Chapter 21
Daggerfall Palace, Guests Wing
"I get it Princess, I'm not the most well versed in politics," Beefeater began calmly before shifting to a more inquisitive tone, "but could you explain why you bluntly accepted her proposition about touring the city?"
Piña, who stood near the room's window, looked unperturbed at the small outburst of her friend. A small smile formed on her lips.
"Surely Princess Theodora must have some kind of motive?" The purple haired knight theorized.
"Of course, she does." She quickly added before her friend could speak up again, "at least I would, if I was in her place."
Beefeater blinked, her eyes widening as she stared at the Saderan Princess. "You know? Then why are you so… calm?"
The redhead simply waved her concerns. "Because she or Princess Berenice literally gain nothing by putting me in harm's way, it would only undermine their Empire as a whole and the diplomatic accords they've been working to bring."
Her subordinate tilted her head to consider her words. "Yes, that is true. But then what do they want?"
Piña raised two fingers. "If I read her correctly, one, another show of goodwill and transparency. And they kill two birds with one stone by getting close to us."
The other girl crossed her arms with a frown. "So we go along with it?"
"Yes. I'm sure she knew I would jump at the occasion. I wanted to see for myself in detail one of their cities, not just what estimated visitors are allowed to be shown. And befriending two foreign Princesses is a chance I will not pass up. However…"
"However?"
The redhead threw a glance outside the windows. "There is still the matter of tonight to discuss."
Beefeater felt a headache coming. It already didn't sit well with her that she was going to be at the center of attention but now she had to add yet more political machinations. By Emroy! Why did it have to be me and not Bozes or Hamilton?
"I assume there will be representatives from neighboring vassal realms. I have yet to see how many there are but I will remedy it shortly." She rearranged her hair. "What matters is that we need to establish powerful connections, the more the better. It will reinforce our positions back home when I stand before the Senate to inform them about my discoveries. I'll make sure they won't be able to cast me aside so easily."
"And if they do?" Her friend suggested.
"They could," she recognized with a nod. "That would be the Hawks' position, continuing the war and discounting all other issues, like the economical repercussions, the infernal creatures roaming the countryside as well as many other points… That is why I sent Hamilton back to Sadera to deal with the Doves. But I acknowledge that without strengthening my position with local allies, I come across as a puppet of a foreign power. Besides…" A grin formed on her face, "while it seems I won't be able to find myself a suitor of Imperial rank, you, on the other hand, might get your chance."
The Knight Captain rolled her eyes. "You know what? Let's get ready to depart."
A few minutes later, the two, alongside Princess Berenice, Beefeater and even Rory, left the palace by a hidden exit. The Saderan had been given local dresses covered with cloaks to meddle with the local middle class. Piña had even let her hair down instead of keeping her trademark braid, looking barely recognizable.
Cyrus arrived not long after, now in Breton civilian clothing consisting of a green and blue shirt and dark pants. He had removed his warpaint, his current orders being to keep a close eye on Rory's whereabouts while she was out in the city.
Said Apostle approached him, staring at the young man from top to the bottom, a curious expression on her face. "It's kind of weird seeing you without your armor and that dragon painting. You look…" she grinned, "different."
He rolled his eyes before gazing back at the demigoddess. She looked far more like a normal young girl without her priestess robes. "The dress suits you," the Cyrod stated plainly.
Rory blinked in surprise. "You really think so?"
The nod he gave her was enough to put her in high spirits. The two strode towards the rest of their companions where Berenice was giving instructions.
"We will need to do away with our honorifics," the blonde began instructing, glancing at the foreigners. "I hope it won't be a problem."
Beefeater shook her head with a small grin. "Of course, your…" she froze a few seconds before correcting herself, "...erm, I mean Berenice."
"I understand perfectly and see no problem with it," Piña added. "We can't exactly stay unnoticed if we keep our titles."
"Another thing," the Breton princess said as she raised a finger, "some of us can't use their actual names, they are too recognizable. I'll be Beatrice, Bea for short." She turned to her Cyrod friend.
"Thea for me," Theodora then gazed at the rest of her companions. "Piña, Rory and Cyrus should be fine. They're short enough as they are. Beefeater, however…"
"Just call me Beef," she winked, "it's not like I will have one with you."
A coughing sound was heard.
"... Yes, well there's another problem," Berenice continued without losing her composure. She pointed to the Knight's head. "Your hair…"
"There's something in it?" The girl exclaimed. She frantically passed her hand to search them for anything.
"No, it's just… The color is quite recognizable," the Breton Princess tried diplomatically.
"Oh."
Berenice turned to Cyrus, beaming at him. "Cyrus, can you do something with your magic to conceal them?"
He nodded before approaching 'Beef'. She recoiled with a wary expression.
"Hey! Just because I trust you enough to ensure my security doesn't mean you can cast any spell on me," she protested. "Can't we just use a wig?"
