*MEEKO'S SHACK*
HJAALMARCH
SKYRIM

Tala bristled at the sight of the seemingly innocent shack looming in the darkness.

"I still say this is a trap," Potema pouted.

"We've been around the hut three times," Tala reassured. "If Lewis or Sarah had any surprises, they're not within easy distance."

"We're far from our own borders, in the middle of Hjaalmarch," the Wolf Queen retorted. "Not to mention that it's the Arch-Mage AND the Dragonborn we're meeting. Together, they might not need anyone else."

"It's time and past that we had this talk," Tala insisted stubbornly, forcing her feet to walk towards the small structure. "The conversation we have here will determine our next move, and indeed, the future of the Covenant's relationship with Skyrim."

"Unless they kill us here, and use our lack of a clear successor as a way to destabilize the Vodahmin."

"They kill me, and every single Lord of the Vodahmin Covenant will come roaring over the Druadach Mountains, howling for vengeance," Tala scoffed. "Pray they're that stupid."

"Won't do US any good, will it?"

Tala squared her shoulders back, and then strode towards the entrance, leaning back as she delivered a kick that swung the ancient back on rusted hinges The single candle on the table revealed two figures half-risen, one with a curved Akaviri blade drawn, the other with twin Shock spells in-hand.

There was a tense moment before the Travelers all recognized one another.

"Sorry I'm late," Tala said, sauntering in. "Too bad there's no Fast Travel in real life, eh?"

Wry, mirthless grins met her words.

"Was kicking the door open really necessary?" Lewis sighed.

"Needed to make sure it was you two, and not a dozen of your Blades or Thieves' Guild members in here," Tala retorted, pulling back the third chair and plopping herself into it unceremoniously. Lewis and Sarah shared a look, and then sank back down in their own chairs. Sarah Gellar leaned forward towards Tala.

"Your Majesty…"

"Oh, for fuck's sake, Buffy, it's the three of us," Tala cut her off. "There's no fucking point in 'majesty this, your grace that,' or 'Arch-Mage thou,' is there?"

Sarah leaned back, looking slightly embarrassed.

"I…I guess not," she stammered.

Tala nodded once and turned back to Lewis.

"SO, Lew, looks like Isran's off your leash," she shrugged, and Lewis winced.

"I had nothing to do with that," he answered simply. "Still don't."

"Sure as hell haven't done anything to stop them," she scoffed.

"Believe it or not," Sarah cut in, "we have more important things to discuss."

"More important?" Tala scoffed. "More important than my queendom being invaded, and the distinct possibility of hundreds of my subjects dying? Do tell, High-and-Mighty Arch-Mage, what could possibly be…?"

"Titus Mede is dead."

Tala felt her mouth snap shut mid-sentence.

"How?"

Sarah shrugged.

"As far as we can tell… old age. But the important thing is who he appointed to succeed him."

"Who?"

Lewis reached into the small pouch and tossed the Imperial crown on the table.

Tala felt Potema snap a hand out to seize the golden circle, and only just held her back. The entire focus of Potema's lives, previous and current, now lay on the middle of a rough-hewn oak table in the middle of a run-down shack. With the greatest effort of will, Tala forced Potema back, beads of sweat breaking out on her forehead with the strain.

"So what is this, then?" she asked, turning back to Lewis. "Your idea of asking me to acknowledge you as Emperor? Because if it is, you can go fuck yourself."

"This is me letting you know that Imperial armies are marching north, to fight me," Lewis cut her off. "This is me, ME Tala, not the High King, Dragonborn, or any chosen-one bullshit, me, asking for your help to save my people from slaughter."

Tala gave a long look at Lewis, and then over at Sarah, who merely nodded in agreement. Then she slowly sank back down in the third chair in the room, a thousand thoughts racing through her brain, and Potema's.

"You'd better start from the beginning," she said at last.

*SOME TIME LATER*

Tala stared silently at the small map that Lewis had spread out on the table, with small pins indicating where different forces were or predicted to be. By now, the single candle had long since burnt out, and two different Magelight globes hung in the air above the table, making the interior bright as day.

"Well then," she said at last. "You two are in a pickle."

"That we are," Lewis nodded, and Tala felt herself blink at the blatant honesty. Sarah also gave Lewis a strange look. "Hence the reason the three of us are sitting here, hammering out the terms of an alliance."

"Oh, is that what we're doing?" Tala asked coyly.

Lewis looked across the table.

"Isn't it?" he asked, and his expression didn't betray a single note of trepidation or worry.

This one plays poker, or whatever the Skyrim equivalent is.

Careful, little Tala…

"That depends…" Tala answered finally, and Sarah narrowed her eyes in suspicion.

"On what?" she and Lewis said almost together.

"On a great many things."

Now Lewis' expression did crack, and he rolled his eyes, leaning back with a sigh.

"Fuck, Tala, I don't have time to play word games," he said, and there was something of the rough and impatient Nord in his voice again, "Tell me what you want!"

"For starters," Tala replied, "I want you to stand aside and let me remove a band of racist, backwards, country fucks that are gathering in Solitude."

Lewis blinked, and his hand instinctively went to the small red pin indicating that point of the map.

"I thought…" he began, and then tried again, "I thought you were going to ask me to go and tell them to stand down."

"Would you?"

