Burd was a quick study, apparently, for after one run through a Gate he was able to assure her that it could be controlled. The need for aid had never been stronger, however, and Elisif was soon on the road again to collect troops.

It was rough going, stopping at every city in the province only to scrape and beg for aid, though some were infinitely more annoying than others. She traveled to the west first, going to Skingrad and Anvil before stopping at Kvatch. Kvatch was easy, as she had already dealt with the threats that lay there, and the remaining guard was only too happy to help their savior. Skingrad and Anvil, however, took quite a bit longer to convince. Outside of every major city, and indeed all over Cyrodiil, Oblivion Gates were springing up like so many weeds. No one would send aid to their emperor knowing that gates lay just outside their walls. So of course it was up to Elisif to close them all, and though she was becoming quite wealthy from the strange alchemical ingredients and the outrageous amount of fine armor, gold and gems that lay in the gates, it was still taxing to the extreme.

Still, once the gates were closed the Counts and Countesses had no choice but to send their troops. So it was with all the cities she came across. Chorrol, Bravil, and Leyawiin went by without a hitch, all things considered, and it was with ease that she made her way up the Rumare and back to the Imperial City, intent to speak with Chancellor Ocato. Therein lay the difficulty.

Ocato was a very hard mer to reach. Whenever she requested to speak with him on behalf of the Blades, the guards turned her away. "The Chancellor is very busy, citizen." or "Chancellor Ocato is currently indisposed, citizen." It was enough to make her scream and stomp in frustration which would probably only lead to, "Chancellor Ocato will no bend to your temper tantrums, citizen." Every day she would request to see him, but the damned guards would not give in, forcing her to go back to the Mages Guild for the night and sulk. The only upside to this was that she and Raminus spent more time together, but even his company was not enough to fully negate the irritation she felt at the haughty Altmer who refused her entrance.

Finally, much against Raminus's advice of patience, Elisif burst through the doors of the council chambers, storming over to the Chancellor and bowing respectfully before standing straight and staring him in the eye. It bothered her that he was so tall, as all Altmer were, for though he was seated and she was standing, he did not have to look up to match her gaze.

"Are you available to talk, Chancellor? I've tried to make several appointments, but you are such a hard man to catch." Elisif said, mustering up all the disdain that she could. The Altmer smirked, waving off the guards that had barged in after her. Once the doors were closed behind them he spoke.

"And what is there to talk about, citizen?" Ocato's elegant voice grated on her nerves fiercely, but she continued on.

"Our Emperor requires aid in the fight against Mehrunes Dagon. I am here to request that you send all available troops to Bruma, where we will make a stand." the mer smiled at this.

"No."

"I'm sorry, I must have misunderstood-"

"I said no, little errand girl." Ocato stood and walked until he was just in front of her, and she had to crane her neck to see his face. "This is not a game for little bastards to play. This is a war, and I cannot throw my troops to the fire." he peered at her again curiously, "Do I know you from somewhere? Other than your incessant bleating at the doors?" At this Elisif's posture straightened more, and she set her face into a frown.

"I am the head of the Guild of Mages. Perhaps you know me from there. Though I fail to see why this is significant. Your Emperor commands these troops-"

"My Emperor died, Arch-Mage. Whoever the Blades have up in their mountain clubhouse is not emperor until the dragonfires are lit. Sending his doxy to me does little to inspire confidence." Long, thin fingers took hold of her chin, forcing her face closer. He examined the woman with a critical eye until something changed in his expression, and he shoved her away.

"Leave, Elisif DuCarne. Our business is concluded, and I have an empire to run. Play hero somewhere else." Ocato turned, presenting his back to her. Her fingers itched for her dagger, desiring nothing more than to stab the foolish mer for his arrogance, but she did not. He was too important a man to threaten.

The guards, though ordered by Ocato to leave her be, followed her as far as the Arboretum before turning back. It was readily apparent that she was not welcome into the city for the time being, though what Ocato could actually do about it, given the circumstances, she was unsure. It was time to gear up and journey to Cheydinhal. She still had to collect the blood of Tiber Septim as well, so the sooner she finished with the Count the better.