Piña moved to reassure her, a hand touching her shoulder before nodding with a smile.
Her friend briefly gave her a fearful look before gulping. She turned to see Cyrus' hand glowing, blinding her with the light. When it faded, she immediately passed her hand through hair to see if she hadn't gone bald.
"I temporarily altered the color of your hair to black," the Battlemage explained. "I hope you don't mind but other colors can be a bit… tricky. I'll dispel the spell once we're back."
"Thank you…?" the confused Knight replied in an unsure tone. "By the way… What is your cover going to be, Cyrus? Not to be rude, but you do stand out."
"I'll be Rory's big brother sent to keep watch on her," he replied.
"What?!" The concerned exclaimed as she looked at Cyrus with wide eyes.
"Good idea," 'Tea' cut her. She mischievously winked at the Apostle. "After all, who knows what devious influences young women like us could have on such a pure mind."
The rest of the girls had difficulty suppressing a laugh, their cheeks puffing and reddening as they kept their mouth shut.
Rory opened her mouth, seemingly to protest, before closing it and sending a dark look to Cyrus who simply shrugged.
"What are you complaining about? I'll give you all my drinks," he whispered to her.
"Do you actually think you can buy the Apostle of War and Death with alcohol?"
"Not really, no."
Rory groaned. He was just impossible. "Just… Nevermind."
They took a coach to quickly pass through the city, paid with the septims they had been given.
"Where are we going first?" The redhead asked as she looked through the windows.
Berenice's face illuminated with a wide smile. "We are going to taste the famous cuisine Brétonne at a local Restaurant, Saveurs de la Baie d'Illiac."
Upon hearing this, Rory's mood considerably brightened. She was already salivating.
"Forgive me, what is this restaurant you speak of?" Piña asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Well, it's kind of like a tavern but it doesn't offer drinks, instead it puts an emphasis on gastronomy by serving dishes of quality to customers. The best restaurants have chefs on par with those working for nobility or even royalty."
"It's a Breton invention," Theodora commented as the coach suddenly rocked. "High Rock is, after all, the Tamrielic capital of gastronomy."
Definitely the highlight of Breton culture, Cyrus mused as he glanced at Rory who was still fantasizing about her food.
The coach eventually stopped to let its passengers exit. Berenice took the lead. They entered a pedestrian street only. Given it was lunch time, it happened to be quite crowded.
They stayed in a group as they walked, Cyrus keeping a watchful eye. He threw a few glances around them. Most if not all people they came across ignored them. Besides, the Battlemage knew that it was likely the Penitus Oculatus and the Daggerfall Royal Spies were keeping tabs on their group.
They arrived before the restaurant. The storefront of the building had a large sign of a roasted pig with written "Saveurs de la Baie d'Illiac". It was rather big and looked well presented. As they approached it, a waiter greeted them.
"Welcome to the Saveurs de la Baie d'Illiac, Mesdamoiselles and Messire, how may I help you?"
Berenice nodded with a smile before searching for something between the folds of her dress before presenting him with a note. "Good day, we have a reservation."
The man briefly read it before gesturing to them to come inside. "Please, follow me."
They were led to a terrace where a large table covered with an immaculate tablecloth was seemingly waiting for them. They took their seats around it.
"Before I leave to bring you the menus, would you like another drink aside from water?"
From a common accord, the group took a bottle from a local red wine.
Piña threw a few glances around them. Every table seemed to be occupied by different types of customers. She spotted a few families with young children, a few couples (including one demihuman/human pairing) and groups of people deep in conversations she wasn't able to hear.
The waiter came back soon enough, carrying the wine and the cards. Of course, the Falmartians were unable to read them but Berenice simply asked for today's specials.
"You're in luck," he cheerfully announced, "we got freshly caught fish and seafood this morning. I can offer you an assortment with a side dish of your choice, either rice, fried potatoes or vegetables. Otherwise we have roasted beef with mushrooms and sauce forestière ."
After making their decision (Theodora proposed that since they were six, three would take the meat while the three others would go for the seafood, as to share), the waiter left them to their own devices. The conversation soon turned around the Rose Order of Knights, into which the two Tamrielic Princesses expressed their interest.
"So, Piña," Berenice began after taking a sip of wine, "I've come to understand you and Beef," the mentioned individual glanced at her upon hearing her nickname, "were part of a Knightly order."
The redhead, who had been tasting the wine herself, smiled. Now that was her favorite subject. "Indeed, the Rose Order of Knights. In fact, I was the one to establish it with the help of a knight veteran from the…" she stopped momentarily, "the army."
The blonde blinked in surprise. The Saderan Princess didn't appear that old. Was the Order very recent then? "When did you create it?"
The Falmartian girl briefly froze, counting on her fingers. "I would say, officially around four years ago. But I started my knight's school even before that."
