Hangover
Imperial Palace, Emperor's Quarters
Second Seed 23rd

Martin awoke late in the morning. He had a full-on hangover. To say that the reunification ball was a success would be a huge understatement. He opened his bleary eyes and could barely make out Lydia sitting on a bench in his room.

"How are you feeling this morning, your majesty?"

Martin could hear the smirk in her voice. He tried sitting up, covers falling to his waist, but he got incredibly dizzy and fell back into the prone position. He heard someone laughing. He was sure it was Lydia. He'd have to fire her. He tried sitting up again, but had to settle for propping himself up on his elbows, halfway between sitting laying.

"Here, drink this."

Martin did as he was told and immediately felt relief flooding through every part of his body. Maybe he wouldn't fire Lydia after all. He sat up and realized that he was completely naked under the covers. "What? Did…did you?"

Lydia burst out laughing again. Martin decided he was going to fire her.

"But Martin, don't you remember all the fun we had last night?" Lydia's laughter grew.

Martin was definitely going to fire her.

"You are enjoying this way too much," he said.

"Oh come on, I don't get much fun," Lydia replied.

Yup, absolutely fired.

"Here, you must be hungry," she handed him a big plate of food.

"Ok, maybe you're not fired," Martin said out loud. "How did I get here, anyway?"

Lydia started laughing again. "You and Elnath were drinking late into the night. Well past when most of the patrons retired to their various quarters and inns. That Nazir fellow helped Elnath back to his room and I helped you.

"You got me up here all by yourself?"

"You're a Bosmer, I'm a Nord, it wasn't difficult."

"That's racist. Your fired again. Get me some trousers."

Lydia kept laughing, but did as he said. She got him some trousers and a robe.

Martin slid on the trousers under his covers, then got up, surprisingly steady and put on the robe. "Wow, this robe is really comfortable."

"Perks of being the emperor."

"Have you eaten yet?"

"Hours ago," Lydia stifled another laugh.

"Whatever it was you just gave me worked wonders. Thank you."

"It came from one of the court healers. I'll let her know it worked."

"Again, thank you. Back to not being fired."

Lydia was all laughed out, but she smiled warmly.

Martin finished eating and adjusted his robe. He was standing in front of Lydia and was actually feeling normal again. "Thank you, Lydia, you have always taken good care of me."

"Someone has to," she replied, still smiling warmly. She made a minor adjustment to his robe, and he looked more like an emperor, and not a hungover party goer.

Martin looked at her. Not just looking, but really looked at her, noticing how beautiful she was, and not for the first time. They had been through so much together. She had never left his side. He realized he never wanted her to leave his side.

Lydia saw him staring and decided now was the right time. "Martin," she began. "A few weeks ago, I thought I lost you…a few days ago, I thought I was going to lose you again. It was the most horrible feeling…I don't…I…I can't lose you. I can't be without you."

Martin reached out with his hand and cupped her cheek. Lydia close her eyes briefly, smiled and let out a small sigh. When she opened her eyes, Martin was looking directly into them, a deep look, straight into her soul.

"Lydia, I have cherished every moment you have been by my side. I want you by my side always, not merely as a companion or a body guard. I want *you* by my side…always."

Their eyes locked, they slowly leaned in towards each other. Lydia's heart fluttered. Martin's heart skipped a beat. They moved slowly, tentatively, but then their lips touched. The world melted away and they were floating in the Aetherius. A feeling of joy surrounded them. Nothing else existed. In that moment, it was just the two them, their lips locked, floating in pure, unbridled bliss.

Slowly, the world reformed around them. They reluctantly pulled back, their eyes still locked. Martin withdrew his hand and smiled.

Lydia smiled back, a big, warm, beaming smile.


Imperial Palace, Emperor's Office Area

An hour later, Martin was fully dressed and ready to start his day. He had a full day of meetings ahead and he was not looking forward to it. First, he could not get that kiss off his mind. He had longed for it for so long, and then it finally happened. He was going to have trouble focusing on anything else throughout the day.

On top of that, Martin would much rather be out on the field of battle then behind desk handling administrative matters, but this was his lot now. He could handle a sword, he could plan and execute both small scale combat and had become adept at handling large battles. However, it was one thing to rebuild an empire, it was another thing entirely to manage it.

His first meeting was with Elnath. Elnath had proven a valuable ally and a tremendous help with re-incorporating Hammerfell into the empire and Martin wanted to reward him with the most senior position he could grant. If Elnath would accept it, that is.

Elnath had arrived, right on time. "Your majesty," he bowed his head. "You look well this morning." He observed.

Martin chuckled. "Having the best court healers helps. How are you feeling, my friend?"

