The Redguards have somehow come out of their bloody war with the Aldmeri Dominion with less casualties than their enemies, the pompous Altmer and any allies they had fighting alongside them. The nature of Redguards would make it surprising if they gave in without being pushed to the brink of possible extinction. They had full control over the war from the start it seemed, not letting up for a second. It was especially true since their lands were already taken from them many other times, but they regained control back.
On the other side of the war, the Altmer of Summerset Isle were continuing their conquest of Tamriel. They had gotten a large portion of Tamriel, including Elsewyr and Valenwood, which was why they had decided to try and take Hammerfell after. With being pushed back by the headstrong Redguards, their quest had been temporarily held back.
Despite that, the story of the eventual great ruler of High Rock were unaffected by those events until much later in his life. Sir Richard of Wayrest, or rather just Richard at this point in time, started as nothing more than a beggar. The young resident of the kingdom of Wayrest was not expected to rise to royalty if anyone were to judge him when they first saw him.
"You're lucky you didn't actually hurt me with this robbery, kid. I would have you locked up in a heartbeat. Leave before I get in a worse mood." A haughty storeowner spoke down to a child who was glaring at him. The child gritted his teeth, unfortunately not as intimidating as he wanted it to be while he was on his knees, holding his right arm.
"I don't care what you do to me! All I wanted from your stupid shop was something to eat!" The child spoke loudly, keeping his eyes locked on the storeowner's. He was clearly not going to back down easily, a trait that was rare in today's age for adults, but it seemed like every child had it in droves.
"Then bring money next time and pay like everybody else or you'll keep ending up on your knees, scum." The storeowner shot a sardonic grin at the boy below him. The boy didn't have time to retort before the man left him. Whispers could be heard from people walking and standing close by, not making a move to give assistance. The boy gritted his teeth more and promptly got onto his feet, still holding his arm. A trail of red could be seen on the fabric of the sleeve, starting from where the boy was holding his arm to the end of the sleeve. A pool seemed to gather, starting to stain around the opening of the arm. It didn't make much of a difference seeing as the condition of his clothing was no better than the others that sat on the paths begging. His white shirt had only light spots of white color remaining, the rest getting closer to the dirt he laid in. To no surprise, his pants were ripped in many places and were black to cover the rest of the damage.
The young boy was named Richard, though no one could claim to know his last name. His parents, who were both deceased, were not the social sort and the few people they knew chose to distance themselves after what had happened. They had since been forgotten and their only remaining memory was Richard himself. He didn't know his parents at all, not even knowing what they had looked like. The tragedy of their passing happened when Richard was not yet old enough to walk easily. That had left Richard without a place to stay and no one to take him in afterwards.
Richard walked the streets of Wayrest, but not to any specific destination. Instead, he was just walking and trying to take his mind off what had just happened. The storeowner had just caught him because the knife slipped from Richards hand while he was cutting a sack open. It had caused the injury on his arm and Richard naturally stepped back in response when it sliced him. That caused some barrels to tumble and the storeowner had heard the commotion. Richard tried to hide but he was too slow and was found. He had gotten as far as the front counter before getting too greedy. A bag of coins was in his sight and he tried to grab it on his way out. Instead of flawlessly swiping it and running out the door, he tripped over his own feet and tumbled to the ground. The storeowner almost immediately caught him, roughly throwing him out and that was when he and Richard had their argument.
It was early evening when Richard let himself fall against the outside of a building, the sun almost gone and the sky a beautiful shade of red-orange. While he didn't enjoy being what he was now, it did put into perspective what kinds of things he would miss if things got better for him. The beauty of nature and its dynamic changes that most people don't notice was one.
"I have seen you made quite a scene, young one. Might I ask you what happened earlier?" A robed person with little of their face showing came up a distance from Richard, who was too distracted by the fading of the light. His face hardened immediately when he looked to see who spoke to him.
"What does it matter to you?" Richard narrowed his eyes, trying to get a look at who he was looking at. Even from this angle, it was just clear that the person was most likely a male with their body shape, although even with robes it could be questionable.
"I am simply curious about what happened since you were part of the commotion earlier." The robed character was definitely a member of a temple or covenant. He spoke far too proper to be a normal citizen.
"You want to know? It's because I wanted to eat some simple bread but that was too much to ask for a kid like me." Richard wasn't going to walk and walk away from the robed man. Certainly not out of any sort of respect but because he was comfortable.
"Is there a chance I could help you out of your ordeal? The Divines have guided me to you for a reason, I feel." Richard didn't believe for a second that the 'Divines' were guiding anybody, and this man's speech wasn't changing that at all. He was getting progressively more annoyed.