Berenice and Theodora gazed at one and another before whistling in admiration. "Really? So young? My, that's impressive! And you even have a school for aspiring knights?"
"Why but yes, is there no such thing here?"
"School for Knights? Not specifically," Theodora answered with a shake of the head. "You have military schools of course which would be similar, I guess. But Knights aren't taught at school but generally as the student of another Knight."
"Of course," Piña acknowledged with a nod, "it is similar in… Where we are from."
"So what are the duties of the Rose Order? What do you actually do?" Berenice asked.
Beefeater's face lightened up. "As a Captain from the order, I can easily answer that question," she proudly replied.
The two Tamrielian girls' glinted. "You're a Captain at your age? That's… quite an achievement."
"Indeed and bloodied! To answer your question, our very first task when the order was established saw us taking down an entire clan of goblin bandits." She didn't bother to hide the pride of her accomplishment while Berenice and Theodora were still in admiration.
Rory snorted before whispering to Cyrus, "I could have done that on my own easily."
"Then why didn't you?" The young man responded, almost rolling his eyes.
"Eh… I had… stuff to do."
"What have you done since then?" He heard Theodora ask the Saderan girls.
Beefeater suddenly froze and started fidgeting her fingers. "Well…" She started only to be cut by Piña.
"I'm not sure how much you know about our homeland, but outside my Order, women never carried weapons," the Princess explained. She continued after seeing the shocked expression of the Tamrielian young women, "As a result, we were reduced to mostly honor guard duty. Well, a few exceptions here and here but nothing noteworthy," she briefly glanced at the Apostle and the Necromancer, "until Italica that is." She turned back to Berenice. "'Beatrice', I wanted to know, how do Knightly Orders work here in High Rock? I was told they were quite prominent here."
"Indeed," the blonde nodded, "it's part of our culture. Knightly Orders are quite numerous and can be sworn to a Kingdom, a fiefdom or even a powerful noble are considered an elite force and are often called to carry perilous missions or to fight alongside the regular army. Daggerfall naturally has its own Order, the Knights of the Dragon, from the realm's sigil."
Pretty similar to our own Orders then, Piña reflected after taking another sip from her glass. "Is there a good story about why a Dragon is Daggerfall's symbol or is it tied to the Empire?"
The Breton Princess paused, raising her eyes to the sky for a brief moment. "That's a good question. The Dragon that is actually referred to is the ruler of Daggerfall. But why is that…" She blinked, snapping back to reality. "Now I remember! There was a legendary King in the First Era, Edward of Daggerfall. They say he was chosen by Akatosh the Dragon-God himself and drove out the Nords of High Rock. The story of his adventures is actually quite popular as literature."
The redhead beamed. The stories about heroic knights were her favorite. "Definitely a story you'll need to tell me about."
Rory heard a snort coming from Cyrus. She threw him a glance. He was still keeping a neutral expression.
"Is it bad or inaccurate?" She asked him with a small elbow.
"It reads like one of your typical Breton chosen one/blessed at birth story. In fact it reminds me of the Sage in several ways. And yes, it's woefully inaccurate, their portrayal of non-Bretic cultures is just terrible. Altmer, Bosmer, Nords, Cyrodiil, Dwemer… even the Dragons were not spared."*
Dragons are cultured here? a dumbstruck Rory wondered. She smirked. "So what you're saying is, 'I wouldn't recommend it to you'," she teased him.
"Unless you're into that sort of thing."
Their exchange was interrupted when the waiter finally brought the starter dishes. Uncooked pork meat known as charcuterie for Cyrus and Rory (she had decided to follow his example) while the others had chosen raw vegetables. "Bon appétit," the waiter wished them.
Rory was overjoyed after taking her first bite of dried sausage, her eyes glinting. "By Emroy! It must have been an eternity since I tasted uncooked meat of that quality! And that's just the appetizer!" She exclaimed.
"Couldn't you just not stuff yourself with it?" Cyrus tentatively pleaded. Alas, it fell on deaf ears as the Apostle scarfed down everything at lightning speed, from the ham to the sausage.
"Bouarf," she burped, patting her belly, "hope the rest follows soon." She saw Cyrus staring at her then realized the rest of the table was imitating him, albeit with more wide eyes and the skin paler. "What are you all looking at?"
"I don't know if I'm going to be able to eat anything if she continues like that," Beefeater commented as she refrained from vomiting.
"Are all Apostles like that in Falmart?" Theodora whispered to Piña, hoping she wasn't heard by the demi-goddess. So far, she had only regarded her more as a curiosity, not knowing what to think of her.
"I… I'm afraid I have very little experience with Apostles outside her holiness Rory who I only met once before Italica." Still, in spite of their conversation the night before, the redhead was still flabbergasted on how the Apostle was willing to play along with the Battlemage during their exchange. Seriously, how does he do that?