Elnath chortled. "Surprisingly not bad."

"Good, glad to hear it. How is the integration going?"

Elnath silently considered his words for a moment before responding. "Not too bad overall. There is some disagreement about garrisoning a legion in Gilane."

"Do they not want a legion in Hammerfell?" Martin asked.

"Oh no, that's not it," Elnath corrected. "They are happy to have an entire legion garrisoned, but some feel that Gilane may not be the best spot. Some just want troops in their own cities. Some want all the troops in their city."

"Well, the entire legion does not need to be garrisoned in a single city," Martin observed. "Why not have General Raziri draft a plan on how to station his troops and run it by Praetor Tullius for approval? Raziri can get input from the nobles if he would like, though I doubt he will be able to make all of them happy."

Elnath nodded and chuckled a little. "That's a good idea. And you're right, he won't make them all happy, but maybe he can satisfy enough of them."

"What else is there?" Martin asked.

"Infrastructure," Elnath began. "Our infrastructure is still quite damaged. The initial funding is a start, and many of the nobles have agreed to help fund projects, but I fear it's going to take a lot more than initially anticipated, and with a war going on…"

Martin nodded. "I understand. The Empire's coffers were…surprisingly well stocked. I also have no small personal fortune. That being said, I am working on ways to gain money for the empire without increasing taxes on the population. Trade will of course be one source, I think encouraging adventuring will be another."

"Trade has already picked up between the provinces. That is a very encouraging sign. Still, adventuring? Like in the Fighter's Guild? Hasn't that fallen into…disrepair? At least in Hammerfell, most fighter types took up arms to fight and defend their homes." Elnath explained.

"From what I've gathered, the Fighter's Guild in Cyrodiil is not much better. But I have a plan to help restore it empire-wide. That should help bring in some coin. I've already re-formed the Mages Guild, so that will help generate some coin as well. There are a few other options I'm looking at, but they are just ideas at the moment."

"Alright, so infrastructure repair…"

"Will remain high on the priority list and will remain funded," Martin confirmed.

"Thank you," Elnath said. "The nobles have learned that you are a man of your word."

Martin looked at him for a moment.

"Sorry, it's a turn of phrase. You know what I mean."

Martin smiled. "I do, just giving you a hard time. In all honesty, you have become instrumental, in the Empire's functioning and an invaluable aide to me. Once the reintegration becomes more settled, I would like for you to consider becoming my Chief Administrator."

"It would be a privilege and an honor, your majesty." Elnath said, then added, "Frankly I'm surprised you managed to get along without me."

Martin was a little surprised by the formality, but then realized Elnath was just setting him up for the joke. He smiled and shook his head.

"It was tough, but I managed to power through. Seriously though, you really have been invaluable and this re-integration would not have happened without you. I don't have many friends here in Cyrodiil, but I count you among them."

Elnath smiled, but warmly this time, "And I you. I would truly be happy to serve, and not just for myself, but politically speaking, it would be a great benefit having a former Hammerfell citizen, so highly placed on your staff, or council, or however you want to call it."

Martin had not thought about the political angle, but Elnath was a shrewd operator. That observation just showed Martin was right in making the request. "Good. Thank you. We'll discuss the details later on, but I need someone I can trust to help with the bureaucracy, especially now, as we re-integrate former provinces back into the fold."

"Do you think Elsweyr will rejoin the empire?" Elnath asked.

Yup, Elnath was definitely a shrewd one, Martin opined. Keeping his face neutral, he replied, "That's the hope. We're still in the middle of negotiations, but I think they will. Is there anything else you would like to discuss?"

"Well, there was one more thing. It may be a little…unusual…but Nazir has requested a meeting with you. In fact, he's sitting outside. If you would permit?"

Martin smiled to himself, but kept his face amiable yet neutral. "I have a few minutes. If that is the only thing left, then you may send him in on your way out."

Elnath bowed his head. "Thank you, Martin. I look forward to our next meeting." He rose and left the room.

Nazir entered a moment later. Martin rose. "Nazir, good to see you again. Please, have a seat." He motioned to a chair on the other side of his desk.

Nazir sat and smiled. "Thank you for seeing me, your majesty."

"So, does Elnath…know?" Martin asked.

"I don't think so. I'm sure he suspects something. I've been in Skyrim a long time, but I don't think he really knows anything or even what to suspect."

Martin nodded. "That's good. I do trust him, one of the few. I may induct him into the Blades. Anyway, what is so important that you came down to Cyrodiil?"

Nazir was actually surprised. "The Blades? Really? That would be something. As for why? I told you last night that there have been…developments. I would like to elaborate."

Nazir paused. Martin motioned for him to continue, so he did. "Cicero. Cicero is different."

