16th of Hearthfire
"You are a mirror image of what I must have resembled as I lay in bed after my own battle." Lucia said from where she sat at the edge of my borrowed mattress, her smile and her laugh both lifting my spirits.
"That is true, though I lack the bandages on my torso that you required." I said as I glanced under the covers at my naked form.
"Gods," I said, "It was not Rafel that removed my bloody clothing, was it?"
Lucia's smile and laughter increased.
"No." she answered. "Rafel carried you up to this room, placed you on this bed, and then barred the door with a ward and allowed no one entry, fearing other members of his guild might also be cultists. He sent a servant to the arboretum to fetch reinforcements, but the man was intercepted almost at the front door of the hall by everyone who had not raced to the palace to warn the Emperor. It was Jordis' voice that convinced Rafel to open the door. I am told that the sight of you, lying bloody and motionless, was a great shock to the five warriors who had run full tilt across the bridge thinking that they must fight their way through fierce opposition to rescue you. Jordis was first to recover. She sent Kolmas to fetch Runa and me. She posted Ensim and Toinen at opposite ends of the hall. She sent Rigel to the palace to inform Aric. Then she undressed you and cared for you as best she could until Aric returned with Kurst and the Emperor's physician."
"Did you meet him?" I asked
"We arrived just before Father did." She replied. "Both of them examined your injuries. Father explained that your deathlike appearance was a natural side effect of wielding great magical power but did not go into any detail. Their conversation then became quite technical on the subject of how best to treat you. I confess that I could not follow most of what was said, but they landed upon an agreed upon treatment which Father created at a nearby alchemist workbench."
"What became of my clothes?" I asked after glancing around the room and finding nothing. "Must I wrap myself in a sheet for the journey back to our Inn?"
"Your clothing is in the hands of the Imperial laundry attendant, with whom I understand you are already acquainted." Lucia said. "The Emperor insisted. And you will not go back to your Inn, at least not before you meet in person with his Imperial Majesty so he may receive a firsthand account of what transpired. Your clothes will be returned this morning and the cart that brings them to you will also bring you and Father to the palace."
"I cannot go before the Emperor in such a state." I said, "Gods. At least she had not used fire magic, and I retain all my hair. It is a petty vanity, and I surely owe penance for it, given that the Divines also saw fit to allow me to retain my life."
"We will do what we can without removing your bandages." Lucia said. "The Emperor will understand."
"Where is Runa?" I asked.
"She is sleeping." Lucia replied. "It is my watch, along with Jordis and Toinen. Kurst is also sleeping. Father, the Guild master and one other mage are still interrogating the woman who spied upon you in the market district."
I looked at my right hand and arm, wrapped in bandages from fingertip to shoulder. My left hand investigated the bandage that did indeed resemble a mirror image of the one Lucia wore.
I looked at Lucia, her beautiful face intact, nothing but a pattern of lighter colored dots of flesh marking the injuries that I had thought would leave her permanently disfigured. Gods willing, I would be as lucky.
"It takes no skill in reading thoughts to know what passed through your mind." Lucia said.
"I would never compare looks with you, sister." I said. "One must never enter a battle facing certain defeat. But my looks are my own, and I wish to retain them."
"Your looks are considerable, sister." She replied. "And Father is a powerful healer. Never fear."
"I will attempt to be brave, but I admit that I will add my own healing spells once I have the strength to do so."
A strange pattern of knocking on the door gained Lucia's attention.
"That is almost certainly your clothing being delivered." She said as she stood and opened the door.
"Special delivery from the palace, miss." Toinen said as he handed a bundle to Lucia before glancing at me. "It does my heart good to see you awake, Lady." He said to me. "We was all of us praying for your recovery."
"Thank you for your prayers, dear friend." I said. "I have no doubt that the Divines have heard them and answered them."
Toinen closed the door as he departed, and Lucia unwrapped my now cleaned cloths.
"We will be mindful of your injuries, sister, as we bath you somewhat and dress you." Lucia said as she tested the water temperature in the basin.
"You must not feel compelled to keep this appointment." Aric said as I made my somewhat unsteady way to my feet. "Say the word, and I will send our regrets and we can repair back to our lodgings."
"It is a momentary thing, beloved." I said as I held onto his arm with my uninjured hand. "I will recover quickly once we are in the cart and I can breathe the fresh air. I know it is only my imagination, but I still smell and taste the smoke from that room as it burned."
"It may only be partly your imagination." He replied. "The smell of that fire permeates the entire building."