"I'm not going to go along with your god talk, so save your breath and leave now." Richard was expecting the man to leave but he was rooted in his spot it seemed. He wasn't taking any steps away, making young Richard feel uncomfortable.
"I have to play my role. Please, all I ask is for you to come with me." The man was ruthless with his persuasive attempts, but Richard was getting pulled into his thoughts. Richard couldn't get the robed man away from him it seemed, even being entirely ignorant towards him.
"Fine but not for any other purpose. Got me?" The robed man bowed and waited for Richard to get to his feet. It was a hesitant motion but eventually Richard did just that. With both men on their feet, the robed one led the way down the many confusing streets of Wayrest. It was not a city laid out in the most sensible of ways. Eventually, the pair was led to their destination: A Temple of Akatosh. Richard knew something like this was going to happen and he was prepared for seeing the imposing structure. He wasn't one to let a stone building stop him from walking, but he was still questioning on the purpose of their trip. Despite that, Richard didn't stop himself for long.
The inside of the building was beautifully decorated with a large central prayer shrine, glass and red color making it stand out from the rest of the colors. The perimeter of the temple had several shrines to Akatosh along the walls carved from a darker metal but not pure black like ebony. The empty space had some half a dozen other followers wearing robes as well, making Richard feel extremely out of place with his tattered clothes.
"Welcome to the home of the Convent of Akatosh, young man." Richard narrowed his eyes, only glancing at the robed man beside him who sounded happy and confident when speaking now.
"Okay, so what now? What can I do in this barren place." Richard was not to hold himself back when speaking after what had happened to him after all the years of being alone. That was what got him into trouble every time, whether it be with guards or random residents.
"I told you, the Divines told me about you and I followed their guidance. Might I ask you a question now that we are not in the open?" The robed man turned to Richard, stepping back and slipping off his hood. Underneath was not a man, rather a human woman with a beautiful face. Richard felt his breath catch for once.
"I guess but I do not plan on staying anyway."
"I get the idea that you do not approve of the Divines in your personal opinion but can the Convent of Akatosh house you until we can find a place for you? I cannot let you be out there without helping." The woman cupped her hands together in front of her. Some others that were busy before were watching the events play out. They were of varying ages, but all were human races, unsurprisingly. Right now, the members of elves, human, and beast races were not getting along too well. None of them seemed to be the same as the residents walking outside the building.
"Fine, I can stay until I find something better." Richard retreated into himself, his glare returning little by little. He knew he had to stay vigilant no matter where he was.
"That is fine. Then might I ask for you to follow me again? This temple is not where you will be staying." The woman bowed once again and started moving without waiting for a response from Richard. He kept his distance but followed the member of the Convent once again. The two went to a building almost directly next to the temple, much less decorated besides hanging banners hanging on the outside. Compared to the temple made of pristine material and made to be imposing to the eye, this new building looked to be much more mundane and not as noticeable from the start. The woman stopped in front of it and Richard stopped as well.
"So, is this where I will be at? This doesn't look to be all that great, not much better than where I was at last night." Richard heard a deep breath at this side, looking to see the woman breathing hard with her eyes closed.
"Although I am not going to do anything myself, I would hope our goodwill not be insulted without proper experience to give judgement." The woman stepped forward, this time not motioning for Richard or mentioning for him specifically. It was clear Richard had hit a nerve with his opinion. Still, he followed in silence into the building. Inside was much better than the outside, the cobblestone exterior walls being replaced with either polished marble supports or cut marble to walk on. Red carpet guided one's way through the two floors of the building, very immaculate in that regard. No expense was sparred when decorating even something as simple as a shelter to the followers of Akatosh. There was not much time to examine everything, as the woman who guided Richard did so with a quickened pace. The woman seemed either hasty to get where she wanted or what Richard has said before coming in was more insulting than he thought.
"So…how many people are actually staying in this place?" Just from the glances Richard could take while keeping up with the surprisingly quick priest, it looked like it could handle a large number of residents. There was an area for making meals and a large area probably for socializing took up a large amount of the first floor, although there was no doubt a lot more than Richard could see without being reprimanded again by the woman. The floor above had lots of space for followers of Akatosh or possibly others that are brought in from the streets.
"We have taken in many with some staying and others leaving. We will ask, a large amount that are not condescending about it, but we will not demand them to stay." The woman turned back to Richard, a disappointed look still plastered on her face. She really did not like the place she called home patronized.
"I get what you are saying. I'm not going to act like I am a nice person, no matter who is speaking to me about any subject. I am not going to change who I am just to be in a place like this." Richard fought back the woman's verbal attack with his own. The woman would not raise a fist in either this place or the temple, but she would not stop her voice from projecting her emotions.