Fortunately, her thoughts were cut short when the rest of the dishes arrived. The rest of the meal went on without any incidents.
Piña and Beefeater had to admit, the reputation of the Bretic cuisine wasn't usurped. For an establishment that was open to all, the food quality was far closer to a nobility feast. One did not simply find lobsters in a common tavern.
Then there were the exotic side dishes. They already had been familiarized with potatoes back at the camp (even if those here were just not comparable) but rice was new to them. By themselves, those white grains didn't look special but they married well with the main dishes, especially the sauced beef.
The waiter came back to take back their plates just as they finished eating. "How did you find your meal? I hope it was to your liking."
"Absolutely!" An overjoyed Beefeater exclaimed. "I haven't eaten something that good for a long while."
"Glad to hear it, Damoiselle," he replied back with a charming smile. "Would you like a dessert? We have fruit pies, Nord's milk, cakes..."
Something glinted within Theodora's eyes as she turned to Berenice who immediately nodded at her silent suggestion. "We'll take Nord's milk**. What flavor do you have?"
"Chocolate, mint, strawberry and lemon."
After a brief conversation between themselves (notably for the Tamrielians to advise the Falmartians), the group took their command.
"So what's Nord's milk?" Rory casually asked Cyrus as she crossed her arms behind her head. "Is it literally milk made by those Nords from…" what was it again? "Sky… rift?"
"Rim, Skyrim," the Cyrod corrected her. "And no, it doesn't. It's a frozen cream made from milk. Except for the lemon one, it's dairy free."
The girl rolled her eyes. "Tssk, you people have a strange way of naming things, first the city, then now this. Why not simply call it frozen cream or… Ice cream?"
A shrug was all she got as an answer. "I'm a scholar in the history of past and current civilizations, not in naming things."
Upon their last dish being brought, Rory eyed her bowl with curiosity. Then, imitating the rest of the table, she grabbed her spoon, gathered some portion from the brown ball, chocolate it was called, and then carefully inserted it in her mouth to taste it. Her eyes widened. It was cold, she had expected as much, but it started to melt in her mouth, like ice or snow. And the taste! So good. She devoured the rest in a second.
Upon seeing her mouth covered with Nord's milk, Cyrus grabbed his napkin to wipe the girl's face.
"What are you doing?" The Apostle protested in an embarrassed tone.
"Cleaning my little sister. You know, to keep the act." He whispered the last part.
"... You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
The young man didn't reply, seemingly focused on his current task.
After paying the bill, the group found themselves walking the streets. Berenice led them to the marketplace they had crossed through this morning.
They found the plaza quite crowded by the time they reached it. Like them, most people seemed to have just finished their meal and were about to leave for their afternoon business.
A boy that looked barely taller than Rory was shouting while holding a package with an undisclosed content. "Ask the Daggerfall's Gazette! King Arnaud is organizing a feast in the honor of her imperial Highness Princess Theodora! Rumors of guests arriving from neighboring realms! News from Ykalon!"
Cyrus walked up to him, exchanging a coin against what looked like parchments joined together.
"What is this?" Rory asked him as she stared at the sheets with curiosity.
"Newspaper. It's basically… well the public news of Tamriel but written."
That got Piña's interest as she listened to the pair attentively.
"So like some sort of written town crier? I see," the demi-goddess said as she gazed back at the Newspaper the battlemage held, trying to decipher the letter. "Wouldn't that work better with a crier actually? A lot of people can't read."
She was rebuked almost immediately. "Here most can. Besides, newspapers are more detailed than a crier's news."
Interesting… the Saderan Princess mentally noted. So these newspapers are like a merging between a report and a town crier. Sadera did have written news placarded on the Forum, notably concerning Senatorial edicts, but that was something only the upper class and the few literate plebeians worried about.
"I guess," Emroy's Chosen conceded. She shook her head, "Anyway, what does it say?"
"Mmh," the Battlemage flipped the pages, "King Arnaud is organizing a feast this evening. No official reason given yet but it's speculated here because of Princess Theodora and to celebrate closer ties to Cyrodiil. This is supported by the numerous carriages spotted going to the Palace."
So no official announcement yet about my visit here. The populace has yet to be made aware… Speaking of which…
"What are the news written about Ykalon?" The Redhead asked.
"Nothing much. It just mentions the situation is still stable and the people who had fled the barony are starting to return to their homes."
"That might explain the state of the townspeople. They don't seem that worried about war," Beefeater commented as she threw glances around her.
"It was different a few days ago when the Imperial Crown Prince's forces were stationed nearby. What was happening in Ykalon was in everyone's mind, no children playing in the streets, shops closed… As it stands now, the Kingdom needed to hear those news," Berenice explained. "But enough of that, there is a place we must go first before continuing, follow me."