"Cicero has always been…different." Martin pointed out.

"I know, perhaps I should say he's changed. He seems…sane."

"Sane? Cicero? Is that possible? He seemed pretty far gone." Marin said.

"I know, and I agree," Elnath responded. "He was always rubbing oil on the night mother, muttering to himself. It seemed…unnatural, but a few days ago, he came down and talked to me. We had a normal conversation. It was almost unsettling at how not unsettling the conversation was."

Martin held up a hand, "Ok, maybe start from the beginning."

"Of course, my apologies. Babette and I were talking in the main hall of the sanctuary. She was telling me about her previous evening's meal and I was mentioning she should try recruiting while out at night, when Cicero came and sat down at the table with us. He watched us talking and then said, 'We do need to increase our numbers, especially if we are going to spread to the other provinces.' Babette and I looked at him in shock."

"That does seem a normal statement, a very un-Cicero statement," Martin agreed.

"Yes, it is," Nazir paused for a moment and then continued. "He must've noticed our looks because he explained to us that the night mother rewarded him."

"Rewarded him? What do you mean?" Martin asked.

"Apparently the night mother and Sithis restored Cicero's sanity as a reward for being so faithful in his role as Keeper. Also, according to him, the role of Keeper is no longer required."

"So, what is he going to do?"

Nazir shrugged. "I guess go back to killing people. Seems he was quite skilled in that before he lost his mind. Anyway, he said that would be for the listener to determine."

Martin nodded, "I suppose I should talk to him?"

"Yes. Apprently, the night mother and Sithis are not finished with you yet, but it is hard to get contracts with the Listener sitting on the throne in Cyrodill and the Night Mother all the way up in Dawnstar."

Martin paused for a moment and then spoke. ""If I recall correctly, there used to be a Sanctuary in Elsweyr, one of the last. Corinthe, I believe. If Cicero's Journal was accurate, it was closed down and the members were sent to Cheydinhal. All of them were lost except Cicero. The Wayrest sanctuary was destroyed. The Corinthe sanctuary was abandoned, but intact. Same with the Cheydinhal sanctuary."

"So we can expand again, at least in two provinces." Nazir observed. "I think it would be a good idea if you came and listened to the Night Mother."

"For now, I agree, it is important that I listen to the Night Mother. But with the war going…"

"You can't leave for too long, I understand," Nazir said.

Martin had a stroke of genius. "Nazir, the Cheydinhal sanctuary is still viable. Would you please send Cicero, two initiates and the Night Mother back to that sanctuary? Then I can visit the Night Mother and seek guidance."

Nazir nodded. "As you wish, Listener."

"There's something else too," Martin added. "After one of my contracts, I was given a summoning spell, but it's not like any other summoning spell I know. In fact, the ghost actually warned me against killing Cicero."

"Really? A summoned ghost did that?" Nazir asked.

"Yes. He told me that our Dread Father did not wish for Cicero to be killed. I thought it odd, but every time I summoned him, he had remarks about the area. One time, he mentioned Fort Farragut. Do you know anything about that? Is it another sanctuary?"

Nazir shook his head. "I'm not familiar with that place."

"Hmmm…maybe Cicero knows? He seemed to track down old sanctuaries."

"Possibly," Nazir replied. "I will ask him. Is there anything else?"

"Yes. Astrid was not big on ranks. She ran the show and everyone else was family. As we expand the organization, we'll need a structure. I know there is a Listener and four Speakers, but beyond that I'm not sure. Please see what Cicero knows."

Nazir nodded. "I will send Cicero and two initiates to Cheydinhal. Then Babette and I will up our recruiting in Skyrim."

"Wonderful, thank you, Nazir. Also, it seemed that Astrid had abandoned the five tenants. One thing I am sure of…it is the will of the Night Mother that we returned to adhering to those tenants."

Nazir nodded. "I will start teaching them to our new recruits. They will become a part of who we are."

"Again, thank you. The Dark Brotherhood will expand, Nazir, all over Tamriel. Once again the very name will instill fear."


Hallway, Imperial Palace

"Ok, what gives?" Mjoll asked Lydia. "You seem…different. Normally you are a so serious, but this morning…" The two of them were walking towards Martin's office. Mjoll was going to update Martin on negotiations with the Mane. Lydia had been excused from Martin's latest meeting so she decided to meet Mjoll and walk her to the office.

Lydia smiled, a big beaming smile.

"Oh no, you didn't!" Mjoll exclaimed. "He didn't!"

Lydia nodded. "Martin kissed me. Or…or maybe I kissed him? No, we kissed each other. Yeah, it had to be each other."

"You did! And…?"