Raminus had offered to go with her, but Elisif was far from ready to do any extensive traveling with her friend. Something in him had changed lately, she knew, and it would not do for him to be at less than his best. Still, he made no mention of any issues, and she immediately assumed that he was having some sort of woman trouble. He did take plenty of them to bed, after all. Perhaps one had snagged his heart? Of course he wouldn't discuss other women with her, not while they lay abed themselves. A smile crossed her face at the thought. He deserved to be happy, and she would not take that from him by marching across the province together.

About a day from Cheydinhal, Elisif stopped to make camp a ways off the road. While no great follower of the gods, she settled at the wayshrines. They were ideal, really, for most thieves were far too superstitious to do wrong directly in the eyes of the Nine. She drifted to sleep quite easily in that knowledge, feeling certain that she would wake should anything approach.

It wasn't too much later that Elisif jerked awake, glancing around in the near black of a moonless night. A small gesture of her hands brought forth a dim light, yet she saw nothing before her. It was only when she calmed her own breathing that she heard that of another behind her back.

Suddenly a bag was thrust over her head, but she was able to grasp the person's hands to send an electric shock through them. The scream that followed was satisfying, and she reached up to remove the offending sack and face her attacker head on.

"Ocato couldn't let it go, huh?" she taunted, "You'll have to do better than this." The shocked man staggered to his feet as she summoned up a fireball and lobbed it at him. The sound of horror wrenching from his throat soon faded to nothing as the smell burnt hair and flesh rose from him. Still, she gave him not a second look as she drew her dagger, sprinting away into the woods for cover.

Perfect silence followed. There was no breath, no crunch of leaves or sticks, and no taunting. For countless moments she stood and watched, and yet nothing happened. The silence was near deafening, really, and after what she thought was an hour of no activity, Elisif stepped out from her hiding place.

No one jumped her, thankfully, and no one seemed to linger at her campsite, though she was sure it was a trap. Even so, all that she owned and deemed vital to travel was inside her satchel, and that was where she had left it. Any gold, her maps, potions and poisons. All sat just within her grasp. Surely it was a trap, but she had no choice if she wanted to continue. If the others (of course there were others) lingered, she would be ready. She cast a detect life spell, and there were no immediate signs of body heat. Then again, she did not cast very potent alteration spells.

It was not often that Elisif was wrong, but on this occasion, she was so very, very mistaken. She grabbed the pack, but as soon as she turned to leave with it on her back, the reinforcements appeared, one shooting an arrow into her left shoulder.

Summoning magicka to her fingertips, Elisif peered around, finding a sweet spot wherein to hurl her next bit of destruction. When the fireball exploded, three were taken out, but it did not seem to deter the others. Lightning poured from her hands, shocking two others, but she knew they such attacks would not be affective much longer. She was injured, and her magicka was suffering because of it.

With one last blast of energy she turned, running blindly East. The trees and shrubs wizzed by as she panted past them. Every pound of her feet against the hard earth and stone sent a jolt of pain through her shoulder, but she kept going, sprinting for what seemed an eternity. It was a pity that the moons were not out that night, or she might not have tripped over the felled tree that lay in her path. As it was though, the force of her landing shoved the rest of the arrow clean through her flesh, fletching and all, and came out the other side. The scream that left her mouth was so uncharacteristic of her, she thought as her surroundings seemed to swim. Hadn't she endured worse without calling out?

The pursuit was at an end, and she knew it. Heavy boots were stomping up to her as her vision dimmed, but when someone seized her under the arms to lift her up, she pressed a hand to their body and sent the last of her magicka through him, shocking him until he fell to convulsing. The punch that followed was hardly felt as she fell to the ground unconscious.

"Elisif?" a cool, gentle hand slid against her cheek, and she moaned at the soothing touch on her bruised face. "My dear Elisif, it's time to wake up." Her face pressed against his hand, leaning into the caress until the voice finished speaking. That voice. It wasn't possible!

Her pale green eyes slid open to reveal an elegant, handsome Dunmer. White hair, red eyes, a perfectly aristocratic face, and a smirk that revealed to her all manner of depravity was in store.