"Are they very cross with me?" I asked
"They are very concerned for you." He answered. "Their anger is currently being directed elsewhere. An investigation has begun. We have gained a powerful ally in this mages guild. They will cull their own ranks of any cultists they identify."
"Charge them in the name of the Nine to not sweep up the innocent with the guilty." I said.
"As for that," Aric said, "If you can spare a moment, there is one with whom you should speak."
"My moments are entirely at your disposal, sir." I said. "It is, after all, only an audience with the Emperor that awaits us. Lead on."
It required only one look at my bandaged face for Rene Mattius to burst into tears. She was a raven haired beauty when her green eyes were not red and puffed from crying. I estimated that she was several years younger than me. And it was not the first time in our acquaintance that I thought she is either a very good actress or she is innocent.
"Merciful Divines, lady" she said through sobbing lips, "I cannot begin to describe how retched I feel that I have played any part in causing you to be so grievously injured. Please know it was never in my mind that you would be in any way hurt."
"You have played no part at all in my injuries, madam." I said. "Dry your eyes and, if I may suggest it, blow your nose, and them please tell me what was in your mind."
It took a moment for her to compose herself.
"I was only to follow you and observe your movements once you and Jofarr had parted." She said. "I was to take note of any special meetings, and was to report what I had observed."
"For what purpose were you given this task?" I asked.
"Jofarr was concerned for your safety." She said with a quick glance towards Aric. "He said you were an important person from Skyrim. He was concerned that someone was using you in order to approach the Emperor."
"Using me?" I asked.
It took a moment for her to reply.
"He suggested that the Thane was wooing you as a means into the palace." She said.
My smile was quickly replaced by a grimace as my injured face protested, which caused Rene to resume her crying.
"I am so ashamed." She said, the words mingled with sobs. "I felt that Jofarr's concerns were justified after we had parted, and reported as much."
"It is I that must apologize then." I said as I sat next to her and took her hand. "This gentleman in dark blue spotted you some time before you approached us. It was our intention that you feed your masters false information."
"But he and his men treated you poorly." She said with a slightly confused look, glancing at Aric before returning her gaze to me.
"They are my men, not Aric's." I answered. "They acted their part, as I had ordered them to do. And the beautiful man who stands before you has never treated me poorly. He is the only man I will ever love even if my life exceeds that of the sun."
"We are sorry that your small part in this drama has caused you such grief, madam." Aric said as he looked down at the woman who sat next to me. "We did not know what role you played, and these cultists are very dangerous. We feared you may yourself be dangerous. It was a necessary sodan rynnäkkö."
Hers was not the only puzzled look.
"Please indulge him." I said to Rene. "He speaks too many languages, and must wander through them until he lands upon one that can be understood by all. I have learned to sit quietly and wait."
"I cannot recall any time in our acquaintance where you have sat quietly, madam." Aric said.
"Since I spend so much of my time asking you to repeat yourself in a language I can understand, it is no wonder that quiet periods are few and far between, sir." I answered.
"Please do not take my statement as any form of complaint, madam." Aric replied. "I find the sound of your voice to be music. Add to that the poetry of your words, and the exquisite motion of your lips, and I am completely enraptured."
"Now you simply torture me, sir." I said. "You make my heart race faster and all my injuries now throb with the added blood flow. And what is worse, I have lost my train of thought."
"It was a necessary ruse of war." Aric said as his eyes found mine and he smiled.
"There," I said, as my smile answered his, "Was that so hard?"
"The Archmage and Archpriestess are renowned for their ongoing skirmish of words." Rafel said to the mage next to him who must have been the guild master.
"Sir I must apologize for the damage to your hall." I said. "I did not choose the battlefield, and I would never endanger this building or its occupants willingly. As for my adversaries, I would have spared both their lives if it were possible."
"There is nothing that you need apologize for, Archpriestess." the elderly man in dark robes said. "That you survived your encounter is quite remarkable. Jofarr and Maretta are both very powerful. That is to say, they were both very powerful. Yet you defeated both of them."
"I beg your indulgence, sir." I said. "I must give an accounting to the Emperor shortly, and I feel a melancholy coming over me as I think of the lives I have taken. I must think of something else for the moment if I am not to break down in a fit of crying."
"Even though they would surely have killed you rather than allow you to leave?" he asked.
"Even then, yes." I said. "That I had no choice, I firmly believe. But their faces will haunt my dreams."
It was quiet for a moment, everyone lost in their own thoughts.