"And…nothing. That's it, we kissed, but it wasn't just a kiss, Mjoll, it was…it was pure bliss, harmony…paradise…" Lydia started to sound dreamy.

"Ok, ok, snap out of it," Mjoll jibed. "It's about time…the way the two of you always look at each other… I think it was clear to everyone but you."

Lydia smiled. "No, even we knew, but the right moment never seemed to arrive. This morning…it arrived."

"Well, good. So now what?"

Lydia smiled, a big, somewhat mischievous smile.

Mjoll burst out in laughter. "It's about time for that too! Well, may the blessing of the nine be upon you."

They walked into the anteroom and saw Elnath sitting in a chair. He was reading a scroll rather intently and apparently had not heard them come in.

"Good morning, Elnath," Lydia said.

Elnath started slightly and then smiled. "Good morning to you, Lydia. And you must be Mjoll."

"Aye. It's good to meet you," Mjoll responded.

The three of them made small talk for a little while, and then the door to Martin's office opened. Nazir emerged with a smile on his face. "Thank you so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to give me an audience."

"It was my pleasure. If you or any of the other nobles have needs, please feel free to reach out."

Nazir nodded and turned to Elnath, who stood. "Are you ready?

Nazir nodded again and the two left.

Martin walked over to the two ladies. "Mjoll. Lydia."

Mjoll thought she noticed a spark between Martin in Lydia, and was about to comment, but decided to let it pass instead.

The three of them went into Martin's office and Lydia closed the door behind them.

Martin and Mjoll sat across from each other. "So, how are things going in Elsweyr?"

"Well, news of our victory has travelled fast in the province. Many of the Khajiit have taken to calling you 'Gasiiq-dura.' I'm told it means 'Bringer of Lightning' or better, 'Lightning Bringer.' Needless to say, they were very impressed with your displays of your…what is it?"

"Thu'um." Martin said. "Or Way of the Voice, if you prefer that."

"Right, so the Khajiit were very impressed with your…way of the voice…displays as well as your ferocity. They also say you have the heart of a Khajiit. I'm told that is a big compliment, especially for a Bosmer."

"Lightning Bringer…I like that. Anyway, so they were really impressed?"

"As far as the soldiers and the townsfolk go, yes." Mjoll hesitated. Martin motioned for her to continue, so she did. "The Mane, while impressed with the gift you sent, was not so easily swayed. The information you provided on the void nights helped a good deal. Still, he did not want trade one elven master for another, especially with the history between the Khajiit and Bosmer. However, he does seem open to negotiation, I think. He sent me with a list of…requests…for your consideration."

The Void Nights were a period of about two years where Nirns two moons, Masser and Secunda, disappeared from the sky. This sent shockwaves of fear throughout Elsweyr. Nobody could figure out what caused it, or how to end it. Martin, through his only spy in the Aldmeri Dominion, had determined that the Thalmor had actually caused the Void Nights as an experiment on the Khajiit.

The Khajiit are not one single race. They are actually a myriad of races. Ones race is not determined by birth parents, but rather, the combined phases of Masser and Secunda. The Thalmor, inherent racists that they are, thought that by making the moons disappear, all Khajiit would be more to look more elf-like. Of course the experiment failed, but the Thalmor were able to salvage their loss by bringing the moons back and convincing the Khajiit that the Thalmor were their saviors.

Shortly before the war began, Martin sent a former member of the Elder Council, Zeno Mor, to Arenthia, Valenwood to act as a spy. Shortly before Arenthia was attacked by the Empire, its Administrator fled to Alinor, taking Zeno Mor with him. While in Alinor, Zeno managed to embed himself into the upper echelons of Thalmor leadership. In doing so, he uncovered evidence of the Thalmor plot.

It took no small amount of risk and thus, a good amount of time, but eventually, Zeno managed to get a parcel out of the Summerset Isles and into Cyrodiil. That parcel contained evidence and was delivered to Martin. Martin, in turn, made a copy and sent it to Kharjo in Skyrim. Kharjo had used that information to convince the Mane to throw off the yolk of the Aldmeri Dominion and to let the Empire assist them in kicking the Thalmor out of Elsweyr.

Kharjo's standing had greatly increased as a result and he was now one of the Mane's closest advisors and military leaders. He was attempting to use that influence, along with Mjoll's help, to convince the Mane to rejoin the Empire. The Mane was wary about serving a Bosmer emperor, given the history of bad blood between their two races. However, at Kharjo's urging and Mjoll's character witness (from having been a companion of the emperor before his coronation), the Mane was at least considering the idea. That was where the list of requests that Mjoll had just shown Martin came in.