The blonde directed their group towards one of the largest buildings hidden by the banks, a clothing shop, judging by its sign. It read At Charles Laurent, Tailor of Their Majesties.The storefront was decorated with golden paint to attract a certain class of clients.
The inside of the shop was as massive as the exterior and filled with shelves of all kinds of clothes, robes, dresses, shirts or even pants. Piña and Beefeater exchanged a pleased look. Just what they needed for tonight.
After Berenice had a talk with the woman behind the counter, they were let through the back shop to meet with the man in charge. Messire Laurent was already aware of the Princesses' visit, greeting everyone with their honorifics. He had three seamstresses take the measurements of the Falmartians, a surprised Rory included.
Afterwards, they were presented with a selection of gowns of all kinds, alongside several materials and colors for them to choose. Upon being finished, Messire Laurent promised the three first gowns would be delivered later the same day.
The layout of Daggerfall was similar to most Saderan cities and thus the Falmartians were most familiar with it. The city was built around the Royal Palace and the closer they got to the Walls, the poorer the districts became.
They had left behind the manors of the upper class residential area, trading them for multiple stories buildings glued to one and another, generally housing several apartments. The large cobbled streets became less common and replaced by tight alleys to navigate between the city blocks.
Here, they encountered several dubious people carrying all kinds of weapons or armor, generally headed for the nearest Tavern. Mercenaries, guessed Piña. This didn't seem to bother the locals that much and the sights of groups of children playing was quite common. As to the local stench, it was… Bearable. A testament of the local sewage system.
Leaning against a wall not far from their group, a young man holding a lute was performing a song. A small monkey was presenting to spectators what appeared to be the bard's hat. Judging by its current content, the day had been quite generous.
"There lived a knight named Lyrisius. He fought against the treacherous snakes of the East, slaying legions. Alas! His army hardly shared his valor and soon brave Lyrisius found himself alone."
As he sang, the bard conjured small illusions to illustrate the events of his tale. It was mesmerizing.
The battered knight fled the battlefield, his enemy's chariots pursuing him. "Far from the realms of men, he entered the blasted lands. There, the knight met and faced a terrible wyrm." The image of a dragon had now appeared next to the knight. "The great scaly beast mocked the mighty blows of Lyrisius' enchanted spear. It melted the shield Fearstruck, gift of the Prince Boethiah, with a single blast of its fiery breath. Bested, our hero surrendered and offered himself in service to the creature."
"The Dragon was prideful and quickly accepted. Seeing the beast vulnerable to conceit, courageous Lyrisius elaborated a plan. Tricking the wyrm into allowing him to climb onto its back to polish his master's scales, the knight used his dagger to threaten the one weak point of the lizard's armor, its neck. Angered, the creature took the air, intending to rid itself of its traitorous servant, to no avail. Finally relenting, it was issued a command by Lyrisius. 'Fly straight on until you see a great army. Destroy that army and I will remove my blade.'" The knight was now flying on the dragon who, in a rather impressive display of illusion magic, breathed fire at the chariots.
"The task done, Lyrisius allowed the beast its freedom as he leapt into the air. But the flying snake tried to devour the noble knight. Fortunately Boethiah appeared at her Champion side and, praising him for destroying the invaders of Akavir, turned brave Lyrisius into a raven, allowing him to slip away from the Dragon. It is said that it still lives and has since carried an eternal grudge against the one knight that fooled him."
As the song ended with images of the raven flying away, the young man bowed to his public who saluted the performance with a thundering applause. Rory was by far the more excited, screaming "Again! Again!"
The bard's monkey soon found the hat it carried far too heavy and went back to its owner. Collecting the money, the musician approached Rory, producing a red rose from seemingly out of nowhere.
"A gift befitting such a fair young damoiselle as yourself," he said, giving the girl the flower before saluting the rest of the crowd.
The Apostle put the rose into her hair. She excitedly glanced back at her companions. "Hey Cyrus, can you do that?"
The Battlemage crossed his arms before looking back at her. "Do what? The butterflies or the illusions?"
"Yes, and the flower thing."
"All of it?" He shook his head. "I don't have the training of a performer, I can't just pull a normal rose out of nowhere. I can do some small scale illusions but that's it."
"Disappointing."
"Are magical street performers common in this part of the city?" Beefeater asked the Tamrielians.
"It is Daggerfall, magic is just part of who we are, you know. You are bound to see a few but their skills will vary a lot and the more skilled they are, the likeliest they will rather perform in theaters," Berenice explained to her.
"That said," Theodora began, "bards who supplement their stories with magical illusions are quite common." She gave a nod in the direction of the musician. "Like this one. But don't be fooled by their magic, it is second to their tongue skills."
"Tongue skills?" The Rose captain questioned. She internally blushed by wondering if the Cyrodilic Princess had meant that kind of tongue skills.