"We must keep our appointment with the Emperor." Aric said to the guild master. "Absent a truthsayer, we must judge for ourselves whether this woman is a conspirator or a victim. I am inclined to believe she is the latter, but it is for you gentlemen to decide finally."
"Rene, may I ask you a question?" I asked her.
She had been sitting quietly, observing and listening.
"Please do." She said.
"When you approached me in the book store, were you acting on instructions from Jofarr, either specific instructions or general instructions to become my friend?"
"No." she said. "I was only instructed to observe you movements."
"Why, then, did you act as you did?" I asked her.
"Because you needed help carrying your books, and those men would not help you." She answered.
"You directed a look at one of my servants, and at the Archmage himself, that caused us some concern." I said.
"Because they were not treating you nicely." She replied. She did not cry, but her tears returned.
Aric's smile and mine formed in unison. My left hand found Rene's as my bandaged right hand found the injured side of my face.
"May I visit you again before we depart Cyrodiil?" I asked her, before turning to the guild master, "Does any question remain in your mind?"
"No, I am satisfied." He said.
"We will meet later?" I asked Rene
Her crying returned finally, but for a different reason.
"I would like that very much." She answered, as a small smile formed on her beautiful face.
When Lucia said a cart would take us to the palace, I had envisioned a cart similar to, though slightly newer than, the cart Railius and I had ridden across Skyrim. I was not prepared for a coach drawn by four horses, accompanied by a squad of cavalry.
"It appears the Emperor wishes to ensure our safe arrival." Aric said.
Our journey to the palace attracted a fair amount of attention, and more than a few comments.
"Is it this grand carriage they discuss or its occupants?" I asked Aric
"It is a combination of both, I think." Aric said.
There was no question, however, regarding the subject of such comments, and the shocked expressions that accompanied them, once we had entered the palace and retraced our steps from our first audience with the Emperor of Tamriel.
It was a much less grand entrance today. Aric was armed and armored, such armor as was not seen in Cyrodiil before; not seen in Skyrim either, unless I counted the variant that Samuel wore. My plain priestess robes garnered no attention at all, I was certain, all eyes being too busy observing my bandaged face.
The large room grew quiet as we entered, my hand on Aric's arm, my steps still somewhat unsteady. The man who had announced us on our first visit did not hesitate as he escorted us the remaining distance to the Emperor's private audience room; a room with many more armed men and also several mages.
The look of shock on the face of Titus Mede II on his first glance at me was clear.
"A chair for the lady." The Emperor said to the man nearest him. "Quickly."
"Your Majesty is very kind." I said. "I should be glad to sit down. My strength has not quite returned."
He was the Emperor of a great Kingdom. Whatever opinion one held of that kingdom, there was no denying that it continued to exist mainly through force of will of this one man. He had certainly sent armies into battle, armies that failed to return. Sending men to their deaths was not new to him. So it came as somewhat of a surprise to me that my appearance would affect him so.
"Lady…" he said, his voice cracking slightly. The requested chair arrived and allowed him a moment to collect himself. "Please sit."
We both sat, as Aric stood nearby, still in possession of his sword, another violation of protocol where it concerned the presence of the Emperor.
"I had no idea of the extent of your injuries, dear lady, or I would never have requested a meeting so soon after your ordeal." The Emperor said.
"You were very kind to send your personal physician, your Majesty." I said. "I also thank you for once again lending me the use of your laundry. There is not one spot of blood or soot, not a hole or burn mark that can be identified." I said as I indicated my robes.
"This garment is what you wore into battle, lady?" he asked me.
"It was necessary to dress the part that I had written for myself." I said. "This ruse of war as Aric labeled it, failed in its purpose of unmasking the leader of this cult, though I am very happy to see you well, and well-guarded. Uncovering their general plans concerning you is a great victory in itself, and well worth the cost."
The look of anguish on his face returned.
"The cost to you, dear lady, is much too high." He said. "Your charge was the wellbeing of Skyrim, and here I find you grievously wounded while defending Cyrodiil, a land that is not your home."
"I still consider myself a daughter of Cyrodiil, your Majesty." I said. "Both my mother, and my Order reside here. Many villages in Cyrodiil are now home to children that have become quite dear to me. And while my body and my spirit have been somewhat battered during my stay, I have also experienced kindness and friendship as well."
Titus Mede II was quiet for a moment before looking at Aric.
"I envy you sir, to have found such a rare gem." He said to him. "She is quite remarkable."