Martin read through the list and thought out loud, "End discrimination of Khajiit throughout the empire, including ending the ban on Khajiit inside Imperial Cities. Well, that should be easy enough. An imperial edict can handle that. If they are no longer part of the Aldmeri Dominion, that should ease up on some of the suspicion, no?"

"The Nords won't like it," Lydia observed.

"Probably not, but a chest full of gold should lessen the blow. I don't think this is an issue that would create another Ulfric, do you?" Martin asked.

"No, they'll grumble and complain, and follow the letter of the law, but I could see a furry quarter in Windhelm, right next to the gray quarter," Lydia explained.

Mjoll chuckled. "Furry quarter? Don't let Kharjo hear you say that."

Martin laughed and then moved to the next item on the list. "Integrate the Khajiit into all imperial legions. Well, that's a given. If Elsweyr becomes part of the empire, they would all be integrated into the Legion."

"Keep reading," Mjoll said.

"There are to be no all Khajiit legions. Each legion is to be evenly mixed with Khajiit soldiers. Well, ok. That would make integration take more time, but it's doable. Oh…"

"Yeah…" Mjoll replied.

"Six of the Imperial Legions will be commanded by Khajiit Officers. How many divisions did the Khajiit have?"

"They had three divisions that were all Khajiit soldiers. The Mane said the Thalmor used them as fodder and never integrated them into their own ranks. He wants full integration and command of six legions."

"I can understand the integration part," Martin admitted, "but I don't understand the desire for six legion commands? See if he'll accept this compromise. Three Legions will be commanded by Khajiit Generals, and three more will have Khajiit Legates, as deputies, each with the possibility of promotion to full General."

Mjoll nodded and Martin read the next point. "Free and open access to all Imperial Provinces, cities and town for the selling of Khajiit wares. So basically he was free trade between Elsweyr and the other provinces."

"And complete access to all markets," Mjoll added.

"We'll allow them access to where ever they are willing and able to sell their goods. That sounds easy enough." Martin pointed out.

Mjoll got an interesting "wait for it" type of look on her face.

Martin saw the look and then saw why. "Full and complete administrative control over the City of Leyawiin and the surrounding area? What?"

"Aye, that is where many of the Khajiit went when Elsweyr joined the Aldmeri Dominion, so the Mane feels it should be part of Elsweyr."

"And more territory would increase his standing among he two kingdoms," Martin noted.

Mjoll shrugged. "I don't know about their politics. I'm just repeating what he told me."

Martin nodded, "I understand. I don't think this is going to go over very well. There are hundreds of years of history that we would be changing. I just…I just don't think this will go over well at all."

"You won't know until you try," Lydia pointed out. "Besides, you're changing history right now, and more so every day."

Martin looked at her and smiled briefly, then he looked back a Mjoll. "Ok, I'll talk to the Count of Leyawiin. In the meantime, please return to the Mane. Tell him point one we accept and heartily endorse. Point two we accept as modified. Point three we accept as is. Point four…" he sighed. "Point four is under serious consideration. Please try and get a feel for how serious he is over that. It may be a test for us, or he may actually want it. See if you can figure it out."


Blades Headquarters, Imperial Palace

It had been a long day and Martin was getting tired, and he couldn't help but wonder why. All he really did was sit down and talk with people all day. Still, the weight of the decisions he had to make could be enough to tire one out. At least he was ending the day on a high note. He had grown fond of Esbern and enjoyed talking both to him and about the Blades.

Esbern had thoroughly debriefed Ufina and he was bringing her by to talk with Martin and discuss their next steps. Tribune Calius had performed his duties to the letter and fulfilled the spirit of his orders very well. Martin was sure Esbern would recommend a promotion for him, and he was all too happy to give it.

Martin, Esbern, Ufina, Calius and Lydia were sitting around a table, all facing each other.

Esbern was bringing Martin up to speed on what had transpired. "It seems we have a blade who managed to escape the purge just before the Great War. He went deep underground and only came forward now because of what the Thalmor did to Arenthia."

"There are many Bosmer who were angered by what the Thalmor did to Arenthia. Oh! Excuse me!" Ufina interrupted.

"It's ok, Ufina," Esbern reassured her. He had found her to be quite passionate in her beliefs, only tempered slightly by the fact that she was not used to being around royalty or high ranking government officials.

"Ufina brought a letter," Esbern continued, "written at great risk by the blade and carried here at even greater risk. The blade goes by the name, Silgorn. He runs the Minotaur's Might in Southpoint. The letter did not go into how he survived the purge, but he did offer his fealty to you, the new Dragonborn. As a sign of good faith, he mentions that there are a few blades who have hidden out in Morrowind. The Dunmer have no love for the Aldmeri Dominion and some were happy to help the blades who sought refuge."

