Chapter seven: The arrival.
"Sir. We are arriving at solitude in an hour or less." Arundil said to me.
"Good how are the men doing Arundil?"I look up weary of the boat trip. "I know i am glad to finally be able to kill someone again. I grinned at Arundil.
"The men feel the same way sir. May i ask a question sir that has troubled be since we left?"Arundil shifted uncomfortably
"Off course Arundil, you may ask it. You know i will try and help you in anyway." I replied while calmly looking at her.
"Well why did you wanted me here specifically sir. I mean there are better warriors in the red legion but you wanted me why? "She said looking down.
"Why would i want you specifically with me here to this cold land? To be honest i like you Arundil and because we will go to some courts and boring noble stuff and i would like you to accompany me then. But most off all because you are a damn good soldier and your silver tongue will come in handy." I replied with a wink when she looked at me.
"Thank you sir, can i do something for you in the mean time?"She asked me while looking visible relaxed.
"Yes actually can you ask Mirvanye to look for a fort or something to take over so that we won't be at the embassy, it may be too small for our soldiers?" I replied while standing up. "And make sure she chooses one close to the embassy in case of emergencies."
"It will be done my lord." With that she left my cabin. I walk towards my armor stands which shall i pull on glass or traditional thalmor robes. I decided to pull on the robes to show we are from the dominion. After i am done with getting dressed i walk towards the deck of the ship and see how solitude looks.
"Sir." a soldier comes up to me before i get on deck. "Shalia asked me to ask you how we are going to march?" the soldier stands in attention.
"We will march in lines of five men, outer and inner red legion the other two her soldiers." I said after a while. "Mirvanye me and her at the front commanders before each command, understood?"
"Yes sir i will report it to her at once." With that said the soldier sprinted away, probably in a hurry.
As i opened the door the sea air assaulted my nose and the winds swept through my hair.
"Captain where is solitude located?" i asked the captain when i approached him.
"See that light tower over there that means we are getting close won't be long before you see a city on a cliff that is solitude." The captain replied while still looking at the sea in front of him.
"Have you ever been here in skyrim i mean? This is my first time. Is it as they say it is solitude the most beautiful city of skyrim?"I asked after a while.
"The capital of skyrim and by some the most beautiful others think windhelm is the most beautiful city, the city of ysgramor himself. And yes i have been here once to get soldiers here after the treaty was signed, stayed for a while in solitude." the captain replies while pointing to a structure on a rock formation. "That is solitude and you can see the blue palace once the seat of the high king. But this civil war there isn't been a king since it started."
"Thank you captain. What do you think of solitude?" i said still looking at the rocks.
"Well it is pretty i give them that but it is not my style the walls look ugly if you take a closer look, but you can see the city in a few days if you wish." The captain said while raising his hands towards some dockworkers.
"Have a good journey home captain may Auri-el watch over you." I shook the captain's hand before going to Mirvanye and Shalia who are waiting to get to solid and it seems. "Mirvanye you know what you must do when we get to the embassy?"
"Yes sir first the soldiers must get duties assigned then i will see with the scouts for that new mission you gave me." She looked at the dock and sighed. "Well one thing i am happy about solid land."
"Well Thorein i was an honor the work with you, we will go together to the embassy from there i will get new assignment from the first ambassador." Shalia said with a face that betrayed disgust.
"Is something the matter Justiciar Shalia?" i asked while looking at the point she looked at and saw two nords in nothing but a fur skirt. "A i see what the problem is."
"Barbaric why they would walk around like that is beyond me, hopefully there is something beautiful in -"
"He come on your here so that something beautiful." I teased her.
"- skyrim. But anyway shall we get going these nords look like they want something from us." She said while pointing to several men with chainmail and red coats wrapped around them.
"Greetings my name is Aldis, captain of solitude guard. What is your business in skyrim?" the man in front asked.
"We are thalmor justiciar's and our business doesn't involve you." I said with a face of disgust when i smelled the air around him. "Unless you wish to keep us from doing what must be done i suggest you get out of our way."
The man stepped aside and said. "Don't cause trouble and we won't have any problems sir. But remember this is not the summerset isles here our laws matter."
I just shrugged and walked away. "Mirvanye have you read the books i gave you about these nords?" i asked while walking what seems to be a road.
"Yes sir why do you ask?"Mirvanye asked while looking around. "The politics seems very unnatural to me. And they have a weird law system."
"Well, tell me what did the book say about their politics, laws and their hygiene." i asked while looking weary at the guards that walk these 'roads' and i look back to see the man march in perfect unison.
"well the politic is they have jarls for a city which belongs to a hold which swears fealty to the high king which is absent know because of the war, their laws system if you are wanted in windhelm the men from solitude won't come after you but bounty hunter will, and hygiene is only for the nobles who can afford it but most just wash in the river."
"Splendid." I replied sarcastically. "Well when the nobles we will meet are clean in don't have to looks so disgusted every time i see them."
Mirvanye and Shalia laughed both. "Sir these nords are barbaric you can't ask them to wash every time they meet with an aldmeri representative."Mirvanye said still laughing.