Unlike her friend, the comment didn't fly over Piña's head who read between the lines her Tamrielian counterpart. So the local Bards make a profession of being silver-tongued? Clever. I bet they make excellent spies too.
Turning around, the group headed next to the square of Kynareth's Cathedral to relax. The square's borders were delimited by green walls which fit the place given Kynareth having dominion over Nature. They sat up on an unoccupied bench, not far from the fountain where the Goddess' statue found itself.
After observing the occasional pilgrim kneeling before the pool, Rory approached it. Up close, the Goddess' representation appeared welcoming with her warmth smile. She turned back to see Cyrus who had followed her. The Battlemage, however, seemed more preoccupied by the statue as he stared at it with his usual blank expression.
The silence was broken when Rory spoke. "I was wondering, does Kynareth cover fertility? Since she's the Goddess of Nature and you know..." Her fingers nervously twitched.
"Fertility? As in for the crops? Actually yes, Kynareth has dominion over the Heavens and rain comes from her so she's widely popular, alongside Mara, among…" He was cut off before he could finish.
"Well… Not exactly the kind of fertility I was asking for." The girl's fingers twitching accelerated and her cheeks began to flush. "It's just her statue's attire. It kinda reminded me of Miritta, our Goddess of Fertility."
Cyrus turned his head back to her. "Just… Don't pay much attention to that. It's just… her Bretic artistic representation, they represent every Goddesses that way. Truth to be told, it's not very popular in Cyrodiil. I can't even explain it but Bretons religious practices are…" he stopped a moment, visibly searching his words, "bizzare. No… Chaotic. I've heard each Divine Temple is either politically allied or outright at odds towards each other. I don't know the details and frankly, I don't care to know them."
"Actually… that's pretty similar back home. Some Gods just can't get along." She leaned towards him to whisper. "You remember how Emroy is the God of Darkness? Well there's Zufumuut who is the God of Light and Order. Short story, we don't get along and I can assure you, his worshippers are anything but nice."
Why am I not surprised, Cyrus thought as he took notes mentally. "So who is this Miritta?"
"Oh… well she's the Goddess of Fertility so she protects her worshippers from dying by childbirth. But…" The Apostle decided her feet were more interesting. "...they have to prostitute themselves at least once before their wedding. I've heard about loopholes and arrangements with the priesthood but dunno how that works."
The Battlemage remained quiet. Maybe he was missing some contextual elements because he really didn't like what he had just heard. If the demi-goddess, it was nothing short of a disgusting coercion. He clenched his teeth. First that creep in their Underworld and now this? What's next? One of the local Gods is the Lord of Brutality in disguise? He shook his head.
The young man suddenly felt a chill down his spine. Throwing glances around, he saw that Rory had gone back to the bench. A woman stood near him, briefly kneeling before the fountain. He had been so absorbed by his thoughts that he hadn't heard her approaching.
She must have noticed his sudden unease because she immediately apologized when she stood back. "Sorry for startling you, Sir, it was not my intention. I merely wanted to pray directly under the gaze of the Goddess." Her face was hidden by a cloak.
"A feeling that she will greatly appreciate, Miss." he answered politely. "Kynareth has no need for indoor Temples, this square is as much her place of worship as the Cathedral." He could not place her accent, it seemed Bretic but it didn't sound local. "Please, do continue, you did not bother me, I was going to leave. May Kynareth's breath accompany you."
"And you too, sir."
He headed back to the bench when he felt more shivers, this time very distinct. He briefly looked at the enchanted ring Mei had given him for the mission. It was attuned with nearby Penitus Oculatus agents to contact them if needed. And it worked both ways. Which meant a spy was trying to reach him. He glanced back at the group. 'Thea' was staring at him. He made a sign that he needed to leave. The Princess acknowledged him with a nod.
"How have you found Daggerfall so far?" Berenice asked her two Saderan guests.
"You're allowed to criticize it, she won't mind," Theodora added with a playful smirk. She didn't appear concerned about Cyrus leaving.
Beefeater took the brunette on her word. "I must admit it wasn't as grand as I expected, I mean, no young men accosted us at any moment. Do they have no taste around here?"
"Oh dear, your cavalier attitude must be intimidating to them. That or our escort."
Piña repressed a small laugh before rolling her eyes. She then cleared her throat. "I actually find the city very welcoming. In a way, it's a mix of familiarity and novelty. I just wish I could see more of it." The current day had seemed particularly long but wealthy in information for her. If Daggerfall was anything to judge by, High Rock was not as foreign in conventions as she might have expected. There were differences for sure, but similarities too to be exploited.
Her mind focused on tonight. Important people will be there, I need to use it to my advantage. But for now, let's relax.