"How many survived?" Martin asked.

"He did not say. I think it was wise for him not to put names or numbers in a missive that could be captured." Esbern pointed out."

"Understandable. So what's the plan then?" Martin asked.

Esbern was thoughtful for a moment and then responded. "I am going to send Ufina and Calius to Delphine. Ufina can brief Delphine on the situation and Delphine will draft a response and then determine a better, more discreet method of communicating."

Martin nodded. "At some point, we should have him come to Cyrodiil and talk to him in person. I'd like to know more about these other surviving blades."

"I will relay that to Delphine," Esbern said. Martin noticed how a) Esbern designated that responsibility and b) designated it to the individual whose skills and abilities were best suited for the task. Martin noted that he could learn from that.

"Thank you, Esbern," Martin said. Then he turned to Ufina. "So, Ufina, you said that there are a lot of Bosmer who are angered by what the Thalmor did to Arenthia. You traveled quite a long way to get her, stopping in many cities, I assume. What is the general feeling of those you interacted with in those places."

Ufina was silent for a moment. She looked at Esbern who nodded, and then Calius, who smiled. Reassured, she answered, "The Thalmor have never been popular, but people were afraid. The Thalmor had ears everywhere. Even the slightest hint of criticism of them was enough for someone to disappear. But after Arenthia…people are not afraid anymore. They are angry. They are angry at what the Thalmor did to Arenthia, they are angry at what the Thalmor have done to Valenwood."

Martin considered how he could use that information. He decided he would talk to Jonna about it in the morning. For now, he had to focus on the fact that there was a surviving Blade, with the potential for many more. He realized Ufina would have to be protected, but Martin had a hunch that would not be an issue.

"Ufina, thank you for taking that dangerous journey and for bring this information to use. You have not only done a great service for Silgorn, you have performed a vital service to the Empire. You are welcome to remain our guest for as long as you would like."

"Thank you, your majesty, but I would like to get back to Southpoint as soon as I can."

"And you will, Ufina, I promise you," Esbern told her. "And we'll send protection with you as well."

"Who will go?" Martin asked.

"I will," Calius responded. "I will ensure she gets to Southpoint safe."

Ufina smiled.

"An Imperial in Valenwood? Won't that be…obvious?" Lydia asked.

"Not entirely," Esbern replied. "Southpoint used to be an Imperial settlement. "When the Thalmor took over Valenwood, many Imperials left, but many remained. So long as he is careful, Calius will not be any more obvious than any other Imperial who chose to remain."

"Ufina, Calius, thank you both. If there is anything you need before you leave, do not hesitate to ask," Martin said.

Calius nodded and rose, motioning for Ufina to do the same. The two of them left the room. Marin, Lydia and Esbern remained at the table. As Grandmaster, Esbern was going to brief Martin on the status of the blades.

"As an organization, the Blades was really starting to take root. There are soldiers interspersed in every legion. Lydia had her Emperor's Guard, with both a fully armored and a plainclothes division."

"Yes, I noticed them last night," Martin observed.

Esbern nodded and continued, "Aranea had enlisted from scholars from the mages guild and was thinking about starting a School of Scholars inside the Mages Guild itself. I think that is a wise move and have wholeheartedly endorsed the idea."

"Using the Mages Guild as a cover for her research. I like that," Martin said. "How are things at Weynon Priory?"

Esbern had started repairs on Weynon Priory. It had been taken over by bandits, but a detachment of Legionnaires had made quick work of them. "Not bad. Some of the Priests and Priestesses from Skyrim had travelled down to look things over. A few have even agreed to stay and help rebuild the Priory. Our numbers are small, but we have an Order of Talos. One of the priests mentioned restoring the temple in Bruma."

"The temple of Talos?" Martin asked. "Is that feasible?"

"It will take some time and some effort," Esbern replied, "but yes, it is feasible. I think more priests and priestesses would be willing to come out in the open if we did that as well."

"Ok, use whatever resources you need," Martin said. "I will leave that in your capable hands. It sounds like things are picking up across the board."

"They are," Esbern agreed. "The only area we still needed to work on is intelligence. Delphine has recruited a few members of the former Penticuls Oculatus, and she had been working very closely with the Thieves' Guild to help gather and analyze information. They have a long way to go before they have a robust network in place, but Delphine is up to the challenge. If things go well, we might be making more inroads into the Aldmeri Dominion."

"Excellent!" Martin exclaimed. "Thank you, Esbern."


Ragged Flagon, Riften, Skyrim
Second Seed 23rd

"I dunno, boss. He did restore the guild in here in Skyrim, I don't imagine he's gonna try an' ruin us now," Delvin was replying to Brynjolf about whether Martin's attempt to formalize the Theives' Guild was on the up and up, but he wasn't sure.

