An Uneasy Alliance

Fandom: Elder Scrolls (Skyrim with DLCs)

Author: CatandKaraForever

Rating: T

Genres: Adventure, Action, Fantasy

Karrise's Point of View:

I pulled out the silver mirror I used for swift communication with my father, and set it against the wall. It began to glow and then the reflecting surface rippled. His face appeared, and he spoke.

"What's the situation in Skyrim?"

"You were correct," I said, "The New Order attacked Skyrim. Unfortunately though, Jarl Allea is not presently on Tamriel."
"What?"

"She and her wife are both off in the middle of nowhere exploring," I explained, "And they brought their most capable friends with them too."
"You mean the team that saved Mundus in that mountain battle?"

"Correct," I said, "the acting Jarl isn't exactly incapable either though. She led a defense force that beat off the New Order when they attacked."

"Why would the Order hit a new town? One that isn't as fortified and strategically important as most of the towns in Skyrim?"

"Actually," I said, "Diamond City is actually more strategically located than anything else. There's a Dwemer ruin located underneath, with connections to multiple other regions of Skyrim. It connects to two other ruins in The Pale, one in Winterhold, and there's an entrance to a different ruin which currently doesn't work. There's also a dragon inside the Dwemer ruin."

"Very good," my father mused, "sounds like the Skyrim Alliance is well off."
"Aye, they've got some important connections," I said, "Jarl Allea is close friends with High King Stormcloak, there's a company of Bosmer archers that watch the gates. They've got a company of Nordic mercenaries that reside in one of the connected ruins, they've got alliances with the Imperial legion, a company of Redguard mercenaries, a company of Orcish berserkers, and their own navy, commanded by an Argonian woman."

"They sound better off than we do, in terms of versatility of the army," he said, "And in numbers too, what with our forces being compromised.."

"That was my thought too," I admitted, "But that being said, we don't know what the New Order are planning, they could be preparing to bring their entire force against Diamond City, and if that happens there could be 3 more legions, that's a total of 400,000 troops they have likely, and that outnumbers the Alliance."

My father nodded.

"Stay in Skyrim then, assist the Alliance, but keep alert for treachery," he said, "How are the natives treating you?"

"The leaders are treating us fine, but the grunts are disdainful. I don't anticipate physical conflict though, they seem only willing to speak ill of us and not actually do anything."

He nodded again.

"Quite frankly I'm not in the slightest bit surprised what with the war we fought with Jarl Allea," he admitted.

"Me neither. The worst the leaders have done is not allow Carir and I to bring our weapons into the city, and they won't let the army itself in. They reserved weapons for us in the armory in case we need to fight in a pinch and can't get to our forces and our own weapons. They also permitted us to build a war-camp at the gates, so we're getting a solid stronghold here."
"Very good."

My father was interrupted by voices in the background.

"That's..unfortunate," he replied to one of them, "I'll inform my daughter."

He turned back to me, "I've received reports that the Order is working on a deadly toxin to be released by air, that's all I know about it."

"Very well, we'll be on the lookout for anything that might release airborn toxins."

He nodded, "I should let you get back to your duties overseeing the war-camp shouldn't I?"

I nodded, and waved my hand, the mirror rippling and his face disappeared. I heard shouts from outside and cast a bound sword, running out of my quarters. The guards at my door came running after me, their weapons drawn too.
"What's happening?"

"There's an army at our gates," one of the guards said as we went running outside.

I climbed up to the battlements of the war-camp, peaking out over the wooden wall, trying to be subtle if the army was hostile. It was a group of Nords and Imperials, wearing a mix of Imperial legion armor and Stormcloak armor. A teenage girl on a large black horse was in the front, flanked by a hulking Nord and an Imperial officer.