"Then do you want to stay and accept our hospitality or go back to where you think you belong?" It was Richard's turn to feel the insult to who he was. This woman was judging his situation without knowing his background or personality. He might be considered nothing more than a young beggar, but he wouldn't let his pride be attacked by anyone.
"No, I will go back to where I belong." A simple answer was all Richard gave. He was going to show the world that he could survive without the help from any Divine or human. He has lived long enough without having many problems and who knows what would happen when he got to the age to be able to work for septims, not beg.
It must have been a sign or a punishment from the Divines or possibly taunting from the Deadra. Heavy rain poured onto anywhere in Wayrest that didn't have a roof. Even overhangs from buildings did nothing to protect from the onslaught of the weather. Richard could not find a place to stay this night and everywhere else was taken by another who was doing what they could to stay warm and dry. He was in the fetal position, hugging his knees to his chest. It saved nothing, every fabric on him being soaked and his body being constantly tortured by more rainfall. Still, Richard didn't cry or lament his decisions. He was staring down to protect his eyes and face from the water as best he could.
"One more day, one more day and I can try to get more food. All I have to do is be able to get out faster, maybe have diversions set up this time before I try…" He was whispering his plans for what he thought would be a good day. It was the best thing he could do to pass the time: Planning his movements and strategizing from past experiences. He has kept himself fed and safe for years by improving on what he previously attempted. When he was older, he figured something would open up to him, even if it was a basic job that got him some septims.
The next day, the rain stopped but Richard was still drowned in moisture. He didn't change his position much either, not having the energy to move. Over the last couple of days, Richard got enough septims 'donated' to him to buy something edible. The loud growl from his stomach was what made him give in to the need.
Richard was still silent, his mind not being able to settle itself down for a second. When Richard calmed himself down for a sliver of time, he came to a sight of standing directly in front of the Chapel of Akatosh. It was the same one he came to with the woman before. Before that day, Richard never stopped or glanced at any Chapel, only passing by doing something else. After the woman brought him here a few days earlier, it seemed a little more imposing.
"Why? Why am I here, then?" He knew who he was asking. He demanded an answer from the very force he knew had a hand in pulling the string of this very building. Akatosh, the Divine of Time and the strongest of their ranks. Everyone knew of his role and strength, but Richard never personally attributed anything that happened to any force other than his own, until now.
"Just one chance, you hear me? And one septim." Richard took one last deep breath, pushing the door to the Chapel of Akatosh open wide.
"You have returned but might I impose on your reasoning?" The same woman as before was facing Richard down, a cringe replacing her current expression. She was preforming her expected daily duties, a perturbed tone not covering up her disdain for Richard. He wasn't entirely insulted, but far from ready to apologize.
"How in oblivion would I know? I just felt like doing it. As far as I care, nowhere is private to me." The woman's cringe got worse, but she couldn't deny his movements in the Chapel. She disregarded his presence from then on, letting him do as he pleased. He didn't have much he wanted to do but he felt a reason to spend a little bit of time in the Chapel, at least.
Richard had never prayed to the Divines before, not feeling like he needed to or wanted their help in his life. Still, it wasn't the first new thing he has tried since he was left alone in the world. He even ventured to going back to where he had been born, looking for some sort of clue on what it could have been that had crossed his path in the worst way possible. It has been many years since then and he was very young and angry when he had gone there. He had missed something, either small or possibly just something he could not recognize without having much experience in the world.
That was not his reasoning for today, though. Today, he didn't have anything specific to ask or want. Rather, he was just looking for some direction and reasoning behind wanting to do something else he had not done to this day. He could not get on his knees and beg like every other person who came to the altars for their own personal needs, his own pride being the only factor in that. Instead, he dropped his remaining spetim into the decorated bowl in front of the bust of Akatosh. He did not know the customs of praying, thinking of this as more of a casual conversation with himself only.
"So, what did you want me in here for? There is no other reason I would come here myself." He felt no nervousness in speaking to no one, accustomed to the looks or ridiculousness that came with the action. A beggar had no one to talk to but himself every day. There was nothing but silence as the minutes passed.
"You make me spend everything I have, and you can't even tell me a word of why? This is why I don't trust in anything god-like, good or bad." Ricahrd grinded his teeth in frustration, turning his back to the altar and only taking one step.
"You have come after all…" A soft, female voice spoke from Richard's back. He instinctively turned to find…no one. Just the altar and the bowl.
"Who said that?" Richard quickly checked around himself but only seen two other people inside the building with him. The woman from before that didn't share the voice and would not give him anything he asked for at this point. The other was a Nord, from the looks of his body. Possibly a traveler or possibly on a pilgrimage.