"I'm not sure, either," Vex agreed. "He did plenty of jobs, and he was competent enough. He certainly brought us a lot of coin."

"He is a nightingale, and while that may not have meant much to Mercer, I can tell that Cadriel took it seriously," Karliah pointed out.

"Aye, lass," Brynjolf agreed. "He did take it seriously, and he singlehandedly returned the skeleton key to its rightful place. I can't imagine he would try to take out the guild now."

"So what's our move then?" Vex asked.

"I say we move cautiously. Don't agree to anything yet, and see how hard he pushes. If he lets it go, it could indicate it's sincere." Brynjolf advised.

"I agree," Karliah said.

"Yeah, sure, whatever," Vex agreed.

"I'll bring Vanryth along," Delvin said. "He's been heading up things in Morrowind. He's not exactly their leader, but he's the closest they got."

"Good luck. Let Karliah and me know what he says," Brynjolf said.

There were nods all around, then Delvin and Vex rose to leave for Cyrodiil.

War Room, Imperial Palace

Second Seed 24th

Martin was meeting with meeting with Consul Jonna and his three Praetors. He was in better spirits today. For one, he had not woke up hungover and for another, he had good people in place to help handle many of the details of running and empire That would allow him to focus more on the big picture items.

Elnath was going to handle many of the administrative matters that had plagued him since his coronation. Lornus was handling the new mages guild and would likely step down as imperial battlemage in order to be named Archmage. Esbern had really kicked off the blades and things were finally starting to move there.

Finally, Consul Jonna had taken charge to re-organize and integrate the Imperial Legion. That was what the purpose of this meeting was: to bring Martin up to speed on the integration and organization. Martin regretted that he may have to throw yet another dwarven gear into the steamworks, but he had full confidence that the Consul and Praetors could make it all work.

"Good morning, gentlemen," Martin began the meeting, right on time. "What have you got for me today?"

Consul Jonna motioned to an aide, who handed out parchements to everyone at the table.

While the documents were being handed out, Praetor Whitestone spoke up, "Your majesty, I've heard that the Khajiit soldiers have taken to calling you 'Lightning Bringer.' Seems fitting, if you ask me."

Praetor Tullius smiled, "I have to admit, when you came to Castle Dour, I thought you were just looking to keep your head, but you have proven time and time again, just how capable and how powerful you are. I'm not surprised in the least that the you have won the respect and admiration of the Khajiit soldiers."

Martin smiled, a mixture of respect and familiarity. It was amazing what fighting side by side with someone could do. "You all flatter me. Please, continue."

There were a few chuckles around the table. They each enjoyed a moment of camaraderie, and then they got down to business. Once everyone had a copy of the document, Jonna began explaining. "Your majesty, this is a draft of our plan for organizing the Imperial Legion. It includes integrating units from Hammerfell. You'll note, that since you have been crowned, our legions have essentially doubled in size."

"Oh? How do you mean?" Martin asked.

"Historically, a Legion has been 5-6 cohorts, for a total of 5,000-6,000 soldiers. We found that to be inadequate during the Great War. Thalmor divisions are typically 10,000 soldiers, so a one on one matchup would never work. With the clouds of war on the horizon, we determined that a Legion should be of an equivalent size right from the start," Jonna explained.

"So THAT'S why it was so hard finding troops to fill things," Martin realized. Things made so much more sense with Jonna's explanation.

Jonna nodded. "If you'll take a look at the document we've prepared, you will see how we intend on organizing things." He added.

Martin read the document that the aide had handed him:

I. History

The Imperial Legion traces its roots all the way back to the Allessian Order. It became the sole army on Tamriel under Reman I, who defeated the pretenders, disbanded their armies and united the land under one empire and one Legion, the Imperial Legion.

After the First Interregnum, the God Talos, then known as Tiber Septim, the first Dragonborn Emperor, reformed the Legion with the aid of the Akaviri Dragonguard and through the Tiber Wars, reunited all of Tamriel, under one Emperor and one Legion, the Imperial Legion.

In this vein, under Emperor Martin Septim II, the Last Dragonborn, the first to reunite Tamriel under one Emperor and one Legion after the Second Interregnum, the Imperial Legion is once again reborn. Like the Phoenix, arisen from the ashes, stronger than before.

II. Authority

By the authority of Emperor Martin Septim II, the first true emperor since the Oblivion Crisis, The Last Dragonborn, The First Emperor after the Second Interregnum, the Imperial Legion is hereby established and organized, lead by Consul Jonna, hero of the Great War, Savior of Cyridiil, under the authority invested in him by Emperor Martin Septim II, according to the procedure and structures outlined in this document.