"I have often thought so, your Majesty." Aric replied.
"You are both too kind." I said. "But if you continue to make me blush in this fashion, I must scream from the pain it causes my face."
"A thousand apologies, madam." The Emperor said. "We will change the subject, if you have the strength, and you are able. I wish to hear the details of what transpired. Thane, do you wish also to sit, or do arms and armor make it more convenient for you to stand?"
"I will stand your Majesty, but I should certainly surrender my sword." Aric replied.
"Keep it sir." The Emperor replied. "There are many armed men in this room; we will simply adjust the previous tally upwards slightly."
It took only a short time to recount the battle, but it was long enough that the shaking in my undamaged hand could no longer be hidden. A short delay was agreed upon while a mug of milk blended with egg, sugar and nutmeg was brought in to give me strength. Aric, the Emperor and the Emperor's imposing personal guard conferred briefly while I consumed my concoction in small sips.
"These people are mad indeed." The Emperor said, "The old ritual. What nonsense."
"I did not understand the reference." I said. "I still do not. All I understood was that you were in danger."
"The Oblivion Crisis was brought about when Tiber Septum was assassinated." Aric said. "This caused the dragon fires to go out. Without another Emperor, one that was Dragonborn, to take the throne, the dragon fires remained unlit, and the gates opened."
"There have been other Dragonborn prior to you?" I asked him.
Aric smiled slightly.
"Did you believe I was the only one?" he asked.
"You are so unique in so many ways that it never occurred to me to consider any other possibility." I said. "You are descended from two Gods. I assumed that being Dragonborn was equally as rare."
The Emperor's face bore an expression that defied description.
"Sir, do I understand correctly?" he asked. "You are yourself Dragonborn? And you are descended from two of the Gods?"
Aric did not reply immediately.
"His modesty will not allow him to answer your question with a simple yes, your Majesty, so I will answer for him in the affirmative." I said as Aric found something of interest on the floor in front of him.
"Is there anyone else here present aside from myself who is not a descendant of one of the Gods?" the Emperor asked to the room in general as he looked around and his eyes scanned the other occupants. "Or is it only I that lacks that particular heritage?"
"Do we know with certainty that the old ritual will not yield the result these cultists expect?" Aric asked, diverting attention from himself, and returning us to our purpose.
"I find I know nothing with certainty, sir, absolutely nothing." The Emperor said. "Except that this is the second time both of you have warned me of a plot against my life. I must keep you in close proximity if I am to live much longer."
"The Reverend Mother would reduce anyone who attacked you to ash, your Majesty." Aric said. "Though at the risk of your curtains and the décor of your palace."
"Your jibes bounce harmlessly off my armor, sir." I said in reply, "Though I freely admit that three mages wielding such powerful magic in so small a space resulted in a fair amount of damage to the mages hall. Surely they will not attempt a frontal assault against the Emperor."
"Tiber Septum fell to waves of assassins as he attempted to flee the palace using a secret route." The Emperor said. "I have no intention of fleeing, secretly or otherwise. And at the rate you deplete their numbers they cannot have waves of any type in reserve, at least none that could penetrate our defense."
"The hedge lord Zedrick still has men to command." Aric said. "And we have not yet determined to what extent the Warrior's Guild is compromised."
"That investigation is already underway, sir." The Emperor said. "We have made no attempt to keep the events in the mages guild hall secret. Any cultists still within the city must be reevaluating their safety. And as for Zedrick, his involvement in these kidnappings places him beyond the pale by a considerable distance. He must now be dealt with."
"We have robbed him of his bands that terrorized Bruma and Chorrol." I said. "And he has men sitting in jail cells in both of those cities. He will not thank us for our efforts. I fear we have not seen the last of his men. Our return to Skyrim will certainly draw his attention."
"It is his loss then." Titus Mede II said in a hard voice. "Any force that opposed you will do Cyrodiil a great service, as it will remove them as a problem. But is saddens me that you must bear that burden lady. For the rest of it, it is now the duty of the Empire, in all its various forms, to address. We will finish the work you have started. I am informed that you must soon assemble your wagon train and begin your journey home."
"Yes, though I am embarrassed to say I have lost the count of foundlings for whom homes must be arranged." I said.
"You will not bear the brunt of that burden, neither Archpriestess nor Archmage." The Emperor said. "If you will allow me the pleasure of your company once more before you depart I will give you drafts to aid your purpose. But please, lady, rest. I have taken up too much of your time. May we meet again the day after tomorrow?"