"Why not maybe then they wouldn't be so barbaric." I said grinning. "Off course they can't be as fabulous as us." I put a hand on my chest for emphasis.
After a while we arrived at the embassy.
"Greetings. Welcome to the thalmor embassy we have been expecting you." A soldier at the gates said with a traditional thalmor greeting.
"Greetings, can you escort me to the first emissary's office i need a word with her." I asked the one who spoke to us. "Mirvanye you know what you must do. Report when you are done to me."
"Yes sir." both Mirvanye and the guard said at the same time in which i responded with a chuckle.
"This is her office my lord shall i get the ambassador for you." the guard asked me which i responded with a nod of approval. "Yes but don't say who i am she must see for herself.
I look around the office and see a desk filled with letters i decided i should take a look for a clue of their problems in skyrim.
Undermanned, not enough justiciars, too stretched out, reports on thalmor activities in skyrim stormcloak and legion troop movements. Too much for one person to handle.
"I don't know who you are but those documents are private and you at my desk." I look up to see a female mer in thalmor robes with her arms crossed before her chest. "So who are you and what do you think you are doing in my office?" she snapped at me.
"I am thorein son of Caliriwen, lord of the red legion. And i am in your office to meet the first ambassador and fix the problem's in skyrim and who are you to question me?" i replied coolly while reading a document about the blades.
"My name is Elenwen, first ambassador of the aldmeri dominion here in skyrim." I look up and gave a faint smile. "Now which right does grant you to sniff through my documents? And fix the problem in skyrim? Hmm. "Elenwen snapped.
"Relax first ambassador, i am here on orders of our queen to aid thalmor forces in skyrim and i sniff through 'your' documents because i outrank you." I snapped back. "Now sit down and answer my questions."
Elenwen look a bit shocked before sitting at a chair in front of the desk. "So what do you want to know?"
"I see you are stretch thin my men and your new reinforcement can aid you in that prospect. What is the situation with the civil war and talos worship in the imperial holds which are four if i read that correctly."
"Talos worship in the four holds is still far and few in between most do it silent in their homes and talos worship is increased in the rebel holds. And the one hold whiterun hasn't taken a side in this war so no side has the upper hand for now." Elenwen replied. "If i may ask you-"
"No you may not until i am done questioning you. My men will stay here for a while. I will help you in your duties so i must know everything and access to everything and if you cooperated freely i will not order you around like a soldier understood?"I said while looking to the door and saw a small little altmer. "And who is that?"
"Yes sir i understand." Elenwen turned towards the door and saw the child. "Her father is a justiciar and took her here she has no family left and i haven't heard from him in a while."
"Child would you be so kind to wait in the foyer? I will come to you after i am done here." I looked to see the child quickly run away. "Where is her father or his last known location?"
"Here in this document it is al written down." She said while handing a document. "He was hunting talos worship in whiterun hold but he had no proved so i didn't send him aid." She replied looking down on the floor.
"I will check it out. From now on Elenwen if there isn't prove of it send it to me and i will check it. If you have any questions ask me now." I replied while looking in the document she just gave me.
"Why does our queen send you here, and why do you outrank me, and how long will you stay here?" Elenwen asked me looking me in the eyes.
"I was sent here on a secret mission but also aid our forces here, i will stay as long as our queen want is, and i outrank you simply because i am in command of the red legion forces in tamriel. Now if that was all i must check on my men." I stood up and Elenwen stared at me. "Didn't your mother tell you staring is rude?"
"I thought you... well nothing i will see you later then at dinner perhaps?" Elenwen said looking at her desk.
"Yes you will see me at dinner or when i am going to help you clean your desk." With that said i walked away towards the foyer for the girl.
"Would you like an apple girl?" i asked the little mer when i saw her sitting on a bench.
"My father thought me to never talk to strangers." The girl replied with a fearful look.
"Well you are talking to me now, let me introduce myself my name is thorein and you're?"
The girl thought for a moment. "My name is Shasha but most call me Sas. It is nice to meet you Thorein, most people don't want me around saying this is no place for a small child." She said looking around.
"Shasha that is a pretty name but my question still stands do you want an apple?" she nodded and i grabbed an apple from a nearby bowl and gave it to her. "So tell me Shasha do you like it here?"
"no." she took a bite. "There is no one to play with or who would train me with magic or swords, so i mostly stay in my room reading spell books and try some."
"So which spells do you like the most Shasha? I like almost everything i know." I replied and sat beside her on the bench.
"I like candlelight sometimes when it is dark i use it to see my room or when reading in the night." She replied after a while. "But i still wish to learn more me when he comes back to me."
"I will make you a deal tonight after dinner i will practice one spell with you, and in return you will help me with work how does that sound?" i asked with a smile.
"Depends on the work you want thorein. If it is just delivering things for you then i would like it" she said with a smile.
"That is a deal, let's go to my second in command you will mostly delivering things to her and if you want to know where see is you can ask anyone." I said. I stood up and walked away. "Are you coming with me?"
"Yes i am right behind you thorein." She said while quickly getting next to me.