III. Structure

1. The Imperial Legion is lead by a Consul. The Consul reports directly to the Emperor and is in overall command of the entire legion. There are currently three Armies in the Imperial Legion. Each Army may have up to four Legions. As new legions are founded, new Armies will be stood up to accommodate them.

2. Each Army is commanded by a Praetor and consists of three legions. The Praetors report to the Consul and serve on the Emperor's war council. Each Army is specialized as follows:

a. Garrison – Garrison armies will have their legions stationed in certain provinces. They will maintain order and be on call to defend the land.

b. Security – Security armies will have their legions patrol the roads between cities and assist local town and city guard unit.

c. Expedition – Expedition armies will have their legions actively engaged in current wars, overseas expeditions or training.

3. Each Legion is commanded by a General and consists of ten Cohorts. Each General will report to a Praetor and have a Legate as a deputy for the legion. Cohorts will be assigned to each legion according to the type of legion in the Army.

4. Each Cohort is commanded by a Tribune and consists of ten companies. Each Tribune will have a Prefect as a deputy for the Cohort. Each Cohort will be specialized as follows:

a. Light Infantry

b. Heavy Infantry

c. Calvary

d. Archers

e. Magic Users

i. Battlemages

ii. Healers

5. Each Company is commanded by a Captain and consists of ten Patrols.

a. Each Legion will have one command company. This company will be part of the first cohort and will consist of staff necessary to maintain the smooth operation of the Legion.

6. Each Patrol consists of ten soldiers including and led by a Quaestor.

IV. Ranks

1. The Ranks of the Imperial Legion are as follows:

1. Recruit

2. Trooper

3. Auxiliary

4. Quaestor

5. Captain

6. Prefect

7. Tribune

8. Legate

9. General

10. Praetor

"I like the second section," Martin quipped. The Consul and Praetors dutifully smiled. "Seriously, though, it's an outstanding plan." Martin said. "It looks like you organized things with Hammerfell in mind."

"And, we've taken into account further expansion if Elsweyr rejoins the Empire," Praetor Whitesone added.

"Yes, about that," Martin was a little hesitant, but moved forward. "One of the…requests…from the Khajiit is that they would be fully integrated into the Legion. Apparently the Thalmor segregated them into their own units and treated them as disposable. They do not wish the same with the Legion."

"At what level would we integrate them then?" Praetor Tullius asked.

"Probably no bigger than the company level." Martin answered. "At least initially. New recruits would, of course, be added where ever they are needed the most."

There was silence around the table. Martin realized the enormity of the task he was asking, and so did they. Finally, Jonna spoke. "Your majesty, I won't coat this with honey. That is a difficult task and will take some time. Especially as we are in the middle of a war. If I might make two suggestions for now…"

Martin nodded and Jonna continued, "First, leave the First Army as it is. We can add in the Fourth Legion, but refrain from adding Khajiit companies. They are doing most of the fighting, so the Khajiit will hopefully accept the fact that they are not being used as fodder for our enemies, which I believe meets the intent of their request. Second, using a full Khajiit legion for garrison purposes in Elsweyr. Re-integrating the province into the Empire will take time and the citizens may be more accepting of Imperial Armor if its being worn by Khajiit soldiers."

"That would allow you to begin the integration with the Second Army, which is not being used as heavily at the moment and would give a fourth legion to Tullius for Garrison purposes," Martin observed. "I would add, that any replacements or reinforcements to First Army legions come from Khajiit companies. That seems like a natural way to integrate them."

Jonna nodded, "Of course, your majesty. With those changes then, you approve?"

"Yes, Jonna." Martin replied. "You all are to be commended on putting together a very good plan and for adapting to the multiple changes that have come your way recently, and the changes that will come your way in the near future."

Before Martin could say anything else, there was a knock on the door to the war room. A Legionnaire opened the door to a Palace Guard.

"Please pardon the interruption, your majesty. I bring dire news from Elsweyr. The Mane…has been assassinated…"


Author's Note: First, I would like to extend a hearty "thank you" to Dark Brotherhood Listener for being a Beta Reader for this chapter. I think the chapter is much better off with his notes and suggestions. If anyone else is interested in being a Beta Reader, please send me a Private Message. I appreciate the feedback on the fighter's guild and the historical tension between the Khajiit and Bosmer. Finally, the Thalmor causing the Void Nights for what was essentially was a genetics experiment is not exactly canon, but the theory came from a former Bethesda developer, so I am using that as a plot device in the story. If you have any suggestions or if you notice any errors in the lore, as always, please do not hesitate to send me a Private Message. Thanks!