"Yes, I understand the feeling," the blonde Breton continued, oblivious to her guest's thoughts. "You must not have noticed it but there's actually a harbor, south of the city proper. With no surprise, Daggerfall is one of the most important destinations in the Illiac Bay. We'll need to visit it, sadly it's a bit late for today. I thought about the Cathedral since we are close by but thinking about it, now isn't the best time. We'll wait for when an official celebration takes place. I've also thought of visiting the countryside…" She shook her long hair. "Forget about it, we'll talk about it another time." She produced a small package from the folds of her dress. "I don't think you have ever heard about Tales of Tribute or even Legends? Those are popular card games around here, especially Tales of Tribute for the nobility."
The redhead Princess' curiosity was piqued as she looked at Berenice unfolding the deck of cards. Anything related to the local aristocracy was of interest to her. "How do we play it?"
"The Principle is that cards are classified by color sets with each set matching what we call a 'patron.' Each set represents a story, that's in the Title of the game, 'Tales of Tribute.' There's only four Patrons used for a game plus the basic one which is always in game. Each player chooses two Patrons at the start of the game. Then there's the resources to choose cards for your deck…"
She continued the explanations until she saw the confusion in Beefeater's eyes.
"'Bea', maybe it would be better if you and I were to play to show the rules properly?" Theodora proposed.
Her friend agreed with the idea. "I was thinking the same."
A few rounds was all it took for the Falmartians to learn the basics. The game primarily relied on strategy and, of course, luck.
"Sometimes, luck can really do you in," 'Thea' told them as she grabbed a card from the 'Tavern'. "I remember trying to get enough purple cards to come with combos but there weren't any in the Tavern. So I switched to my secondary color. Then of course, right after I grabbed the card, it was replaced by the purple one I was looking for. But since I had no more gold left, I had to end my turn. And of course my adversary was also playing purple so they took it. Then another purple came up… They had enough gold left to take it too. I don't need to say I lost that game."
It was the turn of Beefeater and Piña to play against one and another. The game was a lot of fun.
The redhead was quick to recognize the strength of each color set. Red is for favoring a quick victory, gold is for resources, purple is about accumulating potent combos…
Once over, they switched adversaries with their Tamrielian counterparts.
"Hmmm…." Rory began as she glanced at the games. "I was wondering, do any of you know where Cyrus wandered off?"
Beefeater covered her mouth as she looked around with a shocked expression. "He had been mostly keeping to himself that I hadn't realized he was gone."
Theodora handwaved their concerns. "It's fine. Something came up that required his attention. He'll be back soon enough."
Indeed, the Battlemage arrived two rounds later.
"Oh, Cyrus! I was wondering when you'd finally come back," Rory said in a cheerful mood. "What happened that kept you so long?"
"Let's just say that duty called."
Moments earlier
Cyrus followed the square's labyrinthian green walls. Bretons do love their mazes, he reflected. As he passed, he felt several eyes on him. A brief look around showed a few townsfolk glancing at him but nothing that aroused his suspicion.
An old man holding a cane was sitting on a bench. As the Heartlander approached him, he smiled. "Bonjour friend," he said with a local accent. "You appear to have quite a busy day," he said in a relaxed tone.
Cyrus' eyes scanned him. His ring's enchantment was shining his interlocutor. The Battlemage took place next to him, "you could say that," he said to the agent. He briefly revealed his ring to make the spy understand he knew who he was talking to. "A really long day, I hope you do not mind if I sit next to you, Sir."
"None at all young man," the 'old man' nodded. "Someone is watching you," he suddenly added in a brief whisper.
The battlemage tensed. "Thank you…Group?" Were the others being watched too?
The agent shook his head while making a noise by hitting his cane against the ground..
So just me then, but who and why?
"Perhaps some things are better when dealt with quickly."
Go and deal with it, understood, Cyrus mentally said as he gave a nod to the spy and left the bench. "Pleasant afternoon, Sir."
If someone was following him, it wasn't necessarily for ill-intent, he reasoned. Especially in the open like that. He elected to wait to confront his 'pursuer' in an isolated area of the square, leaning his back against the green wall. Sure enough, someone arrived. It was the woman from earlier, at the Statue. He recognized her by the loose black dress she was wearing and her cloak. He briefly froze when she removed it, revealing her long light brown hair. No way
"It's been a long time, Dragonboy," the woman said, confirming her identity.
Several minutes passed before he answered her. "It's been three years at least, Maëlisse, and you are still using that nickname?"
The woman exploded in a laugh. "Ah ah ah… ah sorry, it's just… I know how fond you were of that one."
He rolled his eyes. She didn't change much
"I mean, I decide to enjoy the fresh air by the square and collect myself on Kynareth's statue then I see this guy staring at it. I start approaching him and weirdly, he kind of looks familiar but I can't get to remember from where. So I throw him glances without staring too much and bam! Suddenly it hit me! Good ol' Cyrus the Dragonboy himself!"