"Your wish is my command, your Majesty." I replied.
He smiled warmly as his eyes met mine.
"How I wish that were true, lady." He said.
"Friends, you will kill me with kindness if you are not careful." I said to a common room filled with friends both new and old.
Our audience with the Emperor concluded, the carriage returned us to our lodgings; returned us with sufficient noise that the daytime attendant stepped outside to inquire, only to have his inquiry answered with an ornate couch draw by four horses and accompanied by cavalry and lancers.
The attendant proved fleeter of foot than he appeared as he raced to open the door of the couch and assist me in stepping from the carriage, his look changing rapidly from pleasure to concern when he beheld my bandaged form.
"Dear Prefect, what has befallen you?" he asked.
"You will hear the details soon enough, good sir." I said, foregoing my haughty demeanor. "It will be the gossip of the town for some time. In summary, it was necessary to do battle with enemies of the Empire who were plotting to assassinate the Emperor. My appearance is a result of that battle."
"Gods, lady, please allow me to assist you indoors." The attendant replied as I stumbled approaching the door to the Inn.
"Thank you, sir." I said. "You are very kind."
Once inside, there were a plethora of hands willing to assist me. The two young women who had the room next to ours wore serious expressions that seemed foreign to their normally animated faces. Other lodgers who we had begun to recognize also wore expressions of grave concern.
But the faces of my friends and companions were all pictures of joy and happiness at my safe return.
One face in particular warranted special attention.
"Dear friend," I said to Rafel, taking his right hand in my left, "I cannot begin to thank you for your care and protection in my time of need. I am sorry to have been such a burden, and to have deprived you of your rooms for so long."
I knew him by reputation to be a battle mage of some power, yet he seemed somewhat overcome before speaking.
"I feared the worse, lady, as I lay your motionless form on my borrowed bed." He said. "In that moment, I could not recall one healing spell that I had learned, not a single one." He laughed as he wiped one eye before continuing. "And everyone here present will agree that I will win no awards for bandaging. It was your sword sisters who bandaged you properly."
"Bandages that were quickly replace by the Court Physician." Rigel said. "Though I must also admit to being distraught at the sight of you when I entered and saw you lying so bloodied and motionless."
"We was all distraught, miss." Ensim said. "Kolmas was crying his eyes out."
"That's 'cause I thought she was dead." Kolmas said to Ensim.
"You weren't exactly dried yourself, chum" Toinen said to Ensim. "None of us was."
"I said I was distraught, didn't I?" Ensim said in reply.
"Those of us that arrived late were spared that sight." Kurst said. "I give thanks for that. Seeing these two women so maimed was too much. I could not have born it again."
"You defeated two powerful mages by yourself." Runa said.
"Not by myself, sister, not by a long chalk." I replied. "The rings we fashioned, which I am very happy to see you both wearing, proved indispensable."
"Inquires have begun, and will continue, into the involvement of both the Mages Guild and the Warriors Guild in this cult and this plot against the Emperor." Aric said. "As for us, our part is concluded. The Emperor wishes one final audience the day after tomorrow. After that, we may depart and retrace our steps home: Chorrol to Bruma to Skyrim."
"The leader of this cult remains at large." Kurst said.
"Yes." I replied, "I cannot help but feel that I have failed in that regard, but we have at least saved the Emperor."
"Again." Runa said.
"And he will not let this matter drop." Aric said. "Someone will eventually exchange the name of their leader for the opportunity to draw breath a while longer."
"Two days to rest before we rejoin the road." Runa said before looking at Kurst. "Would you play tour guide, cousin, and show me the Imperial City?"
"I would like it of all things." Kurst said with a broad smile.
"You have not yet seen the Imperial City have you?" Rafel asked Jordis.
"No, I have not." Jordis answered. "What do you propose sir?" she asked.
Rafel's hansom face broke into its own smile.
"Let us start with one or two of my favorite locations, madam, and see where whimsy leads us." He replied.
"I can think of nothing I would like more." Jordis said in reply, reflecting Rafel's smile back at him.
"It seems that I shall be training three men and protecting our Thane without assistance." Rigel said.
"Do not concern yourselves with me." Lucia said to our group in general. "I will simply wander about the city like a lost provincial. I will pay some boy to guide me back to our lodging when exhaustion overtakes me."
"We will find you a tour guide, sister, never fear." I said as a thought occurred to me. "In fact, you would do me a great service if you would indulge a request."
"You have my curiosity piqued." Lucia said. "What do you have in mind?"