"Do not look for me…you cannot find me with mortal eyes…" The feminine voice indeed was not lying from the sound of it, but it did seem to originate from a central point. The altar of Akatosh.
"So, give me an answer to my question." Richard spoke with confidence, voice not waning despite speaking to an Divinge, an Aedra of near limitless power. The air grew thicker in the Chapel, the presence catching the attention of the other two bystanders.
"You will not be guided by me but instead your decisions will guide your life…You will not hear from me until I feel it is necessary again…Sir Richard, the Crimson Lion of Wayrest and representative of my image…" The voice spoke Richards name, but he was taken aback by it. 'Sir' is the label it added, meaning it seen royalty or importance in the impatient boy's life? The last part was confusing as well, combining many titles that Richard could never achieve in one lifetime.
"Sir Richard? What do you mean by that?" Richard demanded an answer now; his voice rising to catch the attention and worry of the others in the Chapel. With subconsciously balled fists, Richard took a step towards the inanimate shrine, waiting. "Why aren't you talking now? What are you telling me?!" Richard growled underneath his breath, temper rising. It was a weakness that he only showed when overly curious or teased to the point of running out of patience.
"You are not to raise your voice in the Chapel of Akatosh, young man. I do not know what is going on, but it should be taken outside if you are going to cause a commotion." The woman that led Richard before, a harsh sting to her words and much less comforting than what was coming from the shrine. A quick turn revealed she was far from smiling anymore, her expression showing not concern but disappointment.
"I am doing nothing but clearing my head. You don't need to act like I am a menace, like the rest of them." Richard returned the attitude, fighting the woman's fire with his own. The Nord stood at a distance, overlooking the exchange but not interfering. His expression was one more of curiosity, a hand ruffling his developing beard that almost signified his lineage in most eyes. The color matched his growing head of hair, both having a fine, brown hue to them. His clothes also were light and seemed to be much more suited to being on the road rather than something a citizen would be seen wearing.
"You are giving off an aura of unease and I would appreciate it if you left until the air is cleared of negative feelings once again." The woman stood her ground, her hands becoming white by having to hold back her own voice.
"I am just trying to understand what was said to me by…" The thought hit Richard like a taking a fireball without any protection. He didn't know EXACTLY who he was called by, but there were only a few beings that could communicate without being seen. Ghosts and phantoms could not penetrate the sanctified walls of any Chapel. Deadra were indeed powerful, but a Divine would have to be severely weakened to be invaded either physically or spectrally. That only left one option, one that Richard could not prove and would sound insane saying out loud.
"Was said to you by…?" The woman's eyes got wide and her hands spread apart. The anger in her person seemed to dissipate all at once. "Were you spoken to by Lord Akatosh as well?" Richard was the one confused now, not having a good answer that would be fitting with the sudden softness.
"Um…I think so. I heard a woman in my head without you saying anything to me." The woman sighed, a smile coming to her face. The Nord stepped closer to the two, staying silent still but very interested at what would happen next.
"That is good. Like the others that have come to us, we have all heard the voice of the one we have given ourselves to. I am surprised you were the next one chosen, but I cannot ignore the calling of our Lord. I have to impose a question on you yet again, one last time."
"I have given all I had left to get this far, I can manage one last question. I cannot guarantee a good answer, though." The woman bowed slightly, making Richard step back to make a bigger space between them. He never had anyone bow to him and has never lowered his head to another, as well.
"If you decline, I will not ask anymore, and you will be free of having to speak with me again. Will you join the Convent of Akatosh, following our Divine Lord that you have heard yourself?" The woman got right to the point with her question, although Richard was not expecting a second chance after his insults from last time.
"I will have to…think about it. That is a big choice to make…" The woman stood straight again, the smile not leaving her face this time. It was keeping Richard more on edge than when she was getting angry.
"Of course, I expected as much. Take all of the time you need, Sir…" The woman stopped, not knowing Richard's name.
"Sir? Why do you call me Sir? I'm a beggar." Richard was defensive about being called what he had not earned, especially since he was nowhere near having the required prestige to be called Sir.
"All of the members of our Convent have either the title of Sir or Miss in front of their names. If you decline, I will not call you such. I am Miss Erica to other members."
"I see. In that case, I am Richard…" Richard felt like giving his name out to anyone was dangerous, but nothing seemed to be hidden in a place like this. This building had a different feeling surrounding it than the insecurity of the streets.
"Sir Richard it is. I will be awaiting your answer." One last bow and Erica went back to her duties. The Nord from before had gotten quite close as well but was making his way out with Richard immobile. He was not sure what had happened, having to organize his thoughts before deciding on anything. He had two choices to choose from now: Continue to beg and hope for a better life or join the Convent of Akatosh and have to follow their rules.