Cyrus scratched his beard. "I suppose I did change a lot, physically."
"Yeah you did. Kind of suits you actually, it gives you a more 'mature' look."
"Thanks, I guess."
"You're welcome."
The brunette hadn't lost the snark from her student years. She and Cyrus had been part of the same circle of friends back at the Arcane University. Much like the majority of them, Jing aside, she wasn't part of the Nibenese upper class. She was actually a member of a wyrd coven sent to study magic abroad. Officially, of course, she was the pupil of a nobleman from the Kingdom of Evermore.
"So what are you doing here, in Daggerfall of all places?" The witch asked as she rested her back against the green wall. "I really didn't expect to see you there."
"As a guess…" the Nibenese briefly gazed at a passing bird, "same as you." He turned back to see the wyresse's reaction.
Her smile had lessened. It took her a few seconds before she answered him. "You were always as blunt as a hammer." She sighed, "touché, you win Battlemage. I'm here because of that Rift in Ykalon."
"So the wyrds are getting involved…" Cyrus commented in a half whisper. It was an open secret that the city of Daggerfall housed an urban coven from the Glenmoril Wyrd.
"Of course!" She clicked her tongue. "My people didn't just survive for millennia by just cutting ourselves from the rest of the world, you know. Why do you think I was sent to the University for? High Rock is our land and we won't let it be threatened by anyone."
"I understand… And if you're here, it's not just the Glenmoril involved, right?"
She shook her head. "I'm sure you already guessed the answer. Representatives of several covens are here, including the Beldama Wyrd."
And given how ideologically opposed some of these Covens were, especially the Glenmoril and the Beldama, it told him how serious they took the crisis.
"I've been through the Rift," he said out of the blue.
Maëlisse stared at him with wide eyes, a shocked expression on her face. "Why are you telling me this?"
"Because the Shadow Legion has worked with Covens before and will continue to do so. We need to keep what trust we have. So I can disclose non-classified information."
The young witch nodded gravely. "Thank you. It means a lot."
"As I was saying, I went through the Rift…" Cyrus summarized the events that had taken place after the battle of Ykalon to the exploration of the other world, while omitting some details, like the Saderans' presence.
"I see…" the Breton woman replied in an unsure tone. "And you don't have the slightest clue about who opened the way to that world?"
He shook his head categorically. "Whoever did that knew what they were doing. They even predicted what was happening in another world at the instant."
"Jephre's bones! This is worrying indeed, we might lead our own investigation on the matter." Her voice sounded quite unnerved. She passed her hand through her hair. "I know my people and Cyrodiil haven't necessarily seen eye to eye but thank you for your trust."
"We're on the same side here."
"Yeah, just like old times." Her gaze wandered for a few seconds before she regained composure. "Still, all of that doesn't tell me what you're doing here, dressed like a commoner when by all logic you should be in Ykalon. Did they give you permission?"
"Something like that…"
"I see." The brunette was smart enough to understand that he couldn't tell her.
The Battlemage's thoughts briefly switched back to tonight and what Mei had told him. He then glanced back at the wyresse.
"Cyrus… If you're going to say something, do it."
"To tell you the truth, I'm a guest at tonight's royal feast…"
"Oh! Moving up into the world I see but why…" Her eyes widened and her lips curled into a devious grin. "Tssk tssk tssk, I see what you're doing here. Never thought you'd be asking me to accompany you at a Royal event of all things."
"And I never thought I'd be in this situation. But you know how these events work, I need someone I can trust and… Despite all the time that passed, I would willingly put it in you."
The witch grasped her chest. "Oh Cyrus… I had no idea you felt that way." she teased him, hoping to elicit a reaction.
The Necromancer merely sighed. "I suppose I had it coming."
"Oh you did but pleasantries aside… I'm honestly touched. As for your answer, let me think." She tapped her forefinger against her chin, "the occasion to attend a celebration held by the King of Daggerfall and not as some disgusting baron's escort… Of course I'm going to accept."
"Thank you. And before I forget… Lady Mei will be there. I thought you ought to know that."
Maëlisse blinked. "She will?" She smiled. "I suppose it makes sense given the situation, it's been so long…"
He nodded. "I know… Now if you'll excuse me, duty calls. I'll be waiting for you tonight near the Palace."
"Of course, I'll meet you there…" As she watched her friend leave, she suddenly called him out. "Cyrus! Just one last thing, please. Why were you so certain you could trust me after all this time?"
The young man briefly stopped in his steps. "You wouldn't have called me Dragonboy otherwise."
* King Edward is a Daggerfall era book so it's a case of early installment weirdness. That said, it's also acknowledged as in-universe fiction. The story is a parallel with King Arthur, just replace Bretons with Britons and Nords by Saxons to see it. As for the Sage, same.
** Yes, Ice cream is absolutely a thing.