"Yes."

The answer had come instantly, and without hesitation. Tala leaned forward, and the two rulers stared closely at one another for a moment.

"I believe you," Tala said at last, "But no, if you call them off, then it's only a matter of time before they break with you and try again, and both of us will always have to be looking over our shoulders on the campaign to come."

"The campaign to come?" Lewis asked.

"Call it a practice run for some new units and tactics I've been putting together," Tala went on, ignoring the question altogether.

"Yes," nodded Lewis slowly. "I have a few tricks of my own up my sleeve that I'm hoping will even the odds if Tiberius or Kelan-Tel march north."

Tala snorted. "I don't doubt you do… Dragonborn."

Then she turned to the third figure at the table.

"You've been awfully quiet, Sarah," she said, grinning. "Spit it out."

"I'm not a ruler like you two," Sarah shrugged. "I'm just the head of a college of magicians, who will of course support their king."

"You're not at Hogwarts, little Hufflepuff," Tala teased. "You're allowed to have opinions of your own."

Sarah shot her a withering glare that Tala entirely ignored. Then she folded her hands and pointed with her chin at the map between them all.

"Do you both intend to invade the south, or just defend our own territory?"

"I don't know," Tala answered, looking at Lewis. "Do you want the Ruby Throne, or just be King in the North?

Sarah smiled at the accent Tala had adopted, but Lewis only looked confused.

"Game of Thrones," Sarah explained.

"Never saw it," Lewis shrugged. "But to answer the question, I never wanted the Ruby Throne. What I want to do is sit at my hearth, raise a family, grow old and pass a legacy on to my children. But I'm not going to leave Galas and Baajirra to be overrun by the Dominion… again. I'm not going to leave Skyrim and Tamriel open to the chaos of petty little men. If that means I have to march south and crack heads together to win peace for my kingdom, and my allies, then so be it."

Tala lifted a hand, rubbing her thumb and forefinger together. Lewis furrowed his brows, while Sarah only rolled her eyes.

"What is that?" he asked, apparently missing the gesture's meaning.

"This is the world's smallest violin playing for you," Tala chuckled. "What a typical male attitude, adopting the role of self-sacrificing victim. Don't whine and bitch about having to rule. Lewis, if you don't want the crown, give it to someone who does."

"Like who?" Sarah demanded. "You? What right do…"

"I have just the same amount of claim on the Ruby Throne as either of you two," Tala retorted. "And just as much as the first Titus Mede had after the Interregnum."

"That was a period of…"

"Civil war? Yes, Buffy, it certainly was, and it is once again," Tala nodded sarcastically. "The Dominion will soon realize they don't need Tiberius, and if Tullius' account of this brat's character is correct, Kelan-Tel will realize that holding his hand will be more trouble than its worth. And then he'll be making for the Imperial City, or pulling his troops back to Black Marsh. Then it really will be chaos and old night for Tamriel."

"So where does that leave us?" Lewis spread his hands, and Sarah stared intently at Tala, who regarded the two of them for another long moment.

"I'm not a big enough idiot to think I can make a bid for Empress on my own," she smiled, and then nodded decisively. "My troops will coordinate with yours, after they give the rest of Skyrim an object lesson."

"On?"

Tala grinned. "Why attacking anyone under the protection of the Covenant is a very bad idea."

She stood to her feet, turning towards the door. Sarah stood to her feet.

"And Tala?"

Tala paused at the door.

"Yes?"

"I'm a Gryffindor, not a Hufflepuff."

Even Tala couldn't hold back the snort of laughter that escaped me.

"Of course you are."

Then she was gone, and the door closed behind her. The other two looked at one another, sighing in something like relief.

"Do you believe her?" the Arch Mage of Winterhold asked.

"I'm… optimistic," the High King answered.

"Because I noticed that you didn't tell her about the guns."

Llewellyn Dragonborn smiled wearily, the effects of staying up until the early hours of the morning taking their toll.

"I'm optimistic, not stupid."

Author's Note:

A short intermission, if you will, before the main events begin rolling in. For the first time, all three Travelers have met in the same place without the presence of anyone else, and thus were able to talk over things as Earth-born gamers inserted into an alternate universe.

So there's that.

Please leave all thoughts/suggestions/reviews/comments/constructive criticisms in the reviews below, or PM me directly. I always love hearing from you, even if it's just "Good job."

ROCK ON, my friends!

-Tusken1602

Reviewer Responses:

tylermech66 - Not a bad idea for the crown, if Llewellyn decides to truly make a bid for the title of Emperor.

Bloodwolf432, NotRevan - No guns for Tala, or at least not yet. I think Lewis wants to keep as many advantages as he can to himself at the moment.

griezz1 - No "Army of Darkness" quotes yet, but yes, I also find this story somewhat ironic as well.

Spartanzerg75, jdboss1 - Alexander the Great and Julius Caesar failed to secure their successions, and bloody civil war ensued, both times. But it is in these times of social upheaval that the greatest opportunities for change present themselves. As for Maomer... *spoilers ;)

GalacticHalfling, A Perpetual Shadow - If the Bad Guy is what's needed to defeat the Worst Guy... is he still the Bad Guy?

ronma hibiki - And there's no middle ground on these types of questions, either.

badkidoh, ajpa - Thanks! I really appreciate the support!