the coups and passing Borgas a cup.
"I doubt King Harry will immediately turn his eyes to deal with the Aldmeri Dominion. We know the limits of our army, we lack the capability to fight them on an offensive war. And that's that. But if what you say Is true. Then it will be under our best interest to protect this friend of yours. Stormcrown himself seems disinterested in the Elven Realms, but having allies is the key to longevity." Aragorn explained after downing his own cup.
The bosmer listened to the general as he continued to explain to him that he would remain by the general's side. Due to the fact he was a new face, and that there would be a lot of tension between the Altmer prisoners and the occupying force.
"I understand," Borgas answered after the explanation came to an end.
"Good, now let's go. This is a mammoth city to administrate."
The citizenry of Anvil was still distraught over what had happened. When the Thalmor first landed, they had smashed through the gates and part of the city had been burned down. Though the engineering corp was hard at work rebuilding the city, it would take time.
As Borgas noted, children wailing over loss parents, medical tents overstaffed. Many soldiers from both sides laid down in critical condition, so much so Borgas noticed some elves who he had generally gotten along with, especially the longer-lived ones aiding the severely stretched healers. If the roles had been reversed, the Thalmor would have left every none elf left to die and executed all enemy soldiers.
Not to say that this army was rightful either if the mounting number of corpses, mass graves, and burning pyres we're anything to go by.
During a cigar walk, he had taken the liberty of assigning himself he had even ran into a number of warriors lining up elves dressed in armor/robes and shooting them with their weird projectile weapons, or crossbow as he had learned they had called them.
The firing squad as he would come to find out later on. And to think the day wasn't over yet.
Deciding he had taken enough time, he slowly began to walk back into the city walls.
This time, he had seen a man sitting by a group of kids with a board behind him book a book in his hands, scratch that all the children had books on them as well.
It was very weird in a sense.
It was like he was stepping into a very different world. Tradition dictated to enslave and force everyone you conquered to submit, that's how everyone built empires. From Tiber Septim to the Ayleids. This was the universal concept. Yet, instead. This Army if nods mixed with other races, conquered, yet instead of enslaving. They integrated. Integrated the populace. Integrated the rich and poor, and even the enemy to some extent. Despite the risk this army took, it still chooses to. They invested in educating the poor and the wealthy, rebuild houses for those who lost theirs, and remained to ensure stability.
Not to mention, the way their military focused on occupation instead of conquering land and just leaving a small detachment. And there was their brilliance. Breaking up their army into modular pieces that could function entirely on their own even if cut off from the rest.
Yet borgas still noted one huge weakness, their reliance's on Artillery to make up for their lack of magic capabilities. Perhaps he could convince a few more of his compatriots to adopt new colors? There were enough that dissented the thalmor enough as it is, and only served to make a stable septim.
Maybe a promise of a better life ought to do the trick?